diff --git "a/C013/Y01221.json" "b/C013/Y01221.json" new file mode 100644--- /dev/null +++ "b/C013/Y01221.json" @@ -0,0 +1,7 @@ +[ +{"source_document": "", "creation_year": 1221, "culture": " English\n", "content": "Produced by Douglas B. Killings\nHEIMSKRINGLA\nOR\nTHE CHRONICLE OF THE KINGS OF NORWAY\nBy Snorri Sturlason\nOriginally written in Old Norse, app. 1225 A.D., by the poet and\nhistorian Snorri Sturlason.\nTRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:\nThe \"Heimskringla\" of Snorri Sturlason is a collection of sagas\nconcerning the various rulers of Norway, from about A.D. 850 to the year\nThe Sagas covered in this work are the following:\n 1. Halfdan the Black Saga\n 2. Harald Harfager's Saga\n 3. Hakon the Good's Saga\n 4. Saga of King Harald Grafeld and of Earl Hakon Son of Sigurd\n 5. King Olaf Trygvason's Saga\n 6. Saga of Olaf Haraldson (St. Olaf)\n 7. Saga of Magnus the Good\n 8. Saga of Harald Hardrade\n 9. Saga of Olaf Kyrre\n 10. Magnus Barefoot's Saga\n 11. Saga of Sigurd the Crusader and His Brothers Eystein and Olaf\n 12. Saga of Magnus the Blind and of Harald Gille\n 13. Saga of Sigurd, Inge, and Eystein, the Sons of Harald\n 14. Saga of Hakon Herdebreid (\"Hakon the Broad-Shouldered\")\n 15. Magnus Erlingson's Saga\nWhile scholars and historians continue to debate the historical accuracy\nof Sturlason's work, the \"Heimskringla\" is still considered an important\noriginal source for information on the Viking Age, a period which\nSturlason covers almost in its entirety.\nPREFACE OF SNORRE STURLASON.\nIn this book I have had old stories written down, as I have heard\nthem told by intelligent people, concerning chiefs who have have held\ndominion in the northern countries, and who spoke the Danish tongue;\nand also concerning some of their family branches, according to what\nhas been told me. Some of this is found in ancient family registers,\nin which the pedigrees of kings and other personages of high birth are\nreckoned up, and part is written down after old songs and ballads which\nour forefathers had for their amusement. Now, although we cannot just\nsay what truth there may be in these, yet we have the certainty that old\nand wise men held them to be true.\nThjodolf of Hvin was the skald of Harald Harfager, and he composed a\npoem for King Rognvald the Mountain-high, which is called \"Ynglingatal.\"\nThis Rognvald was a son of Olaf Geirstadalf, the brother of King Halfdan\nthe Black. In this poem thirty of his forefathers are reckoned up, and\nthe death and burial-place of each are given. He begins with Fjolner, a\nson of Yngvefrey, whom the Swedes, long after his time, worshipped and\nsacrificed to, and from whom the race or family of the Ynglings take\ntheir name.\nEyvind Skaldaspiller also reckoned up the ancestors of Earl Hakon the\nGreat in a poem called \"Haleygjatal\", composed about Hakon; and therein\nhe mentions Saeming, a son of Yngvefrey, and he likewise tells of the\ndeath and funeral rites of each. The lives and times of the Yngling\nrace were written from Thjodolf's relation enlarged afterwards by the\naccounts of intelligent people.\nAs to funeral rites, the earliest age is called the Age of Burning;\nbecause all the dead were consumed by fire, and over their ashes were\nraised standing stones. But after Frey was buried under a cairn at\nUpsala, many chiefs raised cairns, as commonly as stones, to the memory\nof their relatives.\nThe Age of Cairns began properly in Denmark after Dan Milkillate had\nraised for himself a burial cairn, and ordered that he should be buried\nin it on his death, with his royal ornaments and armour, his horse and\nsaddle-furniture, and other valuable goods; and many of his descendants\nfollowed his example. But the burning of the dead continued, long after\nthat time, to be the custom of the Swedes and Northmen. Iceland was\noccupied in the time that Harald Harfager was the King of Norway. There\nwere skalds in Harald's court whose poems the people know by heart even\nat the present day, together with all the songs about the kings who have\nruled in Norway since his time; and we rest the foundations of our story\nprincipally upon the songs which were sung in the presence of the chiefs\nthemselves or of their sons, and take all to be true that is found in\nsuch poems about their feats and battles: for although it be the fashion\nwith skalds to praise most those in whose presence they are standing,\nyet no one would dare to relete to a chief what he, and all those who\nheard it, knew to be a false and imaginary, not a true account of his\ndeeds; because that would be mockery, not praise.\nOF THE PRIEST ARE FRODE\nThe priest Are Frode (the learned), a son of Thorgils the son of Geller,\nwas the first man in this country who wrote down in the Norse language\nnarratives of events both old and new. In the beginning of his book he\nwrote principally about the first settlements in Iceland, the laws and\ngovernment, and next of the lagmen, and how long each had administered\nthe law; and he reckoned the years at first, until the time when\nChristianity was introduced into Iceland, and afterwards reckoned from\nthat to his own times. To this he added many other subjects, such as\nthe lives and times of kings of Norway and Denmark, and also of England;\nbeside accounts of great events which have taken place in this country\nitself. His narratives are considered by many men of knowledge to be the\nmost remarkable of all; because he was a man of good understanding,\nand so old that his birth was as far back as the year after Harald\nSigurdson's fall. He wrote, as he himself says, the lives and times of\nthe kings of Norway from the report of Od Kolson, a grandson of Hal of\nSida. Od again took his information from Thorgeir Afradskol, who was an\nintelligent man, and so old that when Earl Hakon the Great was killed\nhe was dwelling at Nidarnes--the same place at which King Olaf Trygvason\nafterwards laid the foundation of the merchant town of Nidaros (i.e.,\nThrondhjem) which is now there. The priest Are came, when seven years\nold, to Haukadal to Hal Thorarinson, and was there fourteen years. Hal\nwas a man of great knowledge and of excellent memory; and he could even\nremember being baptized, when he was three years old, by the priest\nThanghrand, the year before Christianity was established by law in\nIceland. Are was twelve years of age when Bishop Isleif died, and at\nhis death eighty years had elapsed since the fall of Olaf Trygvason. Hal\ndied nine years later than Bishop Isleif, and had attained nearly the\nage of ninety-four years. Hal had traded between the two countries, and\nhad enjoyed intercourse with King Olaf the Saint, by which he had\ngained greatly in reputation, and he had become well acquainted with the\nkingdom of Norway. He had fixed his residence in Haukadal when he was\nthirty years of age, and he had dwelt there sixty-four years, as Are\ntells us. Teit, a son of Bishop Isleif, was fostered in the house of\nHal at Haukadal, and afterwards dwelt there himself. He taught Are the\npriest, and gave him information about many circumstances which Are\nafterwards wrote down. Are also got many a piece of information from\nThurid, a daughter of the gode Snorre. She was wise and intelligent, and\nremembered her father Snorre, who was nearly thirty-five years of age\nwhen Christianity was introduced into Iceland, and died a year after\nKing Olaf the Saint's fall. So it is not wonderful that Are the priest\nhad good information about ancient events both here in Iceland,\nand abroad, being a man anxious for information, intelligent and of\nexcellent memory, and having besides learned much from old intelligent\npersons. But the songs seem to me most reliable if they are sung\ncorrectly, and judiciously interpreted.\nHALFDAN THE BLACK SAGA.\nPRELIMINARY REMARKS.\nOf this saga there are other versions found in \"Fagrskinna\" and in\n\"Flateyjarbok\". The \"Flateyjarbok\" version is to a great extent a copy\nof Snorre. The story about Halfdan's dream is found both in \"Fagrskinna\"\nand in \"Flateyjarbok\". The probability is that both Snorre and\nthe author of \"Fagrskinna\" must have transcribed the same original\ntext.--Ed.\n1. HALFDAN FIGHTS WITH GANDALF AND SIGTRYG.\nHalfdan was a year old when his father was killed, and his mother Asa\nset off immediately with him westwards to Agder, and set herself there\nin the kingdom which her father Harald had possessed. Halfdan grew up\nthere, and soon became stout and strong; and, by reason of his black\nhair, was called Halfdan the Black. When he was eighteen years old he\ntook his kingdom in Agder, and went immediately to Vestfold, where he\ndivided that kingdom, as before related, with his brother Olaf. The same\nautumn he went with an army to Vingulmark against King Gandalf. They had\nmany battles, and sometimes one, sometimes the other gained the victory;\nbut at last they agreed that Halfdan should have half of Vingulmark,\nas his father Gudrod had had it before. Then King Halfdan proceeded to\nRaumarike, and subdued it. King Sigtryg, son of King Eystein, who then\nhad his residence in Hedemark, and who had subdued Raumarike before,\nhaving heard of this, came out with his army against King Halfdan, and\nthere was great battle, in which King Halfdan was victorious; and just\nas King Sigtryg and his troops were turning about to fly, an arrow\nstruck him under the left arm, and he fell dead. Halfdan then laid the\nwhole of Raumarike under his power. King Eystein's second son, King\nSigtryg's brother, was also called Eystein, and was then king in\nHedemark. As soon as Halfdan had returned to Vestfold, King Eystein went\nout with his army to Raumarike, and laid the whole country in subjection\nto him.\n2. BATTLE BETWEEN HALFDAN AND EYSTEIN.\nWhen King Halfdan heard of these disturbances in Raumarike, he again\ngathered his army together; and went out against King Eystein. A battle\ntook place between them, and Halfdan gained the victory, and Eystein\nfled up to Hedemark, pursued by Halfdan. Another battle took place, in\nwhich Halfdan was again victorious; and Eystein fled northwards, up\ninto the Dales to the herse Gudbrand. There he was strengthened with\nnew people, and in winter he went towards Hedemark, and met Halfdan the\nBlack upon a large island which lies in the Mjosen lake. There a great\nbattle was fought, and many people on both sides were slain, but Halfdan\nwon the victory. There fell Guthorm, the son of the herse Gudbrand, who\nwas one of the finest men in the Uplands. Then Eystein fled north up the\nvalley, and sent his relation Halvard Skalk to King Halfdan to beg for\npeace. On consideration of their relationship, King Halfdan gave King\nEystein half of Hedemark, which he and his relations had held before;\nbut kept to himself Thoten, and the district called Land. He likewise\nappropriated to himself Hadeland, and thus became a mighty king.\n3. HALFDAN'S MARRIAGE\nHalfdan the Black got a wife called Ragnhild, a daughter of Harald\nGulskeg (Goldbeard), who was a king in Sogn. They had a son, to whom\nHarald gave his own name; and the boy was brought up in Sogn, by his\nmother's father, King Harald. Now when this Harald had lived out his\ndays nearly, and was become weak, having no son, he gave his dominions\nto his daughter's son Harald, and gave him his title of king; and he\ndied soon after. The same winter his daughter Ragnhild died; and the\nfollowing spring the young Harald fell sick and died at ten years of\nage. As soon as Halfdan the Black heard of his son's death, he took the\nroad northwards to Sogn with a great force, and was well received. He\nclaimed the heritage and dominion after his son; and no opposition being\nmade, he took the whole kingdom. Earl Atle Mjove (the Slender), who was\na friend of King Halfdan, came to him from Gaular; and the king set\nhim over the Sogn district, to judge in the country according to the\ncountry's laws, and collect scat upon the king's account. Thereafter\nKing Halfdan proceeded to his kingdom in the Uplands.\n4. HALFDAN'S STRIFE WITH GANDALF'S SONS.\nIn autumn, King Halfdan proceeded to Vingulmark. One night when he was\nthere in guest quarters, it happened that about midnight a man came to\nhim who had been on the watch on horseback, and told him a war force was\ncome near to the house. The king instantly got up, ordered his men to\narm themselves, and went out of the house and drew them up in battle\norder. At the same moment, Gandalf's sons, Hysing and Helsing, made\ntheir appearance with a large army. There was a great battle; but\nHalfdan being overpowered by the numbers of people fled to the forest,\nleaving many of his men on this spot. His foster-father, Olver Spake\n(the Wise), fell here. The people now came in swarms to King Halfdan,\nand he advanced to seek Gandalf's sons. They met at Eid, near Lake\nOieren, and fought there. Hysing and Helsing fell, and their brother\nHake saved himself by flight. King Halfdan then took possession of the\nwhole of Vingulmark, and Hake fled to Alfheimar.\n5. HALFDAN'S MARRIAGE WITH HJORT'S DAUGHTER.\nSigurd Hjort was the name of a king in Ringerike, who was stouter and\nstronger than any other man, and his equal could not be seen for a\nhandsome appearance. His father was Helge Hvasse (the Sharp); and his\nmother was Aslaug, a daughter of Sigurd the worm-eyed, who again was a\nson of Ragnar Lodbrok. It is told of Sigurd that when he was only twelve\nyears old he killed in single combat the berserk Hildebrand, and eleven\nothers of his comrades; and many are the deeds of manhood told of him in\na long saga about his feats. Sigurd had two children, one of whom was\na daughter, called Ragnhild, then twenty years of age, and an excellent\nbrisk girl. Her brother Guthorm was a youth. It is related in regard\nto Sigurd's death that he had a custom of riding out quite alone in the\nuninhabited forest to hunt the wild beasts that are hurtful to man, and\nhe was always very eager at this sport. One day he rode out into the\nforest as usual, and when he had ridden a long way he came out at a\npiece of cleared land near to Hadeland. There the berserk Hake came\nagainst him with thirty men, and they fought. Sigurd Hjort fell there,\nafter killing twelve of Hake's men; and Hake himself lost one hand, and\nhad three other wounds. Then Hake and his men rode to Sigurd's house,\nwhere they took his daughter Ragnhild and her brother Guthorm, and\ncarried them, with much property and valuable articles, home to\nHadeland, where Hake had many great farms. He ordered a feast to be\nprepared, intending to hold his wedding with Ragnhild; but the time\npassed on account of his wounds, which healed slowly; and the berserk\nHake of Hadeland had to keep his bed, on account of his wounds, all the\nautumn and beginning of winter. Now King Halfdan was in Hedemark at the\nYule entertainments when he heard this news; and one morning early, when\nthe king was dressed, he called to him Harek Gand, and told him to go\nover to Hadeland, and bring him Ragnhild, Sigurd Hjort's daughter. Harek\ngot ready with a hundred men, and made his journey so that they came\nover the lake to Hake's house in the grey of the morning, and beset all\nthe doors and stairs of the places where the house-servants slept. Then\nthey broke into the sleeping-room where Hake slept, took Ragnhild, with\nher brother Guthorm, and all the goods that were there, and set fire\nto the house-servants' place, and burnt all the people in it. Then they\ncovered over a magnificent waggon, placed Ragnhild and Guthorm in it,\nand drove down upon the ice. Hake got up and went after them a while;\nbut when he came to the ice on the lake, he turned his sword-hilt to\nthe ground and let himself fall upon the point, so that the sword went\nthrough him. He was buried under a mound on the banks of the lake. When\nKing Halfdan, who was very quick of sight, saw the party returning over\nthe frozen lake, and with a covered waggon, he knew that their errand\nwas accomplished according to his desire. Thereupon he ordered the\ntables to be set out, and sent people all round in the neighbourhood to\ninvite plenty of guests; and the same day there was a good feast which\nwas also Halfdan's marriage-feast with Ragnhild, who became a great\nqueen. Ragnhild's mother was Thorny, a daughter of Klakharald king in\nJutland, and a sister of Thrye Dannebod who was married to the Danish\nking, Gorm the Old, who then ruled over the Danish dominions.\n6. OF RAGNHILD'S DREAM.\nRagnhild, who was wise and intelligent, dreamt great dreams. She dreamt,\nfor one, that she was standing out in her herb-garden, and she took a\nthorn out of her shift; but while she was holding the thorn in her hand\nit grew so that it became a great tree, one end of which struck itself\ndown into the earth, and it became firmly rooted; and the other end of\nthe tree raised itself so high in the air that she could scarcely see\nover it, and it became also wonderfully thick. The under part of the\ntree was red with blood, but the stem upwards was beautifully green and\nthe branches white as snow. There were many and great limbs to the tree,\nsome high up, others low down; and so vast were the tree's branches that\nthey seemed to her to cover all Norway, and even much more.\n7. OF HALFDAN'S DREAM.\nKing Halfdan never had dreams, which appeared to him an extraordinary\ncircumstance; and he told it to a man called Thorleif Spake (the Wise),\nand asked him what his advice was about it. Thorleif said that what he\nhimself did, when he wanted to have any revelation by dream, was to take\nhis sleep in a swine-sty, and then it never failed that he had dreams.\nThe king did so, and the following dream was revealed to him. He thought\nhe had the most beautiful hair, which was all in ringlets; some so long\nas to fall upon the ground, some reaching to the middle of his legs,\nsome to his knees, some to his loins or the middle of his sides, some\nto his neck, and some were only as knots springing from his head. These\nringlets were of various colours; but one ringlet surpassed all the\nothers in beauty, lustre, and size. This dream he told to Thorleif, who\ninterpreted it thus:--There should be a great posterity from him, and\nhis descendants should rule over countries with great, but not all with\nequally great, honour; but one of his race should be more celebrated\nthan all the others. It was the opinion of people that this ringlet\nbetokened King Olaf the Saint.\nKing Halfdan was a wise man, a man of truth and uprightness--who made\nlaws, observed them himself, and obliged others to observe them. And\nthat violence should not come in place of the laws, he himself fixed\nthe number of criminal acts in law, and the compensations, mulcts, or\npenalties, for each case, according to every one's birth and dignity\nQueen Ragnhild gave birth to a son, and water was poured over him, and\nthe name of Harald given him, and he soon grew stout and remarkably\nhandsome. As he grew up he became very expert at all feats, and showed\nalso a good understanding. He was much beloved by his mother, but less\nso by his father.\n ENDNOTES:\n(1) The penalty, compensation, or manbod for every injury, due\n the party injured, or to his family and next of kin if the\n injury was the death or premeditated murder of the party,\n appears to have been fixed for every rank and condition,\n from the murder of the king down to the maiming or beating a\n man's cattle or his slave. A man for whom no compensation\n was due was a dishonored person, or an outlaw. It appears\n to have been optional with the injured party, or his kin if\n he had been killed, to take the mulct or compensation, or to\n refuse it, and wait for an opportunity of taking vengeance\n for the injury on the party who inflicted it, or on his kin.\n A part of each mulct or compensation was due to the king;\n and, these fines or penalties appear to have constituted a\n great proportion of the king's revenues, and to have been\n settled in the Things held in every district for\n administering the law with the lagman.--L.\n8. HALFDAN'S MEAT VANISHES AT A FEAST\nKing Halfdan was at a Yule-feast in Hadeland, where a wonderful thing\nhappened one Yule evening. When the great number of guests assembled\nwere going to sit down to table, all the meat and all the ale\ndisappeared from the table. The king sat alone very confused in mind;\nall the others set off, each to his home, in consternation. That the\nking might come to some certainty about what had occasioned this event,\nhe ordered a Fin to be seized who was particularly knowing, and tried to\nforce him to disclose the truth; but however much he tortured the man,\nhe got nothing out of him. The Fin sought help particularly from Harald,\nthe king's son, and Harald begged for mercy for him, but in vain. Then\nHarald let him escape against the king's will, and accompanied the man\nhimself. On their journey they came to a place where the man's chief had\na great feast, and it appears they were well received there. When they\nhad been there until spring, the chief said, \"Thy father took it much\namiss that in winter I took some provisions from him,--now I will repay\nit to thee by a joyful piece of news: thy father is dead; and now thou\nshalt return home, and take possession of the whole kingdom which he\nhad, and with it thou shalt lay the whole kingdom of Norway under thee.\"\n9. HALFDAN S DEATH.\nHalfdan the Black was driving from a feast in Hadeland, and it so\nhappened that his road lay over the lake called Rand. It was in\nspring, and there was a great thaw. They drove across the bight called\nRykinsvik, where in winter there had been a pond broken in the ice for\ncattle to drink at, and where the dung had fallen upon the ice the thaw\nhad eaten it into holes. Now as the king drove over it the ice broke,\nand King Halfdan and many with him perished. He was then forty years\nold. He had been one of the most fortunate kings in respect of good\nseasons. The people thought so much of him, that when his death was\nknown and his body was floated to Ringerike to bury it there, the people\nof most consequence from Raumarike, Vestfold, and Hedemark came to\nmeet it. All desired to take the body with them to bury it in their own\ndistrict, and they thought that those who got it would have good crops\nto expect. At last it was agreed to divide the body into four parts. The\nhead was laid in a mound at Stein in Ringerike, and each of the others\ntook his part home and laid it in a mound; and these have since been\ncalled Halfdan's Mounds.\nHARALD HARFAGER'S SAGA.\n1. HARALD'S STRIFE WITH HAKE AND HIS FATHER GANDALF.\nHarald (1) was but ten years old when he succeeded his father (Halfdan\nthe Black). He became a stout, strong, and comely man, and withal\nprudent and manly. His mother's brother, Guthorm, was leader of the\nhird, at the head of the government, and commander ('hertogi') of the\narmy. After Halfdan the Black's death, many chiefs coveted the dominions\nhe had left. Among these King Gandalf was the first; then Hogne and\nFrode, sons of Eystein, king of Hedemark; and also Hogne Karuson came\nfrom Ringerike. Hake, the son of Gandalf, began with an expedition of\n300 men against Vestfold, marched by the main road through some valleys,\nand expected to come suddenly upon King Harald; while his father Gandalf\nsat at home with his army, and prepared to cross over the fiord into\nVestfold. When Duke Guthorm heard of this he gathered an army, and\nmarched up the country with King Harald against Hake. They met in\na valley, in which they fought a great battle, and King Harald was\nvictorious; and there fell King Hake and most of his people. The place\nhas since been called Hakadale. Then King Harald and Duke Guthorm turned\nback, but they found King Gandalf had come to Vestfold. The two armies\nmarched against each other, and met, and had a great battle; and it\nended in King Gandalf flying, after leaving most of his men dead on the\nspot, and in that state he came back to his kingdom. Now when the sons\nof King Eystein in Hedemark heard the news, they expected the war would\ncome upon them, and they sent a message to Hogne Karuson and to Herse\nGudbrand, and appointed a meeting with them at Ringsaker in Hedemark.\n ENDNOTES: (1) The first twenty chapters of this saga refer to Harald's\n youth and his conquest of Norway. This portion of the saga\n is of great importance to the Icelanders, as the settlement\n of their Isle was a result of Harald's wars. The second\n part of the saga (chaps. 21-46) treats of the disputes\n between Harald's sons, of the jarls of Orkney, and of the\n jarls of More. With this saga we enter the domain of\n history.--Ed.\n2. KING HARALD OVERCOMES FIVE KINGS.\nAfter the battle King Harald and Guthorm turned back, and went with all\nthe men they could gather through the forests towards the Uplands. They\nfound out where the Upland kings had appointed their meeting-place, and\ncame there about the time of midnight, without the watchmen observing\nthem until their army was before the door of the house in which Hogne\nKaruson was, as well as that in which Gudbrand slept. They set fire to\nboth houses; but King Eystein's two sons slipped out with their men, and\nfought for a while, until both Hogne and Frode fell. After the fall of\nthese four chiefs, King Harald, by his relation Guthorm's success and\npowers, subdued Hedemark, Ringerike, Gudbrandsdal, Hadeland, Thoten,\nRaumarike, and the whole northern part of Vingulmark. King Harald and\nGuthorm had thereafter war with King Gandalf, and fought several battles\nwith him; and in the last of them King Gandalf was slain, and King\nHarald took the whole of his kingdom as far south as the river Raum.\n3. OF GYDA, DAUGHTER OF EIRIE.\nKing Harald sent his men to a girl called Gyda, daughter of King Eirik\nof Hordaland, who was brought up as foster-child in the house of a great\nbonde in Valdres. The king wanted her for his concubine; for she was\na remarkably handsome girl, but of high spirit withal. Now when the\nmessengers came there, and delivered their errand to the girl, she\nanswered, that she would not throw herself away even to take a king\nfor her husband, who had no greater kingdom to rule over than a few\ndistricts. \"And methinks,\" said she, \"it is wonderful that no king here\nin Norway will make the whole country subject to him, in the same way as\nGorm the Old did in Denmark, or Eirik at Upsala.\" The messengers thought\nher answer was dreadfully haughty, and asked what she thought would come\nof such an answer; for Harald was so mighty a man, that his invitation\nwas good enough for her. But although she had replied to their errand\ndifferently from what they wished, they saw no chance, on this occasion,\nof taking her with them against her will; so they prepared to return.\nWhen they were ready, and the people followed them out, Gyda said to the\nmessengers, \"Now tell to King Harald these my words. I will only agree\nto be his lawful wife upon the condition that he shall first, for my\nsake, subject to himself the whole of Norway, so that he may rule\nover that kingdom as freely and fully as King Eirik over the Swedish\ndominions, or King Gorm over Denmark; for only then, methinks, can he be\ncalled the king of a people.\"\n4. KING HARALD'S VOW.\nNow came the messengers back to King Harald, bringing him the words of\nthe girl, and saying she was so bold and foolish that she well deserved\nthat the king should send a greater troop of people for her, and inflict\non her some disgrace. Then answered the king, \"This girl has not spoken\nor done so much amiss that she should be punished, but rather she should\nbe thanked for her words. She has reminded me,\" said he, \"of something\nwhich it appears to me wonderful I did not think of before. And now,\"\nadded he, \"I make the solemn vow, and take God to witness, who made me\nand rules over all things, that never shall I clip or comb my hair\nuntil I have subdued the whole of Norway, with scat (1), and duties, and\ndomains; or if not, have died in the attempt.\" Guthorm thanked the\nking warmly for his vow; adding, that it was royal work to fulfil royal\nwords.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Scat was a land-tax, paid to the king in money, malt,\n meal, or flesh-meat, from all lands, and was adjudged by the Thing\n to each king upon his accession, and being proposed and\n accepted as king.\n5. THE BATTLE IN ORKADAL.\nAfter this the two relations gather together a great force, and\nprepare for an expedition to the Uplands, and northwards up the valley\n(Gudbrandsdal), and north over Dovrefjeld; and when the king came\ndown to the inhabited land he ordered all the men to be killed, and\neverything wide around to be delivered to the flames. And when the\npeople came to know this, they fled every one where he could; some down\nthe country to Orkadal, some to Gaulardal, some to the forests. But some\nbegged for peace, and obtained it, on condition of joining the king and\nbecoming his men. He met no opposition until he came to Orkadal. There\na crowd of people had assembled, and he had his first battle with a\nking called Gryting. Harald won the victory, and King Gryting was made\nprisoner, and most of his people killed. He took service himself under\nthe king, and swore fidelity to him. Thereafter all the people in Orkadal\ndistrict went under King Harald, and became his men.\n6. KING HARALD S LAWS FOR LAND PROPERTY.\nKing Harald made this law over all the lands he conquered, that all the\nudal property should belong to him; and that the bondes, both great\nand small, should pay him land dues for their possessions. Over every\ndistrict he set an earl to judge according to the law of the land and to\njustice, and also to collect the land dues and the fines; and for this\neach earl received a third part of the dues, and services, and fines,\nfor the support of his table and other expenses. Each earl had under him\nfour or more herses, each of whom had an estate of twenty marks yearly\nincome bestowed on him and was bound to support twenty men-at-arms, and\nthe earl sixty men, at their own expenses. The king had increased the\nland dues and burdens so much, that each of his earls had greater power\nand income than the kings had before; and when that became known at\nThrondhjem, many great men joined the king and took his service.\n7. BATTLE IN GAULARDAL.\nIt is told that Earl Hakon Grjotgardson came to King Harald from Yrjar,\nand brought a great crowd of men to his service. Then King Harald went\ninto Gaulardal, and had a great battle, in which he slew two kings, and\nconquered their dominions; and these were Gaulardal district and Strind\ndistrict. He gave Earl Hakon Strind district to rule over as earl. King\nHarald then proceeded to Stjoradal, and had a third battle, in which\nhe gained the victory, and took that district also. There upon the\nThrondhjem people assembled, and four kings met together with their\ntroops. The one ruled over Veradal, the second over Skaun, third over\nthe Sparbyggja district, and the fourth over Eyin Idre (Inderoen); and\nthis latter had also Eyna district. These four kings marched with their\nmen against King Harald, but he won the battle; and some of these kings\nfell, and some fled. In all, King Harald fought at the least eight\nbattles, and slew eight kings, in the Throndhjem district, and laid the\nwhole of it under him.\n8. HARALD SEIZES NAUMUDAL DISTRICT.\nNorth in Naumudal were two brothers, kings,--Herlaug and Hrollaug; and\nthey had been for three summers raising a mound or tomb of stone and\nlime and of wood. Just as the work was finished, the brothers got the\nnews that King Harald was coming upon them with his army. Then King\nHerlaug had a great quantity of meat and drink brought into the mound,\nand went into it himself, with eleven companions, and ordered the mound\nto be covered up. King Hrollaug, on the contrary, went upon the summit\nof the mound, on which the kings were wont to sit, and made a throne to\nbe erected, upon which he seated himself. Then he ordered feather-beds\nto be laid upon the bench below, on which the earls were wont to be\nseated, and threw himself down from his high seat or throne into the\nearl's seat, giving himself the title of earl. Now Hrollaug went to meet\nKing Harald, gave up to him his whole kingdom, offered to enter into\nhis service, and told him his whole proceeding. Then took King Harald a\nsword, fastened it to Hrollaug's belt, bound a shield to his neck,\nand made him thereupon an earl, and led him to his earl's seat; and\ntherewith gave him the district Naumudal, and set him as earl over it\n ENDNOTES: (1) Before writing was in general use, this symbolical way of\n performing all important legal acts appears to have entered\n into the jurisprudence of all savage nations; and according\n to Gibbon, chap. 44, \"the jurisprudence of the first Romans\n exhibited the scenes of a pantomime; the words were adapted\n to the gestures, and the slightest error or neglect in the\n forms of proceeding was sufficient to annul the substance of\n the fairest claims.\"--Ed.\n9. KING HARALD'S HOME AFFAIRS.\nKing Harald then returned to Throndhjem, where he dwelt during the\nwinter, and always afterwards called it his home. He fixed here his\nhead residence, which is called Lade. This winter he took to wife Asa, a\ndaughter of Earl Hakon Grjotgardson, who then stood in great favour and\nhonour with the king. In spring the king fitted out his ships. In\nwinter he had caused a great frigate (a dragon) to be built, and had it\nfitted-out in the most splendid way, and brought his house-troops and\nhis berserks on board. The forecastle men were picked men, for they had\nthe king's banner. From the stem to the mid-hold was called rausn,\nor the fore-defence; and there were the berserks. Such men only were\nreceived into King Harald's house-troop as were remarkable for strength,\ncourage, and all kinds of dexterity; and they alone got place in his\nship, for he had a good choice of house-troops from the best men of\nevery district. King Harald had a great army, many large ships, and many\nmen of might followed him. Hornklofe, in his poem called \"Glymdrapa\",\ntells of this; and also that King Harald had a battle with the people of\nOrkadal, at Opdal forest, before he went upon this expedition.\n \"O'er the broad heath the bowstrings twang,\n While high in air the arrows sang.\n The iron shower drives to flight\n The foeman from the bloody fight.\n The warder of great Odin's shrine,\n The fair-haired son of Odin's line,\n Raises the voice which gives the cheer,\n First in the track of wolf or bear.\n His master voice drives them along\n To Hel--a destined, trembling throng;\n And Nokve's ship, with glancing sides,\n Must fly to the wild ocean's tides.--\n Must fly before the king who leads\n Norse axe-men on their ocean steeds.\"\n10. BATTLE AT SOLSKEL\nKing Harald moved out with his army from Throndhjem, and went southwards\nto More. Hunthiof was the name of the king who ruled over the district\nof More. Solve Klofe was the name of his son, and both were great\nwarriors. King Nokve, who ruled over Raumsdal, was the brother of\nSolve's mother. Those chiefs gathered a great force when they heard of\nKing Harald, and came against him. They met at Solskel, and there was\na great battle, which was gained by King Harald (A.D. 867). Hornklofe\ntells of this battle:--\n \"Thus did the hero known to fame,\n The leader of the shields, whose name\n Strikes every heart with dire dismay,\n Launch forth his war-ships to the fray.\n Two kings he fought; but little strife\n Was needed to cut short their life.\n A clang of arms by the sea-shore,--\n And the shields' sound was heard no more.\"\nThe two kings were slain, but Solve escaped by flight; and King Harald\nlaid both districts under his power. He stayed here long in summer to\nestablish law and order for the country people, and set men to rule\nthem, and keep them faithful to him; and in autumn he prepared to\nreturn northwards to Throndhjem. Ragnvald Earl of More, a son of Eystein\nGlumra, had the summer before become one of Harald's men; and the king\nset him as chief over these two districts, North More and Raumsdal;\nstrengthened him both with men of might and bondes, and gave him\nthe help of ships to defend the coast against enemies. He was called\nRagnvald the Mighty, or the Wise; and people say both names suited him\nwell. King Harald came back to Throndhjem about winter.\n11. FALL OF KINGS ARNVID AND AUDBJORN.\nThe following spring (A.D. 868) King Harald raised a great force in\nThrondhjem, and gave out that he would proceed to South More. Solve\nKlofe had passed the winter in his ships of war, plundering in North\nMore, and had killed many of King Harald's men; pillaging some places,\nburning others, and making great ravage; but sometimes he had been,\nduring the winter, with his friend King Arnvid in South More. Now when\nhe heard that King Harald was come with ships and a great army, he\ngathered people, and was strong in men-at-arms; for many thought they\nhad to take vengeance of King Harald. Solve Klofe went southwards to\nFirdafylke (the Fjord district), which King Audbjorn ruled over, to ask\nhim to help, and join his force to King Arnvid's and his own. \"For,\"\nsaid he, \"it is now clear that we all have but one course to take;\nand that is to rise, all as one man, against King Harald, for we have\nstrength enough, and fate must decide the victory; for as to the other\ncondition of becoming his servants, that is no condition for us, who\nare not less noble than Harald. My father thought it better to fall in\nbattle for his kingdom, than to go willingly into King Harald's service,\nor not to abide the chance of weapons like the Naumudal kings.\" King\nSolve's speech was such that King Audbjorn promised his help, and\ngathered a great force together and went with it to King Arnvid, and\nthey had a great army. Now, they got news that King Harald was come from\nthe north, and they met within Solskel. And it was the custom to lash\nthe ships together, stem to stem; so it was done now. King Harald laid\nhis ship against King Arnvid's, and there was the sharpest fight, and\nmany men fell on both sides. At last King Harald was raging with anger,\nand went forward to the fore-deck, and slew so dreadfully that all the\nforecastle men of Arnvid's ship were driven aft of the mast, and some\nfell. Thereupon Harald boarded the ship, and King Arnvid's men tried to\nsave themselves by flight, and he himself was slain in his ship. King\nAudbjorn also fell; but Solve fled. So says Hornklofe:--\n \"Against the hero's shield in vain\n The arrow-storm fierce pours its rain.\n The king stands on the blood-stained deck,\n Trampling on many a stout foe's neck;\n And high above the dinning stound\n Of helm and axe, and ringing sound\n Of blade and shield, and raven's cry,\n Is heard his shout of 'Victory!'\"\nOf King Harald's men, fell his earls Asgaut and Asbjorn, together with\nhis brothers-in-law, Grjotgard and Herlaug, the sons of Earl Hakon of\nLade. Solve became afterwards a great sea-king, and often did great\ndamage in King Harald's dominions.\n12. KING VEMUND BURNT TO DEATH.\nAfter this battle (A.D. 868) King Harald subdued South More; but Vemund,\nKing Audbjorn's brother, still had Firdafylke. It was now late in\nharvest, and King Harald's men gave him the counsel not to proceed\nsouth-wards round Stad. Then King Harald set Earl Ragnvald over South\nand North More and also Raumsdal, and he had many people about him. King\nHarald returned to Throndhjem. The same winter (A.D. 869) Ragnvald went\nover Eid, and southwards to the Fjord district. There he heard news of\nKing Vemund, and came by night to a place called Naustdal, where King\nVemund was living in guest-quarters. Earl Ragnvald surrounded the house\nin which they were quartered, and burnt the king in it, together with\nninety men. The came Berdlukare to Earl Ragnvald with a complete armed\nlong-ship, and they both returned to More. The earl took all the ships\nVemund had, and all the goods he could get hold of. Berdlukare proceeded\nnorth to Throndhjem to King Harald, and became his man; and dreadful\nberserk he was.\n13. DEATH OF EARLS HAKON, AND ATLE MJOVE.\nThe following spring (A.D. 869) King Harald went southwards with his\nfleet along the coast, and subdued Firdafylke. Then he sailed eastward\nalong the land until he came to Vik; but he left Earl Hakon Grjotgardson\nbehind, and set him over the Fjord district. Earl Hakon sent word to\nEarl Atle Mjove that he should leave Sogn district, and be earl over\nGaular district, as he had been before, alleging that King Harald had\ngiven Sogn district to him. Earl Atle sent word that he would keep both\nSogn district and Gaular district, until he met King Harald. The two\nearls quarreled about this so long, that both gathered troops. They met\nat Fialar, in Stavanger fiord, and had a great battle, in which Earl\nHakon fell, and Earl Atle got a mortal wound, and his men carried him to\nthe island of Atley, where he died. So says Eyvind Skaldaspiller:--\n \"He who stood a rooted oak,\n Unshaken by the swordsman's stroke,\n Amidst the whiz of arrows slain,\n Has fallen upon Fjalar's plain.\n There, by the ocean's rocky shore,\n The waves are stained with the red gore\n Of stout Earl Hakon Grjotgard's son,\n And of brave warriors many a one.\"\n14. HARALD AND THE SWEDISH KING EIRIK.\nKing Harald came with his fleet eastward to Viken and landed at\nTunsberg, which was then a trading town. He had then been four years in\nThrondhjem, and in all that time had not been in Viken. Here he heard\nthe news that Eirik Eymundson, king of Sweden, had laid under him\nVermaland, and was taking scat or land-tax from all the forest settlers;\nand also that he called the whole country north to Svinasund, and west\nalong the sea, West Gautland; and which altogether he reckoned to his\nkingdom, and took land-tax from it. Over this country he had set an\nearl, by name Hrane Gauzke, who had the earldom between Svinasund and\nthe Gaut river, and was a mighty earl. And it was told to King Harald\nthat the Swedish king said he would not rest until he had as great\na kingdom in Viken as Sigurd Hring, or his son Ragnar Lodbrok, had\npossessed; and that was Raumarike and Vestfold, all the way to the isle\nGrenmar, and also Vingulmark, and all that lay south of it. In all these\ndistricts many chiefs, and many other people, had given obedience to\nthe Swedish king. King Harald was very angry at this, and summoned the\nbondes to a Thing at Fold, where he laid an accusation against them\nfor treason towards him. Some bondes defended themselves from the\naccusation, some paid fines, some were punished. He went thus through\nthe whole district during the summer, and in harvest he did the same in\nRaumarike, and laid the two districts under his power. Towards winter\nhe heard that Eirik king of Sweden was, with his court, going about in\nVermaland in guest-quarters.\n15. HARALD AT A FEAST OF THE PEASANT AKE.\nKing Harald takes his way across the Eid forest eastward, and comes out\nin Vermaland, where he also orders feasts to be prepared for himself.\nThere was a man by name Ake, who was the greatest of the bondes of\nVermaland, very rich, and at that time very aged. He sent men to King\nHarald, and invited him to a feast, and the king promised to come on the\nday appointed. Ake invited also King Eirik to a feast, and appointed the\nsame day. Ake had a great feasting hall, but it was old; and he made a\nnew hall, not less than the old one, and had it ornamented in the most\nsplendid way. The new hall he had hung with new hangings, but the old\nhad only its old ornaments. Now when the kings came to the feast, King\nEirik with his court was taken into the old hall; but Harald with\nhis followers into the new. The same difference was in all the table\nfurniture, and King Eirik and his men had the old-fashioned vessels and\nhorns, but all gilded and splendid; while King Harald and his men\nhad entirely new vessels and horns adorned with gold, all with carved\nfigures, and shining like glass; and both companies had the best of\nliquor. Ake the bonde had formerly been King Halfdan the Black s man.\nNow when daylight came, and the feast was quite ended, and the kings\nmade themselves ready for their journey, and the horses were saddled,\ncame Ake before King Harald, leading in his hand his son Ubbe, a boy of\ntwelve years of age, and said, \"If the goodwill I have shown to thee,\nsire, in my feast, be worth thy friendship, show it hereafter to my son.\nI give him to thee now for thy service.\" The king thanked him with many\nagreeable words for his friendly entertainment, and promised him his\nfull friendship in return. Then Ake brought out great presents, which he\ngave to the king, and they gave each other thereafter the parting kiss.\nAke went next to the Swedish king, who was dressed and ready for the\nroad, but not in the best humour. Ake gave to him also good and valuable\ngifts; but the king answered only with few words, and mounted his horse.\nAke followed the king on the road and talked with him. The road led\nthrough a wood which was near to the house; and when Ake came to\nthe wood, the king said to him, \"How was it that thou madest such\na difference between me and King Harald as to give him the best of\neverything, although thou knowest thou art my man?\" \"I think\" answered\nAke, \"that there failed in it nothing, king, either to you or to your\nattendants, in friendly entertainment at this feast. But that all the\nutensils for your drinking were old, was because you are now old; but\nKing Harald is in the bloom of youth, and therefore I gave him the new\nthings. And as to my being thy man, thou art just as much my man.\" On\nthis the king out with his sword, and gave Ake his deathwound. King\nHarald was ready now also to mount his horse, and desired that Ake\nshould be called. The people went to seek him; and some ran up the road\nthat King Eirik had taken, and found Ake there dead. They came back, and\ntold the news to King Harald, and he bids his men to be up, and avenge\nAke the bonde. And away rode he and his men the way King Eirik had\ntaken, until they came in sight of each other. Each for himself rode as\nhard as he could, until Eirik came into the wood which divides Gautland\nand Vermaland. There King Harald wheels about, and returns to Vermaland,\nand lays the country under him, and kills King Eirik's men wheresoever\nhe can find them. In winter King Harald returned to Raumarike, and dwelt\nthere a while.\n16. HARALD'S JOURNEY TO TUNSBERG.\nKing Harald went out in winter to his ships at Tunsberg, rigged them,\nand sailed away eastward over the fiord, and subjected all Vingulmark\nto his dominion. All winter he was out with his ships, and marauded in\nRanrike; so says Thorbjorn Hornklofe:--\n \"The Norseman's king is on the sea,\n Tho' bitter wintry cold it be.--\n On the wild waves his Yule keeps he.\n When our brisk king can get his way,\n He'll no more by the fireside stay\n Than the young sun; he makes us play\n The game of the bright sun-god Frey.\n But the soft Swede loves well the fire\n The well-stuffed couch, the doway glove,\n And from the hearth-seat will not move.\"\nThe Gautlanders gathered people together all over the country.\n17. THE BATTLE IN GAUTLAND.\nIn spring, when the ice was breaking up, the Gautlanders drove stakes\ninto the Gaut river to hinder King Harald with his ships from coming\nto the land. But King Harald laid his ships alongside the stakes, and\nplundered the country, and burnt all around; so says Horn klofe:--\n \"The king who finds a dainty feast,\n For battle-bird and prowling beast,\n Has won in war the southern land\n That lies along the ocean's strand.\n The leader of the helmets, he\n Who leads his ships o'er the dark sea,\n Harald, whose high-rigged masts appear\n Like antlered fronts of the wild deer,\n Has laid his ships close alongside\n Of the foe's piles with daring pride.\"\nAfterwards the Gautlanders came down to the strand with a great army,\nand gave battle to King Harald, and great was the fall of men. But it\nwas King Harald who gained the day. Thus says Hornklofe:--\n \"Whistles the battle-axe in its swing\n O'er head the whizzing javelins sing,\n Helmet and shield and hauberk ring;\n The air-song of the lance is loud,\n The arrows pipe in darkening cloud;\n Through helm and mail the foemen feel\n The blue edge of our king's good steel\n Who can withstand our gallant king?\n The Gautland men their flight must wing.\"\n18. HRANE GAUZKE'S DEATH.\nKing Harald went far and wide through Gautland, and many were the\nbattles he fought there on both sides of the river, and in general he\nwas victorious. In one of these battles fell Hrane Gauzke; and then the\nking took his whole land north of the river and west of the Veneren, and\nalso Vermaland. And after he turned back there-from, he set Duke Guthorm\nas chief to defend the country, and left a great force with him. King\nHarald himself went first to the Uplands, where he remained a while, and\nthen proceeded northwards over the Dovrefjeld to Throndhjem, where he\ndwelt for a long time. Harald began to have children. By Asa he had four\nsons. The eldest was Guthorm. Halfdan the Black and Halfdan the\nWhite were twins. Sigfrod was the fourth. They were all brought up in\nThrondhjem with all honour.\n19. BATTLE IN HAFERSFJORD.\nNews came in from the south land that the people of Hordaland and\nRogaland, Agder and Thelemark, were gathering, and bringing together\nships and weapons, and a great body of men. The leaders of this were\nEirik king of Hordaland; Sulke king of Rogaland, and his brother Earl\nSote: Kjotve the Rich, king of Agder, and his son Thor Haklang; and from\nThelemark two brothers, Hroald Hryg and Had the Hard. Now when Harald\ngot certain news of this, he assembled his forces, set his ships on the\nwater, made himself ready with his men, and set out southwards along the\ncoast, gathering many people from every district. King Eirik heard of\nthis when he same south of Stad; and having assembled all the men he\ncould expect, he proceeded southwards to meet the force which he knew\nwas coming to his help from the east. The whole met together north of\nJadar, and went into Hafersfjord, where King Harald was waiting with his\nforces. A great battle began, which was both hard and long; but at last\nKing Harald gained the day. There King Eirik fell, and King Sulke, with\nhis brother Earl Sote. Thor Haklang, who was a great berserk, had\nlaid his ship against King Harald's, and there was above all measure\na desperate attack, until Thor Haklang fell, and his whole ship was\ncleared of men. Then King Kjotve fled to a little isle outside, on which\nthere was a good place of strength. Thereafter all his men fled, some to\ntheir ships, some up to the land; and the latter ran southwards over the\ncountry of Jadar. So says Hornklofe, viz.:--\n \"Has the news reached you?--have you heard\n Of the great fight at Hafersfjord,\n Between our noble king brave Harald\n And King Kjotve rich in gold?\n The foeman came from out the East,\n Keen for the fray as for a feast.\n A gallant sight it was to see\n Their fleet sweep o'er the dark-blue sea:\n Each war-ship, with its threatening throat\n Of dragon fierce or ravenous brute (1)\n Grim gaping from the prow; its wales\n Glittering with burnished shields, (2) like scales\n Its crew of udal men of war,\n Whose snow-white targets shone from far\n And many a mailed spearman stout\n From the West countries round about,\n English and Scotch, a foreign host,\n And swordamen from the far French coast.\n And as the foemen's ships drew near,\n The dreadful din you well might hear\n Savage berserks roaring mad,\n And champions fierce in wolf-skins clad, (3)\n Howling like wolves; and clanking jar\n Of many a mail-clad man of war.\n Thus the foe came; but our brave king\n Taught them to fly as fast again.\n For when he saw their force come o'er,\n He launched his war-ships from the shore.\n On the deep sea he launched his fleet\n And boldly rowed the foe to meet.\n Fierce was the shock, and loud the clang\n Of shields, until the fierce Haklang,\n The foeman's famous berserk, fell.\n Then from our men burst forth the yell\n Of victory, and the King of Gold\n Could not withstand our Harald bold,\n But fled before his flaky locks\n For shelter to the island rocks.\n All in the bottom of the ships\n The wounded lay, in ghastly heaps;\n Backs up and faces down they lay\n Under the row-seats stowed away;\n And many a warrior's shield, I ween\n Might on the warrior's back be seen,\n To shield him as he fled amain\n From the fierce stone-storm's pelting rain.\n The mountain-folk, as I've heard say,\n Ne'er stopped as they ran from the fray,\n Till they had crossed the Jadar sea,\n And reached their homes--so keen each soul\n To drown his fright in the mead bowl.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) The war-ships were called dragons, from being decorated\n with the head of a dragon, serpent, or other wild animal; and the\n word \"draco\" was adopted in the Latin of the Middle Ages to\n denote a ship of war of the larger class. The snekke was\n the cutter or smaller war-ship.--L.\n(2) The shields were hung over the side-rails of the ships.--L.\n(3) The wolf-skin pelts were nearly as good as armour against\n the sword.\n20. HARALD SUPREME SOVEREIGN IN NORWAY.\nAfter this battle King Harald met no opposition in Norway, for all his\nopponents and greatest enemies were cut off. But some, and they were a\ngreat multitude, fled out of the country, and thereby great districts\nwere peopled. Jemtaland and Helsingjaland were peopled then, although\nsome Norwegians had already set up their habitation there. In the\ndiscontent that King Harald seized on the lands of Norway, the\nout-countries of Iceland and the Farey Isles were discovered and\npeopled. The Northmen had also a great resort to Hjaltland (Shetland\nIsles) and many men left Norway, flying the country on account of King\nHarald, and went on viking cruises into the West sea. In winter they\nwere in the Orkney Islands and Hebrides; but marauded in summer in\nNorway, and did great damage. Many, however, were the mighty men who\ntook service under King Harald, and became his men, and dwelt in the\nland with him.\n21. HARALD'S MARRIAGE AND HIS CHILDREN.\nWhen King Harald had now become sole king over all Norway, he remembered\nwhat that proud girl had said to him; so he sent men to her, and had her\nbrought to him, and took her to his bed. And these were their children:\nAlof--she was the eldest; then was their son Hrorek; then Sigtryg,\nFrode, and Thorgils. King Harald had many wives and many children. Among\nthem he had one wife, who was called Ragnhild the Mighty, a daughter of\nKing Eirik, from Jutland; and by her he had a son, Eirik Blood-axe. He\nwas also married to Svanhild, a daughter of Earl Eystein; and their sons\nwere Olaf Geirstadaalf, Bjorn and Ragnar Rykkil. Lastly, King Harald\nmarried Ashild, a daughter of Hring Dagson, up in Ringerike; and their\nchildren were, Dag, Hring, Gudrod Skiria, and Ingigerd. It is told that\nKing Harald put away nine wives when he married Ragnhild the Mighty. So\nsays Hornklofe:--\n \"Harald, of noblest race the head,\n A Danish wife took to his bed;\n And out of doors nine wives he thrust,--\n The mothers of the princes first.\n Who 'mong Holmrygians hold command,\n And those who rule in Hordaland.\n And then he packed from out the place\n The children born of Holge's race.\"\nKing Harald's children were all fostered and brought up by their\nrelations on the mother's side. Guthorm the Duke had poured water over\nKing Harald's eldest son and had given him his own name. He set the\nchild upon his knee, and was his foster-father, and took him with\nhimself eastward to Viken, and there he was brought up in the house of\nGuthorm. Guthorm ruled the whole land in Viken and the Uplands, when\nKing Harald was absent.\n22. KING HARALD'S VOYAGE TO THE WEST.\nKing Harald heard that the vikings, who were in the West sea in winter,\nplundered far and wide in the middle part of Norway; and therefore every\nsummer he made an expedition to search the isles and out-skerries (1) on\nthe coast. Wheresoever the vikings heard of him they all took to flight,\nand most of them out into the open ocean. At last the king grew weary of\nthis work, and therefore one summer he sailed with his fleet right out\ninto the West sea. First he came to Hjaltland (Shetland), and he slew\nall the vikings who could not save themselves by flight. Then King\nHarald sailed southwards, to the Orkney Islands, and cleared them all\nof vikings. Thereafter he proceeded to the Sudreys (Hebrides), plundered\nthere, and slew many vikings who formerly had had men-at-arms under\nthem. Many a battle was fought, and King Harald was always victorious.\nHe then plundered far and wide in Scotland itself, and had a battle\nthere. When he was come westward as far as the Isle of Man, the report\nof his exploits on the land had gone before him; for all the inhabitants\nhad fled over to Scotland, and the island was left entirely bare both\nof people and goods, so that King Harald and his men made no booty when\nthey landed. So says Hornklofe:--\n \"The wise, the noble king, great\n Whose hand so freely scatters gold,\n Led many a northern shield to war\n Against the town upon the shore.\n The wolves soon gathered on the sand\n Of that sea-shore; for Harald's hand\n The Scottish army drove away,\n And on the coast left wolves a prey.\"\nIn this war fell Ivar, a son of Ragnvald, Earl of More; and King Harald\ngave Ragnvald, as a compensation for the loss, the Orkney and Shetland\nisles, when he sailed from the West; but Ragnvald immediately gave both\nthese countries to his brother Sigurd, who remained behind them; and\nKing Harald, before sailing eastward, gave Sigurd the earldom of them.\nThorstein the Red, a son of Olaf the White and of Aud the Wealthy,\nentered into partnership with him; and after plundering in Scotland,\nthey subdued Caithness and Sutherland, as far as Ekkjalsbakke. Earl\nSigurd killed Melbridge Tooth, a Scotch earl, and hung his head to his\nstirrup-leather; but the calf of his leg were scratched by the teeth,\nwhich were sticking out from the head, and the wound caused inflammation\nin his leg, of which the earl died, and he was laid in a mound at\nEkkjalsbakke. His son Guthorm ruled over these countries for about a\nyear thereafter, and died without children. Many vikings, both Danes and\nNorthmen, set themselves down then in those countries.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Skerries are the uninhabited dry or halt-tide rocks of a\n coast.--L.\n23. HARALD HAS HIS HAIR CLIPPED.\nAfter King Harald had subdued the whole land, he was one day at a feast\nin More, given by Earl Ragnvald. Then King Harald went into a bath, and\nhad his hair dressed. Earl Ragnvald now cut his hair, which had been\nuncut and uncombed for ten years; and therefore the king had been called\nLufa (i.e., with rough matted hair). But then Earl Ragnvald gave him the\ndistinguishing name--Harald Harfager (i.e., fair hair); and all who saw\nhim agreed that there was the greatest truth in the surname, for he had\nthe most beautiful and abundant head of hair.\n24. ROLF GANGER DRIVEN INTO BANISHMENT.\nEarl Ragnvald was King Harald's dearest friend, and the king had the\ngreatest regard for him. He was married to Hild, a daughter of Rolf\nNefia, and their sons were Rolf and Thorer. Earl Ragnvald had also three\nsons by concubines,--the one called Hallad, the second Einar, the third\nHrollaug; and all three were grown men when their brothers born in\nmarriage were still children Rolf became a great viking, and was of so\nstout a growth that no horse could carry him, and wheresoever he went he\nmust go on foot; and therefore he was called Rolf Ganger. He plundered\nmuch in the East sea. One summer, as he was coming from the eastward on\na viking's expedition to the coast of Viken, he landed there and made\na cattle foray. As King Harald happened, just at that time, to be in\nViken, he heard of it, and was in a great rage; for he had forbid,\nby the greatest punishment, the plundering within the bounds of the\ncountry. The king assembled a Thing, and had Rolf declared an outlaw\nover all Norway. When Rolf's mother, Hild heard of it she hastened to\nthe king, and entreated peace for Rolf; but the king was so enraged that\nhere entreaty was of no avail. Then Hild spake these lines:--\n \"Think'st thou, King Harald, in thy anger,\n To drive away my brave Rolf Ganger\n Like a mad wolf, from out the land?\n Why, Harald, raise thy mighty hand?\n Why banish Nefia's gallant name-son,\n The brother of brave udal-men?\n Why is thy cruelty so fell?\n Bethink thee, monarch, it is ill\n With such a wolf at wolf to play,\n Who, driven to the wild woods away\n May make the king's best deer his prey.\"\nRolf Ganger went afterwards over sea to the West to the Hebrides, or\nSudreys; and at last farther west to Valland, where he plundered and\nsubdued for himself a great earldom, which he peopled with Northmen,\nfrom which that land is called Normandy. Rolf Ganger's son was William,\nfather to Richard, and grandfather to another Richard, who was the\nfather of Robert Longspear, and grandfather of William the Bastard, from\nwhom all the following English kings are descended. From Rolf Ganger\nalso are descended the earls in Normandy. Queen Ragnhild the Mighty\nlived three years after she came to Norway; and, after her death, her\nson and King Harald's was taken to the herse Thorer Hroaldson, and Eirik\nwas fostered by him.\n25. OF THE FIN SVASE AND KING HARALD.\nKing Harald, one winter, went about in guest-quarters in the Uplands,\nand had ordered a Christmas feast to be prepared for him at the farm\nThoptar. On Christmas eve came Svase to the door, just as the king went\nto table, and sent a message to the king to ask if he would go out with\nhim. The king was angry at such a message, and the man who had brought\nit in took out with him a reply of the king's displeasure. But Svase,\nnotwithstanding, desired that his message should be delivered a second\ntime; adding to it, that he was the Fin whose hut the king had promised\nto visit, and which stood on the other side of the ridge. Now the king\nwent out, and promised to go with him, and went over the ridge to his\nhut, although some of his men dissuaded him. There stood Snaefrid, the\ndaughter of Svase, a most beautiful girl; and she filled a cup of\nmead for the king. But he took hold both of the cup and of her hand.\nImmediately it was as if a hot fire went through his body; and he wanted\nthat very night to take her to his bed. But Svase said that should not\nbe unless by main force, if he did not first make her his lawful\nwife. Now King Harald made Snaefrid his lawful wife, and loved her so\npassionately that he forgot his kingdom, and all that belonged to his\nhigh dignity. They had four sons: the one was Sigurd Hrise; the others\nHalfdan Haleg, Gudrod Ljome and Ragnvald Rettilbeine. Thereafter\nSnaefrid died; but her corpse never changed, but was as fresh and red\nas when she lived. The king sat always beside her, and thought she\nwould come to life again. And so it went on for three years that he\nwas sorrowing over her death, and the people over his delusion. At\nlast Thorleif the Wise succeeded, by his prudence, in curing him of his\ndelusion by accosting him thus:--\"It is nowise wonderful, king, that\nthou grievest over so beautiful and noble a wife, and bestowest costly\ncoverlets and beds of down on her corpse, as she desired; but these\nhonours fall short of what is due, as she still lies in the same\nclothes. It would be more suitable to raise her, and change her dress.\"\nAs soon as the body was raised in the bed all sorts of corruption and\nfoul smells came from it, and it was necessary in all haste to gather a\npile of wood and burn it; but before this could be done the body turned\nblue, and worms, toads, newts, paddocks, and all sorts of ugly reptiles\ncame out of it, and it sank into ashes. Now the king came to his\nunderstanding again, threw the madness out of his mind, and after that\nday ruled his kingdom as before. He was strengthened and made joyful by\nhis subjects, and his subjects by him and the country by both.\n26. OF THJODOLF OF HVIN, THE SKALD.\nAfter King Harald had experienced the cunning of the Fin woman, he was\nso angry that he drove from him the sons he had with her, and would not\nsuffer them before his eyes. But one of them, Gudrod Ljome, went to his\nfoster-father Thjodolf of Hvin, and asked him to go to the king, who was\nthen in the Uplands; for Thjodolf was a great friend of the king. And\nso they went, and came to the king's house late in the evening, and sat\ndown together unnoticed near the door. The king walked up and down\nthe floor casting his eye along the benches; for he had a feast in the\nhouse, and the mead was just mixed. The king then murmured out these\nlines:--\n \"Tell me, ye aged gray-haired heroes,\n Who have come here to seek repose,\n Wherefore must I so many keep\n Of such a set, who, one and all,\n Right dearly love their souls to steep,\n From morn till night, in the mead-bowl?\"\nThen Thjodolf replies:--\n \"A certain wealthy chief, I think,\n Would gladly have had more to drink\n With him, upon one bloody day,\n When crowns were cracked in our sword-play.\"\nThjodolf then took off his hat, and the king recognised him, and gave\nhim a friendly reception. Thjodolf then begged the king not to cast off\nhis sons; \"for they would with great pleasure have taken a better family\ndescent upon the mother's side, if the king had given it to them.\" The\nking assented, and told him to take Gudrod with him as formerly; and he\nsent Halfdan and Sigurd to Ringerike, and Ragnvald to Hadaland, and all\nwas done as the king ordered. They grew up to be very clever men, very\nexpert in all exercises. In these times King Harald sat in peace in the\nland, and the land enjoyed quietness and good crops.\n27. OF EARL TORFEINAR'S OBTAINING ORKNEY.\nWhen Earl Ragnvald in More heard of the death of his brother Earl\nSigurd, and that the vikings were in possession of the country, he sent\nhis son Hallad westward, who took the title of earl to begin with, and\nhad many men-at-arms with him. When he arrived at the Orkney Islands,\nhe established himself in the country; but both in harvest, winter, and\nspring, the vikings cruised about the isles plundering the headlands,\nand committing depredations on the coast. Then Earl Hallad grew tired\nof the business, resigned his earldom, took up again his rights as an\nallodial owner, and afterwards returned eastward into Norway. When Earl\nRagnvald heard of this he was ill pleased with Hallad, and said his son\nwere very unlike their ancestors. Then said Einar, \"I have enjoyed but\nlittle honour among you, and have little affection here to lose: now\nif you will give me force enough, I will go west to the islands, and\npromise you what at any rate will please you--that you shall never see\nme again.\" Earl Ragnvald replied, that he would be glad if he never came\nback; \"For there is little hope,\" said he, \"that thou will ever be an\nhonour to thy friends, as all thy kin on thy mother's side are born\nslaves.\" Earl Ragnvald gave Einar a vessel completely equipped, and he\nsailed with it into the West sea in harvest. When he came to the Orkney\nIsles, two vikings, Thorer Treskeg and Kalf Skurfa, were in his way with\ntwo vessels. He attacked them instantly, gained the battle, and slew the\ntwo vikings. Then this was sung:--\n \"Then gave he Treskeg to the trolls,\n Torfeinar slew Skurfa.\"\nHe was called Torfeinar, because he cut peat for fuel, there being no\nfirewood, as in Orkney there are no woods. He afterwards was earl over\nthe islands, and was a mighty man. He was ugly, and blind of an eye, yet\nvery sharp-sighted withal.\n28. KING EIRIK EYMUNDSON'S DEATH.\nDuke Guthorm dwelt principally at Tunsberg, and governed the whole of\nViken when the king was not there. He defended the land, which, at that\ntime, was much plundered by the vikings. There were disturbances also up\nin Gautland as long as King Eirik Eymundson lived; but he died when King\nHarald Harfager had been ten years king of all Norway.\n29. GUTHORM'S DEATH IN TUNSBERG.\nAfter Eirik, his son Bjorn was king of Svithjod for fifty years. He was\nfather of Eirik the Victorious, and of Olaf the father of Styrbjorn.\nGuthorm died on a bed of sickness at Tunsberg, and King Harald gave his\nson Guthorm the government of that part of his dominions and made him\nchief of it.\n30. EARL RAGNVALD BURNT IN HIS HOUSE.\nWhen King Harald was forty years of age many of his sons were well\nadvanced, and indeed they all came early to strength and manhood. And\nnow they began to take it ill that the king would not give them any\npart of the kingdom, but put earls into every district; for they thought\nearls were of inferior birth to them. Then Halfdan Haleg and Gudrod\nLjome set off one spring with a great force, and came suddenly upon Earl\nRagnvald, earl of More, and surrounded the house in which he was, and\nburnt him and sixty men in it. Thereafter Halfdan took three long-ships,\nand fitted them out, and sailed into the West sea; but Gudrod set\nhimself down in the land which Ragnvald formerly had. Now when King\nHarald heard this he set out with a great force against Gudrod, who\nhad no other way left but to surrender, and he was sent to Agder. King\nHarald then set Earl Ragnvald's son Thorer over More, and gave him\nhis daughter Alof, called Arbot, in marriage. Earl Thorer, called the\nSilent, got the same territory his father Earl Ragnvald had possessed.\n31. HALFDAN HALEG'S DEATH.\nHalfdan Haleg came very unexpectedly to Orkney, and Earl Einar\nimmediately fled; but came back soon after about harvest time, unnoticed\nby Halfdan. They met and after a short battle Halfdan fled the same\nnight. Einar and his men lay all night without tents, and when it was\nlight in the morning they searched the whole island and killed every\nman they could lay hold of. Then Einar said \"What is that I see upon the\nisle of Rinansey? Is it a man or a bird? Sometimes it raises itself\nup, and sometimes lies down again.\" They went to it, and found it was\nHalfdan Haleg, and took him prisoner.\nEarl Einar sang the following song the evening before he went into this\nbattle:--\n \"Where is the spear of Hrollaug? where\n Is stout Rolf Ganger's bloody spear!\n I see them not; yet never fear,\n For Einar will not vengeance spare\n Against his father's murderers, though\n Hrollaug and Rolf are somewhat slow,\n And silent Thorer sits add dreams\n At home, beside the mead-bowl's streams.\"\nThereafter Earl Einar went up to Halfdan, and cut a spread eagle\nupon his back, by striking his sword through his back into his belly,\ndividing his ribs from the backbone down to his loins, and tearing out\nhis lungs; and so Halfdan was killed. Einar then sang:--\n \"For Ragnvald's death my sword is red:\n Of vengeance it cannot be said\n That Einar's share is left unsped.\n So now, brave boys, let's raise a mound,--\n Heap stones and gravel on the ground\n O'er Halfdan's corpse: this is the way\n We Norsemen our scat duties pay.\"\nThen Earl Einar took possession of the Orkney Isles as before. Now when\nthese tidings came to Norway, Halfdan's brothers took it much to heart,\nand thought that his death demanded vengeance; and many were of the same\nopinion. When Einar heard this, he sang:--\n \"Many a stout udal-man, I know,\n Has cause to wish my head laid low;\n And many an angry udal knife\n Would gladly drink of Eina's life.\n But ere they lay Earl Einar low,--\n Ere this stout heart betrays its cause,\n Full many a heart will writhe, we know,\n In the wolf's fangs, or eagle's claws.\"\n32. HARALD AND EINAR RECONCILED.\nKing Harald now ordered a levy, and gathered a great force, with which\nhe proceeded westward to Orkney; and when Earl Einar heard that King\nHarald was come, he fled over to Caithness. He made the following verses\non this occasion:--\n \"Many a bearded man must roam,\n An exile from his house and home,\n For cow or horse; but Halfdan's gore\n Is red on Rinansey's wild shore.\n A nobler deed--on Harald's shield\n The arm of one who ne'er will yield\n Has left a scar. Let peasants dread\n The vengeance of the Norsemen's head:\n I reck not of his wrath, but sing,\n 'Do thy worst!--I defy thee, king!--'\"\nMen and messages, however, passed between the king and the earl, and at\nlast it came to a conference; and when they met the earl submitted the\ncase altogether to the king's decision, and the king condemned the earl\nEinar and the Orkney people to pay a fine of sixty marks of gold. As the\nbondes thought this was too heavy for them to pay, the earl offered to\npay the whole if they would surrender their udal lands to him. This they\nall agreed to do: the poor because they had but little pieces of land;\nthe rich because they could redeem their udal rights again when they\nliked. Thus the earl paid the whole fine to the king, who returned in\nharvest to Norway. The earls for a long time afterwards possessed all\nthe udal lands in Orkney, until Sigurd son of Hlodver gave back the udal\nrights.\n33. DEATH OF GUTHORM AND HALFDAN THE WHITE.\nWhile King Harald's son Guthorm had the defence of Viken, he sailed\noutside of the islands on the coast, and came in by one of the mouths\nof the tributaries of the Gaut river. When he lay there Solve Klofe came\nupon him, and immediately gave him battle, and Guthorm fell. Halfdan the\nWhite and Halfdan the Black went out on an expedition, and plundered\nin the East sea, and had a battle in Eistland, where Halfdan the White\nfell.\n34. MARRIAGE OF EIRIK.\nEirik, Harald's son, was fostered in the house of the herse Thorer, son\nof Hroald, in the Fjord district. He was the most beloved and honoured\nby King Harald of all his sons. When Eirik was twelve years old,\nKing Harald gave him five long-ships, with which he went on an\nexpedition,--first in the Baltic; then southwards to Denmark, Friesland,\nand Saxland; on which expedition he passed four years. He then sailed\nout into the West sea and plundered in Scotland, Bretland, Ireland, and\nValland, and passed four years more in this way. Then he sailed north to\nFinmark, and all the way to Bjarmaland, where he had many a battle, and\nwon many a victory. When he came back to Finmark, his men found a girl\nin a Lapland hut, whose equal for beauty they never had seen. She said\nher name was Gunhild, and that her father dwelt in Halogaland, and was\ncalled Ozur Tote. \"I am here,\" she said, \"to learn sorcery from two of\nthe most knowing Fins in all Finmark, who are now out hunting. They both\nwant me in marriage. They are so skilful that they can hunt out traces\neither upon the frozen or the thawed earth, like dogs; and they can run\nso swiftly on skees that neither man nor beast can come near them in\nspeed. They hit whatever they take aim at, and thus kill every man\nwho comes near them. When they are angry the very earth turns away in\nterror, and whatever living thing they look upon then falls dead. Now ye\nmust not come in their way; but I will hide you here in the hut, and ye\nmust try to get them killed.\" They agreed to it, and she hid them, and\nthen took a leather bag, in which they thought there were ashes which\nshe took in her hand, and strewed both outside and inside of the hut.\nShortly after the Fins came home, and asked who had been there; and she\nanswered, \"Nobody has been here.\" \"That is wonderful,\" said they, \"we\nfollowed the traces close to the hut, and can find none after that.\"\nThen they kindled a fire, and made ready their meat, and Gunhild\nprepared her bed. It had so happened that Gunhild had slept the three\nnights before, but the Fins had watched the one upon the other, being\njealous of each other. \"Now,\" she said to the Fins, \"come here, and lie\ndown one on each side of me.\" On which they were very glad to do so. She\nlaid an arm round the neck of each and they went to sleep directly. She\nroused them up; but they fell to sleep again instantly, and so soundly\nthe she scarcely could waken them. She even raised them up in the bed,\nand still they slept. Thereupon she too two great seal-skin bags, and\nput their heads in them, and tied them fast under their arms; and then\nshe gave a wink to the king's men. They run forth with their weapons,\nkill the two Fins, and drag them out of the hut. That same night came\nsuch a dreadful thunder-storm that the could not stir. Next morning they\ncame to the ship, taking Gunhild with them, and presented her to Eirik.\nEirik and his followers then sailed southwards to Halogaland and he sent\nword to Ozur Tote, the girl's father, to meet him. Eirik said he would\ntake his daughter in marriage, to which Ozur Tote consented, and Eirik\ntook Gunhild and went southwards with her (A.D. 922).\n35. HARALD DIVIDES HIS KINGDOM.\nWhen King Harald was fifty years of age many of his sons were grown up,\nand some were dead. Many of them committed acts of great violence in the\ncountry, and were in discord among themselves. They drove some of the\nking's earls out of their properties, and even killed some of them.\nThen the king called together a numerous Thing in the south part of the\ncountry, and summoned to it all the people of the Uplands. At this\nThing he gave to all his sons the title of king, and made a law that his\ndescendants in the male line should each succeed to the kingly title and\ndignity; but his descendants by the female side only to that of earl.\nAnd he divided the country among them thus:--Vingulmark, Raumarike,\nVestfold and Thelamark, he bestowed on Olaf, Bjorn, Sigtryg, Frode, and\nThorgils. Hedemark and Gudbrandsdal he gave to Dag, Hring, and Ragnar.\nTo Snaefrid's sons he gave Ringerike, Hadeland, Thoten, and the lands\nthereto belonging. His son Guthorm, as before mentioned, he had set over\nthe country from Glommen to Svinasund and Ranrike. He had set him to\ndefend the country to the East, as before has been written. King Harald\nhimself generally dwelt in the middle of the country, and Hrorek and\nGudrod were generally with his court, and had great estates in Hordaland\nand in Sogn. King Eirik was also with his father King Harald; and the\nking loved and regarded him the most of all his sons, and gave him\nHalogaland and North More, and Raumsdal. North in Throndhjem he gave\nHalfdan the Black, Halfdan the White, and Sigrod land to rule over. In\neach of these districts he gave his sons the one half of his revenues,\ntogether with the right to sit on a high-seat,--a step higher than\nearls, but a step lower than his own high-seat. His king's seat each of\nhis sons wanted for himself after his death, but he himself destined it\nfor Eirik. The Throndhjem people wanted Halfdan the Black to succeed to\nit. The people of Viken, and the Uplands, wanted those under whom they\nlived. And thereupon new quarrels arose among the brothers; and because\nthey thought their dominions too little, they drove about in piratical\nexpeditions. In this way, as before related, Guthorm fell at the mouth\nof the Gaut river, slain by Solve Klofe; upon which Olaf took the\nkingdom he had possessed. Halfdan the White fell in Eistland, Halfdan\nHaleg in Orkney. King Harald gave ships of war to Thorgils and Frode,\nwith which they went westward on a viking cruise, and plundered in\nScotland, Ireland, and Bretland. They were the first of the Northmen\nwho took Dublin. It is said that Frode got poisoned drink there; but\nThorgils was a long time king over Dublin, until he fell into a snare of\nthe Irish, and was killed.\n36. DEATH OF RAGNVALD RETTILBEINE.\nEirik Blood-axe expected to be head king over all his brothers and\nKing Harald intended he should be so; and the father and son lived long\ntogether. Ragnvald Rettilbeine governed Hadaland, and allowed himself to\nbe instructed in the arts of witchcraft, and became an area warlock.\nNow King Harald was a hater of all witchcraft. There was a warlock in\nHordaland called Vitgeir; and when the king sent a message to him that\nhe should give up his art of witchcraft, he replied in this verse:--\n \"The danger surely is not great\n From wizards born of mean estate,\n When Harald's son in Hadeland,\n King Ragnvald, to the art lays hand.\"\nBut when King Harald heard this, King Eirik Blood-axe went by his orders\nto the Uplands, and came to Hadeland and burned his brother Ragnvald in\na house, along with eighty other warlocks; which work was much praised.\n37. DEATH OF GUDROD LJOME.\nGudrod Ljome was in winter on a friendly visit to his foster-father\nThjodolf in Hvin, and had a well-manned ship, with which he wanted to go\nnorth to Rogaland. It was blowing a heavy storm at the time; but Gudrod\nwas bent on sailing, and would not consent to wait. Thjodolf sang\nthus:--\n \"Wait, Gudrod, till the storm is past,--\n Loose not thy long-ship while the blast\n Howls over-head so furiously,--\n Trust not thy long-ship to the sea,--\n Loose not thy long-ship from the shore;\n Hark to the ocean's angry roar!\n See how the very stones are tost\n By raging waves high on the coast!\n Stay, Gudrod, till the tempest's o'er--\n Deep runs the sea off the Jadar's shore.\"\nGudrod set off in spite of what Thjodolf could say: and when they came\noff the Jadar the vessel sunk with them, and all on board were lost.\n38. KING BJORN KAUPMAN'S DEATH.\nKing Harald's son, Bjorn, ruled over Vestfold at that time, and\ngenerally lived at Tunsberg, and went but little on war expeditions.\nTunsberg at that time was much frequented by merchant vessels, both from\nViken and the north country, and also from the south, from Denmark, and\nSaxland. King Bjorn had also merchant ships on voyages to other lands,\nby which he procured for himself costly articles, and such things as\nhe thought needful; and therefore his brothers called him Farman\n(the Seaman), and Kaupman (the Chapman). Bjorn was a man of sense and\nunderstanding, and promised to become a good ruler. He made a good and\nsuitable marriage, and had a son by his wife, who was named Gudrod.\nEirik Blood-axe came from his Baltic cruise with ships of war, and\na great force, and required his brother Bjorn to deliver to him King\nHarald's share of the scat and incomes of Vestfold. But it had always\nbeen the custom before, that Bjorn himself either delivered the money\ninto the king's hands, or sent men of his own with it; and therefore\nhe would continue with the old custom, and would not deliver the\nmoney. Eirik again wanted provisions, tents, and liquor. The brothers\nquarrelled about this; but Eirik got nothing and left the town. Bjorn\nwent also out of the town towards evening up to Saeheim. In the night\nEirik came back after Bjorn, and came to Saeheim just as Bjorn and his\nmen were seated at table drinking. Eirik surrounded the house in which\nthey were; but Bjorn with his men went out and fought. Bjorn, and many\nmen with him, fell. Eirik, on the other hand, got a great booty, and\nproceeded northwards. But this work was taken very ill by the people of\nViken, and Eirik was much disliked for it; and the report went that King\nOlaf would avenge his brother Bjorn, whenever opportunity offered. King\nBjorn lies in the mound of Farmanshaug at Saeheim.\n39. RECONCILIATION OF THE KINGS.\nKing Eirik went in winter northwards to More, and was at a feast in\nSolve, within the point Agdanes; and when Halfdan the Black heard of it\nhe set out with his men, and surrounded the house in which they were.\nEirik slept in a room which stood detached by itself, and he escaped\ninto the forest with four others; but Halfdan and his men burnt the main\nhouse, with all the people who were in it. With this news Eirik came\nto King Harald, who was very wroth at it, and assembled a great force\nagainst the Throndhjem people. When Halfdan the Black heard this he\nlevied ships and men, so that he had a great force, and proceeded\nwith it to Stad, within Thorsbjerg. King Harald lay with his men at\nReinsletta. Now people went between them, and among others a clever man\ncalled Guthorm Sindre, who was then in Halfdan the Black's army, but had\nbeen formerly in the service of King Harald, and was a great friend of\nboth. Guthorm was a great skald, and had once composed a song both about\nthe father and the son, for which they had offered him a reward. But he\nwould take nothing; but only asked that, some day or other, they should\ngrant him any request he should make, which they promised to do. Now he\npresented himself to King Harald, brought words of peace between them,\nand made the request to them both that they should be reconciled. So\nhighly did the king esteem him, that in consequence of his request they\nwere reconciled. Many other able men promoted this business as well as\nhe; and it was so settled that Halfdan should retain the whole of his\nkingdom as he had it before, and should let his brother Eirik sit in\npeace. After this event Jorun, the skald-maid, composed some verses in\n\"Sendibit\" (\"The Biting Message\"):--\n \"I know that Harald Fairhair\n Knew the dark deed of Halfdan.\n To Harald Halfdan seemed\n Angry and cruel.\"\n40. BIRTH OF HAKON THE GOOD.\nEarl Hakon Grjotgardson of Hlader had the whole rule over Throndhjem\nwhen King Harald was anywhere away in the country; and Hakon stood\nhigher with the king than any in the country of Throndhjem. After\nHakon's death his son Sigurd succeeded to his power in Throndhjem, and\nwas the earl, and had his mansion at Hlader. King Harald's sons, Halfdan\nthe Black and Sigrod, who had been before in the house of his father\nEarl Hakon, continued to be brought up in his house. The sons of Harald\nand Sigurd were about the same age. Earl Sigurd was one of the wisest\nmen of his time, and married Bergljot, a daughter of Earl Thorer the\nSilent; and her mother was Alof Arbot, a daughter of Harald Harfager.\nWhen King Harald began to grow old he generally dwelt on some of his\ngreat farms in Hordaland; namely, Alreksstader or Saeheim, Fitjar,\nUtstein, or Ogvaldsnes in the island Kormt. When Harald was seventy\nyears of age he begat a son with a girl called Thora Mosterstang,\nbecause her family came from Moster. She was descended from good people,\nbeing connected with Kare (Aslakson) of Hordaland; and was moreover\na very stout and remarkably handsome girl. She was called the king's\nservant-girl; for at that time many were subject to service to the king\nwho were of good birth, both men and women. Then it was the custom, with\npeople of consideration, to choose with great care the man who should\npour water over their children, and give them a name. Now when the time\ncame that Thora, who was then at Moster, expected her confinement,\nshe would to King Harald, who was then living at Saeheim; and she went\nnorthwards in a ship belonging to Earl Sigurd. They lay at night close\nto the land; and there Thora brought forth a child upon the land, up\namong the rocks, close to the ship's gangway, and it was a man child.\nEarl Sigurd poured water over him, and called him Hakon, after his own\nfather, Hakon earl of Hlader. The boy soon grew handsome, large in size,\nand very like his father King Harald. King Harald let him follow his\nmother, and they were both in the king's house as long as he was an\ninfant.\n41. KING ATHELSTAN'S MESSAGE\nAt this time a king called Aethelstan had taken the Kingdom of England.\nHe was called victorious and faithful. He sent men to Norway to King\nHarald, with the errand that the messengers should present him with a\nsword, with the hilt and handle gilt, and also the whole sheath adorned\nwith gold and silver, and set with precious jewels. The ambassador\npresented the sword-hilt to the king, saying, \"Here is a sword which\nKing Athelstan sends thee, with the request that thou wilt accept it.\"\nThe king took the sword by the handle; whereupon the ambassador said,\n\"Now thou hast taken the sword according to our king's desire, and\ntherefore art thou his subject as thou hast taken his sword.\" King\nHarald saw now that this was an insult, for he would be subject to no\nman. But he remembered it was his rule, whenever anything raised his\nanger, to collect himself, and let his passion run off, and then take\nthe matter into consideration coolly. Now he did so, and consulted his\nfriends, who all gave him the advice to let the ambassadors, in the\nfirst place, go home in safety.\n42. HAUK'S JOURNEY TO ENGLAND.\nThe following summer King Harald sent a ship westward to England, and\ngave the command of it to Hauk Habrok. He was a great warrior, and very\ndear to the king. Into his hands he gave his son Hakon. Hank proceeded\nwestward in England, and found King Athelstan in London, where there was\njust at the time a great feast and entertainment. When they came to the\nhall, Hauk told his men how they should conduct themselves; namely, that\nhe who went first in should go last out, and all should stand in a row\nat the table, at equal distance from each other; and each should have\nhis sword at his left side, but should fasten his cloak so that his\nsword should not be seen. Then they went into the hall, thirty in\nnumber. Hauk went up to the king and saluted him, and the king bade him\nwelcome. Then Hauk took the child Hakon, and set it on the king's knee.\nThe king looks at the boy, and asks Hauk what the meaning of this is.\nHauk replies, \"Herald the king bids thee foster his servant-girl's\nchild.\" The king was in great anger, and seized a sword which lay beside\nhim, and drew it, as if he was going to kill the child. Hauk says, \"Thou\nhast borne him on thy knee, and thou canst murder him if thou wilt; but\nthou wilt not make an end of all King Harald's sons by so doing.\" On\nthat Hauk went out with all his men, and took the way direct to his\nship, and put to sea,--for they were ready,--and came back to King\nHarald. The king was highly pleased with this; for it is the common\nobservation of all people, that the man who fosters another's children\nis of less consideration than the other. From these transactions between\nthe two kings, it appears that each wanted to be held greater than the\nother; but in truth there was no injury, to the dignity of either, for\neach was the upper king in his own kingdom till his dying day.\n43. HAKON, THE FOSTER-SON OF ATHELSTAN, IS BAPTIZED.\nKing Athelstan had Hakon baptized, and brought up in the right faith,\nand in good habits, and all sorts of good manners, and he loved Hakon\nabove all his relations; and Hakon was beloved by all men. He was\nhenceforth called Athelstan's foster-son. He was an accomplished skald,\nand he was larger, stronger and more beautiful than other men; he was\na man of understanding and eloquence, and also a good Christian. King\nAthelstan gave Hakon a sword, of which the hilt and handle were gold,\nand the blade still better; for with it Hakon cut down a mill-stone to\nthe centre eye, and the sword thereafter was called the Quernbite (1).\nBetter sword never came into Norway, and Hakon carried it to his dying\nday.\n ENDNOTES:\n (1) Quern is the name of the small hand mill-stones still\n found.\n in use among the cottars in Orkney, Shetland, and the\n Hebrides. This sword is mentioned in the Younger Edda.\n There were many excellent swords in the olden time, and many\n of them had proper names.\n44. EIRIK BROUGHT TO THE SOVEREIGNTY.\nWhen King Harald was eighty years of age (A.D. 930) he became very\nheavy, and unable to travel through the country, or do the business of\na king. Then he brought his son Eirik to his high-seat, and gave him the\npower and command over the whole land. Now when King Harald's other sons\nheard this, King Halfdan the Black also took a king's high-seat, and\ntook all Throndhjem land, with the consent of all the people, under his\nrule as upper king. After the death of Bjorn the Chapman, his brother\nOlaf took the command over Vestfold, and took Bjorn's son, Gudrod,\nas his foster-child. Olaf's son was called Trygve; and the two\nfoster-brothers were about the same age, and were hopeful and clever.\nTrygve, especially, was remarkable as a stout and strong man. Now when\nthe people of Viken heard that those of Hordaland had taken Eirik as\nupper king, they did the same, and made Olaf the upper king in Viken,\nwhich kingdom he retained. Eirik did not like this at all. Two years\nafter this, Halfdan the Black died suddenly at a feast in Throndhjem\nand the general report was that Gunhild had bribed a witch to give him\na death-drink. Thereafter the Throndhjem people took Sigrod to be their\nking.\n45. KING HARALD'S DEATH.\nKing Harald lived three years after he gave Eirik the supreme authority\nover his kingdom, and lived mostly on his great farms which he\npossessed, some in Rogaland, and some in Hordaland. Eirik and Gunhild\nhad a son on whom King Harald poured water, and gave him his own name,\nand the promise that he should be king after his father Eirik. King\nHarald married most of his daughters within the country to his earls,\nand from them many great families are descended. Harald died on a bed of\nsickness in Hogaland (A.D. 933), and was buried under a mound at Haugar\nin Karmtsund. In Haugesund is a church, now standing; and not far from\nthe churchyard, at the north-west side, is King Harald Harfager's mound;\nbut his grave-stone stands west of the church, and is thirteen feet and\na half high, and two ells broad. One stone was set at head and one at\nthe feet; on the top lay the slab, and below on both sides were laid\nsmall stones. The grave, mound, and stone, are there to the present day.\nHarald Harfager was, according to the report of men of knowledge, or\nremarkably handsome appearance, great and strong, and very generous\nand affable to his men. He was a great warrior in his youth; and people\nthink that this was foretold by his mother's dream before his birth,\nas the lowest part of the tree she dreamt of was red as blood. The stem\nagain was green and beautiful, which betokened his flourishing kingdom;\nand that the tree was white at the top showed that he should reach a\ngrey-haired old age. The branches and twigs showed forth his posterity,\nspread over the whole land; for of his race, ever since. Norway has\nalways had kings.\n46. THE DEATH OF OLAF AND OF SIGROD.\nKing Eirik took all the revenues (A.D. 934), which the king had in the\nmiddle of the country, the next winter after King Harald's decease. But\nOlaf took all the revenues eastward in Viken, and their brother Sigrod\nall that of the Throndhjem country. Eirik was very ill pleased with\nthis; and the report went that he would attempt with force to get the\nsole sovereignty over the country, in the same way as his father had\ngiven it to him. Now when Olaf and Sigrod heard this, messengers passed\nbetween them; and after appointing a meeting place, Sigrod went eastward\nin spring to Viken, and he and his brother Olaf met at Tunsberg, and\nremained there a while. The same spring (A.D. 934), King Eirik levied a\ngreat force, and ships and steered towards Viken. He got such a strong\nsteady gale that he sailed night and day, and came faster than the news\nof him. When he came to Tunsberg, Olaf and Sigrod, with their forces,\nwent out of the town a little eastward to a ridge, where they drew up\ntheir men in battle order; but as Eirik had many more men he won the\nbattle. Both brothers, Olaf and Sigrod, fell there; and both their\ngrave-mounds are upon the ridge where they fell. Then King Eirik went\nthrough Viken, and subdued it, and remained far into summer. Gudrod and\nTrygve fled to the Uplands. Eirik was a stout handsome man, strong, and\nvery manly,--a great and fortunate man of war; but bad-minded, gruff,\nunfriendly, and silent. Gunhild, his wife, was the most beautiful\nof women,--clever, with much knowledge, and lively; but a very false\nperson, and very cruel in disposition. The children of King Eirik\nand Gunhild were, Gamle, the oldest; then Guthorm, Harald, Ragnfrod,\nRagnhild, Erling, Gudrod, and Sigurd Sleva. All were handsome, and of\nmanly appearance (1).\n ENDNOTES: (1) Of Eirik, his wife, and children, see the following sagas.\nHAKON THE GOOD'S SAGA.\nPRELIMINARY REMARKS.\nOf Eirik Blood-axe's five years' reign Snorre has no separate saga. He\nappears not to have been beloved by the people and his queen Gunhild\nseems to have had a bad influence on him.\nOther accounts of Hakon may be found in \"Fagrskinna\" (chaps. 25-34),\n\"Agrip\", \"Historia\", \"Norvegiae\", and in \"Thjodrek\" (chap. 4).\nThe reader is also referred to \"Saxo\", \"Egla\", \"Laxdaela\", \"Kormaks\nSaga\", \"Gisle Surssons Saga\", \"Halfred's Saga\", \"Floamanna Saga\", \"Viga\nGlum's Saga\", and to \"Landnamabok\".\nSkald mentioned in this Saga are:--Glum Geirason, Thord Sjarekson,\nGuthorm Sindre, Kormak Ogmundson, and Eyvind Skaldaspiller. In\nthe \"Egla\" are found many poems belonging to this epoch by Egil\nSkallagrimson.\nIn \"Fagrskinna\" is found a poem (not given by Snorre) which Gunhild (his\nwife) had made on King Eirik after his death, telling how Odin welcomed\nhim to Valhal. The author or skald who composed it is not known, but\nit is considered to be one of the gems of old Norse poetry, and we here\nquote it in Vigfusson's translation in his \"Corpus Poeticum\", vol.\ni. pp. 260, 261. Gudbrand Vigfusson has filled up a few gaps from\n\"Hakonarmat\", the poem at the end of this Saga. We have changed\nVigfusson's orthography of names, and brought them into harmony with the\nspelling used in this work:--Ed.\n\"Odin wakes in the morning and cries, as he opens his eyes, with his\ndream still fresh in his mind:--'What dreams are these? I thought I\narose before daybreak to make Valhal ready for a host of slain. I woke\nup the host of the chosen. I bade them ride up to strew the benches, and\nto till up the beer-vats, and I bade valkyries to bear the wine, as if\na king were coming. I look for the coming of some noble chiefs from the\nearth, wherefore my heart is glad.'\n\"Brage, Odin's counsellor, now wakes, as a great din is heard without,\nand calls out:--'What is that thundering? as if a thousand men or some\ngreat host were tramping on--the walls and the benches are creaking\nwithal--as if Balder was coming back to the ball of Odin?'\n\"Odin answers:--'Surely thou speakest foolishly, good Brage, although\nthou art very wise. It thunders for Eirik the king, that is coming to\nthe hall of Odin.'\n\"Then turning to his heroes, he cries:--'Sigmund and Sinfjotle, rise in\nhaste and go forth to meet the prince! Bid him in if it be Eirik, for it\nis he whom I look for.'\n\"Sigmund answers:--'Why lookest thou more for Eirik, the king, to Odin's\nhall, than for other kings?'\n\"Odin answers:--'Because he has reddened his brand, and borne his bloody\nsword in many a land.'\n\"Quoth Sigmund:--'Why didst thou rob him, the chosen king of victory\nthen, seeing thou thoughtest him so brave?'\n\"Odin answered:--'Because it is not surely to be known, when the grey\nwolf shall come upon the seat of the god.'\nSECOND SCENE.--Without Valhal. Sigmund and Sinfjotle go outside the hall\nand meet Eirik.\n\"Quoth Sigmund:--'Hail to thee, Eirik, be welcome here, and come into\nthe hall, thou gallant king! Now I will ask thee, what kings are these\nthat follow thee from the clash of the sword edges?'\n\"Eirik answers:--'They are five kings; I will tell thee all their names;\nI myself am the sixth (the names followed in the song, whereof the rest\nis lost.)\n\"Fagrskinna\" says \"Hakonarmal\" was the model of this poem.\n1. HAKON CHOSEN KING.\nHakon, Athelstan's foster-son, was in England at the time (A.D. 934) he\nheard of his father King Harald's death, and he immediately made himself\nready to depart. King Athelstan gave him men, and a choice of good\nships, and fitted him out for his journey most excellently. In harvest\ntime he came to Norway, where he heard of the death of his brothers,\nand that King Eirik was then in Viken. Then Hakon sailed northwards to\nThrondhjem, where he went to Sigurd earl of Hlader who was the ablest\nman in Norway. He gave Hakon a good reception; and they made a league\nwith each other, by which Hakon promised great power to Sigurd if he\nwas made king. They assembled then a numerous Thing, and Sigurd the earl\nrecommended Hakon's cause to the Thing, and proposed him to the bondes\nas king. Then Hakon himself stood up and spoke; and the people said to\neach other, two and two, as they heard him, \"Herald Harfager is come\nagain, grown and young.\" The beginning of Hakon's speech was, that he\noffered himself to the bondes as king, and desired from them the title\nof king, and aid and forces to defend the kingdom. He promised, on the\nother hand, to make all the bondes udal-holders, and give every man udal\nrights to the land he lived on. This speech met such joyful applause,\nthat the whole public cried and shouted that they would take him to be\nking. And so it was that the Throndhjem people took Hakon, who was\nthen fifteen years old, for king; and he took a court or bodyguard,\nand servants, and proceeded through the country. The news reached the\nUplands that the people in Throndhjem had taken to themselves a\nking, who in every respect was like King Harald Harfager,--with the\ndifference, that Harald had made all the people of the land vassals, and\nunfree; but this Hakon wished well to every man, and offered the bondes\nto give them their udal rights again, which Harald had taken from them.\nAll were rejoiced at this news, and it passed from mouth to mouth,--it\nflew, like fire in dry grass, through the whole land, and eastward to\nthe land's end. Many bondes came from the Uplands to meet King Hakon.\nSome sent messengers, some tokens; and all to the same effect--that his\nmen they would be: and the king received all thankfully.\n2. KING HAKON'S PROGRESS THROUGH THE COUNTRY.\nEarly in winter (935), the king went to the Uplands, and summoned the\npeople to a Thing; and there streamed all to him who could come. He was\nproclaimed king at every Thing; and then he proceeded eastward to Viken,\nwhere his brother's sons, Trygve and Gudrod, and many others, came\nunto him, and complained of the sorrow and evil his brother Eirik had\nwrought. The hatred to King Eirik grew more and more, the more liking\nall men took to King Hakon; and they got more boldness to say what they\nthought. King Hakon gave Trygve and Gudrod the title of kings, and the\ndominions which King Harald had bestowed on their fathers. Trygve got\nRanrike and Vingulmark, and Gudrod, Vestfold; but as they were young,\nand in the years of childhood, he appointed able men to rule the land\nfor them. He gave them the country on the same conditions as it had been\ngiven before,--that they should have half of the scat and revenues with\nhim. Towards spring King Hakon returned north, over the Uplands, to\nThrondhjem.\n3. EIRIK'S DEPARTURE FROM THE COUNTRY.\nKing Hakon, early in spring, collected a great army at Throndhjem, and\nfitted out ships. The people of Viken also had a great force on foot,\nand intended to join Hakon. King Eirik also levied people in the middle\nof the country; but it went badly with him to gather people, for the\nleading men left him, and went over to Hakon. As he saw himself not\nnearly strong enough to oppose Hakon, he sailed (A.D. 935) out to the\nWest sea with such men as would follow him. He first sailed to Orkney,\nand took many people with him from that country; and then went south\ntowards England, plundering in Scotland, and in the north parts of\nEngland, wherever he could land. Athelstan, the king of England, sent\na message to Eirik, offering him dominions under him in England; saying\nthat King Harald his father was a good friend of King Athelstan, and\ntherefore he would do kindly towards his sons. Messengers passed between\nthe two kings; and it came to an agreement that King Eirik should take\nNorthumberland as a fief from King Athelstan, and which land he should\ndefend against the Danes or other vikings. Eirik should let himself be\nbaptized, together with his wife and children, and all the people who\nhad followed him. Eirik accepted this offer, and was baptized, and\nadopted the right faith. Northumberland is called a fifth part of\nEngland. Eirik had his residence at York, where Lodbrok's sons, it was\nsaid, had formerly been, and Northumberland was principally inhabited by\nNorthmen. Since Lodbrok's sons had taken the country, Danes and Northmen\noften plundered there, when the power of the land was out of their\nhands. Many names of places in the country are Norwegian; as Grimsby,\nHaukfliot, and many others.\n4. EIRIK'S DEATH.\nKing Eirik had many people about him, for he kept many Northmen who had\ncome with him from the East; and also many of his friends had joined\nhim from Norway. But as he had little land, he went on a cruise every\nsummer, and plundered in Scotland, the Hebrides, Ireland, and Bretland,\nby which he gathered property. King Athelstan died on a sick bed, after\na reign of fourteen years, eight weeds, and three days. After him\nhis brother Jatmund was king of England, and he was no friend to the\nNorthmen. King Eirik, also, was in no great favour with him; and\nthe word went about that King Jatmund would set another chief over\nNorthumberland. Now when King Eirik heard this, he set off on a viking\ncruise to the westward; and from the Orkneys took with him the Earls\nArnkel and Erlend, the sons of Earl Torfeinar. Then he sailed to the\nHebrides, where there were many vikings and troop-kings, who joined\ntheir men to his. With all this force he steered to Ireland first,\nwhere he took with him all the men he could, and then to Bretland, and\nplundered; and sailed thereafter south to England, and marauded there\nas elsewhere. The people fled before him wherever he appeared. As King\nEirik was a bold warrior, and had a great force, he trusted so much to\nhis people that he penetrated far inland in the country, following and\nplundering the fugitives. King Jatmund had set a king, who was called\nOlaf, to defend the land; and he gathered an innumerable mass of people,\nwith whom he marched against King Eirik. A dreadful battle ensued, in\nwhich many Englishmen fell; but for one who fell came three in his place\nout of the country behind, and when evening came on the loss of men\nturned on the side of the Northmen, and many people fell. Towards the\nend of the day, King Eirik and five kings with him fell. Three of them\nwere Guthorm and his two sons, Ivar and Harek: there fell, also, Sigurd\nand Ragnvald; and with them Torfeinar's two sons, Arnkel and Erlend.\nBesides these, there was a great slaughter of Northmen; and those who\nescaped went to Northumberland, and brought the news to Gunhild and her\n5. GUNHILD AND HER SONS.\nWhen Gunhild and her sons knew for certain that King Eirik had fallen,\nafter having plundered the land of the King of England, they thought\nthere was no peace to be expected for them; and they made themselves\nready to depart from Northumberland, with all the ships King Eirik had\nleft, and all the men who would go with them. They took also all the\nloose property, and goods which they had gathered partly as taxes in\nEngland, partly as booty on their expeditions. With their army they\nfirst steered northward to Orkney, where Thorfin Hausakljufer was earl,\na son of Torfeinar, and took up their station there for a time. Eirik's\nsons subdued these islands and Hjaltland, took scat for themselves, and\nstaid there all the winter; but went on viking cruises in summer to the\nWest, and plundered in Scotland and Ireland. About this Glum Geirason\nsings:--\n \"The hero who knows well to ride\n The sea-horse o'er the foamingtide,--\n He who in boyhood wild rode o'er\n The seaman's horse to Skanea's shore.\n And showed the Danes his galley's bow,\n Right nobly scours the ocean now.\n On Scotland's coast he lights the brand\n Of flaming war; with conquering hand\n Drives many a Scottish warrior tall\n To the bright seats in Odin's hall.\n The fire-spark, by the fiend of war\n Fanned to a flame, soon spreads afar.\n Crowds trembling fly,--the southern foes\n Fall thick beneath the hero's blows:\n The hero's blade drips red with gore,\n Staining the green sward on the shore.\"\n6. BATTLE IN JUTLAND.\nWhen King Eirik had left the country, King Hakon, Athelstan's\nfoster-son, subdued the whole of Norway. The first winter (A.D. 936)\nhe visited the western parts, and then went north, and settled in\nThrondhjem. But as no peace could be reasonably looked for so long as\nKing Eirik with his forces could come to Norway from the West sea, he\nset himself with his men-at-arms in the middle of the country,--in the\nFjord district, or in Sogn, or Hordaland, or Rogaland. Hakon placed\nSigurd earl of Hlader over the whole Throradhjem district, as he and his\nfather had before had it under Harald Harfager. When King Hakon heard\nof his brother Eirik's death, and also that his sons had no footing in\nEngland, he thought there was not much to fear from them, and he went\nwith his troops one summer eastward to Viken. At that time the Danes\nplundered often in Viken, and wrought much evil there; but when they\nheard that King Hakon was come with a great army, they got out of the\nway, to Halland; and those who were nearest to King Hakon went out to\nsea, and over to Jotland (Jutland). When the king heard of this, he\nsailed after them with all his army. On arriving in Jutland he plundered\nall round; and when the country people heard of it, they assembled in a\ngreat body, and determined to defend their land, and fight. There was\na great battle; and King Hakon fought so boldly, that he went forward\nbefore his banner without helmet or coat of mail. King Hakon won the\nvictory, and drove the fugitives far up the country. So says Guthorm\nSindre, in his song of Hakon:--\n \"Furrowing the deep-blue sea with oars,\n The king pursues to Jutland's shores.\n They met; and in the battle storm\n Of clashing shields, full many a form\n Of goodly warrior on the plain,\n Full many a corpse by Hakon slain,\n Glutted the ravens, who from far,\n Scenting the banquet-feast of war,\n Came in black flocks to Jutland's plains\n To drink the blood-wine from the veins.\"\n7. BATTLE IN EYRARSUND (THE SOUND).\nThen Hakon steered southwards with his fleet to seek the vikings, and\nso on to Sealand. He rowed with two cutters into the Eyrarsund, where he\nfound eleven viking ships, and instantly attacked them. It ended in his\ngaining the victory, and clearing the viking ships of all their men. So\nsays Guthorm Sindre:--\n \"Hakon the Brave, whose skill all know\n To bend in battle storm the bow,\n Rushed o'er the waves to Sealand's tongue,\n His two war-ships with gilt shields hung,\n And cleared the decks with his blue sword\n That rules the fate of war, on board\n Eleven ships of the Vindland men.--\n Famous is Hakon's name since then.\"\n8. KING HAKON'S EXPEDITION TO DENMARK.\nThereafter King Hakon carried war far and wide in Sealand; plundering\nsome, slaying others, taking some prisoners of war, taking ransom from\nothers, and all without opposition. Then Hakon proceeded along the\ncoast of Skane, pillaging everywhere, levying taxes and ransome from the\ncountry, and killing all vikings, both Danish and Vindish. He then went\neastwards to the district of Gautland, marauded there, and took great\nransom from the country. So says Guthorm Sindre:--\n \"Hakon, who midst the battle shock\n Stands like a firmly-rooted oak,\n Subdued all Sealand with the sword:\n From Vindland vikings the sea-bord\n Of Scania swept; and, with the shield\n Of Odin clad, made Gautland yield\n A ransom of the ruddy gold,\n Which Hakon to his war-men bold\n Gave with free hand, who in his feud\n Against the arrow-storm had stood.\"\nKing Hakon returned back in autumn with his army and an immense booty;\nand remained all the winter (A.D. 946) in Viken to defend it against the\nDanes and Gautlanders, if they should attack it.\n9. OF KING TRYGVE.\nIn the same winter King Trygve Olafson returned from a viking cruise in\nthe West sea, having before ravaged in Ireland and Scotland. In spring\n(A.D. 946) King Hakon went north, and set his brother's son, King\nTrygve, over Viken to defend that country against enemies. He gave him\nalso in property all that he could reconquer of the country in Denmark,\nwhich the summer before King Hakon had subjected to payment of scat to\nhim. So says Guthorm:--\n \"King Hakon, whose sharp sword dyes red\n The bright steel cap on many a head,\n Has set a warrior brave and stout\n The foreign foeman to keep out,--\n To keep that green land safe from war\n Which black Night bore to dwarf Annar (1).\n For many a carle whose trade's to wield\n The battle-axe, and swing the shield,\n On the swan's ocean-skates has come,\n In white-winged ships, across the foam,--\n Across the sea, from far Ireland,\n To war against the Norseman's land.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) The dwarf Annar was the husband of Night, and Earth was\n their daughter.--L.\n10. OF GUNHILD S SONS.\nKing Harald Gormson ruled over Denmark at that time. He took it much\namiss that King Hakon had made war in his dominions, and the report went\nthat he would take revenge; but this did not take place so soon. When\nGunhild and her sons heard there was enmity between Denmark and Norway,\nthey began to turn their course from the West. They married King Eirik's\ndaughter, Ragnhild, to Arnfin, a son of Thorfin Hausakljufer; and as\nsoon as Eirik's sons went away, Thorfin took the earldom again over\nthe Orkney Islands. Gamle Eirikson was somewhat older than the other\nbrothers, but still he was not a grown man. When Gunhild and her sons\ncame from the westward to Denmark, they were well received by King\nHarald. He gave them great fiefs in his kingdom, so that they could\nmaintain themselves and their men very well. He also took Harald\nEirikson to be his foster-son, set him on his knee, and thereafter he\nwas brought up at the Danish king's court. Some of Eirik's sons went\nout on viking expeditions as soon as they were old enough, and gathered\nproperty, ravaging all around in the East sea. They grew up quickly to\nbe handsome men, and far beyond their years in strength and perfection.\nGlum Geirason tells of one of them in the Grafeld song:--\n \"I've heard that, on the Eastland coast,\n Great victories were won and lost.\n The king, whose hand is ever graced\n With gift to skald, his banner placed\n On, and still on; while, midst the play\n Of swords, sung sharp his good sword's sway\n As strong in arm as free of gold,\n He thinn'd the ranks of warriors bold.\"\nThen Eirik's sons turned northwards with their troops to Viken and\nmarauded there; but King Trygve kept troops on foot with which he met\nthem, and they had many a battle, in which the victory was sometimes on\none side, and sometimes on the other. Sometimes Eirik's sons plundered\nin Viken, and sometimes Trygve in Sealand and Halland.\n11. KING HAKON AS A LAW-GIVER.\nAs long as Hakon was king in Norway, there was good peace between the\nbondes and merchants; so that none did harm either to the life or goods\nof the other. Good seasons also there were, both by sea and land. King\nHakon was of a remarkably cheerful disposition, clever in words, and\nvery condescending. He was a man of great understanding also, and\nbestowed attention on law-giving. He gave out the Gula-thing's laws on\nthe advice of Thorleif Spake (the Wise); also the Frosta-thing's laws\non the advice of Earl Sigurd, and of other Throndhjem men of wisdom.\nEidsiva-thing laws were first established in the country by Halfdan the\nBlack, as has before been written.\n12. THE BIRTH OF EARL HAKON THE GREAT.\nKing Hakon kept Yule at Throndhjem, and Earl Sigurd had made a feast\nfor him at Hlader. The night of the first day of Yule the earl's wife,\nBergljot, was brought to bed of a boy-child, which afterwards King\nHakon poured water over, and gave him his own name. The boy grew up, and\nbecame in his day a mighty and able man, and was earl after his father,\nwho was King Hakon's dearest friend.\n13. OF EYSTEIN THE BAD.\nEystein, a king of the Uplands, whom some called the Great, and some the\nBad, once on a time made war in Throndhjem, and subdued Eyna district\nand Sparbyggia district, and set his own son Onund over them; but the\nThrondhjem people killed him. Then King Eystein made another inroad into\nThrondhjem, and ravaged the land far and wide, and subdued it. He then\noffered the people either his slave, who was called Thorer Faxe, or his\ndog, whose name was Saur, to be their king. They preferred the dog,\nas they thought they would sooner get rid of him. Now the dog was, by\nwitchcraft, gifted with three men's wisdom; and when he barked, he spoke\none word and barked two. A collar and chain of gold and silver were\nmade for him, and his courtiers carried him on their shoulders when the\nweather or ways were foul. A throne was erected for him, and he sat\nupon a high place, as kings are used to sit. He dwelt on Eyin Idre (Idre\nIsle), and had his mansion in a place now called Saurshaug. It is told\nthat the occasion of his death was that the wolves one day broke into\nhis fold, and his courtiers stirred him up to defend his cattle; but\nwhen he ran down from his mound, and attacked the wolves, they tore\nhim into pieces. Many other extraordinary things were done by this\nKing Eystein against the Throndhjem people, and in consequence of this\npersecution and trouble, many chiefs and people fled and left their udal\nproperties.\n14. JAMTALAND AND HELSINGJALAND.\nKetil Jamte, a son of Earl Onund of Sparabu, went eastward across the\nmountain ridge, and with him a great multitude, who took all their\nfarm-stock and goods with them. They cleared the woods, and established\nlarge farms, and settled the country afterwards called Jamtaland.\nThorer Helsing, Ketil's grandson, on account of a murder, ran away from\nJamtaland and fled eastward through the forest, and settled there. Many\npeople followed, and that country, which extends eastward down to the\nseacoast, was called Helsingjaland; and its eastern parts are inhabited\nby Swedes. Now when Harald Harfager took possession of the whole country\nmany people fled before him, both people of Throndhjem and of Naumudal\ndistricts; and thus new settlers came to Jamtaland, and some all the way\nto Helsingjaland. The Helsingjaland people travelled into Svithiod for\ntheir merchandise, and thus became altogether subjects of that country.\nThe Jamtaland people, again, were in a manner between the two countries;\nand nobody cared about them, until Hakon entered into friendly\nintercourse with Jamtaland, and made friends of the more powerful\npeople. Then they resorted to him, and promised him obedience and\npayment of taxes, and became his subjects; for they saw nothing but what\nwas good in him, and being of Norwegian race they would rather stand\nunder his royal authority than under the king of Sweden: and he gave\nthem laws, and rights to their land. All the people of Helsingjaland did\nthe same,--that is, all who were of Norwegian race, from the other side\nof the great mountain ridge.\n15. HAKON SPREADS CHRISTIANITY.\nKing Hakon was a good Christian when he came to Norway; but as the whole\ncountry was heathen, with much heathenish sacrifice, and as many\ngreat people, as well as the favour of the common people, were to be\nconciliated, he resolved to practice his Christianity in private. But\nhe kept Sundays, and the Friday fasts, and some token of the greatest\nholy-days. He made a law that the festival of Yule should begin at\nthe same time as Christian people held it, and that every man, under\npenalty, should brew a meal of malt into ale, and therewith keep the\nYule holy as long as it lasted. Before him, the beginning of Yule, or\nthe slaughter night, was the night of mid-winter (Dec. 14), and Yule was\nkept for three days thereafter. It was his intent, as soon as he had set\nhimself fast in the land, and had subjected the whole to his power,\nto introduce Christianity. He went to work first by enticing to\nChristianity the men who were dearest to him; and many, out of\nfriendship to him, allowed themselves to be baptized, and some laid\naside sacrifices. He dwelt long in the Throndhjem district, for the\nstrength of the country lay there; and when he thought that, by the\nsupport of some powerful people there, he could set up Christianity he\nsent a message to England for a bishop and other teachers; and when\nthey arrived in Norway, Hakon made it known that he would proclaim\nChristianity over all the land. The people of More and Raumsdal referred\nthe matter to the people of Throndhjem. King Hakon then had several\nchurches consecrated, and put priests into them; and when he came to\nThrondhjem he summoned the bondes to a Thing, and invited them to accept\nChristianity. They gave an answer to the effect that they would defer\nthe matter until the Frosta-thing, at which there would be men from\nevery district of the Throndhjem country, and then they would give their\ndetermination upon this difficult matter.\n16. ABOUT SACRIFICES.\nSigurd, earl of Hlader, was one of the greatest men for sacrifices, and\nso had Hakon his father been; and Sigurd always presided on account of\nthe king at all the festivals of sacrifice in the Throndhjem country.\nIt was an old custom, that when there was to be sacrifice all the bondes\nshould come to the spot where the temple stood and bring with them all\nthat they required while the festival of the sacrifice lasted. To this\nfestival all the men brought ale with them; and all kinds of cattle, as\nwell as horses, were slaughtered, and all the blood that came from\nthem was called \"hlaut\", and the vessels in which it was collected were\ncalled hlaut-vessels. Hlaut-staves were made, like sprinkling brushes,\nwith which the whole of the altars and the temple walls, both outside\nand inside, were sprinkled over, and also the people were sprinkled with\nthe blood; but the flesh was boiled into savoury meat for those present.\nThe fire was in the middle of the floor of the temple, and over it hung\nthe kettles, and the full goblets were handed across the fire; and he\nwho made the feast, and was a chief, blessed the full goblets, and\nall the meat of the sacrifice. And first Odin's goblet was emptied for\nvictory and power to his king; thereafter, Niord's and Freyja's goblets\nfor peace and a good season. Then it was the custom of many to empty the\nbrage-goblet (1); and then the guests emptied a goblet to the memory of\ndeparted friends, called the remembrance goblet. Sigurd the earl was an\nopen-handed man, who did what was very much celebrated; namely, he made\na great sacrifice festival at Hlader of which he paid all the expenses.\nKormak Ogmundson sings of it in his ballad of Sigurd:--\n \"Of cup or platter need has none\n The guest who seeks the generous one,--\n Sigurd the Generous, who can trace\n His lineage from the giant race;\n For Sigurd's hand is bounteous, free,--\n The guardian of the temples he.\n He loves the gods, his liberal hand\n Scatters his sword's gains o'er the land--\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) The brage-goblet, over which vows were made.--L.\n17. THE FROSTA-THING.\nKing Hakon came to the Frosta-thing, at which a vast multitude of people\nwere assembled. And when the Thing was seated, the king spoke to the\npeople, and began his speech with saying,--it was his message and\nentreaty to the bondes and householding men, both great and small, and\nto the whole public in general, young and old, rich and poor, women as\nwell as men, that they should all allow themselves to be baptized, and\nshould believe in one God, and in Christ the son of Mary and refrain\nfrom all sacrifices and heathen gods; and should keep holy the seventh\nday, and abstain from all work on it, and keep a fast on the seventh\nday. As soon as the king had proposed this to the bondes, great was the\nmurmur and noise among the crowd. They complained that the king wanted\nto take their labour and their old faith from them, and the land could\nnot be cultivated in that way. The labouring men and slaves thought that\nthey could not work if they did not get meat; and they said it was\nthe character of King Hakon, and his father, and all the family, to be\ngenerous enough with their money, but sparing with their diet. Asbjorn\nof Medalhus in the Gaulardal stood up, and answered thus to the king's\nproposal:--\n\"We bondes, King Hakon, when we elected thee to be our king, and got\nback our udal rights at the Thing held in Throndhjem, thought we had got\ninto heaven; but now we don't know whether we have really got back our\nfreedom, or whether thou wishest to make vassals of us again by this\nextraordinary proposal that we should abandon the ancient faith which\nour fathers and forefathers have held from the oldest times, in the\ntimes when the dead were burnt, as well as since that they are laid\nunder mounds, and which, although they were braver than the people of\nour days, has served us as a faith to the present time. We have also\nheld thee so dear, that we have allowed thee to rule and give law and\nright to all the country. And even now we bondes will unanimously hold\nby the law which thou givest us here in the Frosta-thing, and to which\nwe have also given our assent; and we will follow thee, and have thee\nfor our king, as long as there is a living man among us bondes here in\nthis Thing assembled. But thou, king, must use some moderation towards\nus, and only require from us such things as we can obey thee in, and are\nnot impossible for us. If, however, thou wilt take up this matter with\na high hand, and wilt try thy power and strength against us, we\nbondes have resolved among ourselves to part with thee, and to take to\nourselves some other chief, who will so conduct himself towards us\nthat we can freely and safely enjoy that faith that suits our own\ninclinations. Now, king, thou must choose one or other of these\nconditions before the Thing is ended.\"\nThe bondes gave loud applause to this speech, and said it expressed\ntheir will, and they would stand or fall by what had been spoken. When\nsilence was again restored, Earl Sigurd said, \"It is King Hakon's will\nto give way to you, the bondes, and never to separate himself from your\nfriendship.\" The bondes replied, that it was their desire that the king\nshould offer a sacrifice for peace and a good year, as his father was\nwant to do; and thereupon the noise and tumult ceased, and the Thing was\nconcluded. Earl Sigurd spoke to the king afterwards, and advised him\nnot to refuse altogether to do as the people desired, saying there was\nnothing else for it but to give way to the will of the bondes; \"for\nit is, as thou hast heard thyself, the will and earnest desire of the\nhead-people, as well as of the multitude. Hereafter we may find a good\nway to manage it.\" And in this resolution the king and earl agreed (A.D.\n18. KING HAKON OFFERS SACRIFICES.\nThe harvest thereafter, towards the winter season, there was a festival\nof sacrifice at Hlader, and the king came to it. It had always been his\ncustom before, when he was present at a place where there was sacrifice,\nto take his meals in a little house by himself, or with some few of\nhis men; but the bondes grumbled that he did not seat himself in his\nhigh-seat at these the most joyous of the meetings of the people. The\nearl said that the king should do so this time. The king accordingly\nsat upon his high-seat. Now when the first full goblet was filled, Earl\nSigurd spoke some words over it, blessed it in Odin's name, and drank to\nthe king out of the horn; and the king then took it, and made the sign\nof the cross over it. Then said Kar of Gryting, \"What does the king mean\nby doing so? Will he not sacrifice?\" Earl Sigurd replies, \"The king is\ndoing what all of you do, who trust to your power and strength. He is\nblessing the full goblet in the name of Thor, by making the sign of his\nhammer over it before he drinks it.\" On this there was quietness for\nthe evening. The next day, when the people sat down to table, the bondes\npressed the king strongly to eat of horse-flesh (1); and as he would on\nno account do so, they wanted him to drink of the soup; and as he would\nnot do this, they insisted he should at least taste the gravy; and on\nhis refusal they were going to lay hands on him. Earl Sigurd came and\nmade peace among them, by asking the king to hold his mouth over the\nhandle of the kettle, upon which the fat smoke of the boiled horse-flesh\nhad settled itself; and the king first laid a linen cloth over the\nhandle, and then gaped over it, and returned to the high-seat; but\nneither party was satisfied with this.\n ENDNOTES: (1) This eating of horse-flesh at these religious festivals\n was considered the most direct proof of paganism in the\n following times, and was punished by death or mutilation by\n Saint Olaf. It was a ceremony apparently commemorative of\n their Asiatic origin and ancestors.\n19. FEAST OF THE SACRIFICE AT MORE.\nThe winter thereafter the king prepared a Yule feast in More, and eight\nchiefs resolved with each other to meet at it. Four of them were from\nwithout the Throndhjem district--namely, Kar of Gryting, Asbjorn\nof Medalhus, Thorberg of Varnes, and Orm from Ljoxa; and from the\nThrondhjem district, Botolf of Olvishaug, Narfe of Staf in Veradal,\nThrand Hak from Egg, and Thorer Skeg from Husaby in Eyin Idre. These\neight men bound themselves, the four first to root out Christianity in\nNorway, and the four others to oblige the king to offer sacrifice to the\ngods. The four first went in four ships southwards to More, and killed\nthree priests, and burnt three churches, and then they returned. Now,\nwhen King Hakon and Earl Sigurd came to More with their court, the\nbondes assembled in great numbers; and immediately, on the first day of\nthe feast, the bondes insisted hard with the king that he should offer\nsacrifice, and threatened him with violence if he refused. Earl Sigurd\ntried to make peace between them, and brought it so far that the king\ntook some bits of horse-liver, and emptied all the goblets the bondes\nfilled for him without the sign of the cross; but as soon as the feast\nwas over, the king and the earl returned to Hlader. The king was very\nill pleased, and made himself ready to leave Throndhjem forthwith with\nall his people; saying that the next time he came to Throndhjem, he\nwould come with such strength of men-at-arms that he would repay the\nbondes for their enmity towards him. Earl Sigurd entreated the king not\nto take it amiss of the bondes; adding, that it was not wise to threaten\nthem, or to make war upon the people within the country, and especially\nin the Throndhjem district, where the strength of the land lay; but the\nking was so enraged that he would not listen to a word from anybody. He\nwent out from Throndhjem, and proceeded south to More, where he remained\nthe rest of the winter, and on to the spring season (A.D. 950); and when\nsummer came he assembled men, and the report was that he intended with\nthis army to attack the Throndhjem people.\n20. BATTLE AT OGVALDSNES.\nBut just as the king had embarked with a great force of troops, the news\nwas brought him from the south of the country, that King Eirik's sons\nhad come from Denmark to Viken and had driven King Trygve Olafson from\nhis ships at Sotanes, and then had plundered far and wide around in\nViken, and that many had submitted to them. Now when King Hakon heard\nthis news, he thought that help was needed; and he sent word to Earl\nSigurd, and to the other chiefs from whom he could expect help, to\nhasten to his assistance. Sigurd the earl came accordingly with a great\nbody of men, among whom were all the Throndhjem people who had set upon\nhim the hardest to offer sacrifice; and all made their peace with the\nking, by the earl's persuasion. Now King Hakon sailed south along the\ncoast; and when he came south as far as Stad, he heard that Eirik's sons\nwere come to North Agder. Then they advanced against each other, and\nmet at Kormt. Both parties left their ships there, and gave battle at\nOgvaldsnes. Both parties had a great force, and it was a great battle.\nKing Hakon went forward bravely, and King Guthorm Eirikson met him with\nhis troop, and they exchanged blows with each other. Guthorm fell, and\nhis standard was cut down. Many people fell around him. The army of\nEirik's sons then took flight to their ships and rowed away with the\nloss of many a man. So says Guthorm Sindre:--\n \"The king's voice waked the silent host\n Who slept beside the wild sea-coast,\n And bade the song of spear and sword\n Over the battle plain be heard.\n Where heroes' shields the loudest rang,\n Where loudest was the sword-blade's clang,\n By the sea-shore at Kormt Sound,\n Hakon felled Guthorm to the ground.\"\nNow King Hakon returned to his ships, and pursued Gunhild's sons. And\nboth parties sailed all they could sail, until they came to East Adger,\nfrom whence Eirik's sons set out to sea, and southwards for Jutland\n(A.D. 950). Guthorm Sindre speaks of it in his song:--\n \"And Guthorm's brothers too, who know\n So skilfully to bend the bow,\n The conquering hand must also feel\n Of Hakon, god of the bright steel,--\n The sun-god, whose bright rays, that dart\n Flame-like, are swords that pierce the heart.\n Well I remember how the King\n Hakon, the battle's life and spring,\n O'er the wide ocean cleared away\n Eirik's brave sons. They durst not stay,\n But round their ships' sides hung their shields\n And fled across the blue sea-fields.\"\nKing Hakon returned then northwards to Norway, but Eirik's sons remained\na long time in Denmark.\n21. KING HAKON'S LAWS.\nKing Hakon after this battle made a law, that all inhabited land over\nthe whole country along the sea-coast, and as far back from it as\nthe salmon swims up in the rivers, should be divided into ship-raths\naccording to the districts; and it was fixed by law how many ships there\nshould be from each district, and how great each should be, when the\nwhole people were called out on service. For this outfit the whole\ninhabitants should be bound whenever a foreign army came to the country.\nWith this came also the order that beacons should be erected upon the\nhills, so that every man could see from the one to the other; and it is\ntold that a war-signal could thus be given in seven days, from the most\nsoutherly beacon to the most northerly Thing-seat in Halogaland\n22. CONCERNING EIRIK'S SONS.\nEirik's sons plundered much on the Baltic coasts and sometimes, as\nbefore related, in Norway; but so long as Hakon ruled over Norway there\nwas in general good peace, and good seasons, and he was the most beloved\nof kings. When Hakon had reigned about twenty years in Norway (A.D.\n954), Eirik's sons came from Denmark with a powerful army, of which\na great part consisted of the people who had followed them on their\nexpeditions; but a still greater army of Danes had been placed at their\ndisposal by King Harald Gormson. They sailed with a fair wind from\nVendil, and came to Agder; and then sailed northwards, night and day,\nalong the coast. But the beacons were not fired, because it had been\nusual to look for them lighted from the east onwards, and nobody had\nobserved them from the east coast; and besides King Hakon had set\nheavy penalties for giving false alarm, by lighting the beacons without\noccasion. The reason of this was, that ships of war and vikings cruised\nabout and plundered among the outlying islands, and the country people\ntook them for Eirik's sons, and lighted the beacons, and set the whole\ncountry in trouble and dread of war. Sometimes, no doubt, the sons of\nEirik were there; but having only their own troops, and no Danish army\nwith them, they returned to Denmark; and sometimes these were other\nvikings. King Hakon was very angry at this, because it cost both trouble\nand money to no purpose. The bondes also suffered by these false alarms\nwhen they were given uselessly; and thus it happened that no news of\nthis expedition of Eirik's sons circulated through the land until they\nhad come as far north as Ulfasund, where they lay for seven days. Then\nspies set off across Eid and northwards to More. King Hakon was at that\ntime in the island Frede, in North More, at a place called Birkistrand,\nwhere he had a dwelling-house, and had no troops with him, only his\nbodyguard or court, and the neighbouring bondes he had invited to his\nhouse.\n23. OF EGIL ULSERK.\nThe spies came to King Hakon, and told him that Eirik's sons, with a\ngreat army, lay just to the south of Stad. Then he called together\nthe most understanding of the men about him, and asked their opinion,\nwhether he should fight with Eirik's sons, although they had such\na great multitude with them, or should set off northwards to gather\ntogether more men. Now there was a bonde there, by name Egil Ulserk, who\nwas a very old man, but in former days had been strong and stout beyond\nmost men, and a hardy man-at-arms withal, having long carried King\nHarald Harfager's banner. Egil answered thus to the king's speech,--\"I\nwas in several battles with thy father Harald the king, and he gave\nbattle sometimes with many, sometimes with few people; but he always\ncame off with victory. Never did I hear him ask counsel of his friends\nwhether he should fly--and neither shalt thou get any such counsel from\nus, king; but as we know we have a brave leader, thou shalt get a trusty\nfollowing from us.\" Many others agreed with this speech, and the king\nhimself declared he was most inclined to fight with such strength as\nthey could gather. It was so determined. The king split up a war-arrow,\nwhich he sent off in all directions, and by that token a number of men\nwas collected in all haste. Then said Egil Ulserk,--\"At one time the\npeace had lasted so long I was afraid I might come to die the death of\nold age (1), within doors upon a bed of straw, although I would rather\nfall in battle following my chief. And now it may so turn out in the end\nas I wished it to be.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) In all the sagas of this pagan time, the dying on a bed of\n sickness is mentioned as a kind of derogatory end of a man\n of any celebrity.--L.\n24. BATTLE AT FREDARBERG.\nEirik's sons sailed northwards around Stad; as soon as the wind suited;\nand when they had passed it, and heard where King Hakon was, they\nsailed to meet him. King Hakon had nine ships, with which he lay under\nFredarberg in Feeysund; and Eirik's sons had twenty ships, with which\nthey brought up on the south side of the same cape, in Feeysund. King\nHakon sent them a message, asking them to go upon the land; and telling\nthem that he had hedged in with hazel boughs a place of combat at\nRastarkalf, where there is a flat large field, at the foot of a long\nand rather low ridge. Then Eirik's sons left their ships, and went\nnorthwards over the neck of land within Fredarberg, and onward to\nRastarkalf. Then Egil asked King Hakon to give him ten men with ten\nbanners, and the king did so. Then Egil went with his men under the\nridge; but King Hakon went out upon the open field with his army, and\nset up his banner, and drew up his army, saying, \"Let us draw up in a\nlong line, that they may not surround us, as they have the most men.\"\nAnd so it was done; and there was a severe battle, and a very sharp\nattack. Then Egil Ulserk set up the ten banners he had with him, and\nplaced the men who carried them so that they should go as near the\nsummit of the ridge as possible, and leaving a space between each of\nthem. They went so near the summit that the banners could be seen over\nit, and moved on as if they were coming behind the army of Eirik's\nsons. Now when the men who stood uppermost in the line of the troops of\nEirik's sons saw so many flying banners advancing high over the edge of\nthe ridge, they supposed a great force must be following, who would\ncome behind their army, and between them and their ships. They made each\nother acquainted with what was going on in a loud shout, and the whole\ntook to flight; and when the king saw it, they fled with the rest. King\nHakon now pushes on briskly with his people, pursuing the flying, and\nkilling many.\n25. OF KING GAMLE.\nWhen Gamle Eirikson came up the ridge of the hill he turned round, and\nhe observed that not more people were following than his men had been\nengaged with already, and he saw it was but a stratagem of war; so he\nordered the war-horns to be blown, his banner to be set up, and he put\nhis men in battle order. On this, all his Northmen stood, and turned\nwith him, but the Danes fled to the ships; and when King Hakon and his\nmen came thither, there was again sharp conflict; but now Hakon had most\npeople. At last the Eirik's sons' force fled, and took the road south\nabout the hill; but a part of their army retreated upon the hill\nsouthwards, followed by King Hakon. There is a flat field east of the\nridge which runs westward along the range of hills, and is bounded\non its west side by a steep ridge. Gamle's men retreated towards this\nground; but Hakon followed so closely that he killed some, and others\nran west over the ridge, and were killed on that side of it. King Hakon\ndid not part with them till the last man of them was killed.\n26. KING GAMLE AND ULSERK FALL.\nGamle Eirikson fled from the ridge down upon the plain to the south of\nthe hill. There he turned himself again, and waited until more people\ngathered to him. All his brothers, and many troops of their men,\nassembled there. Egil Ulserk was in front, and in advance of Hakon's\nmen, and made a stout attack. He and King Gamle exchanged blows with\neach other, and King Gamle got a grievous wound; but Egil fell, and\nmany people with him. Then came Hakon the king with the troops which had\nfollowed him, and a new battle began. King Hakon pushed on, cutting down\nmen on both sides of him, and killing the one upon the top of the other.\nSo sings Guthorm Sindre:--\n \"Scared by the sharp sword's singing sound,\n Brandished in air, the foe gave ground.\n The boldest warrior cannot stand\n Before King Hakon's conquering hand;\n And the king's banner ever dies\n Where the spear-forests thickest rise.\n Altho' the king had gained of old\n Enough of Freyja's tears of gold (1),\n He spared himself no more than tho'\n He'd had no well-filled purse to show.\"\nWhen Eirik's sons saw their men falling all round, they turned and fled\nto their ships; but those who had sought the ships before had pushed off\nsome of them from the land, while some of them were still hauled up and\non the strand. Now the sons of Eirik and their men plunged into the sea,\nand betook themselves to swimming. Gamle Eirikson was drowned; but the\nother sons of Eirik reached their ships, and set sail with what men\nremained. They steered southwards to Denmark, where they stopped a\nwhile, very ill satisfied with their expedition.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Freyja's husband was Od; and her tears, when she wept at\n the long absence of her husband, were tears of gold. Od's\n wife's tears is the skald's expression here for gold--\n understood, no doubt, as readily as any allusion to Plutus\n would convey the equivalent meaning in modern poetry.--L.\n27. EGIL ULSERK'S BURIAL-GROUND.\nKing Hakon took all the ships of the sons of Eirik that had been left\nupon the strand, and had them drawn quite up, and brought on the land.\nThen he ordered that Egil Ulserk, and all the men of his army who had\nfallen, should be laid in the ships, and covered entirely over with\nearth and stones. King Hakon made many of the ships to be drawn up to\nthe field of battle, and the hillocks over them are to be seen to the\npresent day a little to the south of Fredarberg. At the time when King\nHakon was killed, when Glum Geirason, in his song, boasted of King\nHakon's fall, Eyvind Skaldaspiller composed these verses on this\nbattle:--\n \"Our dauntless king with Gamle's gore\n Sprinkled his bright sword o'er and o'er:\n Sprinkled the gag that holds the mouth\n Of the fell demon Fenriswolf (1).\n Proud swelled our warriors' hearts when he\n Drove Eirik's sons out to the sea,\n With all their Guatland host: but now\n Our warriors weep--Hakon lies low!\"\nHigh standing stones mark Egil Uslerk s grave.\n ENDNOTES: (1) The Fenriswolf, one of the children of Loke, begotten with\n a giantess, was chained to a rock, and gagged by a sword\n placed in his mouth, to prevent him devouring mankind.\n Fenriswolf's gag is a skaldic expression for a sword.--L.\n28. NEWS OF WAR COMES TO KING HAKON.\nWhen King Hakon, Athelstan's foster-son, had been king for twenty-six\nyears after his brother Eirik had left the country, it happened (A.D.\n960) that he was at a feast in Hordaland in the house at Fitjar on the\nisland Stord, and he had with him at the feast his court and many of\nthe peasants. And just as the king was seated at the supper-table, his\nwatchmen who were outside observed many ships coming sailing along from\nthe south, and not very far from the island. Now, said the one to the\nother, they should inform the king that they thought an armed force was\ncoming against them; but none thought it advisable to be the bearer of\nan alarm of war to the king, as he had set heavy penalties on those who\nraised such alarms falsely, yet they thought it unsuitable that the king\nshould remain in ignorance of what they saw. Then one of them went into\nthe room and asked Eyvind Finson to come out as fast as possible, for it\nwas very needful. Eyvind immediately came out and went to where he could\nsee the ships, and saw directly that a great army was on the way; and\nhe returned in all haste into the room, and, placing himself before\nthe kind, said, \"Short is the hour for acting, and long the hour for\nfeasting.\" The king cast his eyes upon him, and said, \"What now is in\nthe way?\" Eyvind said--\n \"Up king! the avengers are at hand!\n Eirik's bold sons approach the land!\n The Judgment of the sword they crave\n Against their foe. Thy wrath I brave;\n Tho' well I know 'tis no light thing\n To bring war-tidings to the king\n And tell him 'tis no time to rest.\n Up! gird your armour to your breast:\n Thy honour's dearer than my life;\n Therefore I say, up to the strife!\"\nThen said the king, \"Thou art too brave a fellow, Eyvind, to bring us\nany false alarm of war.\" The others all said it was a true report. The\nking ordered the tables to be removed, and then he went out to look at\nthe ships; and when it could be clearly seen that these were ships of\nwar, the king asked his men what resolution they should take--whether\nto give battle with the men they had, or go on board ship and sail away\nnorthwards along the land. \"For it is easy to see,\" said he, \"that we\nmust now fight against a much greater force than we ever had against\nus before; although we thought just the same the last time we fought\nagainst Gunhild's sons.\" No one was in a hurry to give an answer to the\nking; but at last Eyvind replied to the king's speech:--\n \"Thou who in the battle-plain\n Hast often poured the sharp spear-rain!\n Ill it beseems our warriors brave\n To fly upon the ocean wave:\n To fly upon the blue wave north,\n When Harald from the south comes forth,\n With many a ship riding in pride\n Upon the foaming ocean-tide;\n With many a ship and southern viking,--\n Let us take shield in hand, brave king!\"\nThe king replied, \"Thy counsel, Eyvind, is manly, and after my own\nheart; but I will hear the opinion of others upon this matter.\" Now as\nthe king's men thought they discerned what way the king was inclined to\ntake, they answered that they would rather fall bravely and like men,\nthan fly before the Danes; adding, that they had often gained the\nvictory against greater odds of numbers. The king thanked them for their\nresolution, and bade them arm themselves; and all the men did so. The\nking put on his armour, and girded on his sword Kvernbit, and put a gilt\nhelmet upon his head, and took a spear (Kesja) in his hand, and a shield\nby his side. He then drew up his courtmen and the bondes in one body,\nand set up his banner.\n29. THE ARMAMENT OF EIRIK'S SONS.\nAfter Gamle's death King Harald, Eirik's son, was the chief of the\nbrothers, and he had a great army with him from Denmark. In their army\nwere also their mother's brothers,--Eyvind Skreyja, and Alf Askman, both\nstrong and able men, and great man slayers. The sons of Eirik brought up\nwith their ships off the island, and it is said that their force was not\nless than six to one,--so much stronger in men were Eirik's sons.\n30. KING HAKON'S BATTLE ARRAY.\nWhen King Hakon had drawn up his men, it is told of him that he threw\noff his armour before the battle began. So sings Eyvind Skaldaspiller,\nin Hakmarmal:--\n \"They found Blorn's brother bold\n Under his banner as of old,\n Ready for battle. Foes advance,--\n The front rank raise the shining lance:\n And now begins the bloody fray!\n Now! now begins Hild's wild play!\n Our noble king, whose name strikes fear\n Into each Danish heart,--whose spear\n Has single-handed spilt the blood\n Of many a Danish noble,--stood\n Beneath his helmet's eagle wing\n Amidst his guards; but the brave king\n Scorned to wear armour, while his men\n Bared naked breasts against the rain\n Of spear and arrow, his breast-plate rung\n Against the stones; and, blithe and gay,\n He rushed into the thickest fray.\n With golden helm, and naked breast,\n Brave Hakon played at slaughter's feast.\"\nKing Hakon selected willingly such men for his guard or court-men as\nwere distinguished for their strength and bravery, as his father King\nHarald also used to do; and among these was Thoralf Skolmson the Strong,\nwho went on one side of the king. He had helmet and shield, spear and\nsword; and his sword was called by the name of Footbreadth. It was said\nthat Thoralf and King Hakon were equal in strength. Thord Sjarekson\nspeaks of it in the poem he composed concerning Thoralf:--\n \"The king's men went with merry words\n To the sharp clash of shields and flame swords,\n When these wild rovers of the sea\n At Fitlar fought. Stout Thoralf he\n Next to the Northmen's hero came,\n Scattering wide round the battle flame\n For in the storm of shields not one\n Ventured like him with brave Hakon.\"\nWhen both lines met there was a hard combat, and much bloodshed. The\ncombatants threw their spears and then drew their swords. Then King\nHakon, and Thoralf with him, went in advance of the banner, cutting down\non both sides of them. So says Eyvind Skaldaspiller:--\n \"The body-coats of naked steel,\n The woven iron coats of mail,\n Like water fly before the swing\n Of Hakon's sword--the champion-king.\n About each Gotland war-man's head\n Helm splits, like ice beneath the tread,\n Cloven by the axe or sharp swordblade,\n The brave king, foremost in the fight,\n Dyes crimson-red the spotless white\n Of his bright shield with foemen's gore.--\n Amidst the battle's wild uproar,\n Wild pealing round from shore to shore.\"\n31. FALL OF SKREYJA AND ASKMAN.\nKing Hakon was very conspicuous among other men, and also when the sun\nshone his helmet glanced, and thereby many weapons were directed at him.\nThen Eyvind Finson took a hat and put it over the king's helmet. Now\nEyvind Skreyja called out, \"Does the king of the Norsemen hide himself,\nor has he fled? Where is now the golden helmet?\" Then Eyvind, and his\nbrother Alf with him, pushed on like fools or madmen. King Hakon shouted\nto Eyvind, \"Come on as thou art coming, and thou shalt find the king of\nthe Norsemen.\" So says Eyvind Skaldaspiller:--\n \"The raiser of the storm of shields,\n The conqueror in battle fields,--\n Hakon the brave, the warrior's friend,\n Who scatters gold with liberal hand,\n Heard Skreyja's taunt, and saw him rush,\n Amidst the sharp spears' thickest push,\n And loudly shouted in reply--\n 'If thou wilt for the victory try,\n The Norseman's king thou soon shall find!\n Hold onwards, friend! Hast thou a mind!\"\nIt was also but a short space of time before Eyvind did come up swinging\nhis sword, and made a cut at the king; but Thoralf thrust his shield so\nhard against Eyvind that he tottered with the shock. Now the king takes\nhis sword Kvernbit with both hands, and hewed Eyvind through helm and\nhead, and clove him down to the shoulders. Thoralf also slew Alf Askman.\nSo says Eyvind Skaldaspiller:--\n \"With both his hands the gallant king\n Swung round his sword, and to the chin\n Clove Eyvind down: his faithless mail\n Against it could no more avail,\n Than the thin plank against the shock\n When the ship's side beats on the rock.\n By his bright sword with golden haft\n Thro' helm, and head, and hair, was cleft\n The Danish champion; and amain,\n With terror smitten, fled his men.\"\nAfter this fall of the two brothers, King Hakon pressed on so hard that\nall men gave way before his assault. Now fear came over the army of\nEirik's sons, and the men began to fly; and King Hakon, who was at the\nhead of his men, pressed on the flying, and hewed down oft and hard.\nThen flew an arrow, one of the kind called \"flein\", into Hakon's arm,\ninto the muscles below the shoulder; and it is said by many people that\nGunhild's shoe-boy, whose name was Kisping, ran out and forwards amidst\nthe confusion of arms, called out \"Make room for the king-killer,\" and\nshot King Hakon with the flein. Others again say that nobody could tell\nwho shot the king, which is indeed the most likely; for spears, arrows,\nand all kinds of missiles flew as thick as a snow-drift. Many of the\npeople of Eirik's sons were killed, both on the field of battle and on\nthe way to the ships, and also on the strand, and many threw themselves\ninto the water. Many also, among whom were Eirik's sons, got on board\ntheir ships, and rowed away as fast as they could, and Hakon's men after\nthem. So says Thord Sjarekson:--\n \"The wolf, the murderer, and the thief,\n Fled from before the people's chief:\n Few breakers of the peace grew old\n Under the Northmen's king so bold.\n When gallant Hakon lost his life\n Black was the day, and dire the strife.\n It was bad work for Gunhild's sons,\n Leading their pack of Hungry Danes\n From out the south, to have to fly,\n And many a bonde leave to die,\n Leaning his heavy wounded head\n On the oar-bench for feather-bed.\n Thoralf was nearest to the side\n Of gallant Hakon in the tide\n Of battle; his the sword that best\n Carved out the raven's bloody feast:\n Amidst the heaps of foemen slain\n He was named bravest on the plain.\"\n32. HAKON'S DEATH.\nWhen King Hakon came out to his ship he had his wound bound up; but\nthe blood ran from it so much and so constantly, that it could not be\nstopped; and when the day was drawing to an end his strength began to\nleave him. Then he told his men that he wanted to go northwards to his\nhouse at Alreksstader; but when he came north, as far as Hakonarhella\nHill, they put in towards the land, for by this time the king was almost\nlifeless. Then he called his friends around him, and told them what he\nwished to be done with regard to his kingdom. He had only one child,\na daughter, called Thora, and had no son. Now he told them to send a\nmessage to Eirik's sons, that they should be kings over the country;\nbut asked them to hold his friends in respect and honour. \"And if\nfate,\" added he, \"should prolong my life, I will, at any rate, leave the\ncountry, and go to a Christian land, and do penance for what I have done\nagainst God; but should I die in heathen land, give me any burial you\nthink fit.\" Shortly afterwards Hakon expired, at the little hill on the\nshore-side at which he was born. So great was the sorrow over Hakon's\ndeath, that he was lamented both by friends and enemies; and they said\nthat never again would Norway see such a king. His friends removed his\nbody to Saeheim, in North Hordaland, and made a great mound, in which\nthey laid the king in full armour and in his best clothes, but with no\nother goods. They spoke over his grave, as heathen people are used to\ndo, and wished him in Valhal. Eyvind Skaldaspiller composed a poem on\nthe death of King Hakon, and on how well he was received in Valhal. The\npoem is called \"Hakonarmal\":--\n \"In Odin's hall an empty place\n Stands for a king of Yngve's race;\n 'Go, my valkyries,' Odin said,\n 'Go forth, my angels of the dead,\n Gondul and Skogul, to the plain\n Drenched with the battle's bloody rain,\n And to the dying Hakon tell,\n Here in Valhal shall he dwell.'\n \"At Stord, so late a lonely shore,\n Was heard the battle's wild uproar;\n The lightning of the flashing sword\n Burned fiercely at the shore of Stord.\n From levelled halberd and spearhead\n Life-blood was dropping fast and red;\n And the keen arrows' biting sleet\n Upon the shore at Stord fast beat.\n \"Upon the thundering cloud of shield\n Flashed bright the sword-storm o'er the field;\n And on the plate-mail rattled loud\n The arrow-shower's rushing cloud,\n In Odin's tempest-weather, there\n Swift whistling through the angry air;\n And the spear-torrents swept away\n Ranks of brave men from light of day.\n \"With batter'd shield, and blood-smear'd sword\n Slits one beside the shore of Stord,\n With armour crushed and gashed sits he,\n A grim and ghastly sight to see;\n And round about in sorrow stand\n The warriors of his gallant band:\n Because the king of Dags' old race\n In Odin's hall must fill a place.\n \"Then up spake Gondul, standing near\n Resting upon her long ash spear,--\n 'Hakon! the gods' cause prospers well,\n And thou in Odin's halls shalt dwell!'\n The king beside the shore of Stord\n The speech of the valkyrie heard,\n Who sat there on his coal-black steed,\n With shield on arm and helm on head.\n \"Thoughtful, said Hakon, 'Tell me why\n Ruler of battles, victory\n Is so dealt out on Stord's red plain?\n Have we not well deserved to gain?'\n 'And is it not as well dealt out?'\n Said Gondul. 'Hearest thou not the shout?\n The field is cleared--the foemen run--\n The day is ours--the battle won!'\n \"Then Skogul said, 'My coal-black steed,\n Home to the gods I now must speed,\n To their green home, to tell the tiding\n That Hakon's self is thither riding.'\n To Hermod and to Brage then\n Said Odin, 'Here, the first of men,\n Brave Hakon comes, the Norsemen's king,--\n Go forth, my welcome to him bring.'\n \"Fresh from the battle-field came in,\n Dripping with blood, the Norsemen'a king.\n 'Methinks,' said he, great Odin's will\n Is harsh, and bodes me further ill;\n Thy son from off the field to-day\n From victory to snatch away!'\n But Odin said, 'Be thine the joy\n Valhal gives, my own brave boy!'\n \"And Brage said, 'Eight brothers here\n Welcome thee to Valhal's cheer,\n To drain the cup, or fights repeat\n Where Hakon Eirik's earls beat.'\n Quoth the stout king, 'And shall my gear,\n Helm, sword, and mail-coat, axe and spear,\n Be still at hand! 'Tis good to hold\n Fast by our trusty friends of old.'\n \"Well was it seen that Hakon still\n Had saved the temples from all ill (1);\n For the whole council of the gods\n Welcomed the king to their abodes.\n Happy the day when men are born\n Like Hakon, who all base things scorn.--\n Win from the brave and honoured name,\n And die amidst an endless fame.\n \"Sooner shall Fenriswolf devour\n The race of man from shore to shore,\n Than such a grace to kingly crown\n As gallant Hakon want renown.\n Life, land, friends, riches, all will fly,\n And we in slavery shall sigh.\n But Hakon in the blessed abodes\n For ever lives with the bright gods.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) Hakon, although a Christian, appears to have favoured the\n old religion, and spared the temples of Odin, and therefore\n a place in Valhal is assigned him.--L.\nSAGA OF KING HARALD GRAFELD AND OF EARL HAKON SON OF SIGURD.\nPRELIMINARY REMARKS\nThis saga might be called Gunhild's Saga, as she is the chief person in\nit. The reign of King Harald and Earl Hakon is more fully described\nin the next saga, that is, Olaf Trygvason's. Other literature on this\nepoch:\n\"Agrip\" (chap. 8), \"Historia Norvegia\", (p. 12), \"Thjodrek\" (chap. 5),\n\"Saxo\" (pp. 479-482), \"Egla\" (chaps. 81, 82), \"Floamanna\" (chap.\n12), \"Fareyinga\" (chaps. 2, 4, 10), \"Halfred's Saga\" (chap. 2), \"Hord\nGrimkelsons Saga\" (chaps. 13, 18), \"Kormak\" (chaps. 19-27), \"Laxdaela\"\n(chaps. 19-21), \"Njala\" (chaps, 3-6).\nThe skalds of this saga are:--Glum Geirason, Kormak Agmundson, Eyvind\nSkaldaspiller, and Einar Helgason Skalaglam.\n1. GOVERNMENT OF THE SONS OF EIRIK.\nWhen King Hakon was killed, the sons of Eirik took the sovereignty of\nNorway. Harald, who was the oldest of the living brothers, was over them\nin dignity. Their mother Gunhild, who was called the King-mother, mixed\nherself much in the affairs of the country. There were many chiefs in\nthe land at that time. There was Trygve Olafson in the Eastland, Gudrod\nBjornson in Vestfold, Sigurd earl of Hlader in the Throndhjem land; but\nGunhild's sons held the middle of the country the first winter. There\nwent messages and ambassadors between Gunhild's sons and Trygve and\nGudrod, and all was settled upon the footing that they should hold from\nGunhild's sons the same part of the country which they formerly had\nheld under King Hakon. A man called Glum Geirason, who was King Harald's\nskald, and was a very brave man, made this song upon King Hakon's\ndeath:--\n \"Gamle is avenged by Harald!\n Great is thy deed, thou champion bold!\n The rumour of it came to me\n In distant lands beyond the sea,\n How Harald gave King Hakon's blood\n To Odin's ravens for their food.\"\nThis song was much favoured. When Eyvind Finson heard of it he composed\nthe song which was given before, viz.:--\n \"Our dauntless king with Gamle's gore\n Sprinkled his bright sword o'er and o'er,\" &c.\nThis song also was much favoured, and was spread widely abroad; and\nwhen King Harald came to hear of it, he laid a charge against Evyind\naffecting his life; but friends made up the quarrel, on the condition\nthat Eyvind should in future be Harald's skald, as he had formerly been\nKing Hakon's. There was also some relationship between them, as Gunhild,\nEyvind's mother, was a daughter of Earl Halfdan, and her mother was\nIngibjorg, a daughter of Harald Harfager. Thereafter Eyvind made a song\nabout King Harald:--\n \"Guardian of Norway, well we know\n Thy heart failed not when from the bow\n The piercing arrow-hail sharp rang\n On shield and breast-plate, and the clang\n Of sword resounded in the press\n Of battle, like the splitting ice;\n For Harald, wild wolf of the wood,\n Must drink his fill of foeman's blood.\"\nGunhild's sons resided mostly in the middle of the country, for they did\nnot think it safe for them to dwell among the people of Throndhjem or\nof Viken, where King Hakon's best friends lived; and also in both places\nthere were many powerful men. Proposals of agreement then passed between\nGunhild's sons and Earl Sigurd, \nor they got no scat from the Throndhjem\ncountry; and at last an agreement was concluded between the kings and\nthe earl, and confirmed by oath. Earl Sigurd was to get the same power\nin the Throndhjem land which he had possessed under King Hakon, and on\nthat they considered themselves at peace. All Gunhild's sons had the\ncharacter of being penurious; and it was said they hid their money in\nthe ground. Eyvind Skaldaspiller made a song about this:--\n \"Main-mast of battle! Harald bold!\n In Hakon's days the skald wore gold\n Upon his falcon's seat; he wore\n Rolf Krake's seed, the yellow ore\n Sown by him as he fled away,\n The avenger Adils' speed to stay.\n The gold crop grows upon the plain;\n But Frode's girls so gay (1) in vain\n Grind out the golden meal, while those\n Who rule o'er Norway's realm like foes,\n In mother earth's old bosom hide\n The wealth which Hakon far and wide\n Scattered with generous hand: the sun\n Shone in the days of that great one,\n On the gold band of Fulla's brow,(2)\n On gold-ringed hands that bend the bow,\n On the skald's hand; but of the ray\n Of bright gold, glancing like the spray\n Of sun-lit waves, no skald now sings--\n Buried are golden chains and rings.\"\nNow when King Harald heard this song, he sent a message to Eyvind to\ncome to him, and when Eyvind came made a charge against him of being\nunfaithful. \"And it ill becomes thee,\" said the king, \"to be my enemy,\nas thou hast entered into my service.\" Eyvind then made these verses:--\n \"One lord I had before thee, Harald!\n One dear-loved lord! Now am I old,\n And do not wish to change again,--\n To that loved lord, through strife and pain,\n Faithful I stood; still true to Hakon,--\n To my good king, and him alone.\n But now I'm old and useless grown,\n My hands are empty, wealth is flown;\n I am but fir for a short space\n In thy court-hall to fill a place.\"\nBut King Harald forced Eyvind to submit himself to his clemency. Eyvind\nhad a great gold ring, which was called Molde, that had been dug up out\nof the earth long since. This ring the King said he must have as the\nmulet for the offence; and there was no help for it. Then Eyvind sang:--\n \"I go across the ocean-foam,\n Swift skating to my Iceland home\n Upon the ocean-skates, fast driven\n By gales by Thurse's witch fire given.\n For from the falcon-bearing hand\n Harald has plucked the gold snake band\n My father wore--by lawless might\n Has taken what is mine by right.\"\nEyvind went home; but it is not told that he ever came near the king\nagain.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Menja and Fenja were strong girls of the giant race, whom\n Frode bought in Sweden to grind gold and good luck to him;\n and their meal means gold.--L.\n(2) Fulla was one of Frig's attendants, who wore a gold band on\n the forehead, and the figure means gold,--that the sun\n shone on gold rings on the hands of the skalds in Hakon's\n2. CHRISTIANITY OF GUNHILD'S SONS.\nGunhild's sons embraced Christianity in England, as told before; but\nwhen they came to rule over Norway they made no progress in spreading\nChristianity--only they pulled down the temples of the idols, and cast\naway the sacrifices where they had it in their power, and raised great\nanimosity by doing so. The good crops of the country were soon wasted in\ntheir days, because there were many kings, and each had his court about\nhim. They had therefore great expenses, and were very greedy. Besides,\nthey only observed those laws of King Hakon which suited themselves.\nThey were, however, all of them remarkably handsome men--stout, strong,\nand expert in all exercises. So says Glum Geirason, in the verses he\ncomposed about Harald, Gunhild's son:--\n \"The foeman's terror, Harald bold,\n Had gained enough of yellow gold;\n Had Heimdal's teeth (1) enough in store,\n And understood twelve arts or more.\"\nThe brothers sometimes went out on expeditions together, and sometimes\neach on his own account. They were fierce, but brave and active; and\ngreat warriors, and very successful.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Heimdal was one of the gods, whose horse was called\n Gold-top; and the horse's teeth were of gold.\n3. COUNCILS BY GUNHILD AND HER SONS.\nGunhild the King-mother, and her sons, often met, and talked together\nupon the government of the country. Once Gunhild asked her sons what\nthey intended to do with their kingdom of Throndhjem. \"Ye have the title\nof king, as your forefathers had before you; but ye have little land or\npeople, and there are many to divide with. In the East, at Viken, there\nare Trygve and Gudrod; and they have some right, from relationship, to\ntheir governments. There is besides Earl Sigurd ruling over the whole\nThrondhjem country; and no reason can I see why ye let so large a\nkingdom be ruled by an earl, and not by yourselves. It appears wonderful\nto me that ye go every summer upon viking cruises against other lands,\nand allow an earl within the country to take your father's heritage from\nyou. Your grandfather, whose name you bear, King Harald, thought it\nbut a small matter to take an earl's life and land when he subdued all\nNorway, and held it under him to old age.\"\nHarald replied, \"It is not so easy, mother, to cut off Earl Sigurd as\nto slay a kid or a calf. Earl Sigurd is of high birth, powerful in\nrelations, popular, and prudent; and I think if the Throndhjem people\nknew for certain there was enmity between us, they would all take his\nside, and we could expect only evil from them. I don't think it would\nbe safe for any of us brothers to fall into the hands of the Throndhjem\npeople.\"\nThen said Gunhild, \"We shall go to work another way, and not put\nourselves forward. Harald and Erling shall come in harvest to North\nMore, and there I shall meet you, and we shall consult together what is\nto be done.\" This was done.\n4. GUNHILD'S SONS AND GRJOTGARD.\nEarl Sigurd had a brother called Grjotgard, who was much younger, and\nmuch less respected; in fact, was held in no title of honour. He had\nmany people, however, about him, and in summer went on viking cruises,\nand gathered to himself property. Now King Harald sent messengers to\nThrondhjem with offers of friendship, and with presents. The messengers\ndeclared that King Harald was willing to be on the same friendly terms\nwith the earl that King Hakon had been; adding, that they wished the\nearl to come to King Harald, that their friendship might be put on a\nfirm footing. The Earl Sigurd received well the king's messengers and\nfriendly message, but said that on account of his many affairs he could\nnot come to the king. He sent many friendly gifts, and many glad and\ngrateful words to the king, in return for his friendship. With this\nreply the messengers set off, and went to Grjotgard, for whom they had\nthe same message, and brought him good presents, and offered him King\nHarald's friendship, and invited him to visit the king. Grjotgard\npromised to come and at the appointed time he paid a visit to King\nHarald and Gunhild, and was received in the most friendly manner. They\ntreated him on the most intimate footing, so that Grjotgard had\naccess to their private consultations and secret councils. At last the\nconversation, by an understanding between the king and queen, was turned\nupon Earl Sigurd; and they spoke to Grjotgard about the earl having kept\nhim so long in obscurity, and asked him if he would not join the king's\nbrothers in an attack on the earl. If he would join with them, the\nking promised Grjotgard that he should be his earl, and have the same\ngovernment that Sigurd had. It came so far that a secret agreement was\nmade between them, that Grjotgard should spy out the most favourable\nopportunity of attacking by surprise Earl Sigurd, and should give King\nHarald notice of it. After this agreement Grjotgard returned home with\nmany good presents from the king.\n5. SIGURD BURNT IN A HOUSE IN STJORADAL\nEarl Sigurd went in harvest into Stjoradal to guest-quarters, and from\nthence went to Oglo to a feast. The earl usually had many people about\nhim, for he did not trust the king; but now, after friendly messages\nhad passed between the king and him, he had no great following of people\nwith him. Then Grjotgard sent word to the king that he could never\nexpect a better opportunity to fall upon Earl Sigurd; and immediately,\nthat very evening, Harald and Erling sailed into Throndhjem fjord with\nseveral ships and many people. They sailed all night by starlight, and\nGrjotgard came out to meet them. Late in the night they came to Oglo,\nwhere Earl Sigurd was at the feast, and set fire to the house; and burnt\nthe house, the earl, and all his men. As soon as it was daylight, they\nset out through the fjord, and south to More, where they remained a long\ntime.\n6. HISTORY OF HAKON, SIGURD'S SON.\nHakon, the son of Earl Sigurd, was up in the interior of the Throndhjem\ncountry when he heard this news. Great was the tumult through all the\nThrondhjem land, and every vessel that could swim was put into the\nwater; and as soon as the people were gathered together they took Earl\nSigurd's son Hakon to be their earl and the leader of the troops, and\nthe whole body steered out of Throndhjem fjord. When Gunhild's sons\nheard of this, they set off southwards to Raumsdal and South More; and\nboth parties kept eye on each other by their spies. Earl Sigurd was\nkilled two years after the fall of King Hakon (A.D. 962). So says Eyvind\nSkaldaspiller in the \"Haleygjatal\":--\n \"At Oglo, as I've heard, Earl Sigurd\n Was burnt to death by Norway's lord,--\n Sigurd, who once on Hadding's grave\n A feast to Odin's ravens gave.\n In Oglo's hall, amidst the feast,\n When bowls went round and ale flowed fast,\n He perished: Harald lit the fire\n Which burnt to death the son of Tyr.\"\nEarl Hakan, with the help of his friends, maintained himself in the\nThrondhjem country for three years; and during that time (A.D. 963-965)\nGunhild's sons got no revenues from it. Hakon had many a battle with\nGunhild's sons, and many a man lost his life on both sides. Of this\nEinar Skalaglam speaks in his lay, called \"Vellekla,\" which he composed\nabout Earl Hakon:--\n \"The sharp bow-shooter on the sea\n Spread wide his fleet, for well loved he\n The battle storm: well loved the earl\n His battle-banner to unfurl,\n O'er the well-trampled battle-field\n He raised the red-moon of his shield;\n And often dared King Eirik's son\n To try the fray with the Earl Hakon.\"\nAnd he also says:--\n \"Who is the man who'll dare to say\n That Sigurd's son avoids the fray?\n He gluts the raven--he ne'er fears\n The arrow's song or flight of spears,\n With thundering sword he storms in war,\n As Odin dreadful; or from far\n He makes the arrow-shower fly\n To swell the sail of victory.\n The victory was dearly bought,\n And many a viking-fight was fought\n Before the swinger of the sword\n Was of the eastern country lord.\"\nAnd Einar tells also how Earl Hakon avenged his father's murderer:--\n \"I praise the man, my hero he,\n Who in his good ship roves the sea,\n Like bird of prey, intent to win\n Red vengeance for his slaughtered kin.\n From his blue sword the iron rain\n That freezes life poured down amain\n On him who took his father's life,\n On him and his men in the strife.\n To Odin many a soul was driven,--\n To Odin many a rich gift given.\n Loud raged the storm on battle-field--\n Axe rang on helm, and sword on shield.\"\nThe friends on both sides at last laid themselves between, and brought\nproposals of peace; for the bondes suffered by this strife and war in\nthe land. At last it was brought to this, by the advice of prudent men,\nthat Earl Hakon should have the same power in the Throndhjem land which\nhis father Earl Sigurd had enjoyed; and the kings, on the other hand,\nshould have the same dominion as King Hakon had: and this agreement was\nsettled with the fullest promises of fidelity to it. Afterwards a great\nfriendship arose between Earl Hakon and Gunhild, although they sometimes\nattempted to deceive each other. And thus matters stood for three years\nlonger (A.D. 966-968), in which time Earl Hakon sat quietly in his\ndominions.\n7. OF HARALD GRAFELD.\nKing Hakon had generally his seat in Hordaland and Rogaland, and also\nhis brothers; but very often, also, they went to Hardanger. One summer\nit happened that a vessel came from Iceland belonging to Icelanders, and\nloaded with skins and peltry. They sailed to Hardanger, where they heard\nthe greatest number of people assembled; but when the folks came to deal\nwith them, nobody would buy their skins. Then the steersman went to King\nHarald, whom he had been acquainted with before, and complained of his\nill luck. The king promised to visit him, and did so. King Harald was\nvery condescending, and full of fun. He came with a fully manned boat,\nlooked at the skins, and then said to the steersman, \"Wilt thou give me\na present of one of these gray-skins?\" \"Willingly,\" said the steersman,\n\"if it were ever so many.\" On this the king wrapped himself up in a\ngray-skin, and went back to his boat; but before they rowed away from\nthe ship, every man in his suite bought such another skin as the king\nwore for himself. In a few days so many people came to buy skins, that\nnot half of them could be served with what they wanted; and thereafter\nthe king was called Harald Grafeld (Grayskin).\n8. EARL EIRIK'S BIRTH.\nEarl Hakon came one winter to the Uplands to a feast, and it so happened\nthat he had intercourse with a girl of mean birth. Some time after the\ngirl had to prepare for her confinement, and she bore a child, a boy,\nwho had water poured on him, and was named Eirik. The mother carried the\nboy to Earl Hakon, and said that he was the father. The earl placed\nhim to be brought up with a man called Thorleif the Wise, who dwelt in\nMedaldal, and was a rich and powerful man, and a great friend of the\nearl. Eirik gave hopes very early that he would become an able man, was\nhandsome in countenance, and stout and strong for a child; but the\nearl did not pay much attention to him. The earl himself was one of\nthe handsomest men in countenance,--not tall, but very strong, and\nwell practised in all kinds of exercises; and withal prudent, of good\nunderstanding, and a deadly man at arms.\n9. KING TRYGVE OLAFSON'S MURDER.\nIt happened one harvest (A.D. 962) that Earl Hakon, on a journey in\nthe Uplands, came to Hedemark; and King Trygve Olafson and King Gudrod\nBjornson met him there, and Dale-Gudbrand also came to the meeting. They\nhad agreed to meet, and they talked together long by themselves; but so\nmuch only was known of their business, that they were to be friends of\neach other. They parted, and each went home to his own kingdom. Gunhild\nand her sons came to hear of this meeting, and they suspected it must\nhave been to lay a treasonable plot against the kings; and they often\ntalked of this among themselves. When spring (A.D. 963) began to set\nin, King Harald and his brother King Gudrod proclaimed that they were to\nmake a viking cruise, as usual, either in the West sea, or the Baltic.\nThe people accordingly assembled, launched the ships into the sea, and\nmade themselves ready to sail. When they were drinking the farewell\nale,--and they drank bravely,--much and many things were talked over\nat the drink-table, and, among other things, were comparisons between\ndifferent men, and at last between the kings themselves. One said that\nKing Harald excelled his brothers by far, and in every way. On this King\nGudrod was very angry, and said that he was in no respect behind Harald,\nand was ready to prove it. Instantly both parties were so inflamed that\nthey challenged each other to battle, and ran to their arms. But some of\nthe guests who were less drunk, and had more understanding, came between\nthem, and quieted them; and each went to his ship, but nobody expected\nthat they would all sail together. Gudrod sailed east ward along the\nland, and Harald went out to sea, saying he would go to the westward;\nbut when he came outside of the islands he steered east along the coast,\noutside of the rocks and isles. Gudrod, again, sailed inside, through\nthe usual channel, to Viken, and eastwards to Folden. He then sent\na message to King Trygve to meet him, that they might make a cruise\ntogether in summer in the Baltic to plunder. Trygve accepted willingly,\nand as a friend, the invitation; and as heard King Gudrod had but few\npeople with him, he came to meet him with a single boat. They met\nat Veggen, to the east of Sotanes; but just as they were come to the\nmeeting place, Gudrod's men ran up and killed King Trygve and twelve\nmen. He lies buried at a place called Trygve's Cairn (A.D. 963).\n10. KING GUDROD'S FALL.\nKing Harald sailed far outside of the rocks and isles; but set his\ncourse to Viken, and came in the night-time to Tunsberg, and heard that\nGudrod Bjornson was at a feast a little way up the country. Then King\nHarald set out immediately with his followers, came in the night, and\nsurrounded the house. King Gudrod Bjornson went out with his people;\nbut after a short resistance he fell, and many men with him. Then King\nHarald joined his brother King Gudrod, and they subdued all Viken.\n11. OF HARALD GRENSKE.\nKing Gudrod Bjornson had made a good and suitable marriage, and had\nby his wife a son called Harald, who had been sent to be fostered to\nGrenland to a lenderman called Hroe the White. Hroe's son, called Hrane\nVidforle (the Far-travelled), was Harald's foster-brother, and about\nthe same age. After his father Gudrod's fall, Harald, who was called\nGrenske, fled to the Uplands, and with him his foster-brother Hrane,\nand a few people. Harald staid a while there among his relations; but\nas Eirik's sons sought after every man who interfered with them, and\nespecially those who might oppose them, Harald Grenske's friends and\nrelations advised him to leave the country. Harald therefore went\neastward into Svithjod, and sought shipmates, that he might enter into\ncompany with those who went out a cruising to gather property. Harald\nbecame in this way a remarkably able man. There was a man in Svithjod at\nthat time called Toste, one of the most powerful and clever in the land\namong those who had no high name or dignity; and he was a great warrior,\nwho had been often in battle, and was therefore called Skoglar-Toste.\nHarald Grenske came into his company, and cruised with Toste in summer;\nand wherever Harald came he was well thought of by every one. In the\nwinter Harald, after passing two years in the Uplands, took up his abode\nwith Toste, and lived five years with him. Toste had a daughter, who\nwas both young and handsome, but she was proud and high-minded. She was\ncalled Sigrid, and was afterwards married to the Swedish king, Eirik\nthe Victorious, and had a son by him, called Olaf the Swede, who was\nafterwards king of Svithjod. King Eirik died in a sick-bed at Upsala ten\nyears after the death of Styrbjorn.\n12. EARL HAKON'S FEUDS.\nGunhild's sons levied a great army in Viken (A.D. 963), and sailed along\nthe land northwards, collecting people and ships on the way out of every\ndistrict. They then made known their intent, to proceed northwards with\ntheir army against Earl Hakon in Throndhjem. When Earl Hakon heard this\nnews, he also collected men, and fitted out ships; and when he heard\nwhat an overwhelming force Gunhild's sons had with them, he steered\nsouth with his fleet to More, pillaging wherever he came, and\nkilling many people. He then sent the whole of the bonde army back to\nThrondhjem; but he himself, with his men-at-arms, proceeded by both the\ndistricts of More and Raumsdal, and had his spies out to the south of\nStad to spy the army of Gunhild's sons; and when he heard they were come\ninto the Fjords, and were waiting for a fair wind to sail northwards\nround Stad, Earl Hakon set out to sea from the north side of Stad, so\nfar that his sails could not be seen from the land, and then sailed\neastward on a line with the coast, and came to Denmark, from whence he\nsailed into the Baltic, and pillaged there during the summer. Gunhild's\nsons conducted their army north to Throndhjem, and remained there\nthe whole summer collecting the scat and duties. But when summer\nwas advanced they left Sigurd Slefa and Gudron behind; and the other\nbrothers returned eastward with the levied army they had taken up in\nsummer.\n13. OF EARL HAKON AND GUNHILD'S SONS.\nEarl Hakon, towards harvest (A.D. 963), sailed into the Bothnian Gulf\nto Helsingjaland, drew his ships up there on the beach, and took the\nland-ways through Helsingjaland and Jamtaland, and so eastwards round\nthe dividing ridge (the Kjol, or keel of the country), and down into the\nThrondhjem district. Many people streamed towards him, and he fitted out\nships. When the sons of Gunhild heard of this they got on board their\nships, and sailed out of the Fjord; and Earl Hakon came to his seat at\nHlader, and remained there all winter. The sons of Gunhild, on the other\nhand, occupied More; and they and the earl attacked each other in\nturns, killing each other's people. Earl Hakon kept his dominions of\nThrondhjem, and was there generally in the winter; but in summer he\nsometimes went to Helsingjaland, where he went on board of his ships\nand sailed with them down into the Baltic, and plundered there; and\nsometimes he remained in Throndhjem, and kept an army on foot, so that\nGunhild's sons could get no hold northwards of Stad.\n14. SIGURD SLEFA'S MURDER.\nOne summer Harald Grayskin with his troops went north to Bjarmaland,\nwhere be forayed, and fought a great battle with the inhabitants on the\nbanks of the Vina (Dwina). King Harald gained the victory, killed many\npeople, plundered and wasted and burned far and wide in the land, and\nmade enormous booty. Glum Geirason tells of it thus:--\n \"I saw the hero Harald chase\n With bloody sword Bjarme's race:\n They fly before him through the night,\n All by their burning city's light.\n On Dwina's bank, at Harald's word,\n Arose the storm of spear and sword.\n In such a wild war-cruise as this,\n Great would he be who could bring peace.\"\nKing Sigurd Slefa came to the Herse Klyp's house. Klyp was a son of\nThord, and a grandson of Hordakare, and was a man of power and great\nfamily. He was not at home; but his wife Alof give a good reception to\nthe king, and made a great feast at which there was much drinking. Alof\nwas a daughter of Asbjorn, and sister to Jarnskegge, north in Yrjar.\nAsbjorn's brother was called Hreidar, who was father to Styrkar, whose\nson was Eindride, father of Einar Tambaskielfer. In the night the king\nwent to bed to Alof against her will, and then set out on his journey.\nThe harvest thereafter, King Harald and his brother King Sigurd Slefa\nwent to Vors, and summoned the bondes to a Thing. There the bondes fell\non them, and would have killed them, but they escaped and took different\nroads. King Harald went to Hardanger, but King Sigurd to Alrekstader.\nNow when the Herse Klyp heard of this, he and his relations assembled to\nattack the king; and Vemund Volubrjot (1) was chief of their troop. Now\nwhen they came to the house they attacked the king, and Herse Klyp, it\nis said, ran him through with his sword and killed him; but instantly\nKlyp was killed on the spot by Erling Gamle (A.D. 965).\n ENDNOTES: (1) Volubrjotr.--Literally \"the one who breaks the vala\", that\n is, breaks the skulls of witches.\n15. GRJOTGARD'S FALL.\nKing Harald Grafeld and his brother King Gudrod gathered together a\ngreat army in the east country, with which they set out northwards to\nThrondhjem (A.D. 968). When Earl Hakon heard of it he collected men,\nand set out to More, where he plundered. There his father's brother,\nGrjotgard, had the command and defence of the country on account of\nGunhild's sons, and he assembled an army by order of the kings.\nEarl Hakon advanced to meet him, and gave him battle; and there fell\nGrjotgard and two other earls, and many a man besides. So says Einar\nSkalaglam:--\n \"The helm-crown'd Hakon, brave as stout,\n Again has put his foes to rout.\n The bowl runs o'er with Odin's mead, (1)\n That fires the skald when mighty deed\n Has to be sung. Earl Hakon's sword,\n In single combat, as I've heard,\n Three sons of earls from this one fray\n To dwell with Odin drove away.\" (2)\nThereafter Earl Hakon went out to sea, and sailed outside the coast,\nand came to Denmark. He went to the Danish King, Harald Gormson, and was\nwell received by him, and staid with him all winter (A.D. 969). At that\ntime there was also with the Danish king a man called Harald, a son of\nKnut Gormson, and a brother's son of King Harald. He was lately come\nhome from a long viking cruise, on which he had gathered great riches,\nand therefore he was called Gold Harald. He thought he had a good chance\nof coming to the Danish kingdom.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Odin's mead, called Bodn, was the blood or mead the sons\nof Brage, the god of poets, drank to inspire them.--L.\n(2) To dwell with Odin,--viz. slew them.--L.\n16. KING ERLING'S FALL.\nKing Harald Grafeld and his brothers proceeded northwards to Throndhjem,\nwhere they met no opposition. They levied the scat-duties, and all other\nrevenues, and laid heavy penalties upon the bondes; for the kings had\nfor a long time received but little income from Throndhjem, because Earl\nHakon was there with many troops, and was at variance with these kings.\nIn autumn (A.D. 968) King Harald went south with the greater part of\nthe men-at-arms, but King Erlin remained behind with his men. He raised\ngreat contributions from the bondes, and pressed severely on them; at\nwhich the bondes murmured greatly, and submitted to their losses with\nimpatience. In winter they gathered together in a great force to go\nagainst King Erling, just as he was at a feast; and they gave battle to\nhim, and he with the most of his men fell (A.D. 969).\n17. THE SEASONS IN NORWAY AT THIS TIME.\nWhile Gunhild's sons reigned in Norway the seasons were always bad, and\nthe longer they reigned the worse were the crops; and the bondes laid\nthe blame on them. They were very greedy, and used the bondes harshly.\nIt came at length to be so bad that fish, as well as corn, were wanting.\nIn Halogaland there was the greatest famine and distress; for scarcely\nany corn grew, and even snow was lying, and the cattle were bound in\nthe byres (1) all over the country until midsummer. Eyvind Skaldaspiller\ndescribes it in his poem, as he came outside of his house and found a\nthick snowdrift at that season:--\n \"Tis midsummer, yet deep snows rest\n On Odin's mother's frozen breast:\n Like Laplanders, our cattle-kind\n In stall or stable we must bind.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) Byres = gards or farms.\n18. THE ICELANDERS AND EYVIND THE SKALD.\nEyvind composed a poem about the people of Iceland, for which they\nrewarded him by each bonde giving him three silver pennies, of full\nweight and white in the fracture. And when the silver was brought\ntogether at the Althing, the people resolved to have it purified, and\nmade into a row of clasps; and after the workmanship of the silver was\npaid, the row of clasps was valued at fifty marks. This they sent to\nEyvind; but Eyvind was obliged to separate the clasps from each other,\nand sell them to buy food for his household. But the same spring a shoal\nof herrings set in upon the fishing ground beyond the coast-side, and\nEyvind manned a ship's boat with his house servants and cottars, and\nrowed to where the herrings were come, and sang:--\n \"Now let the steed of ocean bound\n O'er the North Sea with dashing sound:\n Let nimble tern and screaming gull\n Fly round and round--our net is full.\n Fain would I know if Fortune sends\n A like provision to my friends.\n Welcome provision 'tis, I wot,\n That the whale drives to our cook's pot.\"\nSo entirely were his movable goods exhausted, that he was obliged to\nsell his arrows to buy herrings, or other meat for his table:--\n \"Our arms and ornaments of gold\n To buy us food we gladly sold:\n The arrows of the bow gave we\n For the bright arrows of the sea.\" (1)\n ENDNOTES: (1) Herrings, from their swift darting along, are called the\n arrows of the sea.\nKING OLAF TRYGVASON'S SAGA.\nPRELIMINARY REMARKS.\nHitherto the narrative has been more or less fragmentary. With Olaf\nTrygvason's Saga reliable history begins, and the narration is full and\nconnected. The story of Hakon the earl is incorporated in this saga.\nAccounts of Olaf Trygvason may be found in Od the Monk's legendary saga,\nin parts of \"Agrip\", \"Historia Norvegiae\", and in Thjodrek. Icelandic\nworks on this epoch are:\n\"Egla\", \"Eyrbyggja\", \"Finboga\", \"Floamanna\", \"Faereyinga\", \"Hallfredar\nSaga\", \"Havardar Saga\", \"Are's Islendinga-bok\", \"Kristni Saga\",\n\"Laxdaela\", \"Ljosvetninga\", \"Njala\", \"Orkneyinga\", \"Viga Glums Saga\",\nand \"Viga Styrs Saga\".\nThe skalds quoted are: Glum Geirason, Eyvind Finson, Skaldaspiller,\nEinar Skalaglam, Tind Halkelson, Eyjolf Dadaskald, Hallarstein,\nHalfred Vandraedaskald, Haldor Ukristne, Skule Thorsteinson, and Thord\nKolbeinson.\n1. OLAF TRYGVASON'S BIRTH.\nKing Trygve Olafson had married a wife who was called Astrid. She was a\ndaughter of Eirik Bjodaskalle, a great man, who dwelt at Oprustader. But\nafter Trygve's death (A.D. 963) Astrid fled, and privately took with her\nall the loose property she could. Her foster-father, Thorolf Lusarskeg,\nfollowed her, and never left her; and others of her faithful followers\nspied about to discover her enemies, and where they were. Astrid was\npregnant with a child of King Trygve, and she went to a lake, and\nconcealed herself in a holm or small island in it with a few men. Here\nher child was born, and it was a boy; and water was poured over it, and\nit was called Olaf after the grandfather. Astrid remained all summer\nhere in concealment; but when the nights became dark, and the day began\nto shorten and the weather to be cold, she was obliged to take to the\nland, along with Thorolf and a few other men. They did not seek for\nhouses unless in the night-time, when they came to them secretly;\nand they spoke to nobody. One evening, towards dark, they came to\nOprustader, where Astrid's father Eirik dwelt, and privately sent a man\nto Eirik to tell him; and Eirik took them to an out-house, and spread a\ntable for them with the best of food. When Astrid had been here a short\ntime her travelling attendants left her, and none remained, behind with\nher but two servant girls, her child Olaf, Thorolf Lusarskeg, and his\nson Thorgils, who was six years old; and they remained all winter (A.D.\n2. OF GUNHILD S SONS.\nAfter Trygve Olafson's murder, Harald Grafeld and his brother Gudrod\nwent to the farm which he owned; but Astrid was gone, and they could\nlearn no tidings of her. A loose report came to their ears that she was\npregnant to King Trygve; but they soon went away northwards, as before\nrelated. As soon as they met their mother Gunhild they told her all that\nhad taken place. She inquired particularly about Astrid, and they told\nher the report they had heard; but as Gunhild's sons the same harvest\nand winter after had bickerings with Earl Hakon, as before related, they\ndid not seek after Astrid and her son that winter.\n3. ASTRID'S JOURNEY.\nThe spring after (A.D. 964) Gunhild sent spies to the Uplands, and all\nthe way down to Viken, to spy what they could about Astrid; and her men\ncame back, and could only tell her that Astrid must be with her father\nEirik, and it was probable was bringing up her infant, the son of\nTrygve. Then Gunhild, without delay, sent off men well furnished with\narms and horses, and in all a troop of thirty; and as their leader she\nsent a particular friend of her own, a powerful man called Hakon. Her\norders were to go to Oprustader, to Eirik, and take King Trygve's son\nfrom thence, and bring the child to her; and with these orders the men\nwent out. Now when they were come to the neighbourhood of Oprustader,\nsome of Eirik's friends observed the troop of travellers, and about the\nclose of the day brought him word of their approach. Eirik immediately,\nin the night, made preparation for Astrid's flight, gave her good\nguides, and send her away eastward to Svithjod, to his good friend Hakon\nGamle, who was a powerful man there. Long before day they departed,\nand towards evening they reached a domain called Skaun. Here they saw\na large mansion, towards which they went, and begged a night's lodging.\nFor the sake of concealment they were clad in mean clothing. There\ndwelt here a bonde called Bjorn Eiterkveisa, who was very rich, but very\ninhospitable. He drove them away; and therefore, towards dark, they went\nto another domain close by that was called Vidar. Thorstein was the name\nof the bonde; and he gave them lodging, and took good care of them,\nso that they slept well, and were well entertained. Early that morning\nGunhild's men had come to Oprustader, and inquired for Astrid and her\nson. As Eirik told them she was not there, they searched the whole\nhouse, and remained till late in the day before they got any news of\nAstrid. Then they rode after her the way she had taken, and late\nat night they came to Bjorn Eiterkveisa in Skaun, and took up their\nquarters there. Hakon asked Bjorn if he knew anything about Astrid, and\nhe said some people had been there in the evening wanting lodgings;\n\"but I drove them away, and I suppose they have gone to some of the\nneighbouring houses.\" Thorstein's labourer was coming from the forest,\nhaving left his work at nightfall, and called in at Bjorn's house\nbecause it was in his way; and finding there were guests come to the\nhouse, and learning their business, he comes to Thorstein and tells him\nof it. As about a third part of the night was still remaining, Thorstein\nwakens his guests and orders them in an angry voice to go about their\nbusiness; but as soon as they were out of the house upon the road,\nThorstein tells them that Gunhild's messengers were at Bjorn's house,\nand are upon the trace of them. They entreat of him to help them, and\nhe gave them a guide and some provisions. He conducted them through a\nforest to a lake, in which there was an islet overgrown with reeds. They\nwaded out to the islet, and hid themselves among the reeds. Early in the\nmorning Hakon rode away from Bjorn's into the township, and wherever he\ncame he asked after Astrid; and when he came to Thorstein's he asked if\nshe had been there. He said that some people had been there; but as soon\nas it was daylight they had set off again, eastwards, to the forest.\nHakon made Thorstein go along with them, as he knew all the roads and\nhiding-places. Thorstein went with them; but when they were come into\nthe woods, he led them right across the way Astrid had taken. They went\nabout and about the whole day to no purpose, as they could find no trace\nof her, so they turned back to tell Gunhild the end of their travel.\nAstrid and her friends proceeded on their journey, and came to Svithjod,\nto Hakon Gamle (the Old), where she and her son remained a long time,\nand had friendly welcome.\n4. HAKON'S EMBASSY TO SWEDEN.\nWhen Gunhild, the mother of the kings, heard that Astrid and her son\nOlaf were in the kingdom of Svithjod, she again sent Hakon, with a\ngood attendance, eastward, to Eirik king of Sweden, with presents and\nmessages of friendship. The ambassadors were well received and well\ntreated. Hakon, after a time, disclosed his errand to the king, saying\nthat Gunhild had sent him with the request that the king would assist\nhim in getting hold of Olaf Trygvason, to conduct him to Norway, where\nGunhild would bring him up. The king gave Hakon people with him, and he\nrode with them to Hakon the Old, where Hakon desired, with many friendly\nexpressions, that Olaf should go with him. Hakon the Old returned a\nfriendly answer, saying that it depended entirely upon Olaf's mother.\nBut Astrid would on no account listen to the proposal; and the\nmessengers had to return as they came, and to tell King Eirik how the\nmatter stood. The ambassadors then prepared to return home, and asked\nthe king for some assistance to take the boy, whether Hakon the Old\nwould or not. The king gave them again some attendants; and when they\ncame to Hakon the Old, they again asked for the boy, and on his refusal\nto deliver him they used high words and threatened violence. But one of\nthe slaves, Buste by name, attacked Hakon, and was going to kill him;\nand they barely escaped from the thralls without a cudgelling, and\nproceeded home to Norway to tell Gunhild their ill success, and that\nthey had only seen Olaf.\n5. OF SIGURD EIRIKSON.\nAstrid had a brother called Sigurd, a son of Eirik Bjodaskalle, who had\nlong been abroad in Gardarike (Russia) with King Valdemar, and was there\nin great consideration. Astrid had now a great inclination to travel to\nher brother there. Hakon the Old gave her good attendants, and what was\nneedful for the journey, and she set out with some merchants. She had\nthen been two years (A.D. 965-966) with Hakon the Old, and Olaf was\nthree years of age. As they sailed out into the Baltic, they were\ncaptured by vikings of Eistland, who made booty both of the people and\ngoods, killing some, and dividing others as slaves. Olaf was separated\nfrom his mother, and an Eistland man called Klerkon got him as his share\nalong with Thorolf and Thorgils. Klerkon thought that Thorolf was too\nold for a slave, and that there was not much work to be got out of him,\nso he killed him; but took the boys with him, and sold them to a man\ncalled Klerk for a stout and good ram. A third man, called Reas, bought\nOlaf for a good cloak. Reas had a wife called Rekon, and a son by her\nwhose name was Rekone. Olaf was long with them, was treated well, and\nwas much beloved by the people. Olaf was six years in Eistland in this\nbanishment (A.D. 987-972).\n6. OLAF IS SET FREE IN EISTLAND.\nSigurd, the son of Eirik (Astrid's brother), came into Eistland from\nNovgorod, on King Valdemar's business to collect the king's taxes and\nrents. Sigurd came as a man of consequence, with many followers and\ngreat magnificence. In the market-place he happened to observe a\nremarkably handsome boy; and as he could distinguish that he was a\nforeigner, he asked him his name and family. He answered him, that\nhis name was Olaf; that he was a son of Trygve Olafson; and Astrid, a\ndaughter of Eirik Bjodaskalle, was his mother. Then Sigurd knew that the\nboy was his sister's son, and asked him how he came there. Olaf told him\nminutely all his adventures, and Sigurd told him to follow him to the\npeasant Reas. When he came there he bought both the boys, Olaf and\nThorgils, and took them with him to Holmgard. But, for the first, he\nmade nothing known of Olaf's relationship to him, but treated him well.\n7. KLERKON KILLED BY OLAF.\nOlaf Trygvason was one day in the market-place, where there was a\ngreat number of people. He recognized Klerkon again, who had killed his\nfoster-father Thorolf Lusarskeg. Olaf had a little axe in his hand, and\nwith it he clove Klerkon's skull down to the brain, and ran home to his\nlodging, and told his friend Sigurd what he had done. Sigurd immediately\ntook Olaf to Queen Allogia's house, told her what had happened, and\nbegged her to protect the boy. She replied, that the boy appeared far\ntoo comely to allow him to be slain; and she ordered her people to\nbe drawn out fully armed. In Holmgard the sacredness of peace is so\nrespected, that it is law there to slay whoever puts a man to death\nexcept by judgment of law; and, according to this law and usage, the\nwhole people stormed and sought after the boy. It was reported that\nhe was in the Queen's house, and that there was a number of armed men\nthere. When this was told to the king, he went there with his people,\nbut would allow no bloodshed. It was settled at last in peace, that the\nking should name the fine for the murder; and the queen paid it. Olaf\nremained afterwards with the queen, and was much beloved. It is a law\nat Holmgard, that no man of royal descent shall stay there without the\nking's permission. Sigurd therefore told the queen of what family Olaf\nwas, and for what reason he had come to Russia; namely, that he could\nnot remain with safety in his own country: and begged her to speak to\nthe king about it. She did so, and begged the king to help a king's son\nwhose fate had been so hard; and in consequence of her entreaty the king\npromised to assist him, and accordingly he received Olaf into his court,\nand treated him nobly, and as a king's son. Olaf was nine years old when\nhe came to Russia, and he remained nine years more (A.D. 978-981) with\nKing Valdemar. Olaf was the handsomest of men, very stout and strong,\nand in all bodily exercises he excelled every Northman that ever was\nheard of.\n8. OF HAKON EARL OF HLADER.\nEarl Hakon, Sigurd's son, was with the Danish king, Harald Gormson, the\nwinter after he had fled from Norway before Gunhild's sons. During the\nwinter (A.D. 969) the earl had so much care and sorrow that he took to\nbed, and passed many sleepless nights, and ate and drank no more than\nwas needful to support his strength. Then he sent a private message to\nhis friends north in Throndhjem, and proposed to them that they should\nkill King Erling, if they had an opportunity; adding, that he would come\nto them in summer. The same winter the Throndhjem people accordingly, as\nbefore related, killed King Erling. There was great friendship between\nEarl Hakon and Gold Harald, and Harald told Hakon all his intentions. He\ntold him that he was tired of a ship-life, and wanted to settle on the\nland; and asked Hakon if he thought his brother King Harald would agree\nto divide the kingdom with him if he asked it. \"I think,\" replied Hakon,\n\"that the Danish king would not deny thy right; but the best way to know\nis to speak to the king himself. I know for certain so much, that\nyou will not get a kingdom if you don't ask for it.\" Soon after this\nconversation Gold Harald spoke to the king about the matter, in the\npresence of many great men who were friends to both; and Gold Harald\nasked King Harald to divide the kingdom with him in two equal parts,\nto which his royal birth and the custom of the Danish monarchy gave him\nright. The king was highly incensed at this demand, and said that no man\nhad asked his father Gorm to be king over half of Denmark, nor yet his\ngrandfather King Hordaknut, or Sigurd Orm, or Ragnar Lodbrok; and he was\nso exasperated and angry, that nobody ventured to speak of it to him.\n9. OF GOLD HARALD.\nGold Harald was now worse off than before; for he had got no kingdom,\nand had got the king's anger by proposing it. He went as usual to his\nfriend Hakon, and complained to him of his fate, and asked for good\nadvice, and if he could help him to get his share of the kingdom; saying\nthat he would rather try force, and the chance of war, than give it up.\nHakon advised him not to speak to any man so that this should be known;\n\"for,\" said he, \"it concerns thy life: and rather consider with thyself\nwhat thou art man enough to undertake; for to accomplish such a purpose\nrequires a bold and firm man, who will neither stick at good nor evil to\ndo that which is intended; for to take up great resolutions, and then to\nlay them aside, would only end in dishonour.\"\nGold Harald replies--\"I will so carry on what I begin, that I will not\nhesitate to kill Harald with my own hands, if I can come thereby to\nthe kingdom he denies me, and which is mine by right.\" And so they\nseparated.\nNow King Harald comes also to Earl Hakon, and tells him the demand on\nhis kingdom which Gold Harald had made, and also his answer, and that\nhe would upon no account consent to diminish his kingdom. \"And if Gold\nHarald persists in his demand, I will have no hesitation in having him\nkilled; for I will not trust him if he does not renounce it.\"\nThe earl answered,--\"My thoughts are, that Harald has carried his demand\nso far that he cannot now let it drop, and I expect nothing but war in\nthe land; and that he will be able to gather a great force, because his\nfather was so beloved. And then it would be a great enormity if you were\nto kill your relation; for, as things now stand, all men would say that\nhe was innocent. But I am far from saying, or advising, that you should\nmake yourself a smaller king than your father Gorm was, who in many ways\nenlarged, but never diminished his kingdom.\"\nThe king replies,--\"What then is your advice,--if I am neither to divide\nmy kingdom, nor to get rid of my fright and danger?\"\n\"Let us meet again in a few days,\" said Earl Hakon, \"and I will then\nhave considered the matter well, and will give you my advice upon it.\"\nThe king then went away with his people.\n10. COUNCILS HELD BY HAKON AND HARALD.\nEarl Hakon had now great reflection, and many opinions to weigh, and he\nlet only very few be in the house with him. In a few days King Harald\ncame again to the earl to speak with him, and ask if he had yet\nconsidered fully the matter they had been talking of.\n\"I have,\" said the earl, \"considered it night and day ever since, and\nfind it most advisable that you retain and rule over the whole of\nyour kingdom just as your father left it; but that you obtain for your\nrelation Harald another kingdom, that he also may enjoy honour and\ndignity.\"\n\"What kind of kingdom is that,\" said the king, \"which I can give to\nHarald, that I may possess Denmark entire?\"\n\"It is Norway,\" said the earl. \"The kings who are there are oppressive\nto the people of the country, so that every man is against them who has\ntax or service to pay.\"\nThe king replies,--\"Norway is a large country, and the people fierce,\nand not good to attack with a foreign army. We found that sufficiently\nwhen Hakon defended that country; for we lost many people, and gained no\nvictory. Besides, Harald the son of Eirik is my foster-son, and has sat\non my knee.\"\nThe earl answers, \"I have long known that you have helped Gunhild's sons\nwith your force, and a bad return you have got for it; but we shall get\nat Norway much more easily than by fighting for it with all the Danish\nforce. Send a message to your foster-son Harald, Eirik's son, and offer\nhim the lands and fiefs which Gunhild's sons held before in Denmark.\nAppoint him a meeting, and Gold Harald will soon conquer for himself a\nkingdom in Norway from Harald Grafeld.\"\nThe king replies, that it would be called a bad business to deceive his\nown foster-son.\n\"The Danes,\" answered the earl, \"will rather say that it was better to\nkill a Norwegian viking than a Danish, and your own brother's son.\"\nThey spoke so long over the matter, that they agreed on it.\n11. HARALD GORMSON'S MESSAGE TO NORWAY.\nThereafter Gold Harald had a conference with Earl Hakon; and the earl\ntold him he had now advanced his business so far, that there was hope a\nkingdom might stand open for him in Norway. \"We can then continue,\" said\nhe, \"our ancient friendship, and I can be of the greatest use to you in\nNorway. Take first that kingdom. King Harald is now very old, and has\nbut one son, and cares but little about him, as he is but the son of a\nconcubine.\"\nThe Earl talked so long to Gold Harald that the project pleased him\nwell; and the king, the earl, and Gold Harald often talked over the\nbusiness together. The Danish king then sent messengers north to Norway\nto Harald Grafeld, and fitted them out magnificently for their journey.\nThey were well received by Harald. The messengers told him that Earl\nHakon was in Denmark, but was lying dangerously sick, and almost out\nof his senses. They then delivered from Harald, the Danish king, the\ninvitation to Harald Grafeld, his foster-son, to come to him and receive\ninvestiture of the fiefs he and his brothers before him had formerly\nheld in Denmark; and appointing a meeting in Jutland. Harald Grafeld\nlaid the matter before his mother and other friends. Their opinions were\ndivided. Some thought that the expedition was not without its danger,\non account of the men with whom they had to deal; but the most were in\nhaste to begin the journey, for at that time there was such a famine in\nNorway that the kings could scarcely feed their men-at-arms; and on this\naccount the Fjord, on which the kings resided, usually got the name\nof Hardanger (Hardacre). In Denmark, on the other hand, there had been\ntolerably good crops; so that people thought that if King Harald got\nfiefs, and something to rule over there they would get some assistance.\nIt was therefore concluded, before the messengers returned, that Harald\nshould travel to Denmark to the Danish king in summer, and accept the\nconditions King Harald offered.\n12. TREACHERY OF HARALD AND HAKON.\nHarald Grafeld went to Denmark in the summer (A.D. 969) with three\nlong-ships; and Herse Arinbjorn, from the Fjord district, commanded one\nof them. King Harald sailed from Viken over to Limfjord in Jutland, and\nlanded at the narrow neck of land where the Danish king was expected.\nNow when Gold Harald heard of this, he sailed there with nine ships\nwhich he had fitted out before for a viking cruise. Earl Hakon had also\nhis war force on foot; namely, twelve large ships, all ready, with which\nhe proposed to make an expedition. When Gold Harald had departed Earl\nHakon says to the king, \"Now I don't know if we are not sailing on an\nexpedition, and yet are to pay the penalty of not having joined it. Gold\nHarald may kill Harald Grafeld, and get the kingdom of Norway; but you\nmust not think he will be true to you, although you do help him to so\nmuch power, for he told me in winter that he would take your life if he\ncould find opportunity to do so. Now I will win Norway for you, and kill\nGold Harald, if you will promise me a good condition under you. I will\nbe your earl; swear an oath of fidelity to you, and, with your help,\nconquer all Norway for you; hold the country under your rule; pay you\nthe scat and taxes; and you will be a greater king than your father, as\nyou will have two kingdoms under you.\" The king and the earl agreed upon\nthis, and Hakon set off to seek Gold Harald.\n13. DEATH OF HARALD GRAFELD.\nGold Harald came to the neck of land at Limfjord, and immediately\nchallenged Harald Grafeld to battle; and although Harald had fewer men,\nhe went immediately on the land, prepared for battle, and drew up his\ntroops. Before the lines came together Harald Grafeld urged on his men,\nand told them to draw their swords. He himself advanced the foremost of\nthe troop, hewing down on each side. So says Glum Geirason, in Grafeld's\nlay:--\n \"Brave were thy words in battlefield,\n Thou stainer of the snow-white shield!--\n Thou gallant war-god! With thy voice\n Thou couldst the dying man rejoice:\n The cheer of Harald could impart\n Courage and life to every heart.\n While swinging high the blood-smeared sword,\n By arm and voice we knew our lord.\"\nThere fell Harald Grafeld. So says Glum Geirason:--\n \"On Limfjord's strand, by the tide's flow,\n Stern Fate has laid King Harald low;\n The gallant viking-cruiser--he\n Who loved the isle-encircling sea.\n The generous ruler of the land\n Fell at the narrow Limfjord strand.\n Enticed by Hakon's cunning speech\n To his death-bed on Limfjord's beach.\"\nThe most of King Harald's men fell with him. There also fell Herse\nArinbjorn.\nThis happened fifteen years after the death of Hakon, Athelstan's\nfoster-son, and thirteen years after that of Sigurd earl of Hlader. The\npriest Are Frode says that Earl Hakon was thirteen years earl over his\nfather's dominions in Throndhjem district before the fall of Harald\nGrafeld; but, for the last six years of Harald Grafeld's life, Are Frode\nsays the Earl Hakon and Gunhild's sons fought against each other, and\ndrove each other out of the land by turns.\n14. GOLD HARALD'S DEATH.\nSoon after Harald Grafeld's fall, Earl Hakon came up to Gold Harald, and\nthe earl immediately gave battle to Harald. Hakon gained the victory,\nand Harald was made prisoner; but Hakon had him immediately hanged on a\ngallows. Hakon then went to the Danish king, and no doubt easily settled\nwith him for the killing his relative Gold Harald.\n15. DIVISION OF THE COUNTRY.\nSoon after King Harald Gormson ordered a levy of men over all his\nkingdom, and sailed with 600 ships (1). There were with him Earl Hakon,\nHarald Grenske, a son of King Gudrod, and many other great men who had\nfled from their udal estates in Norway on account of Gunhild's sons. The\nDanish king sailed with his fleet from the south to Viken, where all\nthe people of the country surrendered to him. When he came to Tunsberg\nswarms of people joined him; and King Harald gave to Earl Hakon the\ncommand of all the men who came to him in Norway, and gave him the\ngovernment over Rogaland, Hordaland, Sogn, Fjord-district, South More,\nRaumsdal, and North More. These seven districts gave King Harald to Earl\nHakon to rule over, with the same rights as Harald Harfager gave with\nthem to his sons; only with the difference, that Hakon should there, as\nwell as in Throndhjem, have the king's land-estates and land-tax, and\nuse the king's money and goods according to his necessities whenever\nthere was war in the country. King Harald also gave Harald Grenske\nVingulmark, Vestfold, and Agder all the way to Lidandisnes (the Naze),\ntogether with the title of king; and let him have these dominions with\nthe same rights as his family in former times had held them, and as\nHarald Harfager had given with them to his sons. Harald Grenske was then\neighteen years old, and he became afterwards a celebrated man. Harald\nking of Denmark returned home thereafter with all his army.\n ENDNOTES:\n (1) i.e., 720 ships, as they were counted by long hundreds,\n16. GUNHILD'S SONS LEAVE THE COUNTRY.\nEarl Hakon proceeded northwards along the coast with his force; and when\nGunhild and her sons got the tidings they proceeded to gather troops,\nbut were ill off for men. Then they took the same resolution as before,\nto sail out to sea with such men as would follow them away to the\nwestward (A.D. 969). They came first to the Orkney Islands, and remained\nthere a while. There were in Orkney then the Earls Hlodver. Arnfid,\nLjot, and Skule, the sons of Thorfin Hausakljufer.\nEarl Hakon now brought all the country under him, and remained all\nwinter (A.D. 970) in Throndhjem. Einar Skalaglam speaks of his conquests\nin \"Vellekla\":--\n \"Norway's great watchman, Harald, now\n May bind the silk snood on his brow--\n Seven provinces he seized. The realm\n Prospers with Hakon at the helm.\"\nAs Hakon the earl proceeded this summer along the coast subjecting all\nthe people to him, he ordered that over all his dominions the temples\nand sacrifices should be restored, and continued as of old. So it is\nsaid in the \"Vellekla\":--\n \"Hakon the earl, so good and wise,\n Let all the ancient temples rise;--\n Thor's temples raised with fostering hand\n That had been ruined through the land.\n His valiant champions, who were slain\n On battle-fields across the main,\n To Thor, the thunder-god, may tell\n How for the gods all turns out well.\n The hardy warrior now once more\n Offers the sacrifice of gore;\n The shield-bearer in Loke's game\n Invokes once more great Odin's name.\n The green earth gladly yields her store,\n As she was wont in days of yore,\n Since the brave breaker of the spears\n The holy shrines again uprears.\n The earl has conquered with strong hand\n All that lies north of Viken land:\n In battle storm, and iron rain\n Hakon spreads wide his sword's domain.\"\nThe first winter that Hakon ruled over Norway the herrings set in\neverywhere through the fjords to the land, and the seasons ripened to\na good crop all that had been sown. The people, therefore, laid in\nseed for the next year, and got their lands sowed, and had hope of good\ntimes.\n17. HAKON'S BATTLE WITH RAGNFRED.\nKing Ragnfred and King Gudrod, both sons of Gunhild and Eirik, were now\nthe only sons of Gunhild remaining in life. So says Glum Geirason in\nGrafeld's lay:--\n \"When in the battle's bloody strife\n The sword took noble Harald's life,\n Half of my fortunes with him fell:\n But his two brothers, I know well,\n My loss would soon repair, should they\n Again in Norway bear the sway,\n And to their promises should stand,\n If they return to rule the land.\"\nRagnfred began his course in the spring after he had been a year in the\nOrkney Islands. He sailed from thence to Norway, and had with him fine\ntroops, and large ships. When he came to Norway he learnt that Earl\nHakon was in Throndhjem; therefore he steered northwards around Stad,\nand plundered in South More. Some people submitted to him; for it often\nhappens, when parties of armed men scour over a country, that those who\nare nearest the danger seek help where they think it may be expected. As\nsoon as Earl Hakon heard the news of disturbance in More, he fitted out\nships, sent the war-token through the land, made ready in all haste,\nand proceeded out of the fjord. He had no difficulty in assembling men.\nRagnfred and Earl Hakon met at the north corner of More; and Hakon, who\nhad most men, but fewer ships, began the battle. The combat was severe,\nbut heaviest on Hakon's side; and as the custom then was, they fought\nbow to bow, and there was a current in the sound which drove all the\nships in upon the land. The earl ordered to row with the oars to the\nland where landing seemed easiest. When the ships were all grounded, the\nearl with all his men left them, and drew them up so far that the\nenemy might not launch them down again, and then drew up his men on a\ngrass-field, and challenged Ragnfred to land. Ragnfred and his men laid\ntheir vessels in along the land, and they shot at each other a long\ntime; but upon the land Ragnfred would not venture: and so they\nseparated. Ragnfred sailed with his fleet southwards around Stad; for\nhe was much afraid the whole forces of the country would swarm around\nHakon. Hakon, on his part, was not inclined to try again a battle, for\nhe thought the difference between their ships in size was too great; so\nin harvest he went north to Throndhjem, and staid there all winter (A.D.\n971). King Ragnfred consequently had all the country south of Stad at\nhis mercy; namely, Fjord district, Hordaland, Sogn, Rogaland; and he had\nmany people about him all winter. When spring approached he ordered out\nthe people and collected a large force. By going about the districts he\ngot many men, ships, and warlike stores sent as he required.\n18. BATTLE BETWEEN HAKON AND RAGNFRED.\nTowards spring Earl Hakon ordered out all the men north in the country;\nand got many people from Halogaland and Naumudal; so that from Bryda to\nStad he had men from all the sea-coast. People flocked to him from all\nthe Throndhjem district and from Raumsdal. It was said for certain that\nhe had men from four great districts, and that seven earls followed him,\nand a matchless number of men. So it is said in the \"Vellekla\":--\n \"Hakon, defender of the land,\n Armed in the North his warrior-band\n To Sogn's old shore his force he led,\n And from all quarters thither sped\n War-ships and men; and haste was made\n By the young god of the sword-blade,\n The hero-viking of the wave,\n His wide domain from foes to save.\n With shining keels seven kings sailed on\n To meet this raven-feeding one.\n When the clash came, the stunning sound\n Was heard in Norway's farthest bound;\n And sea-borne corpses, floating far,\n Brought round the Naze news from the war.\"\nEarl Hakon sailed then with his fleet southwards around Stad; and when\nhe heard that King Ragnfred with his army had gone towards Sogn, he\nturned there also with his men to meet him: and there Ragnfred and Hakon\nmet. Hakon came to the land with his ships, marked out a battle-field\nwith hazel branches for King Ragnfred, and took ground for his own men\nin it. So it is told in the \"Vellekla\":--\n \"In the fierce battle Ragnfred then\n Met the grim foe of Vindland men;\n And many a hero of great name\n Fell in the sharp sword's bloody game.\n The wielder of fell Narve's weapon,\n The conquering hero, valiant Hakon\n Had laid his war-ships on the strand,\n And ranged his warriors on the land.\"\nThere was a great battle; but Earl Hakon, having by far the most people,\ngained the victory. It took place on the Thinganes, where Sogn and\nHordaland meet.\nKing Rangfred fled to his ships, after 300 of his men had fallen. So it\nis said in the \"Vellekla\":--\n \"Sharp was the battle-strife, I ween,--\n Deadly and close it must have been,\n Before, upon the bloody plain,\n Three hundred corpses of the slain\n Were stretched for the black raven's prey;\n And when the conquerors took their way\n To the sea-shore, they had to tread\n O'er piled-up heaps of foemen dead.\"\nAfter this battle King Ragnfred fled from Norway; but Earl Hakon\nrestored peace to the country, and allowed the great army which had\nfollowed him in summer to return home to the north country, and he\nhimself remained in the south that harvest and winter (A.D. 972).\n19. EARL HAKON'S MARRIAGE.\nEarl Hakon married a girl called Thora, a daughter of the powerful Skage\nSkoptason, and very beautiful she was. They had two sons, Svein and\nHeming, and a daughter called Bergljot who was afterwards married to\nEinar Tambaskielfer. Earl Hakon was much addicted to women, and had many\nchildren; among others a daughter Ragnhild, whom he married to Skopte\nSkagason, a brother of Thora. The Earl loved Thora so much that he held\nThora's family in higher respect than any other people, and Skopte his\nbrother-in-law in particular; and he gave him many great fiefs in\nMore. Whenever they were on a cruise together, Skopte must lay his ship\nnearest to the earl's, and no other ship was allowed to come in between.\n20. DEATH OF SKOPTE.\nOne summer that Earl Hakon was on a cruise, there was a ship with him\nof which Thorleif Spake (the Wise) was steersman. In it was also\nEirik, Earl Hakon's son, then about ten or eleven years old. Now in the\nevenings, as they came into harbour, Eirik would not allow any ship but\nhis to lie nearest to the earl's. But when they came to the south, to\nMore, they met Skopte the earl's brother-in-law, with a well-manned\nship; and as they rowed towards the fleet, Skopte called out that\nThorleif should move out of the harbour to make room for him, and should\ngo to the roadstead. Eirik in haste took up the matter, and ordered\nSkopte to go himself to the roadstead. When Earl Hakon heard that his\nson thought himself too great to give place to Skopte, he called to them\nimmediately that they should haul out from their berth, threatening them\nwith chastisement if they did not. When Thorleif heard this, he ordered\nhis men to slip their land-cable, and they did so; and Skopte laid his\nvessel next to the earl's as he used to do. When they came together,\nSkopte brought the earl all the news he had gathered, and the earl\ncommunicated to Skopte all the news he had heard; and Skopte was\ntherefore called Tidindaskopte (the Newsman Skopte). The winter after\n(A.D. 973) Eirik was with his foster-father Thorleif, and early in\nspring he gathered a crew of followers, and Thorleif gave him a boat\nof fifteen benches of rowers, with ship furniture, tents, and ship\nprovisions; and Eirik set out from the fjord, and southwards to More.\nTidindaskopte happened also to be going with a fully manned boat of\nfifteen rowers' benches from one of his farms to another, and Eirik went\nagainst him to have a battle. Skopte was slain, but Eirik granted\nlife to those of his men who were still on their legs. So says Eyjolf\nDadaskald in the \"Banda Lay\":--\n \"At eve the youth went out\n To meet the warrior stout--\n To meet stout Skopte--he\n Whose war-ship roves the sea\n Like force was on each side,\n But in the whirling tide\n The young wolf Eirik slew\n Skopte, and all his crew\n And he was a gallant one,\n Dear to the Earl Hakon.\n Up, youth of steel-hard breast--\n No time hast thou to rest!\n Thy ocean wings spread wide--\n Speed o'er the foaming tide!\n Speed on--speed on thy way!\n For here thou canst not stay.\"\nEirik sailed along the land and came to Denmark, and went to King Harald\nGormson, and staid with him all winter (A.D. 974). In spring the\nDanish king sent him north to Norway, and gave him an earldom, and the\ngovernment of Vingulmark and Raumarike, on the same terms as the small\nscat-paying kings had formerly held these domains. So says Eyjolf\nDadaskald:--\n \"South through ocean's spray\n His dragon flew away\n To Gormson's hall renowned.\n Where the bowl goes bravely round.\n And the Danish king did place\n This youth of noble race\n Where, shield and sword in hand,\n He would aye defend his land.\"\nEirik became afterwards a great chief.\n21. OLAF TRYGVASON'S JOURNEY FROM RUSSIA.\nAll this time Olaf Trygvason was in Gardarike (Russia), and highly\nesteemed by King Valdemar, and beloved by the queen. King Valdemar made\nhim chief over the men-at-arms whom he sent out to defend the land. So\nsays Hallarsteid:--\n \"The hater of the niggard band,\n The chief who loves the Northman's land,\n Was only twelve years old when he\n His Russian war-ships put to sea.\n The wain that ploughs the sea was then\n Loaded with war-gear by his men--\n With swords, and spears, and helms: and deep\n Out to the sea his good ships sweep.\"\nOlaf had several battles, and was lucky as a leader of troops. He\nhimself kept a great many men-at-arms at his own expense out of the pay\nthe king gave him. Olaf was very generous to his men, and therefore\nvery popular. But then it came to pass, what so often happens when a\nforeigner is raised to higher power and dignity than men of the country,\nthat many envied him because he was so favoured by the king, and also\nnot less so by the queen. They hinted to the king that he should take\ncare not to make Olaf too powerful,--\"for such a man may be dangerous to\nyou, if he were to allow himself to be used for the purpose of doing you\nor your kingdom harm; for he is extremely expert in all exercises and\nfeats, and very popular. We do not, indeed, know what it is he can have\nto talk of so often with the queen.\" It was then the custom among great\nmonarchs that the queen should have half of the court attendants,\nand she supported them at her own expense out of the scat and revenue\nprovided for her for that purpose. It was so also at the court of King\nValdemar that the queen had an attendance as large as the king, and they\nvied with each other about the finest men, each wanting to have such\nin their own service. It so fell out that the king listened to such\nspeeches, and became somewhat silent and blunt towards Olaf. When Olaf\nobserved this, he told it to the queen; and also that he had a great\ndesire to travel to the Northern land, where his family formerly had\npower and kingdoms, and where it was most likely he would advance\nhimself. The queen wished him a prosperous journey, and said he would\nbe found a brave man wherever he might be. Olaf then made ready, went on\nboard, and set out to sea in the Baltic.\nAs he was coming from the east he made the island of Borgundarholm\n(Bornholm), where he landed and plundered. The country people hastened\ndown to the strand, and gave him battle; but Olaf gained the victory,\nand a large booty.\n22. OLAF TRYGVASON'S MARRIAGE.\nWhile Olaf lay at Borgundarholm there came on bad weather, storm, and\na heavy sea, so that his ships could not lie there; and he sailed\nsouthwards under Vindland, where they found a good harbour. They\nconducted themselves very peacefully, and remained some time. In\nVindland there was then a king called Burizleif, who had three\ndaughters,--Geira, Gunhild, and Astrid. The king's daughter Geira had\nthe power and government in that part where Olaf and his people landed,\nand Dixen was the name of the man who most usually advised Queen Geira.\nNow when they heard that unknown people were came to the country, who\nwere of distinguished appearance, and conducted themselves peaceably,\nDixen repaired to them with a message from Queen Geira, inviting the\nstrangers to take up their winter abode with her; for the summer was\nalmost spent, and the weather was severe and stormy. Now when Dixen came\nto the place he soon saw that the leader was a distinguished man,\nboth from family and personal appearance, and he told Olaf the queen's\ninvitation with the most kindly message. Olaf willingly accepted the\ninvitation, and went in harvest (A.D. 982) to Queen Geira. They liked\neach other exceedingly, and Olaf courted Queen Geira; and it was so\nsettled that Olaf married her the same winter, and was ruler, along with\nQueen Geira, over her dominions. Halfred Vandredaskald tells of these\nmatters in the lay he composed about King Olaf:--\n \"Why should the deeds the hero did\n In Bornholm and the East he hid?\n His deadly weapon Olaf bold\n Dyed red: why should not this be told?\"\n23. EARL HAKON PAYS NO SCAT.\nEarl Hakon ruled over Norway, and paid no scat; because the Danish king\ngave him all the scat revenue that belonged to the king in Norway,\nfor the expense and trouble he had in defending the country against\nGunhild's sons.\n24. HARALD OPPOSES CHRISTIANITY.\nThe Emperor Otta (Otto) was at that time in the Saxon country, and sent\na message to King Harald, the Danish king, that he must take on the true\nfaith and be baptized, he and all his people whom he ruled; \"otherwise,\"\nsays the emperor, \"we will march against him with an army.\" The Danish\nking ordered the land defence to be fitted out, Danavirke (1) (the\nDanish wall) to be well fortified, and his ships of war rigged out.\nHe sent a message also to Earl Hakon in Norway to come to him early in\nspring, and with as many men as he could possibly raise. In spring (A.D.\n975) Earl Hakon levied an army over the whole country which was very\nnumerous, and with it he sailed to meet the Danish king. The king\nreceived him in the most honourable manner. Many other chiefs also\njoined the Danish king with their men, so that he had gathered a very\nlarge army.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Danavirke. The Danish work was a wall of earth, stones,\n and wood, with a deep ditch in front, and a castle at every\n hundred fathoms, between the rivers Eider and Slien,\n constructed by Harald Blatand (Bluetooth) to oppose the\n progress of Charlemagne. Some traces of it still exist.\n25. OLAF TRYGVASON'S WAR EXPEDITION.\nOlaf Trygvason had been all winter (A.D. 980) in Vindland, as before\nrelated, and went the same winter to the baronies in Vindland which\nhad formerly been under Queen Geira, but had withdrawn themselves from\nobedience and payment of taxes. There Olaf made war, killed many\npeople, burnt out others, took much property, and laid all of them under\nsubjection to him, and then went back to his castle. Early in spring\nOlaf rigged out his ships and set off to sea. He sailed to Skane and\nmade a landing. The people of the country assembled, and gave him\nbattle; but King Olaf conquered, and made a great booty. He then sailed\neastward to the island of Gotland, where he captured a merchant vessel\nbelonging to the people of Jamtaland. They made a brave defence; but the\nend of it was that Olaf cleared the deck, killed many of the men, and\ntook all the goods. He had a third battle in Gotland, in which he\nalso gained the victory, and made a great booty. So says Halfred\nVandredaskald:--\n \"The king, so fierce in battle-fray,\n First made the Vindland men give way:\n The Gotlanders must tremble next;\n And Scania's shores are sorely vexed\n By the sharp pelting arrow shower\n The hero and his warriors pour;\n And then the Jamtaland men must fly,\n Scared by his well-known battle-cry.\"\n26. OTTA AND HAKON IN BATTLE.\nThe Emperor Otta assembled a great army from Saxland, Frakland,\nFrisland, and Vindland. King Burizleif followed him with a large army,\nand in it was his son-in-law, Olaf Trygvason. The emperor had a great\nbody of horsemen, and still greater of foot people, and a great army\nfrom Holstein. Harald, the Danish king, sent Earl Hakon with the army\nof Northmen that followed him southwards to Danavirke, to defend his\nkingdom on that side. So it is told in the \"Vellekla\":--\n \"Over the foaming salt sea spray\n The Norse sea-horses took their way,\n Racing across the ocean-plain\n Southwards to Denmark's green domain.\n The gallant chief of Hordaland\n Sat at the helm with steady hand,\n In casque and shield, his men to bring\n From Dovre to his friend the king.\n He steered his war-ships o'er the wave\n To help the Danish king to save\n Mordalf, who, with a gallant band\n Was hastening from the Jutes' wild land,\n Across the forest frontier rude,\n With toil and pain through the thick wood.\n Glad was the Danish king, I trow,\n When he saw Hakon's galley's prow.\n The monarch straightway gave command\n To Hakon, with a steel-clad band,\n To man the Dane-work's rampart stout,\n And keep the foreign foemen out.\"\nThe Emperor Otta came with his army from the south to Danavirke, but\nEarl Hakon defended the rampart with his men. The Dane-work (Danavirke)\nwas constructed in this way:--Two fjords run into the land, one on each\nside; and in the farthest bight of these fjords the Danes had made a\ngreat wall of stone, turf, and timber, and dug a deep and broad ditch in\nfront of it, and had also built a castle over each gate of it. There was\na hard battle there, of which the \"Vellekla\" speaks:--\n \"Thick the storm of arrows flew,\n Loud was the din, black was the view\n Of close array of shield and spear\n Of Vind, and Frank, and Saxon there.\n But little recked our gallant men;\n And loud the cry might be heard then\n Of Norway's brave sea-roving son--\n 'On 'gainst the foe! On! Lead us on!\"\nEarl Hakon drew up his people in ranks upon all the gate-towers of the\nwall, but the greater part of them he kept marching along the wall\nto make a defence wheresoever an attack was threatened. Many of\nthe emperor's people fell without making any impression on the\nfortification, so the emperor turned back without farther attempt at an\nassault on it. So it is said in the \"Vellekla\":--\n \"They who the eagle's feast provide\n In ranked line fought side by side,\n 'Gainst lines of war-men under shields\\\n Close packed together on the fields,\n Earl Hakon drive by daring deeds\n The Saxons to their ocean-steeds;\n And the young hero saves from fall\n The Danavirke--the people's wall.\"\nAfter this battle Earl Hakon went back to his ships, and intended to\nsail home to Norway; but he did not get a favourable wind, and lay for\nsome time outside at Limafjord.\n27. HARALD AND HAKON ARE BAPTIZED.\nThe Emperor Otta turned back with his troops to Slesvik, collected his\nships of war, and crossed the fjord of Sle into Jutland. As soon as the\nDanish king heard of this he marched his army against him, and there was\na battle, in which the emperor at last got the victory. The Danish king\nfled to Limafjord and took refuge in the island Marsey. By the help\nof mediators who went between the king and the emperor, a truce and a\nmeeting between them were agreed on. The Emperor Otta and the Danish\nking met upon Marsey. There Bishop Poppo instructed King Harald in\nthe holy faith; he bore red hot irons in his hands, and exhibited his\nunscorched hands to the king. Thereafter King Harald allowed himself to\nbe baptized, and also the whole Danish army. King Harald, while he\nwas in Marsey, had sent a message to Hakon that he should come to his\nsuccour; and the earl had just reached the island when the king had\nreceived baptism. The king sends word to the earl to come to him, and\nwhen they met the king forced the earl to allow himself also to be\nbaptized. So Earl Hakon and all the men who were with him were baptized;\nand the king gave them priests and other learned men with them, and\nordered that the earl should make all the people in Norway be baptized.\nOn that they separated; and the earl went out to sea, there to wait for\na wind.\n28. HAKON RENOUNCES CHRISTIANITY.\nWhen a wind came with which he thought he could get clear out to sea, he\nput all the learned men on shore again, and set off to the ocean; but\nas the wind came round to the south-west, and at last to west, he sailed\neastward, out through Eyrarsund, ravaging the land on both sides. He\nthen sailed eastward along Skane, plundering the country wherever he\ncame. When he got east to the skerries of East Gautland, he ran in and\nlanded, and made a great blood-sacrifice. There came two ravens flying\nwhich croaked loudly; and now, thought the earl, the blood-offering has\nbeen accepted by Odin, and he thought good luck would be with him any\nday he liked to go to battle. Then he set fire to his ships, landed\nhis men, and went over all the country with armed hand. Earl Ottar, who\nruled over Gautland, came against him, and they held a great battle with\neach other; but Earl Hakon gained the day, and Earl Ottar and a great\npart of his men were killed. Earl Hakon now drove with fire and\nsword over both the Gautlands, until he came into Norway; and then he\nproceeded by land all the way north to Throndhjem. The \"Vellekla\" tells\nabout this:--\n \"On the silent battle-field,\n In viking garb, with axe and shield,\n The warrior, striding o'er the slain,\n Asks of the gods 'What days will gain?'\n Two ravens, flying from the east,\n Come croaking to the bloody feast:\n The warrior knows what they foreshow--\n The days when Gautland blood will flow.\n A viking-feast Earl Hakon kept,\n The land with viking fury swept,\n Harrying the land far from the shore\n Where foray ne'er was known before.\n Leaving the barren cold coast side,\n He raged through Gautland far and wide,--\n Led many a gold-decked viking shield\n O'er many a peaceful inland field.\n Bodies on bodies Odin found\n Heaped high upon each battle ground:\n The moor, as if by witchcraft's power,\n Grows green, enriched by bloody shower.\n No wonder that the gods delight\n To give such luck in every fight\n To Hakon's men--for he restores\n Their temples on our Norway shores.\"\n29. THE EMPEROR OTTA RETURNS HOME.\nThe Emperor Otta went back to his kingdom in the Saxon land, and parted\nin friendship with the Danish king. It is said that the Emperor Otta\nstood godfather to Svein, King Harald's son, and gave him his name;\nso that he was baptized Otta Svein. King Harald held fast by his\nChristianity to his dying day.\nKing Burizleif went to Vindland, and his son-in-law King Olaf went with\nhim. This battle is related also by Halfred Vandredaskald in his song on\nOlaf:--\n \"He who through the foaming surges\n His white-winged ocean-coursers urges,\n Hewed from the Danes, in armour dressed,\n The iron bark off mail-clad breast.\"\n30. OLAF'S JOURNEY FROM VINDLAND.\nOlaf Trygvason was three years in Vindland (A.D. 982-984) when Geira\nhis queen fell sick, and she died of her illness. Olaf felt his loss so\ngreat that he had no pleasure in Vindland after it. He provided himself,\ntherefore, with warships, and went out again a plundering, and\nplundered first in Frisland, next in Saxland, and then all the way to\nFlaemingjaland (Flanders). So says Halfred Vandredaskald:--\n \"Olaf's broad axe of shining steel\n For the shy wolf left many a meal.\n The ill-shaped Saxon corpses lay\n Heaped up, the witch-wife's horses' (1) prey.\n She rides by night: at pools of blood.\n Where Frisland men in daylight stood,\n Her horses slake their thirst, and fly\n On to the field where Flemings lie.\n The raven-friend in Odin's dress--\n Olaf, who foes can well repress,\n Left Flemish flesh for many a meal\n With his broad axe of shining steel.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) Ravens were the witches' horses.--L.\n31. KING OLAF'S FORAYS.\nThereafter Olaf Trygvason sailed to England, and ravaged wide around\nin the land. He sailed all the way north to Northumberland, where he\nplundered; and thence to Scotland, where he marauded far and wide.\nThen he went to the Hebrides, where he fought some battles; and then\nsouthwards to Man, where he also fought. He ravaged far around in\nIreland, and thence steered to Bretland, which he laid waste with fire\nand sword, and all the district called Cumberland. He sailed westward\nfrom thence to Valland, and marauded there. When he left the west,\nintending to sail to England, he came to the islands called the Scilly\nIsles, lying westward from England in the ocean. Thus tells Halfred\nVandraskald of these events:--\n The brave young king, who ne'er retreats,\n The Englishman in England beats.\n Death through Northumberland is spread\n From battleaxe and broad spearhead.\n Through Scotland with his spears he rides;\n To Man his glancing ships he guides:\n Feeding the wolves where'er he came,\n The young king drove a bloody game.\n The gallant bowmen in the isles\n Slew foemen, who lay heaped in piles.\n The Irish fled at Olaf's name--\n Fled from a young king seeking fame.\n In Bretland, and in Cumberland,\n People against him could not stand:\n Thick on the fields their corpses lay,\n To ravens and howling wolves a prey.\"\nOlaf Trygvason had been four years on this cruise (A.D. 985-988), from\nthe time he left Vindland till he came to the Scilly Islands.\n32. KING OLAF IS BAPTIZED.\nWhile Olaf Trygvason lay in the Scilly Isles he heard of a seer, or\nfortune-teller, on the islands, who could tell beforehand things not\nyet done, and what he foretold many believed was really fulfilled. Olaf\nbecame curious to try this man's gift of prophecy. He therefore sent\none of his men, who was the handsomest and strongest, clothed him\nmagnificently, and bade him say he was the king; for Olaf was known\nin all countries as handsomer, stronger, and braver than all others,\nalthough, after he had left Russia, he retained no more of his name than\nthat he was called Ole, and was Russian. Now when the messenger came\nto the fortune-teller, and gave himself out for the king, he got the\nanswer, \"Thou art not the king, but I advise thee to be faithful to thy\nking.\" And more he would not say to that man. The man returned, and told\nOlaf, and his desire to meet the fortune-teller was increased; and now\nhe had no doubt of his being really a fortune-teller. Olaf repaired\nhimself to him, and, entering into conversation, asked him if he could\nforesee how it would go with him with regard to his kingdom, or of any\nother fortune he was to have. The hermit replies in a holy spirit of\nprophecy, \"Thou wilt become a renowned king, and do celebrated deeds.\nMany men wilt thou bring to faith and baptism, and both to thy own and\nothers' good; and that thou mayst have no doubt of the truth of this\nanswer, listen to these tokens: When thou comest to thy ships many of\nthy people will conspire against thee, and then a battle will follow\nin which many of thy men will fall, and thou wilt be wounded almost to\ndeath, and carried upon a shield to thy ship; yet after seven days thou\nshalt be well of thy wounds, and immediately thou shalt let thyself be\nbaptized.\" Soon after Olaf went down to his ships, where he met some\nmutineers and people who would destroy him and his men. A fight took\nplace, and the result was what the hermit had predicted, that Olaf was\nwounded, and carried upon a shield to his ship, and that his wound was\nhealed in seven days. Then Olaf perceived that the man had spoken truth,\nthat he was a true fortune-teller, and had the gift of prophecy. Olaf\nwent once more to the hermit, and asked particularly how he came to have\nsuch wisdom in foreseeing things to be. The hermit replied, that the\nChristian God himself let him know all that he desired; and he\nbrought before Olaf many great proofs of the power of the Almighty.\nIn consequence of this encouragement Olaf agreed to let himself be\nbaptized, and he and all his followers were baptized forthwith. He\nremained here a long time, took the true faith, and got with him priests\nand other learned men.\n33. OLAF MARRIES GYDA.\nIn autumn (A.D. 988) Olaf sailed from Scilly to England, where he\nput into a harbour, but proceeded in a friendly way; for England was\nChristian, and he himself had become Christian. At this time a summons\nto a Thing went through the country, that all men should come to hold a\nThing. Now when the Thing was assembled a queen called Gyda came to it,\na sister of Olaf Kvaran, who was king of Dublin in Ireland. She had been\nmarried to a great earl in England, and after his death she was at the\nhead of his dominions. In her territory there was a man called Alfvine,\nwho was a great champion and single-combat man. He had paid his\naddresses to her; but she gave for answer, that she herself would choose\nwhom of the men in her dominions she would take in marriage; and on\nthat account the Thing was assembled, that she might choose a husband.\nAlfvine came there dressed out in his best clothes, and there were many\nwell-dressed men at the meeting. Olaf had come there also; but had on\nhis bad-weather clothes, and a coarse over-garment, and stood with his\npeople apart from the rest of the crowd. Gyda went round and looked at\neach, to see if any appeared to her a suitable man. Now when she came to\nwhere Olaf stood she looked at him straight in the face, and asked \"what\nsort of man he was?\"\nHe said, \"I am called Ole; and I am a stranger here.\"\nGyda replies, \"Wilt thou have me if I choose thee?\"\n\"I will not say no to that,\" answered he; and he asked what her name\nwas, and her family, and descent.\n\"I am called Gyda,\" said she; \"and am daughter of the king of Ireland,\nand was married in this country to an earl who ruled over this\nterritory. Since his death I have ruled over it, and many have courted\nme, but none to whom I would choose to be married.\"\nShe was a young and handsome woman. They afterwards talked over the\nmatter together, and agreed, and Olaf and Gyda were betrothed.\n34. KING OLAF AND ALFVINE'S DUEL.\nAlfvine was very ill pleased with this. It was the custom then in\nEngland, if two strove for anything, to settle the matter by single\ncombat (1); and now Alfvine challenges Olaf Trygvason to fight about\nthis business. The time and place for the combat were settled, and that\neach should have twelve men with him. When they met, Olaf told his men\nto do exactly as they saw him do. He had a large axe; and when Alfvine\nwas going to cut at him with his sword he hewed away the sword out of\nhis hand, and with the next blow struck down Alfvine himself. He then\nbound him fast. It went in the same way with all Alfvine's men. They\nwere beaten down, bound, and carried to Olaf's lodging. Thereupon he\nordered Alfvine to quit the country, and never appear in it again; and\nOlaf took all his property. Olaf in this way got Gyda in marriage, and\nlived sometimes in England, and sometimes in Ireland.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Holm-gang: so called because the combatants went to a holm\n or uninhabited isle to fight in Norway.--L.\n35. KING OLAF GETS HIS DOG VIGE.\nWhile Olaf was in Ireland he was once on an expedition which went by\nsea. As they required to make a foray for provisions on the coast, some\nof his men landed, and drove down a large herd of cattle to the strand.\nNow a peasant came up, and entreated Olaf to give him back the cows that\nbelonged to him. Olaf told him to take his cows, if he could distinguish\nthem; \"but don't delay our march.\" The peasant had with him a large\nhouse-dog, which he put in among the herd of cattle, in which many\nhundred head of beasts were driven together. The dog ran into the herd,\nand drove out exactly the number which the peasant had said he wanted;\nand all were marked with the same mark, which showed that the dog knew\nthe right beasts, and was very sagacious. Olaf then asked the peasant\nif he would sell him the dog. \"I would rather give him to you,\" said the\npeasant. Olaf immediately presented him with a gold ring in return, and\npromised him his friendship in future. This dog was called Vige, and was\nthe very best of dogs, and Olaf owned him long afterwards.\n36. HARALD GORMSON SAILS AGAINST ICELAND.\nThe Danish king, Harald Gormson, heard that Earl Hakon had thrown off\nChristianity, and had plundered far and wide in the Danish land. The\nDanish king levied an army, with which he went to Norway; and when he\ncame to the country which Earl Hakon had to rule over he laid waste the\nwhole land, and came with his fleet to some islands called Solunder.\nOnly five houses were left standing in Laeradal; but all the people\nfled up to the mountains, and into the forest, taking with them all the\nmoveable goods they could carry with them. Then the Danish king proposed\nto sail with his fleet to Iceland, to avenge the mockery and scorn\nall the Icelanders had shown towards him; for they had made a law in\nIceland, that they should make as many lampoons against the Danish king\nas there were headlands in his country; and the reason was, because a\nvessel which belonged to certain Icelanders was stranded in Denmark, and\nthe Danes took all the property, and called it wreck. One of the king's\nbailiffs called Birger was to blame for this; but the lampoons were made\nagainst both. In the lampoons were the following lines:--\n \"The gallant Harald in the field\n Between his legs lets drop his shield;\n Into a pony he was changed.\n And kicked his shield, and safely ranged.\n And Birger, he who dwells in halls\n For safety built with four stone walls,\n That these might be a worthy pair,\n Was changed into a pony mare.\"\n37. HARALD SENDS A WARLOCK TO ICELAND.\nKing Harald told a warlock to hie to Iceland in some altered shape,\nand to try what he could learn there to tell him: and he set out in the\nshape of a whale. And when he came near to the land he went to the west\nside of Iceland, north around the land, where he saw all the mountains\nand hills full of guardian-spirits, some great, some small. When he came\nto Vapnafjord he went in towards the land, intending to go on shore; but\na huge dragon rushed down the dale against him with a train of serpents,\npaddocks, and toads, that blew poison towards him. Then he turned to\ngo westward around the land as far as Eyjafjord, and he went into the\nfjord. Then a bird flew against him, which was so great that its wings\nstretched over the mountains on either side of the fjord, and many\nbirds, great and small, with it. Then he swam farther west, and then\nsouth into Breidafjord. When he came into the fjord a large grey bull\nran against him, wading into the sea, and bellowing fearfully, and he\nwas followed by a crowd of land-spirits. From thence he went round by\nReykjanes, and wanted to land at Vikarsskeid, but there came down a\nhill-giant against him with an iron staff in his hands. He was a head\nhigher than the mountains, and many other giants followed him. He then\nswam eastward along the land, and there was nothing to see, he said, but\nsand and vast deserts, and, without the skerries, high-breaking surf;\nand the ocean between the countries was so wide that a long-ship\ncould not cross it. At that time Brodhelge dwelt in Vapnafjord, Eyjolf\nValgerdson in Eyjafjord, Thord Geller in Breidafjord, and Thorod Gode in\nOlfus. Then the Danish king turned about with his fleet, and sailed back\nto Denmark.\nHakon the earl settled habitations again in the country that had been\nlaid waste, and paid no scat as long as he lived to Denmark.\n38. HARALD GORMSON'S DEATH.\nSvein, King Harald's son, who afterwards was called Tjuguskeg (forked\nbeard), asked his father King Harald for a part of his kingdom; but now,\nas before, Harald would not listen to dividing the Danish dominions, and\ngiving him a kingdom. Svein collected ships of war, and gave out that he\nwas going on a viking cruise; but when all his men were assembled, and\nthe Jomsborg viking Palnatoke had come to his assistance he ran into\nSealand to Isafjord, where his father had been for some time with his\nships ready to proceed on an expedition. Svein instantly gave battle,\nand the combat was severe. So many people flew to assist King Harald,\nthat Svein was overpowered by numbers, and fled. But King Harald\nreceived a wound which ended in his death: and Svein was chosen King of\nDenmark. At this time Sigvalde was earl over Jomsborg in Vindland. He\nwas a son of King Strutharald, who had ruled over Skane. Heming, and\nThorkel the Tall, were Sigvalde's brothers. Bue the Thick from Bornholm,\nand Sigurd his brother, were also chiefs among the Jomsborg vikings:\nand also Vagn, a son of Ake and Thorgunna, and a sister's son of Bue and\nSigurd. Earl Sigvalde had taken King Svein prisoner, and carried him\nto Vindland, to Jomsborg, where he had forced him to make peace with\nBurizleif, the king of the Vinds, and to take him as the peace-maker\nbetween them. Earl Sigvalde was married to Astrid, a daughter of King\nBurizleif; and told King Svein that if he did not accept of his terms,\nhe would deliver him into the hands of the Vinds. The king knew that\nthey would torture him to death, and therefore agreed to accept the\nearl's mediation. The earl delivered this judgment between them--that\nKing Svein should marry Gunhild, King Burizleif's daughter; and King\nBurizleif again Thyre, a daughter of Harald, and King Svein's sister;\nbut that each party should retain their own dominions, and there should\nbe peace between the countries. Then King Svein returned home to Denmark\nwith his wife Gunhild. Their sons were Harald and Knut (Canute) the\nGreat. At that time the Danes threatened much to bring an army into\nNorway against Earl Hakon.\n39. VOW OF THE JOMSBORG VIKINGS.\nKing Svein made a magnificent feast, to which he invited all the\nchiefs in his dominions; for he would give the succession-feast, or the\nheirship-ale, after his father Harald. A short time before, Strutharald\nin Skane, and Vesete in Bornholm, father to Bue the Thick and to Sigurd,\nhad died; and King Svein sent word to the Jomsborg vikings that Earl\nSigvalde and Bue, and their brothers, should come to him, and drink the\nfuneral-ale for their fathers in the same feast the king was giving.\nThe Jomsborg vikings came to the festival with their bravest men, forty\nships of them from Vindland, and twenty ships from Skane. Great was the\nmultitude of people assembled. The first day of the feast, before King\nSvein went up into his father's high-seat, he drank the bowl to his\nfather's memory, and made the solemn vow, that before three winters were\npast he would go over with his army to England, and either kill King\nAdalrad (Ethelred), or chase him out of the country. This heirship\nbowl all who were at the feast drank. Thereafter for the chiefs of the\nJomsborg vikings was filled and drunk the largest horn to be found,\nand of the strongest drink. When that bowl was emptied, all men drank\nChrist's health; and again the fullest measure and the strongest drink\nwere handed to the Jomsborg vikings. The third bowl was to the memory of\nSaint Michael, which was drunk by all. Thereafter Earl Sigvalde emptied\na remembrance bowl to his father's honour, and made the solemn vow, that\nbefore three winters came to an end he would go to Norway, and either\nkill Earl Hakon, or chase him out of the country. Thereupon Thorkel the\nTall, his brother, made a solemn vow to follow his brother Sigvalde to\nNorway, and not flinch from the battle so long as Sigvalde would fight\nthere. Then Bue the Thick vowed to follow them to Norway, and not flinch\nso long as the other Jomsborg vikings fought. At last Vagn Akason vowed\nthat he would go with them to Norway, and not return until he had slain\nThorkel Leira, and gone to bed to his daughter Ingebjorg without her\nfriends' consent. Many other chiefs made solemn vows about different\nthings. Thus was the heirship-ale drunk that day, but the next morning,\nwhen the Jomsborg vikings had slept off their drink, they thought they\nhad spoken more than enough. They held a meeting to consult how they\nshould proceed with their undertaking, and they determined to fit out\nas speedily as possible for the expedition; and without delay ships and\nmen-at-arms were prepared, and the news spread quickly.\n40. EIRIK AND HAKON MAKE A WAR LEVY.\nWhen Earl Eirik, the son of Hakon, who at that time was in Raumarike,\nheard the tidings, he immediately gathered troops, and went to the\nUplands, and thence over the mountains to Throndhjem, and joined\nhis father Earl Hakon. Thord Kolbeinson speaks of this in the lay of\nEirik:--\n \"News from the south are flying round;\n The bonde comes with look profound,\n Bad news of bloody battles bringing,\n Of steel-clad men, of weapons ringing.\n I hear that in the Danish land\n Long-sided ships slide down the strand,\n And, floating with the rising tide,\n The ocean-coursers soon will ride.\"\nThe earls Hakon and Eirik had war-arrows split up and sent round the\nThrondhjem country; and despatched messages to both the Mores, North\nMore and South More, and to Raumsdal, and also north to Naumudal and\nHalogaland. They summoned all the country to provide both men and ships.\nSo it is said in Eirik's lay:\n \"The skald must now a war-song raise,\n The gallant active youth must praise,\n Who o'er the ocean's field spreads forth\n Ships, cutters, boats, from the far north.\n His mighty fleet comes sailing by,--\n The people run to see them glide,\n Mast after mast, by the coast-side.\"\nEarl Hakon set out immediately to the south, to More, to reconnoitre and\ngather people; and Earl Eirik gathered an army from the north to follow.\n41. EXPEDITION OF THE JOMSBORG VIKINGS.\nThe Jomsborg vikings assembled their fleet in Limafjord, from whence\nthey went to sea with sixty sail of vessels. When they came under the\ncoast of Agder, they steered northwards to Rogaland with their fleet,\nand began to plunder when they came into the earl's territory; and so\nthey sailed north along the coast, plundering and burning. A man, by\nname Geirmund, sailed in a light boat with a few men northwards to More,\nand there he fell in with Earl Hakon, stood before his dinner table,\nand told the earl the tidings of an army from Denmark having come to\nthe south end of the land. The earl asked if he had any certainty of it.\nThen Geirmund stretched forth one arm, from which the hand was cut off,\nand said, \"Here is the token that the enemy is in the land.\" Then the\nearl questioned him particularly about this army. Geirmund says it\nconsists of Jomsborg vikings, who have killed many people, and plundered\nall around. \"And hastily and hotly they pushed on,\" says he \"and I\nexpect it will not be long before they are upon you.\" On this the earl\nrode into every fjord, going in along the one side of the land and out\nat the other, collecting men; and thus he drove along night and day.\nHe sent spies out upon the upper ridges, and also southwards into the\nFjords; and he proceeded north to meet Eirik with his men. This appears\nfrom Eirik's lay:--\n \"The earl, well skilled in war to speed\n O'er the wild wave the viking-steed,\n Now launched the high stems from the shore,\n Which death to Sigvalde's vikings bore.\n Rollers beneath the ships' keels crash,\n Oar-blades loud in the grey sea splash,\n And they who give the ravens food\n Row fearless through the curling flood.\"\nEirik hastened southwards with his forces the shortest way he could.\n42. OF THE JOMSBORG VIKINGS.\nEarl Sigvalde steered with his fleet northwards around Stad, and came\nto the land at the Herey Isles. Although the vikings fell in with the\ncountry people, the people never told the truth about what the earl was\ndoing; and the vikings went on pillaging and laying waste. They laid\nto their vessels at the outer end of Hod Island, landed, plundered, and\ndrove both men and cattle down to the ships, killing all the men able to\nbear arms.\nAs they were going back to their ships, came a bonde, walking near to\nBue's troop, who said to them, \"Ye are not doing like true warriors, to\nbe driving cows and calves down to the strand, while ye should be giving\nchase to the bear, since ye are coming near to the bear's den.\"\n\"What says the old man?\" asked some. \"Can he tell us anything about Earl\nHakon?\"\nThe peasant replies, \"The earl went yesterday into the Hjorundarfjord\nwith one or two ships, certainly not more than three, and then he had no\nnews about you.\"\nBue ran now with his people in all haste down to the ships, leaving all\nthe booty behind. Bue said, \"Let us avail ourselves now of this news we\nhave got of the earl, and be the first to the victory.\" When they came\nto their ships they rode off from the land. Earl Sigvalde called to\nthem, and asked what they were about. They replied, \"The earl is in the\nfjord;\" on which Earl Sigvalde with the whole fleet set off, and rowed\nnorth about the island Hod.\n43. BATTLE WITH THE JOMSBORG VIKINGS.\nThe earls Hakon and Eirik lay in Halkelsvik, where all their forces\nwere assembled. They had 150 ships, and they had heard that the Jomsborg\nvikings had come in from sea, and lay at the island Hod; and they, in\nconsequence, rowed out to seek them. When they reached a place called\nHjorungavag they met each other, and both sides drew up their ships in\nline for an attack. Earl Sigvalde's banner was displayed in the midst of\nhis army, and right against it Earl Hakon arranged his force for attack.\nEarl Sigvalde himself had 20 ships, but Earl Hakon had 60. In Earl's\narmy were these chiefs,--Thorer Hjort from Halogaland, and Styrkar from\nGimsar. In the wing of the opposite array of the Jomsborg vikings was\nBue the Thick, and his brother Sigurd, with 20 ships. Against him\nEarl Eirik laid himself with 60 ships; and with him were these\nchiefs,--Gudbrand Hvite from the Uplands, and Thorkel Leira from Viken.\nIn the other wing of the Jomsborg vikings' array was Vagn Akason with 20\nships; and against him stood Svein the son of Hakon, in whose division\nwas Skegge of Yrjar at Uphaug, and Rognvald of Aervik at Stad, with 60\nships. It is told in the Eirik's lay thus:--\n \"The bonde's ships along the coast\n Sailed on to meet the foemen's host;\n The stout earl's ships, with eagle flight,\n Rushed on the Danes in bloody fight.\n The Danish ships, of court-men full,\n Were cleared of men,--and many a hull\n Was driving empty on the main,\n With the warm corpses of the slain.\"\nEyvind Skaldaspiller says also in the \"Haleygja-tal\":--\n \"Twas at the peep of day,--\n Our brave earl led the way;\n His ocean horses bounding--\n His war-horns loudly sounding!\n No joyful morn arose\n For Yngve Frey's base foes\n These Christian island-men\n Wished themselves home again.\"\nThen the fleets came together, and one of the sharpest of conflicts\nbegan. Many fell on both sides, but the most by far on Hakon's side; for\nthe Jomsborg vikings fought desperately, sharply, and murderously, and\nshot right through the shields. So many spears were thrown against Earl\nHakon that his armour was altogether split asunder, and he threw it off.\nSo says Tind Halkelson:--\n \"The ring-linked coat of strongest mail\n Could not withstand the iron hail,\n Though sewed with care and elbow bent,\n By Norn (1), on its strength intent.\n The fire of battle raged around,--\n Odin's steel shirt flew all unbound!\n The earl his ring-mail from him flung,\n Its steel rings on the wet deck rung;\n Part of it fell into the sea,--\n A part was kept, a proof to be\n How sharp and thick the arrow-flight\n Among the sea-steeds in this fight.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) Norn, one of the Fates, stands here for women, whose\n business it was to sew the rings of iron upon the cloth\n which made these ring-mail coats or shirts. The needles,\n although some of them were of gold, appear to have been\n without eyes, and used like shoemaker's awls.--L.\n44. EARL SIGVALDE'S FLIGHT.\nThe Jomsborg vikings had larger and higher-sided ships; and both parties\nfought desperately. Vagn Akason laid his ship on board of Svein Earl\nHakon's son's ship, and Svein allowed his ship to give way, and was\non the point of flying. Then Earl Eirik came up, and laid his ship\nalongside of Vagn, and then Vagn gave way, and the ships came to lie\nin the same position as before. Thereupon Eirik goes to the other wing,\nwhich had gone back a little, and Bue had cut the ropes, intending to\npursue them. Then Eirik laid himself, board to board, alongside of\nBue's ship, and there was a severe combat hand to hand. Two or three\nof Eirik's ships then laid themselves upon Bue's single vessel. A\nthunder-storm came on at this moment, and such a heavy hail-storm that\nevery hailstone weighed a pennyweight. The Earl Sigvalde cut his cable,\nturned his ship round, and took flight. Vagn Akason called to him not to\nfly; but as Earl Sigvalde paid no attention to what he said, Vagn threw\nhis spear at him, and hit the man at the helm. Earl Sigvalde rowed away\nwith 35 ships, leaving 25 of his fleet behind.\n45. BUE THROWS HIMSELF OVERBOARD.\nThen Earl Hakon laid his ship on the other side of Bue's ship, and now\ncame heavy blows on Bue's men. Vigfus, a son of Vigaglum, took up an\nanvil with a sharp end, which lay upon the deck, and on which a man had\nwelded the hilt to his sword just before, and being a very strong man\ncast the anvil with both hands at the head of Aslak Holmskalle, and the\nend of it went into his brains. Before this no weapon could wound this\nAslak, who was Bue's foster-brother, and forecastle commander, although\nhe could wound right and left. Another man among the strongest and\nbravest was Havard Hoggande. In this attack Eirik's men boarded Bue's\nship, and went aft to the quarter-deck where Bue stood. There Thorstein\nMidlang cut at Bue across his nose, so that the nosepiece of his helmet\nwas cut in two, and he got a great wound; but Bue, in turn, cut at\nThorstein's side, so that the sword cut the man through. Then Bue lifted\nup two chests full of gold, and called aloud, \"Overboard all Bue s men,\"\nand threw himself overboard with his two chests. Many of his people\nsprang overboard with him. Some fell in the ship, for it was of no\nuse to call for quarter. Bue's ship was cleared of people from stem to\nstern, and afterwards all the others, the one after the other.\n46. VIKINGS BOUND TOGETHER IN ONE CHAIN.\nEarl Eirik then laid himself alongside of Vagn's ship, and there was\na brave defence; but at last this ship too was cleared, and Vagn and\nthirty men were taken prisoners, and bound, and brought to land. Then\ncame up Thorkel Leira, and said, \"Thou madest a solemn vow, Vagn, to\nkill me, but now it seems more likely that I will kill thee.\" Vagn and\nhis men sat all upon a log of wood together. Thorkel had an axe in his\nhands, with which he cut at him who sat outmost on the log. Vagn and the\nother prisoners were bound so that a rope was fastened on their feet,\nbut they had their hands free. One of them said, \"I will stick this\ncloak-pin that I have in my hand into the earth, if it be so that I\nknow anything, after my head is cut off.\" His head was cut off, but the\ncloak-pin fell from his hand. There sat also a very handsome man with\nlong hair, who twisted his hair over his head, put out his neck, and\nsaid, \"Don't make my hair bloody.\" A man took the hair in his hands and\nheld it fast. Thorkel hewed with his axe; but the viking twitched his\nhead so strongly that he who was holding his hair fell forwards, and the\naxe cut off both his hands, and stuck fast in the earth. Then Earl Eirik\ncame up, and asked, \"Who is that handsome man?\"\nHe replies, \"I am called Sigurd, and am Bue's son. But are all the\nJomsborg vikings dead?\"\nEirik says, \"Thou art certainly Boe's son. Wilt thou now take life and\npeace?\"\n\"That depends,\" says he, \"upon who it is that offers it.\"\n\"He offers who has the power to do it--Earl Eirik.\"\n\"That will I,\" says he, \"from his hands.\" And now the rope was loosened\nfrom him.\nThen said Thorkel Leira, \"Although thou should give all these men life\nand peace, earl, Vagn Akason shall never come from this with life.\" And\nhe ran at him with uplifted axe; but the viking Skarde swung himself\nin the rope, and let himself fall just before Thorkel's feet, so that\nThorkel \nell over him, and Vagn caught the axe and gave Thorkel a\ndeath-wound. Then said the earl, \"Vagn, wilt thou accept life?\"\n\"That I will,\" says he, \"if you give it to all of us.\"\n\"Loose them from the rope,\" said the earl, and it was done. Eighteen\nwere killed, and twelve got their lives.\n47. DEATH OF GISSUR OF VALDERS.\nEarl Hakon, and many with him, were sitting upon a piece of wood, and\na bow-string twanged from Bue's ship, and the arrow struck Gissur from\nValders, who was sitting next the earl, and was clothed splendidly.\nThereupon the people went on board, and found Havard Hoggande standing\non his knees at the ship's railing, for his feet had been cut off (1),\nand he had a bow in his hand. When they came on board the ship Havard\nasked, \"Who fell by that shaft?\"\nThey answered, \"A man called Gissur.\"\n\"Then my luck was less than I thought,\" said he.\n\"Great enough was the misfortune,\" replied they; \"but thou shalt not\nmake it greater.\" And they killed him on the spot.\nThe dead were then ransacked, and the booty brought all together to be\ndivided; and there were twenty-five ships of the Jomsborg vikings in the\nbooty. So says Tind:\n \"Many a viking's body lay\n Dead on the deck this bloody day,\n Before they cut their sun-dried ropes,\n And in quick flight put all their hopes.\n He whom the ravens know afar\n Cleared five-and-twenty ships of war:\n A proof that in the furious fight\n None can withstand the Norsemen's might.\"\nThen the army dispersed. Earl Hakon went to Throndhjem, and was much\ndispleased that Earl Eirik had given quarter to Vagn Akason. It was said\nthat at this battle Earl Hakon had sacrificed for victory his son, young\nErling, to the gods; and instantly came the hailstorm, and the defeat\nand slaughter of the Jomsborg vikings.\nEarl Eirik went to the Uplands, and eastward by that route to his\nown kingdom, taking Vagn Akason with him. Earl Eirik married Vagn to\nIngebjorg, a daughter of Thorkel Leira, and gave him a good ship of\nwar and all belonging to it, and a crew; and they parted the best of\nfriends. Then Vagn went home south to Denmark, and became afterwards\na man of great consideration, and many great people are descended from\nhim.\n ENDNOTES: (1) This traditionary tale of a warrior fighting on his knees\n after his legs were cut off, appears to have been a popular\n idea among the Northmen, and is related by their descendants\n in the ballad o\n Chevy Chase.--L.\n48. KING HARALD GRENSKE'S DEATH.\nHarald Grenske, as before related, was king in Vestfold, and was married\nto Asta, a daughter of Gudbrand Kula. One summer (A.D. 994) Harald\nGrenske made an expedition to the Baltic to gather property, and he\ncame to Svithjod. Olaf the Swede was king there, a son of Eirik the\nVictorious, and Sigrid, a daughter of Skoglartoste. Sigrid was then a\nwidow, and had many and great estates in Svithjod. When she heard that\nher foster-brother was come to the country a short distance from her,\nshe sent men to him to invite him to a feast. He did not neglect the\ninvitation, but came to her with a great attendance of his followers,\nand was received in the most friendly way. He and the queen sat in the\nhigh-seat, and drank together towards the evening, and all his men were\nentertained in the most hospitable manner. At night, when the king went\nto rest, a bed was put up for him with a hanging of fine linen around\nit, and with costly bedclothes; but in the lodging-house there were few\nmen. When the king was undressed, and had gone to bed, the queen came\nto him, filled a bowl herself for him to drink, and was very gay, and\npressed to drink. The king was drunk above measure, and, indeed, so were\nthey both. Then he slept, and the queen went away, and laid herself down\nalso. Sigrid was a woman of the greatest understanding, and clever\nin many things. In the morning there was also the most excellent\nentertainment; but then it went on as usual when people have drunk too\nmuch, that next day they take care not to exceed. The queen was very\ngay, and she and the king talked of many things with each other; among\nother things she valued her property, and the dominions she had in\nSvithjod, as nothing less than his property in Norway. With that\nobservation the king was nowise pleased, and he found no pleasure in\nanything after that, but made himself ready for his journey in an ill\nhumor. On the other hand, the queen was remarkably gay, and made him\nmany presents, and followed him out to the road. Now Harald returned\nabout harvest to Norway, and was at home all winter; but was very silent\nand cast down. In summer he went once more to the Baltic with his ships,\nand steered to Svithjod. He sent a message to Queen Sigrid that he\nwished to have a meeting with her and she rode down to meet him. They\ntalked together and he soon brought out the proposal that she should\nmarry him. She replied, that this was foolish talk for him, who was so\nwell married already that he might think himself well off. Harald says,\n\"Asta is a good and clever woman; but she is not so well born as I am.\"\nSigrid replies, \"It may be that thou art of higher birth, but I think\nshe is now pregnant with both your fortunes.\" They exchanged but few\nwords more before the queen rode away. King Harald was now depressed in\nmind, and prepared himself again to ride up the country to meet Queen\nSigrid. Many of his people dissuaded him; but nevertheless he set off\nwith a great attendance, and came to the house in which the queen dwelt.\nThe same evening came another king, called Vissavald, from Gardarike\n(Russia), likewise to pay his addresses to Queen Sigrid. Lodging was\ngiven to both the kings, and to all their people, in a great old room\nof an out-building, and all the furniture was of the same character; but\nthere was no want of drink in the evening, and that so strong that all\nwere drunk, and the watch, both inside and outside, fell fast asleep.\nThen Queen Sigrid ordered an attack on them in the night, both with fire\nand sword. The house was burnt, with all who were in it and those who\nslipped out were put to the sword. Sigrid said that she would make these\nsmall kings tired of coming to court her. She was afterwards called\nSigrid the Haughty (Storrada).\n49. BIRTH OF OLAF, SON OF HARALD GRENSKE.\nThis happened the winter after the battle of the Jomsborg vikings at\nHjorungavag. When Harald went up the country after Sigrid, he left Hrane\nbehind with the ships to look after the men. Now when Hrane heard that\nHarald was cut off, he returned to Norway the shortest way he could, and\ntold the news. He repaired first to Asta, and related to her all that\nhad happened on the journey, and also on what errand Harald had visited\nQueen Sigrid. When Asta got these tidings she set off directly to her\nfather in the Uplands, who received her well; but both were enraged at\nthe design which had been laid in Svithjod, and that King Harald had\nintended to set her in a single condition. In summer (A.D. 995) Asta,\nGudbrand's daughter, was confined, and had a boy child, who had water\npoured over him, and was called Olaf. Hrane himself poured water over\nhim, and the child was brought up at first in the house of Gudbrand and\nhis mother Asta.\n50. ABOUT EARL HAKON.\nEarl Hakon ruled over the whole outer part of Norway that lies on the\nsea, and had thus sixteen districts under his sway. The arrangement\nintroduced by Harald Harfager, that there should be an earl in each\ndistrict, was afterward continued for a long time; and thus Earl Hakon\nhad sixteen earls under him. So says the \"Vellekla\":--\n \"Who before has ever known\n Sixteen earls subdued by one?\n Who has seen all Norway's land\n Conquered by one brave hero's hand?\n It will be long in memory held,\n How Hakon ruled by sword and shield.\n When tales at the viking's mast go round,\n His praise will every mouth resound.\"\nWhile Earl Hakon ruled over Norway there were good crops in the land,\nand peace was well preserved in the country among the bondes. The Earl,\nfor the greater part of his lifetime, was therefore much beloved by the\nbondes; but it happened, in the longer course of time, that the earl\nbecame very intemperate in his intercourse with women, and even carried\nit so far that he made the daughters of people of consideration be\ncarried away and brought home to him; and after keeping them a week\nor two as concubines, he sent them home. He drew upon himself the\nindignation of me relations of these girls; and the bondes began to\nmurmur loudly, as the Throndhjem people have the custom of doing when\nanything goes against their judgment.\n51. THORER KLAKKA'S JOURNEY.\nEarl Hakon, in the mean time, hears some whisper that to the westward,\nover the Nor\nh sea, was a man called Ole, who was looked upon as a king.\nFrom the conversation of some people, he fell upon the suspicion that he\nmust be of the royal race of Norway. It was, indeed, said that this Ole\nwas from Russia; but the earl had heard that Trygve Olafson had had a\nson called Olaf, who in his infancy had gone east to Gardarike, and had\nbeen brought up by King Valdemar. The earl had carefully inquired about\nthis man, and had his suspicion that he must be the same person who had\nnow come to these western countries. The earl had a very good friend\ncalled Thorer Klakka, who had been long upon viking expeditions,\nsometimes also upon merchant voyages; so that he was well acquainted all\naround. This Thorer Earl Hakon sends over the North sea, and told him to\nmake a merchant voyage to Dublin, many were in the habit of doing, and\ncarefully to discover who this Ole was. Provided he got any certainty\nthat he was Olaf Trygvason, or any other of the Norwegian royal race,\nthen Thorer should endeavor to ensnare him by some deceit, and bring him\ninto the earl's power.\n52. OLAF TRYGVASON COMES TO NORWAY.\nOn this Thorer sails westward to Ireland, and hears that Ole is in\nDublin with his wife's father King Olaf Kvaran. Thorer, who was a\nplausible man, immediately got acquainted with Ole; and as they often\nmet, and had long conversations together, Ole began to inquire\nabout news from Norway, and above all of the Upland kings and great\npeople,--which of them were in life, and what dominations they now had.\nHe asked also about Earl Hakon, and if he was much liked in the country.\nThorer replies, that the earl is such a powerful man that no one dares\nto speak otherwise than he would like; but that comes from there being\nnobody else in the country to look to. \"Yet, to say the truth, I know\nit to be the mind of many brave men, and of whole communities, that\nthey would much rather see a king of Harald Harfager's race come to the\nkingdom. But we know of no one suited for this, especially now that it\nis proved how vain every attack on Earl Hakon must be.\" As they often\ntalked together in the same strain, Olaf disclosed to Thorer his name\nand family, and asked him his opinion, and whether he thought the bondes\nwould take him for their king if he were to appear in Norway. Thorer\nencouraged him very eagerly to the enterprise, and praised him and his\ntalents highly. Then Olaf's inclination to go to the heritage of his\nancestors became strong. Olaf sailed accordingly, accompanied by Thorer,\nwith five ships; first to the Hebrides, and from thence to the Orkneys.\nAt that time Earl Sigurd, Hlodver's son, lay in Osmundswall, in the\nisland South Ronaldsa, with a ship of war, on his way to Caithness. Just\nat the same time Olaf was sailing with his fleet from the westward to\nthe islands, and ran into the same harbour, because Pentland Firth was\nnot to be passed at that tide. When the king was informed that the earl\nwas there, he made him be called; and when the earl came on board to\nspeak with the king, after a few words only had passed between them, the\nking says the earl must allow himself to be baptized, and all the people\nof the country also, or he should be put to death directly; and he\nassured the earl he would lay waste the islands with fire and sword, if\nthe people did not adopt Christianity. In the position the earl found\nhimself, he preferred becoming Christian, and he and all who were with\nhim were baptized. Afterwards the earl took an oath to the king, went\ninto his service, and gave him his son, whose name was Hvelp (Whelp), or\nHunde (Dog), as an hostage; and the king took Hvelp to Norway with him.\nThereafter Olaf went out to sea to the eastward, and made the land at\nMorster Island, where he first touched the ground of Norway. He had\nhigh mass sung in a tent, and afterwards on the spot a church was built.\nThorer Klakka said now to the king, that the best plan for him would\nbe not to make it known who he was, or to let any report about him get\nabroad; but to seek out Earl Hakon as fast as possible and fall upon\nhim by surprise. King Olaf did so, sailing northward day and night, when\nwind permitted, and did not let the people of the country know who it\nwas that was sailing in such haste. When he came north to Agdanes,\nhe heard that the earl was in the fjord, and was in discord with the\nbondes. On hearing this, Thorer saw that things were going in a very\ndifferent way from what he expected; for after the battle with the\nJomsborg vikings all men in Norway were the most sincere friends of\nthe earl on account of the victory he had gained, and of the peace and\nsecurity he had given to the country; and now it unfortunately turns out\nthat a great chief has come to the country at a time when the bondes are\nin arms against the earl.\n53. EARL HAKON'S FLIGHT.\nEarl Hakon was at a feast in Medalhus in Gaulardal and his ships lay out\nby Viggja. There was a powerful bonde, by name Orm Lyrgja, who dwelt in\nBunes, who had a wife called Gudrun, a daughter of Bergthor of Lundar.\nShe was called the Lundasol; for she was the most-beautiful of women.\nThe earl sent his slaves to Orm, with the errand that they should bring\nOrm's wife, Gudrun, to the earl. The thralls tell their errand, and\nOrm bids them first seat themselves to supper; but before they had done\neating, many people from the neighbourhood, to whom Orm had sent notice,\nhad gathered together: and now Orm declared he would not send Gudrun\nwith the messengers. Gudrun told the thralls to tell the earl that she\nwould not come to him, unless he sent Thora of Rimul after her. Thora\nwas a woman of great influence, and one of the earl's best beloved. The\nthralls say that they will come another time, and both the bonde and his\nwife would be made to repent of it; and they departed with many threats.\nOrm, on the other hand, sent out a message-token to all the neighbouring\ncountry, and with it the message to attack Earl Hakon with weapons and\nkill him. He sent also a message to Haldor in Skerdingsstedja, who also\nsent out his message-token. A short time before, the earl had taken away\nthe wife of a man called Brynjolf, and there had very nearly been\nan insurrection about that business. Having now again got this\nmessage-token, the people made a general revolt, and set out all to\nMedalhus. When the earl heard of this, he left the house with his\nfollowers, and concealed himself in a deep glen, now called Jarlsdal\n(Earl's Dale). Later in the day, the earl got news of the bondes' army.\nThey had beset all the roads; but believed the earl had escaped to his\nships, which his son Erlend, a remarkably handsome and hopeful young\nman, had the command of. When night came the earl dispersed his people,\nand ordered them to go through the forest roads into Orkadal; \"for\nnobody will molest you,\" said he, \"when I am not with you. Send a\nmessage to Erlend to sail out of the fjord, and meet me in More. In the\nmean time I will conceal myself from the bondes.\" Then the earl went his\nway with one thrall or slave, called Kark, attending him. There was ice\nupon the Gaul (the river of Gaulardal), and the earl drove his horse\nupon it, and left his coat lying upon the ice. They then went to a hole,\nsince called Jarlshella (the Earl's Hole), where they slept. When Kark\nawoke he told his dream,--that a black threatening mad had come into the\nhole, and was angry that people should have entered it; and that the\nman had said, \"Ulle is dead.\" The earl said that his son Erlend must be\nkilled. Kark slept again and was again disturbed in his sleep; and when\nhe awoke he told his dream,--that the same man had again appeared to\nhim, and bade him tell the earl that all the sounds were closed. From\nthis dream the earl began to suspect that it betokened a short life to\nhim. They stood up, and went to the house of Rimul. The earl now sends\nKark to Thora, and begs of her to come secretly to him. She did so and\nreceived the earl kindly and he begged her to conceal him for a few\nnights until the army of the bondes had dispersed. \"Here about my\nhouse,\" said she, \"you will be hunted after, both inside and outside;\nfor many know that I would willingly help you if I can. There is but one\nplace about the house where they could never expect to find such a man\nas you, and that is the swine-stye.\" When they came there the earl said,\n\"Well, let it be made ready for us; as to save our life is the first and\nforemost concern.\" The slave dug a great hole in it, bore away the earth\nthat he dug out, and laid wood over it. Thora brought the tidings to\nthe earl that Olaf Trygvason had come from sea into the fjord, and had\nkilled his son Erlend. Then the earl and Kark both went into the hole.\nThora covered it with wood, and threw earth and dung over it, and drove\nthe swine upon the top of it. The swine-style was under a great stone.\n54. ERLEND'S DEATH.\nOlaf Trygvason came from sea into the fjord with five long-ships,\nand Erlend, Hakon's son, rowed towards him with three ships. When the\nvessels came near to each other, Erlend suspected they might be enemies,\nand turned towards the land. When Olaf and his followers saw long-ships\ncoming in haste out of the fjord, and rowing towards them, they thought\nEarl Hakon must be here; and they put out all oars to follow them.\nAs soon as Erlend and his ships got near the land they rowed aground\ninstantly, jumped overboard, and took to the land; but at the same\ninstant Olaf's ship came up with them. Olaf saw a remarkably handsome\nman swimming in the water, and laid hold of a tiller and threw it at\nhim. The tiller struck Erlend, the son of Hakon the earl, on the head,\nand clove it to the brain; and there left Erlend his life. Olaf and his\npeople killed many; but some escaped, and some were made prisoners, and\ngot life and freedom that they might go and tell what had happened. They\nlearned then that the bondes had driven away Earl Hakon, and that he had\nfled, and his troops were all dispersed.\n55. EARL HAKON'S DEATH.\nThe bondes then met Olaf, to the joy of both, and they made an agreement\ntogether. The bondes took Olaf to be their king, and resolved, one and\nall, to seek out Earl Hakon. They went up Gaulardal; for it seemed to\nthem likely that if the earl was concealed in any house it must be at\nRimul, for Thora was his dearest friend in that valley. They come up,\ntherefore, and search everywhere, outside and inside the house, but\ncould not find him. Then Olaf held a House Thing (trusting), or council\nout in the yard, and stood upon a great stone which lay beside the\nswine-stye, and made a speech to the people, in which he promised to\nenrich the man with rewards and honours who should kill the earl. This\nspeech was heard by the earl and the thrall Kark. They had a light in\ntheir room.\n\"Why art thou so pale,\" says the earl, \"and now again black as earth?\nThou hast not the intention to betray me?\"\n\"By no means,\" replies Kark.\n\"We were born on the same night,\" says the earl, \"and the time will be\nshort between our deaths.\"\nKing Olaf went away in the evening. When night came the earl kept\nhimself awake but Kark slept, and was disturbed in his sleep. The earl\nwoke him, and asked him \"what he was dreaming of?\"\nHe answered, \"I was at Hlader and Olaf Trygvason was laying a gold ring\nabout my neck.\"\nThe earl says, \"It will be a red ring Olaf will lay about thy neck if\nhe catches thee. Take care of that! From me thou shalt enjoy all that is\ngood, therefore betray me not.\"\nThey then kept themselves awake both; the one, as it were, watching upon\nthe other. But towards day the earl suddenly dropped asleep; but his\nsleep was so unquiet that he drew his heels under him, and raised his\nneck, as if going to rise, and screamed dreadfully high. On this Kark,\ndreadfully alarmed, drew a large knife out of his belt, stuck it in the\nearl's throat, and cut it across, and killed Earl Hakon. Then Kark cut\noff the earl's head, and ran away. Late in the day he came to Hlader,\nwhere he delivered the earl's head to King Olaf, and told all these\ncircumstances of his own and Earl Hakon's doings. Olaf had him taken out\nand beheaded.\n56. EARL HAKON'S HEAD.\nKing Olaf, and a vast number of bondes with him, then went out to\nNidarholm, and had with him the heads of Earl Hakon and Kark. This holm\nwas used then for a place of execution of thieves and ill-doers, and\nthere stood a gallows on it. He had the heads of the earl and of Kark\nhung upon it, and the whole army of the bondes cast stones at them,\nscreaming and shouting that the one worthless fellow had followed the\nother. They then sent up to Gaulardal for the earl's dead body. So great\nwas the enmity of the Throndhjem people against Earl Hakon, that no man\ncould venture to call him by any other name than Hakon the Bad; and he\nwas so called long after those days. Yet, sooth to say of Earl Hakon,\nhe was in many respects fitted to be a chief: first, because he was\ndescended from a high race; then because he had understanding and\nknowledge to direct a government; also manly courage in battle to\ngain victories, and good luck in killing his enemies. So says Thorleif\nRaudfeldson:--\n \"In Norway's land was never known\n A braver earl than the brave Hakon.\n At sea, beneath the clear moon's light,\n No braver man e'er sought to fight.\n Nine kings to Odin's wide domain\n Were sent, by Hakon's right hand slain!\n So well the raven-flocks were fed--\n So well the wolves were filled with dead!\"\nEarl Hakon was very generous; but the greatest misfortunes attended even\nsuch a chief at the end of his days: and the great cause of this was\nthat the time was come when heathen sacrifices and idolatrous worship\nwere doomed to fall, and the holy faith and good customs to come in\ntheir place.\n57. OLAF TRYGVASON ELECTED KING.\nOlaf Trvgvason was chosen at Throndhjem by the General Thing to be the\nking over the whole country, as Harald Harfager had been. The whole\npublic and the people throughout all the land would listen to nothing\nelse than that Olaf Trygvason should be king. Then Olaf went round the\nwhole country, and brought it under his rule, and all the people of\nNorway gave in their submission; and also the chiefs in the Uplands and\nin Viken, who before had held their lands as fiefs from the Danish king,\nnow became King Olaf's men, and held their hands from him. He went thus\nthrough the whole country during the first winter (A.D. 996) and the\nfollowing summer. Earl Eirik, the son of Earl Hakon, his brother Svein,\nand their friends and relations, fled out of the country, and went east\nto Sweden to King Olaf the Swede, who gave them a good reception. So\nsays Thord Kolbeinson:--\n \"O thou whom bad men drove away,\n After the bondes by foul play,\n Took Hakon's life! Fate will pursue\n These bloody wolves, and make them rue.\n When the host came from out the West,\n Like some tall stately war-ship's mast,\n I saw the son of Trygve stand,\n Surveying proud his native land.\"\nAnd again,--\n \"Eirik has more upon his mind,\n Against the new Norse king designed,\n Than by his words he seems to show--\n And truly it may well be so.\n Stubborn and stiff are Throndhjem men,\n But Throndhjem's earl may come again;\n In Swedish land he knows no rest--\n Fierce wrath is gathering in his breast.\"\n58. LODIN'S MARRIAGE\nLodin was the name of a man from Viken who was rich and of good family.\nHe went often on merchant voyages, and sometimes on viking cruises.\nIt happened one summer that he went on a merchant voyage with much\nmerchandise in a ship of his own. He directed his course first to\nEistland, and was there at a market in summer. To the place at which the\nmarket was held many merchant goods were brought, and also many thralls\nor slaves for sale. There Lodin saw a woman who was to be sold as a\nslave: and on looking at her he knew her to be Astrid Eirik's daughter,\nwho had been married to King Trygve. But now she was altogether unlike\nwhat she had been when he last saw her; for now she was pale, meagre in\ncountenance, and ill clad. He went up to her, and asked her how matters\nstood with her. She replied, \"It is heavy to be told; for I have been\nsold as a slave, and now again I am brought here for sale.\" After\nspeaking together a little Astrid knew him, and begged him to buy her;\nand bring her home to her friends. \"On this condition,\" said he, \"I will\nbring thee home tn Norway, that thou wilt marry me.\" Now as Astrid stood\nin great need, and moreover knew that Lodin was a man of high birth,\nrich, and brave, she promised to do so for her ransom. Lodin accordingly\nbought Astrid, took her home to Norway with him, and married her with\nher friends' consent. Their children were Thorkel Nefia, Ingerid, and\nIngegerd. Ingebjorg and Astrid were daughters of Astrid by King Trygve.\nEirik Bjodaskalle's sons were Sigird, Karlshofud, Jostein, and Thorkel\nDydril, who were all rich and brave people who had estates east in\nthe country. In Viken in the east dwelt two brothers, rich and of good\ndescent; one called Thorgeir, and the other Hyrning; and they married\nLodin and Astrid's daughters, Ingerid and Ingegerd.\n59. OLAF BAPTIZES THE COUNTRY OF VIKEN.\nWhen Harald Gormson, king of Denmark, had adopted Christianity, he sent\na message over all his kingdom that all people should be baptized, and\nconverted to the true faith. He himself followed his message, and used\npower and violence where nothing else would do. He sent two earls,\nUrguthrjot and Brimilskjar, with many people to Norway, to proclaim\nChristianity there. In Viken, which stood directly under the king's\npower, this succeeded, and many were baptized of the country folk. But\nwhen Svein Forked-beard, immediately after his father King Harald's\ndeath, went out on war expeditions in Saxland, Frisland, and at last\nin England, the Northmen who had taken up Christianity returned back to\nheathen sacrifices, just as before; and the people in the north of the\ncountry did the same. But now that Olaf Trygvason was king of Norway, he\nremained long during the summer (A.D. 996) in Viken, where many of his\nrelatives and some of his brothers-in-law were settled, and also many\nwho had been great friends of his father; so that he was received with\nthe greatest affection. Olaf called together his mother's brothers, his\nstepfather Lodin, and his brothers-in-law Thorgeir and Hyrning, to speak\nwith them, and to disclose with the greatest care the business which he\ndesired they themselves should approve of, and support with all their\npower; namely, the proclaiming Christianity over all his kingdom. He\nwould, he declared, either bring it to this, that all Norway should be\nChristian, or die. \"I shall make you all,\" said he, \"great and mighty\nmen in promoting this work; for I trust to you most, as blood relations\nor brothers-in-law.\" All agreed to do what he asked, and to follow him\nin what he desired. King Olaf immediately made it known to the public\nthat he recommended Christianity to all the people in his kingdom, which\nmessage was well received and approved of by those who had before given\nhim their promise; and these being the most powerful among the people\nassembled, the others followed their example, and all the inhabitants of\nthe east part of Viken allowed themselves to be baptized. The king\nthen went to the north part of Viken and invited every man to accept\nChristianity; and those who opposed him he punished severely, killing\nsome, mutilating others, and driving some into banishment. At length he\nbrought it so far, that all the kingdom which his father King Trvgve had\nruled over, and also that of his relation Harald Grenske, accepted of\nChristianity; and during that summer (A.D. 996) and the following winter\n(A.D. 997) all Viken was made Christian.\n60. OF THE HORDALAND PEOPLE.\nEarly in spring (A.D. 997) King Olaf set out from Viken with a great\nforce northwards to Agder, and proclaimed that every man should be\nbaptized. And thus the people received Christianity, for nobody dared\noppose the king's will, wheresoever he came. In Hordaland, however, were\nmany bold and great men of Hordakare's race. He, namely, had left four\nsons,--the first Thorleif Spake; the second, Ogmund, father of Thorolf\nSkialg, who was father of Erling of Sole; the third was Thord father of\nthe Herse Klyp who killed King Sigurd Slefa, Gunhild's son; and lastly,\nOlmod, father of Askel, whose son was Aslak Fitjaskalle; and that family\nbranch was the greatest and most considered in Hordaland. Now when this\nfamily heard the bad tidings, that the king was coming along the country\nfrom the eastward with a great force, and was breaking the ancient law\nof the people, and imposing punishment and hard conditions on all who\nopposed him, the relatives appointed a meeting to take counsel with each\nother, for they knew the king would come down upon them at once: and\nthey all resolved to appear in force at the Gula-Thing, there to hold a\nconference with King Olaf Trygvason.\n61. ROGALAND BAPTIZED.\nWhen King Olaf came to Rogaland, he immediately summoned the people to a\nThing; and when the bondes received the message-token for a Thing, they\nassembled in great numbers well armed. After they had come together,\nthey resolved to choose three men, the best speakers of the whole, who\nshould answer King Olaf, and argue with the king; and especially should\ndecline to accept of anything against the old law, even if the king\nshould require it of them. Now when the bondes came to the Thing, and\nthe Thing was formed, King Olaf arose, and at first spoke good-humoredly\nto the people; but they observed he wanted them to accept Christianity,\nwith all his fine words: and in the conclusion he let them know that\nthose who should speak against him, and not submit to his proposal, must\nexpect his displeasure and punishment, and all the ill that it was in\nhis power to inflict. When he had ended his speech, one of the bondes\nstood up, who was considered the most eloquent, and who had been chosen\nas the first who should reply to King Olaf. But when he would begin to\nspeak such a cough seized him, and such a difficulty of breathing, that\nhe could not bring out a word, and had to sit down again. Then another\nbonde stood up, resolved not to let an answer be wanting, although it\nhad gone so ill with the former: but he stammered so that he could not\nget a word uttered, and all present set up a laughter, amid which\nthe bonde sat down again. And now the third stood up to make a speech\nagainst King Olaf's; but when he began he became so hoarse and husky in\nhis throat, that nobody could hear a word he said, and he also had to\nsit down. There was none of the bondes now to speak against the king,\nand as nobody answered him there was no opposition; and it came to this,\nthat all agreed to what the king had proposed. All the people of the\nThing accordingly were baptized before the Thing was dissolved.\n62. ERLING SKJALGSON'S WOOING.\nKing Olaf went with his men-at-arms to the Gula-Thing; for the bondes\nhad sent him word that they would reply there to his speech. When\nboth parties had come to the Thing, the king desired first to have a\nconference with the chief people of the country; and when the meeting\nwas numerous the king set forth his errand,--that he desired them,\naccording to his proposal, to allow themselves to be baptized. Then said\nOlmod the Old, \"We relations have considered together this matter, and\nhave come to one resolution. If thou thinkest, king, to force us who are\nrelated together to such things as to break our old law, or to bring us\nunder thyself by any sort of violence, then will we stand against thee\nwith all our might: and be the victory to him to whom fate ordains it.\nBut if thou, king, wilt advance our relations' fortunes, then thou shalt\nhave leave to do as thou desirest, and we will all serve thee with zeal\nin thy purpose.\"\nThe king replies, \"What do you propose for obtaining this agreement?\"\nThen answers Olmod, \"The first is, that thou wilt give thy sister Astrid\nin marriage to Erling Skjalgson, our relation, whom we look upon as the\nmost hopeful young man in all Norway.\"\nKing Olaf replied, that this marriage appeared to him also very\nsuitable; \"as Erling is a man of good birth, and a good-looking man in\nappearance: but Astrid herself must answer to this proposal.\"\nThereupon the king spoke to his sister. She said, \"It is but of little\nuse that I am a king's sister, and a king's daughter, if I must marry\na man who has no high dignity or office. I will rather wait a few years\nfor a better match.\" Thus ended this conference.\n63. HORDALAND BAPTIZED.\nKing Olaf took a falcon that belonged to Astrid, plucked off all its\nfeathers, and then sent it to her. Then said Astrid, \"Angry is my\nbrother.\" And she stood up, and went to the king, who received her\nkindly, and she said that she left it to the king to determine her\nmarriage. \"I think,\" said the king, \"that I must have power enough in\nthis land to raise any man I please to high dignity.\" Then the king\nordered Olmod and Erling to be called to a conference, and all their\nrelations; and the marriage was determined upon, and Astrid betrothed to\nErling. Thereafter the king held the Thing, and recommended Christianity\nto the bondes; and as Olmod, and Erling, and all their relations, took\nupon themselves the most active part in forwarding the king's desire,\nnobody dared to speak against it; and all the people were baptized, and\nadopted Christianity.\n64. ERLING SKJALGSON'S WEDDING.\nErling Skjalgson had his wedding in summer, and a great many people\nwere assembled at it. King Olaf was also there, and offered Erling an\nearldom. Erling replied thus: \"All my relations have been herses only,\nand I will take no higher title than they have; but this I will accept\nfrom thee, king, that thou makest me the greatest of that title in the\ncountry.\" The king consented; and at his departure the king invested\nhis brother-in law Erling with all the land north of the Sognefjord, and\neast to the Lidandisnes, on the same terms as Harald Harfager had given\nland to his sons, as before related.\n65. RAUMSDAL AND FJORD-DISTRICTS BAPTIZED.\nThe same harvest King Olaf summoned the bondes to a Thing of the four\ndistricts at Dragseid, in Stad: and there the people from Sogn, the\nFjord-districts, South More, and Raumsdal, were summoned to meet. King\nOlaf came there with a great many people who had followed him from\nthe eastward, and also with those who had joined him from Rogaland and\nHordaland. When the king came to the Thing, he proposed to them there,\nas elsewhere, Christianity; and as the king had such a powerful\nhost with him, they were frightened. The king offered them two\nconditions,--either to accept Christianity, or to fight. But the\nbondes saw they were in no condition to fight the king, and resolved,\ntherefore, that all the people should agree to be baptized. The king\nproceeded afterwards to North More, and baptized all that district. He\nthen sailed to Hlader, in Throndhjem; had the temple there razed to the\nground; took all the ornaments and all property out of the temple, and\nfrom the gods in it; and among other things the great gold ring which\nEarl Hakon had ordered to be made, and which hung in the door of the\ntemple; and then had the temple burnt. But when the bondes heard of\nthis, they sent out a war-arrow as a token through the whole district,\nordering out a warlike force, and intended to meet the king with it. In\nthe meantime King Olaf sailed with a war force out of the fjord along\nthe coast northward, intending to proceed to Halogaland, and baptize\nthere. When he came north to Bjarnaurar, he heard from Halogaland that\na force was assembled there to defend the country against the king. The\nchiefs of this force were Harek of Thjotta, Thorer Hjort from Vagar,\nand Eyvind Kinrifa. Now when King Olaf heard this, he turned about\nand sailed southwards along the land; and when he got south of Stad\nproceeded at his leisure, and came early in winter (A.D. 998) all the\nway east to Viken.\n66. OLAF PROPOSES MARRIAGE TO QUEEN SIGRID.\nQueen Sigrid in Svithjod, who had for surname the Haughty, sat in her\nmansion, and during the same winter messengers went between King Olaf\nand Sigrid to propose his courtship to her, and she had no objection;\nand the matter was fully and fast resolved upon. Thereupon King Olaf\nsent to Queen Sigrid the great gold ring he had taken from the temple\ndoor of Hlader, which was considered a distinguished ornament. The\nmeeting for concluding the business was appointed to be in spring on the\nfrontier, at the Gaut river. Now the ring which King Olaf had sent Queen\nSigrid was highly prized by all men; yet the queen's gold-smiths,\ntwo brothers, who took the ring in their hands, and weighed it, spoke\nquietly to each other about it, and in a manner that made the queen call\nthem to her, and ask \"what they smiled at?\" But they would not say a\nword, and she commanded them to say what it was they had discovered.\nThen they said the ring is false. Upon this she ordered the ring to be\nbroken into pieces, and it was found to be copper inside. Then the queen\nwas enraged, and said that Olaf would deceive her in more ways than this\none. In the same year (A.D. 998) King Olaf went into Ringenke, and there\nthe people also were baptized.\n67. OLAF HARALDSON BAPTIZED.\nAsta, the daughter of Gudbrand, soon after the fall of Harald Grenske\nmarried again a man who was called Sigurd Syr, who was a king in\nRingerike. Sigurd was a son of Halfdan, and grandson of Sigurd Hrise,\nwho was a son of Harald Harfager. Olaf, the son of Asta and Harald\nGrenske, lived with Asta, and was brought up from childhood in the house\nof his stepfather, Sigurd Syr. Now when King Olaf Trygvason came to\nRingerike to spread Christianity, Sigurd Syr and his wife allowed\nthemselves to be baptized, along with Olaf her son; and Olaf Trygvason\nwas godfather to Olaf, the stepson of Harald Grenske. Olaf was then\nthree years old. Olaf returned from thence to Viken, where he remained\nall winter. He had now been three years king in Norway (A.D. 998).\n68. MEETING OF OLAF AND SIGRID.\nEarly in spring (A.D. 998) King Olaf went eastwards to Konungahella\nto the meeting with Queen Sigrid; and when they met the business was\nconsidered about which the winter before they had held communication,\nnamely, their marriage; and the business seemed likely to be concluded.\nBut when Olaf insisted that Sigrid should let herself be baptized, she\nanswered thus:--\"I must not part from the faith which I have held,\nand my forefathers before me; and, on the other hand, I shall make no\nobjection to your believing in the god that pleases you best.\" Then King\nOlaf was enraged, and answered in a passion, \"Why should I care to have\nthee, an old faded woman, and a heathen jade?\" and therewith struck her\nin the face with his glove which he held in his hands, rose up, and they\nparted. Sigrid said, \"This may some day be thy death.\" The king set off\nto Viken, the queen to Svithjod.\n69. THE BURNING OF WARLOCKS.\nThen the king proceeded to Tunsberg, and held a Thing, at which he\ndeclared in a speech that all the men of whom it should be known to a\ncertainty that they dealt with evil spirits, or in witchcraft, or were\nsorcerers, should be banished forth of the land. Thereafter the king had\nall the neighborhood ransacked after such people, and called them all\nbefore him; and when they were brought to the Thing there was a man\namong them called Eyvind Kelda, a grandson of Ragnvald Rettilbeine,\nHarald Harfager's son. Eyvind was a sorcerer, and particularly knowing\nin witchcraft. The king let all these men be seated in one room, which\nwas well adorned, and made a great feast for them, and gave them strong\ndrink in plenty. Now when they were all very drunk, he ordered the house\nbe set on fire, and it and all the people within it were consumed, all\nbut Eyvind Kelda, who contrived to escape by the smoke-hole in the roof.\nAnd when he had got a long way off, he met some people on the road going\nto the king, and he told them to tell the king that Eyvind Kelda had\nslipped away from the fire, and would never come again in King Olaf's\npower, but would carry on his arts of witchcraft as much as ever. When\nthe people came to the king with such a message from Eyvind, the king\nwas ill pleased that Eyvind had escaped death.\n70. EYVIND KELDA'S DEATH.\nWhen spring (A.D. 998) came King Olaf went out to Viken, and was on\nvisits to his great farms. He sent notice over all Viken that he would\ncall out an army in summer, and proceed to the north parts of the\ncountry. Then he went north to Agder; and when Easter was approaching\nhe took the road to Rogaland with 300 (=360) men, and came on Easter\nevening north to Ogvaldsnes, in Kormt Island, where an Easter feast was\nprepared for him. That same night came Eyvind Kelda to the island with\na well-manned long-ship, of which the whole crew consisted of sorcerers\nand other dealers with evil spirits. Eyvind went from his ship to the\nland with his followers, and there they played many of their pranks of\nwitchcraft. Eyvind clothed them with caps of darkness, and so thick a\nmist that the king and his men could see nothing of them; but when they\ncame near to the house at Ogvaldsnes, it became clear day. Then it went\ndifferently from what Eyvind had intended: for now there came just such\na darkness over him and his comrades in witchcraft as they had made\nbefore, so that they could see no more from their eyes than from the\nback of their heads but went round and round in a circle upon the\nisland. When the king's watchman saw them going about, without knowing\nwhat people these were, they told the king. Thereupon he rose up with\nhis people, put on his clothes, and when he saw Eyvind with his men\nwandering about he ordered his men to arm, and examine what folk these\nwere. The king's men discovered it was Eyvind, took him and all his\ncompany prisoners, and brought them to the king. Eyvind now told all he\nhad done on his journey. Then the king ordered these all to be taken out\nto a skerry which was under water in flood tide, and there to be left\nbound. Eyvind and all with him left their lives on this rock, and the\nskerry is still called Skrattasker.\n71. OLAF AND ODIN'S APPARITION.\nIt is related that once on a time King Olaf was at a feast at this\nOgvaldsnes, and one eventide there came to him an old man very gifted in\nwords, and with a broad-brimmed hat upon his head. He was one-eyed, and\nhad something to tell of every land. He entered into conversation with\nthe king; and as the king found much pleasure in the guest's speech, he\nasked him concerning many things, to which the guest gave good answers:\nand the king sat up late in the evening. Among other things, the king\nasked him if he knew who the Ogvald had been who had given his name both\nto the ness and to the house. The guest replied, that this Ogvald was a\nking, and a very valiant man, and that he made great sacrifices to a cow\nwhich he had with him wherever he went, and considered it good for his\nhealth to drink her milk. This same King Ogvald had a battle with a king\ncalled Varin, in which battle Ogvald fell. He was buried under a mound\nclose to the house; \"and there stands his stone over him, and close\nto it his cow also is laid.\" Such and many other things, and ancient\nevents, the king inquired after. Now, when the king had sat late into\nthe night, the bishop reminded him that it was time to go to bed, and\nthe king did so. But after the king was undressed, and had laid himself\nin bed, the guest sat upon the foot-stool before the bed, and still\nspoke long with the king; for after one tale was ended, he still wanted\na new one. Then the bishop observed to the king, it was time to go to\nsleep, and the king did so; and the guest went out. Soon after the king\nawoke, asked for the guest, and ordered him to be called, but the guest\nwas not to be found. The morning after, the king ordered his cook and\ncellar-master to be called, and asked if any strange person had been\nwith them. They said, that as they were making ready the meat a man\ncame to them, and observed that they were cooking very poor meat for the\nking's table; whereupon he gave them two thick and fat pieces of beef,\nwhich they boiled with the rest of the meat. Then the king ordered that\nall the meat should be thrown away, and said this man can be no other\nthan the Odin whom the heathens have so long worshipped; and added, \"but\nOdin shall not deceive us.\"\n72. THE THING IN THRONDHJEM.\nKing Olaf collected a great army in the east of the country towards\nsummer, and sailed with it north to Nidaros in the Throndhjem country.\nFrom thence he sent a message-token over all the fjord, calling the\npeople of eight different districts to a Thing; but the bondes changed\nthe Thing-token into a war-token; and called together all men, free and\nunfree, in all the Throndhjem land. Now when the king met the Thing,\nthe whole people came fully armed. After the Thing was seated, the king\nspoke, and invited them to adopt Christianity; but he had only spoken a\nshort time when the bondes called out to him to be silent, or they\nwould attack him and drive him away. \"We did so,\" said they, \"with Hakon\nfoster-son of Athelstan, when he brought us the same message, and we\nheld him in quite as much respect as we hold thee.\" When King Olaf saw\nhow incensed the bondes were, and that they had such a war force that he\ncould make no resistance, he turned his speech as if he would give way\nto the bondes, and said, \"I wish only to be in a good understanding\nwith you as of old; and I will come to where ye hold your greatest\nsacrifice-festival, and see your customs, and thereafter we shall\nconsider which to hold by.\" And in this all agreed; and as the king\nspoke mildly and friendly with the bondes, their answer was appeased,\nand their conference with the king went off peacefully. At the close\nof it a midsummer sacrifice was fixed to take place in Maeren, and all\nchiefs and great bondes to attend it as usual. The king was to be at it.\n73. JARNSKEGGE OR IRON BEARD.\nThere was a great bonde called Skegge, and sometimes Jarnskegge, or\nIron Beard, who dwelt in Uphaug in Yrjar. He spoke first at the Thing\nto Olaf; and was the foremost man of the bondes in speaking against\nChristianity. The Thing was concluded in this way for that time,--the\nbondes returned home, and the king went to Hlader.\n74. THE FEAST AT HLADER.\nKing Olaf lay with his ships in the river Nid, and had thirty vessels,\nwhich were manned with many brave people; but the king himself was often\nat Hlader, with his court attendants. As the time now was approaching at\nwhich the sacrifices should be made at Maeren, the king prepared a\ngreat feast at Hlader, and sent a message to the districts of Strind,\nGaulardal, and out to Orkadal, to invite the chiefs and other great\nbondes. When the feast was ready, and the chiefs assembled, there was a\nhandsome entertainment the first evening, at which plenty of liquor went\nround, and the guests were made very drunk. The night after they all\nslept in peace. The following morning, when the king was dressed, he had\nthe early mass sung before him; and when the mass was over, ordered to\nsound the trumpets for a House Thing: upon which all his men left the\nships to come up to the Thing. When the Thing was seated, the king stood\nup, and spoke thus: \"We held a Thing at Frosta, and there I invited the\nbondes to allow themselves to be baptized; but they, on the other hand,\ninvited me to offer sacrifice to their gods, as King Hakon, Athelstan's\nfoster-son, had done; and thereafter it was agreed upon between us that\nwe should meet at Maerin, and there make a great sacrifice. Now if I,\nalong with you, shall turn again to making sacrifice, then will I make\nthe greatest of sacrifices that are in use; and I will sacrifice men.\nBut I will not select slaves or malefactors for this, but will take the\ngreatest men only to be offered to the gods; and for this I select\nOrm Lygra of Medalhus, Styrkar of Gimsar, Kar of Gryting, Asbjorn\nThorbergson of Varnes, Orm of Lyxa, Haldor of Skerdingsstedja;\" and\nbesides these he named five others of the principal men. All these, he\nsaid, he would offer in sacrifice to the gods for peace and a fruitful\nseason; and ordered them to be laid hold of immediately. Now when the\nbondes saw that they were not strong enough to make head against the\nking, they asked for peace, and submitted wholly to the king's pleasure.\nSo it was settled that all the bondes who had come there should be\nbaptized, and should take an oath to the king to hold by the right\nfaith, and to renounce sacrifice to the gods. The king then kept all\nthese men as hostages who came to his feast, until they sent him their\nsons, brothers, or other near relations.\n75. OF THE THING IN THRONDHJEM.\nKing Olaf went in with all his forces into the Throndhjem country; and\nwhen he came to Maeren all among the chiefs of the Throndhjem people who\nwere most opposed to Christianity were assembled, and had with them all\nthe great bondes who had before made sacrifice at that place. There\nwas thus a greater multitude of bondes than there had been at the\nFrosta-Thing. Now the king let the people be summoned to the Thing,\nwhere both parties met armed; and when the Thing was seated the king\nmade a speech, in which he told the people to go over to Christianity.\nJarnskegge replies on the part of the bondes, and says that the will\nof the bondes is now, as formerly, that the king should not break their\nlaws. \"We want, king,\" said he, \"that thou shouldst offer sacrifice, as\nother kings before thee have done.\" All the bondes applauded his speech\nwith a loud shout, and said they would have all things according to what\nSkegge said. Then the king said he would go into the temple of their\ngods with them, and see what the practices were when they sacrificed.\nThe bondes thought well of this proceeding, and both parties went to the\ntemple.\n76. THE THRONDHJEM PEOPLE BAPTIZED.\nNow King Olaf entered into the temple with some few of his men and a few\nbondes; and when the king came to where their gods were, Thor, as\nthe most considered among their gods, sat there adorned with gold and\nsilver. The king lifted up his gold-inlaid axe which he carried in his\nhands, and struck Thor so that the image rolled down from its seat. Then\nthe king's men turned to and threw down all the gods from their seats;\nand while the king was in the temple, Jarnskegge was killed outside of\nthe temple doors, and the king's men did it. When the king came forth\nout of the temple he offered the bondes two conditions,--that all should\naccept of Christianity forthwith, or that they should fight with him.\nBut as Skegge was killed, there was no leader in the bondes' army to\nraise the banner against King Olaf; so they took the other condition, to\nsurrender to the king's will and obey his order. Then King Olaf had\nall the people present baptized, and took hostages from them for their\nremaining true to Christianity; and he sent his men round to every\ndistrict, and no man in the Throndhjem country opposed Christianity, but\nall people took baptism.\n77. A TOWN IN THE THRONDHJEM COUNTRY.\nKing Olaf with his people went out to Nidaros, and made houses on the\nflat side of the river Nid, which he raised to be a merchant town, and\ngave people ground to build houses upon. The king's house he had built\njust opposite Skipakrok; and he transported thither, in harvest, all\nthat was necessary for his winter residence, and had many people about\nhim there.\n78. KING OLAF'S MARRIAGE.\nKing Olaf appointed a meeting with the relations of Jarnskegge, and\noffered them the compensation or penalty for his bloodshed; for there\nwere many bold men who had an interest in that business. Jarnskegge had\na daughter called Gudrun; and at last it was agreed upon between the\nparties that the king should take her in marriage. When the wedding day\ncame King Olaf and Gudrun went to bed together. As soon as Gudrun, the\nfirst night they lay together, thought the king was asleep, she drew a\nknife, with which she intended to run him through; but the king saw it,\ntook the knife from her, got out of bed, and went to his men, and told\nthem what had happened. Gudrun also took her clothes, and went away\nalong with all her men who had followed her thither. Gudrun never came\ninto the king's bed again.\n79. BUILDING OF THE SHIP CRANE.\nThe same autumn (A.D. 998) King Olaf laid the keel of a great long-ship\nout on the strand at the river Nid. It was a snekkja; and he employed\nmany carpenters upon her, so that early in winter the vessel was ready.\nIt had thirty benches for rowers, was high in stem and stern, but\nwas not broad. The king called this ship Tranen (the Crane). After\nJarnskegge's death his body was carried to Yrjar, and lies there in the\nSkegge mound on Austrat.\n80. THANGBRAND THE PRIEST GOES TO ICELAND.\nWhen King Olaf Trygvason had been two years king of Norway (A.D. 997),\nthere was a Saxon priest in his house who was called Thangbrand, a\npassionate, ungovernable man, and a great man-slayer; but he was a good\nscholar, and a clever man. The king would not have him in his house upon\naccount of his misdeeds; but gave him the errand to go to Iceland, and\nbring that land to the Christian faith. The king gave him a merchant\nvessel: and, as far as we know of this voyage of his, he landed first in\nIceland at Austfjord in the southern Alptfjord, and passed the winter in\nthe house of Hal of Sida. Thangbrand proclaimed Christianity in Iceland,\nand on his persuasion Hal and all his house people, and many other\nchiefs, allowed themselves to be baptized; but there were many more\nwho spoke against it. Thorvald Veile and Veterlide the skald composed\na satire about Thangbrand; but he killed them both outright. Thangbrand\nwas two years in Iceland, and was the death of three men before he left\nit.\n81. OF SIGURD AND HAUK.\nThere was a man called Sigurd, and another called Hauk, both of\nHalogaland, who often made merchant voyages. One summer (A.D. 998) they\nhad made a voyage westward to England; and when they came back to Norway\nthey sailed northwards along the coast, and at North More they met King\nOlaf's people. When it was told the king that some Halogaland people\nwere come who were heathen, he ordered the steersmen to be brought to\nhim, and he asked them if they would consent to be baptized; to which\nthey replied, no. The king spoke with them in many ways, but to no\npurpose. He then threatened them with death and torture: but they would\nnot allow themselves to be moved. He then had them laid in irons, and\nkept them in chains in his house for some time, and often conversed with\nthem, but in vain. At last one night they disappeared, without any man\nbeing able to conjecture how they got away. But about harvest they came\nnorth to Harek of Thjotta, who received them kindly, and with whom they\nstopped all winter (A.D. 999), and were hospitably entertained.\n82. OF HAREK OF THJOTTA.\nIt happened one good-weather day in spring (A.D. 999) that Harek was\nat home in his house with only few people, and time hung heavy on his\nhands. Sigurd asked him if he would row a little for amusement. Harek\nwas willing; and they went to the shore, and drew down a six-oared\nskiff; and Sigurd took the mast and rigging belonging to the boat out of\nthe boat-house, for they often used to sail when they went for amusement\non the water. Harek went out into the boat to hang the rudder. The\nbrothers Sigurd and Hauk, who were very strong men, were fully armed, as\nthey were used to go about at home among the peasants. Before they went\nout to the boat they threw into her some butter-kits and a bread-chest,\nand carried between them a great keg of ale. When they had rowed a\nshort way from the island the brothers hoisted the sail, while Harek was\nseated at the helm; and they sailed away from the island. Then the two\nbrothers went aft to where Harek the bonde was sitting; and Sigurd says\nto him, \"Now thou must choose one of these conditions,--first, that we\nbrothers direct this voyage; or, if not, that we bind thee fast and take\nthe command; or, third, that we kill thee.\" Harek saw how matters stood\nwith him. As a single man, he was not better than one of those brothers,\neven if he had been as well armed; so it appeared to him wisest to let\nthem determine the course to steer, and bound himself by oath to abide\nby this condition. On this Sigurd took the helm, and steered south\nalong the land, the brothers taking particular care that they did not\nencounter people. The wind was very favourable; and they held on sailing\nalong until they came south to Throndhjem and to Nidaros, where they\nfound the king. Then the king called Harek to him, and in a conference\ndesired him to be baptized. Harek made objections; and although the king\nand Harek talked over it many times, sometimes in the presence of other\npeople, and sometimes alone, they could not agree upon it. At last the\nking says to Harek, \"Now thou mayst return home, and I will do thee no\ninjury; partly because we are related together, and partly that thou\nmayst not have it to say that I caught thee by a trick: but know\nfor certain that I intend to come north next summer to visit you\nHalogalanders, and ye shall then see if I am not able to punish those\nwho reject Christianity.\" Harek was well pleased to get away as fast\nas he could. King Olaf gave Harek a good boat of ten or twelve pair of\noars, and let it be fitted out with the best of everything needful;\nand besides he gave Harek thirty men, all lads of mettle, and well\nappointed.\n83. EYVIND KINRIFA'S DEATH.\nHarek of Thjotta went away from the town as fast as he could; but Hauk\nand Sigurd remained in the king's house, and both took baptism. Harek\npursued his voyage until he came to Thjotta. He sent immediately a\nmessage to his friend Eyvind Kinrifa, with the word that he had been\nwith King Olaf; but would not let himself be cowed down to accept\nChristianity. The message at the same time informed him that King Olaf\nintended coming to the north in summer against them, and they must be\nat their posts to defend themselves; it also begged Eyvind to come and\nvisit him, the sooner the better. When this message was delivered to\nEyvind, he saw how very necessary it was to devise some counsel to avoid\nfalling into the king's hands. He set out, therefore, in a light vessel\nwith a few hands as fast as he could. When he came to Thjotta he was\nreceived by Harek in the most friendly way, and they immediately entered\ninto conversation with each other behind the house. When they had spoken\ntogether but a short time, King Olaf's men, who had secretly followed\nHarek to the north, came up, and took Eyvind prisoner, and carried him\naway to their ship. They did not halt on their voyage until they came\nto Throndhjem, and presented themselves to King Olaf at Nidaros. Then\nEyvind was brought up to a conference with the king, who asked him to\nallow himself to be baptized, like other people; but Eyvind decidedly\nanswered he would not. The king still, with persuasive words, urged him\nto accept Christianity, and both he and the bishop used many suitable\narguments; but Eyvind would not allow himself to be moved. The king\noffered him gifts and great fiefs, but Eyvind refused all. Then the king\nthreatened him with tortures and death, but Eyvind was steadfast. Then\nthe king ordered a pan of glowing coals to be placed upon Eyvind's\nbelly, which burst asunder. Eyvind cried, \"Take away the pan, and I will\nsay something before I die,\" which also was done. The king said, \"Wilt\nthou now, Eyvind, believe in Christ?\" \"No,\" said Eyvind, \"I can take no\nbaptism; for I am an evil spirit put into a man's body by the sorcery of\nFins because in no other way could my father and mother have a child.\"\nWith that died Eyvind, who had been one of the greatest sorcerers.\n84. HALOGALAND MADE CHRISTIAN.\nThe spring after (A.D. 999) King Olaf fitted out and manned his ships,\nand commanded himself his ship the Crane. He had many and smart people\nwith him; and when he was ready, he sailed northwards with his fleet\npast Bryda, and to Halogaland. Wheresoever he came to the land, or to\nthe islands, he held a Thing, and told the people to accept the right\nfaith, and to be baptized. No man dared to say anything against it, and\nthe whole country he passed through was made Christian. King Olaf was\na guest in the house of Harek of Thjotta, who was baptized with all his\npeople. At parting the king gave Harek good presents; and he entered\ninto the king's service, and got fiefs, and the privileges of lendsman\nfrom the king.\n85. THORER HJORT'S DEATH.\nThere was a bonde, by name Raud the Strong, who dwelt in Godey in\nSalten fjord. Raud was a very rich man, who had many house servants; and\nlikewise was a powerful man, who had many Fins in his service when he\nwanted them. Raud was a great idolater, and very skillful in witchcraft,\nand was a great friend of Thorer Hjort, before spoken of. Both were\ngreat chiefs. Now when they heard that King Olaf was coming with a great\nforce from the south to Halogaland, they gathered together an army,\nordered out ships, and they too had a great force on foot. Raud had\na large ship with a gilded head formed like a dragon, which ship had\nthirty rowing benches, and even for that kind of ship was very large.\nThorer Hjort had also a large ship. These men sailed southwards with\ntheir ships against King Olaf, and as soon as they met gave battle. A\ngreat battle there was, and a great fall of men; but principally on the\nside of the Halogalanders, whose ships were cleared of men, so that a\ngreat terror came upon them. Raud rode with his dragon out to sea, and\nset sail. Raud had always a fair wind wheresoever he wished to sail,\nwhich came from his arts of witchcraft; and, to make a short story, he\ncame home to Godey. Thorer Hjort fled from the ships up to the land:\nbut King Olaf landed people, followed those who fled, and killed them.\nUsually the king was the foremost in such skirmishes, and was so now.\nWhen the king saw where Thorer Hjort, who was quicker on foot than any\nman, was running to, he ran after him with his dog Vige. The king said,\n\"Vige! Vige! Catch the deer.\" Vige ran straight in upon him; on which\nThorer halted, and the king threw a spear at him. Thorer struck with his\nsword at the dog, and gave him a great wound; but at the same moment the\nking's spear flew under Thorer's arm, and went through and through him,\nand came out at his other-side. There Thorer left his life; but Vige was\ncarried to the ships.\n86. KING OLAF'S VOYAGE TO GODEY.\nKing Olaf gave life and freedom to all the men who asked it and agreed\nto become Christian. King Olaf sailed with his fleet northwards along\nthe coast, and baptized all the people among whom he came; and when\nhe came north to Salten fjord, he intended to sail into it to look for\nRaud, but a dreadful tempest and storm was raging in the fjord. They\nlay there a whole week, in which the same weather was raging within\nthe fjord, while without there was a fine brisk wind only, fair for\nproceeding north along the land. Then the king continued his voyage\nnorth to Omd, where all the people submitted to Christianity. Then the\nking turned about and sailed to the south again; but when he came to the\nnorth side of Salten fjord, the same tempest was blowing, and the sea\nran high out from the fjord, and the same kind of storm prevailed for\nseveral days while the king was lying there. Then the king applied to\nBishop Sigurd, and asked him if he knew any counsel about it; and the\nbishop said he would try if God would give him power to conquer these\narts of the Devil.\n87. OF RAUD'S BEING TORTURED.\nBishop Sigurd took all his mass robes and went forward to the bow of\nthe king's ship; ordered tapers to be lighted, and incense to be brought\nout. Then he set the crucifix upon the stem of the vessel, read the\nEvangelist and many prayers, besprinkled the whole ship with holy water,\nand then ordered the ship-tent to be stowed away, and to row into the\nfjord. The king ordered all the other ships to follow him. Now when all\nwas ready on board the Crane to row, she went into the fjord without the\nrowers finding any wind; and the sea was curled about their keel track\nlike as in a calm, so quiet and still was the water; yet on each side\nof them the waves were lashing up so high that they hid the sight of\nthe mountains. And so the one ship followed the other in the smooth sea\ntrack; and they proceeded this way the whole day and night, until they\nreached Godey. Now when they came to Raud's house his great ship, the\ndragon, was afloat close to the land. King Olaf went up to the house\nimmediately with his people; made an attack on the loft in which Raud\nwas sleeping, and broke it open. The men rushed in: Raud was taken\nand bound, and of the people with him some were killed and some made\nprisoners. Then the king's men went to a lodging in which Raud's house\nservants slept, and killed some, bound others, and beat others. Then\nthe king ordered Raud to be brought before him, and offered him baptism.\n\"And,\" says the king, \"I will not take thy property from thee, but\nrather be thy friend, if thou wilt make thyself worthy to be so.\" Raud\nexclaimed with all his might against the proposal, saying he would never\nbelieve in Christ, and making his scoff of God. Then the king was wroth,\nand said Raud should die the worst of deaths. And the king ordered him\nto be bound to a beam of wood, with his face uppermost, and a round pin\nof wood set between his teeth to force his mouth open. Then the king\nordered an adder to be stuck into the mouth of him; but the serpent\nwould not go into his mouth, but shrunk back when Raud breathed against\nit. Now the king ordered a hollow branch of an angelica root to be stuck\ninto Raud's mouth; others say the king put his horn into his mouth,\nand forced the serpent to go in by holding a red-hot iron before the\nopening. So the serpent crept into the mouth of Raud and down his\nthroat, and gnawed its way out of his side; and thus Raud perished. King\nOlaf took here much gold and silver, and other property of weapons, and\nmany sorts of precious effects; and all the men who were with Raud he\neither had baptized, or if they refused had them killed or tortured.\nThen the king took the dragonship which Raud had owned, and steered it\nhimself; for it was a much larger and handsomer vessel than the Crane.\nIn front it had a dragon's head, and aft a crook, which turned up, and\nended with the figure of the dragon's tail. The carved work on each side\nof the stem and stern was gilded. This ship the king called the Serpent.\nWhen the sails were hoisted they represented, as it were, the dragon's\nwings; and the ship was the handsomest in all Norway. The islands on\nwhich Raud dwelt were called Gylling and Haering; but the whole islands\ntogether were called Godey Isles, and the current between the isles and\nthe mainland the Godey Stream. King Olaf baptized the whole people of\nthe fjord, and then sailed southwards along the land; and on this\nvoyage happened much and various things, which are set down in tales\nand sagas,--namely, how witches and evil spirits tormented his men, and\nsometimes himself; but we will rather write about what occurred when\nKing Olaf made Norway Christian, or in the other countries in which he\nadvanced Christianity. The same autumn Olaf with his fleet returned to\nThrondhjem, and landed at Nidaros, where he took up his winter abode.\nWhat I am now going to write about concerns the Icelanders.\n88. OF THE ICELANDERS.\nKjartan Olafson, a son's son of Hoskuld, and a daughter's son of Egil\nSkallagrimson, came the same autumn (A.D. 999) from Iceland to Nidaros,\nand he was considered to be the most agreeable and hopeful man of any\nborn in Iceland. There was also Haldor, a son of Gudmund of Modruveller;\nand Kolbein, a son of Thord, Frey's gode, and a brother's son of\nBrennuflose; together with Sverting, a son of the gode Runolf. All\nthese were heathens; and besides them there were many more,--some men\nof power, others common men of no property. There came also from\nIceland considerable people, who, by Thangbrand's help, had been made\nChristians; namely, Gissur the white, a son of Teit Ketilbjornson;\nand his mother was Alof, daughter of herse Bodvar, who was the son of\nVikingakare. Bodvar's brother was Sigurd, father of Eirik Bjodaskalle,\nwhose daughter Astrid was King Olaf's mother. Hjalte Skeggjason was\nthe name of another Iceland man, who was married to Vilborg, Gissur the\nWhite's daughter. Hjalte was also a Christian; and King Olaf was very\nfriendly to his relations Gissur and Hjalte, who live with him. But the\nIceland men who directed the ships, and were heathens, tried to sail\naway as soon as the king came to the town of Nidaros, for they were told\nthe king forced all men to become Christians; but the wind came stiff\nagainst them, and drove them back to Nidarholm. They who directed the\nships were Thorarin Nefjulson, the skald Halfred Ottarson, Brand the\nGenerous, and Thorleik, Brand's son. It was told the king that there\nwere Icelanders with ships there, and all were heathen, and wanted to\nfly from a meeting with the king. Then the king sent them a message\nforbidding them to sail, and ordering them to bring their ships up to\nthe town, which they did, but without discharging the cargoes.\n(They carried on their dealings and held a market at the king's pier. In\nspring they tried three times to slip away, but never succeeded; so they\ncontinued lying at the king's pier. It happened one fine day that\nmany set out to swim for amusement, and among them was a man who\ndistinguished himself above the others in all bodily exercises. Kjartan\nchallenged Halfred Vandredaskald to try himself in swimming against\nthis man, but he declined it. \"Then will I make a trial,\" said Kjartan,\ncasting off his clothes, and springing into the water. Then he set after\nthe man, seizes hold of his foot, and dives with him under water. They\ncome up again, and without speaking a word dive again, and are much\nlonger under water than the first time. They come up again, and without\nsaying a word dive a third time, until Kjartan thought it was time to\ncome up again, which, however, he could in no way accomplish, which\nshowed sufficiently the difference in their strength. They were under\nwater so long that Kjartan was almost drowned. They then came up, and\nswam to land. This Northman asked what the Icelander's name was. Kjartan\ntells his name.\nHe says, \"Thou art a good swimmer; but art thou expert also in other\nexercises?\"\nKjartan replied, that such expertness was of no great value.\nThe Northman asks, \"Why dost thou not inquire of me such things as I\nhave asked thee about?\"\nKjartan replies, \"It is all one to me who thou art, or what thy name\nis.\"\n\"Then will I,\" says he, \"tell thee: I am Olaf Trygvason.\"\nHe asked Kjartan much about Iceland, which he answered generally, and\nwanted to withdraw as hastily as he could; but the king said, \"Here is a\ncloak which I will give thee, Kjartan.\" And Kjartan took the cloak with\nmany thanks.) (1)\n ENDNOTES: (1) The part included in parenthesis is not found in the\n original text of \"Heimskringla\", but taken from \"Codex\n Frisianus\".\n89. BAPTISM OF THE ICELANDERS.\nWhen Michaelmas came, the king had high mass sung with great splendour.\nThe Icelanders went there, listening to the fine singing and the sound\nof the bells; and when they came back to their ships every man told his\nopinion of the Christian man's worship. Kjartan expressed his pleasure\nat it, but most of the others scoffed at it; and it went according to\nthe proverb, \"the king had many ears,\" for this was told to the king.\nHe sent immediately that very day a message to Kjartan to come to him.\nKjartan went with some men, and the king received him kindly. Kjartan\nwas a very stout and handsome man, and of ready and agreeable speech.\nAfter the king and Kjartan had conversed a little, the king asked him to\nadopt Christianity. Kjartan replies, that he would not say no to that,\nif he thereby obtained the king's friendship; and as the king promised\nhim the fullest friendship, they were soon agreed. The next day Kjartan\nwas baptized, together with his relation Bolle Thorlakson, and all their\nfellow-travelers. Kjartan and Bolle were the king's guests as long\nas they were in their white baptismal clothes, and the king had much\nkindness for them. Wherever they came they were looked upon as people of\ndistinction.\n90. HALFRED VANDREDASKALD BAPTIZED.\nAs King Olaf one day was walking in the street some men met him, and he\nwho went the foremost saluted the king. The king asked the man his name,\nand he called himself Halfred.\n\"Art thou the skald?\" said the king.\n\"I can compose poetry,\" replied he.\n\"Wilt thou then adopt Christianity, and come into my service?\" asked the\nking.\n\"If I am baptized,\" replies he, \"it must be on one condition,--that thou\nthyself art my godfather; for no other will I have.\"\nThe king replies, \"That I will do.\" And Halfred was baptized, the king\nholding him during the baptism.\nAfterwards the king said, \"Wilt thou enter into my service?\"\nHalfred replied, \"I was formerly in Earl Hakon's court; but now I will\nneither enter into thine nor into any other service, unless thou promise\nme it shall never be my lot to be driven away from thee.\"\n\"It has been reported to me,\" said the king, \"that thou are neither so\nprudent nor so obedient as to fulfil my commands.\"\n\"In that case,\" replied Halfred, \"put me to death.\"\n\"Thou art a skald who composes difficulties,\" says the king; \"but into\nmy service, Halfred, thou shalt be received.\"\nHalfred says, \"if I am to be named the composer of difficulties, what\ncost thou give me, king, on my name-day?\"\nThe king gave him a sword without a scabbard, and said, \"Now compose me\na song upon this sword, and let the word sword be in every line of the\nstrophe.\" Halfred sang thus:\n \"This sword of swords is my reward.\n For him who knows to wield a sword,\n And with his sword to serve his lord,\n Yet wants a sword, his lot is hard.\n I would I had my good lord's leave\n For this good sword a sheath to choose:\n I'm worth three swords when men use,\n But for the sword-sheath now I grieve.\"\nThen the king gave him the scabbard, observing that the word sword was\nwanting in one line of his strophe. \"But there instead are three\nswords in one of the lines,\" says Halfred. \"That is true,\" replies the\nking.--Out of Halfred's lays we have taken the most of the true and\nfaithful accounts that are here related about Olaf Trygvason.\n91. THANGBRAND RETURNS FROM ICELAND.\nThe same harvest (A.D. 999) Thangbrand the priest came back from Iceland\nto King Olaf, and told the ill success of his journey; namely, that the\nIcelanders had made lampoons about him; and that some even sought to\nkill him, and there was little hope of that country ever being made\nChristian. King Olaf was so enraged at this, that he ordered all the\nIcelanders to be assembled by sound of horn, and was going to kill all\nwho were in the town, but Kjartan, Gissur, and Hjalte, with the other\nIcelanders who had become Christians, went to him, and said, \"King,\nthou must not fail from thy word--that however much any man may irritate\nthee, thou wilt forgive him if he turn from heathenism and become\nChristian. All the Icelanders here are willing to be baptized; and\nthrough them we may find means to bring Christianity into Iceland: for\nthere are many amongst them, sons of considerable people in Iceland,\nwhose friends can advance the cause; but the priest Thangbrand proceeded\nthere as he did here in the court, with violence and manslaughter, and\nsuch conduct the people there would not submit to.\" The king harkened\nto those remonstrances; and all the Iceland men who were there were\nbaptized.\n92. OF KING OLAF'S FEATS.\nKing Olaf was more expert in all exercises than any man in Norway whose\nmemory is preserved to us in sagas; and he was stronger and more agile\nthan most men, and many stories are written down about it. One is that\nhe ascended the Smalsarhorn, and fixed his shield upon the very peak.\nAnother is, that one of his followers had climbed up the peak after him,\nuntil he came to where he could neither get up nor down; but the king\ncame to his help, climbed up to him, took him under his arm, and bore\nhim to the flat ground. King Olaf could run across the oars outside of\nthe vessel while his men were rowing the Serpent. He could play with\nthree daggers, so that one was always in the air, and he took the one\nfalling by the handle. He could walk all round upon the ship's rails,\ncould strike and cut equally well with both hands, and could cast two\nspears at once. King Olaf was a very merry frolicsome man; gay and\nsocial; was very violent in all respects; was very generous; was very\nfinical in his dress, but in battle he exceeded all in bravery. He was\ndistinguished for cruelty when he was enraged, and tortured many of his\nenemies. Some he burnt in fire; some he had torn in pieces by mad\ndogs; some he had mutilated, or cast down from high precipices. On this\naccount his friends were attached to him warmly, and his enemies\nfeared him greatly; and thus he made such a fortunate advance in his\nundertakings, for some obeyed his will out of the friendliest zeal, and\nothers out of dread.\n93. BAPTISM OF LEIF EIRIKSON.\nLeif, a son of Eirik the Red, who first settled in Greenland, came this\nsummer (A.D. 999) from Greenland to Norway; and as he met King Olaf he\nadopted Christianity, and passed the winter (A.D. 1000) with the king.\n94. FALL OF KING GUDROD.\nGudrod, a son of Eirik Bloodaxe and Gunhild, had been ravaging in the\nwest countries ever since he fled from Norway before the Earl Hakon. But\nthe summer before mentioned (A.D. 999), where King Olaf Trygvason had\nruled four years over Norway, Gudrod came to the country, and had many\nships of war with him. He had sailed from England; and when he thought\nhimself near to the Norway coast, he steered south along the land, to\nthe quarter where it was least likely King Olaf would be. Gudrod sailed\nin this way south to Viken; and as soon as he came to the land he began\nto plunder, to subject the people to him, and to demand that they should\naccept of him as king. Now as the country people saw that a great army\nwas come upon them, they desired peace and terms. They offered King\nGudrod to send a Thing-message over all the country, and to accept of\nhim at the Thing as king, rather than suffer from his army; but\nthey desired delay until a fixed day, while the token of the Thing's\nassembling was going round through the land. The king demanded\nmaintenance during the time this delay lasted. The bondes preferred\nentertaining the king as a guest, by turns, as long as he required it;\nand the king accepted of the proposal to go about with some of his men\nas a guest from place to place in the land, while others of his men\nremained to guard the ships. When King Olaf's relations, Hyrning and\nThorgeir, heard of this, they gathered men, fitted out ships, and went\nnorthwards to Viken. They came in the night with their men to a place at\nwhich King Gudrod was living as a guest, and attacked him with fire and\nweapons; and there King Gudrod fell, and most of his followers. Of those\nwho were with his ships some were killed, some slipped away and fled to\ngreat distances; and now were all the sons of Eirik and Gunhild dead.\n95. BUILDING OF THE SHIP LONG SERPENT.\nThe winter after, King Olaf came from Halogaland (A.D. 1000), he had a\ngreat vessel built at Hladhamrar, which was larger than any ship in the\ncountry, and of which the beam-knees are still to be seen. The length of\nkeel that rested upon the grass was seventy-four ells. Thorberg Skafhog\nwas the man's name who was the master-builder of the ship; but there\nwere many others besides,--some to fell wood, some to shape it, some to\nmake nails, some to carry timber; and all that was used was of the best.\nThe ship was both long and broad and high-sided, and strongly timbered.\nWhile they were planking the ship, it happened that Thorberg had to go\nhome to his farm upon some urgent business; and as he remained there a\nlong time, the ship was planked up on both sides when he came back. In\nthe evening the king went out, and Thorberg with him, to see how the\nvessel looked, and everybody said that never was seen so large and so\nbeautiful a ship of war. Then the king returned to the town. Early next\nmorning the king returns again to the ship, and Thorberg with him. The\ncarpenters were there before them, but all were standing idle with their\narms across. The king asked, \"what was the matter?\" They said the ship\nwas destroyed; for somebody had gone from, stem to stern, and cut one\ndeep notch after the other down the one side of the planking. When the\nking came nearer he saw it was so, and said, with an oath, \"The man\nshall die who has thus destroyed the vessel out of envy, if he can be\ndiscovered, and I shall bestow a great reward on whoever finds him out.\"\n\"I can tell you, king,\" said Thorberg, \"who has done this piece of\nwork.\"--\n\"I don't think,\" replies the king, \"that any one is so likely to find it\nout as thou art.\"\nThorberg says, \"I will tell you, king, who did it. I did it myself.\"\nThe king says, \"Thou must restore it all to the same condition as\nbefore, or thy life shall pay for it.\"\nThen Thorberg went and chipped the planks until the deep notches were\nall smoothed and made even with the rest; and the king and all present\ndeclared that the ship was much handsomer on the side of the hull which\nThorberg, had chipped, and bade him shape the other side in the same\nway; and gave him great thanks for the improvement. Afterwards Thorberg\nwas the master builder of the ship until she was entirely finished.\nThe ship was a dragon, built after the one the king had captured\nin Halogaland; but this ship was far larger, and more carefully put\ntogether in all her parts. The king called this ship Serpent the Long,\nand the other Serpent the Short. The long Serpent had thirty-four\nbenches for rowers. The head and the arched tail were both gilt, and the\nbulwarks were as high as in sea-going ships. This ship was the best and\nmost costly ship ever made in Norway.\n96. EARL EIRIK, THE SON OF HAKON.\nEarl Eirik, the son of Earl Hakon, and his brothers, with many other\nvaliant men their relations, had left the country after Earl Hakon's\nfall. Earl Eirik went eastwards to Svithjod, to Olaf, the Swedish king,\nand he and his people were well received. King Olaf gave the earl peace\nand freedom in the land, and great fiefs; so that he could support\nhimself and his men well. Thord Kolbeinson speaks of this in the verses\nbefore given. Many people who fled from the country on account of King\nOlaf Trygvason came out of Norway to Earl Eirik; and the earl resolved\nto fit out ships and go a-cruising, in order to get property for himself\nand his people. First he steered to Gotland, and lay there long in\nsummer watching for merchant vessels sailing towards the land, or for\nvikings. Sometimes he landed and ravaged all round upon the sea-coasts.\nSo it is told in the \"Banda-drapa\":--\n \"Eirik, as we have lately heard,\n Has waked the song of shield and sword--\n Has waked the slumbering storm of shields\n Upon the vikings' water-fields:\n From Gotland's lonely shore has gone\n Far up the land, and battles won:\n And o'er the sea his name is spread,\n To friends a shield, to foes a dread.\"\nAfterwards Earl Eirik sailed south to Vindland, and at Stauren found\nsome viking ships, and gave them battle. Eirik gained the victory, and\nslew the vikings. So it is told in the \"Banda-drapa\":--\n \"Earl Eirik, he who stoutly wields\n The battle-axe in storm of shields,\n With his long ships surprised the foe\n At Stauren, and their strength laid low\n Many a corpse floats round the shore;\n The strand with dead is studded o'er:\n The raven tears their sea-bleached skins--\n The land thrives well when Eirik wins.\"\n97. EIRIK'S FORAY ON THE BALTIC COASTS.\nEarl Eirik sailed back to Sweden in autumn, and staid there all winter\n(A.D. 997); but in the spring fitted out his war force again, and sailed\nup the Baltic. When he came to Valdemar's dominions he began to plunder\nand kill the inhabitants, and burn the dwellings everywhere as he\ncame along, and to lay waste the country. He came to Aldeigiuburg, and\nbesieged it until he took the castle; and he killed many people, broke\ndown and burned the castle, and then carried destruction all around far\nand wide in Gardarike. So it is told in the \"Banda-drapa\":--\n \"The generous earl, brave and bold,\n Who scatters his bright shining gold,\n Eirik with fire-scattering hand,\n Wasted the Russian monarch's land,--\n With arrow-shower, and storm of war,\n Wasted the land of Valdemar.\n Aldeiga burns, and Eirik's might\n Scours through all Russia by its light.\"\nEarl Eirik was five years in all on this foray; and when he returned\nfrom Gardarike he ravaged all Adalsysla and Eysysla, and took there four\nviking ships from the Danes and killed every man on board. So it is told\nin the \"Banda-drapa\":--\n \"Among the isles flies round the word,\n That Eirik's blood-devouring sword\n Has flashed like fire in the sound,\n And wasted all the land around.\n And Eirik too, the bold in fight,\n Has broken down the robber-might\n Of four great vikings, and has slain\n All of the crew--nor spared one Dane.\n In Gautland he has seized the town,\n In Syssels harried up and down;\n And all the people in dismay\n Fled to the forests far away.\n By land or sea, in field or wave,\n What can withstand this earl brave?\n All fly before his fiery hand--\n God save the earl, and keep the land.\"\nWhen Eirik had been a year in Sweden he went over to Denmark (A.D. 996)\nto King Svein Tjuguskeg, the Danish king, and courted his daughter Gyda.\nThe proposal was accepted, and Earl Eirik married Gyda; and a year after\n(A.D. 997) they had a son, who was called Hakon. Earl Eirik was in\nthe winter in Denmark, or sometimes in Sweden; but in summer he went\na-cruising.\n98. KING SVEIN'S MARRIAGE.\nThe Danish king, Svein Tjuguskeg, was married to Gunhild, a daughter\nof Burizleif, king of the Vinds. But in the times we have just been\nspeaking of it happened that Queen Gunhild fell sick and died. Soon\nafter King Svein married Sigrid the Haughty, a daughter of Skoglartoste,\nand mother of the Swedish king Olaf; and by means of this relationship\nthere was great friendship between the kings and Earl Eirik, Hakon's\nson.\n99. KING BURIZLEIF'S MARRIAGE.\nBurizleif, the king of the Vinds, complained to his relation Earl\nSigvalde, that the agreement was broken which Sigvalde had made between\nKing Svein and King Burizleif, by which Burizleif was to get in marriage\nThyre, Harald's daughter, a sister of King Svein: but that marriage had\nnot proceeded, for Thyre had given positive no to the proposal to marry\nher to an old and heathen king. \"Now,\" said King Burizleif to Earl\nSigvalde, \"I must have the promise fulfilled.\" And he told Earl Sigvalde\nto go to Denmark, and bring him Thyre as his queen. Earl Sigvalde loses\nno time, but goes to King Svein of Denmark, explains to him the case;\nand brings it so far by his persuasion, that the king delivered his\nsister Thyre into his hands. With her went some female attendants, and\nher foster-father, by name Ozur Agason, a man of great power, and some\nother people. In the agreement between the king and the earl, it was\nsettled that Thyre should have in property the possessions which Queen\nGunhild had enjoyed in Vindland, besides other great properties as\nbride-gifts. Thyre wept sorely, and went very unwillingly. When the\nearl came to Vindland, Burizleif held his wedding with Queen Thyre,\nand received her in marriage; bus as long as she was among heathens she\nwould neither eat nor drink with them, and this lasted for seven days.\n100. OLAF GETS THYRE IN MARRIAGE.\nIt happened one night that Queen Thyre and Ozur ran away in the dark,\nand into the woods, and, to be short in our story, came at last to\nDenmark. But here Thyre did not dare to remain, knowing that if her\nbrother King Svein heard of her, he would send her back directly to\nVindland. She went on, therefore, secretly to Norway, and never stayed\nher journey until she fell in with King Olaf, by whom she was kindly\nreceived. Thyre related to the king her sorrows, and entreated\nhis advice in her need, and protection in his kingdom. Thyre was a\nwell-spoken woman, and the king had pleasure in her conversation. He saw\nshe was a handsome woman, and it came into his mind that she would be a\ngood match; so he turns the conversation that way, and asks if she will\nmarry him. Now, as she saw that her situation was such that she could\nnot help herself, and considered what a luck it was for her to marry so\ncelebrated a man, she bade him to dispose himself of her hand and fate;\nand, after nearer conversation, King Olaf took Thyre in marriage. This\nwedding was held in harvest after the king returned from Halogaland\n(A.D. 999), and King Olaf and Queen Thyre remained all winter (A.D.\n1000) at Nidaros.\nThe following spring Queen Thyre complained often to King Olaf, and wept\nbitterly over it, that she who had so great property in Vindland had no\ngoods or possessions here in the country that were suitable for a queen;\nand sometimes she would entreat the king with fine words to get her\nproperty restored to her, and saying that King Burizleif was so great\na friend of King Olaf that he would not deny King Olaf anything if they\nwere to meet. But when King Olaf's friends heard of such speeches, they\ndissuaded him from any such expedition. It is related at the king one\nday early in spring was walking in the street, and met a man in the\nmarket with many, and, for that early season, remarkably large angelica\nroots. The king took a great stalk of the angelica in his hand, and went\nhome to Queen Thyre's lodging. Thyre sat in her room weeping as the king\ncame in. The king said, \"Set here, queen, is a great angelica stalk,\nwhich I give thee.\" She threw it away, and said, \"A greater present\nHarald Gormson gave to my mother; and he was not afraid to go out of the\nland and take his own. That was shown when he came here to Norway, and\nlaid waste the greater part of the land, and seized on all the scat and\nrevenues; and thou darest not go across the Danish dominions for this\nbrother of mine, King Svein.\" As she spoke thus, King Olaf sprang up,\nand answered with loud oath, \"Never did I fear thy brother King Svein;\nand if we meet he shall give way before me!\"\n101. OLAF'S LEVY FOR WAR.\nSoon after the king convoked a Thing in the town, and proclaimed to all\nthe public, that in summer would go abroad upon an expedition out of the\ncountry, and would raise both ships and men from every district; and at\nthe same time fixed how many ships would have from the whole Throndhjem\nfjord. Then he sent his message-token south and north, both along the\nsea-coast and up in the interior of the country, to let an army be\ngathered. The king ordered the Long Serpent to be put into the water,\nalong with all his other ships both small and great. He himself steered\nthe Long Serpent. When the crews were taken out for the ships, they were\nso carefully selected that no man on board the Long Serpent was older\nthan sixty or younger than twenty years, and all were men distinguished\nfor strength and courage. Those who were Olaf's bodyguard were in\nparticular chosen men, both of the natives and of foreigners, and the\nboldest and strongest.\n102. CREW ON BOARD OF THE LONG SERPENT.\nUlf the Red was the name of the man who bore King Olaf's banner, and\nwas in the forecastle of the Long Serpent; and with him was Kolbjorn the\nmarshal, Thorstein Uxafot, and Vikar of Tiundaland, a brother of Arnliot\nGelline. By the bulkhead next the forecastle were Vak Raumason from Gaut\nRiver, Berse the Strong, An Skyte from Jamtaland, Thrand the Strong from\nThelamork, and his brother Uthyrmer. Besides these were, of Halogaland\nmen, Thrand Skjalge and Ogmund Sande, Hlodver Lange from Saltvik,\nand Harek Hvasse; together with these Throndhjem men--Ketil the High,\nThorfin Eisle, Havard and his brothers from Orkadal. The following were\nin the fore-hold: Bjorn from Studla, Bork from the fjords. Thorgrim\nThjodolfson from Hvin, Asbjorn and Orm, Thord from Njardarlog, Thorstein\nthe White from Oprustadar, Arnor from More, Halstein and Hauk from the\nFjord district, Eyvind Snak, Bergthor Bestil, Halkel from Fialer, Olaf\nDreng, Arnfin from Sogn, Sigurd Bild, Einar from Hordaland, and Fin, and\nKetil from Rogaland and Grjotgard the Brisk. The following were in the\nhold next the mast: Einar Tambaskelfer, who was not reckoned as fully\nexperienced, being only eighteen years old; Thorstein Hlifarson,\nThorolf, Ivar Smetta, and Orm Skogarnef. Many other valiant men were\nin the Serpent, although we cannot tell all their names. In every half\ndivision of the hold were eight men, and each and all chosen men; and in\nthe fore-hold were thirty men. It was a common saying among people, that\nthe Long Serpent's crew was as distinguished for bravery, strength, and\ndaring, among other men, as the Long Serpent was distinguished among\nother ships. Thorkel Nefja, the king's brother, commanded the Short\nSerpent; and Thorkel Dydril and Jostein, the king's mother's brothers,\nhad the Crane; and both these ships were well manned. King Olaf had\neleven large ships from Throndhjem, besides vessels with twenty rowers'\nbenches, smaller vessels, and provision-vessels.\n103. ICELAND BAPTIZED.\nWhen King Olaf had nearly rigged out his fleet in Nidaros, he appointed\nmen over the Throndhjem country in all districts and communities. He\nalso sent to Iceland Gissur the White and Hjalte Skeggjason, to proclaim\nChristianity there; and sent with them a priest called Thormod, along\nwith several men in holy orders. But he retained with him, as hostages,\nfour Icelanders whom he thought the most important; namely, Kjartan\nOlafson, Haldor Gudmundson, Kolbein Thordson, and Sverting Runolfson.\nOf Gissur and Hjalte's progress, it is related that they came to\nIceland before the Althing, and went to the Thing; and in that Thing\nChristianity was introduced by law into Iceland, and in the course of\nthe summer all the people were baptized (A.D. 1000).\n104. GREENLAND BAPTIZED\nThe same spring King Olaf also sent Leif Eirikson (A.D. 1000) to\nGreenland to proclaim Christianity there, and Leif went there that\nsummer. In the ocean he took up the crew of a ship which had been lost,\nand who were clinging to the wreck. He also found Vinland the Good;\narrived about harvest in Greenland; and had with him for it a priest and\nother teachers, with whom he went to Brattahild to lodge with his father\nEirik. People called him afterwards Leif the Lucky: but his father Eirik\nsaid that his luck and ill luck balanced each other; for if Leif had\nsaved a wreck in the ocean, he had brought a hurtful person with him to\nGreenland, and that was the priest.\n105. RAGNVALD SENDS MESSENGERS TO OLAF.\nThe winter after King Olaf had baptized Halogaland, he and Queen Thyre\nwere in Nidaros; and the summer before Queen Thyre had brought King Olaf\na boy child, which was both stout and promising, and was called\nHarald, after its mother's father. The king and queen loved the infant\nexceedingly, and rejoiced in the hope that it would grow up and inherit\nafter its father; but it lived barely a year after its birth, which both\ntook much to heart. In that winter were many Icelanders and other clever\nmen in King Olaf's house, as before related. His sister Ingebjorg,\nTrygve's daughter, King Olaf's sister, was also at the court at that\ntime. She was beautiful in appearance, modest and frank with the people,\nhad a steady manly judgment, and was beloved of all. She was very fond\nof the Icelanders who were there, but most of Kjartan Olafson, for he\nhad been longer than the others in the king's house; and he found it\nalways amusing to converse with her, for she had both understanding and\ncleverness in talk. The king was always gay and full of mirth in his\nintercourse with people; and often asked about the manners of the\ngreat men and chiefs in the neighbouring countries, when strangers\nfrom Denmark or Sweden came to see him. The summer before Halfred\nVandredaskald had come from Gautland, where he had been with Earl\nRagnvald, Ulf's son, who had lately come to the government of West\nGautland. Ulf, Ragnvald's father, was a brother of Sigurd the Haughty;\nso that King Olaf the Swede and Earl Ragnvald were brother's and\nsister's children. Halfred told Olaf many things about the earl: he said\nhe was an able chief, excellently fitted for governing, generous with\nmoney, brave and steady in friendship. Halfred said also the earl\ndesired much the friendship of King Olaf, and had spoken of making court\nIngebjorg, Trygve's daughter. The same winter came ambassadors from\nGautland, and fell in with King Olaf in the north, in Nidaros, and\nbrought the message which Halfred had spoken of,--that the earl desired\nto be King Olaf's entire friend, and wished to become his brother-in-law\nby obtaining his sister Ingebjorg in marriage. Therewith the ambassadors\nlaid before the king sufficient tokens in proof that in reality they\ncame from the earl on this errand. The king listened with approbation\nto their speech; but said that Ingebjorg must determine on his assent to\nthe marriage. The king then talked to his sister about the matter, and\nasked her opinion about it. She answered to this effect,--\"I have been\nwith you for some time, and you have shown brotherly care and tender\nrespect for me ever since you came to the country. I will agree\ntherefore to your proposal about my marriage, provided that you do not\nmarry me to a heathen man.\" The king said it should be as she wished.\nThe king then spoke to the ambassadors; and it was settled before they\ndeparted that in summer Earl Ragnvald should meet the king in the east\nparts of the country, to enter into the fullest friendship with each\nother, and when they met they would settle about the marriage. With this\nreply the earl's messengers went westward, and King Olaf remained all\nwinter in Nidaros in great splendour, and with many people about him.\n106. OLAF SENDS EXPEDITION TO VINDLAND.\nKing Olaf proceeded in summer with his ships and men southwards along\nthe land (and past Stad. With him were Queen Thyre and Ingebjorg,\nTrygveis daughter, the king's sister). Many of his friends also joined\nhim, and other persons of consequence who had prepared themselves to\ntravel with the king. The first man among these was his brother-in-law,\nErling Skjalgson, who had with him a large ship of thirty benches of\nrowers, and which was in every respect well equipt. His brothers-in-law\nHyrning and Thorgeir also joined him, each of whom for himself steered\na large vessel; and many other powerful men besides followed him. (With\nall this war-force he sailed southwards along the land; but when he\ncame south as far as Rogaland he stopped there, for Erling Skjalgson had\nprepared for him a splendid feast at Sole. There Earl Ragnvald, Ulf's\nson, from Gautland, came to meet the king, and to settle the business\nwhich had been proposed in winter in the messages between them, namely,\nthe marriage with Ingebjorg the king's sister. Olaf received him kindly;\nand when the matter came to be spoken of, the king said he would keep\nhis word, and marry his sister Ingebjorg to him, provided he would\naccept the true faith, and make all his subjects he ruled over in his\nland be baptized; The earl agreed to this, and he and all his followers\nwere baptized. Now was the feast enlarged that Erling had prepared, for\nthe earl held his wedding there with Ingebjorg the king's sister. King\nOlaf had now married off all his sisters. The earl, with Ingebjorg, set\nout on his way home; and the king sent learned men with him to baptize\nthe people in Gautland, and to teach them the right faith and morals.\nThe king and the earl parted in the greatest friendship.)\n107. OLAF'S EXPEDITION VINDLAND.\n(After his sister Ingebjorg's wedding, the king made ready in all haste\nto leave the country with his army, which was both great and made up\nof fine men.) When he left the land and sailed southwards he had sixty\nships of war, with which he sailed past Denmark, and in through the\nSound, and on to Vindland. He appointed a meeting with King Burizleif;\nand when the kings met, they spoke about the property which King Olaf\ndemanded, and the conference went off peaceably, as a good account was\ngiven of the properties which King Olaf thought himself entitled to\nthere. He passed here much of the summer, and found many of his old\nfriends.\n108. CONSPIRACY AGAINST KING OLAF.\nThe Danish king, Svein Tjuguskeg, was married, as before related, to\nSigrid the Haughty. Sigrid was King Olaf Trygvason's greatest enemy; the\ncause of which, as before said, was that King Olaf had broken off with\nher, and had struck her in the face. She urged King Svein much to give\nbattle to King Olaf Trygvason; saying that he had reason enough, as\nOlaf had married his sister Thyre without his leave, \"and that your\npredecessors would not have submitted to.\" Such persuasions Sigrid\nhad often in her mouth; and at last she brought it so far that Svein\nresolved firmly on doing so. Early in spring King Svein sent messengers\neastward into Svithjod, to his son-in-law Olaf, the Swedish king, and to\nEarl Eirik; and informed them that King Olaf of Norway was levying men\nfor an expedition, and intended in summer to go to Vindland. To this\nnews the Danish king added an invitation to the Swedish king and Earl\nEirik to meet King Svein with an army, so that all together they might\nmake an attack; on King Olaf Trygvason. The Swedish king and Earl Eirik\nwere ready enough for this, and immediately assembled a great fleet\nand an army through all Svithjod, with which they sailed southwards to\nDenmark, and arrived there after King Olaf Trygvason had sailed to\nthe eastward. Haldor the Unchristian tells of this in his lay on Earl\nEirik:--\n \"The king-subduer raised a host\n Of warriors on the Swedish coast.\n The brave went southwards to the fight,\n Who love the sword-storm's gleaming light;\n The brave, who fill the wild wolf's mouth,\n Followed bold Eirik to the south;\n The brave, who sport in blood--each one\n With the bold earl to sea is gone.\"\nThe Swedish king and Earl Eirik sailed to meet the Danish king, and they\nhad all, when together, an immense force.\n109. EARL SIGVALDE'S TREACHEROUS PLANS.\nAt the same time that king Svein sent a message to Svithjod for an\narmy, he sent Earl Sigvalde to Vindland to spy out King Olaf Trygvason's\nproceedings, and to bring it about by cunning devices that King Svein\nand King Olaf should fall in with each other. So Sigvalde sets out to\ngo to Vindland. First, he came to Jomsborg, and then he sought out King\nOlaf Trygvason. There was much friendship in their conversation, and\nthe earl got himself into great favour with the king. Astrid, the\nEarl's wife, King Burizleif's daughter, was a great friend of King Olaf\nTrygvason, particularly on account of the connection which had been\nbetween them when Olaf was married to her sister Geira. Earl Sigvalde\nwas a prudent, ready-minded man; and as he had got a voice in King\nOlaf's council, he put him off much from sailing homewards, finding\nvarious reasons for delay. Olaf's people were in the highest degree\ndissatisfied with this; for the men were anxious to get home, and they\nlay ready to sail, waiting only for a wind. At last Earl Sigvalde got\na secret message from Denmark that the Swedish king's army was arrived\nfrom the east, and that Earl Eirik's also was ready; and that all these\nchiefs had resolved to sail eastwards to Vindland, and wait for King\nOlaf at an island which is called Svold. They also desired the earl to\ncontrive matters so that they should meet King Olaf there.\n110. KING OLAF'S VOYAGE FROM VINDLAND.\nThere came first a flying report to Vindland that the Danish king,\nSvein, had fitted out an army; and it was soon whispered that he\nintended to attack King Olaf. But Earl Sigvalde says to King Olaf, \"It\nnever can be King Svein's intention to venture with the Danish force\nalone, to give battle to thee with such a powerful army; but if thou\nhast any suspicion that evil is on foot, I will follow thee with my\nforce (at that time it was considered a great matter to have Jomsborg\nvikings with an army), and I will give thee eleven well-manned ships.\"\nThe king accepted this offer; and as the light breeze of wind that\ncame was favourable, he ordered the ships to get under weigh, and the\nwar-horns to sound the departure. The sails were hoisted and all the\nsmall vessels, sailing fastest, got out to sea before the others. The\nearl, who sailed nearest to the king's ship, called to those on board to\ntell the king to sail in his keel-track: \"For I know where the water\nis deepest between the islands and in the sounds, and these large ships\nrequire the deepest.\" Then the earl sailed first with his eleven ships,\nand the king followed with his large ships, also eleven in number; but\nthe whole of the rest of the fleet sailed out to sea. Now when Earl\nSigvalde came sailing close under the island Svold, a skiff rowed out\nto inform the earl that the Danish king's army was lying in the harbour\nbefore them. Then the earl ordered the sails of his vessels to be\nstruck, and they rowed in under the island. Haldor the Unchristian\nsays:--\n \"From out the south bold Trygve's son\n With one-and-seventy ships came on,\n To dye his sword in bloody fight,\n Against the Danish foeman's might.\n But the false earl the king betrayed;\n And treacherous Sigvalde, it is said,\n Deserted from King Olaf's fleet,\n And basely fled, the Danes to meet.\"\nIt is said here that King Olaf and Earl Sigvalde had seventy sail of\nvessels: and one more, when they sailed from the south.\n111. CONSULTATION OF THE KINGS.\nThe Danish King Svein, the Swedish King Olaf, and Earl Eirik, were there\nwith all their forces (1000). The weather being fine and clear sunshine,\nall these chiefs, with a great suite, went out on the isle to see the\nvessels sailing out at sea, and many of them crowded together; and they\nsaw among them one large and glancing ship. The two kings said, \"That is\na large and very beautiful vessel: that will be the Long Serpent.\"\nEarl Eirik replied, \"That is not the Long Serpent.\" And he was right;\nfor it was the ship belonging to Eindride of Gimsar.\nSoon after they saw another vessel coming sailing along much larger than\nthe first; then says King Svein, \"Olaf Trygvason must be afraid, for\nhe does not venture to sail with the figure-head of the dragon upon his\nship.\"\nSays Earl Eirik, \"That is not the king's ship yet; for I know that\nship by the coloured stripes of cloth in her sail. That is Erling\nSkialgson's. Let him sail; for it is the better for us that the ship is\naway from Olaf's fleet, so well equipt as she is.\"\nSoon after they saw and knew Earl Sigvalde's ships, which turned in and\nlaid themselves under the island. Then they saw three ships coming along\nunder sail, and one of them very large. King Svein ordered his men to go\nto their ships, \"for there comes the Long Serpent.\"\nEarl Eirik says, \"Many other great and stately vessels have they besides\nthe Long Serpent. Let us wait a little.\"\nThen said many, \"Earl Eirik will not fight and avenge his father; and it\nis a great shame that it should be told that we lay here with so great a\nforce, and allowed King Olaf to sail out to sea before our eyes.\"\nBut when they had spoken thus for a short time, they saw four ships\ncoming sailing along, of which one had a large dragon-head richly gilt.\nThen King Svein stood up and said, \"That dragon shall carry me this\nevening high, for I shall steer it.\"\nThen said many, \"The Long Serpent is indeed a wonderfully large and\nbeautiful vessel, and it shows a great mind to have built such a ship.\"\nEarl Eirik said so loud that several persons heard him, \"If King Olaf\nhad no ether vessels but only that one, King Svein would never take it\nfrom him with the Danish force alone.\"\nThereafter all the people rushed on board their ships, took down the\ntents, and in all haste made ready for battle.\nWhile the chiefs were speaking among themselves as above related, they\nsaw three very large ships coming sailing along, and at last after them\na fourth, and that was the Long Serpent. Of the large ships which had\ngone before, and which they had taken for the Long Serpent, the first\nwas the Crane; the one after that was the Short Serpent; and when they\nreally, saw the Long Serpent, all knew, and nobody had a word to say\nagainst it, that it must be Olaf Trygvason who was sailing in such a\nvessel; and they went to their ships to arm for the fight.\nAn agreement had been concluded among the chiefs, King Svein, King Olaf\nthe Swede, and Earl Eirik, that they should divide Norway among them in\nthree parts, in case they succeeded against Olaf Trygvason; but that he\nof the chiefs who should first board the Serpent should have her, and\nall the booty found in her, and each should have the ships he cleared\nfor himself. Earl Eirik had a large ship of war which he used upon his\nviking expeditions; and there was an iron beard or comb above on both\nsides of the stem, and below it a thick iron plate as broad as the\ncombs, which went down quite to the gunnel.\n112. OF KING OLAF'S PEOPLE.\nWhen Earl Sigvalde with his vessels rowed in under the island, Thorkel\nDydril of the Crane, and the other ship commanders who sailed with him,\nsaw that he turned his ships towards the isle, and thereupon let fall\nthe sails, and rowed after him, calling out, and asking why he sailed\nthat way. The Earl answered, that he was waiting for king Olaf, as he\nfeared there were enemies in the water. They lay upon their oars until\nThorkel Nefia came up with the Short Serpent and the three ships which\nfollowed him. When they told them the same they too struck sail, and\nlet the ships drive, waiting for king Olaf. But when the king sailed in\ntowards the isle, the whole enemies' fleet came rowing within them out\nto the Sound. When they saw this they begged the king to hold on his\nway, and not risk battle with so great a force. The king replied, high\non the quarter-deck where he stood, \"Strike the sails; never shall men\nof mine think of flight. I never fled from battle. Let God dispose of my\nlife, but flight I shall never take.\" It was done as the king commanded.\nHalfred tells of it thus:--\n \"And far and wide the saying bold\n Of the brave warrior shall be told.\n The king, in many a fray well tried,\n To his brave champions round him cried,\n 'My men shall never learn from me\n From the dark weapon-cloud to flee.'\n Nor were the brave words spoken then\n Forgotten by his faithful men.\"\n113. OLAF'S SHIPS PREPARED FOR BATTLE.\nKing Olaf ordered the war-horns to sound for all his ships to close up\nto each other. The king's ship lay in the middle of the line, and on\none side lay the Little Serpent, and on the other the Crane; and as they\nmade fast the stems together (1), the Long Serpent's stem and the short\nSerpent's were made fast together; but when the king saw it he called\nout to his men, and ordered them to lay the larger ship more in advance,\nso that its stern should not lie so far behind in the fleet.\nThen says Ulf the Red, \"If the Long Serpent is to lie as much more ahead\nof the other ships as she is longer than them, we shall have hard work\nof it here on the forecastle.\"\nThe king replies, \"I did not think I had a forecastle man afraid as well\nas red.\"\nSays Ulf, \"Defend thou the quarterdeck as I shall the forecastle.\"\nThe king had a bow in his hands, and laid an arrow on the string, and\naimed at Ulf.\nUlf said, \"Shoot another way, king, where it is more needful: my work is\nthy gain.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) The mode of fighting in sea battles appears, from this and\n many other descriptions, to have been for each party to bind\n together the stems and sterns of their own ships, forming\n them thus into a compact body as soon as the fleets came\n within fighting distance, or within spears' throw. They\n appear to have fought principally from the forecastles; and\n to have used grappling irons for dragging a vessel out of\n the line, or within boarding distance.--L.\n114. OF KING OLAF.\nKing Olaf stood on the Serpent's quarterdeck, high over the others. He\nhad a gilt shield, and a helmet inlaid with gold; over his armour he had\na short red coat, and was easy to be distinguished from other men. When\nKing Olaf saw that the scattered forces of the enemy gathered themselves\ntogether under the banners of their ships, he asked, \"Who is the chief\nof the force right opposite to us?\"\nHe was answered, that it was King Svein with the Danish army.\nThe king replies, \"We are not afraid of these soft Danes, for there is\nno bravery in them; but who are the troops on the right of the Danes?\"\nHe was answered, that it was King Olaf with the Swedish forces.\n\"Better it were,\" says King Olaf, \"for these Swedes to be sitting at\nhome killing their sacrifices, than to be venturing under our weapons\nfrom the Long Serpent. But who owns the large ships on the larboard side\nof the Danes?\"\n\"That is Earl Eirik Hakonson,\" say they.\nThe king replies, \"He, methinks, has good reason for meeting us; and we\nmay expect the sharpest conflict with these men, for they are Norsemen\nlike ourselves.\"\n115. THE BATTLE BEGINS.\nThe kings now laid out their oars, and prepared to attack (A.D. 1000).\nKing Svein laid his ship against the Long Serpent. Outside of him Olaf\nthe Swede laid himself, and set his ship's stern against the outermost\nship of King Olaf's line; and on the other side lay Earl Eirik. Then a\nhard combat began. Earl Sigvalde held back with the oars on his ships,\nand did not join the fray. So says Skule Thorsteinson, who at that time\nwas with Earl Eirik:--\n \"I followed Sigvalde in my youth,\n And gallant Eirik, and in truth\n The' now I am grown stiff and old,\n In the spear-song I once was bold.\n Where arrows whistled on the shore\n Of Svold fjord my shield I bore,\n And stood amidst the loudest clash\n When swords on shields made fearful crash.\"\nAnd Halfred also sings thus:--\n \"In truth I think the gallant king,\n Midst such a foemen's gathering,\n Would be the better of some score\n Of his tight Throndhjem lads, or more;\n For many a chief has run away,\n And left our brave king in the fray,\n Two great kings' power to withstand,\n And one great earl's, with his small band,\n The king who dares such mighty deed\n A hero for his skald would need.\"\n116. FLIGHT OF SVEIN AND OLAF THE SWEDE.\nThis battle was one of the severest told of, and many were the people\nslain. The forecastle men of the Long Serpent, the Little Serpent, and\nthe Crane, threw grapplings and stem chains into King Svein's ship, and\nused their weapons well against the people standing below them, for they\ncleared the decks of all the ships they could lay fast hold of; and\nKing Svein, and all the men who escaped, fled to other vessels, and laid\nthemselves out of bow-shot. It went with this force just as King Olaf\nTrygvason had foreseen. Then King Olaf the Swede laid himself in their\nplace; but when he came near the great ships it went with him as with\nthem, for he lost many men and some ships, and was obliged to get away.\nBut Earl Eirik laid his ship side by side with the outermost of King\nOlaf's ships, thinned it of men, cut the cables, and let it drive. Then\nhe laid alongside of the next, and fought until he had cleared it of men\nalso. Now all the people who were in the smaller ships began to run into\nthe larger, and the earl cut them loose as fast as he cleared them of\nmen. The Danes and Swedes laid themselves now out of shooting distance\nall around Olaf's ship; but Earl Eirik lay always close alongside of the\nships, and used hid swords and battle-axes, and as fast as people fell\nin his vessel others, Danes and Swedes, came in their place. So says\nHaldor, the Unchristian:--\n \"Sharp was the clang of shield and sword,\n And shrill the song of spears on board,\n And whistling arrows thickly flew\n Against the Serpent's gallant crew.\n And still fresh foemen, it is said,\n Earl Eirik to her long side led;\n Whole armies of his Danes and Swedes,\n Wielding on high their blue sword-blades.\"\nThen the fight became most severe, and many people fell. But at last it\ncame to this, that all King Olaf Trygvason's ships were cleared of men\nexcept the Long Serpent, on board of which all who could still carry\ntheir arms were gathered. Then Earl Eirik lay with his ship by the side\nof the Serpent, and the fight went on with battle-axe and sword. So says\nHaldor:--\n \"Hard pressed on every side by foes,\n The Serpent reels beneath the blows;\n Crash go the shields around the bow!\n Breast-plates and breasts pierced thro' and thro!\n In the sword-storm the Holm beside,\n The earl's ship lay alongside\n The king's Long Serpent of the sea--\n Fate gave the earl the victory.\"\n117. OF EARL EIRIK.\nEarl Eirik was in the forehold of his ship, where a cover of shields (1)\nhad been set up. In the fight, both hewing weapons, sword, and axe, and\nthe thrust of spears had been used; and all that could be used as weapon\nfor casting was cast. Some used bows, some threw spears with the hand.\nSo many weapons were cast into the Serpent, and so thick flew spears and\narrows, that the shields could scarcely receive them, for on all sides\nthe Serpent was surrounded by war-ships. Then King Olaf's men became so\nmad with rage, that they ran on board of the enemies ships, to get at\nthe people with stroke of sword and kill them; but many did not lay\nthemselves so near the Serpent, in order to escape the close encounter\nwith battle-axe or sword; and thus the most of Olaf's men went overboard\nand sank under their weapons, thinking they were fighting on plain\nground. So says Halfred:--\n \"The daring lads shrink not from death;--\n O'erboard they leap, and sink beneath\n The Serpent's keel: all armed they leap,\n And down they sink five fathoms deep.\n The foe was daunted at the cheers;\n The king, who still the Serpent steers,\n In such a strait--beset with foes--\n Wanted but some more lads like those.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) Both in land and sea fights the commanders appear to have\n been protected from missile weapons,--stones, arrows,\n spears,--by a shieldburg: that is, by a party of men\n bearing shields surrounding them in such a way that the\n shields were a parapet, covering those within the circle.\n The Romans had a similar military arrangement of shields in\n sieges--the testudo.--L.\n118. OF EINAR TAMBARSKELVER.\nEinar Tambarskelver, one of the sharpest of bowshooters, stood by the\nmast, and shot with his bow. Einar shot an arrow at Earl Eirik, which\nhit the tiller end just above the earl's head so hard that it entered\nthe wood up to the arrow-shaft. The earl looked that way, and asked\nif they knew who had shot; and at the same moment another arrow flew\nbetween his hand and his side, and into the stuffing of the chief's\nstool, so that the barb stood far out on the other side. Then said the\nearl to a man called Fin,--but some say he was of Fin (Laplander) race,\nand was a superior archer,--\"Shoot that tall man by the mast.\" Fin shot;\nand the arrow hit the middle of Einar's bow just at the moment that\nEinar was drawing it, and the bow was split in two parts.\n\"What is that,\" cried King Olaf, \"that broke with such a noise?\"\n\"Norway, king, from thy hands,\" cried Einar.\n\"No! not quite so much as that,\" says the king; \"take my bow, and\nshoot,\" flinging the bow to him.\nEinar took the bow, and drew it over the head of the arrow. \"Too weak,\ntoo weak,\" said he, \"for the bow of a mighty king!\" and, throwing the\nbow aside, he took sword and shield, and fought Valiantly.\n119. OLAF GIVES HIS MEN SHARP SWORDS.\nThe king stood on the gangways of the Long Serpent, and shot the greater\npart of the day; sometimes with the bow, sometimes with the spear,\nand always throwing two spears at once. He looked down over the ship's\nsides, and saw that his men struck briskly with their swords, and yet\nwounded but seldom. Then he called aloud, \"Why do ye strike so gently\nthat ye seldom cut?\" One among the people answered, \"The swords are\nblunt and full of notches.\" Then the king went down into the forehold,\nopened the chest under the throne, and took out many sharp swords, which\nhe handed to his men; but as he stretched down his right hand with them,\nsome observed that blood was running down under his steel glove, but no\none knew where he was wounded.\n120. THE SERPENT BOARDED.\nDesperate was the defence in the Serpent, and there was the heaviest\ndestruction of men done by the forecastle crew, and those of the\nforehold, for in both places the men were chosen men, and the ship was\nhighest, but in the middle of the ship the people were thinned. Now when\nEarl Eirik saw there were but few people remaining beside the ship's\nmast, he determined to board; and he entered the Serpent with four\nothers. Then came Hyrning, the king's brother-in-law, and some others\nagainst him, and there was the most severe combat; and at last the earl\nwas forced to leap back on board his own ship again, and some who\nhad accompanied him were killed, and others wounded. Thord Kolbeinson\nalludes to this:--\n \"On Odin's deck, all wet with blood,\n The helm-adorned hero stood;\n And gallant Hyrning honour gained,\n Clearing all round with sword deep stained.\n The high mountain peaks shall fall,\n Ere men forget this to recall.\"\nNow the fight became hot indeed, and many men fell on board the Serpent;\nand the men on board of her began to be thinned off, and the defence to\nbe weaker. The earl resolved to board the Serpent again, and again he\nmet with a warm reception. When the forecastle men of the Serpent saw\nwhat he was doing, they went aft and made a desperate fight; but so many\nmen of the Serpent had fallen, that the ship's sides were in many places\nquite bare of defenders; and the earl's men poured in all around into\nthe vessel, and all the men who were still able to defend the ship\ncrowded aft to the king, and arrayed themselves for his defence. So says\nHaldor the Unchristian:--\n \"Eirik cheers on his men,--\n 'On to the charge again!'\n The gallant few\n Of Olaf's crew\n Must refuge take\n On the quarter-deck.\n Around the king\n They stand in ring;\n Their shields enclose\n The king from foes,\n And the few who still remain\n Fight madly, but in vain.\n Eirik cheers on his men--\n 'On to the charge again!'\"\n121. THE SERPENT'S DECKS CLEARED.\nKolbjorn the marshal, who had on clothes and arms like the kings,\nand was a remarkably stout and handsome man, went up to king on the\nquarter-deck. The battle was still going on fiercely even in the\nforehold (1). But as many of the earl's men had now got into the Serpent\nas could find room, and his ships lay all round her, and few were the\npeople left in the Serpent for defence against so great a force; and in\na short time most of the Serpent's men fell, brave and stout though they\nwere. King Olaf and Kolbjorn the marshal both sprang overboard, each on\nhis own side of the ship; but the earl's men had laid out boats around\nthe Serpent, and killed those who leaped overboard. Now when the king\nhad sprung overboard, they tried to seize him with their hands, and\nbring him to Earl Eirik; but King Olaf threw his shield over his head,\nand sank beneath the waters. Kolbjorn held his shield behind him to\nprotect himself from the spears cast at him from the ships which lay\nround the Serpent, and he fell so upon his shield that it came under\nhim, so that he could not sink so quickly. He was thus taken and brought\ninto a boat, and they supposed he was the king. He was brought before\nthe earl; and when the earl saw it was Kolbjorn, and not the king, he\ngave him his life. At the same moment all of King Olaf's men who were\nin life sprang overboard from the Serpent; and Thorkel Nefia, the king's\nbrother, was the last of all the men who sprang overboard. It is thus\ntold concerning the king by Halfred:--\n \"The Serpent and the Crane\n Lay wrecks upon the main.\n On his sword he cast a glance,--\n With it he saw no chance.\n To his marshal, who of yore\n Many a war-chance had come o'er,\n He spoke a word--then drew in breath,\n And sprang to his deep-sea death.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) From the occasional descriptions of vessels in this and\n other battles, it may be inferred that even the Long\n Serpent, described in the 95th chapter as of 150 feet of\n keel was only docked fore and aft; the thirty-four benches\n for rowers occupying the open area in the middle, and\n probably gangways running along the side for communicating\n from the quarter-deck to the forcastle.--L.\n122. REPORT AMONG THE PEOPLE.\nEarl Sigvalde, as before related, came from Vindland, in company with\nKing Olaf, with ten ships; but the eleventh ship was manned with the men\nof Astrid, the king's daughter, the wife of Earl Sigvalde. Now when King\nOlaf sprang overboard, the whole army raised a shout of victory; and\nthen Earl Sigvalde and his men put their oars in the water and rowed\ntowards the battle. Haldor the Unchristian tells of it thus:--\n \"Then first the Vindland vessels came\n Into the fight with little fame;\n The fight still lingered on the wave,\n Tho' hope was gone with Olaf brave.\n War, like a full-fed ravenous beast,\n Still oped her grim jaws for the feast.\n The few who stood now quickly fled,\n When the shout told--'Olaf is dead!'\"\nBut the Vindland cutter, in which Astrid's men were, rowed back to\nVindland; and the report went immediately abroad and was told by many,\nthat King Olaf had cast off his coat-of-mail under water, and had swum,\ndiving under the longships, until he came to the Vindland cutter, and\nthat Astrid's men had conveyed him to Vindland: and many tales have been\nmade since about the adventures of Olaf the king. Halfred speaks thus\nabout it:--\n \"Does Olaf live? or is he dead?\n Has he the hungry ravens fed?\n I scarcely know what I should say,\n For many tell the tale each way.\n This I can say, nor fear to lie,\n That he was wounded grievously--\n So wounded in this bloody strife,\n He scarce could come away with life.\"\nBut however this may have been, King Olaf Trygvason never came back\nagain to his kingdom of Norway. Halfred Vandredaskald speaks also thus\nabout it:\n \"The witness who reports this thing\n Of Trygvason, our gallant king,\n Once served the king, and truth should tell,\n For Olaf hated lies like hell.\n If Olaf 'scaped from this sword-thing,\n Worse fate, I fear, befel our king\n Than people guess, or e'er can know,\n For he was hemm'd in by the foe.\n From the far east some news is rife\n Of king sore wounded saving life;\n His death, too sure, leaves me no care\n For cobweb rumours in the air.\n It never was the will of fate\n That Olaf from such perilous strait\n Should 'scape with life! this truth may grieve--\n 'What people wish they soon believe.'\"\n123. OF EARL EIRIK, THE SON OF HAKON.\nBy this victory Earl Eirik Hakonson became owner of the Long Serpent,\nand made a great booty besides; and he steered the Serpent from the\nbattle. So says Haldor:--\n \"Olaf, with glittering helmet crowned,\n Had steered the Serpent through the Sound;\n And people dressed their boats, and cheered\n As Olaf's fleet in splendour steered.\n But the descendent of great Heming,\n Whose race tells many a gallant sea-king,\n His blue sword in red life-blood stained,\n And bravely Olaf's long ship gained.\"\nSvein, a son of Earl Hakon, and Earl Eirik's brother, was engaged at\nthis time to marry Holmfrid, a daughter of King Olaf the Swedish king.\nNow when Svein the Danish king, Olaf the Swedish king, and Earl Eirik\ndivided the kingdom of Norway between them, King Olaf got four districts\nin the Throndhjem country, and also the districts of More and Raumsdal;\nand in the east part of the land he got Ranrike, from the Gaut river\nto Svinasund. Olaf gave these dominions into Earl Svein's hands, on the\nsame conditions as the sub kings or earls had held them formerly from\nthe upper-king of the country. Earl Eirik got four districts in the\nThrondhjem country, and Halogaland, Naumudal, the Fjord districts, Sogn,\nHordaland, Rogaland, and North Agder, all the way to the Naze. So says\nThord Kolbeinson:--\n \"All chiefs within our land\n On Eirik's side now stand:\n Erling alone, I know\n Remains Earl Eirik's foe.\n All praise our generous earl,--\n He gives, and is no churl:\n All men are well content\n Fate such a chief has sent.\n From Veiga to Agder they,\n Well pleased, the earl obey;\n And all will by him stand,\n To guard the Norsemen's land.\n And now the news is spread\n That mighty Svein is dead,\n And luck is gone from those\n Who were the Norsemen's foes.\"\nThe Danish king Svein retained Viken as he had held it before, but he\ngave Raumarike and Hedemark to Earl Eirik. Svein Hakonson got the title\nof earl from Olaf the Swedish king. Svein was one of the handsomest\nmen ever seen. The earls Eirik and Svein both allowed themselves to\nbe baptized, and took up the true faith; but as long as they ruled in\nNorway they allowed every one to do as he pleased in holding by his\nChristianity. But, on the other hand, they held fast by the old laws,\nand all the old rights and customs of the land, and were excellent men\nand good rulers. Earl Eirik had most to say of the two brothers in all\nmatters of government.\nSAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON. (1)\nPRELIMINARY REMARKS.\nOlaf Haraldson the Saint's Saga is the longest, the most important, and\nthe most finished of all the sagas in \"Heimskringla\". The life of Olaf\nwill be found treated more or less freely in \"Agrip\", in \"Historia\nNorvegiae\", in \"Thjodrek the Monk\", in the legendary saga, and in\n\"Fagrskinna\". Other old Norse literature relating to this epoch:\nAre's \"Islendingabok\", \"Landnama\", \"Kristni Saga\", \"Biskupa-sogur\",\n\"Njala\", \"Gunlaugs Saga\", \"Ormstungu\", \"Bjarnar Saga Hitdaelakappa\",\n\"Hallfredar Thattr Vandraedaskalde\", \"Eyrbyggia\", \"Viga Styrs Saga\",\n\"Laxdaela\", \"Fostbraedra\", \"Gretla\", \"Liosvetninga\", \"Faereyinga\",\n\"Orkneyinga\".\nOlaf Haraldson was born 995, went as a viking at the age of twelve,\n1007; visited England, one summer and three winters, 1009-1012; in\nFrance two summers and one winter, 1012-1013; spent the winter in\nNormandy, 1014; returned to Norway and was recognized as King, April 3,\n1015; fled from Norway the winter of 1028-1029; fell at Stiklestad, July\nSkalds quoted in this saga are:--Ottar Svarte, Sigvat Skald, Thord\nKolbeinson, Berse Torfason, Brynjolf, Arnor Jarlaskald, Thord Siarekson,\nHarek, Thorarin Loftunga, Halvard Hareksblese, Bjarne Gulbraskald, Jokul\nBardson, Thormod Kolbrunarskald, Gissur, Thorfin Mun, Hofgardaref.\n ENDNOTES: (1) King Olaf the Saint reigned from about the year 1015 to\n 1030. The death of King Olaf Trygvason was in the year\n 1000: and Earl Eirik held the government for the Danish and\n Swedish kings about fifteen years.--L.\n1. OF SAINT OLAF'S BRINGING UP.\nOlaf, Harald Grenske's son, was brought up by his stepfather Sigurd Syr\nand his mother Asta. Hrane the Far-travelled lived in the house of\nAsta, and fostered this Olaf Haraldson. Olaf came early to manhood, was\nhandsome in countenance, middle-sized in growth, and was even when very\nyoung of good understanding and ready speech. Sigurd his stepfather was\na careful householder, who kept his people closely to their work, and\noften went about himself to inspect his corn-rigs and meadowland, the\ncattle, and also the smith-work, or whatsoever his people had on hand to\ndo.\n2. OF OLAF AND KING SIGURD SYR.\nIt happened one day that King Sigurd wanted to ride from home, but there\nwas nobody about the house; so he told his stepson Olaf to saddle his\nhorse. Olaf went to the goats' pen, took out the he-goat that was the\nlargest, led him forth, and put the king's saddle on him, and then went\nin and told King Sigurd he had saddled his riding horse. Now when King\nSigurd came out and saw what Olaf had done, he said \"It is easy to see\nthat thou wilt little regard my orders; and thy mother will think\nit right that I order thee to do nothing that is against thy own\ninclination. I see well enough that we are of different dispositions,\nand that thou art far more proud than I am.\" Olaf answered little, but\nwent his way laughing.\n3. OF RING OLAF'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS.\nWhen Olaf Haraldson grew up he was not tall, but middle-sized in height,\nalthough very thick, and of good strength. He had light brown hair, and\na broad face, which was white and red. He had particularly fine eyes,\nwhich were beautiful and piercing, so that one was afraid to look him\nin the face when he was angry. Olaf was very expert in all bodily\nexercises, understood well to handle his bow, and was distinguished\nparticularly in throwing his spear by hand: he was a great swimmer,\nand very handy, and very exact and knowing in all kinds of smithwork,\nwhether he himself or others made the thing. He was distinct and acute\nin conversation, and was soon perfect in understanding and strength. He\nwas beloved by his friends and acquaintances, eager in his amusements,\nand one who always liked to be the first, as it was suitable he should\nbe from his birth and dignity. He was called Olaf the Great.\n4. KING OLAF'S WAR EXPEDITION.\nOlaf Haraldson was twelve years old when he, for the first time, went\non board a ship of war (A.D. 1007). His mother Asta got Hrane, who was\ncalled the foster-father of kings, to command a ship of war and take\nOlaf under his charge; for Hrane had often been on war expeditions.\nWhen Olaf in this way got a ship and men, the crew gave him the title of\nking; for it was the custom that those commanders of troops who were of\nkingly descent, on going out upon a viking cruise, received the title of\nking immediately although they had no land or kingdom. Hrane sat at the\nhelm; and some say that Olaf himself was but a common rower, although he\nwas king of the men-at-arms. They steered east along the land, and came\nfirst to Denmark. So says Ottar Svarte, in his lay which he made about\nKing Olaf:--\n \"Young was the king when from his home\n He first began in ships to roam,\n His ocean-steed to ride\n To Denmark o'er the tide.\n Well exercised art thou in truth--\n In manhood's earnest work, brave youth!\n Out from the distant north\n Mighty hast thou come forth.\"\nTowards autumn he sailed eastward to the Swedish dominions, and there\nharried and burnt all the country round; for he thought he had good\ncause of hostility against the Swedes, as they killed his father Harald.\nOttar Svarte says distinctly that he came from the east, out by way of\nDenmark:--\n \"Thy ship from shore to shore,\n With many a well-plied car,\n Across the Baltic foam is dancing.--\n Shields, and spears, and helms glancing!\n Hoist high the swelling sail\n To catch the freshening gale!\n There's food for the raven-flight\n Where thy sail-winged ship shall light;\n Thy landing-tread\n The people dread;\n And the wolf howls for a feast\n On the shore-side in the east.\"\n5. OLAF'S FIRST BATTLE.\nThe same autumn Olaf had his first battle at Sotasker, which lies in the\nSwedish skerry circle. He fought there with some vikings, whose leader\nwas Sote. Olaf had much fewer men, but his ships were larger, and he\nhad his ships between some blind rocks, which made it difficult for the\nvikings to get alongside; and Olaf's men threw grappling irons into the\nships which came nearest, drew them up to their own vessels, and cleared\nthem of men. The vikings took to flight after losing many men. Sigvat\nthe skald tells of this fight in the lay in which he reckons up King\nOlaf's battles:--\n \"They launch his ship where waves are foaming--\n To the sea shore\n Both mast and oar,\n And sent his o'er the seas a-roaming.\n Where did the sea-king first draw blood?\n In the battle shock\n At Sote's rock;\n The wolves howl over their fresh food.\"\n6. FORAY IN SVITHJOD.\nKing Olaf steered thereafter eastwards to Svithjod, and into the Lag\n(the Maelar lake), and ravaged the land on both sides. He sailed all\nthe way up to Sigtuna, and laid his ships close to the old Sigtuna.\nThe Swedes say the stone-heaps are still to be seen which Olaf had laid\nunder the ends of the gangways from the shore to the ships. When autumn\nwas advanced, Olaf Haraldson heard that Olaf the Swedish king was\nassembling an army, and also that he had laid iron chains across\nStoksund (the channel between the Maelar lake and the sea), and had laid\ntroops there; for the Swedish king thought that Olaf Haraldson would\nbe kept in there till frost came, and he thought little of Olaf's force\nknowing he had but few people. Now when King Olaf Haraldson came to\nStoksund he could not get through, as there was a castle west of the\nsound, and men-at-arms lay on the south; and he heard that the Swedish\nking was come there with a great army and many ships. He therefore dug a\ncanal across the flat land Agnafit out to the sea. Over all Svithjod all\nthe running waters fall into the Maelar lake; but the only outlet of it\nto the sea is so small that many rivers are wider, and when much rain or\nsnow falls the water rushes in a great cataract out by Stoksund, and\nthe lake rises high and floods the land. It fell heavy rain just at\nthis time; and as the canal was dug out to the sea, the water and stream\nrushed into it. Then Olaf had all the rudders unshipped and hoisted all\nsail aloft. It was blowing a strong breeze astern, and they steered with\ntheir oars, and the ships came in a rush over all the shallows, and\ngot into the sea without any damage. Now went the Swedes to their king,\nOlaf, and told him that Olaf the Great had slipped out to sea; on which\nthe king was enraged against those who should have watched that Olaf did\nnot get away. This passage has since been called King's Sound; but large\nvessels cannot pass through it, unless the waters are very high. Some\nrelate that the Swedes were aware that Olaf had cut across the tongue of\nland, and that the water was falling out that way; and they flocked to\nit with the intention to hinder Olaf from getting away, but the water\nundermined the banks on each side so that they fell in with the people,\nand many were drowned: but the Swedes contradict this as a false report,\nand deny the loss of people. The king sailed to Gotland in harvest, and\nprepared to plunder; but the Gotlanders assembled, and sent men to the\nking, offering him a scat. The king found this would suit him, and\nhe received the scat, and remained there all winter. So says Ottar\nSvarte:--\n \"Thou seaman-prince! thy men are paid:\n The scat on Gotlanders is laid;\n Young man or old\n To our seamen bold\n Must pay, to save his head:\n The Yngling princes fled,\n Eysvssel people bled;\n Who can't defend the wealth they have\n Must die, or share with the rover brave.\"\n7. THE SECOND BATTLE.\nIt is related here that King Olaf, when spring set in, sailed east to\nEysyssel, and landed and plundered; the Eysyssel men came down to the\nstrand and grave him battle. King Olaf gained the victory, pursued those\nwho fled, and laid waste the land with fire and sword. It is told that\nwhen King Olaf first came to Eysvssel they offered him scat, and when\nthe scat was to be brought down to the strand the king came to meet it\nwith an armed force, and that was not what the bondes there expected;\nfor they had brought no scat, but only their weapons with which they\nfought against the king, as before related. So says Sigvat the skald:--\n \"With much deceit and bustle\n To the heath of Eysyssel\n The bondes brought the king,\n To get scat at their weapon-thing.\n But Olaf was too wise\n To be taken by surprise;\n Their legs scarce bore them off\n O'er the common test enough.\"\n8. THE THIRD BATTLE.\nAfter this they sailed to Finland and plundered there, and went up the\ncountry. All the people fled to the forest, and they had emptied their\nhouses of all household goods. The king went far up the country, and\nthrough some woods, and came to some dwellings in a valley called\nHerdaler,--where, however, they made but small booty, and saw no people;\nand as it was getting late in the day, the king turned back to his\nships. Now when they came into the woods again people rushed upon them\nfrom all quarters, and made a severe attack. The king told his men to\ncover themselves with their shields, but before they got out of the\nwoods he lost many people, and many were wounded; but at last, late\nin the evening, he got to the ships. The Finlanders conjured up in the\nnight, by their witchcraft, a dreadful storm and bad weather on the sea;\nbut the king ordered the anchors to be weighed and sail hoisted, and\nbeat off all night to the outside of the land. The king's luck prevailed\nmore than the Finlanders' witchcraft; for he had the luck to beat round\nthe Balagard's side in the night, and so got out to sea. But the Finnish\narmy proceeded on land, making the same progress as the king made with\nhis ships. So says Sigvat:--\n \"The third fight was at Herdaler, where\n The men of Finland met in war\n The hero of the royal race,\n With ringing sword-blades face to face.\n Off Balagard's shore the waves\n Ran hollow; but the sea-king saves\n His hard-pressed ship, and gains the lee\n Of the east coast through the wild sea.\"\n9. THE FOURTH BATTLE IN SUDERVIK.\nKing Olaf sailed from thence to Denmark, where he met Thorkel the Tall,\nbrother of Earl Sigvalde, and went into partnership with him; for he was\njust ready to set out on a cruise. They sailed southwards to the Jutland\ncoast, to a place called Sudervik, where they overcame many viking\nships. The vikings, who usually have many people to command, give\nthemselves the title of kings, although they have no lands to rule over.\nKing Olaf went into battle with them, and it was severe; but King Olaf\ngained the victory, and a great booty. So says Sigvat:--\n \"Hark! hark! The war-shout\n Through Sudervik rings,\n And the vikings bring out\n To fight the two kings.\n Great honour, I'm told,\n Won these vikings so bold:\n But their bold fight was vain,\n For the two brave kings gain.\"\n10. THE FIFTH BATTLE IN FRIESLAND.\nKing Olaf sailed from thence south to Friesland, and lay under the\nstrand of Kinlima in dreadful weather. The king landed with his men; but\nthe people of the country rode down to the strand against them, and he\nfought them. So says Sigvat:--\n \"Under Kinlima's cliff,\n This battle is the fifth.\n The brave sea-rovers stand\n All on the glittering sand;\n And down the horsemen ride\n To the edge of the rippling tide:\n But Olaf taught the peasant band\n To know the weight of a viking's hand.\"\n11. DEATH OF KING SVEIN FORKED BEARD.\nThe king sailed from thence westward to England. It was then the case\nthat the Danish king, Svein Forked Beard, was at that time in England\nwith a Danish army, and had been fixed there for some time, and had\nseized upon King Ethelred's kingdom. The Danes had spread themselves\nso widely over England, that it was come so far that King Ethelred\nhad departed from the country, and had gone south to Valland. The same\nautumn that King Olaf came to England, it happened that King Svein died\nsuddenly in the night in his bed; and it is said by Englishmen that\nEdmund the Saint killed him, in the same way that the holy Mercurius\nhad killed the apostate Julian. When Ethelred, the king of the English,\nheard this in Flanders, he returned directly to England; and no sooner\nwas he come back, than he sent an invitation to all the men who would\nenter into his pay, to join him in recovering the country. Then many\npeople flocked to him; and among others, came King Olaf with a great\ntroop of Northmen to his aid. They steered first to London, and sailed\ninto the Thames with their fleet; but the Danes had a castle within. On\nthe other side of the river is a great trading place, which is called\nSudvirke. There the Danes had raised a great work, dug large ditches,\nand within had built a bulwark of stone, timber, and turf, where they\nhad stationed a strong army. King Ethelred ordered a great assault;\nbut the Danes defended themselves bravely, and King Ethelred could make\nnothing of it. Between the castle and Southwark (Sudvirke) there was a\nbridge, so broad that two wagons could pass each other upon it. On the\nbridge were raised barricades, both towers and wooden parapets, in the\ndirection of the river, which were nearly breast high; and under the\nbridge were piles driven into the bottom of the river. Now when the\nattack was made the troops stood on the bridge everywhere, and defended\nthemselves. King Ethelred was very anxious to get possession of the\nbridge, and he called together all the chiefs to consult how they should\nget the bridge broken down. Then said King Olaf he would attempt to lay\nhis fleet alongside of it, if the other ships would do the same. It was\nthen determined in this council that they should lay their war forces\nunder the bridge; and each made himself ready with ships and men.\n12. THE SIXTH BATTLE.\nKing Olaf ordered great platforms of floating wood to be tied together\nwith hazel bands, and for this he took down old houses; and with these,\nas a roof, he covered over his ships so widely, that it reached over the\nships' sides. Under this screen he set pillars so high and stout, that\nthere both was room for swinging their swords, and the roofs were strong\nenough to withstand the stones cast down upon them. Now when the fleet\nand men were ready, they rode up along the river; but when they came\nnear the bridge, there were cast down upon them so many stones and\nmissile weapons, such as arrows and spears, that neither helmet nor\nshield could hold out against it; and the ships themselves were so\ngreatly damaged, that many retreated out of it. But King Olaf, and the\nNorthmen's fleet with him, rowed quite up under the bridge, laid their\ncables around the piles which supported it, and then rowed off with all\nthe ships as hard as they could down the stream. The piles were thus\nshaken in the bottom, and were loosened under the bridge. Now as the\narmed troops stood thick of men upon the bridge, and there were likewise\nmany heaps of stones and other weapons upon it, and the piles under it\nbeing loosened and broken, the bridge gave way; and a great part of the\nmen upon it fell into the river, and all the ethers fled, some into the\ncastle, some into Southwark. Thereafter Southwark was stormed and\ntaken. Now when the people in the castle saw that the river Thames was\nmastered, and that they could not hinder the passage of ships up\ninto the country, they became afraid, surrendered the tower, and took\nEthelred to be their king. So says Ottar Svarte:--\n \"London Bridge is broken down.--\n Gold is won, and bright renown.\n Shields resounding,\n War-horns sounding,\n Hild is shouting in the din!\n Arrows singing,\n Mail-coats ringing--\n Odin makes our Olaf win!\"\nAnd he also composed these:--\n \"King Ethelred has found a friend:\n Brave Olaf will his throne defend--\n In bloody fight\n Maintain his right,\n Win back his land\n With blood-red hand,\n And Edmund's son upon his throne replace--\n Edmund, the star of every royal race!\"\nSigvat also relates as follows:--\n \"At London Bridge stout Olaf gave\n Odin's law to his war-men brave--\n And their foemen fly.\n Some by the dyke-side refuge gain--\n Some in their tents on Southwark plain!\n The sixth attack\n Brought victory back.\"\n13. THE SEVENTH BATTLE.\nKing Olaf passed all the winter with King Ethelred, and had a great\nbattle at Hringmara Heath in Ulfkel's land, the domain which Ulfkel\nSnilling at that time held; and here again the king was victorious. So\nsays Sigvat the skald:--\n \"To Ulfkel's land came Olaf bold,\n A seventh sword-thing he would hold.\n The race of Ella filled the plain--\n Few of them slept at home again!\n Hringmara heath\n Was a bed of death:\n Harfager's heir\n Dealt slaughter there.\"\nAnd Ottar sings of this battle thus:--\n \"From Hringmara field\n The chime of war,\n Sword striking shield,\n Rings from afar.\n The living fly;\n The dead piled high\n The moor enrich;\n Red runs the ditch.\"\nThe country far around was then brought in subjection to King Ethelred:\nbut the Thingmen (1) and the Danes held many castles, besides a great\npart of the country.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Thing-men were hired men-at-arms; called Thing-men\n probably from being men above the class of thralls or unfree men,\n and entitled to appear at Things, as being udal-born to land at\n home.\n14. EIGHTH AND NINTH BATTLES OF OLAF.\nKing Olaf was commander of all the forces when they went against\nCanterbury; and they fought there until they took the town, killing many\npeople and burning the castle. So says Ottar Svarte:--\n \"All in the grey of morn\n Broad Canterbury's forced.\n Black smoke from house-roofs borne\n Hides fire that does its worst;\n And many a man laid low\n By the battle-axe's blow,\n Waked by the Norsemen's cries,\n Scarce had time to rub his eyes.\"\nSigvat reckons this King Olaf's eighth battle:--\n \"Of this eighth battle I can tell\n How it was fought, and what befell,\n The castle tower\n With all his power\n He could not take,\n Nor would forsake.\n The Perthmen fought,\n Nor quarter sought;\n By death or flight\n They left the fight.\n Olaf could not this earl stout\n From Canterbury quite drive out.\"\nAt this time King Olaf was entrusted with the whole land defence of\nEngland, and he sailed round the land with his ships of War. He laid his\nships at land at Nyjamoda, where the troops of the Thingmen were, and\ngave them battle and gained the victory. So says Sigvat the skald:--\n \"The youthful king stained red the hair\n Of Angeln men, and dyed his spear\n At Newport in their hearts' dark blood:\n And where the Danes the thickest stood--\n Where the shrill storm round Olaf's head\n Of spear and arrow thickest fled.\n There thickest lay the Thingmen dead!\n Nine battles now of Olaf bold,\n Battle by battle, I have told.\"\nKing Olaf then scoured all over the country, taking scat of the people\nand plundering where it was refused. So says Ottar:--\n \"The English race could not resist thee,\n With money thou madest them assist thee;\n Unsparingly thou madest them pay\n A scat to thee in every way;\n Money, if money could be got--\n Goods, cattle, household gear, if not.\n Thy gathered spoil, borne to the strand,\n Was the best wealth of English land.\"\nOlaf remained here for three years (A.D. 1010-1012).\n15. THE TENTH BATTLE.\nThe third year King Ethelred died, and his sons Edmund and Edward took\nthe government (A.D. 1012). Then Olaf sailed southwards out to sea, and\nhad a battle at Hringsfjord, and took a castle situated at Holar, where\nvikings resorted, and burnt the castle. So says Sigvat the skald:--\n \"Of the tenth battle now I tell,\n Where it was fought, and what befell.\n Up on the hill in Hringsfjord fair\n A robber nest hung in the air:\n The people followed our brave chief,\n And razed the tower of the viking thief.\n Such rock and tower, such roosting-place,\n Was ne'er since held by the roving race.\"\n16. ELEVENTH, TWELFTH AND THIRTEENTH BATTLES.\nThen King Olaf proceeded westwards to Grislupollar, and fought there\nwith vikings at Williamsby; and there also King Olaf gained the victory.\nSo says Sigvat:--\n \"The eleventh battle now I tell,\n Where it was fought, and what befell.\n At Grislupol our young fir's name\n O'ertopped the forest trees in fame:\n Brave Olaf's name--nought else was heard\n But Olaf's name, and arm, and sword.\n Of three great earls, I have heard say,\n His sword crushed helm and head that day.\"\nNext he fought westward on Fetlafjord, as Sigvat tells:--\n \"The twelfth fight was at Fetlafjord,\n Where Olaf's honour-seeking sword\n Gave the wild wolf's devouring teeth\n A feast of warriors doomed to death.\"\nFrom thence King Olaf sailed southwards to Seljupollar, where he had a\nbattle. He took there a castle called Gunvaldsborg, which was very large\nand old. He also made prisoner the earl who ruled over the castle and\nwho was called Geirfin. After a conference with the men of the castle,\nhe laid a scat upon the town and earl, as ransom, of twelve thousand\ngold shillings: which was also paid by those on whom it was imposed. So\nsays Sigvat:--\n \"The thirteenth battle now I tell,\n Where it was fought, and what befell.\n In Seljupol was fought the fray,\n And many did not survive the day.\n The king went early to the shore,\n To Gunvaldsborg's old castle-tower;\n And a rich earl was taken there,\n Whose name was Geridin, I am sure.\"\n17. FOURTEENTH BATTLE AND OLAF'S DREAM.\nThereafter King Olaf steered with his fleet westward to Karlsar, and\ntarried there and had a fight. And while King Olaf was lying in Karlsa\nriver waiting a wind, and intending to sail up to Norvasund, and then on\nto the land of Jerusalem, he dreamt a remarkable dream--that there came\nto him a great and important man, but of a terrible appearance withal,\nwho spoke to him, and told him to give up his purpose of proceeding to\nthat land. \"Return back to thy udal, for thou shalt be king over Norway\nfor ever.\" He interpreted this dream to mean that he should be king over\nthe country, and his posterity after him for a long time.\n18. FIFTEENTH BATTLE.\nAfter this appearance to him he turned about, and came to Poitou, where\nhe plundered and burnt a merchant town called Varrande. Of this Ottar\nspeaks:--\n \"Our young king, blythe and gay,\n Is foremost in the fray:\n Poitou he plunders, Tuskland burns,--\n He fights and wins where'er he turns.\"\nAnd also Sigvat says:--\n \"The Norsemen's king is on his cruise,\n His blue steel staining,\n Rich booty gaining,\n And all men trembling at the news.\n The Norsemen's kings up on the Loire:\n Rich Partheney\n In ashes lay;\n Far inland reached the Norsemen's spear.\"\n19. OF THE EARLS OF ROUEN.\nKing Olaf had been two summers and one winter in the west in Valland on\nthis cruise; and thirteen years had now passed since the fall of King\nOlaf Trygvason. During this time earls had ruled over Norway; first\nHakon's sons Eirik and Svein, and afterwards Eirik's sons Hakon and\nSvein. Hakon was a sister's son of King Canute, the son of Svein. During\nthis time there were two earls in Valland, William and Robert; their\nfather was Richard earl of Rouen. They ruled over Normandy. Their sister\nwas Queen Emma, whom the English king Ethelred had married; and their\nsons were Edmund, Edward the Good, Edwy, and Edgar. Richard the earl of\nRouen was a son of Richard the son of William Long Spear, who was the\nson of Rolf Ganger, the earl who first conquered Normandy; and he again\nwas a son of Ragnvald the Mighty, earl of More, as before related. From\nRolf Ganger are descended the earls of Rouen, who have long reckoned\nthemselves of kin to the chiefs in Norway, and hold them in such respect\nthat they always were the greatest friends of the Northmen; and every\nNorthman found a friendly country in Normandy, if he required it. To\nNormandy King Olaf came in autumn (A.D. 1013), and remained all winter\n(A.D. 1014) in the river Seine in good peace and quiet.\n20. OF EINAR TAMBASKELFER.\nAfter Olaf Trygvason's fall, Earl Eirik gave peace to Einar\nTambaskelfer, the son of Eindride Styrkarson; and Einar went north with\nthe earl to Norway. It is said that Einar was the strongest man and the\nbest archer that ever was in Norway. His shooting was sharp beyond all\nothers; for with a blunt arrow he shot through a raw, soft ox-hide,\nhanging over a beam. He was better than any man at running on\nsnow-shoes, was a great man at all exercises, was of high family, and\nrich. The earls Eirik and Svein married their sister Bergliot to Einar.\nTheir son was named Eindride. The earls gave Einar great fiefs in\nOrkadal, so that he was one of the most powerful and able men in the\nThrondhjem country, and was also a great friend of the earls, and a\ngreat support and aid to them.\n21. OF ERLING SKIALGSON.\nWhen Olaf Trygvason ruled over Norway, he gave his brother-in-law Erling\nhalf of the land scat, and royal revenues between the Naze and Sogn. His\nother sister he married to the Earl Ragnvald Ulfson, who long ruled\nover West Gautland. Ragnvald's father, Ulf, was a brother of Sigrid the\nHaughty, the mother of Olaf the Swedish king. Earl Eirik was ill pleased\nthat Erling Skialgson had so large a dominion, and he took to himself\nall the king's estates, which King Olaf had given to Erling. But\nErling levied, as before, all the land scat in Rogaland; and thus the\ninhabitants had often to pay him the land scat, otherwise he laid waste\ntheir land. The earl made little of the business, for no bailiff of his\ncould live there, and the earl could only come there in guest-quarters,\nwhen he had a great many people with him. So says Sigvat:--\n \"Olaf the king\n Thought the bonde Erling\n A man who would grace\n His own royal race.\n One sister the king\n Gave the bonde Erling;\n And one to an earl,\n And she saved him in peril.\"\nEarl Eirik did not venture to fight with Erling, because he had very\npowerful and very many friends, and was himself rich and popular, and\nkept always as many retainers about him as if he held a king's court.\nErling was often out in summer on plundering expeditions, and procured\nfor himself means of living; for he continued his usual way of high and\nsplendid living, although now he had fewer and less convenient fiefs\nthan in the time of his brother-in-law King Olaf Trygvason. Erling was\none of the handsomest, largest, and strongest men; a better warrior than\nany other; and in all exercises he was like King Olaf himself. He was,\nbesides, a man of understanding, jealous in everything he undertook, and\na deadly man at arms. Sigvat talks thus of him:--\n \"No earl or baron, young or old,\n Match with this bonde brave can hold.\n Mild was brave Erling, all men say,\n When not engaged in bloody fray:\n His courage he kept hid until\n The fight began, then foremost still\n Erling was seen in war's wild game,\n And famous still is Erling's name.\"\nIt was a common saying among the people, that Erling had been the most\nvaliant who ever held lands under a king in Norway. Erlings and Astrid s\nchildren were these--Aslak, Skialg, Sigurd, Lodin, Thorer, and Ragnhild,\nwho was married to Thorberg Arnason. Erling had always with him ninety\nfree-born men or more, and both winter and summer it was the custom in\nhis house to drink at the mid-day meal according to a measure (1), but\nat the night meal there was no measure in drinking. When the earl was in\nthe neighbourhood he had 200 (2) men or more. He never went to sea with\nless than a fully-manned ship of twenty benches of rowers. Erling had\nalso a ship of thirty-two benches of rowers, which was besides, very\nlarge for that size, and which he used in viking cruises, or on an\nexpedition; and in it there were 200 men at the very least.\n ENDNOTES: (1) There were silver-studs in a row from the rim to the\n bottom of the drinking born or cup; and as it went round each drank\n till the stud appeared above the liquor. This was drinking\n by measure.--L.\n22. OF THE HERSE ERLING SKIALGSON.\nErling had always at home on his farm thirty slaves, besides other\nserving-people. He gave his slaves a certain day's work; but after it he\ngave them leisure, and leave that each should work in the twilight and\nat night for himself, and as he pleased. He gave them arable land to sow\ncorn in, and let them apply their crops to their own use. He laid upon\neach a certain quantity of labour to work themselves free by doing it;\nand there were many who bought their freedom in this way in one year, or\nin the second year, and all who had any luck could make themselves free\nwithin three years. With this money he bought other slaves: and to some\nof his freed people he showed how to work in the herring-fishery, to\nothers he showed some useful handicraft; and some cleared his outfields\nand set up houses. He helped all to prosperity.\n23. OF EARL EIRIK.\nWhen Earl Eirik had ruled over Norway for twelve years, there came a\nmessage to him from his brother-in-law King Canute, the Danish king,\nthat he should go with him on an expedition westward to England; for\nEirik was very celebrated for his campaigns, as he had gained the\nvictory in the two hardest engagements which had ever been fought in\nthe north countries. The one was that in which the Earls Hakon and Eirik\nfought with the Jomsborg vikings; the other that in which Earl Eirik\nfought with King Olaf Trygvason. Thord Kolbeinson speaks of this:--\n \"A song of praise\n Again I raise.\n To the earl bold\n The word is told,\n That Knut the Brave\n His aid would crave;\n The earl, I knew,\n To friend stands true.\"\nThe earl would not sleep upon the message of the king, but sailed\nimmediately out of the country, leaving behind his son Earl Hakon to\ntake care of Norway; and, as he was but seventeen years of age, Einar\nTambaskelfer was to be at his hand to rule the country for him.\nEirik met King Canute in England, and was with him when he took the\ncastle of London. Earl Eirik had a battle also to the westward of\nthe castle of London, and killed Ulfkel Snilling. So says Thord\nKolbeinson:--\n \"West of London town we passed,\n And our ocean-steeds made fast,\n And a bloody fight begin,\n England's lands to lose or win.\n Blue sword and shining spear\n Laid Ulfkel's dead corpse there,\n Our Thingmen hear the war-shower sounding\n Our grey arrows from their shields rebounding.\"\nEarl Eirik was a winter in England, and had many battles there. The\nfollowing autumn he intended to make a pilgrimage to Rome, but he died\nin England of a bloody flux.\n24. THE MURDER OF EDMUND.\nKing Canute came to England the summer that King Ethelred died, and had\nmany battles with Ethelred's sons, in which the victory was sometimes\non one side, sometimes on the other. Then King Canute took Queen Emma in\nmarriage; and their children were Harald, Hardacanute, and Gunhild. King\nCanute then made an agreement with King Edmund, that each of them should\nhave a half of England. In the same month Henry Strion murdered King\nEdmund. King Canute then drove all Ethelred's sons out of England. So\nsays Sigvat:--\n \"Now all the sons of Ethelred\n Were either fallen, or had fled:\n Some slain by Canute,--some they say,\n To save their lives had run away.\"\n25. OLAF AND ETHELRED'S SONS.\nKing Ethelred's sons came to Rouen in Valland from England, to their\nmother's brother, the same summer that King Olaf Haraldson came from\nthe west from his viking cruise, and they were all during the winter in\nNormandy together. They made an agreement with each other that King Olaf\nshould have Northumberland, if they could succeed in taking England from\nthe Danes. Therefore about harvest, Olaf sent his foster-father Hrane to\nEngland to collect men-at-arms; and Ethelred's sons sent tokens to their\nfriends and relations with him. King Olaf, besides, gave him much money\nwith him to attract people to them. Hrane was all winter in England, and\ngot promises from many powerful men of fidelity, as the people of the\ncountry would rather have native kings over them; but the Danish power\nhad become so great in England, that all the people were brought under\ntheir dominion.\n26. BATTLE OF KING OLAF.\nIn spring (A.D. 1014) King Olaf and King Ethelred's sons set out\ntogether to the west, and came to a place in England called Jungufurda,\nwhere they landed with their army and moved forward against the castle.\nMany men were there who had promised them their aid. They took the\ncastle; and killed many people. Now when King Canute's men heard of this\nthey assembled an army, and were soon in such force that Ethelred's sons\ncould not stand against it; and they saw no other way left but to return\nto Rouen. Then King Olaf separated from them, and would not go back\nto Valland, but sailed northwards along England, all the way to\nNorthumberland, where he put into a haven at a place called Valde;\nand in a battle there with the townspeople and merchants he gained the\nvictory, and a great booty.\n27. OLAF'S EXPEDITION TO NORWAY.\nKing Olaf left his long-ships there behind, but made ready two ships of\nburden; and had with him 220 men in them, well-armed, and chosen people.\nHe sailed out to sea northwards in harvest, but encountered a tremendous\nstorm and they were in danger of being lost; but as they had a chosen\ncrew, and the king s luck with them, all went on well. So says Ottar:--\n \"Olaf, great stem of kings, is brave--\n Bold in the fight, bold on the wave.\n No thought of fear\n Thy heart comes near.\n Undaunted, 'midst the roaring flood,\n Firm at his post each shipman stood;\n And thy two ships stout\n The gale stood out.\"\nAnd further he says:--\n \"Thou able chief! with thy fearless crew\n Thou meetest, with skill and courage true,\n The wild sea's wrath\n On thy ocean path.\n Though waves mast-high were breaking round.\n Thou findest the middle of Norway's ground,\n With helm in hand\n On Saela's strand.\"\nIt is related here that King Olaf came from the sea to the very middle\nof Norway; and the isle is called Saela where they landed, and is\noutside of Stad. King Olaf said he thought it must be a lucky day for\nthem, since they had landed at Saela in Norway; and observed it was a\ngood omen that it so happened. As they were going up in the isle,\nthe king slipped with one foot in a place where there was clay, but\nsupported himself with the other foot. Then said he \"The king falls.\"\n\"Nay,\" replies Hrane, \"thou didst not fall, king, but set fast foot\nin the soil.\" The king laughed thereat, and said, \"It may be so if God\nwill.\" They went down again thereafter to their ships, and sailed to\nUlfasund, where they heard that Earl Hakon was south in Sogn, and was\nexpected north as soon as wind allowed with a single ship.\n28. HAKON TAKEN PRISONER BY OLAF.\nKing Olaf steered his ships within the ordinary ships' course when he\ncame abreast of Fjaler district, and ran into Saudungssund. There he\nlaid his two vessels one on each side of the sound with a thick cable\nbetween them. At the same moment Hakon, Earl Eirik's son, came rowing\ninto the sound with a manned ship; and as they thought these were but\ntwo merchant-vessels that were lying in the sound, they rowed between\nthem. Then Olaf and his men draw the cable up right under Hakon's ship's\nkeel and wind it up with the capstan. As soon as the vessel's course was\nstopped her stern was lifted up, and her bow plunged down; so that the\nwater came in at her fore-end and over both sides, and she upset. King\nOlaf's people took Earl Hakon and all his men whom they could get hold\nof out of the water, and made them prisoners; but some they killed with\nstones and other weapons, and some were drowned. So says Ottar:--\n \"The black ravens wade\n In the blood from thy blade.\n Young Hakon so gay,\n With his ship, is thy prey:\n His ship, with its gear,\n Thou hast ta'en; and art here,\n Thy forefather's land\n From the earl to demand.\"\nEarl Hakon was led up to the king's ship. He was the handsomest man that\ncould be seen. He had long hair, as fine as silk, bound about his bead\nwith a gold ornament.\nWhen he sat down in the fore-hold, the king said to him, \"It is not\nfalse what is said of your family, that ye are handsome people to look\nat; but now your luck has deserted you.\"\nHakon the earl replied, \"It has always been the case that success is\nchangeable; and there is no luck in the matter. It has gone with your\nfamily as with mine, to have by turns the better lot. I am little\nbeyond childhood in years; and at any rate we could not have defended\nourselves, as we did not expect any attack on the way. It may turn out\nbetter with us another time.\"\nThen said King Olaf, \"Dost thou not apprehend that thou art in that\ncondition that, hereafter, there can be neither victory nor defeat for\nthee?\"\nThe earl replies, \"That is what thou only canst determine, king,\naccording to thy pleasure.\"\nOlaf says, \"What wilt thou give me, earl, if for this time I let thee\ngo, whole and unhurt?\"\nThe earl asks what he would take.\n\"Nothing,\" says the king, \"except that thou shalt leave the country,\ngive up thy kingdom, and take an oath that thou shalt never go into\nbattle against me.\"\nThe earl answered, that he would do so. And now Earl Hakon took the oath\nthat he would never fight against Olaf, or seek to defend Norway against\nhim, or attack him; and King Olaf thereupon gave him and all his men\nlife and peace. The earl got back the ship which had brought him there,\nand he and his men rowed their way. Thus says Sigvat of him:--\n \"In old Saudungs sound\n The king Earl Hakon found,\n Who little thought that there\n A foeman was so near.\n The best and fairest youth\n Earl Hakon was in truth,\n That speaks the Danish tongue,\n And of the race of great Hakon.\"\n29. HAKON'S DEPARTURE FROM NORWAY.\nAfter this (A.D. 1014) the earl made ready as fast as possible to leave\nthe country and sail over to England. He met King Canute, his mother's\nbrother, there, and told him all that had taken place between him and\nKing Olaf. King Canute received him remarkably well, placed him in his\ncourt in his own house, and gave him great power in his kingdom. Earl\nHakon dwelt a long time with King Canute. During the time Svein and\nHakon ruled over Norway, a reconciliation with Erling Skialgson was\neffected, and secured by Aslak, Erling's son, marrying Gunhild, Earl\nSvein's daughter; and the father and son, Erling and Aslak, retained\nall the fiefs which King Olaf Trygvason had given to Erling. Thus Erling\nbecame a firm friend of the earl's, and their mutual friendship was\nconfirmed by oath.\n30. ASTA RECEIVES HER SON OLAF.\nKing Olaf went now eastward along the land, holding Things with the\nbondes all over the country. Many went willingly with him; but some,\nwho were Earl Svein's friends or relations, spoke against him. Therefore\nKing Olaf sailed in all haste eastward to Viken; went in there with his\nships; set them on the land; and proceeded up the country, in order\nto meet his stepfather, Sigurd Syr. When he came to Vestfold he was\nreceived in a friendly way by many who had been his father's friends or\nacquaintances; and also there and in Folden were many of his family. In\nautumn (A.D. 1014) he proceeded up the country to his stepfather King\nSigurd's, and came there one day very early. As Olaf was coming near to\nthe house, some of the servants ran beforehand to the house, and into\nthe room. Olaf's mother, Asta, was sitting in the room, and around her\nsome of her girls. When the servants told her of King Olaf's approach,\nand that he might soon be expected, Asta stood up directly, and ordered\nthe men and girls to put everything in the best order. She ordered four\ngirls to bring out all that belonged to the decoration of the room and\nput it in order with hangings and benches. Two fellows brought straw\nfor the floor, two brought forward four-cornered tables and the\ndrinking-jugs, two bore out victuals and placed the meat on the table,\ntwo she sent away from the house to procure in the greatest haste all\nthat was needed, and two carried in the ale; and all the other serving\nmen and girls went outside of the house. Messengers went to seek King\nSigurd wherever he might be, and brought to him his dress-clothes, and\nhis horse with gilt saddle, and his bridle, which was gilt and set\nwith precious stones. Four men she sent off to the four quarters of the\ncountry to invite all the great people to a feast, which she prepared as\na rejoicing for her son's return. All who were before in the house she\nmade to dress themselves with the best they had, and lent clothes to\nthose who had none suitable.\n31. KING SIGURD'S DRESS.\nKing Sigurd Syr was standing in his corn-field when the messengers came\nto him and brought him the news, and also told him all that Asta was\ndoing at home in the house. He had many people on his farm. Some\nwere then shearing corn, some bound it together, some drove it to the\nbuilding, some unloaded it and put it in stack or barn; but the king,\nand two men with him, went sometimes into the field, sometimes to the\nplace where the corn was put into the barn. His dress, it is told, was\nthis:--he had a blue kirtle and blue breeches; shoes which were laced\nabout the legs; a grey cloak, and a grey wide-brimmed hat; a veil before\nhis face; a staff in his hand with a gilt-silver head on it and a silver\nring around it. Of Sigurd's living and disposition it is related that\nhe was a very gain-making man who attended carefully to his cattle and\nhusbandry, and managed his housekeeping himself. He was nowise given\nto pomp, and was rather taciturn. But he was a man of the best\nunderstanding in Norway, and also excessively wealthy in movable\nproperty. Peaceful he was, and nowise haughty. His wife Asta was\ngenerous and high-minded. Their children were, Guthorm, the eldest; then\nGunhild; the next Halfdan, Ingerid, and Harald. The messengers said to\nSigurd, \"Asta told us to bring thee word how much it lay at her heart\nthat thou shouldst on this occasion comport thyself in the fashion of\ngreat men, and show a disposition more akin to Harald Harfager's race\nthan to thy mother's father's, Hrane Thin-nose, or Earl Nereid the Old,\nalthough they too were very wise men.\" The king replies, \"The news ye\nbring me is weighty, and ye bring it forward in great heat. Already\nbefore now Asta has been taken up much with people who were not so near\nto her; and I see she is still of the same disposition. She takes this\nup with great warmth; but can she lead her son out of the business with\nthe same splendour she is leading him into it? If it is to proceed so\nmethinks they who mix themselves up in it regard little property or\nlife. For this man, King Olaf, goes against a great superiority of\npower; and the wrath of the Danish and Swedish kings lies at the foot of\nhis determination, if he ventures to go against them.\"\n32. OF THE FEAST.\nWhen the king had said this he sat down, and made them take off his\nshoes, and put corduvan boots on, to which he bound his gold spurs.\nThen he put off his cloak and coat, and dressed himself in his finest\nclothes, with a scarlet cloak over all; girded on his sword, set\na gilded helmet upon his head, and mounted his horse. He sent his\nlabouring people out to the neighbourhood, and gathered to him thirty\nwell-clothed men, and rode home with them. As they rode up to the house,\nand were near the room, they saw on the other side of the house the\nbanners of Olaf coming waving; and there was he himself, with about\n100 men all well equipped. People were gathered over all upon the\nhouse-tops. King Sigurd immediately saluted his stepson from horseback\nin a friendly way, and invited him and his men to come in and drink a\ncup with him. Asta, on the contrary, went up and kissed her son, and\ninvited him to stay with her; and land, and people, and all the good she\ncould do for him stood at his service. King Olaf thanked her kindly for\nher invitation. Then she took him by the hand, and led him into the room\nto the high-seat. King Sigurd got men to take charge of their clothes,\nand give their horses corn; and then he himself went to his high-seat,\nand the feast was made with the greatest splendour.\n33. CONVERSATION OF OLAF AND SIGURD.\nKing Olaf had not been long here before he one day called his stepfather\nKing Sigurd, his mother Asta, and his foster-father Hrane to a\nconference and consultation. Olaf began thus: \"It has so happened,\" said\nhe, \"as is well known to you, that I have returned to this country after\na very long sojourn in foreign parts, during all which time I and my men\nhave had nothing for our support but what we captured in war, for which\nwe have often hazarded both life and soul: for many an innocent man have\nwe deprived of his property, and some of their lives; and foreigners are\nnow sitting in the possessions which my father, his father, and their\nforefathers for a long series of generations owned, and to which I have\nudal right. They have not been content with this, but have taken to\nthemselves also the properties of all our relations who are descended\nfrom Harald Harfager. To some they have left little, to others nothing\nat all. Now I will disclose to you what I have long concealed in my own\nmind, that I intend to take the heritage of my forefathers; but I will\nnot wait upon the Danish or Swedish king to supplicate the least thing\nfrom them, although they for the time call that their property which was\nHarald Harfager's heritage. To say the truth, I intend rather to seek\nmy patrimony with battle-axe and sword, and that with the help of all\nmy friends and relations, and of those who in this business will take my\nside. And in this matter I will so lay hand to the work that one of two\nthings shall happen,--either I shall lay all this kingdom under my rule\nwhich they got into their hands by the slaughter of my kinsman Olaf\nTrygvason, or I shall fall here upon my inheritance in the land of my\nfathers. Now I expect of thee, Sigurd, my stepfather, as well as\nother men here in the country who have udal right of succession to the\nkingdom, according to the law made by King Harald Harfager, that nothing\nshall be of such importance to you as to prevent you from throwing off\nthe disgrace from our family of being slow at supporting the man who\ncomes forward to raise up again our race. But whether ye show any\nmanhood in this affair or not, I know the inclination of the people\nwell,--that all want to be free from the slavery of foreign masters,\nand will give aid and strength to the attempt. I have not proposed\nthis matter to any before thee, because I know thou art a man of\nunderstanding, and can best judge how this my purpose shall be brought\nforward in the beginning, and whether we shall, in all quietness, talk\nabout it to a few persons, or instantly declare it to the people at\nlarge. I have already shown my teeth by taking prisoner the Earl Hakon,\nwho has now left the country, and given me, under oath, the part of the\nkingdom which he had before; and I think it will be easier to have\nEarl Svein alone to deal with, than if both were defending the country\nagainst us.\"\nKing Sigurd answers, \"It is no small affair, King Olaf, thou hast in thy\nmind; and thy purpose comes more, methinks, from hasty pride than from\nprudence. But it may be there is a wide difference between my humble\nways and the high thoughts thou hast; for whilst yet in thy childhood\nthou wast full always of ambition and desire of command, and now thou\nart experienced in battles, and hast formed thyself upon the manner of\nforeign chiefs. I know therefore well, that as thou hast taken this into\nthy head, it is useless to dissuade thee from it; and also it is not\nto be denied that it goes to the heart of all who have courage in them,\nthat the whole Harfager race and kingdom should go to the ground. But\nI will not bind myself by any promise, before I know the views and\nintentions of other Upland kings; but thou hast done well in letting\nme know thy purpose, before declaring it publicly to the people. I will\npromise thee, however, my interest with the kings, and other chiefs, and\ncountry people; and also, King Olaf, all my property stands to thy\naid, and to strengthen thee. But we will only produce the matter to the\ncommunity so soon as we see some progress, and expect some strength to\nthis undertaking; for thou canst easily perceive that it is a daring\nmeasure to enter into strife with Olaf the Swedish king, and Canute, who\nis king both of Denmark and England; and thou requirest great support\nunder thee, if it is to succeed. It is not unlikely, in my opinion, that\nthou wilt get good support from the people, as the commonalty always\nloves what is new; and it went so before, when Olaf Trygvason came here\nto the country, that all rejoiced at it, although he did not long enjoy\nthe kingdom.\"\nWhen the consultation had proceeded so far, Asta took up the word. \"For\nmy part, my son, I am rejoiced at thy arrival, but much more at thy\nadvancing thy honour. I will spare nothing for that purpose that stands\nin my power, although it be but little help that can be expected from\nme. But if a choice could be made, I would rather that thou shouldst be\nthe supreme king of Norway, even if thou shouldst not sit longer in\nthy kingdom than Olaf Trygvason did, than that thou shouldst not be a\ngreater king than Sigurd Syr is, and die the death of old age.\" With\nthis the conference closed. King Olaf remained here a while with all his\nmen. King Sigurd entertained them, day about, the one day with fish and\nmilk, the other day with flesh-meat and ale.\n34. KINGS IN THE UPLAND DISTRICTS.\nAt that time there were many kings in the Uplands who had districts to\nrule over, and the most of them were descended from Harald Harfager. In\nHedemark two brothers ruled--Hrorek and Ring; in Gudbrandsdal, Gudrod;\nand there was also a king in Raumarike; and one had Hadaland and Thoten;\nand in Valders also there was a king. With these district-kings Sigurd\nhad a meeting up in Hadaland, and Olaf Haraldson also met with them. To\nthese district-kings whom Sigurd had assembled he set forth his stepson\nOlaf's purpose, and asked their aid, both of men and in counsel and\nconsent; and represented to them how necessary it was to cast off the\nyoke which the Danes and Swedes had laid upon them. He said that there\nwas now a man before them who could head such an enterprise; and he\nrecounted the many brave actions which Olaf had achieved upon his\nwar-expeditions.\nThen King Hrorek says, \"True it is that Harald Harfager's kingdom has\ngone to decay, none of his race being supreme king over Norway. But\nthe people here in the country have experienced many things. When King\nHakon, Athelstan's foster-son, was king, all were content; but when\nGunhild's sons ruled over the country, all were so weary of their\ntyranny and injustice that they would rather have foreign men as kings,\nand be themselves more their own rulers; for the foreign kings were\nusually abroad and cared little about the customs of the people if the\nscat they laid on the country was paid. When enmity arose between\nthe Danish king Harald and Earl Hakon, the Jomsborg vikings made an\nexpedition against Norway; then the whole people arose, and threw the\nhostilities from themselves; and thereafter the people encouraged Earl\nHakon to keep the country, and defend it with sword and spear against\nthe Danish king. But when he had set himself fast in the kingdom with\nthe help of the people, he became so hard and overbearing towards the\ncountry-folks, that they would no longer suffer him. The Throndhjem\npeople killed him, and raised to the kingly power Olaf Trygvason, who\nwas of the udal succession to the kingdom, and in all respects well\nfitted to be a chief. The whole country's desire was to make him supreme\nking, and raise again the kingdom which Harald Harfager had made for\nhimself. But when King Olaf thought himself quite firmly seated in his\nkingdom, no man could rule his own concerns for him. With us small kings\nhe was so unreasonable, as to take to himself not only all the scat and\nduties which Harald Harfager had levied from us, but a great deal more.\nThe people at last had so little freedom under him, that it was not\nallowed to every man to believe in what god he pleased. Now since he\nhas been taken away we have kept friendly with the Danish king; have\nreceived great help from him when we have had any occasion for it; and\nhave been allowed to rule ourselves, and live in peace and quiet in the\ninland country, and without any overburden. I am therefore content that\nthings be as they are, for I do not see what better rights I am to enjoy\nby one of my relations ruling over the country; and if I am to be no\nbetter off, I will take no part in the affair.\"\nThen said King Ring, his brother, \"I will also declare my opinion that\nit is better for me, if I hold the same power and property as now, that\nmy relative is king over Norway, rather than a foreign chief, so that\nour family may again raise its head in the land. It is, besides, my\nopinion about this man Olaf, that his fate and luck must determine\nwhether he is to obtain the kingdom or not; and if he succeed in making\nhimself supreme king, then he will be the best off who has best deserved\nhis friendship. At present he has in no respect greater power than any\nof us; nay, indeed, he has less; as we have lands and kingdoms to rule\nover, and he has nothing, and we are equally entitled by the udal right\nto the kingdom as he is himself. Now, if we will be his men, give him\nour aid, allow him to take the highest dignity in the country, and stand\nby him with our strength, how should he not reward us well, and hold\nit in remembrance to our great advantage, if he be the honourable man\nI believe him to be, and all say he is? Therefore let us join the\nadventure, say I, and bind ourselves in friendship with him.\"\nThen the others, one after the other, stood up and spoke; and the\nconclusion was, that the most of them determined to enter into a league\nwith King Olaf. He promised them his perfect friendship, and that he\nwould hold by and improve the country's laws and rights, if he became\nsupreme king of Norway. This league was confirmed by oath.\n35. OLAF GETS THE TITLE OF KING FROM THE THING.\nThereafter the kings summoned a Thing, and there King Olaf set forth\nthis determination to all the people, and his demand on the kingly\npower. He desires that the bondes should receive him as king; and\npromises, on the other hand, to allow them to retain their ancient laws,\nand to defend the land from foreign masters and chiefs. On this point he\nspoke well, and long; and he got great praise for his speech. Then the\nkings rose and spoke, the one after the other, and supported his cause,\nand this message to the people. At last it came to this, that King Olaf\nwas proclaimed king over the whole country, and the kingdom adjudged to\nhim according to law in the Uplands (A.D. 1014).\n36. KING OLAF TRAVELS IN THE UPLANDS.\nKing Olaf began immediately his progress through the country, appointing\nfeasts before him wherever there were royal farms. First he travelled\nround in Hadaland, and then he proceeded north to Gudbrandsdal. And now\nit went as King Sigurd Syr had foretold, that people streamed to him\nfrom all quarters; and he did not appear to have need for half of them,\nfor he had nearly 300 men. But the entertainments bespoken did not\nhalf serve; for it had been the custom that kings went about in\nguest-quarters in the Uplands with 60 or 70 men only, and never with\nmore than 100 men. The king therefore hastened over the country, only\nstopping one night at the same place. When he came north to Dovrefield,\nhe arranged his journey so that he came over the mountain and down upon\nthe north side of it, and then came to Opdal, where he remained all\nnight. Afterwards he proceeded through Opdal forest, and came out at\nMedaldal, where he proclaimed a Thing, and summoned the bondes to meet\nhim at it. The king made a speech to the Thing, and asked the bondes to\naccept him as king; and promised, on his part, the laws and rights which\nKing Olaf Trygvason had offered them. The bondes had no strength to\nmake opposition to the king; so the result was that they received him as\nking, and confirmed it by oath: but they sent word to Orkadal and Skaun\nof all that they knew concerning Olaf's proceedings.\n37. LEVY AGAINST OLAF IN THRONDHJEM.\nEinar Tambaskelfer had a farm and house at Husaby in Skaun; and now when\nhe got news of Olaf's proceedings, he immediately split up a war-arrow,\nand sent it out as a token to the four quarters--north, south, east,\nwest,--to call together all free and unfree men in full equipment of\nwar: therewith the message, that they were to defend the land against\nKing Olaf. The message-stick went to Orkadal, and thence to Gaulardal,\nwhere the whole war-force was to assemble.\n38. OLAF'S PROGRESS IN THRONDHJEM.\nKing Olaf proceeded with his men down into Orkadal, and advanced in\npeace and with all gentleness; but when he came to Griotar he met the\nassembled bondes, amounting to more than 700 men. Then the king arrayed\nhis army, for he thought the bondes were to give battle. When the bondes\nsaw this, they also began to put their men in order; but it went on\nvery slowly, for they had not agreed beforehand who among them should be\ncommander. Now when King Olaf saw there was confusion among the bondes,\nhe sent to them Thorer Gudbrandson; and when he came he told them King\nOlaf did not want to fight them, but named twelve of the ablest men in\ntheir flock of people, who were desired to come to King Olaf. The bondes\nagreed to this; and the twelve men went over a rising ground which is\nthere, and came to the place where the king's army stood in array. The\nking said to them, \"Ye bondes have done well to give me an opportunity\nto speak with you, for now I will explain to you my errand here to the\nThrondhjem country. First I must tell you, what ye already must have\nheard, that Earl Hakon and I met in summer; and the issue of our meeting\nwas, that he gave me the whole kingdom he possessed in the Throndhjem\ncountry, which, as ye know, consists of Orkadal, Gaulardal, Strind, and\nEyna district. As a proof of this, I have here with me the very men who\nwere present, and saw the earl's and my own hands given upon it, and\nheard the word and oath, and witnessed the agreement the earl made\nwith me. Now I offer you peace and law, the same as King Olaf Trygvason\noffered before me.\"\nThe king spoke well, and long; and ended by proposing to the bondes two\nconditions--either to go into his service and be subject to him, or to\nfight him. Thereupon the twelve bondes went back to their people, and\ntold the issue of their errand, and considered with the people what they\nshould resolve upon. Although they discussed the matter backwards and\nforwards for a while, they preferred at last to submit to the king; and\nit was confirmed by the oath of the bondes. The king now proceeded on\nhis journey, and the bondes made feasts for him. The king then proceeded\nto the sea-coast, and got ships; and among others he got a long-ship of\ntwenty benches of rowers from Gunnar of Gelmin; another ship of twenty\nbenches he got from Loden of Viggia; and three ships of twenty benches\nfrom the farm of Angrar on the ness which farm Earl Hakon had possessed,\nbut a steward managed it for him, by name Bard White. The king had,\nbesides, four or five boats; and with these vessels he went in all haste\ninto the fjord of Throndhjem.\n39. OF EARL SVEIN'S PROCEEDINGS.\nEarl Svein was at that time far up in the Throndhjem fjord at Steinker,\nwhich at that time was a merchant town, and was there preparing for\nthe yule festival (A.D. 1015). When Einar Tambaskelfer heard that the\nOrkadal people had submitted to King Olaf, he sent men to Earl Svein\nto bring him the tidings. They went first to Nidaros, and took a\nrowing-boat which belonged to Einar, with which they went out into the\nfjord, and came one day late in the evening to Steinker, where they\nbrought to the earl the news about all King Olaf's proceedings. The earl\nowned a long-ship, which was lying afloat and rigged just outside the\ntown: and immediately, in the evening, he ordered all his movable goods,\nhis people's clothes, and also meat and drink, as much as the\nvessel could carry, to be put on board, rowed immediately out in the\nnight-time, and came with daybreak to Skarnsund. There he saw King Olaf\nrowing in with his fleet into the fjord. The earl turned towards the\nland within Masarvik, where there was a thick wood, and lay so near the\nrocks that the leaves and branches hung over the vessel. They cut down\nsome large trees, which they laid over the quarter on the sea-side,\nso that the ship could not be seen for leaves, especially as it was\nscarcely clear daylight when the king came rowing past them. The weather\nwas calm, and the king rowed in among the islands; and when the king's\nfleet was out of sight the earl rowed out of the fjord, and on to\nFrosta, where his kingdom lay, and there he landed.\n40. EARL SVEIN'S AND EINAR'S CONSULTATIONS.\nEarl Svein sent men out to Gaulardal to his brother-in-law, Einar\nTambaskelfer; and when Einar came the earl told him how it had been with\nhim and King Olaf, and that now he would assemble men to go out against\nKing Olaf, and fight him.\nEinar answers, \"We should go to work cautiously, and find out what King\nOlaf intends doing; and not let him hear anything concerning us but\nthat we are quiet. It may happen that if he hears nothing about our\nassembling people, he may sit quietly where he is in Steinker all the\nYule; for there is plenty prepared for him for the Yule feast: but if he\nhears we are assembling men, he will set right out of the fjord with his\nvessels, and we shall not get hold of him.\" Einar's advice was taken;\nand the earl went to Stjoradal, into guest-quarters among the bondes.\nWhen King Olaf came to Steinker he collected all the meat prepared for\nthe Yule feast, and made it be put on board, procured some transport\nvessels, took meat and drink with him, and got ready to sail as fast as\npossible, and went out all the way to Nidaros. Here King Olaf Trygvason\nhad laid the foundation of a merchant town, and had built a king's\nhouse: but before that Nidaros was only a single house, as before\nrelated. When Earl Eirik came to the country, he applied all his\nattention to his house of Lade, where his father had had his main\nresidence, and he neglected the houses which Olaf had erected at the\nNid; so that some were fallen down, and those which stood were scarcely\nhabitable. King Olaf went now with his ships up the Nid, made all the\nhouses to be put in order directly that were still standing, and built\nanew those that had fallen down, and employed in this work a great\nmany people. Then he had all the meat and drink brought on shore to the\nhouses, and prepared to hold Yule there; so Earl Svein and Einar had to\nfall upon some other plan.\n41. OF SIGVAT THE SKALD.\nThere was an Iceland man called Thord Sigvaldaskald, who had been long\nwith Earl Sigvalde, and afterwards with the earl's brother, Thorkel the\nTall; but after the earl's death Thord had become a merchant. He\nmet King Olaf on his viking cruise in the west, and entered into his\nservice, and followed him afterwards. He was with the king when the\nincidents above related took place. Thord had a son called Sigvat\nfostered in the house of Thorkel at Apavatn, in Iceland. When he was\nnearly a grown man he went out of the country with some merchants; and\nthe ship came in autumn to the Throndhjem country, and the crew lodged\nin the hered (district). The same winter King Olaf came to Throndhjem,\nas just now related by us. Now when Sigvat heard that his father Thord\nwas with the king, he went to him, and stayed a while with him. Sigvat\nwas a good skald at an early age. He made a lay in honour of King Olaf,\nand asked the king to listen to it. The king said he did not want poems\ncomposed about him, and said he did not understand the skald's craft.\nThen Sigvat sang:--\n \"Rider of dark-blue ocean's steeds!\n Allow one skald to sing thy deeds;\n And listen to the song of one\n Who can sing well, if any can.\n For should the king despise all others,\n And show no favour to my brothers,\n Yet I may all men's favour claim,\n Who sing, still of our great king's fame.\"\nKing Olaf gave Sigvat as a reward for his verse a gold ring that weighed\nhalf a mark, and Sigvat was made one of King Olaf's court-men. Then\nSigvat sang:--\n \"I willingly receive this sword--\n By land or sea, on shore, on board,\n I trust that I shall ever be\n Worthy the sword received from thee.\n A faithful follower thou hast bound--\n A generous master I have found;\n Master and servant both have made\n Just what best suits them by this trade.\"\nEarl Svein had, according to custom, taken one half of the harbour-dues\nfrom the Iceland ship-traders about autumn (A.D. 1014); for the Earls\nEirik and Hakon had always taken one half of these and all other\nrevenues in the Throndhjem country. Now when King Olaf came there, he\nsent his men to demand that half of the tax from the Iceland traders;\nand they went up to the king's house and asked Sigvat to help them. He\nwent to the king, and sang:--\n \"My prayer, I trust, will not be vain--\n No gold by it have I to gain:\n All that the king himself here wins\n Is not red gold, but a few skins.\n it is not right that these poor men\n Their harbour-dues should pay again.\n That they paid once I know is true;\n Remit, great king, what scarce is due.\"\n42. OF EARL SVEIN.\nEarl Svein and Einar Tambaskelfer gathered a large armed force, with\nwhich they came by the upper road into Gaulardal, and so down to\nNidaros, with nearly 2000 men. King Olaf's men were out upon the Gaular\nridge, and had a guard on horseback. They became aware that a force was\ncoming down the Gaulardal, and they brought word of it to the king about\nmidnight. The king got up immediately, ordered the people to be wakened,\nand they went on board of the ships, bearing all their clothes and arms\non board, and all that they could take with them, and then rowed out of\nthe river. Then came the earl's men to the town at the same moment, took\nall the Christmas provision, and set fire to the houses. King Olaf went\nout of the fjord down to Orkadal, and there landed the men from\ntheir ships. From Orkadal they went up to the mountains, and over the\nmountains eastwards into Gudbrandsdal. In the lines composed about Kleng\nBrusason, it is said that Earl Eirik burned the town of Nidaros:--\n \"The king's half-finished hall,\n Rafters, root, and all,\n Is burned down by the river's side;\n The flame spreads o'er the city wide.\"\n43. OF KING OLAF.\nKing Olaf went southwards through Gudbrandsdal, and thence out\nto Hedemark. In the depth of winter (A.D. 1015) he went about in\nguest-quarters; but when spring returned he collected men, and went to\nViken. He had with him many people from Hedemark, whom the kings had\ngiven him; and also many powerful people from among the bondes joined\nhim, among whom Ketil Kalf from Ringanes. He had also people from\nRaumarike. His stepfather, Sigurd Syr, gave him the help also of a great\nbody of men. They went down from thence to the coast, and made ready\nto put to sea from Viken. The fleet, which was manned with many fine\nfellows, went out then to Tunsberg.\n44. OF EARL SVEIN'S FORCES.\nAfter Yule (A.D. 1015) Earl Svein gathers all the men of the Throndhjem\ncountry, proclaims a levy for an expedition, and fits out ships. At that\ntime there were in the Throndhjem country a great number of lendermen;\nand many of them were so powerful and well-born, that they descended\nfrom earls, or even from the royal race, which in a short course of\ngenerations reckoned to Harald Harfager, and they were also very rich.\nThese lendermen were of great help to the kings or earls who ruled\nthe land; for it was as if the lenderman had the bonde-people of each\ndistrict in his power. Earl Svein being a good friend of the lendermen,\nit was easy for him to collect people. His brother-in-law, Einar\nTambaskelfer, was on his side, and with him many other lendermen; and\namong them many, both lendermen and bondes, who the winter before had\ntaken the oath of fidelity to King Olaf. When they were ready for sea\nthey went directly out of the fjord, steering south along the land, and\ndrawing men from every district. When they came farther south, abreast\nof Rogaland, Erling Skialgson came to meet them, with many people and\nmany lendermen with him. Now they steered eastward with their whole\nfleet to Viken, and Earl Svein ran in there towards the end of Easter.\nThe earl steered his fleet to Grenmar, and ran into Nesjar (A.D. 1015).\n45. KING OLAF S FORCES.\nKing Olaf steered his fleet out from Viken, until the two fleets were\nnot far from each other, and they got news of each other the Saturday\nbefore Palm Sunday. King Olaf himself had a ship called the Carl's Head,\non the bow of which a king's head was carved out, and he himself had\ncarved it. This head was used long after in Norway on ships which kings\nsteered themselves.\n46. KING OLAF'S SPEECH.\nAs soon as day dawned on Sunday morning, King Olaf got up, put on his\nclothes, went to the land, and ordered to sound the signal for the whole\narmy to come on shore. Then he made a speech to the troops, and told the\nwhole assembly that he had heard there was but a short distance between\nthem and Earl Svein. \"Now,\" said he, \"we shall make ready; for it can be\nbut a short time until we meet. Let the people arm, and every man be at\nthe post that has been appointed him, so that all may be ready when I\norder the signal to sound for casting off from the land. Then let us row\noff at once; and so that none go on before the rest of the ships, and\nnone lag behind when I row out of the harbour: for we cannot tell if we\nshall find the earl where he was lying, or if he has come out to meet\nus. When we do meet, and the battle begins, let people be alert to bring\nall our ships in close order, and ready to bind them together. Let us\nspare ourselves in the beginning, and take care of our weapons, that\nwe do not cast them into the sea, or shoot them away in the air to\nno purpose. But when the fight becomes hot and the ships are bound\ntogether, then let each man show what is in him of manly spirit.\"\n47. OF THE BATTLE AT NESJAR.\nKing Olaf had in his ship 100 men armed in coats of ring-mail, and in\nforeign helmets. The most of his men had white shields, on which the\nholy cross was gilt; but some had painted it in blue or red. He had also\nhad the cross painted in front on all the helmets, in a pale colour. He\nhad a white banner on which was a serpent figured. He ordered a mass\nto be read before him, went on board ship, and ordered his people to\nrefresh themselves with meat and drink. He then ordered the war-horns to\nsound to battle, to leave the harbour, and row off to seek the earl. Now\nwhen they came to the harbour where the earl had lain, the earl's men\nwere armed, and beginning to row out of the harbour; but when they saw\nthe king's fleet coming they began to bind the ships together, to set up\ntheir banners, and to make ready for the fight. When King Olaf saw this\nhe hastened the rowing, laid his ship alongside the earl's, and the\nbattle began. So says Sigvat the skald:--\n \"Boldly the king did then pursue\n Earl Svein, nor let him out of view.\n The blood ran down the reindeer's flank\n Of each sea-king--his vessel's plank.\n Nor did the earl's stout warriors spare\n In battle-brunt the sword and spear.\n Earl Svein his ships of war pushed on,\n And lashed their stout stems one to one.\"\nIt is said that King Olaf brought his ships into battle while Svein was\nstill lying in the harbour. Sigvat the skald was himself in the fight;\nand in summer, just after the battle, he composed a lay, which is called\nthe \"Nesjar Song\", in which he tells particularly the circumstances:--\n \"In the fierce fight 'tis known how near\n The scorner of the ice-cold spear\n Laid the Charles' head the earl on board,\n All eastward of the Agder fjord.\"\nThen was the conflict exceedingly sharp, and it was long before it could\nbe seen how it was to go in the end. Many fell on both sides, and many\nwere the wounded. So says Sigvat:--\n \"No urging did the earl require,\n Midst spear and sword--the battle's fire;\n No urging did the brave king need\n The ravens in this shield-storm to feed.\n Of limb-lopping enough was there,\n And ghastly wounds of sword and spear.\n Never, I think, was rougher play\n Than both the armies had that day.\"\nThe earl had most men, but the king had a chosen crew in his ship, who\nhad followed him in all his wars; and, besides, they were so excellently\nequipped, as before related, that each man had a coat of ring-mail, so\nthat he could not be wounded. So says Sigvat:--\n \"Our lads, broad-shouldered, tall, and hale,\n Drew on their cold shirts of ring-mail.\n Soon sword on sword was shrilly ringing,\n And in the air the spears were singing.\n Under our helms we hid our hair,\n For thick flew arrows through the air.\n Right glad was I our gallant crew,\n Steel-clad from head to foot, to view.\"\n48. EARL SVEIN'S FLIGHT.\nWhen the men began to fall on board the earl's ships, and many appeared\nwounded, so that the sides of the vessels were but thinly beset with\nmen, the crew of King Olaf prepared to board. Their banner was brought\nup to the ship that was nearest the earl's, and the king himself\nfollowed the banner. So says Sigvat:--\n \"'On with the king!' his banners waving:\n 'On with the king!' the spears he's braving!\n 'On, steel-clad men! and storm the deck,\n Slippery with blood and strewed with wreck.\n A different work ye have to share,\n His banner in war-storm to bear,\n From your fair girl's, who round the hall\n Brings the full mead-bowl to us all.'\"\nNow was the severest fighting. Many of Svein's men fell, and some sprang\noverboard. So says Sigvat:--\n \"Into the ship our brave lads spring,--\n On shield and helm their red blades ring;\n The air resounds with stroke on stroke,--\n The shields are cleft, the helms are broke.\n The wounded bonde o'er the side\n Falls shrieking in the blood-stained tide--\n The deck is cleared with wild uproar--\n The dead crew float about the shore.\"\nAnd also these lines:--\n \"The shields we brought from home were white,\n Now they are red-stained in the fight:\n This work was fit for those who wore\n Ringed coats-of-mail their breasts before.\n Where for the foe blunted the best sword\n I saw our young king climb on board.\n He stormed the first; we followed him--\n The war-birds now in blood may swim.\"\nNow defeat began to come down upon the earl's men. The king's men\npressed upon the earl's ship and entered it; but when the earl saw how\nit was going, he called out to his forecastle-men to cut the cables\nand cast the ship loose, which they did. Then the king's men threw\ngrapplings over the timber heads of the ship, and so held her fast to\ntheir own; but the earl ordered the timber heads to be cut away, which\nwas done. So says Sigvat:--\n \"The earl, his noble ship to save,\n To cut the posts loud order gave.\n The ship escaped: our greedy eyes\n Had looked on her as a clear prize.\n The earl escaped; but ere he fled\n We feasted Odin's fowls with dead:--\n With many a goodly corpse that floated\n Round our ship's stern his birds were bloated.\"\nEinar Tambaskelfer had laid his ship right alongside the earl's. They\nthrew an anchor over the bows of the earl's ship, and thus towed her\naway, and they slipped out of the fjord together. Thereafter the whole\nof the earl's fleet took to flight, and rowed out of the fjord. The\nskald Berse Torfason was on the forecastle of the earl's ship; and as it\nwas gliding past the king's fleet, King Olaf called out to him--for he\nknew Berse, who was distinguished as a remarkably handsome man, always\nwell equipped in clothes and arms--\"Farewell, Berse!\" He replied,\n\"Farewell, king!\" So says Berse himself, in a poem he composed when he\nfell into King Olaf's power, and was laid in prison and in fetters on\nboard a ship:--\n \"Olaf the Brave\n A 'farewell' gave,\n (No time was there to parley long,)\n To me who knows the art of song.\n The skald was fain\n 'Farewell' again\n In the same terms back to send--\n The rule in arms to foe or friend.\n Earl Svein's distress\n I well can guess,\n When flight he was compelled to take:\n His fortunes I will ne'er forsake,\n Though I lie here\n In chains a year,\n In thy great vessel all forlorn,\n To crouch to thee I still will scorn:\n I still will say,\n No milder sway\n Than from thy foe this land e'er knew:\n To him, my early friend, I'm true.\"\n49. EARL SVEIN LEAVES THE COUNTRY.\nNow some of the earl's men fled up the country, some surrendered at\ndiscretion; but Svein and his followers rowed out of the fjord, and the\nchiefs laid their vessels together to talk with each other, for the earl\nwanted counsel from his lendermen. Erling Skialgson advised that they\nshould sail north, collect people, and fight King Olaf again; but as\nthey had lost many people, the most were of opinion that the earl should\nleave the country, and repair to his brother-in-law the Swedish King,\nand strengthen himself there with men. Einar Tambaskelfer approved also\nof that advice, as they had no power to hold battle against Olaf. So\nthey discharged their fleet. The earl sailed across Folden, and with\nhim Einar Tambaskelfer. Erling Skialgson again, and likewise many other\nlendermen who would not abandon their udal possessions, went north to\ntheir homes; and Erling had many people that summer about him.\n50. OLAF'S AND SIGURD'S CONSULTATION.\nWhen King Olaf and his men saw that the earl had gathered his ships\ntogether, Sigurd Syr was in haste for pursuing the earl, and letting\nsteel decide their cause. But King Olaf replies, that he would first see\nwhat the earl intended doing--whether he would keep his force together\nor discharge his fleet. Sigurd Syr said, \"It is for thee, king, to\ncommand; but,\" he adds, \"I fear, from thy disposition and wilfulness,\nthat thou wilt some day be betrayed by trusting to those great people,\nfor they are accustomed of old to bid defiance to their sovereigns.\"\nThere was no attack made, for it was soon seen that the earl's fleet was\ndispersing. Then King Olaf ransacked the slain, and remained there some\ndays to divide the booty. At that time Sigvat made these verses:--\n \"The tale I tell is true\n To their homes returned but few\n Of Svein's men who came to meet\n King Olaf's gallant fleet.\n From the North these warmen came\n To try the bloody game,--\n On the waves their corpses borne\n Show the game that Sunday morn.\n The Throndhjem girls so fair\n Their jeers, I think, will spare,\n For the king's force was but small\n That emptied Throndhjem's hall.\n But if they will have their jeer,\n They may ask their sweethearts dear,\n Why they have returned shorn\n Who went to shear that Sunday morn.\"\nAnd also these:--\n \"Now will the king's power rise,\n For the Upland men still prize\n The king who o'er the sea\n Steers to bloody victory.\n Earl Svein! thou now wilt know\n That our lads can make blood flow--\n That the Hedemarkers hale\n Can do more than tap good ale.\"\nKing Olaf gave his stepfather King Sigurd Syr, and the other chiefs\nwho had assisted him, handsome presents at parting. He gave Ketil of\nRinganes a yacht of fifteen benches of rowers, which Ketil brought up\nthe Raum river and into the Mjosen lake.\n51. OF KING OLAF.\nKing Olaf sent spies out to trace the earl's doings (A.D. 1015); and\nwhen he found that the earl had left the country he sailed out west, and\nto Viken, where many people came to him. At the Thing there he was taken\nas king, and so he proceeded all the way to the Naze; and when he heard\nthat Erling Skialgson had gathered a large force, he did not tarry\nin North Agder, but sailed with a steady fair wind to the Throndhjem\ncountry; for there it appeared to him was the greatest strength of the\nland, if he could subdue it for himself while the earl was abroad. When\nOlaf came to Throndhjem there was no opposition, and he was elected\nthere to be king. In harvest (A.D. 1015) he took his seat in the town\nof Nidaros, and collected the needful winter provision (A.D. 1016). He\nbuilt a king's house, and raised Clement's church on the spot on which\nit now stands. He parcelled out building ground, which he gave to\nbondes, merchants, or others who he thought would build. There he sat\ndown with many men-at-arms around him; for he put no great confidence\nin the Throndhjem people, if the earl should return to the country. The\npeople of the interior of the Throndhjem country showed this clearly,\nfor he got no land-scat from them.\n52. PLAN OF SVEIN AND THE SWEDISH KING.\nEarl Svein went first to Svithjod to his brother-in-law Olaf the Swedish\nking, told him all that had happened between him and Olaf the Thick, and\nasked his advice about what he should now undertake. The king said that\nthe earl should stay with him if he liked, and get such a portion of his\nkingdom to rule over as should seem to him sufficient; \"or otherwise,\"\nsays he, \"I will give thee help of forces to conquer the country again\nfrom Olaf.\" The earl chose the latter; for all those among his men who\nhad great possessions in Norway, which was the case with many who were\nwith him, were anxious to get back; and in the council they held about\nthis, it was resolved that in winter they should take the land-way over\nHelsingjaland and Jamtaland, and so down into the Throndhjem land;\nfor the earl reckoned most upon the faithful help and strength of the\nThrondhjem people of the interior as soon as he should appear there. In\nthe meantime, however, it was determined to take a cruise in summer in\nthe Baltic to gather property.\n53. EARL SVEIN'S DEATH.\nEarl Svein went eastward with his forces to Russia, and passed the\nsummer (A.D. 1015) in marauding there; but on the approach of autumn\nreturned with his ships to Svithjod. There he fell into a sickness,\nwhich proved fatal. After the earl's death some of the people who had\nfollowed him remained in Svithjod; others went to Helsingjaland, thence\nto Jamtaland, and so from the east over the dividing ridge of the\ncountry to the Throndhjem district, where they told all that had\nhappened upon their journey: and thus the truth of Earl Svein's death\nwas known (A.D. 1016).\n54. OF THE THRONDHJEM PEOPLE.\nEinar Tambaskelfer, and the people who had followed him went in winter\nto the Swedish king, and were received in a friendly manner. There were\nalso among them many who had followed the earl. The Swedish king took it\nmuch amiss that Olaf the Thick had set himself down in his scat-lands,\nand driven the earl out of them, and therefore he threatened the king\nwith his heaviest vengeance when opportunity offered. He said that Olaf\nought not to have had the presumption to take the dominions which the\nearl had held of him; and all the Swedish king's men agreed with him.\nBut the Throndhjem people, when they heard for certain that the earl was\ndead. and could not be expected back to Norway, turned all to obedience\nto King Olaf. Many came from the interior of the Throndhjem country,\nand became King Olaf's men; others sent word and tokens that they would\nservice him. Then, in autumn, he went into the interior of Throndhjem,\nand held Things with the bondes, and was received as king in each\ndistrict. He returned to Nidaros, and brought there all the king's scat\nand revenue, and had his winter-seat provided there (A.D. 1016).\n55. OF KING OLAF'S HOUSEHOLD.\nKing Olaf built a king's house in Nidaros, and in it was a large room\nfor his court, with doors at both ends. The king's high-seat was in the\nmiddle of the room; and within sat his court-bishop, Grimkel, and next\nhim his other priests; without them sat his counsellors; and in the\nother high-seat opposite to the king sat his marshal, Bjorn, and next\nto him his pursuivants. When people of importance came to him, they also\nhad a seat of honour. The ale was drunk by the fire-light. He divided\nthe service among his men after the fashion of other kings. He had in\nhis house sixty court-men and thirty pursuivants; and to them he gave\npay and certain regulations. He had also thirty house-servants to do\nthe needful work about the house, and procure what was required. He had,\nbesides, many slaves. At the house were many outbuildings, in which the\ncourt-men slept. There was also a large room, in which the king held his\ncourt-meetings.\n56. OF KING OLAF'S HABITS.\nIt was King Olaf's custom to rise betimes in the morning, put on his\nclothes, wash his hands, and then go to the church and hear the matins\nand morning mass. Thereafter he went to the Thing-meeting, to bring\npeople to agreement with each other, or to talk of one or the other\nmatter that appeared to him necessary. He invited to him great and small\nwho were known to be men of understanding. He often made them recite to\nhim the laws which Hakon Athelstan's foster-son had made for Throndhjem;\nand after considering them with those men of understanding, he ordered\nlaws adding to or taking from those established before. But Christian\nprivileges he settled according to the advice of Bishop Grimbel and\nother learned priests; and bent his whole mind to uprooting heathenism,\nand old customs which he thought contrary to Christianity. And he\nsucceeded so far that the bondes accepted of the laws which the king\nproposed. So says Sigvat:--\n \"The king, who at the helm guides\n His warlike ship through clashing tides,\n Now gives one law for all the land--\n A heavenly law, which long will stand.\"\nKing Olaf was a good and very gentle man, of little speech, and\nopen-handed although greedy of money. Sigvat the skald, as before\nrelated, was in King Olaf's house, and several Iceland men. The king\nasked particularly how Christianity was observed in Iceland, and it\nappeared to him to be very far from where it ought to be; for, as\nto observing Christian practices, it was told the king that it was\npermitted there to eat horse-flesh, to expose infants as heathens do,\nbesides many other things contrary to Christianity. They also told the\nking about many principal men who were then in Iceland. Skapte Thorodson\nwas then the lagman of the country. He inquired also of those who were\nbest acquainted with it about the state of people in other distant\ncountries; and his inquiries turned principally on how Christianity was\nobserved in the Orkney, Shetland, and Farey Islands: and, as far as\nhe could learn, it was far from being as he could have wished. Such\nconversation was usually carried on by him; or else he spoke about the\nlaws and rights of the country.\n57. KING OLAF'S MESSENGERS.\nThe same winter (A.D. 1016) came messengers from the Swedish king,\nOlaf the Swede, out of Svithjod: and their leaders were two brothers,\nThorgaut Skarde and Asgaut the bailiff; and they, had twenty-four men\nwith them, when they came from the eastward, over the ridge of the\ncountry down into Veradal, they summoned a Thing of the bondes, talked\nto them, and demanded of them scat and duties upon account of the king\nof Sweden. But the bondes, after consulting with each other, determined\nonly to pay the scat which the Swedish king required in so far as King\nOlaf required none upon his account, but refused to pay scat to both.\nThe messengers proceeded farther down the valley; but received at every\nThing they held the same answer, and no money. They went forward to\nSkaun, held a Thing there, and demanded scat; but it went there as\nbefore. Then they came to Stjoradal, and summoned a Thing, but the\nbondes would not come to it. Now the messengers saw that their business\nwas a failure; and Thorgaut proposed that they should turn about, and go\neastward again. \"I do not think,\" says Asgaut, \"that we have performed\nthe king's errand unless we go to King Olaf the Thick, since the bondes\nrefer the matter to him.\" He was their commander; so they proceeded to\nthe town (Nidaros), and took lodging there. The day after they presented\nthemselves to the king, just as he was seated at table, saluted him, and\nsaid they came with a message of the Swedish king. The king told them to\ncome to him next day. Next day the king, having heard mass, went to his\nThing-house, ordered the messengers of the Swedish king to be called,\nand told them to produce their message. Then Thorgaut spoke, and told\nfirst what his errand was, and next how the Throndhjem people of\nthe interior had replied to it; and asked the king's decision on the\nbusiness, that they might know what result their errand there was to\nhave. The king answers, \"While the earls ruled over the country, it was\nnot to be wondered at if the country people thought themselves bound to\nobey them, as they were at least of the royal race of the kingdom. But\nit would have been more just if those earls had given assistance and\nservice to the kings who had a right to the country, rather than to\nforeign kings, or to stir up opposition to their lawful kings, depriving\nthem of their land and kingdom. With regard to Olaf the Swede, who\ncalls himself entitled to the kingdom of Norway, I, who in fact am so\nentitled, can see no ground for his claim; but well remember the skaith\nand damage we have suffered from him and his relations.\"\nThen says Asgaut. \"It is not wonderful that thou art called Olaf the\nThick, seeing thou answerest so haughtily to such a prince's message,\nand canst not see clearly how heavy the king's wrath will be for thee\nto support, as many have experienced who had greater strength than thou\nappearest to have. But if thou wishest to keep hold of thy kingdom, it\nwill be best for thee to come to the king, and be his man; and we shall\nbeg him to give thee this kingdom in fief under him.\"\nThe king replies with all gentleness, \"I will give thee an advice,\nAsgaut, in return. Go back to the east again to thy king, and tell him\nthat early in spring I will make myself ready, and will proceed eastward\nto the ancient frontier that divided formerly the kingdom of the kings\nof Norway from Sweden. There he may come if he likes, that we may\nconclude a peace with each other; and each of us will retain the kingdom\nto which he is born.\"\nNow the messengers turned back to their lodging, and prepared for their\ndeparture, and the king went to table. The messengers came back soon\nafter to the king's house; but the doorkeepers saw it, and reported it\nto the king, who told them not to let the messengers in. \"I will not\nspeak with them,\" said he. Then the messengers went off, and Thorgaut\nsaid he would now return home with his men; but Asgaut insisted still\nthat he would go forward with the king's errand: so they separated.\nThorgaut proceeded accordingly through Strind; but Asgaut went into\nGaulardal and Orkadal, and intended proceeding southwards to More, to\ndeliver his king's message. When King Olaf came to the knowledge of this\nhe sent out his pursuivants after them, who found them at the ness in\nStein, bound their hands behind their backs, and led them down to the\npoint called Gaularas, where they raised a gallows, and hanged them so\nthat they could be seen by those who travelled the usual sea-way out of\nthe fjord. Thorgaut heard this news before he had travelled far on his\nway home through the Throndhjem country; and he hastened on his journey\nuntil he came to the Swedish king, and told him how it had gone with\nthem. The king was highly enraged when he heard the account of it; and\nhe had no lack of high words.\n58. OLAF AND ERLING RECONCILED.\nThe spring thereafter (A.D. 1016) King Olaf Haraldson calls out an army\nfrom the Throndhjem land, and makes ready to proceed eastward. Some of\nthe Iceland traders were then ready to sail from Norway. With them King\nOlaf sent word and token to Hjalte Skeggjason, and summoned him to come\nto him, and at the same time sent a verbal message to Skapte the lagman,\nand other men who principally took part in the lawgiving of Iceland, to\ntake out of the law whatever appeared contrary to Christianity. He sent,\nbesides, a message of friendship to the people in general. The king\nthen proceeded southwards himself along the coast, stopping at every\ndistrict, and holding Things with the bondes; and in each Thing he\nordered the Christian law to be read, together with the message of\nsalvation thereunto belonging, and with which many ill customs and much\nheathenism were swept away at once among the common people: for the\nearls had kept well the old laws and rights of the country; but with\nrespect to keeping Christianity, they had allowed every man to do as he\nliked. It was thus come so far that the people were baptized in the most\nplaces on the sea-coast, but the most of them were ignorant of Christian\nlaw. In the upper ends of the valleys, and in the habitations among the\nmountains, the greater part of the people were heathen; for when the\ncommon man is left to himself, the faith he has been taught in his\nchildhood is that which has the strongest hold over his inclination. But\nthe king threatened the most violent proceedings against great or small,\nwho, after the king's message, would not adopt Christianity. In the\nmeantime Olaf was proclaimed king in every Law Thing in the country,\nand no man spoke against him. While he lay in Karmtsund messengers went\nbetween him and Erling Skjalgson, who endeavoured to make peace between\nthem; and the meeting was appointed in Whitings Isle. When they met\nthey spoke with each other about agreement together; but Erling found\nsomething else than he expected in the conversation: for when he\ninsisted on having all the fiefs which Olaf Trygvason, and afterwards\nthe Earls Svein and Hakon, had given him, and on that condition would\nbe his man and dutiful friend, the king answered, \"It appears to me,\nErling, that it would be no bad bargain for thee to get as great fiefs\nfrom me for thy aid and friendship as thou hadst from Earl Eirik, a man\nwho had done thee the greatest injury by the bloodshed of thy men;\nbut even if I let thee remain the greatest lenderman in Norway, I will\nbestow my fiefs according to my own will, and not act as if ye lendermen\nhad udal right to my ancestor's heritage, and I was obliged to buy your\nservices with manifold rewards.\" Erling had no disposition to sue for\neven the smallest thing; and he saw that the king was not easily dealt\nwith. He saw also that he had only two conditions before him: the one\nwas to make no agreement with the king, and stand by the consequences;\nthe other to leave it entirely to the king's pleasure. Although it was\nmuch against his inclination, he chose the latter, and merely said to\nthe king, \"The service will be the most useful to thee which I give with\na free will.\" And thus their conference ended. Erling's relations and\nfriends came to him afterwards, and advised him to give way, and proceed\nwith more prudence and less pride. \"Thou wilt still,\" they said, \"be the\nmost important and most respected lenderman in Norway, both on account\nof thy own and thy relations' abilities and great wealth.\" Erling found\nthat this was prudent advice, and that they who gave it did so with a\ngood intention, and he followed it accordingly. Erling went into the\nking's service on such conditions as the king himself should determine\nand please. Thereafter they separated in some shape reconciled, and Olaf\nwent his way eastward along the coast (A.D. 1016).\n59. EILIF OF GAUTLAND'S MURDER.\nAs soon as it was reported that Olaf had come to Viken, the Danes who\nhad offices under the Danish king set off for Denmark, without waiting\nfor King Olaf. But King Olaf sailed in along Viken, holding Things\nwith the bondes. All the people of the country submitted to him, and\nthereafter he took all the king's taxes, and remained the summer (A.D.\n1016) in Viken. He then sailed east from Tunsberg across the fjord, and\nall the way east to Svinasund. There the Swedish king's dominions begin,\nand he had set officers over this country; namely, Eilif Gautske over\nthe north part, and Hroe Skialge over the east part, all the way to the\nGaut river. Hroe had family friends on both sides of the river, and also\ngreat farms on Hising Island, and was besides a mighty and very rich\nman. Eilif was also of great family, and very wealthy. Now when King\nOlaf came to Ranrike he summoned the people to a Thing, and all who\ndwelt on the sea-coast or in the out-islands came to him. Now when the\nThing was seated the king's marshal, Bjorn, held a speech to them, in\nwhich he told the bondes to receive Olaf as their king, in the same\nway as had been done in all other parts of Norway. Then stood up a bold\nbonde by name Brynjolf Ulfalde, and said, \"We bondes know where the\ndivision-boundaries between the Norway and Danish and Swedish kings'\nlands have stood by rights in old times; namely, that the Gaut river\ndivided their lands between the Vener lake and the sea; but towards the\nnorth the forests until Eid forest, and from thence the ridge of the\ncountry all north to Finmark. We know, also, that by turns they have\nmade inroads upon each other's territories, and that the Swedes have\nlong had power all the way to Svinasund. But, sooth to say, I know that\nit is the inclination of many rather to serve the king of Norway,\nbut they dare not; for the Swedish king's dominions surround us, both\neastward, southwards, and also up the country; and besides, it may be\nexpected that the king of Norway must soon go to the north, where the\nstrength of his kingdom lies, and then we have no power to withstand the\nGautlanders. Now it is for the king to give us good counsel, for we have\ngreat desire to be his men.\" After the Thing, in the evening, Brynjolf\nwas in the king's tent, and the day after likewise, and they had much\nprivate conversation together. Then the king proceeded eastwards\nalong Viken. Now when Eilif heard of his arrival, he sent out spies\nto discover what he was about; but he himself, with thirty men, kept\nhimself high up in the habitations among the hills, where he had\ngathered together bondes. Many of the bondes came to King Olaf, but some\nsent friendly messages to him. People went between King Olaf and Eilif,\nand they entreated each separately to hold a Thing-meeting between\nthemselves, and make peace in one way or another. They told Eilif that\nthey might expect violent treatment from King Olaf if they opposed his\norders; but promised Eilif he should not want men. It was determined\nthat they should come down from the high country, and hold a thing\nwith the bondes and the king. King Olaf thereupon sent the chief of his\npursuivants, Thorer Lange, with six men, to Brynjolf. They were equipped\nwith their coats-of-mail under their cloaks, and their hats over their\nhelmets. The following day the bondes came in crowds down with Eilif;\nand in his suite was Brynjolf, and with him Thorer. The king laid his\nships close to a rocky knoll that stuck out into the sea, and upon it\nthe king went with his people, and sat down. Below was a flat field, on\nwhich the bondes' force was; but Eilif's men were drawn up, forming a\nshield-fence before him. Bjorn the marshal spoke long and cleverly upon\nthe king's account, and when he sat down Eilif arose to speak; but at\nthe same moment Thorer Lange rose, drew his sword, and struck Eilif on\nthe neck, so that his head flew off. Then the whole bonde-force started\nup; but the Gautland men set off in full flight and Thorer with his\npeople killed several of them. Now when the crowd was settled again,\nand the noise over the king stood up, and told the bondes to seat\nthemselves. They did so, and then much was spoken. The end of it was\nthat they submitted to the king, and promised fidelity to him; and he,\non the other hand, promised not to desert them, but to remain at hand\nuntil the discord between him and the Swedish Olaf was settled in one\nway or other. King Olaf then brought the whole northern district under\nhis power, and went in summer eastward as far as the Gaut river, and got\nall the king's scat among the islands. But when summer (A.D. 1016) was\ndrawing towards an end he returned north to Viken, and sailed up the\nRaum river to a waterfall called Sarp. On the north side of the fall, a\npoint of land juts out into the river. There the king ordered a rampart\nto be built right across the ness, of stone, turf, and wood, and a ditch\nto be dug in front of it; so that it was a large earthen fort or burgh,\nwhich he made a merchant town of. He had a king's house put up, and\nordered the building of Mary church. He also laid out plans for other\nhouses, and got people to build on them. In harvest (A.D. 1016) he let\neverything be gathered there that was useful for his winter residence\n(A.D. 1017), and sat there with a great many people, and the rest he\nquartered in the neighbouring districts. The king prohibited all exports\nfrom Viken to Gautland of herrings and salt, which the Gautland people\ncould ill do without. This year the king held a great Yule feast, to\nwhich he invited many great bondes.\n60. THE HISTORY OF EYVIND URARHORN.\nThere was a man called Eyvind Urarhorn, who was a great man, of high\nbirth, who had his descent from the East Agder country. Every summer he\nwent out on a viking cruise, sometimes to the West sea, sometimes to\nthe Baltic, sometimes south to Flanders, and had a well-armed cutter\n(snekkia) of twenty benches of rowers. He had been also at Nesjar, and\ngiven his aid to the king; and when they separated the king promised\nhim his favour, and Eyvind, again, promised to come to the king's aid\nwhenever he was required. This winter (A.D. 1017) Eyvind was at the Yule\nfeast of the king, and received goodly gifts from him. Brynjolf Ulfalde\nwas also with the king, and he received a Yule present from the king of\na gold-mounted sword, and also a farm called Vettaland, which is a very\nlarge head-farm of the district. Brynjolf composed a song about these\ngifts, of which the refrain was--\n \"The song-famed hero to my hand\n Gave a good sword, and Vettaland.\"\nThe king afterwards gave him the title of Lenderman, and Brynjolf was\never after the king's greatest friend.\n61. THRAND WHITE'S MURDER.\nThis winter (A.D. 1017) Thrand White from Throndhjem went east to\nJamtaland, to take up scat upon account of King Olaf. But when he had\ncollected the scat he was surprised by men of the Swedish king, who\nkilled him and his men, twelve in all, and brought the scat to the\nSwedish king. King Olaf was very ill-pleased when he heard this news.\n62. CHRISTIANITY PROCLAIMED IN VIKEN.\nKing Olaf made Christian law to be proclaimed in Viken, in the same way\nas in the North country. It succeeded well, because the people of Viken\nwere better acquainted with the Christian customs than the people in the\nnorth; for, both winter and summer, there were many merchants in Viken,\nboth Danish and Saxon. The people of Viken, also, had much trading\nintercourse with England, and Saxony, and Flanders, and Denmark; and\nsome had been on viking expeditions, and had had their winter abode in\nChristian lands.\n63. HROE'S FALL.\nAbout spring-time (A.D. 1017) King Olaf sent a message that Eyvind\nUrarhorn should come to him; and they spake together in private for a\nlong time. Thereafter Eyvind made himself ready for a viking cruise. He\nsailed south towards Viken, and brought up at the Eikreys Isles without\nHising Isle. There he heard that Hroe Skialge had gone northwards\ntowards Ordost, and had there made a levy of men and goods on account\nof the Swedish king, and was expected from the north. Eyvind rowed in\nby Haugasund, and Hroe came rowing from the north, and they met in the\nsound and fought. Hroe fell there, with nearly thirty men; and Eyvind\ntook all the goods Hroe had with him. Eyvind then proceeded to the\nBaltic, and was all summer on a viking cruise.\n64. FALL OF GUDLEIK AND THORGAUT.\nThere was a man called Gudleik Gerske, who came originally from Agder.\nHe was a great merchant, who went far and wide by sea, was very\nrich, and drove a trade with various countries. He often went east\nto Gardarike (Russia), and therefore was called Gudleik Gerske (the\nRussian). This spring (A.D. 1017) Gudleik fitted out his ship, and\nintended to go east in summer to Russia. King Olaf sent a message to\nhim that he wanted to speak to him; and when Gudleik came to the king he\ntold him he would go in partnership with him, and told him to purchase\nsome costly articles which were difficult to be had in this country.\nGudleik said that it should be according to the king's desire. The\nking ordered as much money to be delivered to Gudleik as he thought\nsufficient, and then Gudleik set out for the Baltic. They lay in a sound\nin Gotland; and there it happened, as it often does, that people cannot\nkeep their own secrets, and the people of the country came to know\nthat in this ship was Olaf the Thick's partner. Gudleik went in summer\neastwards to Novgorod, where he bought fine and costly clothes, which\nhe intended for the king as a state dress; and also precious furs, and\nremarkably splendid table utensils. In autumn (A.D. 1017), as Gudleik\nwas returning from the east, he met a contrary wind, and lay for a long\ntime at the island Eyland. There came Thorgaut Skarde, who in autumn\nhad heard of Gudleik's course, in a long-ship against him, and gave him\nbattle. They fought long, and Gudleik and his people defended themselves\nfor a long time; but the numbers against them were great, and Gudleik\nand many of his ship's crew fell, and a great many of them were wounded.\nThorgaut took all their goods, and King Olaf's, and he and his comrades\ndivided the booty among them equally; but he said the Swedish king ought\nto have the precious articles of King Olaf, as these, he said, should\nbe considered as part of the scat due to him from Norway. Thereafter\nThorgaut proceeded east to Svithjod. These tidings were soon known; and\nas Eyvind Urarhorn came soon after to Eyland, he heard the news, and\nsailed east after Thorgaut and his troop, and overtook them among the\nSwedish isles on the coast, and gave battle. There Thorgaut and the most\nof his men were killed, and the rest sprang overboard. Eyvind took\nall the goods and all the costly articles of King Olaf which they had\ncaptured from Gudleik, and went with these back to Norway in autumn, and\ndelivered to King Olaf his precious wares. The king thanked him in the\nmost friendly way for his proceeding, and promised him anew his favour\nand friendship. At this time Olaf had been three years king over Norway\n65. MEETING OF OLAF AND RAGNVALD.\nThe same summer (A.D. 1017) King Olaf ordered a levy, and went out\neastwards to the Gaut river, where he lay a great part of the summer.\nMessages were passing between King Olaf, Earl Ragnvald, and the earl's\nwife, Ingebjorg, the daughter of Trygve. She was very zealous about\ngiving King Olaf of Norway every kind of help, and made it a matter of\nher deepest interest. For this there were two causes. She had a great\nfriendship for King Olaf; and also she could never forget that the\nSwedish king had been one at the death of her brother, Olaf Trygvason;\nand also that he, on that account only, had any presence to rule over\nNorway. The earl, by her persuasion, turned much towards friendship with\nKing Olaf; and it proceeded so far that the earl and the king appointed\na meeting, and met at the Gaut river. They talked together of many\nthings, but especially of the Norwegian and Swedish kings' relations\nwith each other; both agreeing, as was the truth also, that it was the\ngreatest loss, both to the people of Viken and of Gautland, that there\nwas no peace for trade between the two countries; and at last both\nagreed upon a peace, and still-stand of arms between them until next\nsummer; and they parted with mutual gifts and friendly speeches.\n66. KING OLAF THE SWEDE.\nThe king thereupon returned north to Viken, and had all the royal\nrevenues up to the Gaut river; and all the people of the country there\nhad submitted to him. King Olaf the Swede had so great a hatred of Olaf\nHaraldson, that no man dared to call him by his right name in the king's\nhearing. They called him the thick man; and never named him without some\nhard by-name.\n67. ACCOUNT OF THEIR RECONCILIATION.\nThe bondes in Viken spoke with each other about there being nothing for\nit but that the kings should make peace and a league with each other,\nand insisted upon it that they were badly used by the kings going to\nwar; but nobody was so bold as to bring these murmurs before the king.\nAt last they begged Bjorn the marshal to bring this matter before the\nking, and entreat him to send messengers to the Swedish king to offer\npeace on his side. Bjorn was disinclined to do this, and put it off from\nhimself with excuses; but on the entreaties of many of his friends, he\npromised at last to speak of it to the king; but declared, at the same\ntime, that he knew it would be taken very ill by the king to propose\nthat he should give way in anything to the Swedish king. The same\nsummer (A.D. 1017) Hjalte Skeggjason came over to Norway from Iceland,\naccording to the message sent him by King Olaf, and went directly to\nthe king. He was well received by the king, who told him to lodge in his\nhouse, and gave him a seat beside Bjorn the marshal, and Hjalte became\nhis comrade at table. There was good-fellowship immediately between\nthem.\nOnce, when King Olaf had assembled the people and bondes to consult upon\nthe good of the country, Bjorn the marshal said, \"What think you, king,\nof the strife that is between the Swedish king and you? Many people\nhave fallen on both sides, without its being at all more determined than\nbefore what each of you shall have of the kingdom. You have now been\nsitting in Viken one winter and two summers, and the whole country\nto the north is lying behind your back unseen; and the men who have\nproperty or udal rights in the north are weary of sitting here. Now it\nis the wish of the lendermen, of your other people, and of the bondes\nthat this should come to an end. There is now a truce, agreement, and\npeace with the earl, and the West Gautland people who are nearest to us;\nand it appears to the people it would be best that you sent messengers\nto the Swedish king to offer a reconciliation on your side; and, without\ndoubt, many who are about the Swedish king will support the proposal,\nfor it is a common gain for those who dwell in both countries, both here\nand there.\" This speech of Bjorn's received great applause.\nThen the king said, \"It is fair, Bjorn, that the advice thou hast given\nshould be carried out by thyself. Thou shalt undertake this embassy\nthyself, and enjoy the good of it, if thou hast advised well; and if it\ninvolve any man in danger, thou hast involved thyself in it. Moreover,\nit belongs to thy office to declare to the multitude what I wish to have\ntold.\" Then the king stood up, went to the church, and had high mass\nsung before him; and thereafter went to table.\nThe following day Hjalte said to Bjorn, \"Why art thou so melancholy,\nman? Art thou sick, or art thou angry at any one?\" Bjorn tells Hjalte\nhis conversation with the king, and says it is a very dangerous errand.\nHjalte says, \"It is their lot who follow kings that they enjoy high\nhonours, and are more respected than other men, but stand often in\ndanger of their lives: and they must understand how to bear both parts\nof their lot. The king's luck is great; and much honour will be gained\nby this business, if it succeed.\"\nBjorn answered, \"Since thou makest so light of this business in thy\nspeech, wilt thou go with me? The king has promised that I shall have\ncompanions with me on the journey.\"\n\"Certainly,\" says Hjalte; \"I will follow thee, if thou wilt: for never\nagain shall I fall in with such a comrade if we part.\"\n68. JOURNEY OF BJORN THE MARSHAL.\nA few days afterwards, when the king was at a Thing-meeting, Bjorn came\nwith eleven others. He says to the king that they were now ready to\nproceed on their mission, and that their horses stood saddled at the\ndoor. \"And now,\" says he, \"I would know with what errand I am to go, or\nwhat orders thou givest us.\"\nThe king replies, \"Ye shall carry these my words to the Swedish\nking--that I will establish peace between our countries up to the\nfrontier which Olaf Trygvason had before me; and each shall bind himself\nfaithfully not to trespass over it. But with regard to the loss of\npeople, no man must mention it if peace there is to be; for the Swedish\nking cannot with money pay for the men the Swedes have deprived us of.\"\nThereupon the king rose, and went out with Bjorn and his followers; and\nhe took a gold-mounted sword and a gold ring, and said, in handing over\nthe sword to Bjorn, \"This I give thee: it was given to me in summer by\nEarl Ragnvald. To him ye shall go; and bring him word from me to advance\nyour errand with his counsel and strength. This thy errand I will think\nwell fulfilled if thou hearest the Swedish king's own words, be they\nyea or nay: and this gold ring thou shalt give Earl Ragnvald. These are\ntokens (1) he must know well.\"\nHjalte went up to the king, saluted him, and said, \"We need much, king,\nthat thy luck attend us;\" and wished that they might meet again in good\nhealth.\nThe king asked where Hjalte was going.\n\"With Bjorn,\" said he.\nThe king said, \"It will assist much to the good success of the journey\nthat thou goest too, for thy good fortune has often been proved; and be\nassured that I shall wish that all my luck, if that be of any weight,\nmay attend thee and thy company.\"\nBjorn and his followers rode their way, and came to Earl Ragnvald's\ncourt, where they were well received. Bjorn was a celebrated and\ngenerally known man,--known by sight and speech to all who had ever\nseen King Olaf; for at every Thing, Bjorn stood up and told the king's\nmessage. Ingebjorg, the earl's wife, went up to Hjalte and looked\nat him. She recognized him, for she was living with her brother Olaf\nTrygvason when Hjalte was there: and she knew how to reckon up the\nrelationship between King Olaf and Vilborg, the wife of Hjalte; for\nEirik Bjodaskalle father of Astrid, King Olaf Trygvason's mother, and\nBodvar father of Olaf, mother of Gissur White the father of Vilborg,\nwere brother's sons of the lenderman Vikingakare of Vors.\nThey enjoyed here good entertainment. One day Bjorn entered into\nconversation with the earl and Ingebjorg, in which he set forth his\nerrand, and produced to the earl his tokens.\nThe earl replies, \"What hast thou done, Bjorn, that the king wishes thy\ndeath? For, so far from thy errand having any success, I do not think a\nman can be found who could speak these words to the Swedish king without\nincurring wrath and punishment. King Olaf, king of Sweden, is too proud\nfor any man to speak to him on anything he is angry at.\"\nThen Bjorn says, \"Nothing has happened to me that King Olaf is offended\nat; but many of his disposition act both for themselves and others, in\na way that only men who are daring can succeed in. But as yet all his\nplans have had good success, and I think this will turn out well too; so\nI assure you, earl, that I will actually travel to the Swedish king,\nand not turn back before I have brought to his ears every word that King\nOlaf told me to say to him, unless death prevent me, or that I am in\nbonds, and cannot perform my errand; and this I must do, whether you\ngive any aid or no aid to me in fulfilling the king's wishes.\"\nThen said IngebJorg, \"I will soon declare my opinion. I think, earl,\nthou must turn all thy attention to supporting King Olaf the king of\nNorway's desire that this message be laid before the Swedish king, in\nwhatever way he may answer it. Although the Swedish king's anger should\nbe incurred, and our power and property be at stake, yet will I rather\nrun the risk, than that it should be said the message of King Olaf was\nneglected from fear of the Swedish king. Thou hast that birth, strength\nof relations, and other means, that here in the Swedish land it is free\nto thee to tell thy mind, if it be right and worthy of being heard,\nwhether it be listened to by few or many, great or little people, or by\nthe king himself.\"\nThe earl replies, \"It is known to every one how thou urgest me: it may\nbe, according to thy counsel, that I should promise the king's men to\nfollow them, so that they may get their errand laid before the Swedish\nking, whether he take it ill or take it well. But I will have my own\ncounsel followed, and will not run hastily into Bjorn's or any other\nman's measures, in such a highly important matter. It is my will that ye\nall remain here with me, so long as I think it necessary for the purpose\nof rightly forwarding this mission.\" Now as the earl had thus given them\nto understand that he would support them in the business, Bjorn thanked\nhim most kindly, and with the assurance that his advice should rule them\naltogether. Thereafter Bjorn and his fellow-travellers remained very\nlong in the earl's house.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Before writing was a common accomplishment in courts, the\n only way of accrediting a special messenger between kings\n and great men was by giving the messenger a token; that is.\n some article well known by the person receiving the message\n to be the property of and valued by the person sending it.\n69. CONVERSATION OF BJORN AND INGEBJORG.\nIngebjorg was particularly kind to them; and Bjorn often spoke with her\nabout the matter, and was ill at ease that their journey was so long\ndelayed. Hjalte and the others often spoke together also about the\nmatter; and Hjalte said; \"I will go to the king if ye like; for I am not\na man of Norway, and the Swedes can have nothing to say to me. I\nhave heard that there are Iceland men in the king's house who are my\nacquaintances, and are well treated; namely, the skalds Gissur Black\nand Ottar Black. From them I shall get out what I can about the Swedish\nking; and if the business will really be so difficult as it now appears,\nor if there be any other way of promoting it, I can easily devise some\nerrand that may appear suitable for me.\"\nThis counsel appeared to Bjorn and Ingebjorg to be the wisest, and they\nresolved upon it among themselves. Ingebjorg put Hjalte in a position to\ntravel; gave him two Gautland men with him, and ordered them to follow\nhim, and assist him with their service, and also to go wherever he might\nhave occasion to send them. Besides, Ingebjorg gave him twenty marks of\nweighed silver money for travelling expenses, and sent word and token by\nhim to the Swedish king Olaf's daughter, Ingegerd, that she should give\nall her assistance to Hjalte's business, whenever he should find himself\nunder the necessity of craving her help. Hjalte set off as soon as he\nwas ready. When he came to King Olaf he soon found the skalds Gissur and\nOttar, and they were very glad at his coming. Without delay they went to\nthe king, and told him that a man was come who was their countryman,\nand one of the most considerable in their native land, and requested\nthe king to receive him well. The king told them to take Hjalte and his\nfellow-travellers into their company and quarters. Now when Hjalte had\nresided there a short time, and got acquainted with people, he was much\nrespected by everybody. The skalds were often in the king's house, for\nthey were well-spoken men; and often in the daytime they sat in front of\nthe king's high-seat, and Hjalte, to whom they paid the highest respect\nin all things, by their side. He became thus known to the king, who\nwillingly entered into conversation with him, and heard from him news\nabout Iceland.\n70. OF SIGVAT THE SKALD.\nIt happened that before Bjorn set out from home he asked Sigvat the\nskald, who at that time was with King Olaf, to accompany him on his\njourney. It was a journey for which people had no great inclination.\nThere was, however, great friendship between Bjorn and Sigvat. Then\nSigvat sang:--\n \"With the king's marshals all have I,\n In days gone by,\n Lived joyously,--\n With all who on the king attend,\n And knee before him humbly bend,\n Bjorn, thou oft hast ta'en my part--\n Pleaded with art,\n And touched the heart.\n Bjorn! brave stainer of the sword,\n Thou art my friend--I trust thy word.\"\nWhile they were riding up to Gautland, Sigvat made these verses:--\n \"Down the Fjord sweep wind and rain,\n Our stout ship's sails and tackle strain;\n Wet to the skin.\n We're sound within,\n And gaily o'er the waves are dancing,\n Our sea-steed o'er the waves high prancing!\n Through Lister sea\n Flying all free;\n Off from the wind with swelling sail,\n We merrily scud before the gale,\n And reach the sound\n Where we were bound.\n And now our ship, so gay and grand,\n Glides past the green and lovely land,\n And at the isle\n Moors for a while.\n Our horse-hoofs now leave hasty print;\n We ride--of ease there's scanty stint--\n In heat and haste\n O'er Gautland's waste:\n Though in a hurry to be married,\n The king can't say that we have tarried.\"\nOne evening late they were riding through Gautland, and Sigvat made\nthese verses:--\n \"The weary horse will at nightfall\n Gallop right well to reach his stall;\n When night meets day, with hasty hoof\n He plies the road to reach a roof.\n Far from the Danes, we now may ride\n Safely by stream or mountain-side;\n But, in this twilight, in some ditch\n The horse and rider both may pitch.\"\nThey rode through the merchant town of Skara, and down the street to the\nearl's house. He sang:--\n \"The shy sweet girls, from window high\n In wonder peep at the sparks that fly\n From our horses heels, as down the street\n Of the earl's town we ride so fleet.\n Spur on!--that every pretty lass\n May hear our horse-hoofs as we pass\n Clatter upon the stones so hard,\n And echo round the paved court-yard.\"\n71. HJALTE SKEGGJASON WHILE HE WAS IN SVITHIOD.\nOne day Hjalte, and the skalds with him, went before the king, and he\nbegan thus:--\"It has so happened, king, as is known to you, that I\nhave come here after a long and difficult journey; but when I had once\ncrossed the ocean and heard of your greatness, it appeared to me unwise\nto go back without having seen you in your splendour and glory. Now it\nis a law between Iceland and Norway, that Iceland men pay landing due\nwhen they come into Norway, but while I was coming across the sea I took\nmyself all the landing dues from my ship's people; but knowing that thou\nhave the greatest right to all the power in Norway, I hastened hither to\ndeliver to you the landing dues.\" With this he showed the silver to the\nking, and laid ten marks of silver in Gissur Black's lap.\nThe king replies, \"Few have brought us any such dues from Norway for\nsome time; and now, Hjalte, I will return you my warmest thanks for\nhaving given yourself so much trouble to bring us the landing dues,\nrather than pay them to our enemies. But I will that thou shouldst take\nthis money from me as a gift, and with it my friendship.\"\nHjalte thanked the king with many words, and from that day set himself\nin great favour with the king, and often spoke with him; for the king\nthought, what was true, that he was a man of much understanding and\neloquence. Now Hjalte told Gissur and Ottar that he was sent with\ntokens to the king's daughter Ingegerd, to obtain her protection and\nfriendship; and he begged of them to procure him some opportunity to\nspeak with her. They answered, that this was an easy thing to do; and\nwent one day to her house, where she sat at the drinking table with many\nmen. She received the skalds in a friendly manner, for they were known\nto her. Hjalte brought her a salutation from the earl's wife, Ingebjorg;\nand said she had sent him here to obtain friendly help and succour\nfrom her, and in proof whereof produced his tokens. The king's\ndaughter received him also kindly, and said he should be welcome to her\nfriendship. They sat there till late in the day drinking. The king's\ndaughter made Hjalte tell her much news, and invited him to come often\nand converse with her. He did so: came there often, and spoke with the\nking's daughter; and at last entrusted her with the purpose of Bjorn's\nand his comrade's journey, and asked her how she thought the Swedish\nking would receive the proposal that there should be a reconciliation\nbetween the kings. The king's daughter replied, that, in her opinion,\nit would be a useless attempt to propose to the king any reconciliation\nwith Olaf the Thick; for the king was so enraged against him, that he\nwould not suffer his name to be mentioned before him. It happened one\nday that Hjalte was sitting with the king and talking to him, and the\nking was very merry and drunk. Then Hjalte said, \"Manifold splendour and\ngrandeur have I seen here; and I have now witnessed with my eyes what I\nhave often heard of, that no monarch in the north is so magnificent: but\nit is very vexatious that we who come so far to visit it have a road\nso long and troublesome, both on account of the great ocean, but more\nespecially because it is not safe to travel through Norway for those who\nare coming here in a friendly disposition. But why is there no one to\nbring proposals for a peace between you and King Olaf the Thick? I heard\nmuch in Norway, and in west Gautland, of the general desire that this\npeace should have taken place; and it has been told me for truth, as the\nNorway king's words, that he earnestly desires to be reconciled to you;\nand the reason I know is, that he feels how much less his power is than\nyours. It is even said that he intends to pay his court to your daughter\nIngegerd; and that would lead to a useful peace, for I have heard from\npeople of credit that he is a remarkably distinguished man.\"\nThe king answers. \"Thou must not speak thus, Hjalte; but for this time\nI will not take it amiss of thee, as thou dost not know what people have\nto avoid here. That fat fellow shall not be called king in my court, and\nthere is by no means the stuff in him that people talk of: and thou must\nsee thyself that such a connection is not suitable; for I am the tenth\nking in Upsala who, relation after relation, has been sole monarch over\nthe Swedish, and many other great lands, and all have been the superior\nkings over other kings in the northern countries. But Norway is little\ninhabited, and the inhabitants are scattered. There have only been small\nkings there; and although Harald Harfager was the greatest king in that\ncountry, and strove against the small kings, and subdued them, yet he\nknew so well his position that he did not covet the Swedish dominions,\nand therefore the Swedish kings let him sit in peace, especially as\nthere was relationship between them. Thereafter, while Hakon Athelstan's\nfoster-son was in Norway he sat in peace, until he began to maraud in\nGautland and Denmark; on which a war-force came upon him, and took\nfrom him both life and land. Gunhild's sons also were cut off when they\nbecame disobedient to the Danish kings; and Harald Gormson joined Norway\nto his own dominions, and made it subject to scat to him. And we reckon\nHarald Gormson to be of less power and consideration than the Upsala\nkings, for our relation Styrbjorn subdued him, and Harald became his\nman; and yet Eirik the Victorious, my father, rose over Styrbjorn's head\nwhen it came to a trial between them. When Olaf Trygvason came to Norway\nand proclaimed himself king, we would not permit it, but we went with\nKing Svein, and cut him off; and thus we have appropriated Norway, as\nthou hast not heard, and with no less right than if I had gained it in\nbattle, and by conquering the kings who ruled it before. Now thou canst\nwell suppose, as a man of sense, that I will not let slip the kingdom of\nNorway for this thick fellow. It is wonderful he does not remember how\nnarrowly he made his escape, when we had penned him in in the Malar\nlake. Although he slipped away with life from thence, he ought,\nmethinks, to have something else in his mind than to hold out against us\nSwedes. Now, Hjalte, thou must never again open thy mouth in my presence\non such a subject.\"\nHjalte saw sufficiently that there was no hope of the king's listening\nto any proposal of a peace, and desisted from speaking of it, and turned\nthe conversation to something else. When Hjalte, afterwards, came\ninto discourse with the king's daughter Ingegerd, he tells her his\nconversation with the king. She told him she expected such an answer\nfrom the king. Hjalte begged of her to say a good word to the king about\nthe matter, but she thought the king would listen as little to what she\nsaid: \"But speak about it I will, if thou requirest it.\" Hjalte assured\nher he would be thankful for the attempt. One day the king's daughter\nIngegerd had a conversation with her father Olaf; and as she found her\nfather was in a particularly good humour, she said, \"What is now thy\nintention with regard to the strife with Olaf the Thick? There are many\nwho complain about it, having lost their property by it; others have\nlost their relations by the Northmen, and all their peace and quiet; so\nthat none of your men see any harm that can be done to Norway. It would\nbe a bad counsel if thou sought the dominion over Norway; for it is a\npoor country, difficult to come at, and the people dangerous: for the\nmen there will rather have any other for their king than thee. If I\nmight advise, thou wouldst let go all thoughts about Norway, and not\ndesire Olaf's heritage; and rather turn thyself to the kingdoms in the\nEast country, which thy forefathers the former Swedish kings had, and\nwhich our relation Styrbjorn lately subdued, and let the thick Olaf\npossess the heritage of his forefathers and make peace with him.\"\nThe king replies in a rage, \"It is thy counsel, Ingegerd, that I should\nlet slip the kingdom of Norway, and give thee in marriage to this thick\nOlaf.\"--\"No,\" says he, \"something else shall first take place. Rather\nthan that, I shall, at the Upsala Thing in winter, issue a proclamation\nto all Swedes, that the whole people shall assemble for an expedition,\nand go to their ships before the ice is off the waters; and I will\nproceed to Norway, and lay waste the land with fire and sword, and burn\neverything, to punish them for their want of fidelity.\"\nThe king was so mad with rage that nobody ventured to say a word, and\nshe went away. Hjalte, who was watching for her, immediately went to her\nand asked how her errand to the king had turned out. She answered, it\nturned out as she had expected; that none could venture to put in a word\nwith the king; but, on the contrary, he had used threats; and she begged\nHjalte never to speak of the matter again before the king. As Hjalte and\nIngegerd spoke together often, Olaf the Thick was often the subject, and\nhe told her about him and his manners; and Hjalte praised the king of\nNorway what he could, but said no more than was the truth, and she could\nwell perceive it. Once, in a conversation, Hjalte said to her, \"May I be\npermitted, daughter of the king, to tell thee what lies in my mind?\"\n\"Speak freely,\" says she; \"but so that I alone can hear it.\"\n\"Then,\" said Hjalte, \"what would be thy answer, if the Norway king Olaf\nsent messengers to thee with the errand to propose marriage to thee?\"\nShe blushed, and answered slowly but gently, \"I have not made up my mind\nto answer to that; but if Olaf be in all respects so perfect as thou\ntellest me, I could wish for no other husband; unless, indeed, thou hast\ngilded him over with thy praise more than sufficiently.\"\nHjalte replied, that he had in no respect spoken better of the king than\nwas true. They often spoke together on the same subject. Ingegerd begged\nHjalte to be cautious not to mention it to any other person, for the\nking would be enraged against him if it came to his knowledge. Hjalte\nonly spoke of it to the skalds Gissur and Ottar, who thought it was the\nmost happy plan, if it could but be carried into effect. Ottar, who was\na man of great power of conversation, and much beloved in the court,\nsoon brought up the subject before the king's daughter, and recounted\nto her, as Hjalte had done, all King Olaf's excellent qualities. Often\nspoke Hjalte and the others about him; and now that Hjalte knew\nthe result of his mission, he sent those Gautland men away who had\naccompanied him, and let them return to the earl with letters (1) which\nthe king's daughter Ingegerd sent to the earl and Ingebjorg. Hjalte also\nlet them give a hint to the earl about the conversation he had had with\nIngegerd, and her answer thereto: and the messengers came with it to the\nearl a little before Yule.\n ENDNOTES: (1) This seems the first notice we have in the sagas of\n written letters being sent instead of tokens and verbal messages.\n72. OLAF'S JOURNEY TO THE UPLANDS.\nWhen King Olaf had despatched Bjorn and his followers to Gautland, he\nsent other people also to the Uplands, with the errand that they should\nhave guest-quarters prepared for him, as he intended that winter (A.D.\n1018) to live as guest in the Uplands; for it had been the custom of\nformer kings to make a progress in guest-quarters every third year in\nthe Uplands. In autumn he began his progress from Sarpsborg, and went\nfirst to Vingulmark. He ordered his progress so that he came first to\nlodge in the neighbourhood of the forest habitations, and summoned to\nhim all the men of the habitations who dwelt at the greatest distance\nfrom the head-habitations of the district; and he inquired particularly\nhow it stood with their Christianity, and, where improvement was\nneedful, he taught them the right customs. If any there were who would\nnot renounce heathen ways, he took the matter so zealously that he drove\nsome out of the country, mutilated others of hands or feet, or stung\ntheir eyes out; hung up some, cut down some with the sword; but let none\ngo unpunished who would not serve God. He went thus through the whole\ndistrict, sparing neither great nor small. He gave them teachers, and\nplaced these as thickly in the country as he saw needful. In this manner\nhe went about in that district, and had 300 deadly men-at-arms with him;\nand then proceeded to Raumarike. He soon perceived that Christianity was\nthriving less the farther he proceeded into the interior of the country.\nHe went forward everywhere in the same way, converting all the people to\nthe right faith, and severely punishing all who would not listen to his\nword.\n73. TREACHERY OF THE UPLAND KINGS.\nNow when the king who at that time ruled in Raumarike heard of this, he\nthought it was a very bad affair; for every day came men to him, both\ngreat and small, who told him what was doing. Therefore this king\nresolved to go up to Hedemark, and consult King Hrorek, who was the\nmost eminent for understanding of the kings who at that time were in the\ncountry. Now when these kings spoke with each other, they agreed to\nsend a message to Gudrod, the valley-king north in the Gudbrandsdal,\nand likewise to the king who was in Hadaland, and bid them to come to\nHedemark, to meet Hrorek and the other kings there. They did not spare\ntheir travelling; for five kings met in Hedemark, at a place called\nRingsaker. Ring, King Hrorek's brother, was the fifth of these kings.\nThe kings had first a private conference together, in which he who\ncame from Raumarike first took up the word, and told of King Olaf's\nproceedings, and of the disturbance he was causing both by killing and\nmutilating people. Some he drove out of the country, some he deprived\nof their offices or property if they spoke anything against him; and,\nbesides, he was travelling over the country with a great army, not\nwith the number of people fixed by law for a royal progress in\nguest-quarters. He added, that he had fled hither upon account of this\ndisturbance, and many powerful people with him had fled from their udal\nproperties in Raumarike. \"But although as yet the evil is nearest to\nus, it will be but a short time before ye will also be exposed to it;\ntherefore it is best that we all consider together what resolution we\nshall take.\" When he had ended his speech, Hrorek was desired to speak;\nand he said, \"Now is the day come that I foretold when we had had our\nmeeting at Hadaland, and ye were all so eager to raise Olaf over our\nheads; namely, that as soon as he was the supreme master of the country\nwe would find it hard to hold him by the horns. We have but two things\nnow to do: the one is, to go all of us to him, and let him do with us as\nhe likes, which I think is the best thing we can do; or the other is,\nto rise against him before he has gone farther through the country.\nAlthough he has 300 or 400 men, that is not too great a force for us to\nmeet, if we are only all in movement together: but, in general, there is\nless success and advantage to be gained when several of equal strength\nare joined together, than when one alone stands at the head of his own\nforce; therefore it is my advice, that we do not venture to try our luck\nagainst Olaf Haraldson.\"\nThereafter each of the kings spoke according to his own mind some\ndissuading from going out against King Olaf, others urging it; and no\ndetermination was come to, as each had his own reasons to produce.\nThen Gudrod, the valley-king, took up the word, and spoke:--\"It appears\nwonderful to me, that ye make such a long roundabout in coming to a\nresolution; and probably ye are frightened for him. We are here five\nkings, and none of less high birth than Olaf. We gave him the strength\nto fight with Earl Svein, and with our forces he has brought the country\nunder his power. But if he grudges each of us the little kingdom he had\nbefore, and threatens us with tortures, or gives us ill words, then, say\nI for myself, that I will withdraw myself from the king's slavery; and I\ndo not call him a man among you who is afraid to cut him off, if he come\ninto your hands here up in Hedemark. And this I can tell you, that we\nshall never bear our heads in safety while Olaf is in life.\" After this\nencouragement they all agreed to his determination.\nThen said Hrorek, \"With regard to this determination, it appears to me\nnecessary to make our agreement so strong that no one shall fail in his\npromise to the other. Therefore, if ye determine upon attacking Olaf at\na fixed time, when he comes here to Hedemark, I will not trust much to\nyou if some are north in the valleys, others up in Hedemark; but if\nour resolution is to come to anything, we must remain here assembled\ntogether day and night.\"\nThis the kings agreed to, and kept themselves there all assembled,\nordering a feast to be provided for them at Ringsaker, and drank there a\ncup to success; sending out spies to Raumarike, and when one set came\nin sending out others, so that day and night they had intelligence of\nOlaf's proceedings, and of the numbers of his men. King Olaf went\nabout in Raumarike in guest-quarters, and altogether in the way before\nrelated; but as the provision of the guest-quarter was not always\nsufficient, upon account of his numerous followers, he laid it upon the\nbondes to give additional contributions wherever he found it necessary\nto stay. In some places he stayed longer, in others, shorter than was\nfixed; and his journey down to the lake Miosen was shorter than had\nbeen fixed on. The kings, after taking their resolution, sent out\nmessage-tokens, and summoned all the lendermen and powerful bondes from\nall the districts thereabout; and when they had assembled the kings had\na private meeting with them, and made their determination known, setting\na day for gathering together and carrying it into effect; and it was\nsettled among them that each of the kings should have 300 (1) men. Then\nthey sent away the lendermen to gather the people, and meet all at the\nappointed place. The most approved of the measure; but it happened\nhere, as it usually does, that every one has some friend even among his\nenemies.\n74. MUTILATING OF THE UPLAND KINGS.\nKetil of Ringanes was at this meeting. Now when he came home in the\nevening he took his supper, put on his clothes, and went down with his\nhouse-servants to the lake; took a light vessel which he had, the same\nthat King Olaf had made him a present of, and launched it on the water.\nThey found in the boat-house everything ready to their hands; betook\nthemselves to their oars, and rowed out into the lake. Ketil had forty\nwell-armed men with him, and came early in the morning to the end of the\nlake. He set off immediately with twenty men, leaving the other twenty\nto look after the ship. King Olaf was at that time at Eid, in the upper\nend of Raumarike. Thither Ketil arrived just as the king was coming from\nmatins. The king received Ketil kindly. He said he must speak with the\nking in all haste; and they had a private conference together. There\nKetil tells the king the resolution which the kings had taken, and their\nagreement, which he had come to the certain knowledge of. When the king\nlearnt this he called his people together, and sent some out to collect\nriding-horses in the country; others he sent down to the lake to take\nall the rowing-vessels they could lay hold of, and keep them for his\nuse. Thereafter he went to the church, had mass sung before him, and\nthen sat down to table. After his meal he got ready, and hastened down\nto the lake, where the vessels were coming to meet him. He himself went\non board the light vessel, and as many men with him as it could stow,\nand all the rest of his followers took such boats as they could get hold\nof; and when it was getting late in the evening they set out from the\nland, in still and calm weather. He rowed up the water with 400 men, and\ncame with them to Ringsaker before day dawned; and the watchmen were not\naware of the army before they were come into the very court. Ketil knew\nwell in what houses the kings slept, and the king had all these houses\nsurrounded and guarded, so that nobody could get out; and so they stood\ntill daylight. The kings had not people enough to make resistance, but\nwere all taken prisoners, and led before the king. Hrorek was an able\nbut obstinate man, whose fidelity the king could not trust to if he made\npeace with him; therefore he ordered both his eyes to be punched out,\nand took him in that condition about with him. He ordered Gudrod's\ntongue to be cut out; but Ring and two others he banished from Norway,\nunder oath never to return. Of the lendermen and bondes who had actually\ntaken part in the traitorous design, some he drove out of the country,\nsome he mutilated, and with others he made peace. Ottar Black tells of\nthis:--\n \"The giver of rings of gold,\n The army leader bold,\n In vengeance springs\n On the Hedemark kings.\n Olaf the bold and great,\n Repays their foul deceit--\n In full repays\n Their treacherous ways.\n He drives with steel-clad hand\n The small kings from the land,--\n Greater by far\n In deed of war.\n The king who dwelt most north\n Tongueless must wander forth:\n All fly away\n In great dismay.\n King Olaf now rules o'er\n What five kings ruled before.\n To Eid's old bound\n Extends his ground.\n No kings in days of yore\n E'er won so much before:\n That this is so\n All Norsemen know.\"\nKing Olaf took possession of the land these five kings had possessed,\nand took hostages from the lendermen and bondes in it. He took money\ninstead of guest-quarters from the country north of the valley district,\nand from Hedemark; and then returned to Raumarike, and so west to\nHadaland. This winter (A.D. 1018) his stepfather Sigurd Syr died; and\nKing Olaf went to Ringerike, where his mother Asta made a great feast\nfor him. Olaf alone bore the title of king now in Norway.\n75. KING OLAF'S HALF-BROTHERS.\nIt is told that when King Olaf was on his visit to his mother Asta,\nshe brought out her children, and showed them to him. The king took his\nbrother Guthorm on the one knee, and his brother Halfdan on the other.\nThe king looked at Guthorm, made a wry face, and pretended to be angry\nat them: at which the boys were afraid. Then Asta brought her youngest\nson, called Harald, who was three years old, to him. The king made a wry\nface at him also; but he looked the king in the face without regarding\nit. The king took the boy by the hair, and plucked it; but the boy\nseized the king's whiskers, and gave them a tug. \"Then,\" said the king,\n\"thou wilt be revengeful, my friend, some day.\" The following day the\nking was walking with his mother about the farm, and they came to\na playground, where Asta's sons, Guthorm and Halfdan, were amusing\nthemselves. They were building great houses and barns in their play, and\nwere supposing them full of cattle and sheep; and close beside them, in\na clay pool, Harald was busy with chips of wood, sailing them, in\nhis sport along the edge. The king asked him what these were; and he\nanswered, these were his ships of war. The king laughed, and said, \"The\ntime may come, friend, when thou wilt command ships.\"\nThen the king called to him Halfdan and Guthorm; and first he asked\nGuthorm, \"What wouldst thou like best to have?\"\n\"Corn land,\" replied he.\n\"And how great wouldst thou like thy corn land to be?\"\n\"I would have the whole ness that goes out into the lake sown with corn\nevery summer.\" On that ness there are ten farms.\nThe king replies, \"There would be a great deal of corn there.\" And,\nturning to Halfdan, he asked, \"And what wouldst thou like best to have?\"\n\"Cows,\" he replied.\n\"How many wouldst thou like to have?\"\n\"When they went to the lake to be watered I would have so many, that\nthey stood as tight round the lake as they could stand.\"\n\"That would be a great housekeeping,\" said the king; \"and therein ye\ntake after your father.\"\nThen the king says to Harald, \"And what wouldst thou like best to have?\"\n\"House-servants.\"\n\"And how many wouldst thou have?\"\n\"Oh! so many I would like to have as would eat up my brother Halfdan's\ncows at a single meal.\"\nThe king laughed, and said to Asta, \"Here, mother, thou art bringing up\na king.\" And more is not related of them on this occasion.\n76. THE DIVISION OF THE COUNTRY.\nIn Svithjod it was the old custom, as long as heathenism prevailed, that\nthe chief sacrifice took place in Goe month at Upsala. Then sacrifice\nwas offered for peace, and victory to the king; and thither came people\nfrom all parts of Svithjod. All the Things of the Swedes, also, were\nheld there, and markets, and meetings for buying, which continued for\na week: and after Christianity was introduced into Svithjod, the Things\nand fairs were held there as before. After Christianity had taken\nroot in Svithjod, and the kings would no longer dwell in Upsala, the\nmarket-time was moved to Candlemas, and it has since continued so, and\nit lasts only three days. There is then the Swedish Thing also, and\npeople from all quarters come there. Svithjod is divided into many\nparts. One part is West Gautland, Vermaland, and the Marks, with what\nbelongs to them; and this part of the kingdom is so large, that the\nbishop who is set over it has 1100 churches under him. The other part is\nEast Gautland, where there is also a bishop's seat, to which the islands\nof Gotland and Eyland belong; and forming all together a still greater\nbishopric. In Svithjod itself there is a part of the country called\nSudermanland, where there is also a bishopric. Then comes Westmanland,\nor Fiathrundaland, which is also a bishopric. The third portion of\nSvithjod proper is called Tiundaland; the fourth Attandaland; the\nfifth Sialand, and what belongs to it lies eastward along the coast.\nTiundaland is the best and most inhabited part of Svithjod, under which\nthe other kingdoms stand. There Upsala is situated, the seat of the king\nand archbishop; and from it Upsala-audr, or the domain of the Swedish\nkings, takes its name. Each of these divisions of the country has its\nLag-thing, and its own laws in many parts. Over each is a lagman, who\nrules principally in affairs of the bondes: for that becomes law which\nhe, by his speech, determines them to make law: and if king, earl, or\nbishop goes through the country, and holds a Thing with the bondes, the\nlagmen reply on account of the bondes, and they all follow their lagmen;\nso that even the most powerful men scarcely dare to come to their\nAl-thing without regarding the bondes' and lagmen's law. And in all\nmatters in which the laws differ from each other, Upsala-law is the\ndirecting law; and the other lagmen are under the lagman who dwells in\nTiundaland.\n77. OF THE LAGMAN THORGNY.\nIn Tiundaland there was a lagman who was called Thorgny, whose father\nwas called Thorgny Thorgnyson. His forefathers had for a long course of\nyears, and during many kings' times, been lagmen of Tiundaland. At this\ntime Thorgny was old, and had a great court about him. He was considered\none of the wisest men in Sweden, and was Earl Ragnvald's relation and\nfoster-father.\n78. MEETING OF RAGNVALD AND INGEGERD.\nNow we must go back in our story to the time when the men whom the\nking's daughter Ingegerd and Hjalte had sent from the east came to Earl\nRagnvald. They relate their errand to the earl and his wife Ingebjorg,\nand tell how the king's daughter had oft spoken to the Swedish king\nabout a peace between him and King Olaf the Thick, and that she was a\ngreat friend of King Olaf; but that the Swedish king flew into a passion\nevery time she named Olaf, so that she had no hopes of any peace. The\nEarl told Bjorn the news he had received from the east; but Bjorn gave\nthe same reply, that he would not turn back until he had met the Swedish\nking, and said the earl had promised to go with him. Now the winter was\npassing fast, and immediately after Yule the earl made himself ready\nto travel with sixty men, among whom where the marshal Bjorn and his\ncompanions. The earl proceeded eastward all the way to Svithjod; but\nwhen he came a little way into the country he sent his men before him\nto Upsala with a message to Ingegerd the king's daughter to come out\nto meet him at Ullaraker, where she had a large farm. When the king's\ndaughter got the earl's message she made herself ready immediately to\ntravel with a large attendance, and Hjalte accompanied her. But before\nhe took his departure he went to King Olaf, and said, \"Continue always\nto be the most fortunate of monarchs! Such splendour as I have seen\nabout thee I have in truth never witnessed elsewhere, and wheresoever I\ncome it shall not be concealed. Now, king, may I entreat thy favour and\nfriendship in time to come?\"\nThe king replies, \"Why art thou in so great a haste, and where art thou\ngoing?\"\nHjalte replies, \"I am to ride out to Ullaraker with Ingegerd thy\ndaughter.\"\nThe king says, \"Farewell, then: a man thou art of understanding and\npoliteness, and well suited to live with people of rank.\"\nThereupon Hjalte withdrew.\nThe king's daughter Ingegerd rode to her farm in Ullaraker, and ordered\na great feast to be prepared for the earl. When the earl arrived he was\nwelcomed with gladness, and he remained there several days. The earl and\nthe king's daughter talked much, and of many things, but most about the\nSwedish and Norwegian kings; and she told the earl that in her opinion\nthere was no hope of peace between them.\nThen said the earl, \"How wouldst thou like it, my cousin, if Olaf king\nof Norway were to pay his addresses to thee? It appears to us that it\nwould contribute most towards a settled peace if there was relationship\nestablished between the kings; but I would not support such a matter if\nit were against thy inclination.\"\nShe replies, \"My father disposes of my hand; but among all my other\nrelations thou art he whose advice I would rather follow in weighty\naffairs. Dost thou think it would be advisable?\" The earl recommended\nit to her strongly, and reckoned up many excellent achievements of King\nOlaf's. He told her, in particular, about what had lately been done;\nthat King Olaf in an hours time one morning had taken five kings\nprisoners, deprived them all of their governments, and laid their\nkingdoms and properties under his own power. Much they talked about the\nbusiness, and in all their conversations they perfectly agreed with each\nother. When the earl was ready he took leave, and proceeded on his way,\ntaking Hjalte with him.\n79. RAGNVALD AND THORGNY.\nEarl Ragnvald came towards evening one day to the house of Lagman\nThorgny. It was a great and stately mansion, and many people stood\noutside, who received the earl kindly, and took care of the horses\nand baggage. The earl went into the room, where there was a number of\npeople. In the high-seat sat an old man; and never had Bjorn or his\ncompanions seen a man so stout. His beard was so long that it lay upon\nhis knee, and was spread over his whole breast; and the man, moreover,\nwas handsome and stately in appearance. The earl went forward and\nsaluted him. Thorgny received him joyfully and kindly, and bade him go\nto the seat he was accustomed to take. The earl seated himself on the\nother side, opposite Thorgny. They remained there some days before the\nearl disclosed his errand, and then he asked Thorgny to go with him into\nthe conversing room. Bjorn and his followers went there with the earl.\nThen the earl began, and told how Olaf king of Norway had sent these men\nhither to conclude a peaceful agreement. He showed at great length what\ninjury it was of to the West Gautland people, that there was hostility\nbetween their country and Norway. He further related that Olaf the king\nof Norway had sent ambassadors, who were here present, and to whom he\nhad promised he would attend them to the Swedish king; but he added,\n\"The Swedish king takes the matter so grievously, that he has uttered\nmenaces against those who entertain it. Now so it is, my foster-father,\nthat I do not trust to myself in this matter; but am come on a visit to\nthee to get good counsel and help from thee in the matter.\"\nNow when the earl had done speaking Thorgny sat silent for a while,\nand then took up the word. \"Ye have curious dispositions who are so\nambitious of honour and renown, and yet have no prudence or counsel in\nyou when you get into any mischief. Why did you not consider, before\nyou gave your promise to this adventure, that you had no power to stand\nagainst King Olaf? In my opinion it is not a less honourable condition\nto be in the number of bondes and have one's words free, and be able\nto say what one will, even if the king be present. But I must go to the\nUpsala Thing, and give thee such help that without fear thou canst speak\nbefore the king what thou findest good.\"\nThe earl thanked him for the promise, remained with Thorgny, and rode\nwith him to the Upsala Thing. There was a great assemblage of people at\nthe Thing, and King Olaf was there with his court.\n80. OF THE UPSALA THING.\nThe first day the Thing sat, King Olaf was seated on a stool, and his\ncourt stood in a circle around him. Right opposite to him sat Earl\nRagnvald and Thorgny in the Thing upon one stool, and before them the\nearl's court and Thorgny's house-people. Behind their stool stood the\nbonde community, all in a circle around them. Some stood upon hillocks\nand heights, in order to hear the better. Now when the king's messages,\nwhich are usually handled in the Things, were produced and settled, the\nmarshal Bjorn rose beside the earl's stool, and said aloud, \"King Olaf\nsends me here with the message that he will offer to the Swedish king\npeace, and the frontiers that in old times were fixed between Norway and\nSvithjod.\" He spoke so loud that the Swedish king could distinctly hear\nhim; but at first, when he heard King Olaf's name spoken, he thought the\nspeaker had some message or business of his own to execute; but when he\nheard of peace, and the frontiers between Norway and Svithjod, he saw\nfrom what root it came, and sprang up, and called out that the man\nshould be silent, for that such speeches were useless. Thereupon Bjorn\nsat down; and when the noise had ceased Earl Ragnvald stood up and made\na speech.\nHe spoke of Olaf the Thick's message, and proposal of peace to Olaf the\nSwedish king; and that all the West Gautland people sent their entreaty\nto Olaf that he would make peace with the king of Norway. He recounted\nall the evils the West Gautlanders were suffering under; that they must\ngo without all the things from Norway which were necessary in their\nhouseholds; and, on the other hand, were exposed to attack and hostility\nwhenever the king of Norway gathered an army and made an inroad on them.\nThe earl added, that Olaf the Norway king had sent men hither with the\nintent to obtain Ingegerd the king's daughter in marriage.\nWhen the earl had done speaking Olaf the Swedish king stood up and\nreplied, and was altogether against listening to any proposals of peace,\nand made many and heavy reproaches against the earl for his impudence\nin entering into a peaceful truce with the thick fellow, and making up\na peaceful friendship with him, and which in truth he considered treason\nagainst himself. He added, that it would be well deserved if Earl\nRagnvald were driven out of the kingdom. The earl had, in his opinion,\nthe influence of his wife Ingebjorg to thank for what might happen; and\nit was the most imprudent fancy he could have fallen upon to take up\nwith such a wife. The king spoke long and bitterly, turning his speech\nalways against Olaf the Thick. When he sat down not a sound was to be\nheard at first.\n81. THORGNY'S SPEECH.\nThen Thorgny stood up; and when he arose all the bondes stood up who\nhad before been sitting, and rushed together from all parts to listen to\nwhat Lagman Thorgny would say. At first there was a great din of people\nand weapons; but when the noise was settled into silent listening,\nThorguy made his speech. \"The disposition of Swedish kings is different\nnow from what it has been formerly. My grandfather Thorgny could well\nremember the Upsala king Eirik Eymundson, and used to say of him that\nwhen he was in his best years he went out every summer on expeditions\nto different countries, and conquered for himself Finland, Kirjalaland,\nCourland, Esthonia, and the eastern countries all around; and at the\npresent day the earth-bulwarks, ramparts, and other great works which he\nmade are to be seen. And, more over, he was not so proud that he would\nnot listen to people who had anything to say to him. My father, again,\nwas a long time with King Bjorn, and was well acquainted with his ways\nand manners. In Bjorn's lifetime his kingdom stood in great power, and\nno kind of want was felt, and he was gay and sociable with his friends.\nI also remember King Eirik the Victorious, and was with him on many\na war-expedition. He enlarged the Swedish dominion, and defended it\nmanfully; and it was also easy and agreeable to communicate our opinions\nto him. But the king we have now got allows no man to presume to talk\nwith him, unless it be what he desires to hear. On this alone he applies\nall his power, while he allows his scat-lands in other countries to\ngo from him through laziness and weakness. He wants to have the Norway\nkingdom laid under him, which no Swedish king before him ever desired,\nand therewith brings war and distress on many a man. Now it is our will,\nwe bondes, that thou King Olaf make peace with the Norway king, Olaf\nthe Thick, and marry thy daughter Ingegerd to him. Wilt thou, however,\nreconquer the kingdoms in the east countries which thy relations and\nforefathers had there, we will all for that purpose follow thee to the\nwar. But if thou wilt not do as we desire, we will now attack thee,\nand put thee to death; for we will no longer suffer law and peace to be\ndisturbed. So our forefathers went to work when they drowned five\nkings in a morass at the Mula-thing, and they were filled with the same\ninsupportable pride thou hast shown towards us. Now tell us, in all\nhaste, what resolution thou wilt take.\" Then the whole public approved,\nwith clash of arms and shouts, the lagman's speech.\nThe king stands up and says he will let things go according to the\ndesire of the bondes. \"All Swedish kings,\" he said, \"have done so, and\nhave allowed the bondes to rule in all according to their will.\" The\nmurmur among the bondes then came to an end, and the chiefs, the\nking, the earl, and Thorgny talked together, and concluded a truce and\nreconciliation, on the part of the Swedish king, according to the terms\nwhich the king of Norway had proposed by his ambassadors; and it was\nresolved at the Thing that Ingegerd, the king's daughter, should be\nmarried to Olaf Haraldson. The king left it to the earl to make the\ncontract feast, and gave him full powers to conclude this marriage\naffair; and after this was settled at the Thing, they separated. When\nthe earl returned homewards, he and the king's daughter Ingegerd had a\nmeeting, at which they talked between themselves over this matter. She\nsent Olaf a long cloak of fine linen richly embroidered with gold, and\nwith silk points. The earl returned to Gautland, and Bjorn with him; and\nafter staying with him a short time, Bjorn and his company returned to\nNorway. When he came to King Olaf he told him the result of his errand,\nand the king returned him many thanks for his conduct, and said\nBjorn had had great success in bringing his errand to so favourabie a\nconclusion against such animosity.\n82. OF KING HROREK'S TREACHERY.\nOn the approach of spring (A.D. 1018) King Olaf went down to the coast,\nhad his ships rigged out, summoned troops to him, and proceeded in\nspring out from Viken to the Naze, and so north to Hordaland. He then\nsent messages to all the lendermen, selected the most considerable men\nin each district, and made the most splendid preparations to meet his\nbride. The wedding-feast was to be in autumn, at the Gaut river, on the\nfrontiers of the two countries. King Olaf had with him the blind king\nHrorek. When his wound was healed, the king gave him two men to serve\nhim, let him sit in the high-seat by his side, and kept him in meat and\nclothes in no respect Norse than he had kept himself before. Hrorek was\ntaciturn, and answered short and cross when any one spoke to him. It was\nhis custom to make his footboy, when he went out in the daytime, lead\nhim away from people, and then to beat the lad until he ran away. He\nwould then complain to King Olaf that the lad would not serve him. The\nking changed his servants, but it was as before; no servant would hold\nit out with King Hrorek. Then the king appointed a man called Svein\nto wait upon and serve King Hrorek. He was Hrorek's relation, and\nhad formerly been in his service. Hrorek continued with his habits of\nmoroseness, and of solitary walks; but when he and Svein were alone\ntogether, he was merry and talkative. He used to bring up many things\nwhich had happened in former days when he was king. He alluded, too,\nto the man who had, in his former days, torn him from his kingdom and\nhappiness, and made him live on alms. \"It is hardest of all,\" says he,\n\"that thou and my other relations, who ought to be men of bravery, are\nso degenerated that thou wilt not avenge the shame and disgrace brought\nupon our race.\" Such discourse he often brought out. Svein said, they\nhad too great a power to deal with, while they themselves had but little\nmeans. Hrorek said, \"Why should we live longer as mutilated men with\ndisgrace? I, a blind man, may conquer them as well as they conquered\nme when I was asleep. Come then, let us kill this thick Olaf. He is not\nafraid for himself at present. I will lay the plan, and would not\nspare my hands if I could use them, but that I cannot by reason of my\nblindness; therefore thou must use the weapons against him, and as soon\nas Olaf is killed I can see well enough that his power must come into\nthe hands of his enemies, and it may well be that I shall be king, and\nthou shalt be my earl.\" So much persuasion he used that Svein at last\nagreed to join in the deed. The plan was so laid that when the king was\nready to go to vespers, Svein stood on the threshold with a drawn dagger\nunder his cloak. Now when the king came out of the room, it so happened\nthat he walked quicker than Svein expected; and when he looked the king\nin the face he grew pale, and then white as a corpse, and his hand sank\ndown. The king observed his terror and said, \"What is this, Svein? Wilt\nthou betray me?\" Svein threw down his cloak and dagger, and fell at the\nking's feet, saying, \"All is in Gods hands and thine, king!\" The king\nordered his men to seize Svein, and he was put in irons. The king\nordered Hrorek's seat to be moved to another bench. He gave Svein his\nlife, and he left the country. The king appointed a different lodging\nfor Hrorek to sleep in from that in which he slept himself, and in which\nmany of his court-people slept. He set two of his court-men, who had\nbeen long with him, and whose fidelity he had proof of, to attend Hrorek\nday and night; but it is not said whether they were people of high\nbirth or not. King Hrorek's mood was very different at different times.\nSometimes he would sit silent for days together, so that no man could\nget a word out of him; and sometimes he was so merry and gay, that\npeople found a joke in every word he said. Sometimes his words were very\nbitter. He was sometimes in a mood that he would drink them all under\nthe benches, and made all his neighbours drunk; but in general he drank\nbut little. King Olaf gave him plenty of pocket-money. When he went to\nhis lodgings he would often, before going to bed, have some stoups of\nmead brought in, which he gave to all the men in the house to drink, so\nthat he was much liked.\n83. OF LITTLE FIN.\nThere was a man from the Uplands called Fin the Little, and some said of\nhim that he was of Finnish (1) race. He was a remarkable little man, but\nso swift of foot that no horse could overtake him. He was a particularly\nwell-excercised runner with snow-shoes, and shooter with the bow. He had\nlong been in the service of King Hrorek, and often employed in errands\nof trust. He knew the roads in all the Upland hills, and was well known\nto all the great people. Now when King Hrorek was set under guards on\nthe journey Fin would often slip in among the men of the guard, and\nfollowed, in general, with the lads and serving-men; but as often as he\ncould he waited upon Hrorek, and entered into conversation with him. The\nking, however, only spoke a word or two with him at a time, to prevent\nsuspicion. In spring, when they came a little way beyond Viken, Fin\ndisappeared from the army for some days, but came back, and stayed\nwith them a while. This happened often, without anyone observing it\nparticularly; for there were many such hangers-on with the army.\n ENDNOTES: (1) The Laplanders are called Fins In Norway and Sweden.--L.\n84. MURDER OF OLAF'S COURT-MEN.\nKing Olaf came to Tunsberg before Easter (A.D. 1018), and remained\nthere late in spring. Many merchant vessels came to the town, both from\nSaxon-land and Denmark, and from Viken, and from the north parts of the\ncountry. There was a great assemblage of people; and as the times were\ngood, there was many a drinking meeting. It happened one evening that\nKing Hrorek came rather late to his lodging; and as he had drunk a great\ndeal, he was remarkably merry. Little Fin came to him with a stoup of\nmead with herbs in it, and very strong. The king made every one in the\nhouse drunk, until they fell asleep each in his berth. Fin had gone\naway, and a light was burning in the lodging. Hrorek waked the men who\nusually followed him, and told them he wanted to go out into the yard.\nThey had a lantern with them, for outside it was pitch dark. Out in the\nyard there was a large privy standing upon pillars, and a stair to go\nup to it. While Hrorek and his guards were in the yard they heard a man\nsay, \"Cut down that devil;\" and presently a crash, as if somebody fell.\nHrorek said, \"These fellows must be dead drunk to be fighting with each\nother so: run and separate them.\" They rushed out; but when they came\nout upon the steps both of them were killed: the man who went out the\nlast was the first killed. There were twelve of Hrorek's men there, and\namong them Sigurd Hit, who had been his banner-man, and also little\nFin. They drew the dead bodies up between the houses, took the king with\nthem, ran out to a boat they had in readiness, and rowed away. Sigvat\nthe skald slept in King Olaf's lodgings. He got up in the night, and his\nfootboy with him, and went to the privy. But as they were returning, on\ngoing down the stairs Sigvat's foot slipped, and he fell on his knee;\nand when he put out his hands he felt the stairs wet. \"I think,\" said\nhe, laughing, \"the king must have given many of us tottering legs\ntonight.\" When they came into the house in which light was burning the\nfootboy said, \"Have you hurt yourself that you are all over so bloody?\"\nHe replied, \"I am not wounded, but something must have happened here.\"\nThereupon he wakened Thord Folason, who was standard-bearer, and his\nbedfellow. They went out with a light, and soon found the blood. They\ntraced it, and found the corpses, and knew them. They saw also a great\nstump of a tree in which clearly a gash had been cut, which, as was\nafterwards known, had been done as a stratagem to entice those out\nwho had been killed. Sigvat and Thord spoke together and agreed it\nwas highly necessary to let the king know of this without delay. They\nimmediately sent a lad to the lodging where Hrorek had been. All the men\nin it were asleep; but the king was gone. He wakened the men who were in\nthe house, and told them what had happened. The men arose, and ran out\nto the yard where the bodies were; but, however needful it appeared to\nbe that the king should know it, nobody dared to waken him.\nThen said Sigvat to Thord, \"What wilt thou rather do, comrade, waken the\nking, or tell him the tidings?\"\nThord replies, \"I do not dare to waken him, and I would rather tell him\nthe news.\"\nThen said Sigvat, \"There is minch of the night still to pass, and before\nmorning Hrorek may get himself concealed in such a way that it may be\ndifficult to find him; but as yet he cannot be very far off, for the\nbodies are still warm. We must never let the disgrace rest upon us of\nconcealing this treason from the king. Go thou, up to the lodging, and\nwait for me there.\"\nSigvat then went to the church, and told the bell-ringer to toll for\nthe souls of the king's court-men, naming the men who were killed.\nThe-bell-ringer did as he was told. The king awoke at the ringing, sat\nup in his bed, and asked if it was already the hours of matins.\nThord replies, \"It is worse than that, for there has occurred a very\nimportant affair. Hrorek is fled, and two of the court-men are killed.\"\nThe king asked how this had taken place, and Thord told him all he knew.\nThe king got up immediately, ordered to sound the call for a meeting of\nthe court, and when the people were assembled he named men to go out\nto every quarter from the town, by sea and land, to search for Hrorek.\nThorer Lange took a boat, and set off with thirty men; and when day\ndawned they saw two small boats before them in the channel, and when\nthey saw each other both parties rowed as hard as they could. King\nHrorek was there with thirty men. When they came quite close to each\nother Hrorek and his men turned towards the land, and all sprang on\nshore except the king, who sat on the aft seat. He bade them farewell,\nand wished they might meet each other again in better luck. At the same\nmoment Thorer with his company rowed to the land. Fin the Little shot\noff an arrow, which hit Thorer in the middle of the body, and was his\ndeath; and Sigurd Hit, with his men, ran up into the forest. Thorer's\nmen took his body, and transported it, together with Hrorek, to\nTunsberg. King Olaf undertook himself thereafter to look after King\nHrorek, made him be carefully guarded, and took good care of his\ntreason, for which reason he had a watch over him night and day. King\nHrorek thereafter was very gay, and nobody could observe but that he was\nin every way well satisfied.\n85. OF HROREK'S ASSAULT.\nIt happened on Ascension-day that King Olaf went to high mass, and the\nbishop went in procession around the church, and conducted the king; and\nwhen they came back to the church the bishop led the king to his seat\non the north side of the choir. There Hrorek sat next to the king,\nand concealed his countenance in his upper cloak. When Olaf had seated\nhimself Hrorek laid his hand on the king's shoulder, and felt it.\n\"Thou hast fine clothes on, cousin, today,\" said he.\nKing Olaf replies, \"It is a festival today, in remembrance that Jesus\nChrist ascended to heaven from earth.\"\nKing Hrorek says, \"I understand nothing about it so as to hold in my\nmind what ye tell me about Christ. Much of what ye tell me appears to me\nincredible, although many wonderful things may have come to pass in old\ntimes.\"\nWhen the mass was finished Olaf stood up, held his hands up over his\nhead, and bowed down before the altar, so that his cloak hung down\nbehind his shoulders. Then King Hrorek started up hastily and sharply,\nand struck at the king with a long knife of the kind called ryting; but\nthe blow was received in the upper cloak at the shoulder, because the\nking was bending himself forwards. The clothes were much cut, but the\nking was not wounded. When the king perceived the attack he sprang upon\nthe floor; and Hrorek struck at him again with the knife, but did not\nreach him, and said, \"Art thou flying, Olaf, from me, a blind men?\" The\nking ordered his men to seize him and lead him out of the church, which\nwas done. After this attempt many hastened to King Olaf, and advised\nthat King Hrorek should be killed. \"It is,\" said they, \"tempting your\nluck in the highest degree, king, to keep him with you, and protect him,\nwhatever mischief he may undertake; for night and day he thinks upon\ntaking your life. And if you send him away, we know no one who can watch\nhim so that he will not in all probability escape; and if once he gets\nloose he will assemble a great multitude, and do much evil.\"\nThe king replies, \"You say truly that many a one has suffered death for\nless offence than Hrorek's; but willingly I would not darken the victory\nI gained over the Upland kings, when in one morning hour I took five\nkings prisoners, and got all their kingdoms: but yet, as they were my\nrelations, I should not be their murderer but upon need. As yet I can\nscarcely see whether Hrorek puts me in the necessity of killing him or\nnot.\"\nIt was to feel if King Olaf had armour on or not that Hrorek had laid\nhis hand on the king's shoulder.\n86. KING HROREK'S JOURNEY TO ICELAND.\nThere was an Iceland man, by name Thorarin Nefiulfson, who had his\nrelations in the north of the country. He was not of high birth, but\nparticularly prudent, eloquent, and agreeable in conversation with\npeople of distinction. He was also a far-travelled man, who had been\nlong in foreign parts. Thorarin was a remarkably ugly man, principally\nbecause he had very ungainly limbs. He had great ugly hands, and\nhis feet were still uglier. Thorarin was in Tunsberg when this event\nhappened which has just been related, and he was known to King Olaf by\ntheir having had conversations together. Thorarin was just then done\nwith rigging out a merchant vessel which he owned, and with which he\nintended to go to Iceland in summer. King Olaf had Thorarin with him as\na guest for some days, and conversed much with him; and Thorarin even\nslept in the king's lodgings. One morning early the king awoke while\nthe others were still sleeping. The sun had newly risen in the sky, and\nthere was much light within. The king saw that Thorarin had stretched\nout one of his feet from under the bed-clothes, and he looked at the\nfoot a while. In the meantime the others in the lodging awoke; and the\nking said to Thorarin, \"I have been awake for a while, and have seen a\nsight which was worth seeing; and that is a man's foot so ugly that I\ndo not think an uglier can be found in this merchant town.\" Thereupon he\ntold the others to look at it, and see if it was not so; and all agreed\nwith the king. When Thorarin observed what they were talking about, he\nsaid, \"There are few things for which you cannot find a match, and that\nmay be the case here.\"\nThe king says, \"I would rather say that such another ugly foot cannot be\nfound in the town, and I would lay any wager upon it.\"\nThen said Thorarin, \"I am willing to bet that I shall find an uglier\nfoot still in the town.\"\nThe king--\"Then he who wins shall have the right to get any demand from\nthe other he chooses to make.\"\n\"Be it so,\" said Thorarin. Thereupon he stretches out his other foot\nfrom under the bed-clothes, and it was in no way handsomer than the\nother, and moreover, wanted the little toe. \"There,\" said Thorarin, \"see\nnow, king, my other foot, which is so much uglier; and, besides, has no\nlittle toe. Now I have won.\"\nThe king replies, \"That other foot was so much uglier than this one by\nhaving five ugly toes upon it, and this has only four; and now I have\nwon the choice of asking something from thee.\"\n\"The sovereign's decision must be right,\" says Thorarin; \"but what does\nthe king require of me?\"\n\"To take Hrorek,\" said the king, \"to Greenland, and deliver him to Leif\nEirikson.\"\nThorarin replies, \"I have never been in Greenland.\"\nThe king--\"Thou, who art a far-travelled man, wilt now have an\nopportunity of seeing Greenland, if thou hast never been there before.\"\nAt first Thorarin did not say much about it; but as the king insisted\non his wish he did not entirely decline, but said, \"I will let you hear,\nking, what my desire would have been had I gained the wager. It would\nhave been to be received into your body of court-men; and if you\nwill grant me that, I will be the more zealous now in fulfilling your\npleasure.\" The king gave his consent, and Thorarin was made one of the\ncourt-men. Then Thorarin rigged out his vessel, and when he was ready\nhe took on board King Hrorek. When Thorarin took leave of King Olaf,\nhe said, \"Should it now turn out, king, as is not improbable, and often\nhappens, that we cannot effect the voyage to Greenland, but must run for\nIceland or other countries, how shall I get rid of this king in a way\nthat will be satisfactory to you?\"\nThe king--\"If thou comest to Iceland, deliver him into the hands of\nGudmund Eyolfson, or of Skapte, the lagman, or of some other chief who\nwill receive my tokens and message of friendship. But if thou comest to\nother countries nearer to this, do so with him that thou canst know with\ncertainty that King Hrorek never again shall appear in Norway; but do so\nonly when thou seest no other way of doing whatsoever.\"\nWhen Thorarin was ready for sea, and got a wind, he sailed outside of\nall the rocks and islands, and when he was to the north of the Naze set\nright out into the ocean. He did not immediately get a good wind, but\nhe avoided coming near the land. He sailed until he made land which he\nknew, in the south part of Iceland, and sailed west around the land out\ninto the Greenland ocean.\nThere he encountered heavy storms, and drove long about upon the ocean;\nbut when summer was coming to an end he landed again in Iceland in\nBreidafjord. Thorgils Arason (1) was the first man of any consequence\nwho came to him. Thorarin brings him the king's salutation, message,\nand tokens, with which was the desire about King Hrorek's reception.\nThorgils received these in a friendly way, and invited King Hrorek to\nhis house, where he stayed all winter. But he did not like being there,\nand begged that Thorgils would let him go to Gudmund; saying he had\nheard some time or other that there in Gudmund's house, was the most\nsumptuous way of living in Iceland, and that it was intended he should\nbe in Gudmund's hands. Thorgils let him have his desire, and conducted\nhim with some men to Gudmund at Modruveller. Gudmund received Hrorek\nkindly on account of the king's message, and he stayed there the next\nwinter. He did not like being there either; and then Gudmund gave him a\nhabitation upon a small farm called Kalfskin, where there were but few\nneighbours. There Hrorek passed the third winter, and said that since he\nhad laid down his kingdom he thought himself most comfortably situated\nhere; for here he was most respected by all. The summer after Hrorek\nfell sick, and died; and it is said he is the only king whose bones\nrest in Iceland. Thorarin Nefiulfson was afterwards for a long time upon\nvoyages; but sometimes he was with King Olaf.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Thorgils was the son of Are Marson, who visited America\n (Vindland). Thorgils, who was still alive in the year 1024,\n was noted for his kindness toward all persecuted persons.\n87. BATTLE IN ULFREKS-FJORD.\nThe summer that Thorarin went with Hrorek to Iceland, Hjalte Skeggjason\nwent also to Iceland, and King Olaf gave him many friendly gifts\nwith him when they parted. The same summer Eyvind Urarhorn went on an\nexpedition to the west sea, and came in autumn to Ireland, to the Irish\nking Konofogor (1). In autumn Einar earl of Orkney and this Irish king\nmet in Ulfreks-fjord, and there was a great battle, in which Konofogor\ngained the victory, having many more people. The earl fled with a single\nship and came back about autumn to Orkney, after losing most of his men\nand all the booty they had made. The earl was much displeased with his\nexpedition, and threw the blame upon the Northmen, who had been in the\nbattle on the side of the Irish king, for making him lose the victory.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Konofogor's Irish name was Connor.\n88. OLAF PREPARES FOR HIS BRIDAL JOURNEY.\nNow we begin again our story where we let it slip--at King Olaf's\ntravelling to his bridal, to receive his betrothed Ingegerd the king's\ndaughter. The king had a great body of men with him, and so chosen a\nbody that all the great people he could lay hold of followed him; and\nevery man of consequence had a chosen band of men with him distinguished\nby birth or other qualifications. The whole were well appointed,\nand equipped in ships, weapons, and clothes. They steered the fleet\neastwards to Konungahella; but when they arrived there they heard\nnothing of the Swedish king and none of his men had come there. King\nOlaf remained a long time in summer (A.D. 1018) at Konungahella, and\nendeavored carefully to make out what people said of the Swedish king's\nmovements, or what were his designs; but no person could tell him\nanything for certain about it. Then he sent men up to Gautland to Earl\nRagnvald, to ask him if he knew how it came to pass that the Swedish\nking did not come to the meeting agreed on. The earl replies, that he\ndid not know. \"But as soon,\" said he, \"as I hear, I shall send some of\nmy men to King Olaf, to let him know if there be any other cause for\nthe delay than the multitude of affairs; as it often happens that the\nSwedish king's movements are delayed by this more than he could have\nexpected.\"\n89. OF THE SWEDISH KING'S CHILDREN.\nThis Swedish king, Olaf Eirikson, had first a concubine who was called\nEdla, a daughter of an earl of Vindland, who had been captured in war,\nand therefore was called the king's slave-girl. Their children were\nEmund, Astrid, Holmfrid.... They had, besides, a son, who was born the\nday before St. Jacob's-day. When the boy was to be christened the bishop\ncalled him Jacob, which the Swedes did not like, as there never had been\na Swedish king called Jacob. All King Olaf's children were handsome in\nappearance, and clever from childhood. The queen was proud, and did not\nbehave well towards her step-children; therefore the king sent his son\nEmund to Vindland, to be fostered by his mother's relations, where he\nfor a long time neglected his Christianity. The king's daughter, Astrid,\nwas brought up in West Gautland, in the house of a worthy man called\nEgil. She was a very lovely girl: her words came well into her\nconversation; she was merry, but modest, and very generous. When she was\ngrown up she was often in her father's house, and every man thought well\nof her. King Olaf was haughty and harsh in his speech. He took very ill\nthe uproar and clamour the country people had raised against him at the\nUpsala Thing, as they had threatened him with violence, for which he\nlaid the chief blame on Earl Ragnvald. He made no preparation for the\nbridal, according to the agreement to marry his daughter Ingegerd\nto Olaf the king of Norway, and to meet him on the borders for that\npurpose. As the summer advanced many of his men were anxious to know\nwhat the kings intentions were; whether to keep to the agreement with\nKing Olaf, or break his word, and with it the peace of the country. But\nno one was so bold as to ask the king, although they complained of it\nto Ingegerd, and besought her to find out what the king intended. She\nreplied \"I have no inclination to speak to the king again about the\nmatters between him and King Olaf; for he answered me ill enough once\nbefore when I brought forward Olaf's name.\" In the meantime Ingegerd,\nthe king's daughter, took it to heart, became melancholy and sorrowful\nand yet very curious to know what the king intended. She had much\nsuspicion that he would not keep his word and promise to King Olaf; for\nhe appeared quite enraged whenever Olaf the Thick's name was in any way\nmentioned.\n90. OF THE SWEDISH KING OLAF'S HUNTING.\nOne morning early the king rode out with his dogs and falcons, and his\nmen around him. When they let slip the falcons the king's falcon killed\ntwo black-cocks in one flight, and three in another. The dogs ran and\nbrought the birds when they had fallen to the ground. The king ran after\nthem, took the game from them himself, was delighted with his sport, and\nsaid, \"It will be long before the most of you have such success.\" They\nagreed in this; adding, that in their opinion no king had such luck in\nhunting as he had. Then the king rode home with his followers in high\nspirits. Ingegerd, the king's daughter, was just going out of her\nlodging when the king came riding into the yard, and she turned round\nand saluted him. He saluted her in return, laughing; produced the birds,\nand told her the success of his chase.\n\"Dost thou know of any king,\" said he, \"who made so great a capture in\nso short a time?\"\n\"It is indeed,\" replied she, \"a good morning's hunting, to have got five\nblack-cocks; but it was a still better when, in one morning, the king of\nNorway, Olaf, took five kings, and subdued all their kingdoms.\"\nWhen the king heard this he sprang from his horse, turned to Ingegerd,\nand said, \"Thou shalt know, Ingegerd, that however great thy love may\nbe for this man, thou shalt never get him, nor he get thee. I will marry\nthee to some chief with whom I can be in friendship; but never can I be\na friend of the man who has robbed me of my kingdom, and done me great\nmischief by marauding and killing through the land.\" With that their\nconversation broke off, and each went away.\n91. OLAF THE NORWAY KING'S COUNSELS.\nIngegerd, the king's daughter, had now full certainty of King Olaf's\nintention, and immediately sent men to West Gautland to Earl Ragnvald,\nand let him know how it stood with the Swedish king, and that the\nagreement made with the king of Norway was broken; and advising the earl\nand people of West Gautland to be upon their guard, as no peace from the\npeople of Norway was to be expected. When the earl got this news he sent\na message through all his kingdom, and told the people to be cautious,\nand prepared in case of war or pillage from the side of Norway. He also\nsent men to King Olaf the Thick, and let him know the message he had\nreceived, and likewise that he wished for himself to hold peace and\nfriendship with King Olaf; and therefore he begged him not to pillage in\nhis kingdom. When this message came to King Olaf it made him both angry\nand sorry; and for some days nobody got a word from him. He then held\na House-Thing with his men, and in it Bjorn arose, and first took the\nword. He began his speech by telling that he had proceeded eastward last\nwinter to establish a peace, and he told how kindly Earl Ragnvald\nhad received him; and, on the other hand, how crossly and heavily the\nSwedish king had accepted the proposal. \"And the agreement,\" said he,\n\"which was made, was made more by means of the strength of the people,\nthe power of Thorgny, and the aid of the earl, than by the king's\ngood-will. Now, on these grounds, we know for certain that it is the\nking who has caused the breach of the agreement; therefore we ought\nby no means to make the earl suffer, for it is proved that he is King\nOlaf's firm friend.\" The king wished now to hear from the chiefs and\nother leaders of troops what course he should adopt. \"Whether shall we\ngo against Gautland, and maraud there with such men as we have got; or\nis there any other course that appears to you more advisable?\" He spoke\nboth long and well.\nThereafter many powerful men spoke, and all were at last agreed in\ndissuading from hostilities. They argued thus:--\"Although we are a\nnumerous body of men who are assembled here, yet they are all only\npeople of weight and power; but, for a war expedition, young men who are\nin quest of property and consideration are more suitable. It is also\nthe custom of people of weight and power, when they go into battle or\nstrife, to have many people with them whom they can send out before\nthem for their defence; for the men do not fight worse who have little\nproperty, but even better than those who are brought up in the midst of\nwealth.\" After these considerations the king resolved to dismiss this\narmy from any expedition, and to give every man leave to return home;\nbut proclaimed, at the same time, that next summer the people over\nthe whole country would be called out in a general levy, to march\nimmediately against the Swedish king, and punish him for his want of\nfaith. All thought well of this plan. Then the king returned northwards\nto Viken, and took his abode at Sarpsborg in autumn, and ordered all\nthings necessary for winter provision to be collected there; and he\nremained there all winter (A.D. 1019) with a great retinue.\n92. SIGVAT THE SKALD'S JOURNEY EASTWARDS.\nPeople talked variously about Earl Ragnvald; some said he was King\nOlaf's sincere friend; others did not think this likely, and thought it\nstood in his power to warn the Swedish king to keep his word, and the\nagreement concluded on between him and King Olaf. Sigvat the poet often\nexpressed himself in conversation as Earl Ragnvald's great friend, and\noften spoke of him to King Olaf; and he offered to the king to travel to\nEarl Ragnvald's and spy after the Swedish kings doings, and to attempt,\nif possible, to get the settlement of the agreement. The king thought\nwell of this plan; for he oft, and with pleasure, spoke to his\nconfidential friends about Ingegerd, the king's daughter. Early\nin winter (A.D. 1019) Sigvat the skald, with two companions, left\nSarpsborg, and proceeded eastwards over the moors to Gautland. Before\nSigvat and King Olaf parted he composed these verses:--\n \"Sit happy in thy hall, O king!\n Till I come back, and good news bring:\n The skald will bid thee now farewell,\n Till he brings news well worth to tell.\n He wishes to the helmed hero\n Health, and long life, and a tull flow\n Of honour, riches, and success--\n And, parting, ends his song with this.\n The farewell word is spoken now __\n The word that to the heart lies nearest;\n And yet, O king! before I go,\n One word on what I hold the dearest,\n I fain would say, \"O! may God save\n To thee the bravest of the brave,\n The land, which is thy right by birth!\"\n This is my dearest with on earth.\"\nThen they proceeded eastwards towards Eid, and had difficulty in\ncrossing the river in a little cobble; but they escaped, though with\ndanger: and Sigvat sang:--\n \"On shore the crazy boat I drew,\n Wet to the skin, and frightened too;\n For truly there was danger then;\n The mocking hill elves laughed again.\n To see us in this cobble sailing,\n And all our sea-skill unavailing.\n But better did it end, you see,\n Than any of us could foresee.\"\nThen they went through the Eid forest, and Sigvat sang:--\n \"A hundred miles through Eid's old wood,\n And devil an alehouse, bad or good,--\n A hundred miles, and tree and sky\n Were all that met the weary eye.\n With many a grumble, many a groan.\n A hundred miles we trudged right on;\n And every king's man of us bore\n On each foot-sole a bleeding sore.\"\nThey came then through Gautland, and in the evening reached a farm-house\ncalled Hof. The door was bolted so that they could not come in; and the\nservants told them it was a fast-day, and they could not get admittance.\nSigvat sang:--\n \"Now up to Hof in haste I hie,\n And round the house and yard I pry.\n Doors are fast locked--but yet within,\n Methinks, I hear some stir and din.\n I peep, with nose close to the ground.\n Below the door, but small cheer found.\n My trouble with few words was paid--\n \"'Tis holy time,' the house-folkd said.\n Heathens! to shove me thus away!\n I' the foul fiend's claws may you all lay.\"\nThen they came to another farm, where the good-wife was standing at the\ndoor, and told them not to come in, for they were busy with a sacrifice\nto the elves. Sigvat sang of it thus:--\n \"'My poor lad, enter not, I pray!'\n Thus to me did the old wife say;\n 'For all of us are heathens here,\n And I for Odin's wrath do fear.'\n The ugly witch drove me away,\n Like scared wolf sneaking from his prey.\n When she told me that there within\n Was sacrifice to foul Odin.\"\nAnother evening, they came to three bondes, all of them of the name of\nOlver, who drove them away. Sigvat sang:--\n \"Three of one name,\n To their great shame,\n The traveller late\n Drove from their gate!\n Travellers may come\n From our viking-home,\n Unbidden guests\n At these Olvers' feasts.\"\nThey went on farther that evening, and came to a fourth bonde, who was\nconsidered the most hospitable man in the country; but he drove them\naway also. Then Sigvat sang:--\n \"Then on I went to seek night's rest\n From one who was said to be the best,\n The kindest host in the land around,\n And there I hoped to have quarters found.\n But, faith,'twas little use to try;\n For not so much as raise an eye\n Would this huge wielder of the spade:\n If he's the hest, it must be said\n Bad is the best, and the skald's praise\n Cannot be given to churls like these.\n I almost wished that Asta's son\n In the Eid forest had been one\n When we, his men, were even put\n Lodging to crave in a heathen's hut.\n I knew not where the earl to find;\n Four times driven off by men unkind,\n I wandered now the whole night o'er,\n Driven like a dog from door to door.\"\nNow when they came to Earl Ragnvald's the earl said they must have had a\nsevere journey. Then Sigvat sang:--\n \"The message-bearers of the king\n From Norway came his words to bring;\n And truly for their master they\n Hard work have done before to-day.\n We did not loiter on the road,\n But on we pushed for thy abode:\n Thy folk, in sooth, were not so kind\n That we cared much to lag hehind.\n But Eid to rest safe we found,\n From robbers free to the eastern bound:\n This praise to thee, great earl, is due--\n The skald says only what is true.\"\nEarl Ragnvald gave Sigvat a gold arm-ring, and a woman said \"he had not\nmade the journey with his black eyes for nothing.\" Sigvat sang:--\n \"My coal-black eyes\n Dost thou despise?\n They have lighted me\n Across the sea\n To gain this golden prize:\n They have lighted me,\n Thy eyes to see,\n O'er Iceland's main,\n O'er hill and plain:\n Where Nanna's lad would fear to be\n They have lighted me.\"\nSigvat was long entertained kindly and well in the house of Earl\nRagnvald. The earl heard by letters, sent by Ingegerd the king's\ndaughter, that ambassadors from King Jarisleif were come from Russia to\nKing Olaf of Svithjod to ask his daughter Ingegerd in marriage, and that\nKing Olaf had given them hopes that he would agree to it. About the same\ntime King Olaf's daughter Astrid came to Earl Ragnvald's court, and\na great feast was made for her. Sigvat soon became acquainted by\nconversation with the king's daughter, and she knew him by name and\nfamily, for Ottar the skald, Sigvat's sister's son, had long intimate\nacquaintance with King Olaf, the Swedish king. Among other things talked\nof, Earl Ragnvald asked Sigvat if the king of Norway would not marry the\nking's daughter Astrid. \"If he would do that,\" said he, \"I think we need\nnot ask the Swedish king for his consent.\" Astrid, the kings daughter,\nsaid exactly the same. Soon after Sigvat returns home, and comes to King\nOlaf at Sarpsborg a little before Yule.\nWhen Sigvat came home to King Olaf he went into the hall, and, looking\naround on the walls, he sang:--\n \"When our men their arms are taking\n The raven's wings with greed are shaking;\n When they come back to drink in hall\n Brave spoil they bring to deck the wall--\n Shield, helms, and panzers (1), all in row,\n Stripped in the field from lifeless fow.\n In truth no royal nail comes near\n Thy splendid hall in precious gear.\"\nAfterwards Sigvat told of his journey, and sang these verses:--\n \"The king's court-guards desire to hear\n About our journey and our cheer,\n Our ships in autumn reach the sound,\n But long the way to Swedish ground.\n With joyless weather, wind and raind,\n And pinching cold, and feet in pain--\n With sleep, fatigue, and want oppressed,\n No songs had we--we scarce had rest.\"\nAnd when he came into conversation with the king he sang:--\n \"When first I met the earl I told\n How our king loved a friend so bold;\n How in his heart he loved a man\n With hand to do, and head to plan.\n Thou generous king! with zeal and care\n I sought to advance thy great affair;\n For messengers from Russian land\n Had come to ask Ingegerd's hand.\n The earl, thy friend, bids thee, who art\n So mild and generous of heart,\n His servants all who here may come\n To cherish in thy royal home;\n And thine who may come to the east\n In Ragnvald's hall shall find a feast--\n In Ragnvald's house shall find a home--\n At Ragnvald's court be still welcome.\n When first I came the people's mind\n Incensed by Eirik's son I find;\n And he refused the wish to meet,\n Alleging treachery and deceit.\n But I explained how it was here,\n For earl and king, advantage clear\n With thee to hold the strictest peace,\n And make all force and foray cease.\n The earl is wise, and understands\n The need of peace for both the lands;\n And he entreats thee not to break\n The present peace for vengeance's sake!\"\nHe immediately tells King Olaf the news he had heard; and at first the\nking was much cast down when he heard of King Jarisleif's suit, and he\nsaid he expected nothing but evil from King Olaf; but wished he might\nbe able to return it in such a way as Olaf should remember. A while\nafterwards the king asks Sigvat about various news from Gautland. Sigvat\nspoke a great deal about Astrid, the kings daughter; how beautiful she\nwas, how agreeable in her conversation; and that all declared she was in\nno respect behind her sister Ingegerd. The king listened with pleasure\nto this. Then Sigvat told him the conversation he and Astrid had had\nbetween themselves, and the king was delighted at the idea. \"The\nSwedish king,\" said he, \"will scarcely think that I will dare to marry\na daughter of his without his consent.\" But this speech of his was not\nknown generally. King Olaf and Sigvat the skald often spoke about\nit. The king inquired particularly of Sigvat what he knew about Earl\nRagnvald, and \"if he be truly our friend,\" said the king. Sigvat said\nthat the earl was King Olaf's best friend, and sang these verses:--\n \"The mighty Olaf should not cease\n With him to hold good terms and peace;\n For this good earl unwearied shows\n He is thy friend where all are foes.\n Of all who dwell by the East Sea\n So friendly no man is as he:\n At all their Things he takes thy part,\n And is thy firm friend, hand and heart.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) The Pantzer--a complete suit of plate-armour.\n93. RAGNVALD AND ASTRA'S JOURNEY.\nAfter Yule (A.D. 1019), Thord Skotakol, a sister's son of Sigvat,\nattended by one of Sigvat's footboys, who had been with Sigvat the\nautumn before in Gautland, went quite secretly from the court, and\nproceeded to Gautland. When they came to Earl Ragnvald's court, they\nproduced the tokens which Olaf himself had sent to the earl, that he\nmight place confidence in Thord. Without delay the earl made himself\nready for a journey, as did Astrid, the king's daughter; and the earl\ntook with him 120 men, who were chosen both from among his courtmen and\nthe sons of great bondes, and who were carefully equipped in all things,\nclothes, weapons, and horses. Then they rode northwards to Sarpsborg,\nand came there at Candlemas.\n94. OF KING OLAF'S MARRIAGE.\nKing Olaf had put all things in order in the best style. There were\nall sorts of liquors of the best that could be got, and all other\npreparations of the same quality. Many people of consequence were\nsummoned in from their residences. When the earl arrived with his\nretinue the king received him particularly well; and the earl was shown\nto a large, good, and remarkably well-furnished house for his lodging;\nand serving-men and others were appointed to wait on him; and nothing\nwas wanting, in any respect, that could grace a feast. Now when the\nentertainment had lasted some days, the king, the earl, and Astrid had\na conference together; and the result of it was, that Earl Ragnvald\ncontracted Astrid, daughter of the Swedish king Olaf, to Olaf king\nof Norway, with the same dowry which had before been settled that her\nsister Ingegerd should have from home. King Olaf, on his part, should\ngive Astrid the same bride-gift that had been intended for her sister\nIngegerd. Thereupon an eke was made to the feast, and King Olaf and\nQueen Astrid's wedding was drunk in great festivity. Earl Ragnvald then\nreturned to Gautland, and the king gave the earl many great and good\ngifts at parting; and they parted the dearest of friends, which they\ncontinued to be while they lived.\n95. THE AGREEMENT BROKEN BY OLAF.\nThe spring (A.D. 1019) thereafter came ambassadors from King Jarisleif\nin Novgorod to Svithjod, to treat more particularly about the promise\ngiven by King Olaf the preceding summer to marry his daughter Ingegerd\nto King Jarisleif. King Olaf tallied about the business with Ingegerd,\nand told her it was his pleasure that she should marry King Jarisleif.\nShe replied. \"If I marry King Jarisleif, I must have as my bride-gift\nthe town and earldom of Ladoga.\" The Russian ambassadors agreed to this,\non the part of their sovereign. Then said Ingegerd, \"If I go east to\nRussia, I must choose the man in Svithjod whom I think most suitable\nto accompany me; and I must stipulate that he shall not have any less\ntitle, or in any respect less dignity, privilege, and consideration\nthere, than he has, here.\" This the king and the ambassadors agreed to,\nand gave their hands upon it in confirmation of the condition.\n\"And who,\" asked the king, \"is the man thou wilt take with thee as thy\nattendant?\"\n\"That man,\" she replied, \"is my relation Earl Ragnvald.\"\nThe king replies, \"I have resolved to reward Earl Ragnvald in a\ndifferent manner for his treason against his master in going to Norway\nwith my daughter, and giving her as a concubine to that fellow, who he\nknew was my greatest enemy. I shall hang him up this summer.\"\nThen Ingegerd begged her father to be true to the promise he had made\nher, and had confirmed by giving his hand upon it. By her entreaties it\nwas at last agreed that the king should promise to let Earl Ragnvald\ngo in peace from Svithjod, but that he should never again appear in the\nking's presence, or come back to Svithjod while Olaf reigned. Ingegerd\nthen sent messengers to the earl to bring him these tidings, and to\nappoint a place of meeting. The earl immediately prepared for his\njourney; rode up to East Gautland; procured there a vessel, and, with\nhis retinue, joined Ingegerd, and they proceeded together eastward to\nRussia. There Ingegerd was married to King Jarisleif; and their children\nwere Valdemar, Vissivald, and Holte the Bold. Queen Ingegerd gave Earl\nRagnvald the town of Ladoga, and earldom belonging to it. Earl\nRagnvald was there a long time, and was a celebrated man. His sons and\nIngebjorg's were Earl Ulf and Earl Eilif.\n96. HISTORY OF THE LAGMAN EMUND.\nThere was a man called Emund of Skara, who was lagman of west Gautland,\nand was a man of great understanding and eloquence, and of high birth,\ngreat connection, and very wealthy; but was considered deceitful, and\nnot to be trusted. He was the most powerful man in West Gautland after\nthe earl was gone. The same spring (A.D. 1019) that Earl Ragnvald left\nGautland the Gautland people held a Thing among themselves, and often\nexpressed their anxiety to each other about what the Swedish king\nmight do. They heard he was incensed because they had rather held in\nfriendship with the king of Norway than striven against him; and he\nwas also enraged against those who had attended his daughter Astrid to\nNorway. Some proposed to seek help and support from the king of Norway,\nand to offer him their services; others dissuaded from this measure, as\nWest Gautland had no strength to oppose to the Swedes. \"And the king of\nNorway,\" said they, \"is far from us, the chief strength of his country\nvery distant; and therefore let us first send men to the Swedish king\nto attempt to come to some reconciliation with him. If that fail, we\ncan still turn to the king of Norway.\" Then the bondes asked Emund to\nundertake this mission, to which he agreed; and he proceeded with\nthirty men to East Gautland, where there were many of his relations and\nfriends, who received him hospitably. He conversed there with the most\nprudent men about this difficult business; and they were all unanimous\non one point,--that the king's treatment of them was against law and\nreason. From thence Emund went into Svithjod, and conversed with many\nmen of consequence, who all expressed themselves in the same way. Emund\ncontinued his journey thus, until one day, towards evening, he arrived\nat Upsala, where he and his retinue took a good lodging, and stayed\nthere all night. The next day Emund waited upon the king, who was just\nthen sitting in the Thing surrounded by many people. Emund went before\nhim, bent his knee, and saluted him. The king looked at him, saluted\nhim, and asked him what news he brought.\nEmund replies, \"There is little news among us Gautlanders; but it\nappears to us a piece of remarkable news that the proud, stupid Atte, in\nVermaland, whom we look upon as a great sportsman, went up to the forest\nin winter with his snow-shoes and his bow. After he had got as many\nfurs in the mountains as filled his hand-sledge so full that he could\nscarcely drag it, he returned home from the woods. But on the way he saw\na squirrel in the trees, and shot at it, but did not hit; at which he\nwas so angry, that he left the sledge to run after the squirrel: but\nstill the squirrel sprang where the wood was thickest, sometimes among\nthe roots of the trees, sometimes in the branches, sometimes among the\narms that stretch from tree to tree. When Atte shot at it the arrows\nflew too high or too low, and the squirrel never jumped so that Atte\ncould get a fair aim at him. He was so eager upon this chase that he ran\nthe whole day after the squirrel, and yet could not get hold of it. It\nwas now getting dark; so he threw himself down upon the snow, as he was\nwont, and lay there all night in a heavy snow-storm. Next day Atte got\nup to look after his sledge, but never did he find it again; and so he\nreturned home. And this is the only news, king, I have to tell.\"\nThe king says, \"This is news of but little importance, if it be all thou\nhast to tell.\"\nErnund replies, \"Lately something happened which may well be called\nnews. Gaute Tofason went with five warships out of the Gaut river,\nand when he was lying at the Eikrey Isles there came five large Danish\nmerchant-ships there. Gaute and his men immediately took four of the\ngreat vessels, and made a great booty without the loss of a man: but the\nfifth vessel slipped out to sea, and sailed away. Gaute gave chase with\none ship, and at first came nearer to them; but as the wind increased,\nthe Danes got away. Then Gaute wanted to turn back; but a storm came on\nso that he lost his ship at Hlesey, with all the goods, and the greater\npart of his crew. In the meantime his people were waiting for him at the\nEikrey Isles: but the Danes came over in fifteen merchant-ships, killed\nthem all, and took all the booty they had made. So but little luck had\nthey with their greed of plunder.\"\nThe king replied. \"That is great news, and worth being told; but what\nnow is thy errand here?\"\nEmund replies, \"I travel, sire, to obtain your judgment in a difficult\ncase, in which our law and the Upsala law do not agree.\"\nThe king asks, \"What is thy appeal case?\"\nEmund replies, \"There were two noble-born men of equal birth, but\nunequal in property and disposition. They quarrelled about some land,\nand did each other much damage; but most was done to him who was the\nmore powerful of the two. This quarrel, however, was settled, and judged\nof at a General Thing; and the judgment was, that the most powerful\nshould pay a compensation. But at the first payment, instead of paying\na goose, he paid a gosling; for an old swine he paid a sucking pig; and\nfor a mark of stamped gold only a half-mark, and for the other half-mark\nnothing but clay and dirt; and, moreover, threatened, in the most\nviolent way, the people whom he forced to receive such goods in payment.\nNow, sire, what is your judgment?\"\nThe king replies, \"He shall pay the full equivalent whom the judgment\nordered to do so, and that faithfully; and further, threefold to his\nking: and if payment be not made within a year and a day, he shall be\ncut off from all his property, his goods confiscated, and half go the\nking's house, and half to the other party.\"\nEmund took witnesses to this judgment among the most considerable of\nthe men who were present, according to the laws which were held in the\nUpsala Thing. He then saluted the king, and went his way; and other men\nbrought their cases before the king, and he sat late in the day upon\nthe cases of the people. Now when the king came to table, he asked where\nLagman Emund was. It was answered, he was home at his lodgings. \"Then,\"\nsaid the king, \"go after him, and tell him to be my guest to-day.\"\nThereafter the dishes were borne in; then came the musicians with harps,\nfiddles, and musical instruments; and lastly, the cup-bearers. The king\nwas particularly merry, and had many great people at table with him, so\nthat he thought little of Emund. The king drank the whole day, and slept\nall the night after; but in the morning the king awoke, and recollected\nwhat Emund had said the day before: and when he had put on his clothes,\nhe let his wise men be summoned to him; for he had always twelve of the\nwisest men who sat in judgment with him, and treated the more difficult\ncases; and that was no easy business, for the king was ill-pleased if\nthe judgment was not according to justice, and yet it was of no use\nto contradict him. In this meeting the king ordered Lagman Emund to\nbe called before them. The messenger returned, and said, \"Sire, Lagman\nEmund rode away yesterday as soon as he had dined.\" \"Then,\" said the\nking, \"tell me, ye good chiefs, what may have been the meaning of that\nlaw-case which Emund laid before us yesterday?\"\nThey replied, \"You must have considered it yourself, if you think there\nwas any other meaning under it than what he said.\"\nThe king replied, \"By the two noble-born men whom he spoke of, who were\nat variance, and of whom one was more powerful than the other, and who\ndid each other damage, he must have meant us and Olaf the Thick.\"\nThey answered, \"It is, sire, as you say.\"\nThe king--\"Our case was judged at the Upsala Thing. But what was his\nmeaning when he said that bad payment was made; namely, a gosling for\na goose, a pig for a swine, and clay and dirt for half of the money\ninstead of gold?\"\nArnvid the Blind replied, \"Sire, red gold and clay are things very\nunlike; but the difference is still greater between king and slave. You\npromised Olaf the Thick your daughter Ingegerd, who, in all branches of\nher descent, is born of kings, and of the Upland Swedish race of kings,\nwhich is the most noble in the North; for it is traced up to the gods\nthemselves. But now Olaf has got Astrid; and although she is a king's\nchild, her mother was but a slave-woman, and, besides, of Vindish race.\nGreat difference, indeed, must there be between these kings, when the\none takes thankfully such a match; and now it is evident, as might be\nexpected, that no Northman is to be placed by the side of the Upsala\nkings. Let us all give thanks that it has so turned out; for the gods\nhave long protected their descendants, although many now neglect this\nfaith.\"\nThere were three brothers:--Arnvid the Blind, who had a great\nunderstanding, but was so weak-sighted that he was scarcely fit for\nwar; the second was Thorvid the Stammerer, who could not utter two words\ntogether at one time, but was remarkably bold and courageous; the third\nwas Freyvid the Deaf, who was hard of hearing. All these brothers were\nrich and powerful men, of noble birth, great wisdom, and all very dear\nto the king.\nThen said King Olaf, \"What means that which Emund said about Atte the\nDull?\"\nNone made any reply, but the one looked at the other.\n\"Speak freely,\" said the king.\nThen said Thorvid the Stammerer,\n\"Atte--quarrel--some--greedy--jealous--deceitful--dull.\"\nThen said the king, \"To whom are these words of reproach and mockery\napplied?\"\nFreyvid the Deaf replied, \"We will speak more clearly if we have your\npermission.\"\nThe king--\"Speak freely, Freyvid, what you will.\"\nFreyvid took up the word, and spoke. \"My brother Thorvid, who\nis considered to be the wisest of us brothers, holds the words\n'quarrelsome, greedy, jealous, dull,' to be one and the same thing; for\nit applies to him who is weary of peace, longs for small things without\nattaining them, while he lets great and useful things pass away as they\ncame. I am deaf; yet so loud have many spoken out, that I can perceive\nthat all men, both great and small, take it ill that you have not kept\nyour promise to the king of Norway; and, worse than that, that you broke\nthe decision of the community as it was delivered at Upsala Thing. You\nneed not fear either the king of Norway, or the king of Denmark, or any\nother, so long as the Swedish army will follow you; but if the people\nof the country unanimously turn against you, we, your friends, see no\ncounsel that can be of advantage to you.\"\nThe king asks, \"Who is the chief who dares to betray the country and\nme?\"\nFreyvid replies, \"All Swedes desire to have the ancient laws, and their\nfull rights. Look but here, sire, how many chiefs are sitting in\ncouncil with you. I think, in truth, we are but six whom you call your\ncouncillors: all the others, so far as I know, have ridden forth through\nthe districts to hold Things with the people; and we will not conceal\nit from you, that the message-token has gone forth to assemble a\nRetribution-thing (1). All of us brothers have been invited to take part\nin the decisions of this council, but none of us will bear the name of\ntraitor to the sovereign; for that our father never was.\"\nThen the king said, \"What council shall we take in this dangerous affair\nthat is in our hands? Good chiefs give me council, that I may keep my\nkingdom, and the heritage of my forefathers; for I cannot enter into\nstrife against the whole Swedish force.\"\nArnvid the Blind replies, \"Sire, it is my advice that you ride down to\nAros with such men as will follow you; take your ship there and go out\ninto the Maeler lake; summon all people to meet you; proceed no longer\nwith haughtiness, but promise every man the law and rights of old\nestablished in the country; keep back in this way the message-token,\nfor it cannot as yet, in so short a time have travelled far through the\nland. Send, then those of your men in whom you have the most confidence\nto those who have this business on hand, and try if this uproar can be\nappeased.\"\nThe king says that he will adopt this advice. \"I will,\" says he, \"that\nye brothers undertake this business; for I trust to you the most among\nmy men.\"\nThorvid the Stammerer said, \"I remain behind. Let Jacob, your son, go\nwith them, for that is necessary.\"\nThen said Freyvid, \"Let us do as Thorvid says: he will not leave you,\nand I and Arnvid must travel.\"\nThis counsel was followed. Olaf went to his ships, and set out into\nthe Maelar lake, and many people came to him. The brothers Arnvid and\nFreyvid rode out to Ullaraker, and had with them the king's son Jacob;\nbut they kept it a secret that he was there. The brothers observed that\nthere was a great concourse and war-gathering, for the bondes held the\nThing night and day. When Arnvid and Freyvid met their relations and\nfriends, they said they would join with the people; and many agreed to\nleave the management of the business in the hands of the brothers. But\nall, as one man, declared they would no longer have King Olaf over them,\nand no longer suffer his unlawful proceedings, and over-weening pride\nwhich would not listen to any man's remonstrances, even when the great\nchiefs spoke the truth to him. When Freyvid observed the heat of the\npeople, he saw in what a bad situation the king's cause was. He\nsummoned the chiefs of the land to a meeting with him and addressed them\nthus:--\"It appears to me, that if we are to depose Olaf Eirikson from\nhis kingdom, we Swedes of the Uplands should be the leading men in it:\nfor so it has always been, that the counsel which the Upland chiefs have\nresolved among themselves has always been followed by the men of the\nrest of the country. Our forefathers did not need to take advice from\nthe West Gautlanders about the government of the Swedes. Now we will\nnot be so degenerate as to need Emund to give us counsel; but let us,\nfriends and relations, unite ourselves for the purpose of coming to\na determination.\" All agreed to this, and thought it was well said.\nThereafter the people joined this union which the Upland chiefs made\namong themselves, and Freyvid and Arnvid were chiefs of the whole\nassemblage. When Emund heard this he suspected how the matter would end,\nand went to both the brothers to have a conversation with them. Then\nFreyvid asked Emund, \"Who, in your opinion, should we take for king, in\ncase Olaf Eirikson's days are at an end?\"\nEmund--\"He whom we think best suited to it, whether he be of the race of\nchiefs or not.\"\nFreyvid answers, \"We Uplanders will not, in our time, have the kingdom\ngo out of the old race of our ancestors, which has given us kings for a\nlong course of generations, so long as we have so good a choice as now.\nKing Olaf has two sons, one of whom we will choose for king, although\nthere is a great difference between them. The one is noble-born, and\nof Swedish race on both sides; the other is a slave-woman's son, and of\nVindish race on the mother's side.\"\nThis decision was received with loud applause, and all would have Jacob\nfor king.\nThen said Emund. \"Ye Upland Swedes have the power this time to\ndeterminate the matter; but I will tell you what will happen:--some of\nthose who now will listen to nothing but that the kingdom remain in the\nold race will live to see the day when they will wish the kingdom in\nanother race, as being of more advantage.\"\nThereupon the brothers Freyvid and Arnvid led the king's son Jacob into\nthe Thing, and saluted him with the title of king; and the Swedes gave\nhim the name of Onund, which he afterwards retained as long as he lived.\nHe was then ten or twelve years old. Thereafter King Onund took a court,\nand chose chiefs to be around him; and they had as many attendants\nin their suite as were thought necessary, so that he gave the whole\nassemblage of bondes leave to return home. After that ambassadors went\nbetween the two kings; and at last they had a meeting, and came to an\nagreement. Olaf was to remain king over the country as long as he lived;\nbut should hold peace and be reconciled with King Olaf of Norway, and\nalso with all who had taken part in this business. Onund should also\nbe king, and have a part of the land, such as the father and son should\nagree upon; but should be bound to support the bondes in case King Olaf\ndid anything which the bondes would not suffer.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Refsithing--a Thing for punishment by penalty or death for\n crimes and misdemeanours.--L.\n97. MEETING OF RECONCILIATION BETWEEN THE KINGS, AND THEIR GAME AT DICE.\nThereafter ambassadors were sent to Norway to King Olaf, with the errand\nthat he should come with his retinue to a meeting at Konungahella with\nthe Swedish kings, and that the Swedish kings would there confirm their\nreconciliation. When King Olaf heard this message, he was willing, now\nas formerly, to enter into the agreement, and proceeded to the appointed\nplace. There the Swedish kings also came; and the relations, when they\nmet, bound themselves mutually to peace and agreement. Olaf the Swedish\nking was then remarkably mild in manner, and agreeable to talk with.\nThorstein Frode relates of this meeting, that there was an inhabited\ndistrict in Hising which had sometimes belonged to Norway, and sometimes\nto Gautland. The kings came to the agreement between themselves that\nthey would cast lots by the dice to determine who should have this\nproperty, and that he who threw the highest should have the district.\nThe Swedish king threw two sixes, and said King Olaf need scarcely\nthrow. He replied, while shaking the dice in his hand, \"Although there\nbe two sixes on the dice, it would be easy, sire, for God Almighty to\nlet them turn up in my favour.\" Then he threw, and had sixes also. Now\nthe Swedish king threw again, and had again two sixes. Olaf king of\nNorway then threw, and had six upon one dice, and the other split in\ntwo, so as to make seven eyes in all upon it; and the district was\nadjudged to the king of Norway. We have heard nothing else of any\ninterest that took place at this meeting; and the kings separated the\ndearest of friends with each other.\n98. OF OLAF OF NORWAY, AFTER THE MEETING.\nAfter the events now related Olaf returned with his people to Viken.\nHe went first to Tunsberg, and remained there a short time, and then\nproceeded to the north of the country. In harvest-time he sailed north\nto Throndhjem, and had winter provision laid in there, and remained\nthere all winter (A.D. 1090). Olaf Haraldson was now sole and supreme\nking of Norway, and the whole of that sovereignty, as Harald Harfager\nhad possessed it, and had the advantage over that monarch of being the\nonly king in the land. By a peaceful agreement he had also recovered\nthat part of the country which Olaf the Swedish king had before\noccupied; and that part of the country which the Danish king had got\nhe retook by force, and ruled over it as elsewhere in the country. The\nDanish king Canute ruled at that time both over Denmark and England;\nbut he himself was in England for the most part, and set chiefs over the\ncountry in Denmark, without at that time making any claim upon Norway.\n99. HISTORY OF THE EARLS OF ORKNEY.\nIt is related that in the days of Harald Harfager, the king of Norway,\nthe islands of Orkney, which before had been only a resort for vikings,\nwere settled. The first earl in the Orkney Islands was called Sigurd,\nwho was a son of Eystein Giumra, and brother of Ragnvald earl of\nMore. After Sigurd his son Guthorm was earl for one year. After him\nTorf-Einar, a son of Ragnvald, took the earldom, and was long earl,\nand was a man of great power. Halfdan Haleg, a son of Harald Harfager,\nassaulted Torf-Einar, and drove him from the Orkney Islands; but Einar\ncame back and killed Halfdan in the island Ronaldsha. Thereafter King\nHarald came with an army to the Orkney Islands. Einar fled to Scotland,\nand King Harald made the people of the Orkney Islands give up their udal\nproperties, and hold them under oath from him. Thereafter the king and\nearl were reconciled, so that the earl became the king's man, and\ntook the country as a fief from him; but that it should pay no scat or\nfeu-duty, as it was at that time much plundered by vikings. The earl\npaid the king sixty marks of gold; and then King Harald went to plunder\nin Scotland, as related in the \"Glym Drapa\". After Torf-Einar, his sons\nArnkel, Erlend, and Thorfin Hausakljufer (1) ruled over these lands. In\ntheir days came Eirik Blood-axe from Norway, and subdued these earls.\nArnkel and Erlend fell in a war expedition; but Thorfin ruled the\ncountry long, and became an old man. His sons were Arnfin, Havard,\nHlodver, Liot, and Skule. Their mother was Grelad, a daughter of Earl\nDungad of Caithness. Her mother was Groa, a daughter of Thorstein Raud.\nIn the latter days of Earl Thorfin came Eirik Blood-axe's sons, who\nhad fled from Earl Hakon out of Norway, and committed great excesses in\nOrkney. Earl Thorfin died on a bed of sickness, and his sons after him\nruled over the country, and there are many stories concerning them.\nHlodver lived the longest of them, and ruled alone over this country.\nHis son was Sigurd the Thick, who took the earldom after him, and became\na powerful man and a great warrior. In his days came Olaf Trygvason from\nhis viking expedition in the western ocean, with his troops, landed in\nOrkney and took Earl Sigurd prisoner in South Ronaldsha, where he lay\nwith one ship. King Olaf allowed the earl to ransom his life by letting\nhimself be baptized, adopting the true faith, becoming his man, and\nintroducing Christianity into all the Orkney Islands. As a hostage,\nKing Olaf took his son, who was called Hunde or Whelp. Then Olaf went to\nNorway, and became king; and Hunde was several years with King Olaf in\nNorway, and died there. After his death Earl Sigurd showed no obedience\nor fealty to King Olaf. He married a daughter of the Scottish king\nMalcolm, and their son was called Thorfin. Earl Sigurd had, besides,\nolder sons; namely, Sumarlide, Bruse, and Einar Rangmund. Four or five\nyears after Olaf Tryrgvason's fall Earl Sigurd went to Ireland, leaving\nhis eldest sons to rule the country, and sending Thorfin to his mother's\nfather, the Scottish king. On this expedition Earl Sigurd fell in\nBrian's battle (l). When the news was received in Orkney, the brothers\nSumarlide, Bruse, and Einar were chosen earls, and the country was\ndivided into three parts among them. Thorfin Sigurdson was five years\nold when Earl Sigurd fell. When the Scottish king heard of the earl's\ndeath he gave his relation Thorfin Caithness and Sutherland, with the\ntitle of earl, and appointed good men to rule the land for him. Earl\nThorfin was ripe in all ways as soon as he was grown up: he was stout\nand strong, but ugly; and as soon as he was a grown man it was easy to\nsee that he was a severe and cruel but a very clever man. So says Arnor,\nthe earls' skald:--\n \"Under the rim of heaven no other,\n So young in years as Einar's brother,\n In battle had a braver hand,\n Or stouter, to defend the land.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) Hausakljufer--the splitter of skulls.--L.\n (2) Brian's battle is supposed to have taken place on the 23rd\n April 1014, at Clontart, near Dublin; and is known in Irish\n history as the battle of Clontarf, and was one of the\n bloodiest of the age. It was fought between a viking called\n Sigtryg and Brian king of Munster, who gained the victory,\n but lost his life.--L.\n100. OF THE EARLS EINAR AND BRUSE.\nThe brothers Einar and Bruse were very unlike in disposition. Bruse\nwas a soft-minded, peaceable man,--sociable, eloquent, and of good\nunderstanding. Einar was obstinate, taciturn, and dull; but ambitious,\ngreedy of money, and withal a great warrior. Sumarlide, the eldest of\nthe brothers, was in disposition like Bruse, and lived not long, but\ndied in his bed. After his death Thorfin claimed his share of the Orkney\nIslands. Einar replied, that Thorfin had the dominions which their\nfather Sigurd had possessed, namely, Caithness and Sutherland, which\nhe insisted were much larger than a third part of Orkney; therefore he\nwould not consent to Thorfin's having any share. Bruse, on the other\nhand, was willing, he said, to divide with him. \"I do not-desire,\" he\nsaid, \"more than the third part of the land, and which of right belongs\nto me.\" Then Einar took possession of two parts of the country, by which\nhe became a powerful man, surrounded by many followers. He was often in\nsummer out on marauding expeditions, and called out great numbers of the\npeople to join him; but it went always unpleasantly with the division of\nthe booty made on his viking cruises. Then the bondes grew weary of all\nthese burdens; but Earl Einar held fast by them with severity, calling\nin all services laid upon the people, and allowing no opposition from\nany man; for he was excessively proud and overbearing. And now there\ncame dearth and scarcity in his lands, in consequence of the services\nand money outlay exacted from the bondes; while in the part of the\ncountry belonging to Bruse there were peace and plenty, and therefore he\nwas the best beloved by the bondes.\n101. OF THORKEL AMUNDASON.\nThere was a rich and powerful man who was called Amunde, who dwelt in\nHrossey at Sandvik, in Hlaupandanes. His son, called Thorkel, was one\nof the ablest men in the islands. Amunde was a man of the best\nunderstanding, and most respected in Orkney. One spring Earl Einar\nproclaimed a levy for an expedition, as usual. The bondes murmured\ngreatly against it, and applied to Amunde with the entreaty that he\nwould intercede with the earl for them. He replied, that the earl was\nnot a man who would listen to other people, and insisted that it was of\nno use to make any entreaty to the earl about it. \"As things now stand,\nthere is a good understanding between me and the earl; but, in my\nopinion, there would be much danger of our quarrelling, on account of\nour different dispositions and views on both sides; therefore I will\nhave nothing to do with it.\" They then applied to Thorkel, who was also\nvery loath to interfere, but promised at last to do so, in consequence\nof the great entreaty of the people. Amunde thought he had given his\npromise too hastily. Now when the earl held a Thing, Thorkel spoke on\naccount of the people, and entreated the earl to spare the people from\nsuch heavy burdens, recounting their necessitous condition. The earl\nreplies favourably, saying that he would take Thorkel's advice. \"I had\nintended to go out from the country with six ships, but now I will only\ntake three with me; but thou must not come again, Thorkel, with any such\nrequest.\" The bondes thanked Thorkel for his assistance, and the earl\nset out on a viking cruise, and came back in autumn. The spring after,\nthe earl made the same levy as usual, and held a Thing with the bondes.\nThen Thorkel again made a speech, in which he entreated the earl to\nspare the people. The earl now was angry, and said the lot of the bondes\nshould be made worse in consequence of his intercession; and worked\nhimself up into such a rage, that he vowed they should not both come\nnext spring to the Thing in a whole skin. Then the Thing was closed.\nWhen Amunde heard what the earl and Thorkel had said at the Thing, he\ntold Thorkel to leave the country, and he went over to Caithness to Earl\nThorfin. Thorkel was afterwards a long time there, and brought up the\nearl in his youth, and was on that account called Thorkel the Fosterer;\nand he became a very celebrated man.\n102. THE AGREEMENT OF THE EARLS.\nThere were many powerful men who fled from their udal properties in\nOrkney on account of Earl Einar's violence, and the most fled over to\nCaithness to Earl Thorfin: but some fled from the Orkney Islands to\nNorway, and some to other countries. When Earl Thorfin was grown up\nhe sent a message to his brother Einar, and demanded the part of the\ndominion which he thought belonged to him in Orkney; namely, a third of\nthe islands. Einar was nowise inclined to diminish his possessions. When\nThorfin found this he collected a warforce in Caithness, and proceeded\nto the islands. As soon as Earl Einar heard of this he collected people,\nand resolved to defend his country. Earl Bruse also collected men, and\nwent out to meet them, and bring about some agreement between them. An\nagreement was at last concluded, that Thorfin should have a third part\nof the islands, as of right belonging to him, but that Bruse and Einar\nshould lay their two parts together, and Einar alone should rule over\nthem; but if the one died before the other, the longest liver should\ninherit the whole. This agreement seemed reasonable, as Bruse had a son\ncalled Ragnvald, but Einar had no son. Earl Thorfin set men to rule\nover his land in Orkney, but he himself was generally in Caithness.\nEarl Einar was generally on viking expeditions to Ireland, Scotland, and\nBretland.\n103. EYVIND URARHORN'S MURDER.\nOne summer (A.D. 1018) that Earl Einar marauded in Ireland, he fought in\nUlfreks-fjord with the Irish king Konofogor, as has been related before,\nand suffered there a great defeat. The summer after this (A.D. 1019)\nEyvind Urarhorn was coming from the west from Ireland, intending to go\nto Norway; but the weather was boisterous, and the current against him,\nso he ran into Osmundwall, and lay there wind-bound for some time. When\nEarl Einar heard of this, he hastened thither with many people, took\nEyvind prisoner, and ordered him to be put to death, but spared the\nlives of most of his people. In autumn they proceeded to Norway to King\nOlaf, and told him Eyvind was killed. The king said little about it, but\none could see that he considered it a great and vexatious loss; for he\ndid not usually say much if anything turned out contrary to his wishes.\nEarl Thorfin sent Thorkel Fosterer to the islands to gather in his scat.\nNow, as Einar gave Thorkel the greatest blame for the dispute in which\nThorfin had made claim to the islands, Thorkel came suddenly back to\nCaithness from Orkney, and told Earl Thorfin that he had learnt that\nEarl Einar would have murdered him if his friends and relations had not\ngiven him notice to escape. \"Now,\" says he, \"it is come so far between\nthe earl and me, that either some thing decisive between us must take\nplace if we meet, or I must remove to such a distance that his power\nwill not reach me.\" The earl encouraged Thorkel much to go east to\nNorway to King Olaf. \"Thou wilt be highly respected,\" says he, \"wherever\nthou comest among honourable men; and I know so well thy disposition\nand the earl's, that it will not be long before ye come to extremities.\"\nThereupon Thorkel made himself ready, and proceeded in autumn to Norway,\nand then to King Olaf, with whom he stayed the whole winter (A.D. 1020),\nand was in high favour. The king often entered into conversation with\nhim, and he thought, what was true, that Thorkel was a high-minded man,\nof good understanding. In his conversations with Thorkel, the king found\na great difference in his description of the two earls; for Thorkel was\na great friend of Earl Thorfin, but had much to say against Einar. Early\nin spring (A.D. 1020) the king sent a ship west over the sea to Earl\nThorfin, with the invitation to come east and visit him in Norway.\nThe earl did not decline the invitation, for it was accompanied by\nassurances of friendship.\n104. EARL EINAR'S MURDER.\nEarl Thorfin went east to Norway, and came to King Olaf, from whom he\nreceived a kind reception, and stayed till late in the summer. When he\nwas preparing to return westwards again, King Olaf made him a present of\na large and fully-rigged long-ship. Thorkel the Fosterer joined company\nwith the earl, who gave him the ship which he brought with him from the\nwest. The king and the earl took leave of each other tenderly. In autumn\nEarl Thorfin came to Orkney, and when Earl Einar heard of it he went on\nboard his ships with a numerous band of men. Earl Bruse came up to his\ntwo brothers, and endeavoured to mediate between them, and a peace was\nconcluded and confirmed by oath. Thorkel Fosterer was to be in peace and\nfriendship with Earl Einar; and it was agreed that each of them should\ngive a feast to the other, and that the earl should first be Thorkel's\nguest at Sandwick. When the earl came to the feast he was entertained in\nthe best manner; but the earl was not cheerful. There was a great room,\nin which there were doors at each end. The day the earl should depart\nThorkel was to accompany him to the other feast; and Thorkel sent men\nbefore, who should examine the road they had to travel that day. The\nspies came back, and said to Thorkel they had discovered three ambushes.\n\"And we think,\" said they, \"there is deceit on foot.\" When Thorkel heard\nthis he lengthened out his preparations for the journey, and gathered\npeople about him. The earl told him to get ready, as it was time to be\non horseback. Thorkel answered, that he had many things to put in order\nfirst, and went out and in frequently. There was a fire upon the\nfloor. At last he went in at one door, followed by an Iceland man from\nEastfjord, called Halvard, who locked the door after him. Thorkel went\nin between the fire and the place where the earl was sitting. The earl\nasked, \"Art thou ready at last, Thorkel?\"\nThorkel answers, \"Now I am ready;\" and struck the earl upon the head so\nthat he fell upon the floor.\nThen said the Icelander, \"I never saw people so foolish as not to drag\nthe earl out of the fire;\" and took a stick, which he set under the\nearl's neck, and put him upright on the bench. Thorkel and his two\ncomrades then went in all haste out of the other door opposite to that\nby which they went in, and Thorkel's men were standing without fully\narmed. The earl's men now went in, and took hold of the earl. He was\nalready dead, so nobody thought of avenging him: and also the whole was\ndone so quickly; for nobody expected such a deed from Thorkel, and all\nsupposed that there really was, as before related, a friendship fixed\nbetween the earl and Thorkel. The most who were within were unarmed, and\nthey were partly Thorkel's good friends; and to this may be added, that\nfate had decreed a longer life to Thorkel. When Thorkel came out he had\nnot fewer men with him than the earl's troop. Thorkel went to his ship,\nand the earl's men went their way. The same day Thorkel sailed out\neastwards into the sea. This happened after winter; but he came safely\nto Norway, went as fast as he could to Olaf, and was well received by\nhim. The king expressed his satisfaction at this deed, and Thorkel was\nwith him all winter (A.D. 1091).\n105. AGREEMENT BETWEEN KING OLAF AND EARL BRUSE.\nAfter Earl Einar's fall Bruse took the part of the country which he had\npossessed; for it was known to many men on what conditions Einar and\nBruse had entered into a partnership. Although Thorfin thought it would\nbe more just that each of them had half of the islands, Bruse retained\nthe two-thirds of the country that winter (A.D. 1021). In spring,\nhowever, Thorfin produced his claim, and demanded the half of the\ncountry; but Bruse would not consent. They held Things and meetings\nabout the business; and although their friends endeavoured to settle it,\nThorfin would not be content with less than the half of the islands, and\ninsisted that Bruse, with his disposition, would have enough even with\na third part. Bruse replies, \"When I took my heritage after my father\nI was well satisfied with a third part of the country, and there was\nnobody to dispute it with me; and now I have succeeded to another third\nin heritage after my brother, according to a lawful agreement between\nus; and although I am not powerful enough to maintain a feud against\nthee, my brother, I will seek some other way, rather than willingly\nrenounce my property.\" With this their meeting ended. But Bruse saw that\nhe had no strength to contend against Thorfin, because Thorfin had both\na greater dominion and also could have aid from his mother's brother,\nthe Scottish king. He resolved, therefore, to go out of the country; and\nhe went eastward to King Olaf, and had with him his son Ragnvald, then\nten years old. When the earl came to the king he was well received. The\nearl now declared his errand, and told the king the circumstances of the\nwhole dispute between him and his brother, and asked help to defend his\nkingdom of Orkney; promising, in return, the fullest friendship towards\nKing Olaf. In his answer, the king began with showing how Harald\nHarfager had appropriated to himself all udal rights in Orkney, and that\nthe earls, since that time, have constantly held the country as a fief,\nnot as their udal property. \"As a sufficient proof of which,\" said he,\n\"when Eirik Blood-axe and his sons were in Orkney the earls were subject\nto them; and also when my relation Olaf Trygvason came there thy father,\nEarl Sigurd, became his man. Now I have taken heritage after King Olaf,\nand I will give thee the condition to become my man and then I will give\nthee the islands as a fief; and we shall try if I cannot give thee aid\nthat will be more to the purpose than Thorfin can get from the Scottish\nking. If thou wilt not accept of these terms, then will I win back my\nudal property there in the West, as our forefathers and relations of old\npossessed it.\"\nThe earl carefully considered this speech, laid it before his friends,\nand demanded their advice if he should agree to it, and enter into such\nterms with King Olaf and become his vassal. \"But I do not see what my\nlot will be at my departure if I say no; for the king has clearly enough\ndeclared his claim upon Orkney; and from his great power, and our being\nin his hands, it is easy for him to make our destiny what he pleases.\"\nAlthough the earl saw that there was much to be considered for and\nagainst it he chose the condition to deliver himself and his dominion\ninto the king's power. Thereupon the king took the earl's power, and\nthe government over all the earl's lands, and the earl became his vassal\nunder oath of fealty.\n106. THE EARL'S AGREEMENT TO THE KING'S TERMS.\nThorfin the earl heard that his brother Bruse had gone east to King Olaf\nto seek support from him; but as Thorfin had been on a visit to King\nOlaf before, and had concluded a friendship with him, he thought his\ncase would stand well with the king, and that many would support it; but\nhe believed that many more would do so if he went there himself. Earl\nThorfin resolved, therefore, to go east himself without delay; and he\nthought there would be so little difference between the time of his\narrival and Bruse's, that Bruse's errand could not be accomplished\nbefore he came to King Olaf. But it went otherwise than Earl Thorfin had\nexpected; for when he came to the king the agreement between the king\nand Bruse was already concluded and settled, and Earl Thorfin did not\nknow a word about Bruse's having surrendered his udal domains until he\ncame to King Olaf. As soon as Earl Thorfin and King Olaf met, the king\nmade the same demand upon the kingdom of Orkney that he had done to Earl\nBruse, and required that Thorfin should voluntarily deliver over to the\nking that part of the country which he had possessed hitherto. The earl\nanswered in a friendly and respectful way, that the king's friendship\nlay near to his heart: \"And if you think, sire, that my help against\nother chiefs can be of use, you have already every claim to it; but I\ncannot be your vessel for service, as I am an earl of the Scottish king,\nand owe fealty to him.\"\nAs the king found that the earl, by his answer, declined fulfilling the\ndemand he had made, he said, \"Earl, if thou wilt not become my vassal,\nthere is another condition; namely, that I will place over the Orkney\nIslands the man I please, and require thy oath that thou wilt make no\nclaim upon these lands, but allow whoever I place over them to sit in\npeace. If thou wilt not accept of either of these conditions, he who is\nto rule over these lands may expect hostility from thee, and thou must\nnot think it strange if like meet like in this business.\"\nThe earl begged of the king some time to consider the matter. The king\ndid so, and gave the earl time to take the counsel of his friends on\nthe choosing one or other of these conditions. Then the earl requested a\ndelay until next summer, that he might go over the sea to the west, for\nhis proper counsellors were all at home, and he himself was but a child\nin respect of age; but the king required that he should now make his\nelection of one or other of the conditions. Thorkel Fosterer was then\nwith the king, and he privately sent a person to Earl Thorfin, and told\nhim, whatever his intentions might be, not to think of leaving Olaf\nwithout being reconciled with him, as he stood entirely in Olaf's power.\nFrom such hints the earl saw there was no other way than to let the king\nhave his own will. It was no doubt a hard condition to have no hope of\never regaining his paternal heritage, and moreover to bind himself by\noath to allow those to enjoy in peace his domain who had no hereditary\nright to it; but seeing it was uncertain how he could get away, he\nresolved to submit to the king and become his vassal, as Bruse had done.\nThe king observed that Thorfin was more high-minded, and less disposed\nto suffer subjection than Bruse, and therefore he trusted less to\nThorfin than to Bruse; and he considered also that Thorfin would trust\nto the aid of the Scottish king, if he broke the agreement. The king\nalso had discernment enough to perceive that Bruse, although slow to\nenter into an agreement, would promise nothing but what he intended\nto keep; but as to Thorfin when he had once made up his mind he went\nreadily into every proposal and made no attempt to obtain any alteration\nof the king's first conditions: therefore the king had his suspicions\nthat the earl would infringe the agreement.\n107. EARL THORFIN'S DEPARTURE, AND RECONCILIATION WITH THORKEL.\nWhen the king had carefully considered the whole matter by himself, he\nordered the signal to sound for a General Thing, to which he called in\nthe earls. Then said the king, \"I will now make known to the public our\nagreement with the Orkney earls. They have now acknowledged my right of\nproperty to Orkney and Shetland, and have both become my vassals, all\nwhich they have confirmed by oath; and now I will invest them with these\nlands as a fief: namely, Bruse with one third part and Thorfin with one\nthird, as they formerly enjoyed them; but the other third which Einar\nRangmund had, I adjudge as fallen to my domain, because he killed Eyvind\nUrarhorn, my court-man, partner, and dear friend; and that part of the\nland I will manage as I think proper. I have also my earls, to tell you\nit is my pleasure that ye enter into an agreement with Thorkel Amundason\nfor the murder of your brother Einar, for I will take that business, if\nye agree thereto, within my own jurisdiction.\" The earls agreed to this,\nas to everything else that the king proposed. Thorkel came forward, and\nsurrendered to the king's judgment of the case, and the Thing concluded.\nKing Olaf awarded as great a penalty for Earl Einar's murder as for\nthree lendermen; but as Einar himself was the cause of the act, one\nthird of the mulct fell to the ground. Thereafter Earl Thorfin asked the\nking's leave to depart, and as soon as he obtained it made ready for sea\nwith all speed. It happened one day, when all was ready for the\nvoyage, the earl sat in his ship drinking; and Thorkel Amundason came\nunexpectedly to him, laid his head upon the earl's knee, and bade him\ndo with him what he pleased. The earl asked why he did so. \"We are, you\nknow, reconciled men, according to the king's decision; so stand up,\nThorkel.\"\nThorkel replied, \"The agreement which the king made as between me and\nBruse stands good; but what regards the agreement with thee thou alone\nmust determine. Although the king made conditions for my property and\nsafe residence in Orkney, yet I know so well thy disposition that there\nis no going to the islands for me, unless I go there in peace with thee,\nEarl Thorfin; and therefore I am willing to promise never to return to\nOrkney, whatever the king may desire.\"\nThe earl remained silent; and first, after a long pause, he said, \"If\nthou wilt rather, Thorkel, that I shall judge between us than trust to\nthe king's judgment, then let the beginning of our reconciliation be,\nthat you go with me to the Orkney Islands, live with me, and never leave\nme but with my will, and be bound to defend my land, and execute all\nthat I want done, as long as we both are in life.\"\nThorkel replies, \"This shall be entirely at thy pleasure, earl, as well\nas everything else in my power.\" Then Thorkel went on, and solemnly\nratified this agreement. The earl said he would talk afterwards about\nthe mulct of money, but took Thorkel's oath upon the conditions. Thorkel\nimmediately made ready to accompany the earl on his voyage. The earl set\noff as soon as all was ready, and never again were King Olaf and Thorfin\ntogether.\n108. EARL BRUSE'S DEPARTURE.\nEarl Bruse remained behind, and took his time to get ready. Before his\ndeparture the king sent for him, and said, \"It appears to me, earl, that\nin thee I have a man on the west side of the sea on whose fidelity I\ncan depend; therefore I intend to give thee the two parts of the\ncountry which thou formerly hadst to rule over; for I will not that\nthou shouldst be a less powerful man after entering into my service than\nbefore: but I will secure thy fidelity by keeping thy son Ragnvald with\nme. I see well enough that with two parts of the country and my\nhelp, thou wilt be able to defend what is thy own against thy brother\nThorfin.\" Bruse was thankful for getting two thirds instead of one third\nof the country, and soon after he set out, and came about autumn to\nOrkney; but Ragnvald, Bruse's son, remained behind in the East with King\nOlaf. Ragnvald was one of the handsomest men that could be seen,--his\nhair long, and yellow as silk; and he soon grew up, stout and tall,\nand he was a very able and superb man, both of great understanding and\npolite manners. He was long with King Olaf. Otter Svarte speaks of these\naffairs in the poem he composed about King Olaf:--\n \"From Shetland, far off in the cold North Sea,\n Come chiefs who desire to be subject to thee:\n No king so well known for his will, and his might,\n To defend his own people from scaith or unright.\n These isles of the West midst the ocean's wild roar,\n Scarcely heard the voice of their sovereign before;\n Our bravest of sovereigns before could scarce bring\n These islesmen so proud to acknowledge their king.\"\n109. OF THE EARLS THORFIN AND BRUSE.\nThe brothers Thorfin and Bruse came west to Orkney; and Bruse took the\ntwo parts of the country under his rule, and Thorfin the third part.\nThorfin was usually in Caithness and elsewhere in Scotland; but placed\nmen of his own over the islands. It was left to Bruse alone to defend\nthe islands, which at that time were severely scourged by vikings; for\nthe Northmen and Danes went much on viking cruises in the west sea,\nand frequently touched at Orkney on the way to or from the west, and\nplundered, and took provisions and cattle from the coast. Bruse often\ncomplained of his brother Thorfin, that he made no equipment of war for\nthe defence of Orkney and Shetland, yet levied his share of the scat and\nduties. Then Thorfin offered to him to exchange, and that Bruse should\nhave one third and Thorfin two thirds of the land, but should undertake\nthe defence of the land, for the whole. Although this exchange did not\ntake place immediately, it is related in the saga of the earls that it\nwas agreed upon at last; and that Thorfin had two parts and Bruse\nonly one, when Canute the Great subdued Norway and King Olaf fled\nthe country. Earl Thorfin Sigurdson has been the ablest earl of these\nislands, and has had the greatest dominion of all the Orkney earls; for\nhe had under him Orkney, Shetland, and the Hebudes, besides very great\npossessions in Scotland and Ireland. Arnor, the earls' skald, tells of\nhis possessions:--\n \"From Thurso-skerry to Dublin,\n All people hold with good Thorfin--\n All people love his sway,\n And the generous chief obey.\"\nThorfin was a very great warrior. He came to the earldom at five years\nof age, ruled more than sixty years, and died in his bed about the\nlast days of Harald Sigurdson. But Bruse died in the days of Canute the\nGreat, a short time after the fall of Saint Olaf.\n110. OF HAREK OF THJOTTA.\nHaving now gone through this second story, we shall return to that which\nwe left,--at King Olaf Haraldson having concluded peace with King Olaf\nthe Swedish king, and having the same summer gone north to Throndhjem\n(1019). He had then been king in Norway five years (A.D. 1015-1019). In\nharvest time he prepared to take his winter residence at Nidaros, and\nhe remained all winter there (A.D. 1020). Thorkel the Fosterer, Amunde's\nson, as before related, was all that winter with him. King Olaf inquired\nvery carefully how it stood with Christianity throughout the land, and\nlearnt that it was not observed at all to the north of Halogaland,\nand was far from being observed as it should be in Naumudal, and the\ninterior of Throndhjem. There was a man by name Harek, a son of Eyvind\nSkaldaspiller, who dwelt in an island called Thjotta in Halogaland.\nEyvind had not been a rich man, but was of high family and high mind. In\nThjotta, at first, there dwelt many small bondes; but Harek began with\nbuying a farm not very large and lived on it, and in a few years he had\ngot all the bondes that were there before out of the way; so that he had\nthe whole island, and built a large head-mansion. He soon became very\nrich; for he was a very prudent man, and very successful. He had long\nbeen greatly respected by the chiefs; and being related to the kings\nof Norway, had been raised by them to high dignities. Harek's father's\nmother Gunhild was a daughter of Earl Halfdan, and Ingebjorg, Harald\nHarfager's daughter. At the time the circumstance happened which we are\ngoing to relate he was somewhat advanced in years. Harek was the most\nrespected man in Halogaland, and for a long time had the Lapland trade,\nand did the king's business in Lapland; sometimes alone, sometimes with\nothers joined to him. He had not himself been to wait on King Olaf,\nbut messages had passed between them, and all was on the most friendly\nfooting. This winter (A.D. 1020) that Olaf was in Nidaros, messengers\npassed between the king and Harek of Thjotta. Then the king made it\nknown that he intended going north to Halogaland, and as far north as\nthe land's end; but the people of Halogaland expected no good from this\nexpedition.\n111. OF THE PEOPLE OF HALOGALAND.\nOlaf rigged out five ships in spring (A.D. 1020), and had with him about\n300 men. When he was ready for sea he set northwards along the land; and\nwhen he came to Naumudal district he summoned the bondes to a Thing, and\nat every Thing was accepted as king. He also made the laws to be\nread there as elsewhere, by which the people are commanded to observe\nChristianity; and he threatened every man with loss of life, and\nlimbs, and property who would not subject himself to Christian law. He\ninflicted severe punishments on many men, great as well as small, and\nleft no district until the people had consented to adopt the holy faith.\nThe most of the men of power and of the great bondes made feasts for\nthe king, and so he proceeded all the way north to Halogaland. Harek\nof Thjotta also made a feast for the king, at which there was a great\nmultitude of guests, and the feast was very splendid. Harek was made\nlenderman, and got the same privileges he had enjoyed under the former\nchiefs of the country.\n112. OF ASMUND GRANKELSON.\nThere was a man called Grankel, or Granketil, who was a rich bonde, and\nat this time rather advanced in age. In his youth he had been on\nviking cruises, and had been a powerful fighter; for he possessed great\nreadiness in all sorts of bodily exercises. His son Asmund was equal\nto his father in all these, and in some, indeed, he excelled him. There\nwere many who said that with respect to comeliness, strength, and bodily\nexpertness, he might be considered the third remarkably distinguished\nfor these that Norway had ever produced. The first was Hakon Athelstan's\nfoster-son; the second, Olaf Trygvason. Grankel invited King Olaf to a\nfeast, which was very magnificent; and at parting Grankel presented\nthe king with many honourable gifts and tokens of friendship. The king\ninvited Asmund, with many persuasions, to follow him; and as Asmund\ncould not decline the honours offered him, he got ready to travel with\nthe king, became his man, and stood in high favour with him. The king\nremained in Halogaland the greater part of the summer, went to all the\nThings, and baptized all the people. Thorer Hund dwelt at that time in\nthe island Bjarkey. He was the most powerful man in the North, and also\nbecame one of Olaf's lendermen. Many sons of great bondes resolved also\nto follow King Olaf from Halogaland. Towards the end of summer King Olaf\nleft the North, and sailed back to Throndhjem, and landed at Nidaros,\nwhere he passed the winter (A.D. 1021). It was then that Thorkel the\nFosterer came from the West from Orkney, after killing Einar Rangmumd,\nas before related. This autumn corn was dear in Throndhjem, after a long\ncourse of good seasons, and the farther north the dearer was the corn;\nbut there was corn enough in the East country, and in the Uplands, and\nit was of great help to the people of Throndhjem that many had old corn\nremaining beside them.\n113. OF THE SACRIFICES OF THE THRONDHJEM PEOPLE.\nIn autumn the news was brought to King Olaf that the bondes had had a\ngreat feast on the first winter-day's eve, at which there was a numerous\nattendance and much drinking; and it was told the king that all the\nremembrance-cups to the Asas, or old gods, were blessed according to\nthe old heathen forms; and it was added, that cattle and horses had been\nslain, and the altars sprinkled with their blood, and the sacrifices\naccompanied with the prayer that was made to obtain good seasons. It was\nalso reported that all men saw clearly that the gods were offended at\nthe Halogaland people turning Christian. Now when the king heard this\nnews he sent men into the Throndhjem country, and ordered several\nbondes, whose names he gave, to appear before him. There was a man\ncalled Olver of Eggja, so called after his farm on which he lived. He\nwas powerful, of great family, and the head-man of those who on account\nof the bondes appeared before the king. Now, when they came to the king,\nhe told them these accusations; to which Olver, on behalf of the bondes,\nreplied, that they had had no other feasts that harvest than their usual\nentertainments, and social meetings, and friendly drinking parties. \"But\nas to what may have been told you of the words which may have fallen\nfrom us Throndhjem people in our drinking parties, men of understanding\nwould take good care not to use such language; but I cannot hinder\ndrunken or foolish people's talk.\" Olver was a man of clever speech, and\nbold in what he said, and defended the bondes against such accusations.\nIn the end, the king said the people of the interior of Thorndhjem must\nthemselves give the best testimony to their being in the right faith.\nThe bondes got leave to return home, and set off as soon as they were\nready.\n114. OF THE SACRIFICES BY THE PEOPLE OF THE INTERIOR OF THE THRONDHJEM DISTRICT.\nAfterwards, when winter was advanced, it was told the king that the\npeople of the interior of Throndhjem had assembled in great number at\nMaerin, and that there was a great sacrifice in the middle of winter,\nat which they sacrificed offerings for peace and a good season. Now\nwhen the king knew this on good authority to be true, he sent men and\nmessages into the interior, and summoned the bondes whom he thought\nof most understanding into the town. The bondes held a council among\nthemselves about this message; and all those who had been upon the same\noccasion in the beginning of winter were now very unwilling to make\nthe journey. Olver, however, at the desire of all the bondes, allowed\nhimself to be persuaded. When he came to the town he went immediately\nbefore the king, and they talked together. The king made the same\naccusation against the bondes, that they had held a mid-winter\nsacrifice. Olver replies, that this accusation against the bondes was\nfalse. \"We had,\" said he, \"Yule feasts and drinking feasts wide\naround in the districts; and the bondes do not prepare their feasts so\nsparingly, sire, that there is not much left over, which people consume\nlong afterwards. At Maerin there is a great farm, with a large house on\nit, and a great neighbourhood all around it, and it is the great delight\nof the people to drink many together in company.\" The king said little\nin reply, but looked angry, as he thought he knew the truth of the\nmatter better than it was now represented. He ordered the bondes to\nreturn home. \"I shall some time or other,\" said he, \"come to the truth\nof what you are now concealing, and in such a way that ye shall not be\nable to contradict it. But, however, that may be, do not try such things\nagain.\" The bondes returned home, and told the result of their journey,\nand that the king was altogether enraged.\n115. MURDER OF OLVER OF EGGJA.\nAt Easter (A.D. 1021) the king held a feast, to which he had invited\nmany of the townspeople as well as bondes. After Easter he ordered his\nships to be launched into the water, oars and tackle to be put on board,\ndecks to be laid in the ships, and tilts (1) and rigging to be set up,\nand to be laid ready for sea at the piers. Immediately after Easter\nhe sent men into Veradal. There was a man called Thoralde, who was the\nking's bailiff, and who managed the king's farm there at Haug; and\nto him the king sent a message to come to him as quickly as possible.\nThoralde did not decline the journey, but went immediately to the town\nwith the messenger. The king called him in and in a private conversation\nasked him what truth there was in what had been told him of the\nprinciples and living of the people of the interior of Throndhjem, and\nif it really was so that they practised sacrifices to heathen gods. \"I\nwill,\" says the king, \"that thou declare to me the things as they are,\nand as thou knowest to be true; for it is thy duty to tell me the truth,\nas thou art my man.\"\nThoralde replies, \"Sire, I will first tell you that I have brought here\nto the town my two children, my wife, and all my loose property that I\ncould take with me, and if thou desirest to know the truth it shall be\ntold according to thy command; but if I declare it, thou must take care\nof me and mine.\"\nThe king replies, \"Say only what is true on what I ask thee, and I will\ntake care that no evil befall thee.\"\nThen said Thoralde, \"If I must say the truth, king, as it is, I must\ndeclare that in the interior of the Throndhjem land almost all the\npeople are heathen in faith, although some of them are baptized. It is\ntheir custom to offer sacrifice in autumn for a good winter, a second at\nmid-winter, and a third in summer. In this the people of Eyna, Sparby,\nVeradal, and Skaun partake. There are twelve men who preside over these\nsacrifice-feasts; and in spring it is Olver who has to get the feast in\norder, and he is now busy transporting to Maerin everything needful for\nit.\" Now when the king had got to the truth with a certainty, he\nordered the signal to be sounded for his men to assemble, and for the\nmen-at-arms to go on board ship. He appointed men to steer the ships,\nand leaders for the people, and ordered how the people should be divided\namong the vessels. All was got ready in haste, and with five ships and\n300 men he steered up the fjord. The wind was favourable, the ships\nsailed briskly before it, and nobody could have thought that the king\nwould be so soon there. The king came in the night time to Maerin, and\nimmediately surrounded the house with a ring of armed men. Olver was\ntaken, and the king ordered him to be put to death, and many other men\nbesides. Then the king took all the provision for the feast, and had it\nbrought to his ships; and also all the goods, both furniture, clothes,\nand valuables, which the people had brought there, and divided the\nbooty among his men. The king also let all the bondes he thought had the\ngreatest part in the business be plundered by his men-at-arms. Some were\ntaken prisoners and laid in irons, some ran away, and many were robbed\nof their goods. Thereafter the bondes were summoned to a Thing; but\nbecause he had taken many powerful men prisoners, and held them in his\npower, their friends and relations resolved to promise obedience to\nthe king, so that there was no insurrection against the king on this\noccasion. He thus brought the whole people back to the right faith, gave\nthem teachers, and built and consecrated churches. The king let Olver\nlie without fine paid for his bloodshed, and all that he possessed was\nadjudged to the king; and of the men he judged the most guilty, some\nhe ordered to be executed, some he maimed, some he drove out of the\ncountry, and took fines from others. The king then returned to Nidaros.\n ENDNOTES: (1) The ships appear to have been decked fore and aft only;\n and in the middle, where the rowers sat, to have had tilts or\n tents set up at night to sleep under.--L.\n116. OF THE SONS OF ARNE.\nThere was a man called Arne Arnmodson, who was married to Thora,\nThorstein Galge's daughter. Their children were Kalf, Fin, Thorberg,\nAmunde, Kolbjorn, Arnbjorn, and Arne. Their daughter, who was called\nRagnhild, was married to Harek of Thjotta. Arne was a lenderman,\npowerful, and of ability, and a great friend of King Olaf. At that time\nhis sons Kalf and Fin were with the king, and in great favour. The wife\nwhom Olver of Eggja had left was young and handsome, of great family,\nand rich, so that he who got her might be considered to have made an\nexcellent marriage; and her land was in the gift of the king. She and\nOlver had two sons, who were still in infancy. Kalf Arneson begged of\nthe king that he would give him to wife the widow of Olver; and out of\nfriendship the king agreed to it, and with her he got all the property\nOlver had possessed. The king at the same time made him his lenderman,\nand gave him an office in the interior of the Throndhjem country. Kalf\nbecame a great chief, and was a man of very great understanding.\n117. KING OLAF'S JOURNEY TO THE UPLANDS.\nWhen King Olaf had been seven years (A.D. 1015-1021) in Norway the earls\nThorfin and Bruse came to him, as before related, in the summer, from\nOrkney, and he became master of their land. The same summer Olaf went\nto North and South More, and in autumn to Raumsdal. He left his ships\nthere, and came to the Uplands, and to Lesjar. Here he laid hold of\nall the best men, and forced them, both at Lesjar and Dovre, either to\nreceive Christianity or suffer death, if they were not so lucky as to\nescape. After they received Christianity, the king took their sons in\nhis hands as hostages for their fidelity. The king stayed several\nnights at a farm in Lesjar called Boar, where he placed priests. Then he\nproceeded over Orkadal and Lorodal, and came down from the Uplands at\na place called Stafabrekka. There a river runs along the valley, called\nthe Otta, and a beautiful hamlet, by name Loar, lies on both sides of\nthe river, and the king could see far down over the whole neighbourhood.\n\"A pity it is,\" said the king, \"so beautiful a hamlet should be burnt.\"\nAnd he proceeded down the valley with his people, and was all night on\na farm called Nes. The king took his lodging in a loft, where he slept\nhimself; and it stands to the present day, without anything in it\nhaving been altered since. The king was five days there, and summoned\nby message-token the people to a Thing, both for the districts of Vagar,\nLear, and Hedal; and gave out the message along with the token, that\nthey must either receive Christianity and give their sons as hostages,\nor see their habitations burnt. They came before the king, and submitted\nto his pleasure; but some fled south down the valley.\n118. THE STORY OF DALE-GUDBRAND.\nThere was a man called Dale-Gudbrand, who was like a king in the valley\n(Gudbrandsdal), but was only herse in title. Sigvat the skald compared\nhim for wealth and landed property to Erling Skjalgson. Sigvat sang thus\nconcerning Erling:--\n \"I know but one who can compare\n With Erling for broad lands and gear--\n Gudbrand is he, whose wide domains\n Are most like where some small king reigns.\n These two great bondes, I would say,\n Equal each other every way.\n He lies who says that he can find\n One by the other left behind.\"\nGudbrand had a son, who is here spoken of. Now when Gudbrand received\nthe tidings that King Olaf was come to Lear, and obliged people to\naccept Christianity, he sent out a message-token, and summoned all the\nmen in the valley to meet him at a farm called Hundthorp. All came,\nso that the number could not be told; for there is a lake in the\nneighbourhood called Laugen, so that people could come to the place both\nby land and by water. There Gudbrand held a Thing with them, and said,\n\"A man is come to Loar who is called Olaf, and will force upon us\nanother faith than what we had before, and will break in pieces all our\ngods. He says that he has a much greater and more powerful god; and it\nis wonderful that the earth does not burst asunder under him, or that\nour god lets him go about unpunished when he dares to talk such things.\nI know this for certain, that if we carry Thor, who has always stood by\nus, out of our temple that is standing upon this farm, Olaf's god will\nmelt away, and he and his men be made nothing so soon as Thor looks upon\nthem.\" Then the bondes all shouted as one person that Olaf should never\nget away with life if he came to them; and they thought he would never\ndare to come farther south through the valley. They chose out 700 men to\ngo northwards to Breida, to watch his movements. The leader of this band\nwas Gudbrand's son, eighteen years of age, and with him were many other\nmen of importance. When they came to a farm called Hof they heard of the\nking; and they remained three nights there. People streamed to them from\nall parts, from Lesjar, Loar, and Vagar, who did not wish to receive\nChristianity. The king and Bishop Sigurd fixed teachers in Loaf and\nin Vagar. From thence they went round Vagarost, and came down into the\nvalley at Sil, where they stayed all night, and heard the news that a\ngreat force of men were assembled against them. The bondes who were in\nBreida heard also of the king's arrival, and prepared for battle. As\nsoon as the king arose in the morning he put on his armour, and went\nsouthwards over the Sil plains, and did not halt until he came to\nBreida, where he saw a great army ready for battle. Then the king drew\nup his troops, rode himself at the head of them, and began a speech\nto the bondes, in which he invited them to adopt Christianity. They\nreplied, \"We shall give thee something else to do to-day than to be\nmocking us;\" and raised a general shout, striking also upon their\nshields with their weapons. Then the king's men ran forward and threw\ntheir spears; but the bondes turned round instantly and fled, so that\nonly few men remained behind. Gudbrand's son was taken prisoner; but the\nking gave him his life, and took him with him. The king was four days\nhere. Then the king said to Gudbrand's son, \"Go home now to thy father,\nand tell him I expect to be with him soon.\"\nHe went accordingly, and told his father the news, that they had fallen\nin with the king, and fought with him; but that their whole army, in the\nvery beginning, took flight. \"I was taken prisoner,\" said he, \"but the\nking gave me my life and liberty, and told me to say to thee that he\nwill soon be here. And now we have not 200 men of the force we raised\nagainst him; therefore I advise thee, father, not to give battle to that\nman.\"\nSays Gudbrand, \"It is easy to see that all courage has left thee, and it\nwas an unlucky hour ye went out to the field. Thy proceeding will live\nlong in the remembrance of people, and I see that thy fastening thy\nfaith on the folly that man is going about with has brought upon thee\nand thy men so great a disgrace.\"\nBut the night after, Gudbrand dreamt that there came to him a man\nsurrounded by light, who brought great terror with him, and said to him,\n\"Thy son made no glorious expedition against King Olaf; but still less\nhonour wilt thou gather for thyself by holding a battle with him. Thou\nwith all thy people wilt fall; wolves will drag thee, and all thine,\naway; ravens wilt tear thee in stripes.\" At this dreadful vision he was\nmuch afraid, and tells it to Thord Istermage, who was chief over the\nvalley. He replies, \"The very same vision came to me.\" In the morning\nthey ordered the signal to sound for a Thing, and said that it appeared\nto them advisable to hold a Thing with the man who had come from the\nnorth with this new teaching, to know if there was any truth in it.\nGudbrand then said to his son, \"Go thou, and twelve men with thee, to\nthe king who gave thee thy life.\" He went straightway, and found the\nking, and laid before him their errand; namely, that the bondes would\nhold a Thing with him, and make a truce between them and him. The king\nwas content; and they bound themselves by faith and law mutually to hold\nthe peace so long as the Thing lasted. After this was settled the men\nreturned to Gudbrand and Thord, and told them there was made a firm\nagreement for a truce. The king, after the battle with the son of\nGudbrand, had proceeded to Lidstad, and remained there for five days:\nafterwards he went out to meet the bondes, and hold a Thing with them.\nOn that day there fell a heavy rain. When the Thing was seated, the\nking stood up and said that the people in Lesjar, Loaf, and Vagar\nhad received Christianity, broken down their houses of sacrifice, and\nbelieved now in the true God who had made heaven and earth and knows all\nthings.\nThereupon the king sat down, and Gudbrand replies, \"We know nothing of\nhim whom thou speakest about. Dost thou call him God, whom neither thou\nnor any one else can see? But we have a god who call be seen every day,\nalthough he is not out to-day, because the weather is wet, and he will\nappear to thee terrible and very grand; and I expect that fear will mix\nwith your very blood when he comes into the Thing. But since thou sayest\nthy God is so great, let him make it so that to-morrow we have a cloudy\nday but without rain, and then let us meet again.\"\nThe king accordingly returned home to his lodging, taking Gudbrand's\nson as a hostage; but he gave them a man as hostage in exchange. In\nthe evening the king asked Gudbrand's son what like their god was. He\nreplied, that he bore the likeness of Thor; had a hammer in his hand;\nwas of great size, but hollow within; and had a high stand, upon which\nhe stood when he was out. \"Neither gold nor silver are wanting about\nhim, and every day he receives four cakes of bread, besides meat.\" They\nthen went to bed, but the king watched all night in prayer. When day\ndawned the king went to mass, then to table, and from thence to the\nThing. The weather was such as Gudbrand desired. Now the bishop stood up\nin his choir-robes, with bishop's coif upon his head, and bishop's staff\nin his hands. He spoke to the bondes of the true faith, told the many\nwonderful acts of God, and concluded his speech well.\nThord Istermage replies, \"Many things we are told of by this horned man\nwith the staff in his hand crooked at the top like a ram's horn; but\nsince ye say, comrades, that your god is so powerful, and can do so many\nwonders, tell him to make it clear sunshine to-morrow forenoon, and then\nwe shall meet here again, and do one of two things,--either agree with\nyou about this business, or fight you.\" And they separated for the day.\n119. DALE-GUDBRAND IS BAPTIZED.\nThere was a man with King Olaf called Kolbein Sterke (the strong), who\ncame from a family in the Fjord district. Usually he was so equipped\nthat he was girt with a sword, and besides carried a great stake,\notherwise called a club, in his hands. The king told Kolbein to stand\nnearest to him in the morning; and gave orders to his people to go down\nin the night to where the ships of the bondes lay and bore holes in\nthem, and to set loose their horses on the farms where they were; all\nwhich was done. Now the king was in prayer all the night, beseeching God\nof His goodness and mercy to release him from evil. When mass was ended,\nand morning was grey, the king went to the Thing. When he came there\nsome bondes had already arrived, and they saw a great crowd coming\nalong, and bearing among them a huge man's image glancing with gold and\nsilver. When the bondes who were at the Thing saw it they started up,\nand bowed themselves down before the ugly idol. Thereupon it was set\ndown upon the Thing-field; and on the one side of it sat the bondes, and\non the other the king and his people.\nThen Dale-Gudbrand stood up, and said, \"Where now, king, is thy god? I\nthink he will now carry his head lower; and neither thou, nor the man\nwith the horn whom ye call bishop, and sits there beside thee, are so\nbold to-day as on the former days; for now our god, who rules over all,\nis come, and looks on you with an angry eye; and now I see well enough\nthat ye are terrified, and scarcely dare to raise your eyes. Throw away\nnow all your opposition, and believe in the god who has all your fate in\nhis hands.\"\nThe king now whispers to Kolbein Sterke, without the bondes perceiving\nit, \"If it come so in the course of my speech that the bondes look\nanother way than towards their idol, strike him as hard as thou canst\nwith thy club.\"\nThe king then stood up and spoke. \"Much hast thou talked to us this\nmorning, and greatly hast thou wondered that thou canst not see our God;\nbut we expect that he will soon come to us. Thou wouldst frighten us\nwith thy god, who is both blind and deaf, and can neither save himself\nnor others, and cannot even move about without being carried; but now\nI expect it will be but a short time before he meets his fate: for turn\nyour eyes towards the east,--behold our God advancing in great light.\"\nThe sun was rising, and all turned to look. At that moment Kolbein gave\ntheir god a stroke, so that the idol burst asunder; and there ran out of\nit mice as big almost as cats, and reptiles, and adders. The bondes were\nso terrified that some fled to their ships; but when they sprang out\nupon them they filled with water, and could not get away. Others ran to\ntheir horses, but could not find them. The king then ordered the bondes\nto be called together, saying he wanted to speak with them; on which the\nbondes came back, and the Thing was again seated.\nThe king rose up and said, \"I do not understand what your noise and\nrunning mean. Ye see yourselves what your god can do,--the idol ye\nadorned with gold and silver, and brought meat and provisions to. Ye\nsee now that the protecting powers who used it were the mice and adders,\nreptiles and paddocks; and they do ill who trust to such, and will not\nabandon this folly. Take now your gold and ornaments that are lying\nstrewed about on the grass, and give them to your wives and daughters;\nbut never hang them hereafter upon stock or stone. Here are now two\nconditions between us to choose upon,--either accept Christianity,\nor fight this very day; and the victory be to them to whom the God we\nworship gives it.\"\nThen Dale-Gudbrand stood up and said, \"We have sustained great damage\nupon our god; but since he will not help us, we will believe in the God\nthou believest in.\"\nThen all received Christianity. The bishop baptized Gudbrand and his\nson. King Olaf and Bishop Sigurd left behind them teachers, and they\nwho met as enemies parted as friends; and Gudbrand built a church in the\nvalley.\n120. HEDEMARK BAPTIZED.\nKing Olaf proceeded from thence to Hedemark, and baptized there; but\nas he had formerly carried away their kings as prisoners, he did not\nventure himself, after such a deed, to go far into the country with few\npeople at that time, but a small part of Hedemark was baptized; but\nthe king did not desist from his expedition before he had introduced\nChristianity over all Hedemark, consecrated churches, and placed\nteachers. He then went to Hadaland and Thoten, improving the customs of\nthe people, and persisting until all the country was baptized. He then\nwent to Ringerike, where also all people went over to Christianity. The\npeople of Raumarike then heard that Olaf intended coming to them, and\nthey gathered a great force. They said among themselves that the journey\nOlaf had made among them the last time was not to be forgotten, and he\nshould never proceed so again. The king, notwithstanding, prepared for\nthe journey. Now when the king went up into Raumarike with his forces,\nthe multitude of bondes came against him at a river called Nitja; and\nthe bondes had a strong army, and began the battle as soon as they met;\nbut they soon fell short, and took to flight. They were forced by this\nbattle into a better disposition, and immediately received Christianity;\nand the king scoured the whole district, and did not leave it until\nall the people were made Christians. He then went east to Soleys, and\nbaptized that neighbourhood. The skald Ottar Black came to him there,\nand begged to be received among his men. Olaf the Swedish king had died\nthe winter before (A.D. 1021), and Onund, the son of Olaf, was now the\nsole king over all Sweden. King Olaf returned, when the winter (A.D.\n1022) was far advanced, to Raumarike. There he assembled a numerous\nThing, at a place where the Eidsvold Things have since been held. He\nmade a law, that the Upland people should resort to this Thing, and that\nEidsvold laws should be good through all the districts of the Uplands,\nand wide around in other quarters, which also has taken place. As spring\nwas advancing, he rigged his ships, and went by sea to Tunsberg.\nHe remained there during the spring, and the time the town was most\nfrequented, and goods from other countries were brought to the town for\nsale. There had been a good year in Viken, and tolerable as far north as\nStad; but it was a very dear time in all the country north of there.\n121. RECONCILIATION OF THE KING AND EINAR.\nIn spring (A.D. 1022) King Olaf sent a message west to Agder, and north\nall the way to Hordaland and Rogaland, prohibiting the exporting or\nselling of corn, malt, or meal; adding, that he, as usual, would come\nthere with his people in guest-quarters. The message went round all the\ndistricts; but the king remained in Viken all summer, and went east\nto the boundary of the country. Einar Tambaskelfer had been with the\nSwedish king Olaf since the death of his relation Earl Svein, and had,\nas the khag's man, received great fiefs from him. Now that the king was\ndead, Einar had a great desire to come into friendship agreement with\nOlaf; and the same spring messages passed between them about it. While\nthe king was lying in the Gaut river, Einar Tambaskelfer came there with\nsome men; and after treating about an agreement, it was settled that\nEinar should go north to Throndhjem, and there take possession of all\nthe lands and property which Bergliot had received in dower. Thereupon\nEinar took his way north; but the king remained behind in Viken, and\nremained long in Sarpsborg in autumn (A.D. 1022), and during the first\npart of winter.\n122. RECONCILIATION OF THE KING AND ERLING.\nErling Skjalgson held his dominion so, that all north from Sogn Lake,\nand east to the Naze, the bondes stood under him; and although he had\nmuch smaller royal fiefs than formerly, still so great a dread of him\nprevailed that nobody dared to do anything against his will, so that\nthe king thought his power too great. There was a man called Aslak\nFitiaskalle, who was powerful and of high birth. Erling's father Skjalg,\nand Aslak's father Askel, were brother's sons. Aslak was a great friend\nof King Olaf, and the king settled him in South Hordaland, where he gave\nhim a great fief, and great income, and ordered him in no respect to\ngive way to Erling. But this came to nothing when the king was not in\nthe neighbourhood; for then Erling would reign as he used to do, and was\nnot more humble because Aslak would thrust himself forward as his equal.\nAt last the strife went so far that Aslak could not keep his place, but\nhastened to King Olaf, and told him the circumstances between him and\nErling. The king told Aslak to remain with him until he should meet\nErling; and sent a message to Erling that he should come to him in\nspring at Tunsberg. When they all arrived there they held a meeting at\nwhich the king said to him, \"It is told me concerning thy government,\nErling, that no man from Sogn Lake to the Naze can enjoy his freedom for\nthee; although there are many men there who consider themselves born\nto udal rights, and have their privileges like others born as they are.\nNow, here is your relation Aslak, who appears to have suffered great\ninconvenience from your conduct; and I do not know whether he himself is\nin fault, or whether he suffers because I have placed him to defend what\nis mine; and although I name him, there are many others who have brought\nthe same complaint before us, both among those who are placed in office\nin our districts, and among the bailiffs who have our farms to manage,\nand are obliged to entertain me and my people.\"\nErling replies to this, \"I will answer at once. I deny altogether that I\nhave ever injured Aslak, or any one else, for being in your service; but\nthis I will not deny, that it is now, as it has long been, that each of\nus relations will willingly be greater than the other: and, moreover,\nI freely acknowledge that I am ready to bow my neck to thee, King Olaf;\nbut it is more difficult for me to stoop before one who is of slave\ndescent in all his generation, although he is now your bailiff, or\nbefore others who are but equal to him in descent, although you bestow\nhonours on them.\"\nNow the friends of both interfered, and entreated that they would be\nreconciled; saying, that the king never could have such powerful aid as\nfrom Erling, \"if he was your friend entirely.\" On the other hand, they\nrepresent to Erling that he should give up to the king; for if he was\nin friendship with the king, it would be easy to do with all the others\nwhat he pleased. The meeting accordingly ended so that Erling should\nretain the fiefs he formerly had, and every complaint the king had\nagainst Erling should be dropped; but Skjalg, Erling's son, should\ncome to the king, and remain in his power. Then Aslak returned to his\ndominions, and the two were in some sort reconciled. Erling returned\nhome also to his domains, and followed his own way of ruling them.\n123. HERE BEGINS THE STORY OF ASBJORN SELSBANE.\nThere was a man named Sigurd Thoreson, a brother of Thorer Hund of\nBjarkey Island. Sigurd was married to Sigrid Skjalg's daughter, a sister\nof Erling. Their son, called Asbjorn, became as he grew up a very\nable man. Sigurd dwelt at Omd in Thrandarnes, and was a very rich and\nrespected man. He had not gone into the king's service; and Thorer in so\nfar had attained higher dignity than his brother, that he was the king's\nlenderman. But at home, on his farm, Sigurd stood in no respect behind\nhis brother in splendour and magnificence. As long as heathenism\nprevailed, Sigurd usually had three sacrifices every year: one on\nwinter-night's eve, one on mid-winter's eve, and the third in summer.\nAlthough he had adopted Christianity, he continued the same custom with\nhis feasts: he had, namely, a great friendly entertainment at harvest\ntime; a Yule feast in winter, to which he invited many; the third feast\nhe had about Easter, to which also he invited many guests. He continued\nthis fashion as long as he lived. Sigurd died on a bed of sickness when\nAsbjorn was eighteen years old. He was the only heir of his father, and\nhe followed his father's custom of holding three festivals every year.\nSoon after Asbjorn came to his heritage the course of seasons began to\ngrow worse, and the corn harvests of the people to fail; but Asbjorn\nheld his usual feasts, and helped himself by having old corn, and an old\nprovision laid up of all that was useful. But when one year had passed\nand another came, and the crops were no better than the year before,\nSigrid wished that some if not all of the feasts should be given up.\nThat Asbjorn would not consent to, but went round in harvest among his\nfriends, buying corn where he could get it, and some he received in\npresents. He thus kept his feasts this winter also; but the spring after\npeople got but little seed into the ground, for they had to buy\nthe seed-corn. Then Sigurd spoke of diminishing the number of their\nhouse-servants. That Asbjorn would not consent to, but held by the old\nfashion of the house in all things. In summer (A.D. 1022) it appeared\nagain that there would be a bad year for corn; and to this came the\nreport from the south that King Olaf prohibited all export of corn,\nmalt, or meal from the southern to the northern parts of the country.\nThen Asbjorn perceived that it would be difficult to procure what was\nnecessary for a house-keeping, and resolved to put into the water a\nvessel for carrying goods which he had, and which was large enough to\ngo to sea with. The ship was good, all that belonged to her was of the\nbest, and in the sails were stripes of cloth of various colours. Asbjorn\nmade himself ready for a voyage, and put to sea with twenty men. They\nsailed from the north in summer; and nothing is told of their voyage\nuntil one day, about the time the days begin to shorten, they came to\nKarmtsund, and landed at Augvaldsnes. Up in the island Karmt there is\na large farm, not far from the sea, and a large house upon it called\nAugvaldsnes, which was a king's house, with an excellent farm, which\nThorer Sel, who was the king's bailiff, had under his management. Thorer\nwas a man of low birth, but had swung himself up in the world as an\nactive man; and he was polite in speech, showy in clothes, and fond\nof distinction, and not apt to give way to others, in which he was\nsupported by the favour of the king. He was besides quick in speech,\nstraightforward, and free in conversation. Asbjorn, with his company,\nbrought up there for the night; and in the morning, when it was light,\nThorer went down to the vessel with some men, and inquired who commanded\nthe splendid ship. Asbjorn named his own and his father's name. Thorer\nasks where the voyage was intended for, and what was the errand.\nAsbjorn replies, that he wanted to buy corn and malt; saying, as was\ntrue, that it was a very dear time north in the country. \"But we are\ntold that here the seasons are good; and wilt thou, farmer, sell us\ncorn? I see that here are great corn stacks, and it would be very\nconvenient if we had not to travel farther.\"\nThorer replies, \"I will give thee the information that thou needst not\ngo farther to buy corn, or travel about here in Rogaland; for I can tell\nthee that thou must turn about, and not travel farther, for the king\nforbids carrying corn out of this to the north of the country. Sail back\nagain, Halogalander, for that will be thy safest course.\"\nAsbjorn replies, \"If it be so, bonde, as thou sayest, that we can get\nno corn here to buy, I will, notwithstanding, go forward upon my errand,\nand visit my family in Sole, and see my relation Erling's habitation.\"\nThorer: \"How near is thy relationship to Erling?\"\nAsbjorn: \"My mother is his sister.\"\nThorer: \"It may be that I have spoken heedlessly, if so be that thou art\nsister's son of Erling.\"\nThereupon Asbjorn and his crew struck their tents, and turned the ship\nto sea. Thorer called after them. \"A good voyage, and come here again on\nyour way back.\" Asbjorn promised to do so, sailed away, and came in the\nevening to Jadar. Asbjorn went on shore with ten men; the other ten\nmen watched the ship. When Asbjorn came to the house he was very\nwell received, and Erling was very glad to see him, placed him beside\nhimself, and asked him all the news in the north of the country. Asbjorn\nconcealed nothing of his business from him; and Erling said it happened\nunfortunately that the king had just forbid the sale of corn. \"And I\nknow no man here.\" says he, \"who has courage to break the king's order,\nand I find it difficult to keep well with the king, so many are trying\nto break our friendship.\"\nAsbjorn replies, \"It is late before we learn the truth. In my childhood\nI was taught that my mother was freeborn throughout her whole descent,\nand that Erling of Sole was her boldest relation; and now I hear thee\nsay that thou hast not the freedom, for the king's slaves here in Jadar,\nto do with thy own corn what thou pleasest.\"\nErling looked at him, smiled through his teeth, and said, \"Ye\nHalogalanders know less of the king's power than we do here; but a bold\nman thou mayst be at home in thy conversation. Let us now drink, my\nfriend, and we shall see tomorrow what can be done in thy business.\"\nThey did so, and were very merry all the evening. The following day\nErling and Asbjorn talked over the matter again, and Erling said. \"I\nhave found out a way for you to purchase corn, Asbjorn. It is the same\nthing to you whoever is the seller.\" He answered that he did not care of\nwhom he bought the corn, if he got a good right to his purchase. Erling\nsaid. \"It appears to me probable that my slaves have quite as much\ncorn as you require to buy; and they are not subject to law, or land\nregulation, like other men.\" Asbjorn agreed to the proposal. The slaves\nwere now spoken to about the purchase, and they brought forward corn and\nmalt, which they sold to Asbjorn, so that he loaded his vessel with what\nhe wanted. When he was ready for sea Erling followed him on the road,\nmade him presents of friendship, and they took a kind farewell of each\nother. Asbjorn got a good breeze, landed in the evening at Karmtsund,\nnear to Augvaldsnes, and remained there for the night. Thorer Sel had\nheard of Asbjorn's voyage, and also that his vessel was deeply laden.\nThorer summoned people to him in the night, so that before daylight he\nhad sixty men; and with these he went against Asbjorn as soon as it was\nlight, and went out to the ship just as Asbjorn and his men were putting\non their clothes. Asbjorn saluted Thorer, and Thorer asked what kind of\ngoods Asbjorn had in the vessel.\nHe replied, \"Corn and malt.\"\nThorer said, \"Then Erling is doing as he usually does, and despising the\nking's orders, and is unwearied in opposing him in all things, insomuch\nthat it is wonderful the king suffers it.\"\nThorer went on scolding in this way, and when he was silent Asbjorn said\nthat Erling's slaves had owned the corn.\nThorer replied hastily, that he did not regard Erling's tricks. \"And\nnow, Asbjorn, there is no help for it; ye must either go on shore, or we\nwill throw you overboard; for we will not be troubled with you while we\nare discharging the cargo.\"\nAsbjorn saw that he had not men enough to resist Thorer; therefore\nhe and his people landed, and Thorer took the whole cargo out of the\nvessel. When the vessel was discharged Thorer went through the ship, and\nobserved. \"Ye Halogalanders have good sails: take the old sail of our\nvessel and give it them; it is good enough for those who are sailing\nin a light vessel.\" Thus the sails were exchanged. When this was done\nAsbjorn and his comrades sailed away north along the coast, and did not\nstop until they reached home early in whiter. This expedition was talked\nof far and wide, and Asbjorn had no trouble that winter in making feasts\nat home. Thorer Hund invited Asbjorn and his mother, and also all whom\nthey pleased to take along with him, to a Yule feast; but Asbjorn sat\nat home, and would not travel, and it was to be seen that Thorer thought\nAsbjorn despised his invitation, since he would not come. Thorer scoffed\nmuch at Asbjorn's voyage. \"Now,\" said he, \"it is evident that Asbjorn\nmakes a great difference in his respect towards his relations; for in\nsummer he took the greatest trouble to visit his relation Erling in\nJadar, and now will not take the trouble to come to me in the next\nhouse. I don't know if he thinks there may be a Thorer Sel in his way\nupon every holm.\" Such words, and the like sarcasms, Asbjorn heard of;\nand very ill satisfied he was with his voyage, which had thus made him\na laughing-stock to the country, and he remained at home all winter, and\nwent to no feasts.\n124. MURDER OF THORER SEL.\nAsbjorn had a long-ship standing in the noust (shipshed), and it was\na snekke (cutter) of twenty benches; and after Candlemas (February\n2, 1023), he had the vessel put in the water, brought out all his\nfurniture, and rigged her out. He then summoned to him his friends and\npeople, so that he had nearly ninety men all well armed. When he was\nready for sea, and got a wind, he sailed south along the coast, but as\nthe wind did not suit, they advanced but slowly. When they came farther\nsouth they steered outside the rocks, without the usual ships' channel,\nkeeping to sea as much as it was possible to do so. Nothing is related\nof his voyage before the fifth day of Easter (April 18, 1023), when,\nabout evening, they came on the outside of Karmt Island. This island is\nso shaped that it is very long, but not broad at its widest part; and\nwithout it lies the usual ships' channel. It is thickly inhabited;\nbut where the island is exposed to the ocean great tracts of it are\nuncultivated. Asbjorn and his men landed at a place in the island that\nwas uninhabited. After they had set up their ship-tents Asbjorn said,\n\"Now ye must remain here and wait for me. I will go on land in the isle,\nand spy what news there may be which we know nothing of.\" Asbjorn had\non mean clothes, a broadbrimmed hat, a fork in his hand, but had girt on\nhis sword under his clothes. He went up to the land, and in through the\nisland; and when he came upon a hillock, from which he could see the\nhouse on Augvaldsnes, and on as far as Karmtsund, he saw people in all\nquarters flocking together by land and by sea, and all going up to the\nhouse of Augvaldsnes. This seemed to him extraordinary; and therefore\nhe went up quietly to a house close by, in which servants were cooking\nmeat. From their conversation he discovered immediately that the king\nOlaf had come there to a feast, and that he had just sat down to table.\nAsbjorn turned then to the feasting-room, and when he came into the\nante-room one was going in and another coming out; but nobody took\nnotice of him. The hall-door was open, and he saw that Thorer Sel stood\nbefore the table of the high-seat. It was getting late in the evening,\nand Asbjorn heard people ask Thorer what had taken place between him\nand Asbjorn; and Thorer had a long story about it, in which he evidently\ndeparted from the truth. Among other things he heard a man say, \"How did\nAsbjorn behave when you discharged his vessel?\" Thorer replied, \"When we\nwere taking out the cargo he bore it tolerably, but not well; and when\nwe took the sail from him he wept.\" When Asbjorn heard this he suddenly\ndrew his sword, rushed into the hall, and cut at Thorer. The stroke took\nhim in the neck, so that the head fell upon the table before the king,\nand the body at his feet, and the table-cloth was soiled with blood from\ntop to bottom. The king ordered him to be seized and taken out. This\nwas done. They laid hands on Asbjorn, and took him from the hall. The\ntable-furniture and table-cloths were removed, and also Thorer's corpse,\nand all the blood wiped up. The king was enraged to the highest; but\nremained quiet in speech, as he always was when in anger.\n125. OF SKJALG, THE SON OF ERLING SKJALGSON.\nSkjalg Erlingson stood up, went before the king, and said, \"Now may it\ngo, as it often does, that every case will admit of alleviation. I will\npay thee the mulct for the bloodshed on account of this man, so that\nhe may retain life and limbs. All the rest determine and do, king,\naccording to thy pleasure.\"\nThe king replies, \"Is it not a matter of death, Skjalg, that a man\nbreak the Easter peace; and in the next place that he kills a man in\nthe king's lodging; and in the third that he makes my feet his\nexecution-block, although that may appear a small matter to thee and thy\nfather?\"\nSkjalg replies, \"It is ill done, king, in as far as it displeases thee;\nbut the deed is, otherwise, done excellently well. But if the deed\nappear to thee so important, and be so contrary to thy will, yet may I\nexpect something for my services from thee; and certainly there are many\nwho will say that thou didst well.\"\nThe king replies, \"Although thou hast made me greatly indebted to thee,\nSkjalg, for thy services, yet I will not for thy sake break the law, or\ncast away my own dignity.\"\nThen Skjalg turned round, and went out of the hall. Twelve men who had\ncome with Skjalg all followed him, and many others went out with him.\nSkjalg said to Thorarin Nefiulfson, \"If thou wilt have me for a friend,\ntake care that this man be not killed before Sunday.\" Thereupon Skjalg\nand his men set off, took a rowing boat which he had, and rowed south as\nfast as they could, and came to Jadar with the first glimpse of morning.\nThey went up instantly to the house, and to the loft in which Erling\nslept. Skjalg rushed so hard against the door that it burst asunder at\nthe nails. Erling and the others who were within started up. He was in\none spring upon his legs, grasped his shield and sword, and rushed to\nthe door, demanding who was there. Skjalg named himself, and begs him to\nopen the door. Erling replies, \"It was most likely to be thee who\nhast behaved so foolishly; or is there any one who is pursuing thee?\"\nThereupon the door was unlocked. Then said Skjalg, \"Although it appears\nto thee that I am so hasty, I suppose our relation Asbjorn will not\nthink my proceedings too quick; for he sits in chains there in the north\nat Augvaldsnes, and it would be but manly to hasten back and stand by\nhim.\" The father and son then had a conversation together, and Skjalg\nrelated the whole circumstances of Thorer Sel's murder.\n126. OF THORARIN NEFIULFSON.\nKing Olaf took his seat again when everything in the hall was put in\norder, and was enraged beyond measure. He asked how it was with the\nmurderer. He was answered, that he was sitting out upon the doorstep\nunder guard.\nThe king says, \"Why is he not put to death?\"\nThorarin Nefiulfson replies, \"Sire, would you not call it murder to kill\na man in the night-time?\"\nThe king answers, \"Put him in irons then, and kill him in the morning.\"\nThen Asbjorn was laid in chains, and locked up in a house for the night.\nThe day after the king heard the morning mass, and then went to the\nThing, where he sat till high mass. As he was going to mass he said\nto Thorarin, \"Is not the sun high enough now in the heavens that your\nfriend Asbjorn may be hanged?\"\nThorarin bowed before the king, and said, \"Sire, it was said by Bishop\nSigurd on Friday last, that the King who has all things in his power\nhad to endure great temptation of spirit; and blessed is he who rather\nimitates him, than those who condemned the man to death, or those\nwho caused his slaughter. It is not long till tomorrow, and that is a\nworking day.\"\nThe king looked at him, and said, \"Thou must take care then that he is\nnot put to death to-day; but take him under thy charge, and know for\ncertain that thy own life shall answer for it if he escape in any way.\"\nThen the king went away. Thorarin went also to where Asbjorn lay in\nirons, took off his chains, and brought him to a small room, where\nhe had meat and drink set before him, and told him what the king had\ndetermined in case Asbjorn ran away. Asbjorn replies, that Thorarin need\nnot be afraid of him. Thorarin sat a long while with him during the day,\nand slept there all night. On Saturday the king arose and went to the\nearly mass, and from thence he went to the Thing, where a great many\nbondes were assembled, who had many complaints to be determined. The\nking sat there long in the day, and it was late before the people went\nto high mass. Thereafter the king went to table. When he had got meat he\nsat drinking for a while, so that the tables were not removed. Thorarin\nwent out to the priest who had the church under his care, and gave him\ntwo marks of silver to ring in the Sabbath as soon as the king's table\nwas taken away. When the king had drunk as much as he wished the tables\nwere removed. Then said the king, that it was now time for the slaves\nto go to the murderer and put him to death. In the same moment the bell\nrang in the Sabbath.\nThen Thorarin went before the king, and said, \"The Sabbath-peace this\nman must have, although he has done evil.\"\nThe king said, \"Do thou take care, Thorarin, that he do not escape.\"\nThe king then went to the church, and attended the vesper service, and\nThorarin sat the whole day with Asbjorn. On Sunday the bishop visited\nAsbjorn, confessed him, and gave him orders to hear high mass. Thorarin\nthen went to the king, and asked him to appoint men to guard the\nmurderer. \"I will now,\" he said, \"be free of this charge.\" The king\nthanked him for his care, and ordered men to watch over Asbjorn, who was\nagain laid in chains. When the people went to high mass Asbjorn was led\nto the church, and he stood outside of the church with his guard; but\nthe king and all the people stood in the church at mass.\n127. ERLING'S RECONCILIATION WITH KING OLAF.\nNow we must again take up our story where we left it,--that Erling\nand his son Skjalg held a council on this affair, and according to\nthe resolution of Erling, and of Skjalg and his other sons, it was\ndetermined to assemble a force and send out message-tokens. A great\nmultitude of people accordingly came together. They got ready with all\nspeed, rigged their ships, and when they reckoned upon their force they\nfound they had nearly 1500 men. With this war-force they set off, and\ncame on Sunday to Augvaldsnes on Karmt Island. They went straight up to\nthe house with all the men, and arrived just as the Scripture lesson was\nread. They went directly to the church, took Asbjorn, and broke off\nhis chains. At the tumult and clash of arms all who were outside of the\nchurch ran into it; but they who were in the church looked all towards\nthem, except the king, who stood still, without looking around him.\nErling and his sons drew up their men on each side of the path which led\nfrom the church to the hall, and Erling with his sons stood next to the\nhall. When high mass was finished the king went immediately out of the\nchurch, and first went through the open space between the ranks drawn\nup, and then his retinue, man by man; and as he came to the door Erling\nplaced himself before the door, bowed to the king, and saluted him. The\nking saluted him in return, and prayed God to help him. Erling took up\nthe word first, and said, \"My relation, Asbjorn, it is reported to me,\nhas been guilty of misdemeanor, king; and it is a great one, if he has\ndone anything that incurs your displeasure. Now I am come to entreat for\nhim peace, and such penalties as you yourself may determine; but that\nthereby he redeem life and limb, and his remaining here in his native\nland.\"\nThe king replies, \"It appears to me, Erling, that thou thinkest the case\nof Asbjorn is now in thy own power, and I do not therefore know why thou\nspeakest now as if thou wouldst offer terms for him. I think thou hast\ndrawn together these forces because thou are determined to settle what\nis between us.\"\nErling replies, \"Thou only, king, shalt determine, and determine so that\nwe shall be reconciled.\"\nThe king: \"Thinkest thou, Erling, to make me afraid? And art thou come\nhere in such force with that expectation? No, that shall not be; and if\nthat be thy thought, I must in no way turn and fly.\"\nErling replies, \"Thou hast no occasion to remind me how often I have\ncome to meet thee with fewer men than thou hadst. But now I shall not\nconceal what lies in my mind, namely, that it is my will that we now\nenter into a reconciliation; for otherwise I expect we shall never meet\nagain.\" Erling was then as red as blood in the face.\nNow Bishop Sigurd came forward to the king and said, \"Sire, I entreat\nyou on God Almighty's account to be reconciled with Erling according to\nhis offer,--that the man shall retain life and limb, but that thou shalt\ndetermine according to thy pleasure all the other conditions.\"\nThe king replies, \"You will determine.\"\nThen said the bishop, \"Erling, do thou give security for Asbjorn, such\nas the king thinks sufficient, and then leave the conditions to the\nmercy of the king, and leave all in his power.\"\nErling gave a surety to the king on his part, which he accepted.\nThereupon Asbjorn received his life and safety, and delivered himself\ninto the king's power, and kissed his hand.\nErling then withdrew with his forces, without exchanging salutation with\nthe king; and the king went into the hall, followed by Asbjorn. The king\nthereafter made known the terms of reconciliation to be these:--\"In the\nfirst place, Asbjorn, thou must submit to the law of the land, which\ncommands that the man who kills a servant of the king must undertake\nhis service, if the king will. Now I will that thou shalt undertake the\noffice of bailiff which Thorer Sel had, and manage my estate here in\nAugvaldsnes.\" Asbjorn replies, that it should be according to the king's\nwill; \"but I must first go home to my farm, and put things in order\nthere.\" The king was satisfied with this, and proceeded to another\nguest-quarter. Asbjorn made himself ready with his comrades, who all\nkept themselves concealed in a quiet creek during the time Asbjorn was\naway from them. They had had their spies out to learn how it went with\nhim, and would not depart without having some certain news of him.\n128. OF THORER HUND AND ASBJORN SELSBANE.\nAsbjorn then set out on his voyage, and about spring (A.D. 1023) got\nhome to his farm. After this exploit he was always called Asbjorn\nSelsbane. Asbjorn had not been long at home before he and his relation\nThorer met and conversed together, and Thorer asked Asbjorn particularly\nall about his journey, and about all the circumstances which had\nhappened on the course of it. Asbjorn told everything as it had taken\nplace.\nThen said Thorer, \"Thou thinkest that thou hast well rubbed out the\ndisgrace of having been plundered in last harvest.\"\n\"I think so,\" replies Asbjorn; \"and what is thy opinion, cousin?\"\n\"That I will soon tell thee,\" said Thorer. \"Thy first expedition to the\nsouth of the country was indeed very disgraceful, and that disgrace has\nbeen redeemed; but this expedition is both a disgrace to thee and to thy\nfamily, if it end in thy becoming the king's slave, and being put on\na footing with that worst of men, Thorer Sel. Show that thou art manly\nenough to sit here on thy own property, and we thy relations shall so\nsupport thee that thou wilt never more come into such trouble.\"\nAsbjorn found this advice much to his mind; and before they parted it\nwas firmly, determined that Asbjorn should remain on his farm, and not\ngo back to the king or enter into his service. And he did so, and sat\nquietly at home on his farm.\n129. KING OLAF BAPTIZES IN VORS AND VALDERS.\nAfter King Olaf and Erling Skjalgson had this meeting at Augvaldsnes,\nnew differences arose between them, and increased so much that they\nended in perfect enmity. In spring (A.D. 1023) the king proceeded to\nguest-quarters in Hordaland, and went up also to Vors, because he heard\nthere was but little of the true faith among the people there. He held\na Thing with the bondes at a place called Vang, and a number of bondes\ncame to it fully armed. The king ordered them to adopt Christianity; but\nthey challenged him to battle, and it proceeded so far that the men\nwere drawn up on both sides. But when it came to the point such a fear\nentered into the blood of the bondes that none would advance or command,\nand they chose the part which was most to their advantage; namely, to\nobey the king and receive Christianity; and before the king left them\nthey were all baptized. One day it happened that the king was riding on\nhis way a singing of psalms, and when he came right opposite some hills\nhe halted and said, \"Man after man shall relate these my words, that\nI think it not advisable for any king of Norway to travel hereafter\nbetween these hills.\" And it is a saying among the people that the\nmost kings since that time have avoided it. The king proceeded to\nOstrarfjord, and came to his ships, with which he went north to Sogn,\nand had his living in guest-quarters there in summer (A.D. 1023); when\nautumn approached he turned in towards the Fjord district, and went\nfrom thence to Valders, where the people were still heathen. The king\nhastened up to the lake in Valders, came unexpectedly on the bondes,\nseized their vessels, and went on board of them with all his men. He\nthen sent out message-tokens, and appointed a Thing so near the lake\nthat he could use the vessels if he found he required them. The bondes\nresorted to the Thing in a great and well-armed host; and when he\ncommanded them to accept Christianity the bondes shouted against him,\ntold him to be silent, and made a great uproar and clashing of weapons.\nBut when the king saw that they would not listen to what he would teach\nthem, and also that they had too great a force to contend with, he\nturned his discourse, and asked if there were people at the Thing who\nhad disputes with each other which they wished him to settle. It was\nsoon found by the conversation of the bondes that they had many quarrels\namong themselves, although they had all joined in speaking against\nChristianity. When the bondes began to set forth their own cases, each\nendeavored to get some upon his side to support him; and this lasted\nthe whole day long until evening, when the Thing was concluded. When the\nbondes had heard that the king had travelled to Valders, and was come\ninto their neighborhood, they had sent out message-tokens summoning\nthe free and the unfree to meet in arms, and with this force they had\nadvanced against the king; so that the neighbourhood all around was left\nwithout people. When the Thing was concluded the bondes still remained\nassembled; and when the king observed this he went on board his ships,\nrowed in the night right across the water, landed in the country there,\nand began to plunder and burn. The day after the king's men rowed\nfrom one point of land to another, and over all the king ordered the\nhabitations to be set on fire. Now when the bondes who were assembled\nsaw what the king was doing, namely, plundering and burning, and saw the\nsmoke and flame of their houses, they dispersed, and each hastened to\nhis own home to see if he could find those he had left. As soon as there\ncame a dispersion among the crowd, the one slipped away after the other,\nuntil the whole multitude was dissolved. Then the king rowed across\nthe lake again, burning also on that side of the country. Now came the\nbondes to him begging for mercy, and offering to submit to him. He gave\nevery man who came to him peace if he desired it, and restored to him\nhis goods; and nobody refused to adopt Christianity. The king then had\nthe people christened, and took hostages from the bondes. He ordered\nchurches to be built and consecrated, and placed teachers in them. He\nremained a long time here in autumn, and had his ships drawn across the\nneck of land between the two lakes. The king did not go far from the\nsides of the lakes into the country, for he did not much trust the\nbondes. When the king thought that frost might be expected, he went\nfurther up the country, and came to Thoten. Arnor, the earl's skald,\ntells how King Olaf burnt in the Uplands, in the poem he composed\nconcerning the king's brother King Harald:--\n \"Against the Upland people wroth,\n Olaf, to most so mild, went forth:\n The houses burning,\n All people mourning;\n Who could not fly\n Hung on gallows high.\n It was, I think, in Olaf's race\n The Upland people to oppress.\"\nAfterwards King Olaf went north through the valleys to Dovrefield, and\ndid not halt until he reached the Throndhjem district and arrived at\nNidaros, where he had ordered winter provision to be collected, and\nremained all winter (A.D. 1024). This was the tenth year of his reign.\n130. OF EINAR TAMBASKELFER.\nThe summer before Einar Tambaskelfer left the country, and went westward\nto England (A.D. 1023). There he met his relative Earl Hakon, and stayed\nsome time with him. He then visited King Canute, from whom he received\ngreat presents. Einar then went south all the way to Rome, and came back\nthe following summer (A.D. 1024), and returned to his house and land.\nKing Olaf and Einar did not meet this time.\n131. THE BIRTH OF KING MAGNUS.\nThere was a girl whose name was Alfhild, and who was usually called\nthe king's slave-woman, although she was of good descent. She was\na remarkably handsome girl, and lived in King Olaf's court. It was\nreported this spring that Alfhild was with child, and the king's\nconfidential friends knew that he was father of the child. It happened\none night that Alfhild was taken ill, and only few people were at hand;\nnamely, some women, priests, Sigvat the skald, and a few others. Alfhild\nwas so ill that she was nearly dead; and when she was delivered of a\nman-child, it was some time before they could discover whether the child\nwas in life. But when the infant drew breath, although very weak, the\npriest told Sigvat to hasten to the king, and tell him of the event.\nHe replies, \"I dare not on any account waken the king; for he has forbid\nthat any man should break his sleep until he awakens of himself.\"\nThe priest replies, \"It is of necessity that this child be immediately\nbaptized, for it appears to me there is but little life in it.\"\nSigvat said, \"I would rather venture to take upon me to let thee baptize\nthe child, than to awaken the king; and I will take it upon myself if\nanything be amiss, and will give the child a name.\"\nThey did so; and the child was baptized, and got the name of Magnus.\nThe next morning, when the king awoke and had dressed himself, the\ncircumstance was told him. He ordered Sigvat to be called, and said.\n\"How camest thou to be so bold as to have my child baptized before I\nknew anything about it?\"\nSigvat replies, \"Because I would rather give two men to God than one to\nthe devil.\"\nThe king--\"What meanest thou?\"\nSigvat--\"The child was near death, and must have been the devil's if it\nhad died as a heathen, and now it is God's. And I knew besides that if\nthou shouldst be so angry on this account that it affected my life, I\nwould be God's also.\"\nThe king asked, \"But why didst thou call him Magnus, which is not a name\nof our race?\"\nSigvat--\"I called him after King Carl Magnus, who, I knew, had been the\nbest man in the world.\"\nThen said the king, \"Thou art a very lucky man, Sigvat; but it is not\nwonderful that luck should accompany understanding. It is only wonderful\nhow it sometimes happens that luck attends ignorant men, and that\nfoolish counsel turns out lucky.\" The king was overjoyed at the\ncircumstance. The boy grew up, and gave good promise as he advanced in\nage.\n132. THE MURDER OF ASBJORN SELSBANE.\nThe same spring (A.D. 1024) the king gave into the hands of Asmund\nGrankelson the half of the sheriffdom of the district of Halogaland,\nwhich Harek of Thjotta had formerly held, partly in fief, partly for\ndefraying the king's entertainment in guest-quarters. Asmund had a ship\nmanned with nearly thirty well-armed men. When Asmund came north he\nmet Harek, and told him what the king had determined with regard to\nthe district, and produced to him the tokens of the king's full powers.\nHarek said, \"The king had the right to give the sheriffdom to whom he\npleased; but the former sovereigns had not been in use to diminish our\nrights who are entitled by birth to hold powers from the king, and to\ngive them into the hands of the peasants who never before held such\noffices.\" But although it was evident that it was against Harek's\ninclination, he allowed Asmund to take the sheriffdom according to the\nking's order. Then Asmund proceeded home to his father, stayed there a\nshort time, and then went north to Halogaland to his sheriffdom; and\nhe came north to Langey Island, where there dwelt two brothers called\nGunstein and Karle, both very rich and respectable men. Gunstein, the\neldest of the brothers, was a good husbandman. Karle was a handsome\nman in appearance, and splendid in his dress; and both were, in many\nrespects, expert in all feats. Asmund was well received by them,\nremained with them a while, and collected such revenues of his\nsheriffdom as he could get. Karle spoke with Asmund of his wish to go\nsouth with him and take service in the court of King Olaf, to which\nAsmund encouraged him much, promising his influence with the king\nfor obtaining for Karle such a situation as he desired; and Karle\naccordingly accompanied Asmund. Asmund heard that Asbjorn, who had\nkilled Thorer Sel, had gone to the market-meeting of Vagar with a\nlarge ship of burden manned with nearly twenty men, and that he was now\nexpected from the south. Asmund and his retinue proceeded on their way\nsouthwards along the coast with a contrary wind, but there was little of\nit. They saw some of the fleet for Vagar sailing towards them; and they\nprivately inquired of them about Asbjorn, and were told he was upon\nthe way coming from the south. Asmund and Karle were bedfellows, and\nexcellent friends. One day, as Asmund and his people were rowing through\na sound, a ship of burden came sailing towards them. The ship was easily\nknown, having high bulwarks, was painted with white and red colours, and\ncoloured cloth was woven in the sail. Karle said to Asmund, \"Thou hast\noften said thou wast curious to see Asbjorn who killed Thorer Sel; and\nif I know one ship from another, that is his which is coming sailing\nalong.\"\nAsmund replies, \"Be so good, comrade, and tell me which is he when thou\nseest him.\"\nWhen the ships came alongside of each other, \"That is Asbjorn,\" said\nKarle; \"the man sitting at the helm in a blue cloak.\"\nAsmund replies, \"I shall make his blue cloak red;\" threw a spear at\nAsbjorn, and hit him in the middle of the body, so that it flew through\nand through him, and stuck fast in the upper part of the stern-post;\nand Asbjorn fell down dead from the helm. Then each vessel sailed on its\ncourse, and Asbjorn's body was carried north to Thrandarnes. Then Sigrid\nsent a message to Bjarkey Isle to Thorer Hund, who came to her while\nthey were, in the usual way, dressing the corpse of Asbjorn. When he\nreturned Sigrid gave presents to all her friends, and followed Thorer\nto his ship; but before they parted she said, \"It has so fallen out,\nThorer, that my son has suffered by thy friendly counsel, but he did not\nretain life to reward thee for it; but although I have not his ability\nyet will I show my good will. Here is a gift I give thee, which I expect\nthou wilt use. Here is the spear which went through Asbjorn my son, and\nthere is still blood upon it, to remind thee that it fits the wound\nthou hast seen on the corpse of thy brother's son Asbjorn. It would be\na manly deed, if thou shouldst throw this spear from thy hand so that\nit stood in Olaf's breast; and this I can tell thee, that thou wilt be\nnamed coward in every man's mouth, if thou dost not avenge Asbjorn.\"\nThereupon she turned about, and went her way.\nThorer was so enraged at her words that he could not speak. He neither\nthought of casting the spear from him, nor took notice of the gangway;\nso that he would have fallen into the sea, if his men had not laid hold\nof him as he was going on board his ship. It was a feathered spear; not\nlarge, but the handle was gold-mounted. Now Thorer rowed away with his\npeople, and went home to Bjarkey Isle. Asmund and his companions also\nproceeded on their way until they came south to Throndhjem, where\nthey waited on King Olaf; and Asmund related to the king all that had\nhappened on the voyage. Karle became one of the king's court-men, and\nthe friendship continued between him and Asmund. They did not keep\nsecret the words that had passed between Asmund and Karle before Asbjorn\nwas killed; for they even told them to the king. But then it happened,\naccording to the proverb, that every one has a friend in the midst of\nhis enemies. There were some present who took notice of the words, and\nthey reached Thorer Hund's ears.\n133. OF KING OLAF.\nWhen spring (A.D. 1024) was advanced King Olaf rigged out his ships,\nand sailed southwards in summer along the land. He held Things with the\nbondes on the way, settled the law business of the people, put to rights\nthe faith of the country, and collected the king's taxes wherever he\ncame. In autumn he proceeded south to the frontier of the country; and\nKing Olaf had now made the people Christians in all the great districts,\nand everywhere, by laws, had introduced order into the country. He had\nalso, as before related, brought the Orkney Islands under his power, and\nby messages had made many friends in Iceland, Greenland, and the Farey\nIslands. King Olaf had sent timber for building a church to Iceland, of\nwhich a church was built upon the Thing-field where the General Thing is\nheld, and had sent a bell for it, which is still there. This was after\nthe Iceland people had altered their laws, and introduced Christianity,\naccording to the word King Olaf had sent them. After that time, many\nconsiderable persons came from Iceland, and entered into King Olaf's\nservice; as Thorkel Eyjolfson, and Thorleif Bollason, Thord Kolbeinson,\nThord Barkarson, Thorgeir Havarson, Thormod Kalbrunar-skald. King Olaf\nhad sent many friendly presents to chief people in Iceland; and they\nin return sent him such things as they had which they thought most\nacceptable. Under this show of friendship which the king gave Iceland\nwere concealed many things which afterwards appeared.\n134. KING OLAF'S MESSAGE TO ICELAND, AND THE COUNSELS OF THE ICELANDERS.\nKing Olaf this summer (A.D. 1024) sent Thorarin Nefiulfson to Iceland\non his errands; and Thorarin went out of Throndhjem fjord along with the\nking, and followed him south to More. From thence Thorarin went out\nto sea, and got such a favourable breeze that after four days sail he\nlanded at the Westman Isles, in Iceland. He proceeded immediately to the\nAlthing, and came just as the people were upon the Lawhillock, to which\nhe repaired. When the cases of the people before the Thing had been\ndetermined according to law, Thorarin Nefiulfson took up the word as\nfollows:--\"We parted four days ago from King Olaf Haraldson, who sends\nGod Almighty's and his own salutation to all the chiefs and principal\nmen of the land; as also to all the people in general, men and women,\nyoung and old, rich and poor. He also lets you know that he will be your\nsovereign if ye will become his subjects, so that he and you will be\nfriends, assisting each other in all that is good.\"\nThe people replied in a friendly way, that they would gladly be the\nking's friends, if he would be a friend of the people of their country.\nThen Thorarin again took up the word:--\"This follows in addition to the\nking's message, that he will in friendship desire of the people of the\nnorth district that they give him the island, or out-rock, which lies at\nthe mouth of Eyfjord, and is called Grimsey, for which he will give you\nfrom his country whatever good the people of the district may desire.\nHe sends this message particularly to Gudmund of Modruvellir to support\nthis matter, because he understands that Gudmund has most influence in\nthat quarter.\"\nGudmund replies, \"My inclination is greatly for King Olaf's friendship,\nand that I consider much more useful than the out-rock he desires. But\nthe king has not heard rightly if he think I have more power in this\nmatter than any other, for the island is a common. We, however, who have\nthe most use of the isle, will hold a meeting among ourselves about it.\"\nThen the people went to their tent-houses; and the Northland people had\na meeting among themselves, and talked over the business, and every one\nspoke according to his judgment. Gudmund supported the matter, and many\nothers formed their opinions by his. Then some asked why his brother\nEinar did not speak on the subject. \"We think he has the clearest\ninsight into most things.\"\nEinar answers, \"I have said so little about the matter because nobody\nhas asked me about it; but if I may give my opinion, our countrymen\nmight just as well make themselves at once liable to land-scat to King\nOlaf, and submit to all his exactions as he has them among his people in\nNorway; and this heavy burden we will lay not only upon ourselves, but\non our sons, and their sons, and all our race, and on all the community\ndwelling and living in this land, which never after will be free from\nthis slavery. Now although this king is a good man, as I well believe\nhim to be, yet it must be hereafter, when kings succeed each other, that\nsome will be good, and some bad. Therefore if the people of this country\nwill preserve the freedom they have enjoyed since the land was first\ninhabited, it is not advisable to give the king the smallest spot to\nfasten himself upon the country by, and not to give him any kind of scat\nor service that can have the appearance of a duty. On the other hand,\nI think it very proper that the people send the king such friendly\npresents of hawks or horses, tents or sails, or such things which are\nsuitable gifts; and these are well applied if they are repaid with\nfriendship. But as to Grimsey Isle, I have to say, that although nothing\nis drawn from it that can serve for food, yet it could support a great\nwar-force cruising from thence in long-ships; and then, I doubt not,\nthere would be distress enough at every poor peasant's door.\"\nWhen Einar had thus explained the proper connection of the matter,\nthe whole community were of one mind that such a thing should not be\npermitted; and Thorarin saw sufficiently well what the result of his\nerrand was to be.\n135. THE ANSWER OF THE ICELANDERS.\nThe day following, Thorarin went again to the Lawhill, and brought\nforward his errand in the following words:--\"King Olaf sends his message\nto his friends here in the country, among whom he reckons Gudmund\nEyjolfson, Snorre Gode, Thorkel Eyjolfson, Skapte the lagman, and\nThorstein Halson, and desires them by me to come to him on a friendly\nvisit; and adds, that ye must not excuse yourselves, if you regard his\nfriendship as worth anything.\" In their answer they thanked the king for\nhis message and added, that they would afterwards give a reply to it\nby Thorarin when they had more closely considered the matter with their\nfriends. The chiefs now weighed the matter among themselves, and each\ngave his own opinion about the journey. Snorre and Skapte dissuaded from\nsuch a dangerous proceeding with the people of Norway; namely, that\nall the men who had the most to say in the country should at once leave\nIceland. They added, that from this message, and from what Einar had\nsaid, they had the suspicion that the king intended to use force and\nstrong measures against the Icelanders if he ruled in the country.\nGudmund and Thorkel Eyjolfson insisted much that they should follow King\nOlaf's invitation, and called it a journey of honour. But when they had\nconsidered the matter on all sides, it was at last resolved that they\nshould not travel themselves, but that each of them should send in\nhis place a man whom they thought best suited for it. After this\ndetermination the Thing was closed, and there was no journey that\nsummer. Thorarin made two voyages that summer, and about harvest was\nback again at King Olaf's, and reported the result of his mission,\nand that some of the chiefs, or their sons, would come from Iceland\naccording to his message.\n136. OF THE PEOPLE OF THE FAREY ISLANDS.\nThe same summer (A.D. 1024) there came from the Farey Islands to Norway,\non the king's invitation, Gille the lagman, Leif Ossurson, Thoralf of\nDimun, and many other bondes' sons. Thord of Gata made himself ready for\nthe voyage; but just as he was setting out he got a stroke of palsy,\nand could not come, so he remained behind. Now when the people from\nthe Farey Isles arrived at King Olaf's, he called them to him to a\nconference, and explained the purpose of the journey he had made them\ntake, namely, that he would have scat from the Farey Islands, and also\nthat the people there should be subject to the laws which the king\nshould give them. In that meeting it appeared from the king's words that\nhe would make the Farey people who had come answerable, and would bind\nthem by oath to conclude this union. He also offered to the men whom he\nthought the ablest to take them into his service, and bestow honour and\nfriendship on them. These Farey men understood the king's words so, that\nthey must dread the turn the matter might take if they did not submit to\nall that the king desired. Although they held several meetings about\nthe business before it ended, the king's desire at last prevailed.\nLeif, Gille, and Thoralf went into the king's service, and became his\ncourtmen; and they, with all their travelling companions, swore the oath\nto King Olaf, that the law and land privilege which he set them should\nbe observed in the Farey Islands, and also the scat be levied that he\nlaid upon them. Thereafter the Farey people prepared for their return\nhome, and at their departure the king gave those who had entered into\nhis service presents in testimony of his friendship, and they went their\nway. Now the king ordered a ship to be rigged, manned it, and sent men\nto the Farey Islands to receive the scat from the inhabitants which they\nshould pay him. It was late before they were ready; but they set off at\nlast: and of their journey all that is to be told is, that they did not\ncome back, and no scat either, the following summer; for nobody had come\nto the Farey Isles, and no man had demanded scat there.\n137. OF THE MARRIAGE OF KETIL AND OF THORD TO THE KING'S SISTERS.\nKing Olaf proceeded about harvest time to Viken, and sent a message\nbefore him to the Uplands that they should prepare guest-quarters for\nhim, as he intended to be there in winter. Afterwards he made ready for\nhis journey, and went to the Uplands, and remained the winter there;\ngoing about in guest-quarters, and putting things to rights where he saw\nit needful, advancing also the cause of Christianity wheresoever it was\nrequisite. It happened while King Olaf was in Hedemark that Ketil Kalf\nof Ringanes courted Gunhild, a daughter of Sigurd Syr and of King\nOlaf's mother Asta. Gunhild was a sister of King Olaf, and therefore it\nbelonged to the king to give consent and determination to the business.\nHe took it in a friendly way; for he know Ketil, that he was of high\nbirth, wealthy, and of good understanding, and a great chief; and also\nhe had long been a great friend of King Olaf, as before related. All\nthese circumstances induced the king to approve of the match, and so it\nwas that Ketil got Gunhild. King Olaf was present at the wedding. From\nthence the king went north to Gudbrandsdal, where he was entertained in\nguest-quarters. There dwelt a man, by name Thord Guthormson, on a farm\ncalled Steig; and he was the most powerful man in the north end of the\nvalley. When Thord and the king met, Thord made proposals for Isrid,\nthe daughter of Gudbrand, and the sister of King Olaf's mother, as it\nbelonged to the king to give consent. After the matter was considered,\nit was determined that the marriage should proceed, and Thord got\nIsrid. Afterwards Thord was the king's faithful friend, and also many of\nThord's relations and friends, who followed his footsteps. From thence\nKing Olaf returned south through Thoten and Hadaland, from thence to\nRingerike, and so to Viken. In spring (A.D. 1025) he went to Tunsberg,\nand stayed there while there was the market-meeting, and a great resort\nof people. He then had his vessels rigged out, and had many people about\nhim.\n138. OF THE ICELANDERS.\nThe same summer (A.D. 1025) came Stein, a son of the lagman Skapte, from\nIceland, in compliance with King Olaf's message; and with him Thorod,\na son of Snorre the gode, and Geller, a son of Thorkel Eyjolfson, and\nEgil, a son of Hal of Sida, brother of Thorstein Hal. Gudmund Eyjolfson\nhad died the winter before. These Iceland men repaired to King Olaf as\nsoon as they had opportunity; and when they met the king they were well\nreceived, and all were in his house. The same summer King Olaf heard\nthat the ship was missing which he had sent the summer before to the\nFarey Islands after the scat, and nobody knew what had become of it.\nThe king fitted out another ship, manned it, and sent it to the Farey\nIslands for the scat. They got under weigh, and proceeded to sea; but\nas little was ever heard of this vessel as of the former one, and many\nconjectures were made about what had become of them.\n139. HERE BEGINS THE STORY OF CANUTE THE GREAT.\nDuring this time Canute the Great, called by some Canute the Old,\nwas king of England and Denmark. Canute the Great was a son of\nSvein Haraldson Forkedbeard, whose forefathers, for a long course\nof generations, had ruled over Denmark. Harald Gormson, Canute's\ngrandfather, had conquered Norway after the fall of Harald Grafeld,\nGunhild's son, had taken scat from it, and had placed Earl Hakon the\nGreat to defend the country. The Danish King, Svein Haraldson, ruled\nalso over Norway, and placed his son-in-law Earl Eirik, the son of Earl\nHakon, to defend the country. The brothers Eirik and Svein, Earl Hakon's\nsons, ruled the land until Earl Eirik went west to England, on the\ninvitation of his brother-in-law Canute the Great, when he left behind\nhis son Earl Hakon, sister's son of Canute the Great, to govern Norway.\nBut when Olaf the Thick came first to Norway, as before related, he took\nprisoner Earl Hakon the son of Eirik, and deposed him from the kingdom.\nThen Hakon proceeded to his mother's brother, Canute the Great, and had\nbeen with him constantly until the time to which here in our saga we\nhave now come. Canute the Great had conquered England by blows and\nweapons, and had a long struggle before the people of the land were\nsubdued. But when he had set himself perfectly firm in the government of\nthe country, he remembered that he also had right to a kingdom which he\nhad not brought under his authority; and that was Norway. He thought he\nhad hereditary right to all Norway; and his sister's son Hakon, who had\nheld a part of it, appeared to him to have lost it with disgrace. The\nreason why Canute and Hakon had remained quiet with respect to their\nclaims upon Norway was, that when King Olaf Haraldson landed in Norway\nthe people and commonalty ran together in crowds, and would hear of\nnothing but that Olaf should be king over all the country, although some\nafterwards, who thought that the people upon account of his power had\nno self-government left to them, went out of the country. Many powerful\nmen, or rich bondes sons, had therefore gone to Canute the Great, and\npretended various errands; and every one who came to Canute and desired\nhis friendship was loaded with presents. With Canute, too, could be\nseen greater splendour and pomp than elsewhere, both with regard to the\nmultitude of people who were daily in attendance, and also to the other\nmagnificent things about the houses he owned and dwelt in himself.\nCanute the Great drew scat and revenue from the people who were the\nrichest of all in northern lands; and in the same proportion as he had\ngreater revenues than other kings, he also made greater presents than\nother kings. In his whole kingdom peace was so well established, that\nno man dared break it. The people of the country kept the peace towards\neach other, and had their old country law: and for this he was greatly\ncelebrated in all countries. And many of those who came from Norway\nrepresented their hardships to Earl Hakon, and some even to King Canute\nhimself; and that the Norway people were ready to turn back to the\ngovernment of King Canute, or Earl Hakon, and receive deliverance from\nthem. This conversation suited well the earl's inclination, and he\ncarried it to the king, and begged of him to try if King Olaf would not\nsurrender the kingdom, or at least come to an agreement to divide it;\nand many supported the earl's views.\n140. CANUTE'S MESSAGE TO KING OLAF.\nCanute the Great sent men from the West, from England, to Norway, and\nequipped them magnificently for the journey. They were bearers of the\nEnglish king Canute's letter and seal. They came about spring (A.D.\n1025) to the king of Norway, Olaf Haraldson, in Tunsberg. Now when it\nwas told the king that ambassadors had arrived from Canute the Great\nhe was ill at ease, and said that Canute had not sent messengers hither\nwith any messages that could be of advantage to him or his people; and\nit was some days before the ambassadors could come before the king. But\nwhen they got permission to speak to him they appeared before the king,\nand made known King Canute's letter, and their errand which accompanied\nit; namely, \"that King Canute considers all Norway as his property, and\ninsists that his forefathers before him have possessed that kingdom; but\nas King Canute offers peace to all countries, he will also offer peace\nto all here, if it can be so settled, and will not invade Norway with\nhis army if it can be avoided. Now if King Olaf Haraldson wishes to\nremain king of Norway, he will come to King Canute, and receive his\nkingdom as a fief from him, become his vassal, and pay the scat which\nthe earls before him formerly paid.\" Thereupon they presented their\nletters, which contained precisely the same conditions.\nThen King Olaf replies, \"I have heard say, by old stories, that the\nDanish king Gorm was considered but a small king of a few people, for he\nruled over Denmark alone; but the kings who succeeded him thought that\nwas too little. It has since come so far that King Canute rules over\nDenmark and England, and has conquered for himself a great part of\nScotland. Now he claims also my paternal heritage, and will then show\nsome moderation in his covetousness. Does he wish to rule over all the\ncountries of the North? Will he eat up all the kail in England? He shall\ndo so, and reduce that country to a desert, before I lay my head in his\nhands, or show him any other kind of vassalage. Now ye shall tell him\nthese my words,--I will defend Norway with battle-axe and sword as long\nas life is given me, and will pay scat to no man for my kingdom.\"\nAfter this answer King Canute's ambassadors made themselves ready for\ntheir journey home, and were by no means rejoiced at the success of\ntheir errand.\nSigvat the skald had been with King Canute, who had given him a gold\nring that weighed half a mark. The skald Berse Skaldtorfason was also\nthere, and to him King Canute gave two gold rings, each weighing two\nmarks, and besides a sword inlaid with gold. Sigvat made this song about\nit:--\n \"When we came o'er the wave, you cub,\n When we came o'er the wave,\n To me one ring, to thee two rings,\n The mighty Canute gave:\n One mark to me,\n Four marks to thee,--\n A sword too, fine and brave.\n Now God knows well,\n And skalds can tell,\n What justice here would crave.\"\nSigvat the skald was very intimate with King Canute's messengers, and\nasked them many questions. They answered all his inquiries about their\nconversation with King Olaf, and the result of their message. They said\nthe king listened unwillingly to their proposals. \"And we do not know,\"\nsay they, \"to what he is trusting when he refuses becoming King Canute's\nvassal, and going to him, which would be the best thing he could do; for\nKing Canute is so mild that however much a chief may have done against\nhim, he is pardoned if he only show himself obedient. It is but lately\nthat two kings came to him from the North, from Fife in Scotland, and he\ngave up his wrath against them, and allowed them to retain all the lands\nthey had possessed before, and gave them besides very valuable gifts.\"\nThen Sigvat sang:--\n \"From the North land, the midst of Fife,\n Two kings came begging peace and life;\n Craving from Canute life and peace,--\n May Olaf's good luck never cease!\n May he, our gallant Norse king, never\n Be brought, like these, his head to offer\n As ransom to a living man\n For the broad lands his sword has won.\"\nKing Canute's ambassadors proceeded on their way back, and had a\nfavourable breeze across the sea. They came to King Canute, and told\nhim the result of their errand, and King Olaf's last words. King Canute\nreplies, \"King Olaf guesses wrong, if he thinks I shall eat up all the\nkail in England; for I will let him see that there is something else\nthan kail under my ribs, and cold kail it shall be for him.\" The same\nsummer (A.D. 1025) Aslak and Skjalg, the sons of Erling of Jadar,\ncame from Norway to King Canute, and were well received; for Aslak was\nmarried to Sigrid, a daughter of Earl Svein Hakonson, and she and Earl\nHakon Eirikson were brothers' children. King Canute gave these brothers\ngreat fiefs over there, and they stood in great favour.\n141. KING OLAF'S ALLIANCE WITH ONUND THE KING OF SVITHJOD.\nKing Olaf summoned to him all the lendermen, and had a great many people\nabout him this summer (A.D. 1025), for a report was abroad that King\nCanute would come from England. People had heard from merchant vessels\nthat Canute was assembling a great army in England. When summer was\nadvanced, some affirmed and others denied that the army would come. King\nOlaf was all summer in Viken, and had spies out to learn if Canute was\ncome to Denmark. In autumn (A.D. 1025) he sent messengers eastward\nto Svithjod to his brother-in-law King Onund, and let him know King\nCanute's demand upon Norway; adding, that, in his opinion, if Canute\nsubdued Norway, King Onund would not long enjoy the Swedish dominions\nin peace. He thought it advisable, therefore, that they should unite\nfor their defence. \"And then,\" said he, \"we will have strength enough\nto hold out against Canute.\" King Onund received King Olaf's message\nfavourably, and replied to it, that he for his part would make common\ncause with King Olaf, so that each of them should stand by the one\nwho first required help with all the strength of his kingdom. In these\nmessages between them it was also determined that they should have a\nmeeting, and consult with each other. The following winter (A.D. 1026)\nKing Onund intended to travel across West Gautland, and King Olaf made\npreparations for taking his winter abode at Sarpsborg.\n142. KING CANUTE'S AMBASSADORS TO ONUND OF SVITHJOD.\nIn autumn King Canute the Great came to Denmark, and remained there\nall winter (A.D. 1026) with a numerous army. It was told him that\nambassadors with messages had been passing between the Swedish and\nNorwegian kings, and that some great plans must be concerting between\nthem. In winter King Canute sent messengers to Svithjod, to King Onund,\nwith great gifts and messages of friendship. He also told Onund that\nhe might sit altogether quiet in this strife between him and Olaf the\nThick; \"for thou, Onund,\" says he, \"and thy kingdom, shall be in peace\nas far as I am concerned.\" When the ambassadors came to King Onund\nthey presented the gifts which King Canute sent him, together with the\nfriendly message. King Onund did not hear their speech very willingly,\nand the ambassadors could observe that King Onund was most inclined to\na friendship with King Olaf. They returned accordingly, and told King\nCanute the result of their errand, and told him not to depend much upon\nthe friendship of King Onund.\n143. THE EXPEDITION TO BJARMALAND.\nThis winter (A.D. 1026) King Olaf sat in Sarpsborg, and was surrounded\nby a very great army of people. He sent the Halogalander Karle to the\nnorth country upon his business. Karle went first to the Uplands, then\nacross the Dovrefield, and came down to Nidaros, where he received as\nmuch money as he had the king's order for, together with a good ship,\nsuch as he thought suitable for the voyage which the king had ordered\nhim upon; and that was to proceed north to Bjarmaland. It was settled\nthat the king should be in partnership with Karle, and each of them have\nthe half of the profit. Early in spring Karle directed his course to\nHalogaland, where his brother Gunstein prepared to accompany him, having\nhis own merchant goods with him. There were about twenty-five men in the\nship; and in spring they sailed north to Finmark. When Thorer Hund heard\nthis, he sent a man to the brothers with the verbal message that he\nintended in summer to go to Bjarmaland, and that he would sail with\nthem, and that they should divide what booty they made equally between\nthem. Karle sent him back the message that Thorer must have twenty-five\nmen as they had, and they were willing to divide the booty that might\nbe taken equally, but not the merchant goods which each had for himself.\nWhen Thorer's messenger came back he had put a stout long-ship he owned\ninto the water, and rigged it, and he had put eighty men on board of\nhis house-servants. Thorer alone had the command over this crew, and he\nalone had all the goods they might acquire on the cruise. When Thorer\nwas ready for sea he set out northwards along the coast, and found Karle\na little north of Sandver. They then proceeded with good wind. Gunstein\nsaid to his brother, as soon as they met Thorer, that in his opinion\nThorer was strongly manned. \"I think,\" said he, \"we had better turn back\nthan sail so entirely in Thorer's power, for I do not trust him.\" Karle\nreplies, \"I will not turn back, although if I had known when we were at\nhome on Langey Isle that Thorer Hund would join us on this voyage with\nso large a crew as he has, I would have taken more hands with us.\" The\nbrothers spoke about it to Thorer, and asked what was the meaning of\nhis taking more people with him than was agreed upon between them. He\nreplies, \"We have a large ship which requires many hands, and methinks\nthere cannot be too many brave lads for so dangerous a cruise.\" They\nwent in summer as fast in general as the vessels could go. When the wind\nwas light the ship of the brothers sailed fastest, and they separated;\nbut when the wind freshened Thorer overtook them. They were seldom\ntogether, but always in sight of each other. When they came to\nBjarmaland they went straight to the merchant town, and the market\nbegan. All who had money to pay with got filled up with goods. Thorer\nalso got a number of furs, and of beaver and sable skins. Karle had a\nconsiderable sum of money with him, with which he purchased skins and\nfurs. When the fair was at an end they went out of the Vina river, and\nthen the truce of the country people was also at an end. When they came\nout of the river they held a seaman's council, and Thorer asked the\ncrews if they would like to go on the land and get booty.\nThey replied, that they would like it well enough, if they saw the booty\nbefore their eyes.\nThorer replies, that there was booty to be got, if the voyage proved\nfortunate; but that in all probability there would be danger in the\nattempt.\nAll said they would try, if there was any chance of booty. Thorer\nexplained, that it was so established in this land, that when a rich\nman died all his movable goods were divided between the dead man and his\nheirs. He got the half part, or the third part, or sometimes less, and\nthat part was carried out into the forest and buried,--sometimes under a\nmound, sometimes in the earth, and sometimes even a house was built over\nit. He tells them at the same time to get ready for this expedition at\nthe fall of day. It was resolved that one should not desert the other,\nand none should hold back when the commander ordered them to come on\nboard again. They now left people behind to take care of the ships,\nand went on land, where they found flat fields at first, and then great\nforests. Thorer went first, and the brothers Karle and Gunstein in rear.\nThorer commanded the people to observe the utmost silence. \"And let us\npeel the bark off the trees,\" says he, \"so that one tree-mark can be\nseen from the other.\" They came to a large cleared opening, where there\nwas a high fence upon which there was a gate that was locked. Six men of\nthe country people held watch every night at this fence, two at a time\nkeeping guard, each two for a third part of the night, when Thorer and\nhis men came to the fence the guard had gone home, and those who should\nrelieve them had not yet come upon guard. Thorer went to the fence,\nstuck his axe up in it above his head, hauled himself up by it, and so\ncame over the fence, and inside the gate. Karle had also come over the\nfence, and to the inside of the gate; so that both came at once to the\nport, took the bar away, and opened the port; and then the people got in\nwithin the fence. Then said Thorer, \"Within this fence there is a mound\nin which gold, and silver, and earth are all mixed together: seize that.\nBut within here stands the Bjarmaland people's god Jomala: let no one\nbe so presumptuous as to rob him.\" Thereupon they went to the mound and\ntook as much of the money as they could carry away in their clothes,\nwith which, as might be expected, much earth was mixed. Thereafter\nThorer said that the people now should retreat. \"And ye brothers, Karle\nand Gunstein,\" says he, \"do ye lead the way, and I will go last.\" They\nall went accordingly out of the gate: but Thorer went back to Jomala,\nand took a silver bowl that stood upon his knee full of silver money.\nHe put the silver in his purse, and put his arm within the handle of the\nbowl, and so went out of the gate. The whole troop had come without\nthe fence; but when they perceived that Thorer had stayed behind, Karle\nreturned to trace him, and when they met upon the path Thorer had the\nsilver bowl with him. Thereupon Karle immediately ran to Jomala; and\nobserving he had a thick gold ornament hanging around his neck, he\nlifted his axe, cut the string with which the ornament was tied behind\nhis neck, and the stroke was so strong that the head of Jomala rang\nwith such a great sound that they were all astonished. Karle seized the\nornament, and they all hastened away. But the moment the sound was made\nthe watchmen came forward upon the cleared space, and blew their horns.\nImmediately the sound of the loor (1) was heard all around from every\nquarter, calling the people together. They hastened to the forest, and\nrushed into it; and heard the shouts and cries on the other side of the\nBjarmaland people in pursuit. Thorer Hund went the last of the whole\ntroop; and before him went two men carrying a great sack between them,\nin which was something that was like ashes. Thorer took this in his\nhand, and strewed it upon the footpath, and sometimes over the people.\nThey came thus out of the woods, and upon the fields, but heard\nincessantly the Bjarmaland people pursuing with shouts and dreadful\nyells. The army of the Bjarmaland people rushed out after them upon\nthe field, and on both sides of them; but neither the people nor their\nweapons came so near as to do them any harm: from which they perceived\nthat the Bjarmaland people did not see them. Now when they reached their\nships Karle and his brother went on board; for they were the foremost,\nand Thorer was far behind on the land. As soon as Karle and his men were\non board they struck their tents, cast loose their land ropes, hoisted\ntheir sails, and their ship in all haste went to sea. Thorer and his\npeople, on the other hand, did not get on so quickly, as their vessel\nwas heavier to manage; so that when they got under sail, Karle and his\npeople were far off from land. Both vessels sailed across the White sea\n(Gandvik). The nights were clear, so that both ships sailed night and\nday; until one day, towards the time the day turns to shorten, Karle\nand his people took up the land near an island, let down the sail, cast\nanchor, and waited until the slack-tide set in, for there was a strong\nrost before them. Now Thorer came up, and lay at anchor there also.\nThorer and his people then put out a boat, went into it, and rowed to\nKarle's ship. Thorer came on board, and the brothers saluted him. Thorer\ntold Karle to give him the ornament. \"I think,\" said he, \"that I have\nbest earned the ornaments that have been taken, for methinks ye have\nto thank me for getting away without any loss of men; and also I think\nthou, Karle, set us in the greatest fright.\"\nKarle replies, \"King Olaf has the half part of all the goods I gather on\nthis voyage, and I intend the ornament for him. Go to him, if you like,\nand it is possible he will give thee the ornament, although I took it\nfrom Jomala.\"\nThen Thorer insisted that they should go upon the island, and divide the\nbooty.\nGunstein says, \"It is now the turn of the tide, and it is time to sail.\"\nWhereupon they began to raise their anchor.\nWhen Thorer saw that, he returned to his boat and rowed to his own ship.\nKarle and his men had hoisted sail, and were come a long way before\nThorer got under way. They now sailed so that the brothers were always\nin advance, and both vessels made all the haste they could. They sailed\nthus until they came to Geirsver, which is the first roadstead of the\ntraders to the North. They both came there towards evening, and lay in\nthe harbour near the landing-place. Thorer's ship lay inside, and the\nbrothers' the outside vessel in the port. When Thorer had set up his\ntents he went on shore, and many of his men with him. They went to\nKarle's ship, which was well provided. Thorer hailed the ship, and told\nthe commanders to come on shore; on which the brothers, and some men\nwith them, went on the land. Now Thorer began the same discourse, and\ntold them to bring the goods they got in booty to the land to have them\ndivided. The brothers thought that was not necessary, until they had\narrived at their own neighbourhood. Thorer said it was unusual not to\ndivide booty but at their own home, and thus to be left to the honour of\nother people. They spoke some words about it, but could not agree. Then\nThorer turned away; but had not gone far before he came back, and tells\nhis comrades to wait there. Thereupon he calls to Karle, and says he\nwants to speak with him alone. Karle went to meet him; and when he came\nnear, Thorer struck at him with a spear, so that it went through him.\n\"There,\" said Thorer, \"now thou hast learnt to know a Bjarkey Island\nman. I thought thou shouldst feel Asbjorn's spear.\" Karle died\ninstantly, and Thorer with his people went immediately on board their\nship. When Gunstein and his men saw Karle fall they ran instantly to\nhim, took his body and carried it on board their ship, struck their\ntents, and cast off from the pier, and left the land. When Thorer and\nhis men saw this, they took down their tents and made preparations to\nfollow. But as they were hoisting the sail the fastenings to the mast\nbroke in two, and the sail fell down across the ship, which caused a\ngreat delay before they could hoist the sail again. Gunstein had already\ngot a long way ahead before Thorer's ship fetched way, and now they\nused both sails and oars. Gunstein did the same. On both sides they\nmade great way day and night; but so that they did not gain much on each\nother, although when they came to the small sounds among the islands\nGunstein's vessel was lighter in turning. But Thorer's ship made way\nupon them, so that when they came up to Lengjuvik, Gunstein turned\ntowards the land, and with all his men ran up into the country, and left\nhis ship. A little after Thorer came there with his ship, sprang upon\nthe land after them, and pursued them. There was a woman who helped\nGunstein to conceal himself, and it is told that she was much acquainted\nwith witchcraft. Thorer and his men returned to the vessels, and took\nall the goods out of Gunstein's vessel, and put on board stones in place\nof the cargo, and then hauled the ship out into the fjord, cut a hole\nin its bottom, and sank it to the bottom. Thereafter Thorer, with his\npeople, returned home to Bjarkey Isle. Gunstein and his people proceeded\nin small boats at first, and lay concealed by day, until they had passed\nBjarkey, and had got beyond Thorer's district. Gunstein went home first\nto Langey Isle for a short time, and then proceeded south without any\nhalt, until he came south to Throndhjem, and there found King Olaf, to\nwhom he told all that had happened on this Bjarmaland expedition. The\nking was ill-pleased with the voyage, but told Gunstein to remain with\nhim, promising to assist him when opportunity offered. Gunstein took the\ninvitation with thanks, and stayed with King Olaf.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Ludr--the loor--is a long tube or roll of birch-bark\n used as a horn by the herdboys in the mountains in Norway.\n144. MEETING OF KING OLAF AND KING ONUND.\nKing Olaf was, as before related, in Sarpsborg the winter (A.D. 1026)\nthat King Canute was in Denmark. The Swedish king Onund rode across West\nGautland the same winter, and had thirty hundred (3600) men with him.\nMen and messages passed between them; and they agreed to meet in spring\nat Konungahella. The meeting had been postponed, because they wished\nto know before they met what King Canute intended doing. As it was now\napproaching towards winter, King Canute made ready to go over to England\nwith his forces, and left his son Hardaknut to rule in Denmark, and with\nhim Earl Ulf, a son of Thorgils Sprakaleg. Ulf was married to Astrid,\nKing Svein's daughter, and sister of Canute the Great. Their son Svein\nwas afterwards king of Denmark. Earl Ulf was a very distinguished man.\nWhen the kings Olaf and Onund heard that Canute the Great had gone\nwest to England, they hastened to hold their conference, and met at\nKonungahella, on the Gaut river. They had a joyful meeting, and had many\nfriendly conversations, of which something might become known to the\npublic; but they also spake often a great deal between themselves, with\nnone but themselves two present, of which only some things afterwards\nwere carried into effect, and thus became known to every one. At parting\nthe kings presented each other with gifts, and parted the best of\nfriends. King Onund went up into Gautland, and Olaf northwards to Viken,\nand afterwards to Agder, and thence northwards along the coast, but\nlay a long time at Egersund waiting a wind. Here he heard that Erling\nSkjalgson, and the inhabitants of Jadar with him, had assembled a large\nforce. One day the king's people were talking among themselves whether\nthe wind was south or south-west, and whether with that wind they could\nsail past Jadar or not. The most said it was impossible to fetch round.\nThen answers Haldor Brynjolfson, \"I am of opinion that we would go round\nJadar with this wind fast enough if Erling Skjalgson had prepared a\nfeast for us at Sole.\" Then King Olaf ordered the tents to be struck,\nand the vessels to be hauled out, which was done. They sailed the\nsame day past Jadar with the best wind, and in the evening reached\nHirtingsey, from whence the king proceeded to Hordaland, and was\nentertained there in guest-quarters.\n145. THORALF'S MURDER.\nThe same summer (A.D. 1026) a ship sailed from Norway to the Farey\nIslands, with messengers carrying a verbal message from King Olaf, that\none of his court-men, Leif Ossurson, or Lagman Gille, or Thoralf of\nDimun, should come over to him from the Farey Islands. Now when this\nmessage came to the Farey Islands, and was delivered to those whom it\nconcerned, they held a meeting among themselves, to consider what might\nlie under this message, and they were all of opinion that the king\nwanted to inquire into the real state of the event which some said had\ntaken place upon the islands; namely, the failure and disappearance of\nthe former messengers of the king, and the loss of the two ships, of\nwhich not a man had been saved. It was resolved that Thoralf should\nundertake the journey. He got himself ready, and rigged out a\nmerchant-vessel belonging to himself, manned with ten or twelve men.\nWhen it was ready, waiting a wind, it happened, at Austrey, in the house\nof Thrand of Gata, that he went one fine day into the room where his\nbrother's two sons, Sigurd and Thord, sons of Thorlak, were lying upon\nthe benches in the room. Gaut the Red was also there, who was one of\ntheir relations and a man of distinction. Sigurd was the oldest, and\ntheir leader in all things. Thord had a distinguished name, and was\ncalled Thord the Low, although in reality he was uncommonly tall, and\nyet in proportion more strong than large. Then Thrand said, \"How many\nthings are changed in the course of a man's life! When we were young,\nit was rare for young people who were able to do anything to sit or lie\nstill upon a fine day, and our forefathers would scarcely have believed\nthat Thoralf of Dimun would be bolder and more active than ye are. I\nbelieve the vessel I have standing here in the boat-house will be so old\nthat it will rot under its coat of tar. Here are all the houses full of\nwool, which is neither used nor sold. It should not be so if I were a\nfew winters younger.\" Sigurd sprang up, called upon Gaut and Thord,\nand said he would not endure Thrand's scoffs. They went out to the\nhouseservants, and launched the vessel upon the water, brought down a\ncargo, and loaded the ship. They had no want of a cargo at home, and\nthe vessel's rigging was in good order, so that in a few days they were\nready for sea. There were ten or twelve men in the vessel. Thoralf's\nship and theirs had the same wind, and they were generally in sight of\neach other. They came to the land at Herna in the evening, and Sigurd\nwith his vessel lay outside on the strand, but so that there was not\nmuch distance between the two ships. It happened towards evening, when\nit was dark, that just as Thoralf and his people were preparing to go to\nbed, Thoralf and another went on shore for a certain purpose. When\nthey were ready, they prepared to return on board. The man who had\naccompanied Thoralf related afterwards this story,--that a cloth was\nthrown over his head, and that he was lifted up from the ground, and he\nheard a great bustle. He was taken away, and thrown head foremost down;\nbut there was sea under him, and he sank under the water. When he got\nto land, he went to the place where he and Thoralf had been parted, and\nthere he found Thoralf with his head cloven down to his shoulders, and\ndead. When the ship's people heard of it they carried the body out to\nthe ship, and let it remain there all night. King Olaf was at that time\nin guest-quarters at Lygra, and thither they sent a message. Now a Thing\nwas called by message-token, and the king came to the Thing. He had\nalso ordered the Farey people of both vessels to be summoned, and they\nappeared at the Thing. Now when the Thing was seated, the king stood up\nand said, \"Here an event has happened which (and it is well that it\nis so) is very seldom heard of. Here has a good man been put to death,\nwithout any cause. Is there any man upon the Thing who can say who has\ndone it?\"\nNobody could answer.\n\"Then,\" said the king, \"I cannot conceal my suspicion that this deed has\nbeen done by the Farey people themselves. It appears to me that it has\nbeen done in this way,--that Sigurd Thorlakson has killed the man, and\nThord the Low has cast his comrade into the sea. I think, too, that the\nmotives to this must have been to hinder Thoralf from telling about the\nmisdeed of which he had information; namely, the murder which I suspect\nwas committed upon my messengers.\"\nWhen he had ended his speech, Sigurd Thorlakson stood up, and desired to\nbe heard. \"I have never before,\" said he, \"spoken at a Thing, and I do\nnot expect to be looked upon as a man of ready words. But I think there\nis sufficient necessity before me to reply something to this. I will\nventure to make a guess that the speech the king has made comes from\nsome man's tongue who is of far less understanding and goodness than he\nis, and has evidently proceeded from those who are our enemies. It is\nspeaking improbabilities to say that I could be Thoralf's murderer; for\nhe was my foster-brother and good friend. Had the case been otherwise,\nand had there been anything outstanding between me and Thoralf, yet I am\nsurely born with sufficient understanding to have done this deed in the\nFarey Islands, rather than here between your hands, sire. But I am ready\nto clear myself, and my whole ship's crew, of this act, and to make\noath according to what stands in your laws. Or, if ye find it more\nsatisfactory, I offer to clear myself by the ordeal of hot iron; and I\nwish, sire, that you may be present yourself at the proof.\"\nWhen Sigurd had ceased to speak there were many who supported his case,\nand begged the king that Sigurd might be allowed to clear himself of\nthis accusation. They thought that Sigurd had spoken well, and that the\naccusation against him might be untrue.\nThe king replies, \"It may be with regard to this man very differently,\nand if he is belied in any respect he must be a good man; and if not, he\nis the boldest I have ever met with: and I believe this is the case, and\nthat he will bear witness to it himself.\"\nAt the desire of the people, the king took Sigurd's obligation to take\nthe iron ordeal; he should come the following day to Lygra, where the\nbishop should preside at the ordeal; and so the Thing closed. The king\nwent back to Lygra, and Sigurd and his comrades to their ship.\nAs soon as it began to be dark at night Sigurd said to his ship's\npeople. \"To say the truth, we have come into a great misfortune; for\na great lie is got up against us, and this king is a deceitful, crafty\nman. Our fate is easy to be foreseen where he rules; for first he made\nThoralf be slain, and then made us the misdoers, without benefit of\nredemption by fine. For him it is an easy matter to manage the iron\nordeal, so that I fear he will come ill off who tries it against him.\nNow there is coming a brisk mountain breeze, blowing right out of the\nsound and off the land; and it is my advice that we hoist our sail, and\nset out to sea. Let Thrand himself come with his wool to market another\nsummer; but if I get away, it is my opinion I shall never think of\ncoming to Norway again.\"\nHis comrades thought the advice good, hoisted their sail, and in the\nnight-time took to the open sea with all speed. They did not stop until\nthey came to Farey, and home to Gata. Thrand was ill-pleased with their\nvoyage, and they did not answer him in a very friendly way; but they\nremained at home, however, with Thrand. The morning after, King Olaf\nheard of Sigurd's departure, and heavy reports went round about this\ncase; and there were many who believed that the accusation against\nSigurd was true, although they had denied and opposed it before the\nking. King Olaf spoke but little about the matter, but seemed to know of\na certainty that the suspicion he had taken up was founded in truth. The\nking afterwards proceeded in his progress, taking up his abode where it\nwas provided for him.\n146. OF THE ICELANDERS.\nKing Olaf called before him the men who had come from Iceland, Thorod\nSnorrason, Geller Thorkelson, Stein Skaptason, and Egil Halson, and\nspoke to them thus:--\"Ye have spoken to me much in summer about making\nyourselves ready to return to Iceland, and I have never given you a\ndistinct answer. Now I will tell you what my intention is. Thee, Geller,\nI propose to allow to return, if thou wilt carry my message there; but\nnone of the other Icelanders who are now here may go to Iceland before\nI have heard how the message which thou, Geller, shalt bring thither has\nbeen received.\"\nWhen the king had made this resolution known, it appeared to those who\nhad a great desire to return, and were thus forbidden, that they were\nunreasonably and hardly dealt with, and that they were placed in the\ncondition of unfree men. In the meantime Geller got ready for his\njourney, and sailed in summer (A.D. 1026) to Iceland, taking with him\nthe message he was to bring before the Thing the following summer (A.D.\n1027). The king's message was, that he required the Icelanders to adopt\nthe laws which he had set in Norway, also to pay him thane-tax and\nnose-tax (1); namely, a penny for every nose, and the penny at the rate\nof ten pennies to the yard of wadmal (2). At the same time he promised\nthem his friendship if they accepted, and threatened them with all his\nvengeance if they refused his proposals.\nThe people sat long in deliberation on this business; but at last they\nwere unanimous in refusing all the taxes and burdens which were demanded\nof them. That summer Geller returned back from Iceland to Norway to King\nOlaf, and found him in autumn in the east in Viken, just as he had come\nfrom Gautland; of which I shall speak hereafter in this story of King\nOlaf. Towards the end of autumn King Olaf repaired north to Throndhjem,\nand went with his people to Nidaros, where he ordered a winter residence\nto be prepared for him. The winter (A.D. 1027) that he passed here in\nthe merchant-town of Nidaros was the thirteenth year of his reign.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Nefgildi (nef=nose), a nose-tax or poll-tax payable to the\n king. This ancient \"nose-tax\" was also imposed by the\n Norsemen on conquered countries, the penalty for defaulters\n being the loss of their nose.\n(2) Wadmal was the coarse woollen cloth made in Iceland, and so\n generally used for clothing that it was a measure of value\n in the North, like money, for other commodities.--L.\n147. OF THE JAMTALAND PEOPLE.\nThere was once a man called Ketil Jamte, a son of Earl Onund of Sparby,\nin the Throndhjem district. He fled over the ridge of mountains from\nEystein Illrade, cleared the forest, and settled the country now called\nthe province of Jamtaland. A great many people joined him from the\nThrondhjem land, on account of the disturbances there; for this King\nEystein had laid taxes on the Throndhjem people, and set his dog, called\nSaur, to be king over them. Thorer Helsing was Ketil's grandson, and he\ncolonised the province called Helsingjaland, which is named after him.\nWhen Harald Harfager subdued the kingdom by force, many people fled out\nof the country from him, both Throndhjem people and Naumudal people,\nand thus new settlements were added to Jamtaland; and some settlers went\neven eastwards to Helsingjaland and down to the Baltic coast, and all\nbecame subjects of the Swedish king. While Hakon Athelstan's foster-son\nwas over Norway there was peace, and merchant traffic from Throndhjem to\nJamtaland; and, as he was an excellent king, the Jamtalanders came from\nthe east to him, paid him scat, and he gave them laws and administered\njustice. They would rather submit to his government than to the Swedish\nking's, because they were of Norwegian race; and all the Helsingjaland\npeople, who had their descent from the north side of the mountain ridge,\ndid the same. This continued long after those times, until Olaf the\nThick and the Swedish king Olaf quarrelled about the boundaries. Then\nthe Jamtaland and Helsingjaland people went back to the Swedish king;\nand then the forest of Eid was the eastern boundary of the land, and the\nmountain ridge, or keel of the country, the northern: and the Swedish\nking took scat of Helsingjaland, and also of Jamtaland. Now, thought the\nking of Norway, Olaf, in consequence of the agreement between him and\nthe Swedish king, the scat of Jamtaland should be paid differently than\nbefore; although it had long been established that the Jamtaland people\npaid their scat to the Swedish king, and that he appointed officers over\nthe country. The Swedes would listen to nothing, but that all the land\nto the east of the keel of the country belonged to the Swedish king.\nNow this went so, as it often happens, that although the kings were\nbrothers-in-law and relations, each would hold fast the dominions which\nhe thought he had a right to. King Olaf had sent a message round in\nJamtaland, declaring it to be his will that the Jamtaland people should\nbe subject to him, threatening them with violence if they refused; but\nthe Jamtaland people preferred being subjects of the Swedish king.\n148. STEIN'S STORY.\nThe Icelanders, Thorod Snorrason and Stein Skaptason, were ill-pleased\nat not being allowed to do as they liked. Stein was a remarkably\nhandsome man, dexterous at all feats, a great poet, splendid in his\napparel, and very ambitious of distinction. His father, Skapte, had\ncomposed a poem on King Olaf, which he had taught Stein, with the\nintention that he should bring it to King Olaf. Stein could not now\nrestrain himself from making the king reproaches in word and speech,\nboth in verse and prose. Both he and Thorod were imprudent in their\nconversation, and said the king would be looked upon as a worse man than\nthose who, under faith and law, had sent their sons to him, as he now\ntreated them as men without liberty. The king was angry at this. One day\nStein stood before the king, and asked if he would listen to the poem\nwhich his father Skapte had composed about him. The king replies, \"Thou\nmust first repeat that, Stein, which thou hast composed about me.\" Stein\nreplies, that it was not the case that he had composed any. \"I am no\nskald, sire,\" said he; \"and if I even could compose anything, it, and\nall that concerns me, would appear to thee of little value.\" Stein then\nwent out, but thought he perceived what the king alluded to. Thorgeir,\none of the king's land-bailiffs, who managed one of his farms in\nOrkadal, happened to be present, and heard the conversation of the king\nand Stein, and soon afterwards Thorgeir returned home. One night Stein\nleft the city, and his footboy with him. They went up Gaularas and into\nOrkadal. One evening they came to one of the king's farms which Thorgeir\nhad the management of, and Thorgeir invited Stein to pass the night\nthere, and asked where he was travelling to. Stein begged the loan of a\nhorse and sledge, for he saw they were just driving home corn.\nThorgeir replies, \"I do not exactly see how it stands with thy journey,\nand if thou art travelling with the king's leave. The other day,\nmethinks, the words were not very sweet that passed between the king and\nthee.\"\nStein said, \"If it be so that I am not my own master for the king, yet\nI will not submit to such treatment from his slaves;\" and, drawing his\nsword, he killed the landbailiff. Then he took the horse, put the boy\nupon him, and sat himself in the sledge, and so drove the whole night.\nThey travelled until they came to Surnadal in More. There they had\nthemselves ferried across the fjord, and proceeded onwards as fast as\nthey could. They told nobody about the murder, but wherever they came\ncalled themselves king's men, and met good entertainment everywhere.\nOne day at last they came towards evening to Giske Isle, to Thorberg\nArnason's house. He was not at home himself, but his wife Ragnhild,\na daughter of Erling Skjalgson, was. There Stein was well received,\nbecause formerly there had been great friendship between them. It had\nonce happened, namely, that Stein, on his voyage from Iceland with his\nown vessel, had come to Giske from sea, and had anchored at the island.\nAt that time Ragnhild was in the pains of childbirth, and very ill, and\nthere was no priest on the island, or in the neighbourhood of it. There\ncame a message to the merchant-vessel to inquire if, by chance, there\nwas a priest on board. There happened to be a priest in the vessel, who\nwas called Bard; but he was a young man from Westfjord, who had little\nlearning. The messengers begged the priest to go with them, but he\nthought it was a difficult matter: for he knew his own ignorance, and\nwould not go. Stein added his word to persuade the priest. The priest\nreplies, \"I will go if thou wilt go with me; for then I will have\nconfidence, if I should require advice.\" Stein said he was willing; and\nthey went forthwith to the house, and to where Ragnhild was in labour.\nSoon after she brought forth a female child, which appeared to be rather\nweak. Then the priest baptized the infant, and Stein held it at the\nbaptism, at which it got the name of Thora; and Stein gave it a gold\nring. Ragnhild promised Stein her perfect friendship, and bade him come\nto her whenever he thought he required her help. Stein replied that he\nwould hold no other female child at baptism, and then they parted.\nNow it was come to the time when Stein required this kind promise of\nRagnhild to be fulfilled, and he told her what had happened, and that\nthe king's wrath had fallen upon him. She answered, that all the aid she\ncould give should stand at his service; but bade him wait for Thorberg's\narrival. She then showed him to a seat beside her son Eystein Orre,\nwho was then twelve years old. Stein presented gifts to Ragnhild and\nEystein. Thorberg had already heard how Stein had conducted himself\nbefore he got home, and was rather vexed at it. Ragnhild went to him,\nand told him how matters stood with Stein, and begged Thorberg to\nreceive him, and take care of him.\nThorberg replies, \"I have heard that the king, after sending out a\nmessage-token, held a Thing concerning the murder of Thorgeir, and has\ncondemned Stein as having fled the country, and likewise that the king\nis highly incensed: and I have too much sense to take the cause of a\nforeigner in hand, and draw upon myself the king's wrath. Let Stein,\ntherefore, withdraw from hence as quickly as thou canst.\"\nRagnhild replied, that they should either both go or both stay.\nThorberg told her to go where she pleased. \"For I expect,\" said he,\n\"that wherever thou goest thou wilt soon come back, for here is thy\nimportance greatest.\"\nHer son Eystein Orre then stood forward, and said he would not stay\nbehind if Ragnhild goes.\nThorberg said that they showed themselves very stiff and obstinate in\nthis matter. \"And it appears that ye must have your way in it, since\nye take it so near to heart; but thou art reckoning too much, Ragnhild,\nupon thy descent, in paying so little regard to King Olaf's word.\"\nRagnhild replied, \"If thou art so much afraid to keep Stein with thee\nhere, go with him to my father Erling, or give him attendants, so that\nhe may get there in safety.\" Thorberg said he would not send Stein\nthere; \"for there are enough of things besides to enrage the king\nagainst Erling.\" Stein thus remained there all winter (A.D. 1027).\nAfter Yule a king's messenger came to Thorberg, with the order that\nThorberg should come to him before midsummer; and the order was serious\nand severe. Thorberg laid it before his friends, and asked their advice\nif he should venture to go to the king after what had taken place. The\ngreater number dissuaded him, and thought it more advisable to let\nStein slip out of his hands than to venture within the king's power: but\nThorberg himself had rather more inclination not to decline the journey.\nSoon after Thorberg went to his brother Fin, told him the circumstances,\nand asked him to accompany him. Fin replied, that he thought it foolish\nto be so completely under woman's influence that he dared not, on\naccount of his wife, keep the fealty and law of his sovereign.\n\"Thou art free,\" replied Thorberg, \"to go with me or not; but I believe\nit is more fear of the king than love to him that keeps thee back.\" And\nso they parted in anger.\nThen Thorberg went to his brother Arne Arnason, and asked him to go\nwith him to the king. Arne says, \"It appears to me wonderful that such\na sensible, prudent man, should fall into such a misfortune, without\nnecessity, as to incur the king's indignation. It might be excused if it\nwere thy relation or foster-brother whom thou hadst thus sheltered; but\nnot at all that thou shouldst take up an Iceland man, and harbour the\nking's outlaw, to the injury of thyself and all thy relations.\"\nThorberg replies, \"It stands good, according to the proverb,--a rotten\nbranch will be found in every tree. My father's greatest misfortune\nevidently was that he had such ill luck in producing sons that at last\nhe produced one incapable of acting, and without any resemblance to our\nrace, and whom in truth I never would have called brother, if it were\nnot that it would have been to my mother's shame to have refused.\"\nThorberg turned away in a gloomy temper, and went home. Thereafter\nhe sent a message to his brother Kalf in the Throndhjem district, and\nbegged him to meet him at Agdanes; and when the messengers found Kalf he\npromised, without more ado, to make the journey. Ragnhild sent men east\nto Jadar to her father Erling, and begged him to send people. Erling's\nsons, Sigurd and Thord, came out, each with a ship of twenty benches\nof rowers and ninety men. When they came north Thorberg received them\njoyfully, entertained them well, and prepared for the voyage with them.\nThorberg had also a vessel with twenty benches, and they steered their\ncourse northwards. When they came to the mouth of the Throndhjem fjord\nThorberg's two brothers, Fin and Arne, were there already, with two\nships each of twenty benches. Thorberg met his brothers with joy, and\nobserved that his whetstone had taken effect; and Fin replied he seldom\nneeded sharpening for such work. Then they proceeded north with all\ntheir forces to Throndhjem, and Stein was along with them. When they\ncame to Agdanes, Kaff Arnason was there before them; and he also had a\nwellmanned ship of twenty benches. With this war-force they sailed up\nto Nidaros, where they lay all night. The morning after they had a\nconsultation with each other. Kalf and Erling's sons were for attacking\nthe town with all their forces, and leaving the event to fate; but\nThorberg wished that they should first proceed with moderation, and\nmake an offer; in which opinion Fin and Arne also concurred. It was\naccordingly resolved that Fin and Arne, with a few men, should first\nwait upon the king. The king had previously heard that they had come so\nstrong in men, and was therefore very sharp in his speech. Fin offered\nto pay mulct for Thorberg, and also for Stein, and bade the king to\nfix what the penalties should be, however large; stipulating only for\nThorberg safety and his fiefs, and for Stein life and limb.\nThe king replies, \"It appears to me that ye come from home so equipped\nthat ye can determine half as much as I can myself, or more; but this I\nexpected least of all from you brothers, that ye should come against me\nwith an army; and this counsel, I can observe, has its origin from the\npeople of Jadar; but ye have no occasion to offer me money in mulct.\"\nFin replies, \"We brothers have collected men, not to offer hostility to\nyou, sire, but to offer rather our services; but if you will bear down\nThorberg altogether, we must all go to King Canute the Great with such\nforces as we have.\"\nThen the king looked at him, and said, \"If ye brothers will give your\noaths that ye will follow me in the country and out of the country, and\nnot part from me without my leave and permission, and shall not conceal\nfrom me any treasonable design that may come to your knowledge against\nme, then will I agree to a peace with you brothers.\"\nThen Fin returned to his forces, and told the conditions which the king\nhad proposed to them. Now they held a council upon it, and Thorberg, for\nhis part, said he would accept the terms offered. \"I have no wish,\"\nsays he, \"to fly from my property, and seek foreign masters; but, on the\ncontrary, will always consider it an honour to follow King Olaf, and\nbe where he is.\" Then says Kalf, \"I will make no oath to King Olaf, but\nwill be with him always, so long as I retain my fiefs and dignities, and\nso long as the king will be my friend; and my opinion is that we should\nall do the same.\" Fin says, \"we will venture to let King Olaf himself\ndetermine in this matter.\" Arne Arnason says, \"I was resolved to follow\nthee, brother Thorberg, even if thou hadst given battle to King Olaf,\nand I shall certainly not leave thee for listening to better counsel;\nso I intend to follow thee and Fin, and accept the conditions ye have\ntaken.\"\nThereupon the brothers Thorberg, Fin, and Arne, went on board a vessel,\nrowed into the fjord, and waited upon the king. The agreement went\naccordingly into fulfillment, so that the brothers gave their oaths\nto the king. Then Thorberg endeavored to make peace for Stein with the\nking; but the king replied that Stein might for him depart in safety,\nand go where he pleased, but \"in my house he can never be again.\" Then\nThorberg and his brothers went back to their men. Kalf went to Eggja,\nand Fin to the king; and Thorberg, with the other men, went south to\ntheir homes. Stein went with Erling's sons; but early in the spring\n(A.D. 1027) he went west to England into the service of Canute the\nGreat, and was long with him, and was treated with great distinction.\n149. FIN ARNASON'S EXPEDITION TO HALOGALAND.\nNow when Fin Arnason had been a short time with King Olaf, the king\ncalled him to a conference, along with some other persons he usually\nheld consultation with; and in this conference the king spoke to this\neffect:--\"The decision remains fixed in my mind that in spring I should\nraise the whole country to a levy both of men and ships, and then\nproceed, with all the force I can muster, against King Canute the Great:\nfor I know for certain that he does not intend to treat as a jest the\nclaim he has awakened upon my kingdom. Now I let thee know my will, Fin\nArnason, that thou proceed on my errand to Halogaland, and raise the\npeople there to an expedition, men and ships, and summon that force\nto meet me at Agdanes.\" Then the king named other men whom he sent to\nThrondhjem, and some southwards in the country, and he commanded that\nthis order should be circulated through the whole land. Of Fin's voyage\nwe have to relate that he had with him a ship with about thirty men,\nand when he was ready for sea he prosecuted his journey until he came\nto Halogaland. There he summoned the bondes to a Thing, laid before them\nhis errand, and craved a levy. The bondes in that district had large\nvessels, suited to a levy expedition, and they obeyed the king's\nmessage, and rigged their ships. Now when Fin came farther north in\nHalogaland he held a Thing again, and sent some of his men from him to\ncrave a levy where he thought it necessary. He sent also men to Bjarkey\nIsland to Thorer Hund, and there, as elsewhere, craved the quota to the\nlevy. When the message came to Thorer he made himself ready, and manned\nwith his house-servants the same vessel he had sailed with on his cruise\nto Bjarmaland, and which he equipped at his own expense. Fin summoned\nall the people of Halogaland who were to the north to meet at Vagar.\nThere came a great fleet together in spring, and they waited there until\nFin returned from the North. Thorer Hund had also come there. When Fin\narrived he ordered the signal to sound for all the people of the levy to\nattend a House-Thing; and at it all the men produced their weapons, and\nalso the fighting men from each ship-district were mustered. When that\nwas all finished Fin said, \"I have also to bring thee a salutation,\nThorer Hund, from King Olaf, and to ask thee what thou wilt offer him\nfor the murder of his court-man Karle, or for the robbery in taking the\nking's goods north in Lengjuvik. I have the king's orders to settle that\nbusiness, and I wait thy answer to it.\"\nThorer looked about him, and saw standing on both sides many fully armed\nmen, among whom were Gunstein and others of Karle's kindred. Then said\nThorer, \"My proposal is soon made. I will refer altogether to the king's\npleasure the matter he thinks he has against me.\"\nFin replies, \"Thou must put up with a less honour; for thou must refer\nthe matter altogether to my decision, if any agreement is to take\nplace.\"\nThorer replies, \"And even then I think it will stand well with my case,\nand therefore I will not decline referring it to thee.\"\nThereupon Thorer came forward, and confirmed what he said by giving his\nhand upon it; and Fin repeated first all the words he should say.\nFin now pronounced his decision upon the agreement,--that Thorer should\npay to the king ten marks of gold, and to Gunstein and the other kindred\nten marks, and for the robbery and loss of goods ten marks more; and all\nwhich should be paid immediately.\nThorer says, \"This is a heavy money mulct.\"\n\"Without it,\" replies Fin, \"there will be no agreement.\"\nThorer says, there must time be allowed to gather so much in loan from\nhis followers; but Fin told him to pay immediately on the spot; and\nbesides, Thorer should lay down the great ornament which he took\nfrom Karle when he was dead. Thorer asserted that he had not got the\nornament. Then Gunstein pressed forward, and said that Karle had the\nornament around his neck when they parted, but it was gone when they\ntook up his corpse. Thorer said he had not observed any ornament; but if\nthere was any such thing, it must be lying at home in Bjarkey. Then Fin\nput the point of his spear to Thorer's breast, and said that he must\ninstantly produce the ornament; on which Thorer took the ornament from\nhis neck and gave it to Fin. Thereafter Thorer turned away, and went on\nboard his ship. Fin, with many other men, followed him, went through\nthe whole vessel, and took up the hatches. At the mast they saw two very\nlarge casks; and Fin asked, \"What are these puncheons?\"\nThorer replies, \"It is my liquor.\"\nFin says, \"Why don't you give us something to drink then, comrade, since\nyou have so much liquor?\"\nThorer ordered his men to run off a bowlfull from the puncheons, from\nwhich Fin and his people got liquor of the best quality. Now Fin ordered\nThorer to pay the mulcts. Thorer went backwards and forwards through the\nship, speaking now to the one, now to the other, and Fin calling out\nto produce the pence. Thorer begged him to go to the shore, and said he\nwould bring the money there, and Fin with his men went on shore. Then\nThorer came and paid silver; of which, from one purse, there were\nweighed ten marks. Thereafter Thorer brought many knotted nightcaps; and\nin some was one mark, in others half a mark, and in others some small\nmoney. \"This is money my friends and other good people have lent me,\"\nsaid he; \"for I think all my travelling money is gone.\" Then Thorer went\nback again to his ship, and returned, and paid the silver by little\nand little; and this lasted so long that the day was drawing towards\nevening. When the Thing had closed the people had gone to their vessels,\nand made ready to depart; and as fast as they were ready they hoisted\nsail and set out, so that most of them were under sail. When Fin saw\nthat they were most of them under sail, he ordered his men to get ready\ntoo; but as yet little more than a third part of the mulct had been\npaid. Then Fin said, \"This goes on very slowly, Thorer, with the\npayment. I see it costs thee a great deal to pay money. I shall now let\nit stand for the present, and what remains thou shalt pay to the king\nhimself.\" Fin then got up and went away.\nThorer replies, \"I am well enough pleased, Fin, to part now; but the\ngood will is not wanting to pay this debt, so that both thou and the\nking shall say it is not unpaid.\"\nThen Fin went on board his ship, and followed the rest of his fleet.\nThorer was late before he was ready to come out of the harbour. When\nthe sails were hoisted he steered out over Westfjord, and went to sea,\nkeeping south along the land so far off that the hill-tops were half\nsunk, and soon the land altogether was sunk from view by the sea.\nThorer held this course until he got into the English sea, and landed\nin England. He betook himself to King Canute forthwith, and was well\nreceived by him. It then came out that Thorer had with him a great deal\nof property; and, with other things, all the money he and Karle had\ntaken in Bjarmaland. In the great liquor-casks there were sides within\nthe outer sides, and the liquor was between them. The rest of the casks\nwere filled with furs, and beaver and sable skins. Thorer was then with\nKing Canute. Fin came with his forces to King Olaf, and related to\nhim how all had gone upon his voyage, and told at the same time his\nsuspicion that Thorer had left the country, and gone west to England to\nKing Canute. \"And there I fear he will cause as much trouble.\"\nThe king replies, \"I believe that Thorer must be our enemy, and it\nappears to me always better to have him at a distance than near.\"\n150. DISPUTE BETWEEN HAREK AND ASMUND.\nAsmund Grankelson had been this winter (A.D. 1027) in Halogaland in his\nsheriffdom, and was at home with his father Grankel. There lies a rock\nout in the sea, on which there is both seal and bird catching, and a\nfishing ground, and egg-gathering; and from old times it had been an\nappendage to the farm which Grankel owned, but now Harek of Thjotta laid\nclaim to it. It had gone so far, that some years he had taken by force\nall the gain of this rock; but Asmund and his father thought that they\nmight expect the king's help in all cases in which the right was upon\ntheir side. Both father and son went therefore in spring to Harek, and\nbrought him a message and tokens from King Olaf that he should drop his\nclaim. Harek answered Asmund crossly, because he had gone to the king\nwith such insinuations--\"for the just right is upon my side. Thou\nshouldst learn moderation, Asmund, although thou hast so much confidence\nin the king's favour. It has succeeded with thee to kill some chiefs,\nand leave their slaughter unpaid for by any mulct; and also to plunder\nus, although we thought ourselves at least equal to all of equal birth,\nand thou art far from being my equal in family.\"\nAsmund replies, \"Many have experienced from thee, Harek, that thou art\nof great connections, and too great power; and many in consequence have\nsuffered loss in their property through thee. But it is likely that now\nthou must turn thyself elsewhere, and not against us with thy violence,\nand not go altogether against law, as thou art now doing.\" Then they\nseparated.\nHarek sent ten or twelve of his house-servants with a large rowing boat,\nwith which they rowed to the rock, took all that was to be got upon it,\nand loaded their boat. But when they were ready to return home, Asmund\nGrankelson came with thirty men, and ordered them to give up all they\nhad taken. Harek's house-servants were not quick in complying, so that\nAsmund attacked them. Some of Harek's men were cudgelled, some wounded,\nsome thrown into the sea, and all they had caught was taken from on\nboard of their boat, and Asmund and his people took it along with them.\nThen Harek's servants came home, and told him the event. Harek replies,\n\"That is called news indeed that seldom happens; never before has it\nhappened that my people have been beaten.\"\nThe matter dropped. Harek never spoke about it, but was very cheerful.\nIn spring, however, Harek rigged out a cutter of twenty seats of rowers,\nand manned it with his house-servants, and the ship was remarkably well\nfitted out both with people and all necessary equipment; and Harek went\nto the levy; but when he came to King Olaf, Asmund was there before him.\nThe king summoned Harek and Asmund to him, and reconciled them so that\nthey left the matter entirely to him. Asmund then produced witnesses\nto prove that Grankel had owned the rock, and the king gave judgment\naccordingly. The case had a one-sided result. No mulct was paid for\nHarek's house-servants, and the rock was declared to be Grankel's. Harek\nobserved it was no disgrace to obey the king's decision, whatever way\nthe case itself was decided.\n151. THOROD'S STORY.\nThorod Snorrason had remained in Norway, according to King Olaf's\ncommands, when Geller Thorkelson got leave to go to Iceland, as before\nrelated. He remained there (A.D. 1027) with King Olaf, but was ill\npleased that he was not free to travel where he pleased. Early in\nwinter, King Olaf, when he was in Nidaros, made it known that he would\nsend people to Jamtaland to collect the scat; but nobody had any great\ndesire to go on this business, after the fate of those whom King Olaf\nhad sent before, namely, Thrand White and others, twelve in number, who\nlost their lives, as before related; and the Jamtalanders had ever\nsince been subject to the Swedish king. Thorod Snorrason now offered\nto undertake this journey, for he cared little what became of him if he\ncould but become his own master again. The king consented, and Thorod\nset out with eleven men in company. They came east to Jamtaland, and\nwent to a man called Thorar, who was lagman, and a person in high\nestimation. They met with a hospitable reception; and when they had been\nthere a while, they explained their business to Thorar. He replied, that\nother men and chiefs of the country had in all respects as much power\nand right to give an answer as he had, and for that purpose he would\ncall together a Thing. It was so done; the message-token was sent\nout, and a numerous Thing assembled. Thorar went to the Thing, but the\nmessengers in the meantime remained at home. At the Thing, Thorar laid\nthe business before the people, but all were unanimous that no scat\nshould be paid to the king of Norway; and some were for hanging the\nmessengers, others for sacrificing them to the gods. At last it was\nresolved to hold them fast until the king of Sweden's sheriffs arrived,\nand they could treat them as they pleased with consent of the people;\nand that, in the meantime, this decision should be concealed, and the\nmessengers treated well, and detained under pretext that they must wait\nuntil the scat is collected; and that they should be separated, and\nplaced two and two, as if for the convenience of boarding them. Thorod\nand another remained in Thorar's house. There was a great Yule feast and\nale-drinking, to which each brought his own liquor; for there were many\npeasants in the village, who all drank in company together at Yule.\nThere was another village not far distant, where Thorar's brother-in-law\ndwelt, who was a rich and powerful man, and had a grown-up son. The\nbrothers-in-law intended to pass the Yule in drinking feasts, half of it\nat the house of the one and half with the other; and the feast began at\nThorar's house. The brothers-in-law drank together, and Thorod and the\nsons of the peasants by themselves; and it was a drinking match. In the\nevening words arose, and comparisons between the men of Sweden and of\nNorway, and then between their kings both of former times and at the\npresent, and of the manslaughters and robberies that had taken place\nbetween the countries. Then said the peasants sons, \"If our king has\nlost most people, his sheriffs will make it even with the lives of\ntwelve men when they come from the south after Yule; and ye little\nknow, ye silly fools, why ye are kept here.\" Thorod took notice of these\nwords, and many made jest about it, and scoffed at them and their king.\nWhen the ale began to talk out of the hearts of the Jamtalanders, what\nThorod had before long suspected became evident. The day after Thorod\nand his comrade took all their clothes and weapons, and laid them ready;\nand at night, when the people were all asleep, they fled to the forest.\nThe next morning, when the Jamtalanders were aware of their flight, men\nset out after them with dogs to trace them, and found them in a wood in\nwhich they had concealed themselves. They brought them home to a room in\nwhich there was a deep cellar, into which they were thrown, and the door\nlocked upon them. They had little meat, and only the clothes they had on\nthem. In the middle of Yule, Thorar, with all his freeborn men, went to\nhis brother's-in-law, where he was to be a guest until the last of\nYule. Thorar's slaves were to keep guard upon the cellar, and they were\nprovided with plenty of liquor; but as they observed no moderation in\ndrinking, they became towards evening confused in the head with the ale.\nAs they were quite drunk, those who had to bring meat to the prisoners\nin the cellar said among themselves that they should want for nothing.\nThorod amused the slaves by singing to them. They said he was a clever\nman, and gave him a large candle that was lighted; and the slaves\nwho were in went to call the others to come in; but they were all so\nconfused with the ale, that in going out they neither locked the cellar\nnor the room after them. Now Thorod and his comrades tore up their skin\nclothes in strips, knotted them together, made a noose at one end, and\nthrew up the rope on the floor of the room. It fastened itself around a\nchest, by which they tried to haul themselves up. Thorod lifted up his\ncomrade until he stood on his shoulders, and from thence scrambled up\nthrough the hatchhole. There was no want of ropes in the chamber, and he\nthrew a rope down to Thorod; but when he tried to draw him up, he could\nnot move him from the spot. Then Thorod told him to cast the rope over\na cross-beam that was in the house, make a loop in it, and place as much\nwood and stones in the loop as would outweigh him; and the heavy weight\nwent down into the cellar, and Thorod was drawn up by it. Now they took\nas much clothes as they required in the room; and among other things\nthey took some reindeer hides, out of which they cut sandals, and bound\nthem under their feet, with the hoofs of the reindeer feet trailing\nbehind. But before they set off they set fire to a large corn barn\nwhich was close by, and then ran out into the pitch-dark night. The barn\nblazed, and set fire to many other houses in the village. Thorod and\nhis comrade travelled the whole night until they came to a lonely wood,\nwhere they concealed themselves when it was daylight. In the morning\nthey were missed. There was chase made with dogs to trace the footsteps\nall round the house; but the hounds always came back to the house, for\nthey had the smell of the reindeer hoofs, and followed the scent back on\nthe road that the hoofs had left, and therefore could not find the right\ndirection. Thorod and his comrade wandered long about in the desert\nforest, and came one evening to a small house, and went in. A man and a\nwoman were sitting by the fire. The man called himself Thorer, and said\nit was his wife who was sitting there, and the hut belonged to them. The\npeasant asked them to stop there, at which they were well pleased. He\ntold them that he had come to this place, because he had fled from the\ninhabited district on account of a murder. Thorod and his comrade were\nwell received, and they all got their supper at the fireside; and then\nthe benches were cleared for them, and they lay down to sleep, but the\nfire was still burning with a clear light. Thorod saw a man come in from\nanother house, and never had he seen so stout a man. He was dressed in\na scarlet cloak beset with gold clasps, and was of very handsome\nappearance. Thorod heard him scold them for taking guests, when they\nhad scarcely food for themselves. The housewife said, \"Be not angry,\nbrother; seldom such a thing happens; and rather do them some good too,\nfor thou hast better opportunity to do so than we.\" Thorod heard also\nthe stout man named by the name of Arnliot Gelline, and observed that\nthe woman of the house was his sister. Thorod had heard speak of Arnliot\nas the greatest-of robbers and malefactors. Thorod and his companion\nslept the first part of the night, for they were wearied with walking;\nbut when a third of the night was still to come, Arnliot awoke them,\ntold them to get up, and make ready to depart. They arose immediately,\nput on their clothes, and some breakfast was given them; and Arnliot\ngave each of them also a pair of skees. Arnliot made himself ready to\naccompany them, and got upon his skees, which were both broad and long;\nbut scarcely had he swung his skee-staff before he was a long way past\nthem. He waited for them, and said they would make no progress in this\nway, and told them to stand upon the edge of his skees beside him. They\ndid so. Thorod stood nearest to him, and held by Arnliot's belt, and his\ncomrade held by him. Arnliot strode on as quickly with them both, as\nif he was alone and without any weight. The following day they came,\ntowards night, to a lodge for travellers, struck fire, and prepared some\nfood; but Arnliot told them to throw away nothing of their food, neither\nbones nor crumbs. Arnliot took a silver plate out of the pocket of his\ncloak, and ate from it. When they were done eating, Arnliot gathered\nup the remains of their meal, and they prepared to go to sleep. In the\nother end of the house there was a loft upon cross-beams, and Arnliot\nand the others went up, and laid themselves down to sleep. Arnliot had\na large halberd, of which the upper part was mounted with gold, and\nthe shaft was so long that with his arm stretched out he could scarcely\ntouch the top of it; and he was girt with a sword. They had both their\nweapons and their clothes up in the loft beside them. Arnliot, who\nlay outermost in the loft, told them to be perfectly quiet. Soon after\ntwelve men came to the house, who were merchants going with their\nwares to Jamtaland; and when they came into the house they made a great\ndisturbance, were merry, and made a great fire before them; and when\nthey took their supper they cast away all the bones around them. They\nthen prepared to go to sleep, and laid themselves down upon the benches\naround the fire. When they, had been asleep a short time, a huge witch\ncame into the house; and when she came in, she carefully swept together\nall the bones and whatever was of food kind into a heap, and threw it\ninto her mouth. Then she gripped the man who was nearest to her, riving\nand tearing him asunder, and threw him upon the fire. The others awoke\nin dreadful fright, and sprang up, but she took them, and put them one\nby one to death, so that only one remained in life. He ran under the\nloft calling for help, and if there was any one on the loft to help him.\nArnliot reached down his hand, seized him by the shoulder, and drew him\nup into the loft. The witch-wife had turned towards the fire, and\nbegan to eat the men who were roasting. Now Arnliot stood up, took his\nhalberd, and struck her between the shoulders, so that the point came\nout at her breast. She writhed with it, gave a dreadful shriek, and\nsprang up. The halberd slipped from Arnliot's hands, and she ran out\nwith it. Arnliot then went in; cleared away the dead corpses out of the\nhouse; set the door and the door-posts up, for she had torn them down in\ngoing out; and they slept the rest of the night. When the day broke they\ngot up; and first they took their breakfast. When they had got food,\nArnliot said, \"Now we must part here. Ye can proceed upon the new-traced\npath the merchants have made in coming here yesterday. In the meantime\nI will seek after my halberd, and in reward for my labour I will take so\nmuch of the goods these men had with them as I find useful to me. Thou,\nThorod, must take my salutation to King Olaf; and say to him that he is\nthe man I am most desirous to see, although my salutation may appear to\nhim of little worth.\" Then he took his silver plate, wiped it dry with\na cloth, and said, \"Give King Olaf this plate; salute him, and say it is\nfrom me.\" Then they made themselves ready for their journey, and parted.\nThorod went on with his comrade and the man of the merchants company\nwho had escaped. He proceeded until he came to King Olaf in the town\n(Nidaros); told the king all that had happened, and presented to him the\nsilver plate. The king said it was wrong that Arnliot himself had not\ncome to him; \"for it is a pity so brave a hero, and so distinguished a\nman, should have given himself up to misdeeds.\"\nThorod remained the rest of the winter with the king, and in summer\ngot leave to return to Iceland; and he and King Olaf parted the best of\nfriends.\n152. KING OLAF'S LEVY OF MEN.\nKing Olaf made ready in spring (A.D. 1027) to leave Nidaros, and many\npeople were assembled about him, both from Throndhjem and the Northern\ncountry; and when he was ready he proceeded first with his men to More,\nwhere he gathered the men of the levy, and did the same at Raumsdal. He\nwent from thence to South More. He lay a long time at the Herey Isles\nwaiting for his forces; and he often held House-things, as many reports\ncame to his ears about which he thought it necessary to hold councils.\nIn one of these Things he made a speech, in which he spoke of the loss\nhe suffered from the Farey islanders. \"The scat which they promised me,\"\nhe said, \"is not forthcoming; and I now intend to send men thither after\nit.\" Then he proposed to different men to undertake this expedition; but\nthe answer was, that all declined the adventure.\nThen there stood up a stout and very remarkable looking man in the\nThing. He was clad in a red kirtle, had a helmet on his head, a sword\nin his belt, and a large halberd in his hands. He took up the word and\nsaid, \"In truth here is a great want of men. Ye have a good king; but ye\nare bad servants who say no to this expedition he offers you, although\nye have received many gifts of friendship and tokens of honour from him.\nI have hitherto been no friend of the king, and he has been my enemy,\nand says, besides, that he has good grounds for being so. Now, I offer,\nsire, to go upon this expedition, if no better will undertake it.\"\nThe king answers, \"Who is this brave man who replies to my offer? Thou\nshowest thyself different from the other men here present, in offering\nthyself for this expedition from which they excuse themselves, although\nI expected they would willingly have undertaken it; but I do not know\nthee in the least, and do not know thy name.\"\nHe replies, \"My name, sire, is not difficult to know, and I think thou\nhast heard my name before. I am Karl Morske.\"\nThe king--\"So this is Karl! I have indeed heard thy name before; and, to\nsay the truth, there was a time when our meeting must have been such, if\nI had had my will; that thou shouldst not have had to tell it now. But\nI will not show myself worse than thou, but will join my thanks and my\nfavour to the side of the help thou hast offered me. Now thou shalt come\nto me, Karl, and be my guest to-day; and then we shall consult together\nabout this business.\" Karl said it should be so.\n153. KARL MORSKE'S STORY.\nKarl Morske had been a viking, and a celebrated robber. Often had the\nking sent out men against him, and wished to make an end of him; but\nKarl, who was a man of high connection, was quick in all his doing's,\nand besides a man of great dexterity, and expert in all feats. Now when\nKarl had undertaken this business the king was reconciled to him, gave\nhim his friendship, and let him be fitted out in the best manner for\nthis expedition. There were about twenty men in the ship; and the king\nsent messages to his friends in the Farey Islands, and recommended him\nalso to Leif Ossurson and Lagman Gille, for aid and defence; and for\nthis purpose furnished Karl with tokens of the full powers given him.\nKarl set out as soon as he was ready; and as he got a favourable breeze\nsoon came to the Farey Islands, and landed at Thorshavn, in the island\nStraumey. A Thing was called, to which there came a great number of\npeople. Thrand of Gata came with a great retinue, and Leif and Gille\ncame there also, with many in their following. After they had set up\ntheir tents, and put themselves in order, they went to Karl Morske, and\nsaluted each other on both sides in a friendly way. Then Karl produced\nKing Olaf's words, tokens, and friendly message to Leif and Gille, who\nreceived them in a friendly manner, invited Karl to come to them, and\npromised him to support his errand, and give him all the aid in their\npower, for which he thanked them. Soon after came Thrand of Gata, who\nalso received Karl in the most friendly manner, and said he was glad to\nsee so able a man coming to their country on the king's business, which\nthey were all bound to promote. \"I will insist, Karl,\" says he, \"on\nthy taking-up thy winter abode with me, together with all those of thy\npeople who may appear to thee necessary for thy dignity.\"\nKarl replies, that he had already settled to lodge with Leif; \"otherwise\nI would with great pleasure have accepted thy invitation.\"\n\"Then fate has given great honour to Leif,\" says Thrand; \"but is there\nany other way in which I can be of service?\"\nKarl replies, that he would do him a great service by collecting the\nscat of the eastern island, and of all the northern islands.\nThrand said it was both his duty and interest to assist in the king's\nbusiness, and thereupon Thrand returned to his tent; and at that Thing\nnothing else worth speaking of occurred. Karl took up his abode with\nLeif Ossurson, and was there all winter (A.D. 1028). Leif collected the\nscat of Straumey Island, and all the islands south of it. The spring\nafter Thrand of Gata fell ill, and had sore eyes and other complaints;\nbut he prepared to attend the Thing, as was his custom. When he came to\nthe Thing he had his tent put up, and within it another black tent, that\nthe light might not penetrate. After some days of the Thing had passed,\nLeif and Karl came to Thrand's tent, with a great many people, and found\nsome persons standing outside. They asked if Thrand was in the tent, and\nwere told he was. Leif told them to bid Thrand come out, as he and Karl\nhad some business with him. They came back, and said that Thrand had\nsore eyes, and could not come out; \"but he begs thee, Leif, to come to\nhim within.\" Leif told his comrades to come carefully into the tent, and\nnot to press forward, and that he who came last in should go out first.\nLeif went in first, followed by Karl, and then his comrades; and all\nfully armed as if they were going into battle. Leif went into the black\ntent and asked if Thrand was there. Thrand answered and saluted Leif.\nLeif returned his salutation, and asked if he had brought the scat\nfrom the northern islands, and if he would pay the scat that had been\ncollected. Thrand replies, that he had not forgotten what had been\nspoken of between him and Karl, and that he would now pay over the scat.\n\"Here is a purse, Leif, full of silver, which thou canst receive.\" Leif\nlooked around, and saw but few people in the tent, of whom some were\nlying upon the benches, and a few were sitting up. Then Leif went to\nThrand, and took the purse, and carried it into the outer tent, where it\nwas light, turned out the money on his shield, groped about in it with\nhis hand, and told Karl to look at the silver. When they had looked at\nit a while, Karl asked Leif what he thought of the silver. He replied,\n\"I am thinking where the bad money that is in the north isles can have\ncome from.\" Thrand heard this, and said, \"Do you not think, Leif, the\nsilver is good?\" \"No,\" says he. Thrand replies, \"Our relations, then,\nare rascals not to be trusted. I sent them in spring to collect the scat\nin the north isles, as I could not myself go anywhere, and they have\nallowed themselves to be bribed by the bondes to take false money, which\nnobody looks upon as current and good; it is better, therefore, Leif, to\nlook at this silver which has been paid me as land-rent.\" Leif thereupon\ncarried back this silver, and received another bag, which he carried to\nKarl, and they looked over the money together. Karl asked Leif what he\nthought of this money. He answered, that it appeared to him so bad that\nit would not be taken in payment, however little hope there might be of\ngetting a debt paid in any other way: \"therefore I will not take this\nmoney upon the king's account.\" A man who had been lying on the bench\nnow cast the skin coverlet off which he had drawn over his head, and\nsaid, \"True is the old word,--he grows worse who grows older: so it is\nwith thee, Thrand, who allowest Karl Morske to handle thy money all\nthe day.\" This was Gaut the Red. Thrand sprang up at Gaut's words, and\nreprimanded his relation with many angry words. At last he said that\nLeif should leave this silver, and take a bag which his own peasants had\nbrought him in spring. \"And although I am weak-sighted, yet my own\nhand is the truest test.\" Another man who was lying on the bench raised\nhimself now upon his elbow; and this was Thord the Low. He said, \"These\nare no ordinary reproaches we suffer from Karl Morske, and therefore he\nwell deserves a reward for them.\" Leif in the meantime took the bag,\nand carried it to Karl; and when they cast their eyes on the money, Leif\nsaid, \"We need not look long at this silver, for here the one piece of\nmoney is better than the other; and this is the money we will have. Let\na man come to be present at the counting it out.\" Thrand says that he\nthought Leif was the fittest man to do it upon his account. Leif and\nKarl thereupon went a short way from the tent, sat down, and counted and\nweighed the silver. Karl took the helmet off his head, and received in\nit the weighed silver. They saw a man coming to them who had a stick\nwith an axe-head on it in his hand, a hat low upon his head, and a short\ngreen cloak. He was bare-legged, and had linen breeches on tied at the\nknee. He laid his stick down in the field, and went to Karl and said,\n\"Take care, Karl Morske, that thou does not hurt thyself against my\naxe-stick.\" Immediately a man came running and calls with great haste\nto Leif Ossurson, telling him to come as quickly as possible to Lagman\nGille's tent; \"for,\" says he, \"Sirurd Thorlakson ran in just now into\nthe mouth of the tent, and gave one of Gille's men a desperate wound.\"\nLeif rose up instantly, and went off to Gille's tent along with his\nmen. Karl remained sitting, and the Norway people stood around in all\ncorners. Gaut immediately sprang up, and struck with a hand-axe over the\nheads of the people, and the stroke came on Karl's head; but the wound\nwas slight. Thord the Low seized the stick-axe, which lay in the field\nat his side, and struck the axe-blade right into Karl's skull. Many\npeople now streamed out of Thrand's tent. Karl was carried away dead.\nThrand was much grieved at this event, and offered money-mulcts for his\nrelations; but Leif and Gille, who had to prosecute the business, would\naccept no mulct. Sigurd was banished the country for having wounded\nGille's tent comrade, and Gaut and Thord for the murder of Karl. The\nNorway people rigged out the vessel which Karl had with him, and sailed\neastward to Olaf, and gave him these tidings. He was in no pleasant\nhumour at it, and threatened a speedy vengeance; but it was not allotted\nby fate to King Olaf to revenge himself on Thrand and his relations,\nbecause of the hostilities which had begun in Norway, and which are now\nto be related. And there is nothing more to be told of what happened\nafter King Olaf sent men to the Farey Islands to take scat of them. But\ngreat strife arose after Karl's death in the Farey Islands between the\nfamily of Thrand of Gata and Leif Ossurson, and of which there are great\nsagas.\n154. KING OLAF'S EXPEDITION WITH HIS LEVY.\nNow we must proceed with the relation we began before,--that King Olaf\nset out with his men, and raised a levy over the whole country\n(A.D. 1027). All lendermen in the North followed him excepting Einar\nTambaskelfer, who sat quietly at home upon his farm since his return\nto the country, and did not serve the king. Einar had great estates\nand wealth, although he held no fiefs from the king, and he lived\nsplendidly. King Olaf sailed with his fleet south around Stad, and many\npeople from the districts around joined him. King Olaf himself had a\nship which he had got built the winter before (A.D. 1027), and which\nwas called the Visund (1). It was a very large ship, with a bison's head\ngilded all over upon the bow. Sigvat the skald speaks thus of it:--\n \"Trygvason's Long Serpent bore,\n Grim gaping o'er the waves before,\n A dragon's head with open throat,\n When last the hero was afloat:\n His cruise was closed,\n As God disposed.\n Olaf has raised a bison's head,\n Which proudly seems the waves to tread.\n While o'er its golden forehead dashing\n The waves its glittering horns are washing:\n May God dispose\n A luckier close.\"\nThe king went on to Hordaland; there he heard the news that Erling\nSkjalgson had left the country with a great force, and four or five\nships. He himself had a large war-ship, and his sons had three of twenty\nrowing-banks each; and they had sailed westward to England to Canute\nthe Great. Then King Olaf sailed eastward along the land with a mighty\nwar-force, and he inquired everywhere if anything was known of Canute's\nproceedings; and all agreed in saying he was in England but added that\nhe was fitting out a levy, and intended coming to Norway. As Olaf had a\nlarge fleet, and could not discover with certainty where he should go to\nmeet King Canute, and as his people were dissatisfied with lying quiet\nin one place with so large an armament, he resolved to sail with his\nfleet south to Denmark, and took with him all the men who were best\nappointed and most warlike; and he gave leave to the others to return\nhome. Now the people whom he thought of little use having gone home,\nKing Olaf had many excellent and stout men-at-arms besides those who, as\nbefore related, had fled the country, or sat quietly at home; and most\nof the chief men and lendermen of Norway were along with him.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Visundr is the buffalo; although the modern bison, or\n American animal of that name, might have been known through\n the Greenland colonists, who in this reign had visited some\n parts of America.--L.\n155. OF KING OLAF AND KING ONUND.\nWhen King Olaf sailed to Denmark, he set his course for Seeland; and\nwhen he came there he made incursions on the land, and began to plunder.\nThe country people were severely treated; some were killed, some bound\nand dragged to the ships. All who could do so took to flight, and made\nno opposition. King Olaf committed there the greatest ravages. While\nOlaf was in Seeland, the news came that King Onund Olafson of Sweden had\nraised a levy, and fallen upon Scania, and was ravaging there; and then\nit became known what the resolution had been that the two kings\nhad taken at the Gaut river, where they had concluded a union and\nfriendship, and had bound themselves to oppose King Canute. King Onund\ncontinued his march until he met his brother-in-law King Olaf. When they\nmet they made proclamation both to their own people and to the people\nof the country, that they intended to conquer Denmark; and asked the\nsupport of the people of the country for this purpose. And it happened,\nas we find examples of everywhere, that if hostilities are brought upon\nthe people of a country not strong enough to withstand, the greatest\nnumber will submit to the conditions by which peace can be purchased at\nany rate. So it happened here that many men went into the service of the\nkings, and agreed to submit to them. Wheresoever they went they laid the\ncountry all round subjection to them, and otherwise laid waste all with\nfire and sword.\nOf this foray Sigvat the skald speaks, in a ballad he composed\nconcerning King Canute the Great:--\n \"'Canute is on the sea!'\n The news is told,\n And the Norsemen bold\n Repeat it with great glee.\n And it runs from mouth to mouth--\n 'On a lucky day\n We came away\n From Throndhjem to the south.'\n Across the cold East sea,\n The Swedish king\n His host did bring,\n To gain great victory.\n King Onund came to fight,\n In Seeland's plains,\n Against the Danes,\n With his steel-clad men so bright.\n Canute is on the land;\n Side to side\n His long-ships ride\n Along the yellow strand.\n Where waves wash the green banks,\n Mast to mast,\n All bound fast,\n His great fleet lies in ranks.\"\n156. OF KING CANUTE THE GREAT.\nKing Canute had heard in England that King Olaf of Norway had called out\na levy, and had gone with his forces to Denmark, and was making great\nravages in his dominions there. Canute began to gather people, and he\nhad speedily collected a great army and a numerous fleet. Earl Hakon was\nsecond in command over the whole.\nSigvat the skald came this summer (A.D. 1027) from the West, from Ruda\n(Rouen) in Valland, and with him was a man called Berg. They had made a\nmerchant voyage there the summer before. Sigvat had made a little poem\nabout this journey, called \"The Western Traveller's Song,\" which begins\nthus:--\n \"Berg! many a merry morn was pass'd,\n When our vessel was made fast,\n And we lay on the glittering tide\n or Rouen river's western side.\"\nWhen Sigvat came to England he went directly to King Canute, and asked\nhis leave to proceed to Norway; for King Canute had forbidden all\nmerchant vessels to sail until he himself was ready with his fleet. When\nSigvat arrived he went to the house in which the king was lodged; but\nthe doors were locked, and he had to stand a long time outside, but when\nhe got admittance he obtained the permission he desired. He then sang:--\n \"The way to Jutland's king I sought;\n A little patience I was taught.\n The doors were shut--all full within;\n The udaller could not get in.\n But Gorm's great son did condescend\n To his own chamber me to send,\n And grant my prayer--although I'm one\n Whose arms the fetters' weight have known.\"\nWhen Sigvat became aware that King Canute was equipping an armament\nagainst King Olaf, and knew what a mighty force King Canute had, he made\nthese lines:--\n \"The mighty Canute, and Earl Hakon,\n Have leagued themselves, and counsel taken\n Against King Olaf's life,\n And are ready for the strife.\n In spite of king and earl, I say,\n 'I love him well--may he get away:'\n On the Fields, wild and dreary,\n With him I'd live, and ne'er be weary.\"\nSigvat made many other songs concerning this expedition of Canute and\nHakon. He made this among others:--\n \"'Twas not the earl's intention then\n 'Twixt Olaf and the udalmen\n Peace to establish, and the land\n Upright to hold with Northman's hand;\n But ever with deceit and lies\n Eirik's descendant, Hakon, tries\n To make ill-will and discontent,\n Till all the udalmen are bent\n Against King Olaf's rule to rise.\"\n157. OF KING CANUTE'S SHIP THE DRAGON.\nCanute the Great was at last ready with his fleet, and left the land;\nand a vast number of men he had, and ships frightfully large. He himself\nhad a dragon-ship, so large that it had sixty banks of rowers, and the\nhead was gilt all over. Earl Hakon had another dragon of forty banks,\nand it also had a gilt figure-head. The sails of both were in stripes\nof blue, red, and green, and the vessels were painted all above\nthe water-stroke; and all that belonged to their equipment was most\nsplendid. They had also many other huge ships remarkably well fitted\nout, and grand. Sigvat the skald talks of this in his song on Canute:--\n \"Canute is out beneath the sky--\n Canute of the clear blue eye!\n The king is out on the ocean's breast,\n Leading his grand fleet from the West.\n On to the East the ship-masts glide,\n Glancing and bright each long-ship's side.\n The conqueror of great Ethelred,\n Canute, is there, his foemen's dread:\n His dragon with her sails of blue,\n All bright and brilliant to the view,\n High hoisted on the yard arms wide,\n Carries great Canute o'er the tide.\n Brave is the royal progress--fast\n The proud ship's keel obeys the mast,\n Dashes through foam, and gains the land,\n Raising a surge on Limfjord's strand.\"\nIt is related that King Canute sailed with this vast force from England,\nand came with all his force safely to Denmark, where he went into\nLimfjord, and there he found gathered besides a large army of the men of\nthe country.\n158. HARDAKNUT TAKEN TO BE KING IN DENMARK.\nEarl Ulf Sprakalegson had been set as protector over Denmark when King\nCanute went to England, and the king had intrusted his son Hardaknut in\nthe earl's hands. This took place the summer before (A.D. 1026), as we\nrelated. But the earl immediately gave it out that King Canute had, at\nparting, made known to him his will and desire that the Danes should\ntake his son Hardaknut as king over the Danish dominions. \"On that\naccount,\" says the earl, \"he gave the matter into our hands; as I,\nand many other chiefs and leading men here in the country, have often\ncomplained to King Canute of the evil consequences to the country of\nbeing without a king, and that former kings thought it honour and power\nenough to rule over the Danish kingdom alone; and in the times that are\npast many kings have ruled over this kingdom. But now there are greater\ndifficulties than have ever been before; for we have been so fortunate\nhitherto as to live without disturbance from foreign kings, but now we\nhear the king of Norway is going to attack us, to which is added the\nfear of the people that the Swedish king will join him; and now King\nCanute is in England.\" The earl then produced King Canute's letter and\nseal, confirming all that the earl asserted. Many other chiefs supported\nthis business; and in consequence of all these persuasions the people\nresolved to take Hardaknut as king, which was done at the same Thing.\nThe Queen Emma had been principal promoter of this determination; for\nshe had got the letter to be written, and provided with the seal,\nhaving cunningly got hold of the king's signet; but from him it was all\nconcealed. Now when Hardaknut and Earl Ulf heard for certain that King\nOlaf was come from Norway with a large army, they went to Jutland,\nwhere the greatest strength of the Danish kingdom lies, sent out\nmessage-tokens, and summoned to them a great force; but when they heard\nthe Swedish king was also come with his army, they thought they would\nnot have strength enough to give battle to both, and therefore kept\ntheir army together in Jutland, and resolved to defend that country\nagainst the kings. The whole of their ships they assembled in Limfjord,\nand waited thus for King Canute. Now when they heard that King Canute\nhad come from the West to Limfjord they sent men to him, and to Queen\nEmma, and begged her to find out if the king was angry at them or not,\nand to let them know. The queen talked over the matter with him, and\nsaid, \"Your son Hardaknut will pay the full mulct the king may demand,\nif he has done anything which is thought to be against the king.\" He\nreplies, that Hardaknut has not done this of his own judgement. \"And\ntherefore,\" says he, \"it has turned out as might have been expected,\nthat when he, a child, and without understanding, wanted to be called\nking, the country, when any evil came and an enemy appeared, must be\nconquered by foreign princes, if our might had not come to his aid. If\nhe will have any reconciliation with me let him come to me, and lay down\nthe mock title of king he has given himself.\" The queen sent these very\nwords to Hardaknut, and at the same time she begged him not to decline\ncoming; for, as she truly observed, he had no force to stand against his\nfather. When this message came to Hardaknut he asked the advice of the\nearl and other chief people who were with him; but it was soon found\nthat when the people heard King Canute the Old was arrived they all\nstreamed to him, and seemed to have no confidence but in him alone. Then\nEarl Ulf and his fellows saw they had but two roads to take; either to\ngo to the king and leave all to his mercy, or to fly the country. All\npressed Hardaknut to go to his father, which advice he followed.\nWhen they met he fell at his father's feet, and laid his seal, which\naccompanied the kingly title, on his knee. King Canute took Hardaknut by\nthe hand, and placed him in as high a seat as he used to sit in before.\nEarl Ulf sent his son Svein, who was a sister's son of King Canute,\nand the same age as Hardaknut, to the king. He prayed for grace and\nreconciliation for his father, and offered himself as hostage for the\nearl. King Canute ordered him to tell the earl to assemble his men and\nships, and come to him, and then they would talk of reconciliation. The\nearl did so.\n159. FORAY IN SCANIA.\nWhen King Olaf and King Onund heard that King Canute was come from the\nWest, and also that he had a vast force, they sailed east to Scania, and\nallowed themselves to ravage and burn in the districts there, and then\nproceeded eastward along the land to the frontier of Sweden. As soon as\nthe country people heard that King Canute was come from the West, no one\nthought of going into the service of the two kings.\nNow the kings sailed eastward along the coast, and brought up in a river\ncalled Helga, and remained there some time. When they heard that King\nCanute was coming eastward with his forces against them, they held a\ncouncil; and the result was, that King Olaf with his people went up\nthe country to the forest, and to the lake out of which the river Helga\nflows. There at the riverhead they made a dam of timber and turf, and\ndammed in the lake. They also dug a deep ditch, through which they led\nseveral waters, so that the lake waxed very high. In the river-bed they\nlaid large logs of timber. They were many days about this work, and King\nOlaf had the management of this piece of artifice; but King Onund\nhad only to command the fleet and army. When King Canute heard of the\nproceedings of the two kings, and of the damage they had done to his\ndominions, he sailed right against them to where they lay in Helga\nriver. He had a War-force which was one half greater than that of both\nthe kings together. Sigvat speaks of these things:--\n \"The king, who shields\n His Jutland fields\n From scaith or harm\n By foeman's arm,\n Will not allow\n Wild plundering now:\n 'The greatest he,\n On land or sea.'\"\n160. BATTLE IN HELGA RIVER.\nOne day, towards evening, King Onund's spies saw King Canute coming\nsailing along, and he was not far off. Then King Onund ordered the\nwar-horns to sound; on which his people struck their tents, put on their\nweapons, rowed out of the harbour and east round the land, bound their\nships together, and prepared for battle. King Onund made his spies run\nup the country to look for King Olaf, and tell him the news. Then King\nOlaf broke up the dam, and let the river take its course. King Olaf\ntravelled down in the night to his ships. When King Canute came outside\nthe harbour, he saw the forces of the kings ready for battle. He thought\nthat it would be too late in the day to begin the fight by the time his\nforces could be ready; for his fleet required a great deal of room at\nsea, and there was a long distance between the foremost of his ships and\nthe hindmost, and between those outside and those nearest the land,\nand there was but little wind. Now, as Canute saw that the Swedes and\nNorwegians had quitted the harbour, he went into it with as many ships\nas it could hold; but the main strength of the fleet lay without the\nharbour. In the morning, when it was light, a great part of the men went\non shore; some for amusement, some to converse with the people of other\nships. They observed nothing until the water came rushing over them\nlike a waterfall, carrying huge trees, which drove in among their ships,\ndamaging all they struck; and the water covered all the fields. The men\non shore perished, and many who were in the ships. All who could do it\ncut their cables; so that the ships were loose, and drove before the\nstream, and were scattered here and there. The great dragon, which King\nCanute himself was in, drove before the stream; and as it could not so\neasily be turned with oars, drove out among Olaf's and Onund's ships. As\nthey knew the ship, they laid her on board on all quarters. But the ship\nwas so high in the hull, as if it were a castle, and had besides such a\nnumerous and chosen crew on board, well armed and exercised, that it was\nnot easy to attack her. After a short time also Earl Ulf came up with\nhis fleet; and then the battle began, and King Canute's fleet gathered\ntogether from all quarters. But the kings Olaf and Onund, seeing they\nhad for this time got all the victory that fate permitted them to gain,\nlet their ships retreat, cast themselves loose from King Canute's ship,\nand the fleets separated. But as the attack had not been made as King\nCanute had determined, he made no further attempt; and the kings on each\nside arranged their fleets and put their ships in order. When the fleets\nwere parted, and each sailing its course, Olaf and Onund looked over\ntheir forces, and found they had suffered no loss of men. In the\nmeantime they saw that if they waited until King Canute got his large\nfleet in order to attack them, the difference of force was so great that\nfor them there was little chance of victory. It was also evident that if\nthe battle was renewed, they must suffer a great loss of men. They took\nthe resolution, therefore, to row with the whole fleet eastward along\nthe coast. Observing that King Canute did not pursue them, they raised\nup their masts and set sail. Ottar Svarte tells thus of it in the poem\nhe composed upon King Canute the Great:--\n \"The king, in battle fray,\n Drove the Swedish host away:\n The wolf did not miss prey,\n Nor the raven on that day.\n Great Canute might deride\n Two kings if he had pride,\n For at Helga river's side\n They would not his sword abide.\"\nThord Sjarekson also sang these lines in his death song of King Olaf:--\n \"King Olaf, Agder's lord,\n Ne'er shunned the Jutland king,\n But with his blue-edged sword\n Broke many a panzer ring.\n King Canute was not slow:\n King Onund filled the plain\n With dead, killed by his bow:\n The wolf howled o'er the slain.\"\n161. KING OLAF AND KING ONUND'S PLANS.\nKing Olaf and King Onund sailed eastward to the Swedish king's\ndominions; and one day, towards evening, landed at a place called\nBarvik, where they lay all night. But then it was observed of the Swedes\nthat they were home-sick; for the greater part of their forces sailed\neastward along the land in the night, and did not stop their course\nuntil they came home to their houses. Now when King Onund observed\nthis he ordered, as soon as the day dawned, to sound the signal for a\nHouse-thing; and the whole people went on shore, and the Thing sat down.\nThen King Onund took up the word, and spake thus: \"So it is, King Olaf,\nthat, as you know, we have been assembled in summer, and have forayed\nwide around in Denmark, and have gained much booty, but no land. I\nhad 350 vessels, and now have not above 100 remaining with me. Now\nit appears to me we can make no greater progress than we have made,\nalthough you have still the 60 vessels which have followed you the whole\nsummer. It therefore appears to me best that we come back to my kingdom;\nfor it is always good to drive home with the wagon safe. In this\nexpedition we have won something, and lost nothing. Now I will offer\nyou, King Olaf, to come with me, and we shall remain assembled during\nthe winter. Take as much of my kingdom as you will, so that you and the\nmen who follow you may support yourselves well; and when spring comes\nlet us take such measures as we find serviceable. If you, however, will\nprefer to travel across our country, and go overland to Norway, it shall\nbe free for you to do so.\"\nKing Olaf thanked King Onund for his friendly offer. \"But if I may\nadvise,\" says he, \"then we should take another resolution, and keep\ntogether the forces we have still remaining. I had in the first of\nsummer, before I left Norway, 350 ships; but when I left the country I\nchose from among the whole war-levy those I thought to be the best, and\nwith them I manned 60 ships; and these I still have. Now it appears to\nme that the part of your war-force which has now run away is the most\nworthless, and of least resistance; but now I see here all your\nchiefs and leaders, and I know well that the people who belong to the\ncourt-troops (1) are by far the best suited to carry arms. We have here\nchosen men and superb ships, and we can very well lie all winter in our\nships, as viking's custom is. But Canute cannot lie long in Helga river;\nfor the harbour will not hold so many vessels as he has. If he steers\neastward after us, we can escape from him, and then people will soon\ngather to us; but if he return to the harbours where his fleet can lie,\nI know for certain that the desire to return home will not be less\nin his army than in ours. I think, also, we have ravaged so widely in\nsummer, that the villagers, both in Scania and in Halland, know well\nwhose favour they have to seek. Canute's army will thus be dispersed\nso widely, that it is uncertain to whom fate may at the last give the\nvictory; but let us first find out what resolution he takes.\"\nThus King Olaf ended his speech, and it found much applause, and his\nadvice was followed. Spies were sent into King Canute's army, and both\nthe kings Olaf and Onund remained lying where they were.\n ENDNOTES: (1) The thingmen, or hired body-guard attending the court.--L.\n162. OF KING CANUTE AND EARL ULF.\nWhen King Canute saw that the kings of Norway and Sweden steered\neastward with their forces along the coast, he sent men to ride night\nand day on the land to follow their movements. Some spies went forward,\nothers returned; so that King Canute had news every day of their\nprogress. He had also spies always in their army. Now when he heard that\na great part of the fleet had sailed away from the kings, he turned back\nwith his forces to Seeland, and lay with his whole fleet in the Sound;\nso that a part lay on the Scania side, and a part on the Seeland side.\nKing Canute himself, the day before Michaelmas, rode with a great\nretinue to Roeskilde. There his brother-in-law, Earl Ulf, had prepared a\ngreat feast for him. The earl was the most agreeable host, but the king\nwas silent and sullen. The earl talked to him in every way to make him\ncheerful, and brought forward everything which he thought would amuse\nhim; but the king remained stern, and speaking little. At last the earl\nproposed to him a game at chess, which he agreed to; and a chess-board\nwas produced, and they played together. Earl Ulf was hasty in temper,\nstiff, and in nothing yielding; but everything he managed went on well\nin his hands; and he was a great warrior, about whom there are many\nstories. He was the most powerful man in Denmark next to the king. Earl\nUlf's sister Gyda was married to Earl Gudin (Godwin) Ulfnadson; and\ntheir sons were Harald king of England, and Earl Toste, Earl Valthiof,\nEarl Morukare, and Earl Svein. Gyda was the name of their daughter, who\nwas married to the English king Edward the Good.\n163. OF THE EARL'S MURDER.\nWhen they had played a while the king made a false move, at which the\nearl took a knight from the king; but the king set the piece again upon\nthe board, and told the earl to make another move; but the earl grew\nangry, threw over the chess-board, stood up, and went away. The king\nsaid, \"Runnest thou away, Ulf the coward?\" The earl turned round at the\ndoor and said, \"Thou wouldst have run farther at Helga river, if thou\nhadst come to battle there. Thou didst not call me Ulf the coward, when\nI hastened to thy help while the Swedes were beating thee like a dog.\"\nThe earl then went out, and went to bed. A little later the king also\nwent to bed. The following morning while the king was putting on his\nclothes he said to his footboy, \"Go thou to Earl Ulf, and kill him.\"\nThe lad went, was away a while, and then came back.\nThe king said, \"Hast thou killed the earl?\"\n\"I did not kill him, for he was gone to Saint Lucius' church.\"\nThere was a man called Ivar White, a Norwegian by birth, who was the\nking's courtman and chamberlain. The king said to him, \"Go thou and kill\nthe earl.\"\nIvar went to the church, and in at the choir, and thrust his sword\nthrough the earl, who died on the spot. Then Ivar went to the king, with\nthe bloody sword in his hand.\nThe king said, \"Hast thou killed the earl?\"\n\"I have killed him,\" says he.\n\"Thou didst well.\"\nAfter the earl was killed the monks closed the church, and locked the\ndoors. When that was told the king he sent a message to the monks,\nordering them to open the church and sing high mass. They did as the\nking ordered; and when the king came to the church he bestowed on it\ngreat property, so that it had a large domain, by which that place was\nraised very high; and these lands have since always belonged to it. King\nCanute rode down to his ships, and lay there till late in harvest with a\nvery large army.\n164. OF KING OLAF AND THE SWEDES.\nWhen King Olaf and King Onund heard that King Canute had sailed to the\nSound, and lay there with a great force, the kings held a House-thing,\nand spoke much about what resolution they should adopt. King Olaf wished\nthey should remain there with all the fleet, and see what King Canute\nwould at last resolve to do. But the Swedes held it to be unadvisable to\nremain until the frost set in, and so it was determined; and King Onund\nwent home with all his army, and King Olaf remained lying after them.\n165. OF EGIL AND TOFE.\nWhile King Olaf lay there, he had frequently conferences and\nconsultations with his people. One night Egil Halson and Tofe Valgautson\nhad the watch upon the king's ship. Tofe came from West Gautland,\nand was a man of high birth. While they sat on watch they heard much\nlamentation and crying among the people who had been taken in the war,\nand who lay bound on the shore at night. Tofe said it made him ill to\nhear such distress, and asked Egil to go with him, and let loose these\npeople. This work they set about, cut the cords, and let the people\nescape, and they looked upon it as a piece of great friendship; but the\nking was so enraged at it, that they themselves were in the greatest\ndanger. When Egil afterwards fell sick the king for a long time would\nnot visit him, until many people entreated it of him. It vexed Egil\nmuch to have done anything the king was angry at, and he begged his\nforgiveness. The king now dismissed his wrath against Egil, laid his\nhands upon the side on which Egil's pain was, and sang a prayer; upon\nwhich the pain ceased instantly, and Egil grew better. Tofe came, after\nentreaty, into reconciliation with the king, on condition that he should\nexhort his father Valgaut to come to the king. He was a heathen; but\nafter conversation with the king he went over to Christianity, and died\ninstantly when he was baptized.\n166. TREACHERY TOWARDS KING OLAF.\nKing Olaf had now frequent conferences with his people, and asked advice\nfrom them, and from his chiefs, as to what he should determine upon.\nBut there was no unanimity among them--some considering that unadvisable\nwhich others considered highly serviceable; and there was much\nindecision in their councils. King Canute had always spies in King\nOlaf's army, who entered into conversation with many of his men,\noffering them presents and favour on account of King Canute. Many\nallowed themselves to be seduced, and gave promises of fidelity, and to\nbe King Canute's men, and bring the country into his hands if he came\nto Norway. This was apparent, afterwards, of many who at first kept\nit concealed. Some took at once money bribes, and others were promised\nmoney afterwards; and a great many there were who had got great presents\nof money from him before: for it may be said with truth of King Canute,\nthat every man who came to him, and who he thought had the spirit of a\nman and would like his favour, got his hands full of gifts and money.\nOn this account he was very popular, although his generosity was\nprincipally shown to foreigners, and was greatest the greater distance\nthey came from.\n167. KING OLAF'S CONSULTATIONS.\nKing Olaf had often conferences and meetings with his people, and asked\ntheir counsel; but as he observed they gave different opinions, he had\na suspicion that there must be some who spoke differently from what they\nreally thought advisable for him, and he was thus uncertain if all gave\nhim due fidelity in council. Some pressed that with the first fair wind\nthey should sail to the Sound, and so to Norway. They said the Danes\nwould not dare to attack them, although they lay with so great a force\nright in the way. But the king was a man of too much understanding not\nto see that this was impracticable. He knew also that Olaf Trygvason had\nfound it quite otherwise, as to the Danes not daring to fight, when he\nwith a few people went into battle against a great body of them. The\nking also knew that in King Canute's army there were a great many\nNorwegians; therefore he entertained the suspicion that those who gave\nthis advice were more favourable to King Canute than to him. King Olaf\ncame at last to the determination, from all these considerations, that\nthe people who would follow him should make themselves ready to proceed\nby land across Gautland, and so to Norway. \"But our ships,\" said he,\n\"and all things that we cannot take with us, I will send eastward to the\nSwedish king's dominions, and let them be taken care of for us there.\"\n168. HAREK OF THJOTTA'S VOYAGE.\nHarek of Thjotta replied thus to the king's speech: \"It is evident\nthat I cannot travel on foot to Norway. I am old and heavy, and little\naccustomed to walking. Besides, I am unwilling to part with my ship;\nfor on that ship and its apparel I have bestowed so much labour, that\nit would go much against my inclination to put her into the hands of my\nenemies.\" The king said, \"Come along with us, Harek, and we shall carry\nthee when thou art tired of walking.\" Then Harek sang these lines:--\n \"I'11 mount my ocean steed,\n And o'er the sea I'll speed;\n Forests and hills are not for me,--\n I love the moving sea,\n Though Canute block the Sound,\n Rather than walk the ground,\n And leave my ship, I'll see\n What my ship will do for me.\"\nThen King Olaf let everything be put in order for the journey. The\npeople had their walking clothing and weapons, but their other clothes\nand effects they packed upon such horses as they could get. Then he sent\noff people to take his ships east to Calmar. There he had the vessels\nlaid up, and the ships' apparel and other goods taken care of. Harek did\nas he had said, and waited for a wind, and then sailed west to Scania,\nuntil, about the decline of the day, he came with a fresh and fair wind\nto the eastward of Holar. There he let the sail and the vane, and flag\nand mast be taken down, and let the upper works of the ship be covered\nover with some grey tilt-canvas, and let a few men sit at the oars in\nthe fore part and aft, but the most were sitting low down in the vessel.\nWhen Canute's watchmen saw the ship, they talked with each other about\nwhat ship it might be, and made the guess that it must be one loaded\nwith herrings or salt, as they only saw a few men at the oars; and the\nship, besides, appeared to them grey, and wanting tar, as if burnt up\nby the sun, and they saw also that it was deeply loaded. Now when Harek\ncame farther through the Sound, and past the fleet, he raised the mast,\nhoisted sail, and set up his gilded vane. The sail was white as snow,\nand in it were red and blue stripes of cloth interwoven. When the king's\nmen saw the ship sailing in this state, they told the king that probably\nKing Olaf had sailed through them. But King Canute replies, that King\nOlaf was too prudent a man to sail with a single ship through King\nCanute's fleet, and thought it more likely to be Harek of Thjotta, or\nthe like of him. Many believed the truth to be that King Canute knew\nof this expedition of Harek, and that it would not have succeeded so if\nthey had not concluded a friendship beforehand with each other; which\nseemed likely, after King Canute's and Harek's friendly understanding\nbecame generally known.\nHarek made this song as he sailed northward round the isle of Vedrey:--\n \"The widows of Lund may smile through their tears,\n The Danish girls may have their jeers;\n They may laugh or smile,\n But outside their isle\n Old Harek still on to his North land steers.\"\nHarek went on his way, and never stopped till he came north to\nHalogaland, to his own house in Thjotta.\n169. KING OLAF'S COURSE FROM SVITHJOD.\nWhen King Olaf began his journey, he came first into Smaland, and then\ninto West Gautland. He marched quietly and peaceably, and the country\npeople gave him all assistance on his journey. Thus he proceeded until\nhe came into Viken, and north through Viken to Sarpsborg, where he\nremained, and ordered a winter abode to be prepared (A.D. 1028). Then he\ngave most of the chiefs leave to return home, but kept the lendermen by\nhim whom he thought the most serviceable. There were with him also all\nthe sons of Arne Arnmodson, and they stood in great favour with the\nking. Geller Thorkelson, who the summer before had come from Iceland,\nalso came there to the king, as before related.\n170. OF SIGVAT THE SKALD.\nSigvat the skald had long been in King Olaf's household, as before\nrelated, and the king made him his marshal. Sigvat had no talent for\nspeaking in prose; but in skaldcraft he was so practised, that the\nverses came as readily from his tongue as if he were speaking in usual\nlanguage. He had made a mercantile journey to Normandy, and in the\ncourse of it had come to England, where he met King Canute, and obtained\npermission from him to sail to Norway, as before related. When he\ncame to Norway he proceeded straight to King Olaf, and found him at\nSarpsborg. He presented himself before the king just as he was sitting\ndown to table. Sigvat saluted him. The king looked at Sigvat and was\nsilent. Then Sigvat sang:--\n \"Great king! thy marshal is come home,\n No more by land or sea to roam,\n But by thy side\n Still to abide.\n Great king! what seat here shall he take\n For the king's honour--not his sake?\n For all seats here\n To me are dear.\"\nThen was verified the old saying, that \"many are the ears of a king;\"\nfor King Olaf had heard all about Sigvat's journey, and that he had\nspoken with Canute. He says to Sigvat, \"I do not know if thou art my\nmarshal, or hast become one of Canute's men.\" Sigvat said:--\n \"Canute, whose golden gifts display\n A generous heart, would have me stay,\n Service in his great court to take,\n And my own Norway king forsake.\n Two masters at a time, I said,\n Were one too many for men bred\n Where truth and virtue, shown to all,\n Make all men true in Olaf's hall.\"\nThen King Olaf told Sigvat to take his seat where he before used to sit;\nand in a short time Sigvat was in as high favour with the king as ever.\n171. OF ERLING SKJALGSON AND HIS SONS.\nErling Skjalgson and all his sons had been all summer in King Canute's\narmy, in the retinue of Earl Hakon. Thorer Hund was also there, and\nwas in high esteem. Now when King Canute heard that King Olaf had gone\noverland to Norway, he discharged his army, and gave all men leave to\ngo to their winter abodes. There was then in Denmark a great army of\nforeigners, both English, Norwegians, and men of other countries,\nwho had joined the expedition in summer. In autumn (A.D. 1027) Erling\nSkjalgson went to Norway with his men, and received great presents from\nKing Canute at parting; but Thorer Hund remained behind in King Canute's\ncourt. With Erling went messengers from King Canute well provided with\nmoney; and in winter they travelled through all the country, paying\nthe money which King Canute had promised to many in autumn for their\nassistance. They gave presents in money, besides, to many whose\nfriendship could be purchased for King Canute. They received much\nassistance in their travels from Erling. In this way it came to pass\nthat many turned their support to King Canute, promised him their\nservices, and agreed to oppose King Olaf. Some did this openly, but many\nmore concealed it from the public. King Olaf heard this news, for many\nhad something to tell him about it; and the conversation in the court\noften turned upon it. Sigvat the skald made a song upon it:--\n \"The base traitors ply\n With purses of gold,\n Wanting to buy\n What is not to be sold,--\n The king's life and throne\n Wanting to buy:\n But our souls are our own,\n And to hell we'll not hie.\n No pleasure in heaven,\n As we know full well,\n To the traitor is given,--\n His soul is his hell.\"\nOften also the conversation turned upon how ill it beseemed Earl Hakon\nto raise his hand in arms against King Olaf, who had given him his life\nwhen he fell into the king's power; but Sigvat was a particular friend\nof Earl Hakon, and when he heard the earl spoken against he sang:--\n \"Our own court people we may blame,\n If they take gold to their own shame,\n Their king and country to betray.\n With those who give it's not the same,\n From them we have no faith to claim:\n 'Tis we are wrong, if we give way.\"\n172. OF KING OLAF'S PRESENTS AT YULE.\nKing Olaf gave a great feast at Yule, and many great people had come to\nhim. It was the seventh day of Yule, that the king, with a few persons,\namong whom was Sigvat, who attended him day and night, went to a house\nin which the king's most precious valuables were kept. He had, according\nto his custom, collected there with great care the valuable presents he\nwas to make on New Year's eve. There was in the house no small number of\ngold-mounted swords; and Sigvat sang:--\n \"The swords stand there,\n All bright and fair,--\n Those oars that dip in blood:\n If I in favour stood,\n I too might have a share.\n A sword the skald would gladly take,\n And use it for his master's sake:\n In favour once he stood,\n And a sword has stained in blood.\"\nThe king took a sword of which the handle was twisted round with gold,\nand the guard was gold-mounted, and gave it to him. It was a valuable\narticle; but the gift was not seen without envy, as will appear\nhereafter.\nImmediately after Yule (1028) the king began his journey to the Uplands;\nfor he had a great many people about him, but had received no income\nthat autumn from the North country, for there had been an armament in\nsummer, and the king had laid out all the revenues he could command;\nand also he had no vessels with which he and his people could go to the\nNorth. At the same time he had news from the North, from which he could\nsee that there would be no safety for him in that quarter, unless he\nwent with a great force. For these reasons he determined to proceed\nthrough the Uplands, although it was not so long a time since he had\nbeen there in guest-quarters as the law prescribes, and as the kings\nusually had the custom of observing in their visits. When he came to\nthe Uplands the lendermen and the richest bondes invited him to be their\nguest, and thus lightened his expenses.\n173. OF BJORN THE BAILIFF.\nThere was a man called Bjorn who was of Gautland family, and a friend\nand acquaintance of Queen Astrid, and in some way related to her. She\nhad given him farm-management and other offices in the upper part of\nHedemark. He had also the management of Osterdal district. Bjorn was\nnot in esteem with the king, nor liked by the bondes. It happened in a\nhamlet which Bjorn ruled over, that many swine and cattle were missing:\ntherefore Bjorn ordered a Thing to be called to examine the matter. Such\npillage he attributed chiefly to the people settled in forest-farms far\nfrom other men; by which he referred particularly to those who dwelt in\nOsterdal, for that district was very thinly inhabited, and full of lakes\nand forest-cleanings, and but in few places was any great neighbourhood\ntogether.\n174. OF RAUD'S SONS.\nThere was a man called Raud who dwelt in Osterdal. His wife was called\nRagnhild; and his sons, Dag and Sigurd, were men of great talent. They\nwere present at the Thing, made a reply in defence of the Osterdal\npeople, and removed the accusation from them. Bjorn thought they were\ntoo pert in their answer, and too fine in their clothes and weapons; and\ntherefore turned his speech against these brothers, and said it was not\nunlikely they may have committed these thefts. They denied it, and\nthe Thing closed. Soon after King Olaf, with his retinue, came to\nguest-quarters in the house of bailiff Bjorn. The matter which had been\nbefore the Thing was then complained of to the king; and Bjorn said that\nRaud's sons appeared to him to have committed these thefts. A messenger\nwas sent for Raud's sons; and when they appeared before the king he\nsaid they had not at all the appearance of thieves, and acquitted them.\nThereupon they invited the king, with all his retinue, to a three days'\nentertainment at their father's; and although Bjorn dissuaded him from\nit, the king went. At Raud's there was a very excellent feast. The king\nasked Raud what people he and his wife were. Raud answered that he was\noriginally a Swedish man, rich and of high birth; \"but I ran away\nwith the wife I have ever since had, and she is a sister of King Hring\nDagson.\" The king then remembered both their families. He found that\nfather and sons were men of understanding, and asked them what they\ncould do. Sigurd said he could interpret dreams, and determine the time\nof the day although no heavenly bodies could be seen. The king made\ntrial of his art, and found it was as Sigurd had said. Dag stated, as\nhis accomplishment, that he could see the misdeeds and vices of every\nman who came under his eye, when he chose to observe him closely. The\nking told him to declare what faults of disposition he saw in the king\nhimself. Dag mentioned a fault which the king was sensible he really\nhad. Then the king asked what fault the bailiff Bjorn had. Dag said\nBjorn was a thief; and told also where Bjorn had concealed on his farm\nthe bones, horns, and hides of the cattle he had stolen in autumn; \"for\nhe committed,\" said Dag, \"all the thefts in autumn which he accuses\nother people of.\" Dag also told the king the places where the king\nshould go after leaving them. When the king departed from Raud's house\nhe was accompanied on the way, and presented with friendly gifts; and\nRaud's sons remained with the king. The king went first to Bjorn's,\nand found there that all Dag had told him was true. Upon which he\ndrove Bjorn out of the country; and he had to thank the queen that he\npreserved life and limbs.\n175. THORER'S DEATH.\nThorer, a son of Olver of Eggja, a stepson of Kalf Arnason, and a\nsister's son of Thorer Hund, was a remarkably handsome man, stout and\nstrong. He was at this time eighteen years old; had made a good marriage\nin Hedemark, by which he got great wealth; and was besides one of the\nmost popular of men, and formed to be a chief. He invited the king and\nhis retinue home to him to a feast. The king accepted the invitation,\nwent to Thorer's, and was well received. The entertainment was very\nsplendid; they were excellently treated, and all that was set before the\nguests was of the best that could be got. The king and his people talked\namong themselves of the excellence of everything, and knew not what they\nshould admire the most,--whether Thorer's house outside, or the inside\nfurniture, the table service, or the liquors, or the host who gave them\nsuch a feast. But Dag said little about it. The king used often to speak\nto Dag, and ask him about various things; and he had proved the truth\nof all that Dag had said, both of things that had happened or were to\nhappen, and therefore the king had much confidence in what he said.\nThe king called Dag to him to have a private conversation together,\nand spoke to him about many things. Afterwards the king turned the\nconversation on Thorer,--what an excellent man Thorer was, and what a\nsuperb feast he had made for them. Dag answered but little to this,\nbut agreed it was true what the king said. The king then asked Dag\nwhat disposition or faith he found in Thorer. Dag replied that he must\ncertainly consider Thorer of a good disposition, if he be really what\nmost people believe him to be. The king told him to answer direct what\nhe was asked, and said that it was his duty to do so. Dag replies, \"Then\nthou must allow me to determine the punishment if I disclose his faith.\"\nThe king replied that he would not submit his decision to another man,\nbut again ordered Dag to reply to what he asked.\nDag replies, \"The sovereign's order goes before all. I find this\ndisposition in Thorer, as in so many others, that he is too greedy of\nmoney.\"\nThe king: \"Is he then a thief, or a robber?\"\n\"He is neither.\"\n\"What is he then?\"\n\"To win money he is a traitor to his sovereign. He has taken money from\nKing Canute the Great for thy head.\"\nThe king asks, \"What proof hast thou of the truth of this?\"\nDag: \"He has upon his right arm, above the elbow, a thick gold ring,\nwhich King Canute gave him, and which he lets no man see.\"\nThis ended their conference, and the king was very wroth. Now as the\nking sat at table, and the guests had drunk a while with great mirth,\nand Thorer went round to see the guests well served, the king ordered\nThorer to be called to him. He went up before the table, and laid his\nhands upon it.\nThe king asked, \"How old a man art thou, Thorer?\"\nHe answered, \"I am eighteen years old.\"\n\"A stout man thou art for those years, and thou hast been fortunate\nalso.\"\nThen the king took his right hand, and felt it towards the elbow.\nThorer said, \"Take care, for I have a boil upon my arm.\"\nThe king held his hand there, and felt there was something hard under\nit. \"Hast thou not heard,\" said he, \"that I am a physician? Let me see\nthe boil.\"\nAs Thorer saw it was of no use to conceal it longer, he took off the\nring and laid it on the table.\nThe king asked if that was the gift of King Canute.\nThorer replied that he could not deny it was.\nThe king ordered him to be seized and laid in irons. Kalf came up and\nentreated for mercy, and offered money for him, which also was seconded\nby many; but the king was so wroth that nobody could get in a word.\nHe said Thorer should suffer the doom he had prepared for himself.\nThereupon he ordered Thorer to be killed. This deed was much detested\nin the Uplands, and not less in the Throndhjem country, where many\nof Thorer's connections were. Kalf took the death of this man much to\nheart, for he had been his foster-son in childhood.\n176. THE FALL OF GRJOTGARD.\nGrjotgard Olverson, Thorer's brother, and the eldest of the brothers,\nwas a very wealthy man, and had a great troop of people about him. He\nlived also at this time in Hedemark. When he heard that Thorer had been\nkilled, he made an attack upon the places where the king's goods and\nmen were; but, between whiles, he kept himself in the forest and other\nsecret places. When the king heard of this disturbance, he had inquiry\nmade about Grjotgard's haunts, and found out that he had taken up\nnight-quarters not far from where the king was. King Olaf set out in the\nnight-time, came there about day-dawn, and placed a circle of men round\nthe house in which Grjotgard was sleeping. Grjotgard and his men, roused\nby the stir of people and clash of arms, ran to their weapons, and\nGrjotgard himself sprang to the front room. He asked who commanded the\ntroop; and it was answered him, \"King Olaf was come there.\" Grjotgard\nasked if the king would hear his words. The king, who stood at the door,\nsaid that Grjotgard might speak what he pleased, and he would hear his\nwords. Grjotgard said, \"I do not beg for mercy;\" and at the same moment\nhe rushed out, having his shield over his head, and his drawn sword in\nhis hand. It was not so much light that he could see clearly. He struck\nhis sword at the king; but Arnbjorn ran in, and the thrust pierced him\nunder his armour into his stomach, and Arnbjorn got his deathwound.\nGrjotgard was killed immediately, and most of his people with him. After\nthis event the king turned back to the south to Viken.\n177. KING OLAF SENDS FOR HIS SHIPS AND GOODS.\nNow when the king came to Tunsberg he sent men out to all the districts,\nand ordered the people out upon a levy. He had but a small provision\nof shipping, and there were only bondes' vessels to be got. From the\ndistricts in the near neighbourhood many people came to him, but few\nfrom any distance; and it was soon found that the people had turned\naway from the king. King Olaf sent people to Gautland for his ships,\nand other goods and wares which had been left there in autumn; but the\nprogress of these men was very slow, for it was no better now than in\nautumn to sail through the Sound, as King Canute had in spring fitted\nout an army throughout the whole of the Danish dominions, and had no\nfewer than 1200 vessels.\n178. KING OLAF'S COUNSELS.\nThe news came to Norway that King Canute had assembled an immense\narmament through all Denmark, with which he intended to conquer Norway.\nWhen this became known the people were less willing to join King Olaf,\nand he got but little aid from the bondes. The king's men often spoke\nabout this among themselves. Sigvat tells of it thus:--\n \"Our men are few, our ships are small,\n While England's king is strong in all;\n But yet our king is not afraid--\n O! never be such king betrayed!\n 'Tis evil counsel to deprive\n Our king of countrymen to strive\n To save their country, sword in hand:\n Tis money that betrays our land.\"\nThe king held meetings with the men of the court, and sometimes\nHouse-things with all his people, and consulted with them what\nthey should, in their opinion, undertake. \"We must not conceal from\nourselves,\" said he, \"that Canute will come here this summer; and that\nhe has, as ye all know, a large force, and we have at present but few\nmen to oppose to him; and, as matters now stand, we cannot depend much\non the fidelity of the country people.\" The king's men replied to his\nspeech in various ways; but it is said that Sigvat the skald replied\nthus, advising flight, as treachery, not cowardice, was the cause of\nit:--\n \"We may well fly, when even our foe\n Offers us money if we go.\n I may be blamed, accused of fear;\n But treachery, not faith, rules here.\n Men may retire who long have shown\n Their faith and love, and now alone\n Retire because they cannot save--\n This is no treachery in the brave.\"\n179. HAREK OF THJOTTA BURNS GRANKEL AND HIS MEN.\nThe same spring (A.D. 1028) it happened in Halogaland that Harek of\nThjotta remembered how Asmund Grankelson had plundered and beaten his\nhouse-servants. A cutter with twenty rowing-benches, which belonged\nto Harek, was afloat in front of the house, with tent and deck, and\nhe spread the report that he intended to go south to Throndhjem. One\nevening Harek went on board with his house-servants, about eighty men,\nwho rowed the whole night; and he came towards morning to Grankel's\nhouse, and surrounded it with his men. They then made an attack on the\nhouse, and set fire to it; and Grankel with his people were burnt, and\nsome were killed outside; and in all about thirty men lost their lives.\nAfter this deed Harek returned home, and sat quietly in his farm. Asmund\nwas with King Olaf when he heard of it; therefore there was nobody in\nHalogaland to sue Harek for mulct for this deed, nor did he offer any\nsatisfaction.\n180. KING CANUTE'S EXPEDITION TO NORWAY.\nCanute the Great collected his forces, and went to Limfjord. When he was\nready with his equipment he sailed from thence with his whole fleet to\nNorway; made all possible speed, and did not land to the eastward of\nthe Fjords, but crossed Folden, and landed in Agder, where he summoned a\nThing. The bondes came down from the upper country to hold a Thing with\nCanute, who was everywhere in that country accepted as king. Then he\nplaced men over the districts, and took hostages from the bondes, and\nno man opposed him. King Olaf was in Tunsberg when Canute's fleet sailed\nacross the mouth of the fjord. Canute sailed northwards along the coast,\nand people came to him from all the districts, and promised him fealty.\nHe lay a while in Egersund, where Erling Skjalgson came to him with many\npeople, and King Canute and Erling renewed their league of friendship.\nAmong other things, Canute promised Erling the whole country between\nStad and Rygiarbit to rule over. Then King Canute proceeded; and, to be\nshort in our tale, did not stop until he came to Throndhjem, and landed\nat Nidaros. In Throndhjem he called together a Thing for the eight\ndistricts, at which King Canute was chosen king of all Norway. Thorer\nHund, who had come with King Canute from Denmark, was there, and also\nHarek of Thjotta; and both were made sheriffs of the king, and took the\noath of fealty to him. King Canute gave them great fiefs, and also right\nto the Lapland trade, and presented them besides with great gifts. He\nenriched all men who were inclined to enter into friendly accord with\nhim both with fiefs and money, and gave them greater power than they had\nbefore.\n181. OF KING CANUTE.\nWhen King Canute had laid the whole of Norway trader his authority,\nhe called together a numerous Thing, both of his own people and of the\npeople of the country; and at it he made proclamation, that he made his\nrelation Earl Hakon the governor-in-chief of all the land in Norway\nthat he had conquered in this expedition. In like manner he led his son\nHardaknut to the high-seat at his side, gave him the title of king, and\ntherewith the whole Danish dominion. King Canute took as hostages from\nall lendermen and great bondes in Norway either their sons, brothers, or\nother near connections, or the men who were dearest to them and appeared\nto him most suitable; by which he, as before observed, secured their\nfidelity to him. As soon as Earl Hakon had attained this power in Norway\nhis brother-in-law, Einar Tambaskelfer, made an agreement with him, and\nreceived back all the fiefs he formerly had possessed while the earls\nruled the country. King Canute gave Einar great gifts, and bound him by\ngreat kindness to his interests; and promised that Einar should be the\ngreatest and most important man in Norway, among those who did not hold\nthe highest dignity, as long as he had power over the country. He added\nto this, that Einar appeared to him the most suitable man to hold the\nhighest title of honour in Norway if no earls remained, and his son\nEindride also, on account of his high birth. Einar placed a great value\non these promises, and, in return, promised the greatest fidelity.\nEinar's chiefship began anew with this.\n182. OF THORARIN LOFTUNGA.\nThere was a man by name Thorarin Loftunga, an Icelander by birth, and a\ngreat skald, who had been much with the kings and other great chiefs. He\nwas now with King Canute the Great, and had composed a flock, or short\npoem, in his praise. When the king heard of this he was very angry, and\nordered him to bring the next day a drapa, or long poem, by the time he\nwent to table; and if he failed to do so, said the king, \"he shall\nbe hanged for his impudence in composing such a small poem about King\nCanute.\" Thorarin then composed a stave as a refrain, which he inserted\nin the poem, and also augmented it with several other strophes or\nverses. This was the refrain:--\n \"Canute protects his realm, as Jove,\n Guardian of Greece, his realm above.\"\nKing Canute rewarded him for the poem with fifty marks of silver. The\npoem was called the \"Headransom\" (\"Hofudlausn\"). Thorarin composed\nanother poem about King Canute, which was called the \"Campaign Poem\"\n(\"Togdrapa\"); and therein he tells King Canute's expedition when he\nsailed from Denmark to Norway; and the following are strophes from one\nof the parts of this poem:--\n \"Canute with all his men is out,\n Under the heavens in war-ships stout,--\n 'Out on the sea, from Limfjord's green,\n My good, my brave friend's fleet is seen.\n The men of Adger on the coast\n Tremble to see this mighty host:\n The guilty tremble as they spy\n The victor's fleet beneath the sky.\n \"The sight surpasses far the tale,\n As glacing in the sun they sail;\n The king's ship glittering all with gold,\n And splendour there not to be told.\n Round Lister many a coal-black mast\n Of Canute's fleet is gliding past.\n And now through Eger sound they ride,\n Upon the gently heaving tide.\n \"And all the sound is covered o'er\n With ships and sails, from shore to shore,\n A mighty king, a mighty host,\n Hiding the sea on Eger coast.\n And peaceful men in haste now hie\n Up Hiornagla-hill the fleet to spy,\n As round the ness where Stad now lies\n Each high-stemmed ship in splendour flies.\n \"Nor seemed the voyage long, I trow,\n To warrior on the high-built bow,\n As o'er the ocean-mountains riding\n The land and hill seem past him gliding.\n With whistling breeze and flashing spray\n Past Stein the gay ships dashed away;\n In open sea, the southern gale\n Filled every wide out-bellying sail.\n \"Still on they fly, still northward go,\n Till he who conquers every foe,\n The mighty Canute, came to land,\n Far in the north on Throndhjem's strand.\n There this great king of Jutland race,\n Whose deeds and gifts surpass in grace\n All other kings, bestowed the throne\n Of Norway on his sister's son.\n \"To his own son he gave the crown\n (This I must add to his renown)\n Of Denmark--land of shadowy vales,\n In which the white swan trims her sails.\"\nHere it is told that King Canute's expedition was grander than saga can\ntell; but Thorarin sang thus because he would pride himself upon being\none of King Canute's retinue when he came to Norway.\n183. OF THE MESSENGERS SENT BY KING OLAF FOR HIS SHIPS.\nThe men whom King Olaf had sent eastwards to Gautland after his ships\ntook with them the vessels they thought the best, and burnt the rest.\nThe ship-apparel and other goods belonging to the king and his men they\nalso took with them; and when they heard that King Canute had gone to\nNorway they sailed west through the Sound, and then north to Viken to\nKing Olaf, to whom they delivered his ships. He was then at Tunsberg.\nWhen King Olaf learnt that King Canute was sailing north along the\ncoast, King Olaf steered with his fleet into Oslo fjord, and into a\nbranch of it called Drafn, where he lay quiet until King Canute's fleet\nhad sailed southwards again. On this expedition which King Canute made\nfrom the North along the coast, he held a Thing in each district, and in\nevery Thing the country was bound by oath in fealty to him, and hostages\nwere given him. He went eastward across the mouths of the fjords to\nSarpsborg, and held a Thing there, and, as elsewhere, the country was\nsurrendered to him under oath of fidelity. King Canute then returned\nsouth to Denmark, after having conquered Norway without stroke of sword,\nand he ruled now over three kingdoms. So says Halvard Hareksblese when\nhe sang of King Canute:--\n \"The warrior-king, whose blood-stain'd shield\n Has shone on many a hard-fought field,\n England and Denmark now has won,\n And o'er three kingdoms rules alone.\n Peace now he gives us fast and sure,\n Since Norway too is made secure\n By him who oft, in days of yore,\n Glutted the hawk and wolf with gore.\"\n184. OF KING OLAF IN HIS PROCEEDINGS.\nKing Olaf sailed with his ships out to Tunsberg, as soon as he heard\nthat King Canute had turned back, and was gone south to Denmark. He then\nmade himself ready with the men who liked to follow him, and had then\nthirteen ships. Afterwards he sailed out along Viken; but got little\nmoney, and few men, as those only followed him who dwelt in islands, or\non outlying points of land. The king landed in such places, but got only\nthe money and men that fell in his way; and he soon perceived that the\ncountry had abandoned him. He proceeded on according to the winds. This\nwas in the beginning of winter (A.D. 1029). The wind turned very late in\nthe season in their favour, so that they lay long in the Seley islands,\nwhere they heard the news from the North, through merchants, who told\nthe king that Erling Skjalgson had collected a great force in Jadar, and\nthat his ship lay fully rigged outside of the land, together with many\nother vessels belonging to the bondes; namely, skiffs, fisher-yachts,\nand great row-boats. Then the king sailed with his fleet from the East,\nand lay a while in Egersund. Both parties heard of each other now, and\nErling assembled all the men he could.\n185. OF KING OLAF'S VOYAGE.\nOn Thomasmas, before Yule (Dec. 21), the king left the harbour as soon\nas day appeared. With a good but rather strong gale he sailed northwards\npast Jadar. The weather was rainy, with dark flying clouds in the sky.\nThe spies went immediately in through the Jadar country when the king\nsailed past it; and as soon as Erling heard that the king was sailing\npast from the East, he let the war-horn call all the people on board,\nand the whole force hastened to the ships, and prepared for battle. The\nking's ship passed by Jadar at a great rate; but thereafter turned\nin towards the land, intending to run up the fjords to gather men and\nmoney. Erling Skjalgson perceived this, and sailed after him with a\ngreat force and many ships. Swiftly their vessels flew, for they had\nnothing on board but men and arms: but Erling's ship went much faster\nthan the others; therefore he took in a reef in the sails, and waited\nfor the other vessels. Then the king saw that Erling with his fleet\ngained upon him fast; for the king's ships were heavily laden, and were\nbesides water-soaked, having been in the sea the whole summer, autumn,\nand winter, up to this time. He saw also that there would be a great\nwant of men, if he should go against the whole of Erling's fleet when it\nwas assembled. He hailed from ship to ship the orders to let the sails\ngently sink, and to unship the booms and outriggers, which was done.\nWhen Erling saw this he calls out to his people, and orders them to get\non more sail. \"Ye see,\" says he, \"that their sails are diminishing, and\nthey are getting fast away from our sight.\" He took the reef out of the\nsails of his ship, and outsailed all the others immediately; for Erling\nwas very eager in his pursuit of King Olaf.\n186. OF ERLING SKJALGSON'S FALL.\nKing Olaf then steered in towards the Bokn fjord, by which the ships\ncame out of sight of each other. Thereafter the king ordered his men\nto strike the sails, and row forwards through a narrow sound that was\nthere, and all the ships lay collected within a rocky point. Then all\nthe king's men put on their weapons. Erling sailed in through the sound,\nand observed nothing until the whole fleet was before him, and he saw\nthe king's men rowing towards him with all their ships at once. Erling\nand his crew let fall the sails, and seized their weapons; but the\nking's fleet surrounded his ship on all sides. Then the fight began, and\nit was of the sharpest; but soon the greatest loss was among Erling's\nmen. Erling stood on the quarter-deck of his ship. He had a helmet on\nhis head, a shield before him, and a sword in his hand. Sigvat the skald\nhad remained behind in Viken, and heard the tidings. He was a great\nfriend of Erling, had received presents from him, and had been at his\nhouse. Sigvat composed a poem upon Erling's fall, in which there is the\nfollowing verse:--\n \"Erling has set his ship on sea--\n Against the king away is he:\n He who oft lets the eagle stain\n Her yellow feet in blood of slain.\n His little war-ship side by side\n With the king's fleet, the fray will bide.\n Now sword to sword the fight is raging,\n Which Erling with the king is waging.\"\nThen Erling's men began to fall, and at the same moment his ship was\ncarried by boarding, and every man of his died in his place. The king\nhimself was amongst the foremost in the fray. So says Sigvat:--\n \"The king's men hewed with hasty sword,--\n The king urged on the ship to board,--\n All o'er the decks the wounded lay:\n Right fierce and bloody was that fray.\n In Tungur sound, on Jadar shore,\n The decks were slippery with red gore;\n Warm blood was dropping in the sound,\n Where the king's sword was gleaming round.\"\nSo entirely had Erling's men fallen, that not a man remained standing in\nhis ship but himself alone; for there was none who asked for quarter,\nor none who got it if he did ask. There was no opening for flight, for\nthere lay ships all around Erling's ship on every side, and it is told\nfor certain that no man attempted to fly; and Sigvat says:--\n \"All Erling's men fell in the fray,\n Off Bokn fjord, this hard-fought day.\n The brave king boarded, onward cheered,\n And north of Tungur the deck was cleared.\n Erling alone, the brave, the stout,\n Cut off from all, yet still held out;\n High on the stern--a sight to see--\n In his lone ship alone stood he.\"\nThen Erling was attacked both from the forecastle and from the other\nships. There was a large space upon the poop which stood high above the\nother ships, and which nobody could reach but by arrow-shot, or partly\nwith the thrust of spear, but which he always struck from him by\nparrying. Erling defended himself so manfully, that no example is known\nof one man having sustained the attack of so many men so long. Yet he\nnever tried to get away, nor asked for quarter. So says Sigvat:--\n \"Skjalg's brave son no mercy craves,--\n The battle's fury still he braves;\n The spear-storm, through the air sharp singing,\n Against his shield was ever ringing.\n So Erling stood; but fate had willed\n His life off Bokn should be spilled.\n No braver man has, since his day,\n Past Bokn fjord ta'en his way.\"\nWhen Olaf went back a little upon the fore-deck he saw Erling's\nbehaviour; and the king accosted him thus:--\"Thou hast turned against me\nto-day, Erling.\"\nHe replies, \"The eagle turns his claws in defence when torn asunder.\"\nSigvat the skald tells thus of these words of Erling:--\n \"Erling, our best defence of old,--\n Erling the brave, the brisk, the bold,--\n Stood to his arms, gaily crying,\n 'Eagles should show their claws, though dying:'\n The very words which once before\n To Olaf he had said on shore,\n At Utstein when they both prepared\n To meet the foe, and danger shared.\"\nThen said the king, \"Wilt thou enter into my service, Erling?\"\n\"That I will,\" said he; took the helmet off his head, laid down his\nsword and shield, and went forward to the forecastle deck.\nThe king struck him in the chin with the sharp point of his battle-axe,\nand said, \"I shall mark thee as a traitor to thy sovereign.\"\nThen Aslak Fitiaskalle rose up, and struck Erling in the head with\nan axe, so that it stood fast in his brain, and was instantly his\ndeath-wound. Thus Erling lost his life.\nThe king said to Aslak, \"May all ill luck attend thee for that stroke;\nfor thou hast struck Norway out of my hands.\"\nAslak replied, \"It is bad enough if that stroke displease thee, for I\nthought it was striking Norway into thy hands; and if I have given thee\noffence, sire, by this stroke, and have thy ill-will for it, it will go\nbadly with me, for I will get so many men's ill-will and enmity for this\ndeed that I would need all your protection and favour.\"\nThe king replied that he should have it.\nThereafter the king ordered every man to return to his ship, and to get\nready to depart as fast as he could. \"We will not plunder the slain,\"\nsays he, \"and each man may keep what he has taken.\" The men returned\nto the ships and prepared themselves for the departure as quickly as\npossible; and scarcely was this done before the vessels of the bondes\nran in from the south into the sound. It went with the bonde-army as is\noften seen, that the men, although many in numbers, know not what to\ndo when they have experienced a check, have lost their chief, and\nare without leaders. None of Erling's sons were there, and the bondes\ntherefore made no attack, and the king sailed on his way northwards. But\nthe bondes took Erling's corpse, adorned it, and carried it with them\nhome to Sole, and also the bodies of all who had fallen. There was great\nlamentation over Erling; and it has been a common observation among\npeople, that Erling Skjalgson was the greatest and worthiest man in\nNorway of those who had no high title. Sigvat made these verses upon the\noccasion:--\n \"Thus Erling fell--and such a gain\n To buy with such a loss was vain;\n For better man than he ne'er died,\n And the king's gain was small beside.\n In truth no man I ever knew\n Was, in all ways, so firm and true;\n Free from servility and pride,\n Honoured by all, yet thus he died.\"\nSigvat also says that Aslak had very unthinkingly committed this murder\nof his own kinsman:--\n \"Norway's brave defender's dead!\n Aslak has heaped on his own head\n The guilt of murdering his own kin:\n May few be guilty of such sin!\n His kinsman's murder on him lies--\n Our forefathers, in sayings wise,\n Have said, what is unknown to few,\n 'Kinsmen to kinsmen should be true.'\"\n187. OF THE INSURRECTION OF AGDER DISTRICT.\nOf Erling's sons some at that time were north in Throndhjem, some in\nHordaland, and some in the Fjord district, for the purpose of collecting\nmen. When Erling's death was reported, the news came also that there was\na levy raising in Agder, Hordaland, and Rogaland. Forces were raised and\na great army assembled, under Erling's sons, to pursue King Olaf.\nWhen King Olaf retired from the battle with Erling he went northward\nthrough the sounds, and it was late in the day. It is related that the\nking then made the following verses:--\n \"This night, with battle sounds wild ringing,\n Small joy to the fair youth is bringing\n Who sits in Jadar, little dreaming\n O'er what this night the raven's screaming.\n The far-descended Erling's life\n Too soon has fallen; but, in the strife\n He met the luck they well deserve\n Who from their faith and fealty swerve.\"\nAfterwards the king sailed with his fleet along the land northwards, and\ngot certain tidings of the bondes assembling an army. There were many\nchiefs and lendermen at this time with King Olaf, and all the sons of\nArne. Of this Bjarne Gullbrarskald speaks in the poem he composed about\nKalf Arnason:--\n \"Kalf! thou hast fought at Bokn well;\n Of thy brave doings all men tell:\n When Harald's son his men urged on\n To the hard strife, thy courage shone.\n Thou soon hadst made a good Yule feast\n For greedy wolf there in the East:\n Where stone and spear were flying round,\n There thou wast still the foremost found.\n The people suffered in the strife\n When noble Erling lost his life,\n And north of Utstein many a speck\n Of blood lay black upon the deck.\n The king, 'tis clear, has been deceived,\n By treason of his land bereaved;\n And Agder now, whose force is great.\n Will rule o'er all parts of the state.\"\nKing Olaf continued his voyage until he came north of Stad, and brought\nup at the Herey Isles. Here he heard the news that Earl Hakon had a\ngreat war-force in Throndhjem, and thereupon the king held a council\nwith his people. Kalf Arnason urged much to advance to Throndhjem, and\nfight Earl Hakon, notwithstanding the difference of numbers. Many others\nsupported this advice, but others dissuaded from it, and the matter was\nleft to the king's judgment.\n188. DEATH OF ASLAK FITIASKALLE.\nAfterwards the king went into Steinavag, and remained there all night;\nbut Aslak Fitiaskalle ran into Borgund, where he remained the night,\nand where Vigleik Arnason was before him. In the morning, when Aslak was\nabout returning on board, Vigleik assaulted him, and sought to avenge\nErling's murder. Aslak fell there. Some of the king's court-men, who had\nbeen home all summer, joined the king here. They came from Frekeysund,\nand brought the king tidings that Earl Hakon, and many lendermen with\nhim, had come in the morning to Frekeysund with a large force; \"and they\nwill end thy days, sire, if they have strength enough.\" Now the king\nsent his men up to a hill that was near; and when they came to the top,\nand looked northwards to Bjarney Island, they perceived that a great\narmament of many ships was coming from the north, and they hastened back\nto the king with this intelligence. The king, who was lying there with\nonly twelve ships, ordered the war-horn to sound, the tents to be taken\ndown on his ships, and they took to their oars. When they were quite\nready, and were leaving the harbour, the bonde army sailed north around\nThiotande with twenty-five ships. The king then steered inside of Nyrfe\nIsland, and inside of Hundsver. Now when King Olaf came right abreast of\nBorgund, the ship which Aslak had steered came out to meet him, and when\nthey found the king they told him the tidings,--that Vigleik Arnason had\nkilled Aslak Fitiaskalle, because he had killed Erling Skjalgson. The\nking took this news very angrily, but could not delay his voyage on\naccount of the enemy and he sailed in by Vegsund and Skor. There some\nof his people left him; among others, Kalf Arnason, with many other\nlendermen and ship commanders, who all went to meet Earl Hakon. King\nOlaf, however, proceeded on his way without stopping until he came to\nTodar fjord, where he brought up at Valdal, and landed from his ship. He\nhad then five ships with him, which he drew up upon the shore, and took\ncare of their sails and materials. Then he set up his land-tent upon a\npoint of land called Sult, where there are pretty flat fields, and set\nup a cross near to the point of land. A bonde, by name Bruse, who dwelt\nthere in More, and was chief over the valley, came down to King Olaf,\ntogether with many other bondes, and received him well, and according\nto his dignity; and he was friendly, and pleased with their reception of\nhim. Then the king asked if there was a passable road up in the country\nfrom the valley to Lesjar; and Bruse replied, that there was an urd in\nthe valley called Skerfsurd not passable for man or beast. King Olaf\nanswers, \"That we must try, bonde, and it will go as God pleases. Come\nhere in the morning with your yoke, and come yourself with it, and let\nus then see. When we come to the sloping precipice, what chance there\nmay be, and if we cannot devise some means of coming over it with horses\nand people.\"\n189. CLEARING OF THE URD.\nNow when day broke the bondes drove down with their yokes, as the king\nhad told them. The clothes and weapons were packed upon horses, but the\nking and all the people went on foot. He went thus until he came to a\nplace called Krosbrekka, and when he came up upon the hill he rested\nhimself, sat down there a while, looked down over the fjord, and said,\n\"A difficult expedition ye have thrown upon my hands, ye lendermen, who\nhave now changed your fealty, although but a little while ago ye were my\nfriends and faithful to me.\" There are now two crosses erected upon\nthe bank on which the king sat. Then the king mounted a horse, and rode\nwithout stopping up the valley, until he came to the precipice. Then\nthe king asked Bruse if there was no summer hut of cattle-herds in the\nneighbourhood, where they could remain. He said there was. The king\nordered his land-tent to be set up, and remained there all night. In the\nmorning the king ordered them to drive to the urd, and try if they could\nget across it with the waggons. They drove there, and the king remained\nin the meantime in his tent. Towards evening the king's court-men and\nthe bondes came back, and told how they had had a very fatiguing labour,\nwithout making any progress, and that there never could be a road made\nthat they could get across: so they continued there the second night,\nduring which, for the whole night, the king was occupied in prayer. As\nsoon as he observed day dawning he ordered his men to drive again to the\nurd, and try once more if they could get across it with the waggons; but\nthey went very unwillingly, saying nothing could be gained by it. When\nthey were gone the man who had charge of the king's kitchen came,\nand said there were only two carcasses of young cattle remaining of\nprovision: \"Although you, sire, have 400 men, and there are 100 bondes\nbesides.\" Then the king ordered that he should set all the kettles on\nthe fire, and put a little bit of meat in each kettle, which was done.\nThen the king went there, and made the sign of the cross over each\nkettle, and told them to make ready the meat. The king then went to the\nurd called Skerfsurd, where a road should be cleared. When the king came\nall his people were sitting down, quite worn out with the hard labour.\nBruse said, \"I told you, sire, but you would not believe me, that we\ncould make nothing of this urd.\" The king laid aside his cloak, and told\nthem to go to work once more at the urd. They did so, and now twenty men\ncould handle stones which before 100 men could not move from the place;\nand thus before midday the road was cleared so well that it was as\npassable for men, and for horses with packs, as a road in the plain\nfields. The king, after this, went down again to where the meat was,\nwhich place is called Olaf's Rock. Near the rock is a spring, at which\nOlaf washed himself; and therefore at the present day, when the cattle\nin the valley are sick, their illness is made better by their drinking\nat this well. Thereafter the king sat down to table with all the others;\nand when he was satisfied he asked if there was any other sheeling on\nthe other side of the urd, and near the mountains, where they could pass\nthe night. Bruse said there was such a sheeling, called Groningar; but\nthat nobody could pass the night there on account of witchcraft, and\nevil beings who were in the sheeling. Then the king said they must get\nready for their journey, as he wanted to be at the sheeling for the\nnight. Then came the kitchen-master to the king, and tells that there\nwas come an extraordinary supply of provisions, and he did not know\nwhere it had come from, or how. The king thanked God for this blessing,\nand gave the bondes who drove down again to their valley some rations of\nfood, but remained himself all night in the sheeling. In the middle\nof the night, while the people were asleep, there was heard in the\ncattle-fold a dreadful cry, and these words: \"Now Olaf's prayers\nare burning me,\" says the spirit, \"so that I can no longer be in my\nhabitation; now must I fly, and never more come to this fold.\" When the\nking's people awoke in the morning the king proceeded to the mountains,\nand said to Bruse, \"Here shall now a farm be settled, and the bonde who\ndwells here shall never want what is needful for the support of life;\nand never shall his crop be destroyed by frost, although the crops be\nfrozen on the farms both above it and below it.\" Then the king proceeded\nover the mountains, and came to a farm called Einby, where he remained\nfor the night. King Olaf had then been fifteen years king of Norway\n(A.D. 1015-1029), including the year both he and Svein were in the\ncountry, and this year we have now been telling about. It was, namely,\na little past Yule when the king left his ships and took to the land, as\nbefore related. Of this portion of his reign the priest Are Thorgilson\nthe Wise was the first who wrote; and he was both faithful in his story,\nof a good memory, and so old a man that he could remember the men, and\nhad heard their accounts, who were so old that through their age they\ncould remember these circumstances as he himself wrote them in his\nbooks, and he named the men from whom he received his information.\nOtherwise it is generally said that King Olaf had been fifteen years\nking of Norway when he fell; but they who say so reckon to Earl Svein's\ngovernment, the last year he was in the country, for King Olaf lived\nfifteen years afterwards as king.\n190. OLAF'S PROPHECIES.\nWhen the king had been one night at Lesjar he proceeded on his journey\nwith his men, day by day; first into Gudbrandsdal, and from thence out\nto Redemark. Now it was seen who had been his friends, for they followed\nhim; but those who had served him with less fidelity separated from him,\nand some showed him even indifference, or even full hostility, which\nafterwards was apparent; and also it could be seen clearly in many\nUpland people that they took very ill his putting Thorer to death, as\nbefore related. King Olaf gave leave to return home to many of his\nmen who had farms and children to take care of; for it seemed to them\nuncertain what safety there might be for the families and property of\nthose who left the country with him. Then the king explained to his\nfriends his intention of leaving the country, and going first east into\nSvithjod, and there taking his determination as to where he should go;\nbut he let his friends know his intention to return to the country, and\nregain his kingdoms, if God should grant him longer life; and he did not\nconceal his expectation that the people of Norway would again return\nto their fealty to him. \"I think,\" says he, \"that Earl Hakon will have\nNorway but a short time under his power, which many will not think an\nextraordinary expectation, as Earl Hakon has had but little luck against\nme; but probably few people will trust to my prophecy, that Canute the\nGreat will in the course of a few years die, and his kingdoms vanish;\nand there will he no risings in favour of his race.\" When the king had\nended his speech, his men prepared themselves for their departure. The\nking, with the troop that followed him, turned east to Eid forest. And\nthere were along with him the Queen Astrid; their daughter Ulfhild;\nMagnus, King Olaf's son; Ragnvald Brusason; the three sons of Arne,\nThorberg, Fin, and Arne, with many lendermen; and the king's attendants\nconsisted of many chosen men. Bjorn the marshal got leave to go home,\nand he went to his farm, and many others of the king's friends returned\nhome with his permission to their farms. The king begged them to let him\nknow the events which might happen in the country, and which it might be\nimportant for him to know; and now the king proceeded on his way.\n191. KING OLAF PROCEEDS TO RUSSIA.\nIt is to be related of King Olaf's journey, that he went first from\nNorway eastward through Eid forest to Vermaland, then to Vatnsby, and\nthrough the forests in which there are roads, until he came out in\nNerike district. There dwelt a rich and powerful man in that part called\nSigtryg, who had a son, Ivar, who afterwards became a distinguished\nperson. Olaf stayed with Sigtryg all spring (A.D. 1029); and when summer\ncame he made ready for a journey, procured a ship for himself, and\nwithout stopping went on to Russia to King Jarisleif and his queen\nIngegerd; but his own queen Astrid, and their daughter Ulfhild, remained\nbehind in Svithjod, and the king took his son Magnus eastward with him.\nKing Jarisleif received King Olaf in the kindest manner, and made him\nthe offer to remain with him, and to have so much land as was necessary\nfor defraying the expense of the entertainment of his followers. King\nOlaf accepted this offer thankfully, and remained there. It is related\nthat King Olaf was distinguished all his life for pious habits, and\nzeal in his prayers to God. But afterwards, when he saw his own power\ndiminished, and that of his adversaries augmented, he turned all his\nmind to God's service; for he was not distracted by other thoughts, or\nby the labour he formerly had upon his hands, for during all the time he\nsat upon the throne he was endeavouring to promote what was most\nuseful: and first to free and protect the country from foreign chiefs'\noppressions, then to convert the people to the right faith; and also\nto establish law and the rights of the country, which he did by letting\njustice have its way, and punishing evil-doers.\n192. CAUSES OF THE REVOLT AGAINST KING OLAF.\nIt had been an old custom in Norway that the sons of lendermen, or other\ngreat men, went out in war-ships to gather property, and they marauded\nboth in the country and out of the country. But after King Olaf came\nto the sovereignty he protected the country, so that he abolished all\nplundering there; and even if they were the sons of powerful men who\ncommitted any depredation, or did what the king considered against law,\nhe did not spare them at all, but they must suffer in life or limbs; and\nno man's entreaties, and no offer of money-penalties, could help them.\nSo says Sigvat:--\n \"They who on viking cruises drove\n With gifts of red gold often strove\n To buy their safety--but our chief\n Had no compassion for the thief.\n He made the bravest lose his head\n Who robbed at sea, and pirates led;\n And his just sword gave peace to all,\n Sparing no robber, great or small.\"\nAnd he also says:--\n \"Great king! whose sword on many a field\n Food to the wandering wolf did yield,\n And then the thief and pirate band\n Swept wholly off by sea and land--\n Good king! who for the people's sake\n Set hands and feet upon a stake,\n When plunderers of great name and bold\n Harried the country as of old.\n The country's guardian showed his might\n When oft he made his just sword bite\n Through many a viking's neck and hair,\n And never would the guilty spare.\n King Magnus' father, I must say,\n Did many a good deed in his day.\n Olaf the Thick was stern and stout,\n Much good his victories brought out.\"\nHe punished great and small with equal severity, which appeared to\nthe chief people of the country too severe; and animosity rose to the\nhighest when they lost relatives by the king's just sentence, although\nthey were in reality guilty. This was the origin of the hostility of the\ngreat men of the country to King Olaf, that they could not bear his\njust judgments. He again would rather renounce his dignity than omit\nrighteous judgment. The accusation against him, of being stingy with his\nmoney, was not just, for he was a most generous man towards his friends;\nbut that alone was the cause of the discontent raised against him, that\nhe appeared hard and severe in his retributions. Besides, King Canute\noffered great sums of money, and the great chiefs were corrupted by\nthis, and by his offering them greater dignities than they had possessed\nbefore. The inclinations of the people, also, were all in favour of\nEarl Hakon, who was much beloved by the country folks when he ruled the\ncountry before.\n193. OF JOKUL BARDSON.\nEarl Hakon had sailed with his fleet from Throndhjem, and gone south to\nMore against King Olaf, as before related. Now when the king bore away,\nand ran into the fjord, the earl followed him thither; and then Kalf\nArnason came to meet him, with many of the men who had deserted King\nOlaf. Kalf was well received. The earl steered in through Todar fjord to\nValdal, where the king had laid up his ships on the strand. He took\nthe ships which belonged to the king, had them put upon the water and\nrigged, and cast lots, and put commanders in charge of them according to\nthe lots. There was a man called Jokul, who was an Icelander, a son of\nBard Jokulson of Vatnsdal; the lot fell upon Jokul to command the Bison,\nwhich King Olaf himself had commanded. Jokul made these verses upon\nit:--\n \"Mine is the lot to take the helm\n Which Olaf owned, who owned the realm;\n From Sult King Olaf's ship to steer\n (Ill luck I dread on his reindeer).\n My girl will never hear the tidings,\n Till o'er the wild wave I come riding\n In Olaf's ship, who loved his gold,\n And lost his ships with wealth untold.\"\nWe may here shortly tell what happened a long time after.--that this\nJokul fell in with King Olaf's men in the island of Gotland, and\nthe king ordered him to be taken out to be beheaded. A willow twig\naccordingly was plaited in with his hair, and a man held him fast by it.\nJokul sat down upon a bank, and a man swung the axe to execute him; but\nJokul hearing the sound, raised his head, and the blow struck him in\nthe head, and made a dreadful wound. As the king saw it would be his\ndeath-wound, he ordered them to let him lie with it. Jokul raised\nhimself up, and he sang:--\n \"My hard fate I mourn,--\n Alas! my wounds burn,\n My red wounds are gaping,\n My life-blood escaping.\n My wounds burn sore;\n But I suffer still more\n From the king's angry word,\n Than his sharp-biting sword.\"\n194. OF KALF ARNASON.\nKalf Arnason went with Earl Hakon north to Throndhjem, and the earl\ninvited him to enter into his service. Kalf said he would first go home\nto his farm at Eggja, and afterwards make his determination; and Kalf\ndid so. When he came home he found his wife Sigrid much irritated; and\nshe reckoned up all the sorrow inflicted on her, as she insisted, by\nKing Olaf. First, he had ordered her first husband Olver to be killed.\n\"And now since,\" says she, \"my two sons; and thou thyself, Kalf, wert\npresent when they were cut off, and which I little expected from thee.\"\nKalf says, it was much against his will that Thorer was killed. \"I\noffered money-penalty for him,\" says he; \"and when Grjotgard was killed\nI lost my brother Arnbjorn at the same time.\" She replies, \"It is well\nthou hast suffered this from the king; for thou mayest perhaps avenge\nhim, although thou wilt not avenge my injuries. Thou sawest how thy\nfoster-son Thorer was killed, with all the regard of the king for thee.\"\nShe frequently brought out such vexatious speeches to Kalf, to which he\noften answered angrily; but yet he allowed himself to be persuaded by\nher to enter into the earl's service, on condition of renewing his fiefs\nto him. Sigrid sent word to the earl how far she had brought the matter\nwith Kalf. As soon as the earl heard of it, he sent a message to\nKalf that he should come to the town to him. Kalf did not decline the\ninvitation, but came directly to Nidaros, and waited on the earl, who\nreceived him kindly. In their conversation it was fully agreed upon that\nKalf should go into the earl's service, and should receive great fiefs.\nAfter this Kalf returned home, and had the greater part of the interior\nof the Throndhjem country under him. As soon as it was spring Kalf\nrigged out a ship that belonged to him, and when she was ready he put\nto sea, and sailed west to England; for he had heard that in spring King\nCanute was to sail from Denmark to England, and that King Canute had\ngiven Harald, a son of Thorkel the High, an earldom in Denmark. Kalf\nArnason went to King Canute as soon as he arrived in England. Bjarne\nGullbrarskald tells of this:--\n \"King Olaf eastward o'er the sea\n To Russia's monarch had to flee;\n Our Harald's brother ploughed the main,\n And furrowed white its dark-blue plain.\n Whilst thou--the truth I still will say,\n Nor fear nor favour can me sway--\n Thou to King Canute hastened fast,\n As soon as Olaf's luck was past.\"\nNow when Kalf came to King Canute the king received him particularly\nwell, and had many conversations with him. Among other things, King\nCanute, in a conference, asked Kalf to bind himself to raise a warfare\nagainst King Olaf, if ever he should return to the country. \"And for\nwhich,\" says the king, \"I will give thee the earldom, and place thee\nto rule over Norway; and my relation Hakon shall come to me, which will\nsuit him better, for he is so honourable and trustworthy that I believe\nhe would not even throw a spear against the person of King Olaf if he\ncame back to the country.\" Kalf lent his ear to what the king proposed,\nfor he had a great desire to attain this high dignity; and this\nconclusion was settled upon between King Canute and Kalf. Kalf then\nprepared to return home, and on his departure he received splendid\npresents from King Canute. Bjarne the skald tells of these\ncircumstances:--\n \"Sprung from old earls!--to England's lord\n Thou owest many a thankful word\n For many a gift: if all be true,\n Thy interest has been kept in view;\n For when thy course was bent for home,\n (Although that luck is not yet come,)\n 'That Norway should be thine,' 'tis said,\n The London king a promise made.\"\nKalf thereafter returned to Norway, and came to his farm.\n195. OF THE DEATH OF EARL HAKON.\nEarl Hakon left the country this summer (A.D. 1029), and went to\nEngland, and when he came there was well received by the king. The earl\nhad a bride in England, and he travelled to conclude this marriage, and\nas he intended holding his wedding in Norway, he came to procure those\nthings for it in England which it was difficult to get in Norway. In\nautumn he made ready for his return, but it was somewhat late before he\nwas clear for sea; but at last he set out. Of his voyage all that can\nbe told is, that the vessel was lost, and not a man escaped. Some relate\nthat the vessel was seen north of Caithness in the evening in a heavy\nstorm, and the wind blowing out of Pentland Firth. They who believe this\nreport say the vessel drove out among the breakers of the ocean; but\nwith certainty people knew only that Earl Hakon was missing in the\nocean, and nothing belonging to the ship ever came to land. The same\nautumn some merchants came to Norway, who told the tidings that were\ngoing through the country of Earl Hakon being missing; and all men\nknew that he neither came to Norway nor to England that autumn, so that\nNorway that winter was without a head.\n196. OF BJORN THE MARSHAL.\nBjorn the marshal sat at home on his farm after his parting from King\nOlaf. Bjorn was a celebrated man; therefore it was soon reported far and\nwide that he had set himself down in quietness. Earl Hakon and the other\nchiefs of the country heard this also, and sent persons with a verbal\nmessage to Bjorn. When the messengers arrived Bjorn received them well;\nand afterwards Bjorn called them to him to a conference, and asked their\nbusiness. He who was their foreman presented to Bjorn the salutations of\nKing Canute, Earl Hakon, and of several chiefs. \"King Canute,\" says he,\n\"has heard much of thee, and that thou hast been long a follower of King\nOlaf the Thick, and hast been a great enemy of King Canute; and this\nhe thinks not right, for he will be thy friend, and the friend of all\nworthy men, if thou wilt turn from thy friendship to King Olaf and\nbecome his enemy. And the only thing now thou canst do is to seek\nfriendship and protection there where it is most readily to be found,\nand which all men in this northern world think it most honourable to be\nfavoured with. Ye who have followed Olaf the Thick should consider how\nhe is now separated from you; and that now ye have no aid against King\nCanute and his men, whose lands ye plundered last summer, and whose\nfriends ye murdered. Therefore ye ought to accept, with thanks, the\nfriendship which the king offers you; and it would become you better if\nyou offered money even in mulct to obtain it.\"\nWhen he had ended his speech Bjorn replies, \"I wish now to sit quietly\nat home, and not to enter into the service of any chief.\"\nThe messenger answers, \"Such men as thou art are just the right men to\nserve the king; and now I can tell thee there are just two things for\nthee to choose,--either to depart in peace from thy property, and wander\nabout as thy comrade Olaf is doing; or, which is evidently better, to\naccept King Canute's and Earl Hakon's friendship, become their man,\nand take the oaths of fealty to them. Receive now thy reward.\" And he\ndisplayed to him a large bag full of English money.\nBjorn was a man fond of money, and self-interested; and when he saw\nthe silver he was silent, and reflected with himself what resolution he\nshould take. It seemed to him much to abandon his property, as he did\nnot think it probable that King Olaf would ever have a rising in his\nfavour in Norway. Now when the messenger saw that Bjorn's inclinations\nwere turned towards the money, he threw down two thick gold rings,\nand said, \"Take the money at once, Bjorn, and swear the oaths to King\nCanute; for I can promise thee that this money is but a trifle, compared\nto what thou wilt receive if thou followest King Canute.\"\nBy the heap of money, the fine promises, and the great presents, he was\nled by covetousness, took the money, went into King Canute's service,\nand gave the oaths of fealty to King Canute and Earl Hakon, and then the\nmessengers departed.\n197. BJORN THE MARSHAL'S JOURNEY.\nWhen Bjorn heard the tidings that Earl Hakon was missing he soon altered\nhis mind, and was much vexed with himself for having been a traitor in\nhis fidelity to King Olaf. He thought, now, that he was freed from the\noath by which he had bound himself to Earl Hakon. It seemed to Bjorn\nthat now there was some hope that King Olaf might again come to the\nthrone of Norway if he came back, as the country was without a head.\nBjorn therefore immediately made himself ready to travel, and took some\nmen with him. He then set out on his journey, travelling night and day,\non horseback when he could, and by ship when he found occasion; and\nnever halted until he came, after Yule, east to Russia to King Olaf, who\nwas very glad to see Bjorn. Then the king inquired much about the\nnews from Norway. Bjorn tells him that Earl Hakon was missing, and the\nkingdom left without a head. At this news the men who had followed\nKing Olaf were very glad,--all who had left property, connections, and\nfriends in Norway; and the longing for home was awakened in them. Bjorn\ntold King Olaf much news from Norway, and very anxious the king was to\nknow, and asked much how his friends had kept their fidelity towards\nhim. Bjorn answered, it had gone differently with different people.\nThen Bjorn stood up, fell at the king's feet, held his foot, and said,\n\"All is in your power, sire, and in God's! I have taken money from King\nCanute's men, and sworn them the oaths of fealty; but now will I follow\nthee, and not part from thee so long as we both live.\"\nThe king replies, \"Stand up, Bjorn' thou shalt be reconciled with me;\nbut reconcile thy perjury with God. I can see that but few men in Norway\nhave held fast by their fealty, when such men as thou art could be false\nto me. But true it is also that people sit in great danger when I am\ndistant, and they are exposed to the wrath of my enemies.\"\nBjorn then reckoned up those who had principally bound themselves to\nrise in hostility against the king and his men; and named, among others,\nErling's son in Jadar and their connections, Einar Tambaskelfer, Kalf\nArnason, Thorer Hund, and Harek of Thjotta.\n198. OF KING OLAF.\nAfter King Olaf came to Russia he was very thoughtful, and weighed what\ncounsel he now should follow. King Jarisleif and Queen Ingegerd offered\nhim to remain with them, and receive a kingdom called Vulgaria, which is\na part of Russia, and in which land the people were still heathen. King\nOlaf thought over this offer; but when he proposed it to his men they\ndissuaded him from settling himself there, and urged the king to betake\nhimself to Norway to his own kingdom: but the king himself had resolved\nalmost in his own mind to lay down his royal dignity, to go out into the\nworld to Jerusalem, or other holy places, and to enter into some order\nof monks. But yet the thought lay deep in his soul to recover again, if\nthere should be any opportunity for him, his kingdom in Norway. When\nhe thought over this, it recurred to his mind how all things had gone\nprosperously with him during the first ten years of his reign, and how\nafterwards every thing he undertook became heavy, difficult, and hard;\nand that he had been unlucky, on all occasions in which he had tried\nhis luck. On this account he doubted if it would be prudent to depend so\nmuch upon his luck, as to go with so little strength into the hands of\nhis enemies, seeing that all the people of the country had taken part\nwith them to oppose King Olaf. Such cares he had often on his mind, and\nhe left his cause to God, praying that He would do what to Him seemed\nbest. These thoughts he turned over in his mind, and knew not what to\nresolve upon; for he saw how evidently dangerous that was which his\ninclination was most bent upon.\n199. OF KING OLAF'S DREAM.\nOne night the king lay awake in his bed, thinking with great anxiety\nabout his determination, and at last, being tired of thinking, sleep\ncame over him towards morning; but his sleep was so light that he\nthought he was awake, and could see all that was doing in the house.\nThen he saw a great and superb man, in splendid clothes, standing by his\nbed; and it came into the king's mind that this was King Olaf Trygvason\nwho had come to him. This man said to him, \"Thou are very sick of\nthinking about thy future resolutions; and it appears to me wonderful\nthat these thoughts should be so tumultuous in thy soul that thou\nshouldst even think of laying down the kingly dignity which God hath\ngiven thee, and of remaining here and accepting of a kingdom from\nforeign and unknown kings. Go back rather to that kingdom which thou\nhast received in heritage, and rule over it with the strength which God\nhath given thee, and let not thy inferiors take it from thee. It is the\nglory of a king to be victorious over his enemies, and it is a glorious\ndeath to die in battle. Or art thou doubtful if thou hast right on thy\nside in the strife with thine enemies? Thou must have no doubts, and\nmust not conceal the truth from thyself. Thou must go back to thy\ncountry, and God will give open testimony that the kingdom is thine by\nproperty.\" When the king awoke he thought he saw the man's shoulders\ngoing out. From this time the king's courage rose, and he fixed firmly\nhis resolution to return to Norway; to which his inclination also\ntended most, and which he also found was the desire of all his men. He\nbethought himself also that the country being without a chief could be\neasily attacked, from what he had heard, and that after he came himself\nmany would turn back towards him. When the king told his determination\nto his people they all gave it their approbation joyfully.\n200. OF KING OLAF'S HEALING POWERS.\nIt is related that once upon a time, while King Olaf was in Russia, it\nhappened that the son of an honest widow had a sore boil upon his neck,\nof which the lad lay very ill; and as he could not swallow any food,\nthere was little hope of his life. The boy's mother went to Queen\nIngegerd, with whom she was acquainted, and showed her the lad. The\nqueen said she knew no remedy for it. \"Go,\" said she, \"to King Olaf, he\nis the best physician here; and beg him to lay his hands on thy lad, and\nbring him my words if he will not otherwise do it.\" She did as the queen\ntold her; and when she found the king she says to him that her son is\ndangerously ill of a boil in his neck, and begs him to lay his hand on\nthe boil. The king tells her he is not a physician, and bids her go to\nwhere there were physicians. She replies, that the queen had told her\nto come to him; \"and told me to add the request from her, that you would\nwould use the remedy you understood, and she said that thou art the best\nphysician here in the town.\" Then the king took the lad, laid his hands\nupon his neck, and felt the boil for a long time, until the boy made\na very wry face. Then the king took a piece of bread, laid it in the\nfigure of the cross upon the palm of his hand, and put it into the boy's\nmouth. He swallowed it down, and from that time all the soreness left\nhis neck, and in a few days he was quite well, to the great joy of his\nmother and all his relations. Then first came Olaf into the repute of\nhaving as much healing power in his hands as is ascribed to men who have\nbeen gifted by nature with healing by the touch; and afterwards when his\nmiracles were universally acknowledged, this also was considered one of\nhis miracles.\n201. KING OLAF BURNS THE WOOD SHAVINGS ON HIS HAND FOR HIS SABBATH BREACH.\nIt happened one Sunday that the king sat in his highseat at the dinner\ntable, and had fallen into such deep thought that he did not observe\nhow time went. In one hand he had a knife, and in the other a piece\nof fir-wood from which he cut splinters from time to time. The\ntable-servant stood before him with a bowl in his hands; and seeing what\nthe king was about, and that he was involved in thought, he said, \"It is\nMonday, sire, to-morrow.\" The king looked at him when he heard this,\nand then it came into his mind what he was doing on the Sunday. Then the\nking ordered a lighted candle to be brought him, swept together all the\nshavings he had made, set them on fire, and let them burn upon his\nnaked hand; showing thereby that he would hold fast by God's law and\ncommandment, and not trespass without punishment on what he knew to be\nright.\n202. OF KING OLAF.\nWhen King Olaf had resolved on his return home, he made known his\nintention to King Jarisleif and Queen Ingegerd. They dissuaded him\nfrom this expedition, and said he should receive as much power in their\ndominions as he thought desirable; but begged him not to put himself\nwithin the reach of his enemies with so few men as he had. Then King\nOlaf told them of his dream; adding, that he believed it to be God's\nwill and providence that it should be so. Now when they found he was\ndetermined on travelling to Norway, they offered him all the assistance\nto his journey that he would accept from them. The king thanked them\nin many fine words for their good will; and said that he accepted\nfrom them, with no ordinary pleasure, what might be necessary for his\nundertaking.\n203. OF KING OLAF'S JOURNEY FROM RUSSIA.\nImmediately after Yule (A.D. 1080), King Olaf made himself ready; and\nhad about 200 of his men with him. King Jarisleif gave him all the\nhorses, and whatever else he required; and when he was ready he set off.\nKing Jarisleif and Queen Ingegerd parted from him with all honour;\nand he left his son Magnus behind with the king. The first part of his\njourney, down to the sea-coast, King Olaf and his men made on the\nice; but as spring approached, and the ice broke up, they rigged their\nvessels, and when they were ready and got a wind they set out to sea,\nand had a good voyage. When Olaf came to the island of Gotland with\nhis ships he heard the news--which was told as truth, both in Svithjod,\nDenmark, and over all Norway--that Earl Hakon was missing, and Norway\nwithout a head. This gave the king and his men good hope of the issue\nof their journey. From thence they sailed, when the wind suited, to\nSvithjod, and went into the Maelar lake, to Aros, and sent men to\nthe Swedish King Onund appointing a meeting. King Onund received\nhis brother-in-law's message in the kindest manner, and went to him\naccording to his invitation. Astrid also came to King Olaf, with the\nmen who had attended her; and great was the joy on all sides at this\nmeeting. The Swedish king also received his brother-in-law King Olaf\nwith great joy when they met.\n204. OF THE LENDERMEN IN NORWAY.\nNow we must relate what, in the meantime, was going on in Norway. Thorer\nHund, in these two winters (A.D. 1029-1030), had made a Lapland journey,\nand each winter had been a long time on the mountains, and had gathered\nto himself great wealth by trading in various wares with the Laplanders.\nHe had twelve large coats of reindeer-skin made for him, with so much\nLapland witchcraft that no weapon could cut or pierce them any more than\nif they were armour of ring-mail, nor so much. The spring thereafter\nThorer rigged a long-ship which belonged to him, and manned it with his\nhouse-servants. He summoned the bondes, demanded a levy from the most\nnorthern Thing district, collected in this way a great many people,\nand proceeded with this force southwards. Harek of Thjotta had also\ncollected a great number of people; and in this expedition many\npeople of consequence took a part, although these two were the most\ndistinguished. They made it known publicly that with this war-force they\nwere going against King Olaf, to defend the country against him, in case\nhe should come from the eastward.\n205. OF EINAR TAMBASKELFER.\nEinar Tambaskelfer had most influence in the outer part of the\nThrondhjem country after Earl Hakon's death was no longer doubtful; for\nhe and his son Eindride appeared to be the nearest heirs to the movable\nproperty the earl had possessed. Then Einar remembered the promises and\noffers of friendship which King Canute had made him at parting; and\nhe ordered a good vessel which belonged to him to be got ready, and\nembarked with a great retinue, and when he was ready sailed southwards\nalong the coast, then set out to sea westwards, and sailed without\nstopping until he came to England. He immediately waited on King Canute,\nwho received him well and joyfully. Then Einar opened his business\nto the king, and said he was come there to see the fulfillment of the\npromises the king had made him; namely, that he, Einar, should have\nthe highest title of honour in Norway if Earl Hakon were no more. King\nCanute replies, that now the circumstances were altered. \"I have now,\"\nsaid he, \"sent men and tokens to my son Svein in Denmark, and promised\nhim the kingdom of Norway; but thou shalt retain my friendship, and get\nthe dignity and title which thou art entitled by birth to hold. Thou\nshalt be lenderman with great fiefs, and be so much more raised above\nother lendermen as thou art more able than they.\" Einar saw sufficiently\nhow matters stood with regard to his business, and got ready to return\nhome; but as he now knew the king's intentions, and thought it probable\nif King Olaf came from the East the country would not be very peaceable,\nit came into his mind that it would be better to proceed slowly, and not\nto be hastening his voyage, in order to fight against King Olaf, without\nhis being advanced by it to any higher dignity than he had before. Einar\naccordingly went to sea when he was ready; but only came to Norway after\nthe events were ended which took place there during that summer.\n206. OF THE CHIEF PEOPLE IN NORWAY.\nThe chiefs in Norway had their spies east in Svithjod, and south in\nDenmark, to find out if King Olaf had come from Russia. As soon as these\nmen could get across the country, they heard the news that King Olaf was\narrived in Svithjod; and as soon as full certainty of this was obtained,\nthe war message-token went round the land. The whole people were called\nout to a levy, and a great army was collected. The lendermen who were\nfrom Agder, Rogaland, and Hordaland, divided themselves, so that some\nwent towards the north, and some towards the east; for they thought they\nrequired people on both sides. Erling's sons from Jadar went eastward,\nwith all the men who lived east of them, and over whom they were chiefs;\nAslak of Finey, and Erlend of Gerde, with the lendermen north of them,\nwent towards the north. All those now named had sworn an oath to King\nCanute to deprive Olaf of life, if opportunity should offer.\n207. OF HARALD SIGURDSON'S PROCEEDINGS.\nNow when it was reported in Norway that King Olaf was come from the East\nto Svithjod, his friends gathered together to give him aid. The most\ndistinguished man in this flock was Harald Sigurdson, a brother of King\nOlaf, who then was fifteen years of age, very stout, and manly of growth\nas if he were full-grown. Many other brave men were there also; and\nthere were in all 600 men when they proceeded from the uplands, and went\neastward with their force through Eid forest to Vermaland. From thence\nthey went eastward through the forests to Svithjod and made inquiry\nabout King Olaf's proceedings.\n208. OF KING OLAF'S PROCEEDINGS IN SVITHJOD.\nKing Olaf was in Svithjod in spring (A.D. 1030), and had sent spies from\nthence to Norway. All accounts from that quarter agreed that there was\nno safety for him if he went there, and the people who came from the\nnorth dissuaded him much from penetrating into the country. But he had\nfirmly resolved within himself, as before stated, to go into Norway; and\nhe asked King Onund what strength King Onund would give him to conquer\nhis kingdom. King Onund replied, that the Swedes were little inclined\nto make an expedition against Norway. \"We know,\" says he, \"that the\nNorthmen are rough and warlike, and it is dangerous to carry hostility\nto their doors, but I will not be slow in telling thee what aid I can\ngive. I will give thee 400 chosen men from my court-men, active and\nwarlike, and well equipt for battle; and moreover will give thee leave\nto go through my country, and gather to thyself as many men as thou\ncanst get to follow thee.\" King Olaf accepted this offer, and got ready\nfor his march. Queen Astrid, and Ulfhild the king's daughter, remained\nbehind in Svithjod.\n209. KING OLAF ADVANCES TO JARNBERALAND.\nJust as King Olaf began his journey the men came to him whom the Swedish\nking had given, in all 400 men, and the king took the road the Swedes\nshowed him. He advanced upwards in the country to the forests, and came\nto a district called Jarnberaland. Here the people joined him who had\ncome out of Norway to meet him, as before related; and he met here his\nbrother Harald, and many other of his relations, and it was a joyful\nmeeting. They made out together 1200 men.\n210. OF DAG HRINGSON.\nThere was a man called Dag, who is said to have been a son of King\nHring, who fled the country from King Olaf. This Hring, it is said\nfurther, had been a son of Dag, and grandson of Hring, Harald Harfager's\nson. Thus was Dag King Olaf's relative. Both Hring the father, and Dag\nthe son, had settled themselves in Svithjod, and got land to rule over.\nIn spring, when Olaf came from the East to Svithjod, he sent a message\nto his relation Dag, that he should join him in this expedition with\nall the force he could collect; and if they gained the country of Norway\nagain, Dag should have no smaller part of the kingdom under him than\nhis forefathers had enjoyed. When this message came to Dag it suited his\ninclination well, for he had a great desire to go to Norway and get\nthe dominion his family had ruled over. He was not slow, therefore, to\nreply, and promised to come. Dag was a quick-speaking, quick-resolving\nman, mixing himself up in everything; eager, but of little\nunderstanding. He collected a force of almost 1200 men, with which he\njoined King Olaf.\n211. OF KING OLAF'S JOURNEY.\nKing Olaf sent a message before him to all the inhabited places he\npassed through, that the men who wished to get goods and money, and\nshare of booty, and the lands besides which now were in the hands of his\nenemies, should come to him, and follow him. Thereafter King Olaf led\nhis army through forests, often over desert moors, and often over large\nlakes; and they dragged, or carried the boats, from lake to lake. On\nthe way a great many followers joined the king, partly forest settlers,\npartly vagabonds. The places at which he halted for the night are since\ncalled Olaf's Booths. He proceeded without any break upon his journey\nuntil he came to Jamtaland, from which he marched north over the keel\nor ridge of the land. The men spread themselves over the hamlets, and\nproceeded, much scattered, so long as no enemy was expected; but always,\nwhen so dispersed, the Northmen accompanied the king. Dag proceeded with\nhis men on another line of march, and the Swedes on a third with their\ntroop.\n212. OF VAGABOND-MEN.\nThere were two men, the one called Gauka-Thorer, the other Afrafaste,\nwho were vagabonds and great robbers, and had a company of thirty men\nsuch as themselves. These two men were larger and stronger than other\nmen, and they wanted neither courage nor impudence. These men heard\nspeak of the army that was crossing the country, and said among\nthemselves it would be a clever counsel to go to the king, follow him to\nhis country, and go with him into a regular battle, and try themselves\nin this work; for they had never been in any battle in which people\nwere regularly drawn up in line, and they were curious to see the king's\norder of battle. This counsel was approved of by their comrades, and\naccordingly they went to the road on which King Olaf was to pass.\nWhen they came there they presented themselves to the king, with their\nfollowers, fully armed. They saluted him, and he asked what people they\nwere. They told their names, and said they were natives of the place;\nand told their errand, and that they wished to go with the king. The\nking said, it appeared to him there was good help in such folks. \"And I\nhave a great inclination,\" said he, \"to take such; but are ye Christian\nmen?\"\nGauka-Thorer replies, that he is neither Christian nor heathen. \"I and\nmy comrades have no faith but on ourselves, our strength, and the luck\nof victory; and with this faith we slip through sufficiently well.\"\nThe king replies, \"A great pity it is that such brave slaughtering\nfellows did not believe in Christ their Creator.\"\nThorer replies, \"Is there any Christian man, king, in thy following, who\nstands so high in the air as we two brothers?\"\nThe king told them to let themselves be baptized, and to accept the true\nfaith. \"Follow me then, and I will advance you to great dignities; but\nif ye will not do so, return to your former vocation.\"\nAfrafaste said he would not take on Christianity, and he turned away.\nThen said Gauka-Thorer, \"It is a great shame that the king drives\nus thus away from his army, and I never before came where I was not\nreceived into the company of other people, and I shall never return\nback on this account.\" They joined accordingly the rear with other\nforest-men, and followed the troops. Thereafter the king proceeded west\nup to the keel-ridge of the country.\n213. OF KING OLAF'S VISION.\nNow when King Olaf, coming from the east, went over the keel-ridge and\ndescended on the west side of the mountain, where it declines towards\nthe sea, he could see from thence far over the country. Many people rode\nbefore the king and many after, and he himself rode so that there was a\nfree space around him. He was silent, and nobody spoke to him, and thus\nhe rode a great part of the day without looking much about him. Then the\nbishop rode up to him, asked him why he was so silent, and what he was\nthinking of; for, in general, he was very cheerful, and very talkative\non a journey to his men, so that all who were near him were merry. The\nking replied, full of thought, \"Wonderful things have come into my mind\na while ago. As I just now looked over Norway, out to the west from the\nmountains, it came into my mind how many happy days I have had in that\nland. It appeared to me at first as if I saw over all the Throndhjem\ncountry, and then over all Norway; and the longer this vision was before\nmy eyes the farther, methought, I saw, until I looked over the whole\nwide world, both land and sea. Well I know the places at which I have\nbeen in former days; some even which I have only heard speak of, and\nsome I saw of which I had never heard, both inhabited and uninhabited,\nin this wide world.\" The bishop replied that this was a holy vision, and\nvery remarkable.\n214. OF THE MIRACLE ON THE CORN LAND.\nWhen the king had come lower down on the mountain, there lay a farm\nbefore him called Sula, on the highest part of Veradal district; and as\nthey came nearer to the house the corn-land appeared on both sides of\nthe path. The king told his people to proceed carefully, and not destroy\nthe corn to the bondes. The people observed this when the king was near;\nbut the crowd behind paid no attention to it, and the people ran over\nthe corn, so that it was trodden flat to the earth. There dwelt a bonde\nthere called Thorgeir Flek, who had two sons nearly grown up. Thorgeir\nreceived the king and his people well, and offered all the assistance in\nhis power. The king was pleased with his offer, and asked Thorgeir what\nwas the news of the country, and if any forces were assembled against\nhim. Thorgeir says that a great army was drawn together in the\nThrondhjem country, and that there were some lendermen both from the\nsouth of the country, and from Halogaland in the north; \"but I do not\nknow,\" says he. \"if they are intended against you, or going elsewhere.\"\nThen he complained to the king of the damage and waste done him by the\npeople breaking and treading down all his corn fields. The king said it\nwas ill done to bring upon him any loss. Then the king rode to where the\ncorn had stood, and saw it was laid flat on the earth; and he rode round\nthe field, and said, \"I expect, bonde, that God will repair thy loss, so\nthat the field, within a week, will be better;\" and it proved the best\nof the corn, as the king had said. The king remained all night there,\nand in the morning he made himself ready, and told Thorgeir the bonde\nto accompany him and Thorgear offered his two sons also for the journey;\nand although the king said that he did not want them with him, the lads\nwould go. As they would not stay behind, the king's court-men were about\nbinding them; but the king seeing it said, \"Let them come with us; the\nlads will come safe back again.\" And it was with the lads as the king\nforetold.\n215. OF THE BAPTISM OF THE VAGABOND FOREST-MEN.\nThereafter the army advanced to Staf, and when the king reached Staf's\nmoor he halted. There he got the certain information that the bondes\nwere advancing with an army against him, and that he might soon expect\nto have a battle with them. He mustered his force here, and, after\nreckoning them up, found there were in the army 900 heathen men, and\nwhen he came to know it he ordered them to allow themselves to be\nbaptized, saying that he would have no heathens with him in battle. \"We\nmust not,\" says he, \"put our confidence in numbers, but in God alone\nmust we trust; for through his power and favour we must be victorious,\nand I will not mix heathen people with my own.\" When the heathens heard\nthis, they held a council among themselves, and at last 400 men agreed\nto be baptized; but 500 men refused to adopt Christianity, and that\nbody returned home to their land. Then the brothers Gauka-Thorer and\nAfrafaste presented themselves to the king, and offered again to follow\nhim. The king asked if they had now taken baptism. Gauka-Thorer replied\nthat they had not. Then the king ordered them to accept baptism and the\ntrue faith, or otherwise to go away. They stepped aside to talk with\neach other on what resolution they should take. Afrafaste said, \"To give\nmy opinion, I will not turn back, but go into the battle, and take a\npart on the one side or the other; and I don't care much in which army\nI am.\" Gauka-Thorer replies, \"If I go into battle I will give my help to\nthe king, for he has most need of help. And if I must believe in a\nGod, why not in the white Christ as well as in any other? Now it is my\nadvice, therefore, that we let ourselves be baptized, since the king\ninsists so much upon it, and then go into the battle with him.\" They\nall agreed to this, and went to the king, and said they would receive\nbaptism. Then they were baptized by a priest, and the baptism was\nconfirmed by the bishop. The king then took them into the troop of his\ncourt-men, and said they should fight under his banner in the battle.\n216. KING OLAF'S SPEECH.\nKing Olaf got certain intelligence now that it would be but a short time\nuntil he had a battle with the bondes; and after he had mustered his\nmen, and reckoned up the force, he had more than 3000 men, which appears\nto be a great army in one field. Then the king made the following speech\nto the people: \"We have a great army, and excellent troops; and now I\nwill tell you, my men, how I will have our force drawn up. I will let\nmy banner go forward in the middle of the army, and my-court-men, and\npursuivants shall follow it, together with the war forces that joined\nus from the Uplands, and also those who may come to us here in the\nThrondhjem land. On the right hand of my banner shall be Dag Hringson,\nwith all the men he brought to our aid; and he shall have the second\nbanner. And on the left hand of our line shall the men be whom the\nSwedish king gave us, together with all the people who came to us in\nSweden; and they shall have the third banner. I will also have the\npeople divide themselves into distinct flocks or parcels, so that\nrelations and acquaintances should be together; for thus they defend\neach other best, and know each other. We will have all our men\ndistinguished by a mark, so as to be a field-token upon their helmets\nand shields, by painting the holy cross thereupon with white colour.\nWhen we come into battle we shall all have one countersign and\nfield-cry,--'Forward, forward, Christian men! cross men! king's men!'\nWe must draw up our meal in thinner ranks, because we have fewer people,\nand I do not wish to let them surround us with their men. Now let the\nmen divide themselves into separate flocks, and then each flock into\nranks; then let each man observe well his proper place, and take notice\nwhat banner he is drawn up under. And now we shall remain drawn up in\narray; and our men shall be fully armed, night and day, until we know\nwhere the meeting shall be between us and the bondes.\" When the king had\nfinished speaking, the army arrayed, and arranged itself according to\nthe king's orders.\n217. KING OLAF'S COUNSEL.\nThereafter the king had a meeting with the chiefs of the different\ndivisions, and then the men had returned whom the king had sent out into\nthe neighbouring districts to demand men from the bondes. They brought\nthe tidings from the inhabited places they had gone through, that all\naround the country was stripped of all men able to carry arms, as all\nthe people had joined the bondes' army; and where they did find any\nthey got but few to follow them, for the most of them answered that they\nstayed at home because they would not follow either party: they would\nnot go out against the king, nor yet against their own relations. Thus\nthey had got but few people. Now the king asked his men their counsel,\nand what they now should do. Fin Arnason answered thus to the king's\nquestion: \"I will say what should be done, if I may advise. We should\ngo with armed hand over all the inhabited places, plunder all the goods,\nand burn all the habitations, and leave not a hut standing, and thus\npunish the bondes for their treason against their sovereign. I think\nmany a man will then cast himself loose from the bondes' army, when he\nsees smoke and flame at home on his farm, and does not know how it is\ngoing with children, wives, or old men, fathers, mothers, and other\nconnections. I expect also,\" he added, \"that if we succeed in breaking\nthe assembled host, their ranks will soon be thinned; for so it is with\nthe bondes, that the counsel which is the newest is always the dearest\nto them all, and most followed.\" When Fin had ended his speech it met\nwith general applause; for many thought well of such a good occasion to\nmake booty, and all thought the bondes well deserved to suffer damage;\nand they also thought it probable, what Fin said, that many would in\nthis way be brought to forsake the assembled army of the bondes.\nNow when the king heard the warm expressions of his people he told\nthem to listen to him, and said, \"The bondes have well deserved that it\nshould be done to them as ye desire. They also know that I have formerly\ndone so, burning their habitations, and punishing them severely in many\nways; but then I proceeded against them with fire and sword because they\nrejected the true faith, betook themselves to sacrifices, and would not\nobey my commands. We had then God's honour to defend. But this treason\nagainst their sovereign is a much less grievous crime, although it does\nnot become men who have any manhood in them to break the faith and vows\nthey have sworn to me. Now, however, it is more in my power to spare\nthose who have dealt ill with me, than those whom God hated. I will,\ntherefore, that my people proceed gently, and commit no ravage. First,\nI will proceed to meet the bondes; if we can then come to a\nreconciliation, it is well; but if they will fight with us, then there\nare two things before us; either we fail in the battle, and then it will\nbe well advised not to have to retire encumbered with spoil and cattle;\nor we gain the victory, and then ye will be the heirs of all who fight\nnow against us; for some will fall, and others will fly, but both will\nhave forfeited their goods and properties, and then it will be good to\nenter into full houses and well-stocked farms; but what is burnt is of\nuse to no man, and with pillage and force more is wasted than what turns\nto use. Now we will spread out far through the inhabited places, and\ntake with us all the men we can find able to carry arms. Then men will\nalso capture cattle for slaughter, or whatever else of provision\nthat can serve for food; but not do any other ravage. But I will see\nwillingly that ye kill any spies of the bonde army ye may fall in with.\nDag and his people shall go by the north side down along the valley,\nand I will go on along the country road, and so we shall meet in the\nevening, and all have one night quarter.\"\n218. OF KING OLAF'S SKALDS.\nIt is related that when King Olaf drew up his men in battle order, he\nmade a shield rampart with his troop that should defend him in battle,\nfor which he selected the strongest and boldest. Thereafter he called\nhis skalds, and ordered them to go in within the shield defence. \"Ye\nshall.\" says the king, \"remain here, and see the circumstances which may\ntake place, and then ye will not have to follow the reports of others\nin what ye afterwards tell or sing concerning it.\" There were Thormod\nKolbrunarskald, Gissur Gulbraskald, a foster-son of Hofgardaref, and\nThorfin Mun. Then said Thormod to Gissur, \"Let us not stand so close\ntogether, brother, that Sigvat the skald should not find room when he\ncomes. He must stand before the king, and the king will not have it\notherwise.\" The king heard this, and said, \"Ye need not sneer at Sigvat,\nbecause he is not here. Often has he followed me well, and now he is\npraying for us, and that we greatly need.\" Thormod replies, \"It may be,\nsire, that ye now require prayers most; but it would be thin around the\nbanner-staff if all thy court-men were now on the way to Rome. True it\nwas what we spoke about, that no man who would speak with you could find\nroom for Sigvat.\"\nThereafter the skalds talked among themselves that it would be well to\ncompose a few songs of remembrance about the events which would soon be\ntaking place.\nThen Gissur sang:--\n \"From me shall bende girl never hear\n A thought of sorrow, care, or fear:\n I wish my girl knew how gay\n We arm us for our viking fray.\n Many and brave they are, we know,\n Who come against us there below;\n But, life or death, we, one and all,\n By Norway's king will stand or fall.\"\nAnd Thorfin Mun made another song, viz.:--\n \"Dark is the cloud of men and shields,\n Slow moving up through Verdal's fields:\n These Verdal folks presume to bring\n Their armed force against their king.\n On! let us feed the carrion crow,--\n Give her a feast in every blow;\n And, above all, let Throndhjem's hordes\n Feel the sharp edge of true men's swords.\"\nAnd Thorrood sang:--\n \"The whistling arrows pipe to battle,\n Sword and shield their war-call rattle.\n Up! brave men, up! the faint heart here\n Finds courage when the danger's near.\n Up! brave men, up! with Olaf on!\n With heart and hand a field is won.\n One viking cheer!--then, stead of words,\n We'll speak with our death-dealing swords.\"\nThese songs were immediately got by heart by the army.\n219. OF KING OLAF'S GIFTS FOR THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO SHOULD BE SLAIN.\nThereafter the king made himself ready, and marched down through the\nvalley. His whole forces took up their night-quarter in one place, and\nlay down all night under their shields; but as soon as day broke the\nking again put his army in order, and that being done they proceeded\ndown through the valley. Many bondes then came to the king, of whom the\nmost joined his army; and all, as one man, told the same tale,--that the\nlendermen had collected an enormous army, with which they intended to\ngive battle to the king.\nThe king took many marks of silver, and delivered them into the hands\nof a bonde, and said, \"This money thou shalt conceal, and afterwards lay\nout, some to churches, some to priests, some to alms-men,--as gifts\nfor the life and souls of those who fight against us, and may fall in\nbattle.\"\nThe bonde replies, \"Should you not rather give this money for the\nsoul-mulct of your own men?\"\nThe king says, \"This money shall be given for the souls of those who\nstand against us in the ranks of the bondes' army, and fall by the\nweapons of our own men. The men who follow us to battle, and fall\ntherein, will all be saved together with ourself.\"\n220. OF THORMOD KOLBRUNARSKALD.\nThis night the king lay with his army around him on the field, as before\nrelated, and lay long awake in prayer to God, and slept but little.\nTowards morning a slumber fell on him, and when he awoke daylight was\nshooting up. The king thought it too early to awaken the army, and asked\nwhere Thormod the skald was. Thormod was at hand, and asked what was the\nking's pleasure. \"Sing us a song,\" said the king. Thormod raised himself\nup, and sang so loud that the whole army could hear him. He began to\nsing the old \"Bjarkamal\", of which these are the first verses:--\n \"The day is breaking,--\n The house cock, shaking\n His rustling wings,\n While priest-bell rings,\n Crows up the morn,\n And touting horn\n Wakes thralls to work and weep;\n Ye sons of Adil, cast off sleep,\n Wake up! wake up!\n Nor wassail cup,\n Nor maiden's jeer,\n Awaits you here.\n Hrolf of the bow!\n Har of the blow!\n Up in your might! the day is breaking;\n 'Tis Hild's game (1) that bides your waking.\"\nThen the troops awoke, and when the song was ended the people thanked\nhim for it; and it pleased many, as it was suitable to the time and\noccasion, and they called it the house-carle's whet. The king thanked\nhim for the pleasure, and took a gold ring that weighed half a mark and\ngave it him. Thormod thanked the king for the gift, and said, \"We have a\ngood king; but it is not easy to say how long the king's life may be. It\nis my prayer, sire, that thou shouldst never part from me either in\nlife or death.\" The king replies, \"We shall all go together so long as I\nrule, and as ye will follow me.\"\nThormod says, \"I hope, sire, that whether in safety or danger I may\nstand near you as long as I can stand, whatever we may hear of Sigvat\ntravelling with his gold-hilted sword.\" Then Thormod made these lines:--\n \"To thee, my king, I'll still be true,\n Until another skald I view,\n Here in the field with golden sword,\n As in thy hall, with flattering word.\n Thy skald shall never be a craven,\n Though he may feast the croaking raven,\n The warrior's fate unmoved I view,--\n To thee, my king, I'll still be true.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) Hild's game is the battle, from the name of the\nwar-goddess Hild.--L.\n221. KING OLAF COMES TO STIKLESTAD.\nKing Olaf led his army farther down through the valley, and Dag and\nhis men went another way, and the king did not halt until he came to\nStiklestad. There he saw the bonde army spread out all around; and there\nwere so great numbers that people were going on every footpath, and\ngreat crowds were collected far and near. They also saw there a troop\nwhich came down from Veradal, and had been out to spy. They came so\nclose to the king's people that they knew each other. It was Hrut of\nViggia, with thirty men. The king ordered his pursuivants to go out\nagainst Hrut, and make an end of him, to which his men were instantly\nready. The king said to the Icelanders, \"It is told me that in Iceland\nit is the custom that the bondes give their house-servants a sheep to\nslaughter; now I give you a ram to slaughter.\" (1) The Icelanders were\neasily invited to this, and went out immediately with a few men against\nHrut, and killed him and the troop that followed him. When the king\ncame to Stiklestad he made a halt, and made the army stop, and told his\npeople to alight from their horses and get ready for battle; and the\npeople did as the king ordered. Then he placed his army in battle array,\nand raised his banner. Dag was not yet arrived with his men, so that his\nwing of the battle array was wanting. Then the king said the Upland\nmen should go forward in their place, and raise their banner there. \"It\nappears to me advisable,\" says the king, \"that Harald my brother should\nnot be in the battle, for he is still in the years of childhood only.\"\nHarald replies, \"Certainly I shall be in the battle, for I am not so\nweak that I cannot handle the sword; and as to that, I have a notion\nof tying the sword-handle to my hand. None is more willing than I am to\ngive the bondes a blow; so I shall go with my comrades.\" It is said that\nHarald made these lines:--\n \"Our army's wing, where I shall stand,\n I will hold good with heart and hand;\n My mother's eye shall joy to see\n A battered, blood-stained shield from me.\n The brisk young skald should gaily go\n Into the fray, give blow for blow,\n Cheer on his men, gain inch by inch,\n And from the spear-point never flinch.\"\nHarald got his will, and was allowed to be in the battle.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Hrut means a young ram.--L.\n222. OF THORGILS HALMASON.\nA bonde, by name Thorgils Halmason, father to Grim the Good, dwelt in\nStiklestad farm. Thorgils offered the king his assistance, and was ready\nto go into battle with him. The king thanked him for the offer. \"I would\nrather,\" says the king, \"thou shouldst not be in the fight. Do us rather\nthe service to take care of the people who are wounded, and to bury\nthose who may fall, when the battle is over. Should it happen, bonde,\nthat I fall in this battle, bestow the care on my body that may be\nnecessary, if that be not forbidden thee.\" Thorgils promised the king\nwhat he desired.\n223. OLAF'S SPEECH.\nNow when King Olaf had drawn up his army in battle array he made a\nspeech, in which he told the people to raise their spirit, and go boldly\nforward, if it came to a battle. \"We have,\" says he, \"many men, and\ngood; and although the bondes may have a somewhat larger force than\nwe, it is fate that rules over victory. This I will make known to you\nsolemnly, that I shall not fly from this battle, but shall either be\nvictorious over the bondes, or fall in the fight. I will pray to\nGod that the lot of the two may befall me which will be most to my\nadvantage. With this we may encourage ourselves, that we have a more\njust cause than the bondes; and likewise that God must either protect\nus and our cause in this battle, or give us a far higher recompense for\nwhat we may lose here in the world than what we ourselves could ask.\nShould it be my lot to have anything to say after the battle, then shall\nI reward each of you according to his service, and to the bravery he\ndisplays in the battle; and if we gain the victory, there must be land\nand movables enough to divide among you, and which are now in the hands\nof your enemies. Let us at the first make the hardest onset, for then\nthe consequences are soon seen. There being a great difference in the\nnumbers, we have to expect victory from a sharp assault only; and,\non the other hand, it will be heavy work for us to fight until we are\ntired, and unable to fight longer; for we have fewer people to relieve\nwith than they, who can come forward at one time and retreat and rest\nat another. But if we advance so hard at the first attack that those who\nare foremost in their ranks must turn round, then the one will fall over\nthe other, and their destruction will be the greater the greater numbers\nthere are together.\" When the king had ended his speech it was received\nwith loud applause, and the one encouraged the other.\n224. OF THORD FOLASON.\nThord Folason carried King Olaf's banner. So says Sigvat the skald,\nin the death-song which he composed about King Olaf, and put together\naccording to resurrection saga:--\n \"Thord. I have heard, by Olaf's side,\n Where raged the battle's wildest tide,\n Moved on, and, as by one accord\n Moved with them every heart and sword.\n The banner of the king on high,\n Floating all splendid in the sky\n From golden shaft, aloft he bore,--\n The Norsemen's rallying-point of yore.\"\n225. OF KING OLAF'S ARMOUR.\nKing Olaf was armed thus:--He had a gold-mounted helmet on his head; and\nhad in one hand a white shield, on which the holy cross was inlaid in\ngold. In his other hand he had a lance, which to the present day stands\nbeside the altar in Christ Church. In his belt he had a sword, which was\ncalled Hneiter, which was remarkably sharp, and of which the handle was\nworked with gold. He had also a strong coat of ring-mail. Sigvat the\nskald, speaks of this:--\n \"A greater victory to gain,\n Olaf the Stout strode o'er the plain\n In strong chain armour, aid to bring\n To his brave men on either wing.\n High rose the fight and battle-heat,--\n the clear blood ran beneath the feet\n Of Swedes, who from the East came there,\n In Olaf's gain or loss to share.\"\n226. KING OLAF'S DREAM.\nNow when King Olaf had drawn up his men the army of the bondes had not\nyet come near upon any quarter, so the king said the people should sit\ndown and rest themselves. He sat down himself, and the people sat around\nhim in a widespread crowd. He leaned down, and laid his head upon Fin\nArnason's knee. There a slumber came upon him, and he slept a little\nwhile; but at the same time the bondes' army was seen advancing with\nraised banners, and the multitude of these was very great.\nThen Fin awakened the king, and said that the bonde-army advanced\nagainst them.\nThe king awoke, and said, \"Why did you waken me, Fin, and did not allow\nme to enjoy my dream?\"\nFin: \"Thou must not be dreaming; but rather thou shouldst be awake, and\npreparing thyself against the host which is coming down upon us; or,\ndost thou not see that the whole bonde-crowd is coming?\"\nThe king replies, \"They are not yet so near to us, and it would have\nbeen better to have let me sleep.\"\nThen said Fin, \"What was the dream, sire, of which the loss appears\nto thee so great that thou wouldst rather have been left to waken of\nthyself?\"\nNow the king told his dream,--that he seemed to see a high ladder,\nupon which he went so high in the air that heaven was open: for so high\nreached the ladder. \"And when you awoke me, I was come to the highest\nstep towards heaven.\"\nFin replies, \"This dream does not appear to me so good as it does to\nthee. I think it means that thou art fey (1); unless it be the mere want\nof sleep that has worked upon thee.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) Fey means doomed to die.\n227. OF ARNLJOT GELLINE'S BAPTISM.\nWhen King Olaf was arrived at Stiklestad, it happened, among other\ncircumstances, that a man came to him; and although it was nowise\nwonderful that there came many men from the districts, yet this must be\nregarded as unusual, that this man did not appear like the other men\nwho came to him. He was so tall that none stood higher than up to his\nshoulders: very handsome he was in countenance, and had beautiful fair\nhair. He was well armed; had a fine helmet, and ring armour; a red\nshield; a superb sword in his belt; and in his hand a gold-mounted\nspear, the shaft of it so thick that it was a handful to grasp. The man\nwent before the king, saluted him, and asked if the king would accept\nhis services.\nThe king asked his name and family, also what countryman he was.\nHe replies, \"My family is in Jamtaland and Helsingjaland, and my name is\nArnljot Gelline; but this I must not forget to tell you, that I came to\nthe assistance of those men you sent to Jamtaland to collect scat, and I\ngave into their hands a silver dish, which I sent you as a token that I\nwould be your friend.\"\nThen the king asked Arnljot if he was a Christian or not. He replied,\n\"My faith has been this, to rely upon my power and strength, and which\nfaith hath hitherto given me satisfaction; but now I intend rather to\nput my faith, sire, in thee.\"\nThe king replies, \"If thou wilt put faith in me thou must also put faith\nin what I will teach thee. Thou must believe that Jesus Christ has made\nheaven and earth, and all mankind, and to him shall all those who are\ngood and rightly believing go after death.\"\nArnljot answers, \"I have indeed heard of the white Christ, but neither\nknow what he proposes, nor what he rules over; but now I will believe\nall that thou sayest to me, and lay down my lot in your hands.\"\nThereupon Arnljot was baptized. The king taught him so much of the holy\nfaith as appeared to him needful, and placed him in the front rank of\nthe order of battle, in advance of his banner, where also Gauka-Thorer\nand Afrafaste, with their men, were.\n228. CONCERNING THE ARMY COLLECTED IN NORWAY.\nNow shall we relate what we have left behind in our tale,--that the\nlendermen and bondes had collected a vast host as soon as it was\nreported that King Olaf was come from Russia, and had arrived in\nSvithjod; but when they heard that he had come to Jamtaland, and\nintended to proceed westwards over the keel-ridge to Veradal, they\nbrought their forces into the Throndhjem country, where they gathered\ntogether the whole people, free and unfree, and proceeded towards\nVeradal with so great a body of men that there was nobody in Norway at\nthat time who had seen so large a force assembled. But the force, as\nit usually happens in so great a multitude, consisted of many different\nsorts of people. There were many lendermen, and a great many powerful\nbondes; but the great mass consisted of labourers and cottars. The chief\nstrength of this army lay in the Throndhjem land, and it was the most\nwarm in enmity and opposition to the king.\n229. OF BISHOP SIGURD.\nWhen King Canute had, as before related, laid all Norway under his\npower, he set Earl Hakon to manage it, and gave the earl a court-bishop,\nby name Sigurd, who was of Danish descent, and had been long with\nKing Canute. This bishop was of a very hot temper, and particularly\nobstinate, and haughty in his speech; but supported King Canute all he\ncould in conversation, and was a great enemy of King Olaf. He was now\nalso in the bondes' army, spoke often before the people, and urged them\nmuch to insurrection against King Olaf.\n230. BISHOP SIGURD'S SPEECH.\nAt a House-thing, at which a great many people were assembled, the\nbishop desired to be heard, and made the following speech: \"Here are\nnow assembled a great many men, so that probably there will never be\nopportunity in this poor country of seeing so great a native army;\nbut it would be desirable if this strength and multitude could be a\nprotection; for it will all be needed, if this Olaf does not give over\nbringing war and strife upon you. From his very earliest youth he has\nbeen accustomed to plunder and kill: for which purposes he drove widely\naround through all countries, until he turned at last against this,\nwhere he began to show hostilities against the men who were the best and\nmost powerful; and even against King Canute, whom all are bound to serve\naccording to their ability, and in whose scat-lands he set himself down.\nHe did the same to Olaf the Swedish king. He drove the earls Svein and\nHakon away from their heritages; and was even most tyrannical towards\nhis own connections, as he drove all the kings out of the Uplands:\nalthough, indeed, it was but just reward for having been false to their\noaths of fealty to King Canute, and having followed this King Olaf in\nall the folly he could invent; so their friendship ended according\nto their deserts, by this king mutilating some of them, taking their\nkingdoms himself, and ruining every man in the country who had an\nhonourable name. Ye know yourselves how he has treated the lendermen, of\nwhom many of the worthlest have been murdered, and many obliged to fly\nfrom their country; and how he has roamed far and wide through the land\nwith robber-bands, burning and plundering houses, and killing people.\nWho is the man among us here of any consideration who has not some great\ninjury from him to avenge? Now he has come hither with a foreign troop,\nconsisting mostly of forest-men, vagabonds, and such marauders. Do ye\nthink he will now be more merciful to you, when he is roaming about with\nsuch a bad crew, after committing devastations which all who followed\nhim dissuaded him from? Therefore it is now my advice, that ye remember\nKing Canute's words when he told you, if King Olaf attempted to return\nto the country ye should defend the liberty King Canute had promised\nyou, and should oppose and drive away such a vile pack. Now the only\nthing to be done is to advance against them, and cast forth these\nmalefactors to the wolves and eagles, leaving their corpses on the spot\nthey cover, unless ye drag them aside to out-of-the-way corners in\nthe woods or rocks. No man would be so imprudent as to remove them to\nchurches, for they are all robbers and evil-doers.\" When he had ended\nhis speech it was hailed with the loudest applause, and all unanimously\nagreed to act according to his recommendation.\n231. OF THE LENDERMEN.\nThe lendermen who had come together appointed meetings with each other,\nand consulted together how they should draw up their troops, and who\nshould be their leader. Kalf Arnason said that Harek of Thjotta was best\nfitted to be the chief of this army, for he was descended from Harald\nHarfager's race. \"The king also is particularly enraged against him on\naccount of the murder of Grankel, and therefore he would be exposed to\nthe severest fate if Olaf recovered the kingdom; and Harek withal is a\nman experienced in battles, and a man who does much for honour alone.\"\nHarek replies, that the men are best suited for this who are in the\nflower of their age. \"I am now,\" says he, \"an old and decaying man, not\nable to do much in battle: besides, there is near relationship between\nme and King Olaf; and although he seems not to put great value upon that\ntie, it would not beseem me to go as leader of the hostilities against\nhim, before any other in this meeting. On the other hand, thou, Thorer,\nart well suited to be our chief in this battle against King Olaf; and\nthou hast distinct grounds for being so, both because thou hast to\navenge the death of thy relation, and also hast been driven by him as an\noutlaw from thy property. Thou hast also promised King Canute, as well\nas thy connections, to avenge the murder of thy relative Asbjorn; and\ndost thou suppose there ever will be a better opportunity than this of\ntaking vengeance on Olaf for all these insults and injuries?\"\nThorer replies thus to his speech: \"I do not confide in myself so much\nas to raise the banner against King Olaf, or, as chief, to lead on\nthis army; for the people of Throndhjem have the greatest part in this\narmament, and I know well their haughty spirit, and that they would not\nobey me, or any other Halogaland man, although I need not be reminded of\nmy injuries to be roused to vengeance on King Olaf. I remember well my\nheavy loss when King Olaf slew four men, all distinguished both by birth\nand personal qualities; namely, my brother's son Asbjorn, my sister's\nsons Thorer and Grjotgard, and their father Olver; and it is my duty\nto take vengeance for each man of them. I will not conceal that I have\nselected eleven of my house-servants for that purpose, and of those who\nare the most daring; and I do not think we shall be behind others in\nexchanging blows with King Olaf, should opportunity be given.\"\n232. KALF ARNASON'S SPEECH.\nThen Kalf Arnason desired to speak. \"It is highly necessary,\" says\nhe, \"that this business we have on hand do not turn out a mockery and\nchild-work, now that an army is collected. Something else is needful, if\nwe are to stand battle with King Olaf, than that each should shove the\ndanger from himself; for we must recollect that although King Olaf has\nnot many people compared to this army of ours, the leader of them is\nintrepid, and the whole body of them will be true to him, and obedient\nin the battle. But if we who should be the leaders of this army show any\nfear, and will not encourage the army and go at the head of it, it must\nhappen that with the great body of our people the spirit will leave\ntheir hearts, and the next thing will be that each will seek his own\nsafety. Although we have now a great force assembled, we shall find our\ndestruction certain, when we meet King Olaf and his troops, if we, the\nchiefs of the people, are not confident in our cause, and have not the\nwhole army confidently and bravely going along with us. If it cannot\nbe so, we had better not risk a battle; and then it is easy to see that\nnothing would be left us but to shelter ourselves under King Olaf's\nmercy, however hard it might be, as then we would be less guilty than we\nnow may appear to him to be. Yet I know there are men in his ranks who\nwould secure my life and peace if I would seek it. Will ye now adopt my\nproposal--then shalt thou, friend Thorer, and thou, Harek, go under the\nbanner which we will all of us raise up, and then follow. Let us all be\nspeedy and determined in the resolution we have taken, and put ourselves\nso at the head of the bondes' army that they see no distrust in us; for\nthen will the common man advance with spirit when we go merrily to work\nin placing the army in battle-order, and in encouraging the people to\nthe strife.\"\nWhen Kalf had ended they all concurred in what he proposed, and all\nwould do what Kalf thought of advantage. All desired Kalf to be the\nleader of the army, and to give each what place in it he chose.\n233. HOW THE LENDERMEN SET UP THEIR BANNERS.\nKalf Arnason then raised his banner, and drew up his house-servants\nalong with Harek of Thjotta and his men. Thorer Hund, with his troop,\nwas at the head of the order of battle in front of the banner; and on\nboth sides of Thorer was a chosen body of bondes, all of them the most\nactive and best armed in the forces. This part of the array was long\nand thick, and in it were drawn up the Throndhjem people and the\nHalogalanders. On the right wing was another array; and on the left of\nthe main array were drawn up the men from Rogaland, Hordaland, the Fjord\ndistricts, and Scgn, and they had the third banner.\n234. OF THORSTEIN KNARRARSMID.\nThere was a man called Thorstein Knarrarsmid, who was a merchant and\nmaster ship-carpenter, stout and strong, very passionate, and a great\nmanslayer. He had been in enmity against King Olaf, who had taken from\nhim a new and large merchant-vessel he had built, on account of some\nmanslaughter-mulct, incurred in the course of his misdeeds, which he\nowed to the king. Thorstein, who was with the bondes' army, went forward\nin front of the line in which Thorer Hund stood, and said, \"Here I will\nbe, Thorer, in your ranks; for I think, if I and King Olaf meet, to be\nthe first to strive a weapon at him, if I can get so near, to repay him\nfor the robbery of the ship he took from me, which was the best that\never went on merchant voyage.\" Thorer and his men received Thorstein,\nand he went into their ranks.\n235. OF THE PREPARATIONS OF THE BONDES.\nWhen the bondes' men and array were drawn up the lendermen addressed\nthe men, and ordered them to take notice of the place to which each man\nbelonged, under which banner each should be, who there were in front\nof the banner, who were his side-men, and that they should be brisk and\nquick in taking up their places in the array; for the army had still\nto go a long way, and the array might be broken in the course of march.\nThen they encouraged the people; and Kalf invited all the men who had\nany injury to avenge on King Olaf to place themselves under the banner\nwhich was advancing against King Olaf's own banner. They should remember\nthe distress he had brought upon them; and, he said, never was there a\nbetter opportunity to avenge their grievances, and to free themselves\nfrom the yoke and slavery he had imposed on them. \"Let him,\" says he,\n\"be held a useless coward who does not fight this day boldly; and they\nare not innocents who are opposed to you, but people who will not spare\nyou if ye spare them.\"\nKalf's speech was received with loud applause, and shouts of\nencouragement were heard through the whole army.\n236. OF THE KING'S AND THE BONDES' ARMIES.\nThereafter the bondes' army advanced to Stiklestad, where King Olaf was\nalready with his people. Kalf and Harek went in front, at the head of\nthe army under their banners. But the battle did not begin immediately\non their meeting; for the bondes delayed the assault, because all their\nmen were not come upon the plain, and they waited for those who came\nafter them. Thorer Hund had come up with his troop the last, for he had\nto take care that the men did not go off behind when the battlecry was\nraised, or the armies were closing with each other; and therefore Kalf\nand Harek waited for Thorer. For the encouragement of their men in the\nbattle the bondes had the field-cry--\"Forward, forward, bondemen!\"\nKing Olaf also made no attack, for he waited for Dag and the people who\nfollowed him. At last the king saw Dag and his men approaching. It is\nsaid that the army of the bondes was not less on this day than a hundred\ntimes a hundred men. Sigvat the skald speaks thus of the numbers:--\n \"I grieve to think the king had brought\n Too small a force for what he sought:\n He held his gold too fast to bring\n The numbers that could make him king.\n The foemen, more than two to one,\n The victory by numbers won;\n And this alone, as I've heard say,\n Against King Olaf turned the day.\"\n237. MEETING OF THE KING AND THE BONDES.\nAs the armies on both sides stood so near that people knew each other,\nthe king said, \"Why art thou here, Kalf, for we parted good friends\nsouth in More? It beseems thee ill to fight against us, or to throw a\nspear into our army; for here are four of thy brothers.\"\nKalf replied, \"Many things come to pass differently from what may appear\nseemly. You parted from us so that it was necessary to seek peace with\nthose who were behind in the country. Now each must remain where he\nstands; but if I might advise, we should be reconciled.\"\nThen Fin, his brother, answered, \"This is to be observed of Kalf, that\nwhen he speaks fairly he has it in his mind to do ill.\"\nThe king answered, \"It may be, Kalf, that thou art inclined to\nreconciliation; but, methinks, the bondes do not appear so peaceful.\"\nThen Thorgeir of Kviststad said, \"You shall now have such peace as many\nformerly have received at your hands, and which you shall now pay for.\"\nThe king replies, \"Thou hast no occasion to hasten so much to meet us;\nfor fate has not decreed to thee to-day a victory over me, who raised\nthee to power and dignity from a mean station.\"\n238. BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE OF STIKLESTAD.\nNow came Thorer Hund, went forward in front of the banner with his\ntroop, and called out, \"Forward, forward, bondemen!\" Thereupon the\nbondemen raised the war-cry, and shot their arrows and spears. The\nking's men raised also a war-shout; and that done, encouraged each other\nto advance, crying out, \"Forward, forward, Christ-men! cross-men! king's\nmen!\" When the bondes who stood outermost on the wings heard it, they\nrepeated the same cry; but when the other bondes heard them they thought\nthese were king's men, turned their arms against them, and they fought\ntogether, and many were slain before they knew each other. The weather\nwas beautiful, and the sun shone clear; but when the battle began the\nheaven and the sun became red, and before the battle ended it became as\ndark as at night. King Olaf had drawn up his army upon a rising ground,\nand it rushed down from thence upon the bonde-army with such a fierce\nassault, that the bondes' array went before it; so that the breast of\nthe king's array came to stand upon the ground on which the rear of the\nbondes' array had stood, and many of the bondes' army were on the way\nto fly, but the lendermen and their house-men stood fast, and the battle\nbecame very severe. So says Sigvat:--\n \"Thundered the ground beneath their tread,\n As, iron-clad, thick-tramping, sped\n The men-at-arms, in row and rank,\n Past Stiklestad's sweet grassy bank.\n The clank of steel, the bowstrings' twang,\n The sounds of battle, loudly rang;\n And bowman hurried on advancing,\n Their bright helms in the sunshine glancing.\"\nThe lendermen urged their men, and forced them to advance. Sigvat speaks\nof this:--\n \"Midst in their line their banner flies,\n Thither the stoutest bonde hies:\n But many a bonde thinks of home,\n And many wish they ne'er had come.\"\nThen the bonde-army pushed on from all quarters. They who stood in front\nhewed down with their swords; they who stood next thrust with their\nspears; and they who stood hindmost shot arrows, cast spears, or threw\nstones, hand-axes, or sharp stakes. Soon there was a great fall of men\nin the battle. Many were down on both sides. In the first onset fell\nArnljot Gelline, Gauka-Thorer, and Afrafaste, with all their men, after\neach had killed a man or two, and some indeed more. Now the ranks in\nfront of the king's banner began to be thinned, and the king ordered\nThord to carry the banner forward, and the king himself followed it with\nthe troop he had chosen to stand nearest to him in battle; and these\nwere the best armed men in the field, and the most expert in the use of\ntheir weapons. Sigvat the skald tells of this:--\n \"Loud was the battle-storm there,\n Where the king's banner flamed in air.\n The king beneath his banner stands,\n And there the battle he commands.\"\nOlaf came forth from behind the shield-bulwark, and put himself at the\nhead of the army; and when the bondes looked him in the face they were\nfrightened, and let their hands drop. So says Sigvat:--\n \"I think I saw them shrink with fear\n Who would not shrink from foeman's spear,\n When Olaf's lion-eye was cast\n On them, and called up all the past.\n Clear as the serpent's eye--his look\n No Throndhjem man could stand, but shook\n Beneath its glance, and skulked away,\n Knowing his king, and cursed the day.\"\nThe combat became fierce, and the king went forward in the fray. So says\nSigvat:--\n \"When on they came in fierce array,\n And round the king arose the fray,\n With shield on arm brave Olaf stood,\n Dyeing his sword in their best blood.\n For vengeance on his Throndhjem foes,\n On their best men he dealt his blows;\n He who knew well death's iron play,\n To his deep vengeance gave full sway.\"\n239. THORGEIR OF KVISTSTAD'S FALL.\nKing Olaf fought most desperately. He struck the lenderman before\nmentioned (Thorgeir of Kviststad) across the face, cut off the\nnose-piece of his helmet, and clove his head down below the eyes so\nthat they almost fell out. When he fell the king said, \"Was it not true,\nThorgeir, what I told thee, that thou shouldst not be victor in our\nmeeting?\" At the same instant Thord stuck the banner-pole so fast in the\nearth that it remained standing. Thord had got his death-wound, and\nfell beneath the banner. There also fell Thorfin Mun, and also Gissur\nGullbrarskald, who was attacked by two men, of whom he killed one, but\nonly wounded the other before he fell. So says Hofgardaref:--\n \"Bold in the Iron-storm was he,\n Firm and stout as forest tree,\n The hero who, 'gainst two at once,\n Made Odin's fire from sword-edge glance;\n Dealing a death-blow to the one,\n Known as a brave and generous man,\n Wounding the other, ere he fell,--\n His bloody sword his deeds showed well.\"\nIt happened then, as before related, that the sun, although the air was\nclear, withdrew from the sight, and it became dark. Of this Sigvat the\nskald speaks:--\n \"No common wonder in the sky\n Fell out that day--the sun on high,\n And not a cloud to see around,\n Shone not, nor warmed Norway's ground.\n The day on which fell out this fight\n Was marked by dismal dusky light,\n This from the East I heard--the end\n Of our great king it did portend.\"\nAt the same time Dag Hringson came up with his people, and began to\nput his men in array, and to set up his banner; but on account of the\ndarkness the onset could not go on so briskly, for they could not see\nexactly whom they had before them. They turned, however, to that\nquarter where the men of Hordaland and Rogaland stood. Many of these\ncircumstances took place at the same time, and some happened a little\nearlier, and some a little later.\n240. KING OLAF'S FALL.\nOn the one side of Kalf Arnason stood his two relations, Olaf and Kalf,\nwith many other brave and stout men. Kalf was a son of Arnfin Arnmodson,\nand a brother's son of Arne Arnmodson. On the other side of Kalf Arnason\nstood Thorer Hund. King Olaf hewed at Thorer Hund, and struck him across\nthe shoulders; but the sword would not cut, and it was as if dust flew\nfrom his reindeer-skin coat. So says Sigvat:--\n \"The king himself now proved the power\n Of Fin-folk's craft in magic hour,\n With magic song; for stroke of steel\n Thor's reindeer coat would never feel,\n Bewitched by them it turned the stroke\n Of the king's sword,--a dust-like smoke\n Rose from Thor's shoulders from the blow\n Which the king though would end his foe.\"\nThorer struck at the king, and they exchanged some blows; but the king's\nsword would not cut where it met the reindeer skin, although Thorer was\nwounded in the hands. Sigvat sang thus of it:--\n \"Some say that Thorer's not right bold;\n Why never yet have I been told\n Of one who did a bolder thing\n Than to change blows with his true king.\n Against his king his sword to wield,\n Leaping across the shield on shield\n Which fenced the king round in the fight,\n Shows the dog's (1) courage--brave, not bright.\"\nThe king said to Bjorn the marshal, \"Do thou kill the dog on whom steel\nwill not bite.\" Bjorn turned round the axe in his hands, and gave Thorer\na blow with the hammer of it on the shoulder so hard that he tottered.\nThe king at the same moment turned against Kalf and his relations, and\ngave Olaf his death-wound. Thorer Hund struck his spear right through\nthe body of Marshal Bjorn, and killed him outright; and Thorer said, \"It\nis thus we hunt the bear.\" (2) Thorstein Knarrarsmid struck at King Olaf\nwith his axe, and the blow hit his left leg above the knee. Fin Arnason\ninstantly killed Thorstein. The king after the wound staggered towards\na stone, threw down his sword, and prayed God to help him. Then Thorer\nHund struck at him with his spear, and the stroke went in under his\nmail-coat and into his belly. Then Kalf struck at him on the left side\nof the neck. But all are not agreed upon Kalf having been the man who\ngave him the wound in the neck. These three wounds were King Olaf's\ndeath; and after the king's death the greater part of the forces which\nhad advanced with him fell with the king. Bjarne Gullbrarskald sang\nthese verses about Kalf Arnason:--\n \"Warrior! who Olaf dared withstand,\n Who against Olaf held the land,\n Thou hast withstood the bravest, best,\n Who e'er has gone to his long rest.\n At Stiklestad thou wast the head;\n With flying banners onwards led\n Thy bonde troops, and still fought on,\n Until he fell--the much-mourned one.\"\nSigvat also made these verses on Bjorn:--\n \"The marshal Bjorn, too, I find,\n A great example leaves behind,\n How steady courage should stand proof,\n Though other servants stand aloof.\n To Russia first his steps he bent,\n To serve his master still intent;\n And now besides his king he fell,--\n A noble death for skalds to tell.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) Thorer's name was Hund--the dog; and a play upon Thorer\n Hund's name was intended by the skald.--L.\n (2) Bjorn, the marshal's name, signifies a bear.--L.\n241. BEGINNING OF DAG HRINGSON'S ATTACK.\nDag Hringson still kept up the battle, and made in the beginning so\nfierce an assault that the bondes gave way, and some betook themselves\nto flight. There a great number of the bondes fell, and these lendermen,\nErlend of Gerde and Aslak of Finey; and the banner also which they\nhad stood under was cut down. This onset was particularly hot, and was\ncalled Dag's storm. But now Kalf Arnason, Harek of Thjotta, and Thorer\nHund turned against Dag, with the array which had followed them, and\nthen Dag was overwhelmed with numbers; so he betook himself to flight\nwith the men still left him. There was a valley through which the main\nbody of the fugitives fled, and men lay scattered in heaps on both\nsides; and many were severely wounded, and many so fatigued that they\nwere fit for nothing. The bondes pursued only a short way; for their\nleaders soon returned back to the field of battle, where they had their\nfriends and relations to look after.\n242. KING OLAF'S MIRACLE SHOWN TO THORER HUND.\nThorer Hund went to where King Olaf's body lay, took care of it, laid\nit straight out on the ground, and spread a cloak over it. He told since\nthat when he wiped the blood from the face it was very beautiful; and\nthere was red in the cheeks, as if he only slept, and even much clearer\nthan when he was in life. The king's blood came on Thorer's hand, and\nran up between his fingers to where he had been wounded, and the\nwound grew up so speedily that it did not require to be bound up. This\ncircumstance was testified by Thorer himself when King Olaf's holiness\ncame to be generally known among the people; and Thorer Hund was among\nthe first of the king's powerful opponents who endeavoured to spread\nabroad the king's sanctity.\n243. OF KALF ARNASON'S BROTHERS.\nKalf Arnason searched for his brothers who had fallen, and found\nThorberg and Fin. It is related that Fin threw his dagger at him, and\nwanted to kill him, giving him hard words, and calling him a faithless\nvillain, and a traitor to his king. Kalf did not regard it, but ordered\nFin and Thorberg to be carried away from the field. When their wounds\nwere examined they were found not to be deadly, and they had fallen from\nfatigue, and under the weight of their weapons. Thereafter Kalf tried to\nbring his brothers down to a ship, and went himself with them. As\nsoon as he was gone the whole bonde-army, having their homes in the\nneighbourhood, went off also, excepting those who had friends or\nrelations to look after, or the bodies of the slain to take care of. The\nwounded were taken home to the farms, so that every house was full of\nthem; and tents were erected over some. But wonderful as was the number\ncollected in the bonde-army, no less wonderful was the haste with which\nthis vast body was dispersed when it was once free; and the cause of\nthis was, that the most of the people gathered together from the country\nplaces were longing for their homes.\n244. OF THE BONDES OF VERADAL.\nThe bondes who had their homes in Veradal went to the chiefs Harek and\nThorer, and complained of their distress, saying, \"The fugitives who\nhave escaped from the battle have proceeded up over the valley of\nVeradal, and are destroying our habitations, and there is no safety for\nus to travel home so long as they are in the valley. Go after them with\nwar-force, and let no mother's son of them escape with life; for that is\nwhat they intended for us if they had got the upper hand in the battle,\nand the same they would do now if they met us hereafter, and had better\nluck than we. It may also be that they will linger in the valley if they\nhave nothing to be frightened for, and then they would not proceed very\ngently in the inhabited country.\" The bondes made many words about this,\nurging the chiefs to advance directly, and kill those who had escaped.\nNow when the chiefs talked over this matter among themselves, they\nthought there was much truth in what the bondes said. They resolved,\ntherefore, that Thorer Hund should undertake this expedition through\nVeradal, with 600 men of his own troops. Then, towards evening, he set\nout with his men; and Thorer continued his march without halt until he\ncame in the night to Sula, where he heard the news that Dag Hringson had\ncome there in the evening, with many other flocks of the king's men, and\nhad halted there until they took supper, but were afterwards gone up\nto the mountains. Then Thorer said he did not care to pursue them up\nthrough the mountains, and he returned down the valley again, and they\ndid not kill many of them this time. The bondes then returned to their\nhomes, and the following day Thorer, with his people, went to their\nships. The part of the king's men who were still on their legs concealed\nthemselves in the forests, and some got help from the people.\n245. OF THE KING'S BROTHER, HARALD SIGURDSON.\nHarald Sigurdson was severely wounded; but Ragnvald Brusason brought him\nto a bonde's the night after the battle, and the bonde took in Harald,\nand healed his wound in secret, and afterwards gave him his son to\nattend him. They went secretly over the mountains, and through the waste\nforests, and came out in Jamtaland. Harald Sigurdson was fifteen years\nold when King Olaf fell. In Jamtaland Harald found Ragnvald Brusason;\nand they went both east to King Jarisleif in Russia, as is related in\nthe Saga of Harald Sigurdson.\n246. OF THORMOD KOLBRUNARSKALD.\nThormod Kolbrunarskald was under King Olaf's banner in the battle; but\nwhen the king had fallen, the battle was raging so that of the king's\nmen the one fell by the side of the other, and the most of those who\nstood on their legs were wounded. Thormod was also severely wounded, and\nretired, as all the others did, back from where there was most danger of\nlife, and some even fled. Now when the onset began which is called Dag's\nstorm, all of the king's men who were able to combat went there; but\nThormod did not come into that combat, being unable to fight, both from\nhis wound and from weariness, but he stood by the side of his comrade in\nthe ranks, although he could do nothing. There he was struck by an arrow\nin the left side; but he broke off the shaft of the arrow, went out of\nthe battle, and up towards the houses, where he came to a barn which\nwas a large building. Thormod had his drawn sword in his hand; and as he\nwent in a man met him, coming out, and said, \"It is very bad there with\nhowling and screaming; and a great shame it is that brisk young fellows\ncannot bear their wounds: it may be that the king's men have done\nbravely to-day, but they certainly bear their wounds very ill.\"\nThormod asks. \"What is thy name?\"\nHe called himself Kimbe.\nThormod: \"Wast thou in the battle, too?\"\n\"I was with the bondes, which was the best side,\" says he.\n\"And art thou wounded any way?\" says Thormod.\n\"A little,\" said Kimbe. \"And hast thou been in the battle too?\"\nThormod replied, \"I was with them who had the best.\"\n\"Art thou wounded?\" says Kimbe.\n\"Not much to signify,\" replies Thormod.\nAs Kimbe saw that Thormod had a gold ring on his arm, he said, \"Thou art\ncertainly a king's man. Give me thy gold ring, and I will hide thee. The\nbondes will kill thee if thou fallest in their way.\"\nThormod says, \"Take the ring if thou canst get it: I have lost that\nwhich is more worth.\"\nKimbe stretched out his hand, and wanted to take the ring; but Thormod,\nswinging his sword, cut off his hand; and it is related that Kimbe\nbehaved himself no better under his wound than those he had been blaming\njust before. Kimbe went off, and Thormod sat down in the barn, and\nlistened to what people were saying. The conversation was mostly\nabout what each had seen in the battle, and about the valour of the\ncombatants. Some praised most King Olaf's courage, and some named\nothers who stood nowise behind him in bravery. Then Thormod sang these\nverses:--\n \"Olaf was brave beyond all doubt,--\n At Stiklestad was none so stout;\n Spattered with blood, the king, unsparing,\n Cheered on his men with deed and daring.\n But I have heard that some were there\n Who in the fight themselves would spare;\n Though, in the arrow-storm, the most\n Had perils quite enough to boast.\"\n247. THORMOD'S DEATH.\nThormod went out, and entered into a chamber apart, in which there were\nmany wounded men, and with them a woman binding their wounds. There was\nfire upon the floor, at which she warmed water to wash and clean their\nwounds. Thormod sat himself down beside the door, and one came in, and\nanother went out, of those who were busy about the wounded men. One\nof them turned to Thormod, looked at him, and said, \"Why art thou so\ndead-pale? Art thou wounded? Why dost thou not call for the help of the\nwound-healers?\" Thormod then sang these verses:--\n \"I am not blooming, and the fair\n And slender girl loves to care\n For blooming youths--few care for me;\n With Fenja's meal I cannot fee.\n This is the reason why I feel\n The slash and thrust of Danish steel;\n And pale and faint, and bent with pain,\n Return from yonder battle-plain.\"\nThen Thormod stood up and went in towards the fire, and stood there\nawhile. The young woman said to him, \"Go out, man, and bring in some of\nthe split firewood which lies close beside the door.\" He went out and\nbrought in an armful of wood, which he threw down upon the floor. Then\nthe nurse-girl looked him in the face, and said, \"Dreadfully pale is\nthis man--why art thou so?\" Then Thormod sang:--\n \"Thou wonderest, sweet sprig, at me,\n A man so hideous to see:\n Deep wounds but rarely mend the face,\n The crippling blow gives little grace.\n The arrow-drift o'ertook me, girl,--\n A fine-ground arrow in the whirl\n Went through me, and I feel the dart\n Sits, lovely girl, too near my heart.\"\nThe girl said, \"Let me see thy wound, and I will bind it.\" Thereupon\nThormod sat down, cast off his clothes, and the girl saw his wounds, and\nexamined that which was in his side, and felt that a piece of iron was\nin it, but could not find where the iron had gone in. In a stone pot she\nhad stirred together leeks and other herbs, and boiled them, and gave\nthe wounded men of it to eat, by which she discovered if the wounds had\npenetrated into the belly; for if the wound had gone so deep, it would\nsmell of leek. She brought some of this now to Thormod, and told him to\neat of it. He replied, \"Take it away, I have no appetite for my broth.\"\nThen she took a large pair of tongs, and tried to pull out the iron; but\nit sat too fast, and would in no way come, and as the wound was swelled,\nlittle of it stood out to lay hold of. Now said Thormod, \"Cut so deep\nin that thou canst get at the iron with the tongs, and give me the tongs\nand let me pull.\" She did as he said. Then Thormod took a gold ring from\nhis hand, gave it to the nurse-woman, and told her to do with it what\nshe liked. \"It is a good man's gift,\" said he: \"King Olaf gave me the\nring this morning.\" Then Thormod took the tongs, and pulled the iron\nout; but on the iron there was a hook, at which there hung some morsels\nof flesh from the heart,--some white, some red. When he saw that, he\nsaid, \"The king has fed us well. I am fat, even at the heart-roots;\" and\nso saying he leant back, and was dead. And with this ends what we have\nto say about Thormod.\n248. OF SOME CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE BATTLE.\nKing Olaf fell on Wednesday, the 29th of July (A.D. 1030). It was near\nmid-day when the two armies met, and the battle began before half-past\none, and before three the king fell. The darkness continued from about\nhalf-past one to three also. Sigvat the skald speaks thus of the result\nof the battle:--\n \"The loss was great to England's foes,\n When their chief fell beneath the blows\n By his own thoughtless people given,--\n When the king's shield in two was riven.\n The people's sovereign took the field,\n The people clove the sovereign's shield.\n Of all the chiefs that bloody day,\n Dag only came out of the fray.\"\nAnd he composed these:--\n \"Such mighty bonde-power, I ween,\n With chiefs or rulers ne'er was seen.\n It was the people's mighty power\n That struck the king that fatal hour.\n When such a king, in such a strife,\n By his own people lost his life,\n Full many a gallant man must feel\n The death-wound from the people's steel.\"\nThe bondes did not spoil the slain upon the field of battle, for\nimmediately after the battle there came upon many of them who had been\nagainst the king a kind of dread as it were; yet they held by their evil\ninclination, for they resolved among themselves that all who had fallen\nwith the king should not receive the interment which belongs to good\nmen, but reckoned them all robbers and outlaws. But the men who had\npower, and had relations on the field, cared little for this, but\nremoved their remains to the churches, and took care of their burial.\n249. A MIRACLE ON A BLIND MAN.\nThorgils Halmason and his son Grim went to the field of battle towards\nevening when it was dusk, took King Olaf's corpse up, and bore it to a\nlittle empty houseman's hut which stood on the other side of their farm.\nThey had light and water with them. Then they took the clothes off\nthe body, swathed it in a linen cloth, laid it down in the house, and\nconcealed it under some firewood so that nobody could see it, even\nif people came into the hut. Thereafter they went home again to the\nfarmhouse. A great many beggars and poor people had followed both\narmies, who begged for meat; and the evening after the battle many\nremained there, and sought lodging round about in all the houses, great\nor small. It is told of a blind man who was poor, that a boy attended\nhim and led him. They went out around the farm to seek a lodging, and\ncame to the same empty house, of which the door was so low that they had\nalmost to creep in. Now when the blind man had come in, he fumbled about\nthe floor seeking a place where he could lay himself down. He had a hat\non his head, which fell down over his face when he stooped down. He felt\nwith his hands that there was moisture on the floor, and he put up his\nwet hand to raise his hat, and in doing so put his fingers on his eyes.\nThere came immediately such an itching in his eyelids, that he wiped the\nwater with his fingers from his eyes, and went out of the hut, saying\nnobody could lie there, it was so wet. When he came out of the hut he\ncould distinguish his hands, and all that was near him, as far as things\ncan be distinguished by sight in the darkness of light; and he went\nimmediately to the farm-house into the room, and told all the people he\nhad got his sight again, and could see everything, although many knew\nhe had been blind for a long time, for he had been there, before, going\nabout among the houses of the neighbourhood. He said he first got his\nsight when he was coming out of a little ruinous hut which was all wet\ninside. \"I groped in the water,\" said he, \"and rubbed my eyes with\nmy wet hands.\" He told where the hut stood. The people who heard him\nwondered much at this event, and spoke among themselves of what it could\nbe that produced it: but Thorgils the peasant and his son Grim thought\nthey knew how this came to pass; and as they were much afraid the king's\nenemies might go there and search the hut, they went and took the body\nout of it, and removed it to a garden, where they concealed it, and then\nreturned to the farm, and slept there all night.\n250. OF THORER HUND.\nThe fifth day (Thursday), Thorer Hund came down the valley of Veradal\nto Stiklestad; and many people, both chiefs and bondes, accompanied him.\nThe field of battle was still being cleared, and people were carrying\naway the bodies of their friends and relations, and were giving the\nnecessary help to such of the wounded as they wished to save; but\nmany had died since the battle. Thorer Hund went to where the king had\nfallen, and searched for his body; but not finding it, he inquired if\nany one could tell him what had become of the corpse, but nobody could\ntell him where it was. Then he asked the bonde Thorgils, who said, \"I\nwas not in the battle, and knew little of what took place there; but\nmany reports are abroad, and among others that King Olaf has been seen\nin the night up at Staf, and a troop of people with him: but if he fell\nin the battle, your men must have concealed him in some hole, or under\nsome stone-heap.\" Now although Thorer Hund knew for certain that the\nking had fallen, many allowed themselves to believe, and to spread\nabroad the report, that the king had escaped from the battle, and would\nin a short time come again upon them with an army. Then Thorer went\nto his ships, and sailed down the fjord, and the bonde-army dispersed,\ncarrying with them all the wounded men who could bear to be removed.\n251. OF KING OLAF'S BODY.\nThorgils Halmason and his son Grim had King Olaf's body, and were\nanxious about preserving it from falling into the hands of the king's\nenemies, and being ill-treated; for they heard the bondes speaking about\nburning it, or sinking it in the sea. The father and son had seen a\nclear light burning at night over the spot on the battlefield where King\nOlaf's body lay, and since, while they concealed it, they had always\nseen at night a light burning over the corpse; therefore they were\nafraid the king's enemies might seek the body where this signal was\nvisible. They hastened, therefore, to take the body to a place where\nit would be safe. Thorgils and his son accordingly made a coffin, which\nthey adorned as well as they could, and laid the king's body in it;\nand afterwards made another coffin in which they laid stones and straw,\nabout as much as the weight of a man, and carefully closed the coffins.\nAs soon as the whole bonde-army had left Stiklestad, Thorgils and his\nson made themselves ready, got a large rowing-boat, and took with them\nseven or eight men, who were all Thorgil's relations or friends, and\nprivately took the coffin with the king's body down to the boat, and set\nit under the foot-boards. They had also with them the coffin containing\nthe stones, and placed it in the boat where all could see it; and then\nwent down the fjord with a good opportunity of wind and weather, and\narrived in the dusk of the evening at Nidaros, where they brought up at\nthe king's pier. Then Thorgils sent some of his men up to the town to\nBishop Sigurd, to say that they were come with the king's body. As soon\nas the bishop heard this news, he sent his men down to the pier, and\nthey took a small rowing-boat, came alongside of Thorgil's ship, and\ndemanded the king's body. Thorgils and his people then took the coffin\nwhich stood in view, and bore it into the boat; and the bishop's men\nrowed out into the fjord, and sank the coffin in the sea. It was now\nquite dark. Thorgils and his people now rowed up into the river past the\ntown, and landed at a place called Saurhlid, above the town. Then they\ncarried the king's body to an empty house standing at a distance from\nother houses, and watched over it for the night, while Thorgils went\ndown to the town, where he spoke with some of the best friends of King\nOlaf, and asked them if they would take charge of the king's body; but\nnone of them dared to do so. Then Thorgils and his men went with the\nbody higher up the river, buried it in a sand-hill on the banks, and\nlevelled all around it so that no one could observe that people had been\nat work there. They were ready with all this before break of day, when\nthey returned to their vessel, went immediately out of the river, and\nproceeded on their way home to Stiklestad.\n252. OF THE BEGINNING OF KING SVEIN ALFIFASON'S GOVERNMENT.\nSvein, a son of King Canute, and of Alfifa, a daughter of Earl Alfrin,\nhad been appointed to govern Jomsborg in Vindland. There came a message\nto him from his father King Canute, that he should come to Denmark;\nand likewise that afterwards he should proceed to Norway, and take that\nkingdom under his charge, and assume, at the same time, the title of\nking of Norway. Svein repaired to Denmark, and took many people with him\nfrom thence, and also Earl Harald and many other people of consequence\nattended him. Thorarin Loftunga speaks of this in the song he composed\nabout King Svein, called the \"Glelogn Song\":--\n \"'Tis told by fame,\n How grandly came\n The Danes to tend\n Their young king Svein.\n Grandest was he,\n That all could see;\n Then, one by one,\n Each following man\n More splendour wore\n Than him before.\"\nThen Svein proceeded to Norway, and his mother Alfifa was with him;\nand he was taken to be king at every Law-thing in the country. He\nhad already come as far as Viken at the time the battle was fought at\nStiklestad, and King Olaf fell. Svein continued his journey until\nhe came north, in autumn, to the Throndhjem country; and there, as\nelsewhere, he was received as king.\n253. OF KING SVEIN'S LAWS.\nKing Svein introduced new laws in many respects into the country, partly\nafter those which were in Denmark, and in part much more severe. No man\nmust leave the country without the king's permission; or if he did, his\nproperty fell to the king. Whoever killed a man outright, should forfeit\nall his land and movables. If any one was banished the country, and all\nheritage fell to him, the king took his inheritance. At Yule every man\nshould pay the king a meal of malt from every harvest steading, and a\nleg of a three-year old ox, which was called a friendly gift, together\nwith a spand of butter; and every house-wife a rock full of unspun lint,\nas thick as one could span with the longest fingers of the hand. The\nbondes were bound to build all the houses the king required upon his\nfarms. Of every seven males one should be taken for the service of war,\nand reckoning from the fifth year of age; and the outfit of ships should\nbe reckoned in the same proportion. Every man who rowed upon the sea\nto fish should pay the king five fish as a tax, for the land defence,\nwherever he might come from. Every ship that went out of the country\nshould have stowage reserved open for the king in the middle of the\nship. Every man, foreigner or native, who went to Iceland, should pay a\ntax to the king. And to all this was added, that Danes should enjoy so\nmuch consideration in Norway, that one witness of them should invalidate\nten of Northmen (1).\nWhen these laws were promulgated the minds of the people were instantly\nraised against them, and murmurs were heard among them. They who had not\ntaken part against King Olaf said, \"Now take your reward and friendship\nfrom the Canute race, ye men of the interior Throndhjem who fought\nagainst King Olaf, and deprived him of his kingdom. Ye were promised\npeace and justice, and now ye have got oppression and slavery for your\ngreat treachery and crime.\" Nor was it very easy to contradict them, as\nall men saw how miserable the change had been. But people had not the\nboldness to make an insurrection against King Svein, principally\nbecause many had given King Canute their sons or other near relations as\nhostages; and also because no one appeared as leader of an insurrection.\nThey very soon, however, complained of King Svein; and his mother Alfifa\ngot much of the blame of all that was against their desire. Then the\ntruth, with regard to Olaf, became evident to many.\n ENDNOTES: (1) This may probably have referred not to witnesses of an\nact, but to the class of witnesses in the jurisprudence of the\n Middle Ages called compurgators, who testified not the fact,\n but their confidence in the statements of the accused; and\n from which, possibly, our English bail for offenders arose.\n254. OF KING OLAF'S SANCTITY.\nThis winter (A.D. 1031) many in the Throndhjem land began to declare\nthat Olaf was in reality a holy man, and his sanctity was confirmed by\nmany miracles. Many began to make promises and prayers to King Olaf in\nthe matters in which they thought they required help, and many found\ngreat benefit from these invocations. Some in respect of health, others\nof a journey, or other circumstances in which such help seemed needful.\n255. OF EINAR TAMBASKELFER.\nEinar Tambaskelfer was come home from England to his farm, and had the\nfiefs which King Canute had given him when they met in Throndhjem, and\nwhich were almost an earldom. Einar had not been in the strife against\nKing Olaf, and congratulated himself upon it. He remembered that King\nCanute had promised him the earldom over Norway, and at the same time\nremembered that King Canute had not kept his promise. He was accordingly\nthe first great person who looked upon King Olaf as a saint.\n256. OF THE SONS OF ARNE.\nFin Arnason remained but a short time at Eggja with his brother Kalf;\nfor he was in the highest degree ill-pleased that Kalf had been in the\nbattle against King Olaf, and always made his brother the bitterest\nreproaches on this account. Thorberg Arnason was much more temperate in\nhis discourse than Fin; but yet he hastened away, and went home to his\nfarm. Kalf gave the two brothers a good long-ship, with full rigging and\nother necessaries, and a good retinue. Therefore they went home to their\nfarms, and sat quietly at home. Arne Arnason lay long ill of his wounds,\nbut got well at last without injury of any limb, and in winter he\nproceeded south to his farm. All the brothers made their peace with King\nSvein, and sat themselves quietly down in their homes.\n257. BISHOP SIGURD'S FLIGHT.\nThe summer after (A.D. 1031) there was much talk about King Olaf's\nsanctity, and there was a great alteration in the expressions of all\npeople concerning him. There were many who now believed that King\nOlaf must be a saint, even among those who had persecuted him with the\ngreatest animosity, and would never in their conversation allow truth\nor justice in his favour. People began then to turn their reproaches\nagainst the men who had principally excited opposition to the king; and\non this account Bishop Sigurd in particular was accused. He got so many\nenemies, that he found it most advisable to go over to England to King\nCanute. Then the Throndhjem people sent men with a verbal message to the\nUplands, to Bishop Grimkel, desiring him to come north to Throndhjem.\nKing Olaf had sent Bishop Grimkel back to Norway when he went east into\nRussia, and since that time Grimkel had been in the Uplands. When the\nmessage came to the bishop he made ready to go, and it contributed much\nto this journey that the bishop considered it as true what was told of\nKing Olaf's miracles and sanctity.\n258. KING OLAF THE SAINT'S REMAINS DISINTERRED.\nBishop Grimkel went to Einar Tambaskelfer, who received him joyfully.\nThey talked over many things, and, among others, of the important events\nwhich had taken place in the country; and concerning these they were\nperfectly agreed. Then the bishop proceeded to the town (Nidaros),\nand was well received by all the community. He inquired particularly\nconcerning the miracles of King Olaf that were reported, and received\nsatisfactory accounts of them. Thereupon the bishop sent a verbal\nmessage to Stiklestad to Thorgils and his son Grim, inviting them to\ncome to the town to him. They did not decline the invitation, but set\nout on the road immediately, and came to the town and to the bishop.\nThey related to him all the signs that had presented themselves to them,\nand also where they had deposited the king's body. The bishop sent a\nmessage to Einar Tambaskelfer, who came to the town. Then the bishop and\nEinar had an audience of the king and Alfifa, in which they asked the\nking's leave to have King Olaf's body taken up out of the earth. The\nking gave his permission, and told the bishop to do as he pleased in\nthe matter. At that time there were a great many people in the town.\nThe bishop, Einar, and some men with them, went to the place where\nthe king's body was buried, and had the place dug; but the coffin had\nalready raised itself almost to the surface of the earth. It was then\nthe opinion of many that the bishop should proceed to have the king\nburied in the earth at Clement's church; and it was so done. Twelve\nmonths and five days (Aug. 3, A.D. 1031), after King Olaf's death\nhis holy remains were dug up, and the coffin had raised itself almost\nentirely to the surface of the earth; and the coffin appeared quite\nnew, as if it had but lately been made. When Bishop Grimkel came to King\nOlaf's opened coffin, there was a delightful and fresh smell. Thereupon\nthe bishop uncovered the king's face, and his appearance was in no\nrespect altered, and his cheeks were as red as if he had but just fallen\nasleep. The men who had seen King Olaf when he fell remarked, also, that\nhis hair and nails had grown as much as if he had lived on the earth all\nthe time that had passed since his fall. Thereupon King Svein, and all\nthe chiefs who were at the place, went out to see King Olaf's body. Then\nsaid Alfifa, \"People buried in sand rot very slowly, and it would not\nhave been so if he had been buried in earth.\" Afterwards the bishop took\nscissors, clipped the king's hair, and arranged his beard; for he had\nhad a long beard, according to the fashion of that time. Then said the\nbishop to the king and Alfifa, \"Now the king's hair and beard are such\nas when he gave up the ghost, and it has grown as much as ye see has\nbeen cut off.\" Alfifa answers, \"I will believe in the sanctity of his\nhair, if it will not burn in the fire; but I have often seen men's hair\nwhole and undamaged after lying longer in the earth than this man's.\"\nThen the bishop had live coals put into a pan, blessed it, cast incense\nupon it, and then laid King Olaf's hair on the fire. When all the\nincense was burnt the bishop took the hair out of the fire, and showed\nthe king and the other chiefs that it was not consumed. Now Alfifa\nasked that the hair should be laid upon unconsecrated fire; but Einar\nTambaskelfer told her to be silent, and gave her many severe reproaches\nfor her unbelief. After the bishop's recognition, with the king's\napprobation and the decision of the Thing, it was determined that King\nOlaf should be considered a man truly holy; whereupon his body was\ntransported into Clement's church, and a place was prepared for it near\nthe high altar. The coffin was covered with costly cloth, and stood\nunder a gold embroidered tent. Many kinds of miracles were soon wrought\nby King Olaf's holy remains.\n259. OF KING OLAF'S MIRACLES.\nIn the sand-hill where King Olaf's body had lain on the ground\na beautiful spring of water came up and many human ailments and\ninfirmities were cured by its waters. Things were put in order around\nit, and the water ever since has been carefully preserved. There was\nfirst a chapel built, and an altar consecrated, where the king's body\nhad lain; but now Christ's church stands upon the spot. Archbishop\nEystein had a high altar raised upon the spot where the king's grave had\nbeen, when he erected the great temple which now stands there; and it is\nthe same spot on which the altar of the old Christ church had stood. It\nis said that Olaf's church stands on the spot on which the empty house\nhad stood in which King Olaf's body had been laid for the night. The\nplace over which the holy remains of King Olaf were carried up from the\nvessel is now called Olaf's Road, and is now in the middle of the town.\nThe bishop adorned King Olaf's holy remains, and cut his nails and hair;\nfor both grew as if he had still been alive. So says Sigvat the skald:--\n \"I lie not, when I say the king\n Seemed as alive in every thing:\n His nails, his yellow hair still growing,\n And round his ruddy cheek still flowing,\n As when, to please the Russian queen,\n His yellow locks adorned were seen;\n Or to the blind he cured he gave\n A tress, their precious sight to save.\"\nThorarin Loftunga also composed a song upon Svein Alfifason, called the\n\"Glelogn Song\", in which are these verses:--\n \"Svein, king of all,\n In Olaf's hall\n Now sits on high;\n And Olaf's eye\n Looks down from heaven,\n Where it is given\n To him to dwell:\n Or here in cell,\n As heavenly saint,\n To heal men's plaint,\n May our gold-giver\n Live here for ever!\n \"King Olaf there\n To hold a share\n On earth prepared,\n Nor labour spared\n A seat to win\n From heaven's great King;\n Which he has won\n Next God's own Son.\n \"His holy form,\n Untouched by worm,\n Lies at this day\n Where good men pray,\n And nails and hair\n Grow fresh and fair;\n His cheek is red,\n His flesh not dead.\n \"Around his bier,\n Good people hear\n The small bells ring\n Over the king,\n Or great bell toll;\n And living soul\n Not one can tell\n Who tolls the bell.\n \"Tapers up there,\n (Which Christ holds dear,)\n By day and night\n The altar light:\n Olaf did so,\n And all men know\n In heaven he\n From sin sits free.\n \"And crowds do come,\n The deaf and dumb,\n Cripple and blind,\n Sick of all kind,\n Cured to be\n On bended knee;\n And off the ground\n Rise whole and sound.\n \"To Olaf pray\n To eke thy day,\n To save thy land\n From spoiler's hand.\n God's man is he\n To deal to thee\n Good crops and peace;\n Let not prayer cease.\n \"Book-prayers prevail,\n If, nail for nail (1),\n Thou tellest on,\n Forgetting none.\"\nThorarin Loftunga was himself with King Svein, and heard these great\ntestimonials of King Olaf's holiness, that people, by the heavenly\npower, could hear a sound over his holy remains as if bells were\nringing, and that candles were lighted of themselves upon the altar as\nby a heavenly fire. But when Thorarin says that a multitude of lame, and\nblind, and other sick, who came to the holy Olaf, went back cured, he\nmeans nothing more than that there were a vast number of persons who at\nthe beginning of King Olaf's miraculous working regained their health.\nKing Olaf's greatest miracles are clearly written down, although they\noccurred somewhat later.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Before the entrance of the temples or churches were posts\n called Ondveigis-sulor, with nails called Rigin-naglar--\n the gods' nails--either for ornament, or, as Schoning\n suggests, to assist the people in reckoning weeks, months,\n festivals, and in reckoning or keeping tale of prayers\n repeated, and to recall them to memory, in the same way as\n beads are used still by the common people in Catholic\n countries for the same purpose.--L.\n260. OF KING OLAF'S AGE AND REIGN.\nIt is reckoned by those who have kept an exact account, that Olaf the\nSaint was king of Norway for fifteen years from the time Earl Svein left\nthe country; but he had received the title of king from the people of\nthe Uplands the winter before. Sigvat the skald tells this:--\n \"For fifteen winters o'er the land\n King Olaf held the chief command,\n Before he fell up in the North:\n His fall made known to us his worth.\n No worthier prince before his day\n In our North land e'er held the sway,\n Too short he held it for our good;\n All men wish now that he had stood.\"\nSaint Olaf was thirty-five years old when he fell, according to what\nAre Frode the priest says, and he had been in twenty pitched battles. So\nsays Sigvat the skald:--\n \"Some leaders trust in God--some not;\n Even so their men; but well I wot\n God-fearing Olaf fought and won\n Twenty pitched battles, one by one,\n And always placed upon his right\n His Christian men in a hard fight.\n May God be merciful, I pray,\n To him--for he ne'er shunned his fray.\"\nWe have now related a part of King Olaf's story, namely, the events\nwhich took place while he ruled over Norway; also his death, and how his\nholiness was manifested. Now shall we not neglect to mention what it\nwas that most advanced his honour. This was his miracles; but these will\ncome to be treated of afterwards in this book.\n261. OF THE THRONDHJEM PEOPLE.\nKing Svein, the son of Canute the Great, ruled over Norway for some\nyears; but was a child both in age and understanding. His mother Alfifa\nhad most sway in the country; and the people of the country were her\ngreat enemies, both then and ever since. Danish people had a great\nsuperiority given them within the country, to the great dissatisfaction\nof the people; and when conversation turned that way, the people of\nthe rest of Norway accused the Throndhjem people of having principally\noccasioned King Olaf the Holy's fall, and also that the men of Norway\nwere subject, through them, to the ill government by which oppression\nand slavery had come upon all the people, both great and small; indeed\nupon the whole community. They insisted that it was the duty of the\nThrondhjem people to attempt opposition and insurrection, and thus\nrelieve the country from such tyranny; and, in the opinion of the common\npeople, Throndhjem was also the chief seat of the strength of Norway at\nthat time, both on account of the chiefs and of the population of\nthat quarter. When the Throndhjem people heard these remarks of their\ncountrymen, they could not deny that there was much truth in them, and\nthat in depriving King Olaf of life and land they had committed a great\ncrime, and at the same time the misdeed had been ill paid. The chiefs\nbegan to hold consultations and conferences with each other, and the\nleader of these was Einar Tambaskelfer. It was likewise the case with\nKalf Arnason, who began to find into what errors he had been drawn by\nKing Canute's persuasion. All the promises which King Canute had made\nto Kalf had been broken; for he had promised him the earldom and the\nhighest authority in Norway: and although Kalf had been the leader\nin the battle against King Olaf, and had deprived him of his life and\nkingdom, Kalf had not got any higher dignity than he had before. He felt\nthat he had been deceived, and therefore messages passed between the\nbrothers Kalf, Fin, Thorberg, and Arne, and they renewed their family\nfriendship.\n262. OF KING SVEIN'S LEVY.\nWhen King Svein had been three years in Norway (A.D. 1031-33), the news\nwas received that a force was assembled in the western countries, under\na chief who called himself Trygve, and gave out that he was a son of\nOlaf Trygvason and Queen Gyda of England. Now when King Svein heard that\nforeign troops had come to the country, he ordered out the people on a\nlevy in the north, and the most of the lendermen hastened to him; but\nEinar Tambaskelfer remained at home, and would not go out with King\nSvein. When King Svein's order came to Kalf Arnason at Eggja, that he\nshould go out on a levy with King Svein, he took a twenty-benched ship\nwhich he owned, went on board with his house-servants, and in all haste\nproceeded out of the fjord, without waiting for King Svein, sailed\nsouthwards to More, and continued his voyage south until he came to\nGiske to his brother Thorberg. Then all the brothers, the sons of Arne,\nheld a meeting, and consulted with each other. After this Kalf returned\nto the north again; but when he came to Frekeysund, King Svein was lying\nin the sound before him. When Kalf came rowing from the south into the\nsound they hailed each other, and the king's men ordered Kalf to bring\nup with his vessel, and follow the king for the defence of the country.\nKalf replies, \"I have done enough, if not too much, when I fought\nagainst my own countrymen to increase the power of the Canute family.\"\nThereupon Kalf rowed away to the north until he came home to Eggja.\nNone of these Arnasons appeared at this levy to accompany the king. He\nsteered with his fleet southwards along the land; but as he could not\nhear the least news of any fleet having come from the west, he steered\nsouth to Rogaland, and all the way to Agder; for many guessed that\nTrygve would first make his attempt on Viken, because his forefathers\nhad been there, and had most of their strength from that quarter, and he\nhad himself great strength by family connection there.\n263. KING TRYGVE OLAFSON'S FALL.\nWhen Trygve came from the west he landed first on the coast of\nHordaland, and when he heard King Svein had gone south he went the same\nway to Rogaland. As soon as Svein got the intelligence that Trygve had\ncome from the west he returned, and steered north with his fleet; and\nboth fleets met within Bokn in Soknarsund, not far from the place where\nErling Skjalgson fell. The battle, which took place on a Sunday, was\ngreat and severe. People tell that Trygve threw spears with both hands\nat once. \"So my father,\" said he, \"taught me to celebrate mass.\" His\nenemies had said that he was the son of a priest; but the praise must\nbe allowed him that he showed himself more like a son of King Olaf\nTrygvason, for this Trygve was a slaughtering man. In this battle King\nTrygve fell, and many of his men with him; but some fled, and some\nreceived quarter and their lives. It is thus related in the ballad of\nTrygve:--\n \"Trygve comes from the northern coast,\n King Svein turns round with all his host;\n To meet and fight, they both prepare,\n And where they met grim death was there.\n From the sharp strife I was not far,--\n I heard the din and the clang of war;\n And the Hordaland men at last gave way,\n And their leader fell, and they lost the day.\"\nThis battle is also told of in the ballad about King Svein, thus:--\n \"My girl! it was a Sunday morn,\n And many a man ne'er saw its eve,\n Though ale and leeks by old wives borne\n The bruised and wounded did relieve.\n 'Twas Sunday morn, when Svein calls out,\n 'Stem to stem your vessels bind;'\n The raven a mid-day feast smells out,\n And he comes croaking up the wind.\"\nAfter this battle King Svein ruled the country for some time, and there\nwas peace in the land. The winter after it (A.D. 1034) he passed in the\nsouth parts of the country.\n264. OF THE COUNSELS OF EINAR TAMBASKELFER AND KALF ARNASON.\nEinar Tambaskelfer and Kalf Arnason had this winter meetings and\nconsultations between themselves in the merchant town (1). Then there\ncame a messenger from King Canute to Kalf Arnason, with a message to\nsend him three dozen axes, which must be chosen and good. Kalf replies,\n\"I will send no axes to King Canute. Tell him I will bring his son Svein\nso many, that he shall not think he is in want of any.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) Nidaros, or Throndhjem, is usually called merely the\n merchant town.--L.\n265. OF EINAR TAMBASKELFER AND KALF ARNASON'S JOURNEY.\nEarly in spring (A.D. 1034) Einar Tambaskelfer and Kalf Arnason made\nthemselves ready for a journey, with a great retinue of the best and\nmost select men that could be found in the Throndhjem country. They\nwent in spring eastward over the ridge of the country to Jamtaland,\nfrom thence to Helsingjaland, and came to Svithjod, where they procured\nships, with which in summer they proceeded east to Russia, and came in\nautumn to Ladoga. They sent men up to Novgorod to King Jarisleif, with\nthe errand that they offered Magnus, the son of King Olaf the Saint,\nto take him with them, follow him to Norway, and give him assistance\nto attain his father's heritage and be made king over the country. When\nthis message came to King Jarisleif he held a consultation with the\nqueen and some chiefs, and they all resolved unanimously to send a\nmessage to the Northmen, and ask them to come to King Jarisleif and\nMagnus; for which journey safe conduct was given them. When they came to\nNovgorod it was settled among them that the Northmen who had come there\nshould become Magnus's men, and be his subjects; and to this Kalf and\nthe other men who had been against King Olaf at Stiklestad were solemnly\nbound by oath. On the other hand, King Magnus promised them, under oath,\nsecure peace and full reconciliation; and that he would be true and\nfaithful to them all when he got the dominions and kingdom of Norway. He\nwas to become Kalf Arnason's foster-son; and Kalf should be bound to do\nall that Magnus might think necessary for extending his dominion, and\nmaking it more independent than formerly.\nSAGA OF MAGNUS THE GOOD.\nPRELIMINARY REMARKS.\nMagnus reigned from A.D. 1035 to 1047, when he died. During the last\nyear of his reign his half-brother Harald Sigurdson was his co-regent.\nThe history of Magnus is treated in \"Agrip.\", ch. 28-32; in\n\"Fagrskinna\", ch. 119-146; in \"Fornmannasogur\", part vi., and in\n\"Knytlinga Saga\".\nThe skalds quoted in this saga are: Arnor the earls' skald (Arnor\nJarlaskald), Sigvat, Thjodulf, Bjarne Gullbrarskald, Thorgeir Flek, Od\nKikinaskald.\n1. MAGNUS OLAFSON'S JOURNEY FROM THE WEST.\nAfter Yule Magnus Olafson began his journey from the East from Novgorod\nto Ladoga, where he rigged out his ships as soon as the ice was loosened\nin spring (A.D. 1035). Arnor, the earls' skald, tells of this in the\npoem on Magnus:--\n \"It is no loose report that he,\n Who will command on land and sea,\n In blood will make his foeman feel\n Olaf's sword Hneiter's sharp blue steel.\n This generous youth, who scatters gold,\n Norway's brave son, but ten years old,\n Is rigging ships in Russia's lake,\n His crown, with friend's support, to take.\"\nIn spring Magnus sailed from the East to Svithjod. So says Arnor:--\n \"The young sword-stainer called a Thing,\n Where all his men should meet their king:\n Heroes who find the eagle food\n Before their lord in arms stood.\n And now the curved plank of the bow\n Cleaves the blue sea; the ocean-plough\n By grey winds driven across the main,\n Reaches Sigtuna's grassy plain.\"\nHere it is related that when King Magnus and his fellow-travellers\nsailed from the East to Svithjod, they brought up at Sigtuna. Emund\nOlafson was then king in Svithjod. Queen Astrid, who had been married to\nKing Olaf the Saint, was also there. She received very gladly and well\nher stepson King Magnus, and summoned immediately a numerous Thing of\nSwedes at a place called Hangtar. At the Thing Queen Astrid spoke these\nwords: \"Here is come to us a son of Olaf the Saint, called Magnus, who\nintends to make an expedition to Norway to seek his father's heritage.\nIt is my great duty to give him aid towards this expedition; for he is\nmy stepson, as is well known to all, both Swedes and Norwegians. Neither\nshall he want men or money, in so far as I can procure them or have\ninfluence, in order that his strength may be as great as possible; and\nall the men who will support this cause of his shall have my fullest\nfriendship; and I would have it known that I intend myself to go with\nhim on this attempt, that all may see I will spare nothing that is in my\npower to help him.\" She spoke long and cleverly in this strain; but when\nshe had ended many replied thus: \"The Swedes made no honourable progress\nin Norway when they followed King Olaf his father, and now no better\nsuccess is to be expected, as this man is but in years of boyhood;\nand therefore we have little inclination for this expedition.\" Astrid\nreplies, \"All men who wish to be thought of true courage must not be\ndeterred by such considerations. If any have lost connections at the\nside of King Olaf, or been themselves wounded, now is the time to show\na man's heart and courage, and go to Norway to take vengeance.\" Astrid\nsucceeded so far with words and encouragement that many men determined\nto go with her, and follow King Magnus to Norway. Sigvat the skald\nspeaks of this:--\n \"Now Astrtd, Olaf's widowed Queen,--\n She who so many a change had seen,--\n Took all the gifts of happier days,\n Jewels and rings, all she could raise,\n And at a Thing at Hangrar, where\n The Swedes were numerous, did declare\n What Olaf's son proposed to do,\n And brought her gifts--their pay--in view.\n \"And with the Swedes no wiser plan,\n To bring out every brave bold man,\n Could have been found, had Magnus been\n The son himself of the good queen.\n With help of Christ, she hoped to bring\n Magnus to be the land's sole king,\n As Harald was, who in his day\n Obtained o'er all the upper sway.\n \"And glad are we so well she sped,--\n The people's friend is now their head;\n And good King Magnus always shows\n How much be to Queen Astrid owes.\n Such stepmothers as this good queen\n In truth are very rarely seen;\n And to this noble woman's praise\n The skald with joy his song will raise.\"\nThiodolf the skald also says in his song of Magnus:--\n \"When thy brave ship left the land,\n The bending yard could scarce withstand\n The fury of the whistling gale,\n That split thy many-coloured sail;\n And many a stout ship, tempest-tost,\n Was in that howling storm lost\n That brought them safe to Sigtuna's shore,\n Far from the sound of ocean's roar.\"\n2. MAGNUS'S EXPEDITION FROM SVITHJOD.\nKing Magnus set out on his journey from Sigtuna with a great force,\nwhich he had gathered in Svithjod. They proceeded through Svithjod on\nfoot to Helsingjaland. So says Arnor, the earl's skald:--\n \"And many a dark-red Swedish shield\n Marched with thee from the Swedish field.\n The country people crowded in,\n To help Saint Olaf's son to win;\n And chosen men by thee were led,\n Men who have stained the wolf's tongue red.\n Each milk-white shield and polished spear\n Came to a splendid gathering there.\"\nMagnus Olafson went from the East through Jamtaland over the keel-ridge\nof the country and came down upon the Throndhjem district, where all men\nwelcomed the king with joy. But no sooner did the men of King Svein, the\nson of Alfifa, hear that King Magnus Olafson was come to the country,\nthan they fled on all sides and concealed themselves, so that no\nopposition was made to King Magnus; for King Svein was in the south part\nof the country. So says Arnor, the earls' skald:--\n \"He who the eagle's talons stains\n Rushed from the East on Throndhjem's plains;\n The terror of his plumed helm\n Drove his pale foemen from the realm.\n The lightning of thy eye so near,\n Great king! thy foemen could not bear,\n Scattered they fled--their only care\n If thou their wretched lives wilt spare.\"\n3. MAGNUS MADE KING.\nMagnus Olafson advanced to the town (Nidaros), where he was joyfully\nreceived. He then summoned the people to the Eyra-thing (1); and when\nthe bondes met at the Thing, Magnus was taken to be king over the whole\nland, as far as his father Olaf had possessed it. Then the king selected\na court, and named lendermen, and placed bailiffs and officers in all\ndomains and offices. Immediately after harvest King Magnus ordered a\nlevy through all Throndhjem land, and he collected men readily; and\nthereafter he proceeded southwards along the coast.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Eyra Thing, held on the ayr of the river Nid, that is, on\n the spit of sand, still called an ayr in the north of\n Scotland, dividing a lake, pond, or river-mouth from the\n sea. At the Thing held here the kings of Norway were chosen\n and proclaimed. It was held to be the proper Thing for\n settling disputes between kings in Norway.--L.\n4. KING SVEIN'S FLIGHT.\nKing Svein Alfifason was staying in South Hordaland when he heard\nthis news of war. He immediately sent out war-tokens to four different\nquarters, summoned the bondes to him, and made it known to all that they\nshould join him with men and ships to defend the country. All the men\nwho were in the neighbourhood of the king presented themselves; and the\nking formed a Thing, at which in a speech he set forth his business, and\nsaid he would advance against Magnus Olafson and have a battle with him,\nif the bondes would aid his cause. The king's speech was not very long,\nand was not received with much approbation by the bondes. Afterwards the\nDanish chiefs who were about the king made long and clever speeches; but\nthe bondes then took up the word, and answered them; and although many\nsaid they would follow Svein, and fight on his side, some refused to do\nso bluntly, some were altogether silent, and some declared they would\njoin King Magnus as soon as they had an opportunity. Then King Svein\nsays, \"Methinks very few of the bondes to whom we sent a message have\nappeared here; and of those who have come, and tell us to our face that\nthey will join King Magnus as soon as they can, we shall have as little\nbenefit as of those who say they will sit at home quietly. It is the\nsame with those who say nothing at all. But as to those who promise to\nhelp us, there are not more than every other man; and that force will\navail us little against King Magnus. It is my counsel, therefore, that\nwe do not trust to these bondes; but let us rather go to the land where\nall the people are sure and true to us, and where we will obtain forces\nto conquer this country again.\" As soon as the king had made known\nthis resolution all his men followed it, turned their ship's bows, and\nhoisted sail. King Svein sailed eastward along the land, and then set\nright over to Denmark without delay, and Hardaknut received his brother\nSvein very kindly. At their first meeting Hardaknut offered King Svein\nto divide the kingdom of Denmark with him, which offer King Svein\naccepted.\n5. KING MAGNUS'S JOURNEY TO NORWAY.\nIn autumn (A.D. 1035) King Magnus proceeded eastward to the end of the\ncountry, and was received as king throughout the whole land, and the\ncountry people were rejoiced at his arrival.\n6. DEATH OF KING CANUTE THE GREAT AND HIS SON SVEIN.\nKing Svein, Canute's son, went to Denmark, as before related, and took\npart in the government with his brother Hardaknut. In the same autumn\nKing Canute the Great died in England, the 13th November, forty years\nold, and was buried at Winchester. He had been king of Denmark for\ntwenty-seven years, and over Denmark and England together twenty-four\nyears, and also over Norway for seven years. King Canute's son Harald\nwas then made king in England. The same winter (A.D. 1036) King Svein,\nAlfifa's son, died in Denmark. Thiodolf the skald made these lines\nconcerning King Magnus:--\n \"Through Sweden's dirty roads the throng\n Followed the king in spearmen strong.\n Svein doth fly, in truth afraid,\n And partly by his men betrayed;\n Flying to Denmark o'er the sea,\n He leaves the land quite clear to thee.\"\nBjarne Gullbrarskald composed the following lines concerning Kalf\nArnason:--\n \"By thee the kings got each his own,--\n Magnus by thee got Norway's throne;\n And Svein in Denmark got a seat,\n When out of Norway he was beat.\n Kalf! It was you who showed the way\n To our young king, the battle-lover,--\n From Russia to his father's sway\n You showed the way, and brought him over.\"\nKing Magnus ruled over Norway this winter (A.D. 1036), and Hardaknut\nover Denmark.\n7. RECONCILIATION BETWEEN HARDAKNUT AND KING MAGNUS.\nThe following spring (A.D. 1036) the kings on both sides ordered out a\nlevy, and the news was that they would have a battle at the Gaut river;\nbut when the two armies approached each other, the lendermen in the one\narmy sent messengers to their connections and friends in the other;\nand it came to a proposal for a reconciliation between the two kings,\nespecially as, from both kings being but young and childish, some\npowerful men, who had been chosen in each of the countries for that\npurpose, had the rule of the country on their account. It thus was\nbrought about that there was a friendly meeting between the kings,\nand in this meeting a peace was proposed; and the peace was to be a\nbrotherly union under oath to keep the peace towards each other to the\nend of their lives; and if one of them should die without leaving a son,\nthe longest liver should succeed to the whole land and people. Twelve\nof the principal men in each kingdom swore to the kings that this treaty\nshould be observed, so long as any one of them was in life. Then the\nkings separated, and each returned home to his kingdom; and the treaty\nwas kept as long as both lived.\n8. OF QUEEN ASTRID.\nQueen Astrid, who had been married to King Olaf the Saint, came to\nNorway with King Magnus her stepson, as before related, and was held by\nhim deservedly in great honour and esteem. Then came also Alfhild,\nKing Magnus's mother, to the court, and the king received her with\nthe greatest affection, and showed her great respect. But it went with\nAlfhild, as it does with many who come to power and honour, that pride\nkeeps pace with promotion. She was ill pleased that Queen Astrid was\ntreated with more respect, had a higher seat, and more attention.\nAlfhild wanted to have a seat next to the king, but Astrid called\nAlfhild her slave-woman, as indeed she had formerly been when Astrid was\nqueen of Norway and King Olaf ruled the land, and therefore would on no\naccount let her have a seat beside her, and they could not lodge in the\nsame house.\n9. OF SIGVAT THE SKALD.\nSigvat the skald had gone to Rome, where he was at the time of the\nbattle of Stiklestad.\nHe was on his way back from the South when he heard tidings of King\nOlaf's fall, which gave him great grief. He then sang these lines:--\n \"One morning early on a hill,\n The misty town asleep and still,\n Wandering I thought upon the fields.\n Strewed o'er with broken mail and shields,\n Where our king fell,--our kind good king,\n Where now his happy youthful spring?\n My father too!--for Thord was then\n One of the good king's chosen men.\"\nOne day Sigvat went through a village, and heard a husband lamenting\ngrievously over the loss of his wife, striking his breast, tearing his\nclothes, weeping bitterly, and saying he wanted to die; and Sigvat sang\nthese lines:--\n \"This poor man mourns a much-loved wife,\n Gladly would he be quit of life.\n Must love be paid for by our grief?\n The price seems great for joy so brief.\n But the brave man who knows no fear\n Drops for his king a silent tear,\n And feels, perhaps, his loss as deep\n As those who clamour when they weep.\"\nSigvat came home to Norway to the Throndhjem country, where he had a\nfarm and children. He came from the South along the coast in a merchant\nvessel, and as they lay in Hillarsund they saw a great many ravens\nflying about. Then Sigvat said:--\n \"I see here many a croaking raven\n Flying about the well-known haven:\n When Olaf's ship was floating here,\n They knew that food for them was near;\n When Olaf's ship lay here wind-bound,\n Oft screamed the erne o'er Hillar sound,\n Impatient for the expected prey,\n And wont to follow to the fray.\"\nWhen Sigvat came north to the town of Throndhjem King Svein was there\nbefore him. He invited Sigvat to stay with him, as Sigvat had formerly\nbeen with his father King Canute the Great; but Sigvat said he would\nfirst go home to his farm. One day, as Sigvat was walking in the street,\nhe saw the king's men at play, and he sang:--\n \"One day before I passed this way,\n When the king's guards were at their play,\n Something there was--I need not tell--\n That made me pale, and feel unwell.\n Perhaps it was I thought, just then,\n How noble Olaf with his men,\n In former days, I oft have seen\n In manly games upon this green.\"\nSigvat then went to his farm; and as he heard that many men upbraided\nhim with having deserted King Olaf, he made these verses:--\n \"May Christ condemn me still to burn\n In quenchless fire, if I did turn,\n And leave King Olaf in his need,--\n My soul is free from such base deed.\n I was at Rome, as men know well\n Who saw me there, and who can tell\n That there in danger I was then:\n The truth I need not hide from men.\"\nSigvat was ill at ease in his home. One day he went out and sang:--\n \"While Olaf lived, how smiled the land!\n Mountain and cliff, and pebbly strand.\n All Norway then, so fresh, so gay,\n On land or sea, where oft I lay.\n But now to me all seems so dready,\n All black and dull--of life I'm weary;\n Cheerless to-day, cheerless to-morrow--\n Here in the North we have great sorrow.\"\nEarly in winter Sigvat went westward over the ridge of the country to\nJamtaland, and onwards to Helsingjaland, and came to Svithjod. He went\nimmediately to Queen Astrid, and was with her a long time, and was a\nwelcome guest. He was also with her brother King Emund, and received\nfrom him ten marks of proved silver, as is related in the song of\nCanute. Sigvat always inquired of the merchants who traded to Novgorod\nif they could tell him any news of Magnus Olafson. Sigvat composed these\nlines at that time:--\n \"I ask the merchant oft who drives\n His trade to Russia, 'How he thrives,\n Our noble prince? How lives he there?\n And still good news--his praise--I hear.\n To little birds, which wing their way\n Between the lands, I fain would say,\n How much we long our prince to see,\n They seem to hear a wish from me.\"\n10. OF KING MAGNUS'S FIRST ARRIVAL IN SVITHJOD.\nImmediately after Magnus Olafson came to Svithjod from Russia, Sigvat\nmet him at Queen Astrid's house, and glad they all were at meeting.\nSigvat then sang:--\n \"Thou art come here, prince, young and bold!\n Thou art come home! With joy behold\n Thy land and people. From this hour\n I join myself to thy young power.\n I could not o'er to Russie hie,--\n Thy mother's guardian here was I.\n It was my punishment for giving\n Magnus his name, while scarcely living.\"\nAfterwards Sigvat travelled with Queen Astrid, and followed Magnus to\nNorway. Sigvat sang thus:--\n \"To the crowds streaming to the Thing,\n To see and hear Magnus their king,\n Loudly, young king, I'll speak my mind--\n 'God to His people has been kind.'\n If He, to whom be all the praise,\n Give us a son in all his ways\n Like to his sire, no folk on earth\n Will bless so much a royal birth.\"\nNow when Magnus became king of Norway Sigvat attended him, and was\nhis dearest friend. Once it happened that Queen Astrid and Alfhild the\nking's mother had exchanged some sharp words with each other, and Sigvat\nsaid:--\n \"Alfhild! though it was God's will\n To raise thee--yet remember still\n The queen-born Astrid should not be\n Kept out of due respect by thee.\"\n11. KING OLAF'S SHRINE.\nKing Magnus had a shrine made and mounted with gold and silver, and\nstudded with jewels. This shrine was made so that in shape and size it\nwas like a coffin. Under it was an arched way, and above was a raised\nroof, with a head and a roof-ridge. Behind were plaited hangings; and\nbefore were gratings with padlocks, which could be locked with a key. In\nthis shrine King Magnus had the holy remains of King Olaf deposited, and\nmany were the miracles there wrought. Of this Sigvat speaks:--\n \"For him a golden shrine is made,\n For him whose heart was ne'er afraid\n Of mortal man--the holy king,\n Whom the Lord God to heaven did bring.\n Here many a man shall feel his way,\n Stone-blind, unconscious of the day,\n And at the shrine where Olaf lies\n Give songs of praise for opened eyes.\"\nIt was also appointed by law that King Olaf's holy day should be held\nsacred over all Norway, and that day has been kept ever afterwards as\nthe greatest of Church days. Sigvat speaks of it:--\n \"To Olaf, Magnus' father, raise,\n Within my house, the song of praise!\n With joy, yet grief, we'll keep the day\n Olaf to heaven was called away.\n Well may I keep within my breast\n A day for him in holy rest,--\n My upraised hands a golden ring\n On every branch (1) bear from that king.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) The fingers, the branches of the hand, bore golden fruits\n from the generosity of the king.--L.\n12. OF THORER HUND.\nThorer Hund left the country immediately after King Olaf's fall. He went\nall the way to Jerusalem, and many people say he never came back. Thorer\nHund had a son called Sigurd, father of Ranveig who was married to Joan,\na son of Arne Arnason. Their children were Vidkun of Bjarkey, Sigurd\nHund, Erling, and Jardthrud.\n13. OF THE MURDER OF HAREK OF THJOTTA.\nHarek of Thjotta sat at home on his farm, till King Magnus Olafson came\nto the country and was made king. Then Harek went south to Throndhjem\nto King Magnus. At that time Asmund Grankelson was in the king's house.\nWhen Harek came to Nidaros, and landed out of the ship, Asmund was\nstanding with the king in the gallery outside the loft, and both the\nking and Asmund knew Harek when they saw him. \"Now,\" says Asmund to the\nking, \"I will pay Harek for my father's murder.\" He had in his hand a\nlittle thin hatchet. The king looked at him, and said, \"Rather take\nthis axe of mine.\" It was thick, and made like a club. \"Thou must know,\nAsmund,\" added he, \"that there are hard bones in the old fellow.\" Asmund\ntook the axe, went down, and through the house, and when he came down to\nthe cross-road Harek and his men coming up met him. Asmund struck Harek\non the head, so that the axe penetrated to the brains; and that was\nHarek's death-wound. Asmund turned back directly to the king's house,\nand the whole edge of the axe was turned with the blow. Then said the\nking, \"What would thy axe have done, for even this one, I think,\nis spoilt?\" King Magnus afterwards gave him a fief and office in\nHalogaland, and many are the tales about the strife between Asmund and\nHarek's sons.\n14. OF THORGEIR FLEK.\nKalf Arnason had at first, for some time, the greatest share of the\ngovernment of the country under King Magnus; but afterwards there were\npeople who reminded the king of the part Kalf had taken at Stiklestad,\nand then it became difficult for Kalf to give the king satisfaction in\nanything. Once it happened there were many men with the king bringing\ntheir affairs before him; and Thorgeir Flek from Sula in Veradal, of\nwhom mention is made before in the history of King Olaf the Saint, came\nto him about some needful business. The king paid no attention to his\nwords, but was listening to people who stood near him. Then Thorgeir\nsaid to the king, so loud that all who were around him could hear:--\n \"Listen, my lord, to my plain word.\n I too was there, and had to bear\n A bloody head from Stiklestad:\n For I was then with Olaf's men.\n Listen to me: well did I see\n The men you're trusting the dead corpse thrusting\n Out of their way, as dead it lay;\n And striking o'er your father's gore.\"\nThere was instantly a great uproar, and some told Thorgeir to go out;\nbut the king called him, and not only despatched his business to his\nsatisfaction, but promised him favour and friendship.\n15. KALF ARNASON FLIES THE COUNTRY\nSoon after this the king was at a feast at the farm of Haug in Veradel,\nand at the dinner-table Kalf Arnason sat upon one side of him, and Einar\nTambaskelfer on the other. It was already come so far that the king took\nlittle notice of Kalf, but paid most attention to Einar. The king said\nto Einar, \"Let us ride to-day to Stiklestad. I should like to see the\nmemorials of the things which took place there.\" Einar replies, \"I can\ntell thee nothing about it; but take thy foster-father Kalf with thee;\nhe can give thee information about all that took place.\" When the tables\nwere removed, the king made himself ready, and said to Kalf, \"Thou must\ngo with me to Stiklestad.\"\nKalf replied, \"That is really not my duty.\"\nThen the king stood up in a passion, and said, \"Go thou shalt, Kalf!\"\nand thereupon he went out.\nKalf put on his riding clothes in all haste, and said to his foot-boy,\n\"Thou must ride directly to Eggja, and order my house-servants to ship\nall my property on board my ship before sunset.\"\nKing Magnus now rides to Stiklestad, and Kalf with him. They alighted\nfrom horseback, and went to the place where the battle had been. Then\nsaid the king to Kalf, \"Where is the spot at which the king fell?\"\nKalf stretched out his spear-shaft, and said, \"There he lay when he\nfell.\"\nThe king: \"And where wast thou, Kalf?\"\nKalf: \"Here where I am now standing.\"\nThe king turned red as blood in the face, and said, \"Then thy axe could\nwell have reached him.\"\nKalf replied, \"My axe did not come near him;\" and immediately went to\nhis horse, sprang on horseback, and rode away with all his men; and\nthe king rode back to Haug. Kalf did not stop until he got home in the\nevening to Eggja. There his ship lay ready at the shore side, and\nall his effects were on board, and the vessel manned with his\nhouse-servants. They set off immediately by night down the fjord, and\nafterwards proceeded day and night, when the wind suited. He sailed\nout into the West sea, and was there a long time plundering in Ireland,\nScotland, and the Hebudes. Bjarne Gullbrarskald tells of this in the\nsong about Kalf:--\n \"Brother of Thorberg, who still stood\n Well with the king! in angry mood\n He is the first to break with thee,\n Who well deserves esteemed to be;\n He is the first who friendship broke,\n For envious men the falsehood spoke;\n And he will he the first to rue\n The breach of friendship 'twixt you two.\"\n16. OF THE THREATS OF THE BONDES.\nKing Magnus added to his property Veggia, which Hrut had been owner of,\nand Kviststad, which had belonged to Thorgeir, and also Eggja, with all\nthe goods which Kalf had left behind him; and thus he confiscated to\nthe king's estate many great farms, which had belonged to those of the\nbonde-army who had fallen at Stiklestad. In like manner, he laid heavy\nfined upon many of those who made the greatest opposition to King Olaf.\nHe drove some out of the country, took large sums of money from others,\nand had the cattle of others slaughtered for his use. Then the bondes\nbegan to murmur, and to say among themselves, \"Will he go on in the same\nway as his father and other chiefs, whom we made an end of when their\npride and lawless proceedings became insupportable?\" This discontent\nspread widely through the country. The people of Sogn gathered men, and,\nit was said, were determined to give battle to King Magnus, if he came\ninto the Fjord district. King Magnus was then in Hordaland, where he had\nremained a long time with a numerous retinue, and was now come to the\nresolution to proceed north to Sogn. When the king's friends observed\nthis, twelve men had a meeting, and resolved to determine by casting\nlots which of them should inform the king of the discontent of the\npeople; and it so happened that the lot fell upon Sigvat.\n17. OF THE FREE-SPEAKING SONG (\"BERSOGLISVISUR\").\nSigvat accordingly composed a poem, which he called the \"Free-speaking\nSong\", which begins with saying the king had delayed too long to pacify\nthe people, who were threatening to rise in tumult against him. He\nsaid:--\n \"Here in the south, from Sogn is spread\n The news that strife draws to a head:\n The bondes will the king oppose--\n Kings and their folk should ne'er be foes.\n Let us take arms, and briskly go\n To battle, if it must be so;\n Defend our king--but still deplore\n His land plunged in such strife once more.\"\nIn this song are also these verses:--\n \"Hakon, who at Fitiar died,--\n Hakon the Good, could not abide\n The viking rule, or robber train,\n And all men's love he thus did gain.\n The people since have still in mind\n The laws of Hakon, just and kind;\n And men will never see the day\n When Hakon's laws have passed away.\n \"The bondes ask but what is fair;\n The Olafs and the Earls, when there\n Where Magnus sits, confirmed to all\n Their lands and gear--to great and small,\n Bold Trygve's son, and Harald's heir,\n The Olafs, while on earth they were,\n Observed the laws themselves had made,\n And none was for his own afraid.\n \"Let not thy counsellors stir thy wrath\n Against the man who speaks the truth;\n Thy honour lies in thy good sword,\n But still more in thy royal word;\n And, if the people do not lie,\n The new laws turn out not nigh\n So Just and mild, as the laws given\n At Ulfasund in face of heaven.\n \"Dread king! who urges thee to break\n Thy pledged word, and back to take\n Thy promise given? Thou warrior bold;\n With thy own people word to hold,\n Thy promise fully to maintain,\n Is to thyself the greatest gain:\n The battle-storm raiser he\n Must by his own men trusted be.\n \"Who urges thee, who seek'st renown,\n The bondes' cattle to cut down?\n No king before e'er took in hand\n Such viking-work in his own land.\n Such rapine men will not long bear,\n And the king's counsellors will but share\n In their ill-will: when once inflamed,\n The king himself for all is blamed.\n \"Do cautious, with this news of treason\n Flying about--give them no reason.\n We hange the thief, but then we use\n Consideration of the excuse.\n I think, great king (who wilt rejoice\n Eagle and wolf with battle voice),\n It would be wise not to oppose\n Thy bondes, and make them thy foes.\n \"A dangerous sign it is, I fear,\n That old grey-bearded men appear\n In corners whispering at the Thing,\n As if they had bad news to bring.\n The young sit still,--no laugh, or shout,--\n More looks than words passing shout;\n And groups of whispering heads are seen,\n On buttoned breasts, with lowering mien.\n \"Among the udalmen, they say\n The king, if he could have his way,\n Would seize the bondes' udal land,\n And free-born men must this withstand.\n In truth the man whose udal field,\n By any doom that law can yield\n From him adjudged the king would take,\n Could the king's throne and power shake.\"\nThis verse is the last:--\n \"A holy bond between us still\n Makes me wish speedy end to ill:\n The sluggard waits till afternoon,--\n At once great Magnus! grant our boon.\n Then we will serve with heart and hand,\n With thee we'll fight by sea or land:\n With Olaf's sword take Olaf's mind,\n And to thy bondes be more kind.\"\nIn this song the king was exhorted to observe the laws which his father\nhad established. This exhortation had a good effect on the king, for\nmany others held the same language to him. So at last the king consulted\nthe most prudent men, who ordered all affairs according to law.\nThereafter King Magnus had the law-book composed in writing which is\nstill in use in Throndhjem district, and is called \"The Grey Goose\" (1).\nKing Magnus afterwards became very popular, and was beloved by all the\ncountry people, and therefore he was called Magnus the Good.\n ENDNOTES: (1) \"The Grey Goose\", so called probably from the colour of\n the parchment on which it is written, is one of the most curious\n relics of the Middle Ages, and give us an unexpected view of\n the social condition of the Northmen in the eleventh\n century. Law appears to have been so far advanced among\n them that the forms were not merely established, but the\n slightest breach of the legal forms of proceeding involved\n the loss of the case. The \"Grey Goose\" embraces subjects\n not dealt with probably by any other code in Europe at that\n period. The provision for the poor, the equality of\n weights and measures, police of markets and of sea havens,\n provision for illegitimate children of the poor, inns for\n travellers, wages of servants and support of them in\n sickness, protection of pregnant women and even of domestic\n animals from injury, roads, bridges, vagrants, beggars, are\n subjects treated of in this code.--\"Schlegel.\"--L.\n18. OF THE ENGLISH KINGS.\nThe king of the English, King Harald, died (A.D. 1040) five years after\nhis father King Canute, and was buried beside his father at Winchester.\nAfter his death his brother Hardaknut, the second son of the old King\nCanute, was king of England, and was thus king both of Denmark and\nEngland. He ruled these kingdoms two years, and then died of sickness\nin England, leaving no children. He was buried at Winchester beside\nhis father. After his death Edward the Good, a son of the English king\nEthelred (and Emma, a daughter of Richard earl of Rouen), was chosen\nking in England. King Edward the Good was, on his mother's side, a\nbrother of Harald and Hardaknut, the sons of Canute the Great; and the\ndaughter of Canute and Queen Emma was Gunhild, who was married to the\nEmperor Henry of Germany, who was called Henry the Mild. Gunhild had\nbeen three years in Germamy when she fell sick, and she died five years\nafter the death of her father King Canute the Great.\n19. OF KING MAGNUS OLAFSON.\nWhen King Magnus Olafson heard of Hardaknut's death, he immediately\nsent people south to Denmark, with a message to the men who had bound\nthemselves by oath to the peace and agreement which was made between\nKing Magnus and Hardaknut, and reminded them of their pledge. He added,\nas a conclusion, that in summer (A.D. 1042.) he would come with his army\nto Denmark to take possession of his Danish dominions, in terms of the\nagreement, or to fall in the field with his army. So says Arnor, the\nearls' skald:--\n \"Wise were the words, exceeding wise,\n Of him who stills the hungriest cries\n Of beasts of prey--the earl's lord;\n And soon fulfilled will be his word:\n 'With his good sword he'll Denmark gain,\n Or fall upon a bloody plain;\n And rather than give up his cause,\n Will leave his corpse to raven's claws.'\"\n20. KING MAGNUS'S ARMAMENT.\nThereafter King Magnus gathered together a great army, and summoned to\nhim all lendermen and powerful bondes, and collected war-ships. When\nthe army was assembled it was very handsome, and well fitted out. He had\nseventy large vessels when he sailed from Norway. So says Thiodolf the\nskald:--\n \"Brave king! the terror of the foe,\n With thee will many a long-ship go.\n Full seventy sail are gathered here,\n Eastward with their great king to steer.\n And southward now the bright keel glides;\n O'er the white waves the Bison rides.\n Sails swell, yards crack, the highest mast\n O'er the wide sea scarce seen at last.\"\nHere it related that King Magnus had the great Bison, which his father\nKing Olaf had built. It had more than thirty banks of rowers; and\nforward on the bow was a great buffalo head, and aft on the stern-post\nwas its tail. Both the head and the tail, and both sides of the ship,\nwere gilded over. Of this speaks Arnor, the earls' skald:--\n \"The white foam lashing o'er the deck\n Oft made the glided head to shake;\n The helm down, the vessel's heel\n Oft showed her stem's bright-glacing steel.\n Around Stavanger-point careering,\n Through the wild sea's white flames steering,\n Tackle loud singing to the strain,\n The storm-horse flies to Denmark's plain.\"\nKing Magnus set out to sea from Agder, and sailed over to Jutland. So\nsays Arnor:--\n \"I can relate how through the gale\n The gallant Bison carried sail.\n With her lee gunwale in the wave,\n The king on board, Magnus the brave!\n The iron-clad Thingmen's chief to see\n On Jutland's coast right glad were we,--\n Right glad our men to see a king\n Who in the fight his sword could swing.\"\n21. KING MAGNUS COMES TO DENMARK.\nWhen King Magnus came to Denmark he was joyfully received. He appointed\na Thing without delay, to which he summoned the people of the country,\nand desired they would take him as king, according to the agreement\nwhich had been entered into. As the highest of the chiefs of the country\nwere bound by oath to King Magnus, and were desirous of keeping their\nword and oath, they endeavoured zealously to promote the cause with\nthe people. It contributed also that King Canute the Great, and all his\ndescendants, were dead; and a third assistance was, that his father King\nOlaf's sanctity and miracles were become celebrated in all countries.\n22. KING MAGNUS CHOSEN KING OF DENMARK.\nKing Magnus afterwards ordered the people to be summoned to Viborg to a\nThing. Both in older and later times, the Danes elected their kings at\nthe Viborg Thing. At this Thing the Danes chose Magnus Olafson to be\nking of all the Danish dorninions. King Magnus remained long in Denmark\nduring the summer (A.D. 1042); and wherever he came the people received\nhim joyfully, and obeyed him willingly. He divided the country into\nbaronies and districts, and gave fiefs to men of power in the land. Late\nin autumn he returned with his fleet to Norway, but lay for some time at\nthe Gaut river.\n23. OF SVEIN ULFSON.\nThere was a man, by name Svein, a son of Earl Ulf, and grandson of\nThorgils Sprakaleg. Svein's mother was Astrid, a daughter of King Svein\nForkbeard. She was a sister of Canute the Great by the father's side,\nand of the Swedish King Olaf Eirikson by the mother's side; for her\nmother was Queen Sigrid the Haughty, a daughter of Skoglar Toste. Svein\nUlfson had been a long time living with his relation the Swedish king,\never since King Canute had ordered his father Ulf to be killed, as is\nrelated in the saga of old King Canute, that he had his brother-in-law,\nEarl Ulf, murdered in Roskilde; and on which account Svein had not since\nbeen in Denmark. Svein Ulfson was one of the handsomest men that could\nbe seen; he was very stout and strong, and very expert in all exercises,\nand a well-spoken man withal. Every one who knew him said he had every\nquality which became a good chief. Svein Ulfson waited upon King Magnus\nwhile he lay in the Gaut river, as before mentioned, and the king\nreceived him kindly, as he was by many advised to do; for Svein was a\nparticularly popular man. He could also speak for himself to the king\nwell and cleverly; so that it came at lasf to Svein's entering into\nKing Magnus's service, and becoming his man. They often talked together\nafterwards in private concerning many affairs.\n24. SVEIN ULFSON CREATED AN EARL.\nOne day, as King Magnus sat in his high-seat and many people were around\nhim, Svein Ulfson sat upon a footstool before the king. The king then\nmade a speech: \"Be it known to you, chiefs, and the people in general,\nthat I have taken the following resolution. Here is a distinguished man,\nboth for family and for his own merits, Svein Ulfson, who has entered\ninto my service, and given me promise of fidelity. Now, as ye know, the\nDanes have this summer become my men, so that when I am absent from the\ncountry it is without a head; and it is not unknown to you how it is\nravaged by the people of Vindland, Kurland, and others from the Baltic,\nas well as by Saxons. Therefore I promised them a chief who could defend\nand rule their land; and I know no man better fitted, in all respects,\nfor this than Svein Ulfson, who is of birth to be chief of the country.\nI will therefore make him my earl, and give him the government of my\nDanish dominions while I am in Norway; just as King Canute the Great set\nhis father, Earl Ulf, over Denmark while he was in England.\"\nThen Einar Tambaskelfer said, \"Too great an earl--too great an earl, my\nfoster-son!\"\nThe king replied in a passion, \"Ye have a poor opinion of my judgment, I\nthink. Some consider that ye are too great earls, and others that ye are\nfit for nothing.\"\nThen the king stood up, took a sword, and girt it on the earl's loins,\nand took a shield and fastened it on his shoulders, put a helmet upon\nhis head, and gave him the title of earl, with the same fiefs in Denmark\nwhich his father Earl Ulf had formerly held. Afterwards a shrine was\nbrought forth containing holy relics, and Svein laid his hand hereon,\nand swore the oath of fidelity to King Magnus; upon which the king led\nthe earl to the highseat by his side. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"Twas at the Gaut river's shore,\n With hand on shrine Svein Ulfson swore.\n King Magnus first said o'er the oath,\n With which Svein Ulfson pledged his troth.\n The vows by Svein solemnly given,\n On holy bones of saints in heaven,\n To Magnus seemed both fair and fast;\n He found they were too fair to last.\"\nEarl Svein went thereafter to Denmark, and the whole nation received him\nwell. He established a court about him, and soon became a great man.\nIn winter (A.D. 1043), he went much about the country, and made friends\namong the powerful chiefs; and, indeed, he was beloved by all the people\nof the land.\n25. KING MAGNUS'S FORAY.\nKing Magnus proceeded northward to Norway with his fleet, and wintered\nthere; but when the spring set in (A.D. 1048) he gathered a large\nforce, with which he sailed south to Demnark, having heard the news from\nVindland that the Vindland people in Jomsborg had withdrawn from their\nsubmission to him. The Danish kings had formerly had a very large\nearldom there, and they first founded Jomsborg; and now the place\nwas become a very strong fortress. When King Magnus heard of this, he\nordered a large fleet and army to be levied in Denmark, and sailed in\nsummer to Vindland with all his forces, which made a very large army\naltogether. Arnor, the earls' skald, tells of it thus:--\n \"Now in this strophe, royal youth!\n I tell no more than the plain truth.\n Thy armed outfit from the strand\n Left many a keel-trace on the sand,\n And never did a king before\n SO many ships to any shore\n Lead on, as thou to Vindland's isle:\n The Vindland men in fright recoil.\"\nNow when King Magnus came to Vindland he attacked Jomsborg, and soon\ntook the fortress, killing' many people, burning and destroying both in\nthe town and in the courttry all around, and making the greatest havoc.\nSo says Arnor, the earl's skald:--\n \"The robbers, hemmed 'twixt death and fire,\n Knew not how to escape thy ire;\n O'er Jomsborg castle's highest towers\n Thy wrath the whirlwind-fire pours.\n The heathen on his false gods calls,\n And trembles even in their halls;\n And by the light from its own flame\n The king this viking-hold o'ercame.\"\nMany people in Vindland submitted to King Magnus, but many more got out\nof the way and fled. King Magnus returned to Denmark, and prepared to\ntake his winter abode there, and sent away the Danish, and also a great\nmany of the Norwegian people he had brought with him.\n26. SVEIN RECEIVES THE TITLE OF KING.\nThe same winter (A.D. 1043), in which Svein Ulfson was raised to the\ngovernment of the whole Danish dominions, and had made friends of\na great number of the principal chiefs in Denmark, and obtained the\naffections of the people, he assumed by the advice of many of the chiefs\nthe title of king. But when in the spring thereafter he heard that King\nMagnus had come from the north with a great army, Svein went over\nto Scania, from thence up to Gautland, and so on to Svithjod to his\nrelation, King Emund, where he remained all summer, and sent spies out\nto Denmark, to inquire about the king's proceedings and the number of\nhis men. Now when Svein heard that King Magnus had let a great part of\nhis army go away, and also that he was south in Jutland, he rode from\nSvithjod with a great body of peopie which the Swedish king had given\nhim. When Svein came to Scania the people of that country received him\nwell, treated him as their king, and men joined him in crowds. He then\nwent on to Seeland, where he was also well received, and the whole\ncountry joined him. He then went to Fyen, and laid all the islands under\nhis power; and as the people also joined him, he collected a great army\nand many ships of war.\n27. OF KING MAGNUS'S MILITARY FORCE.\nKing Magnus heard this news, and at the same time that the people of\nVindland had a large force on foot. He summoned people therefore to come\nto him, and drew together a great army in Jutland. Otto, also, the Duke\nof Brunsvik, who had married Ulfhild, King Olaf the Saint's daughter,\nand the sister of King Magnus, came to him with a great troop. The\nDanish chiefs pressed King Magnus to advance against the Vindland army,\nand not allow pagans to march over and lay waste the country; so it was\nresolved that the king with his army should proceed south to Heidaby.\nWhile King Magnus lay at Skotborg river, on Hlyrskog Heath, he got\nintelligence concerning the Vindland army, and that it was so numerous\nit could not be counted; whereas King Magnus had so few, that there\nseemed no chance for him but to fly. The king, however, determined on\nfighting, if there was any possibility of gaining the victory; but the\nmost dissuaded him from venturing on an engagement, and all, as one man,\nsaid that the Vindland people had undoubtedly a prodigious force. Duke\nOtto, however, pressed much to go to battle. Then the king ordered the\nwhole army to be gathered by the war trumpets into battle array, and\nordered all the men to arm, and to lie down for the night under their\nshields; for he was told the enemy's army had come to the neighbourhood.\nThe king was very thoughtful; for he was vexed that he should be obliged\nto fly, which fate he had never experienced before. He slept but little\nall night, and chanted his prayers.\n28. OF KING OLAF'S MIRACLE.\nThe following day was Michaelmas eve. Towards dawn the king slumbered,\nand dreamt that his father, King Olaf the Saint, appeared to him, and\nsaid, \"Art thou so melancholy and afraid, because the Vindland people\ncome against thee with a great army? Be not afraid of heathens,\nalthough they be many; for I shall be with thee in the battle. Prepare,\ntherefore, to give battle to the Vindlanders, when thou hearest my\ntrumpet.\" When the king awoke he told his dream to his men, and the day\nwas then dawning. At that moment all the people heard a ringing of bells\nin the air; and those among King Magnus's men who had been in Nidaros\nthought that it was the ringing of the bell called Glod, which King Olaf\nhad presented to the church of Saint Clement in the town of Nidaros.\n29. BATTLE OF HLYRSKOG HEATH.\nThen King Magnus stood up, and ordered the war trumpets to sound, and at\nthat moment the Vindland army advanced from the south across the\nriver against him; on which the whole of the king's army stood up, and\nadvanced against the heathens. King Magnus threw off from him his coat\nof ring-mail, and had a red silk shirt outside over his clothes, and had\nin his hands the battle-axe called Hel (1), which had belonged to King\nOlaf. King Magnus ran on before all his men to the enemy's army, and\ninstantly hewed down with both hands every man who came against him. So\nsays Arnor, the earls' skald:--\n \"His armour on the ground he flung\n His broad axe round his head he swung;\n And Norway's king strode on in might,\n Through ringing swords, to the wild fight.\n His broad axe Hel with both hands wielding,\n Shields, helms, and skulls before it yielding,\n He seemed with Fate the world to share,\n And life or death to deal out there.\"\nThis battle was not very long; for the king's men were very fiery, and\nwhere they came the Vindland men fell as thick as tangles heaped up\nby the waves on the strand. They who stood behind betook themselves to\nflight, and were hewed down like cattle at a slaughter. The king himself\ndrove the fugitives eastward over the heath, and people fell all over\nthe moor. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"And foremost he pursued,\n And the flying foe down hewed;\n An eagle's feast each stroke,\n As the Vindland helms he broke.\n He drove them o'er the hearth,\n And they fly from bloody death;\n But the moor, a mile or more,\n With the dead was studded o'er.\"\nIt is a common saying, that there never was so great a slaughter of men\nin the northern lands, since the time of Christianity, as took place\namong the Vindland people on Hlyrskog's Heath. On the other side, not\nmany of King Magnus's people were killed, although many were wounded.\nAfter the battle the king ordered the wounds of his men to be bound;\nbut there were not so many doctors in the army as were necessary, so\nthe king himself went round, and felt the hands of those he thought best\nsuited for the business; and when he had thus stroked their palms, he\nnamed twelve men, who, he thought, had the softest hands, and told them\nto bind the wounds of the people; and although none of them had ever\ntried it before, they all became afterwards the best of doctors. There\nwere two Iceland men among them; the one was Thorkil, a son of Geire,\nfrom Lyngar; the other was Atle, father of Bard Svarte of Selardal, from\nwhom many good doctors are descended. After this battle, the report\nof the miracle which King Olaf the Saint had worked was spread widely\nthrough the country; and it was the common saying of the people, that no\nman could venture to fight against King Magnus Olafson, for his father\nSaint Olaf stood so near to him that his enemies, on that account, never\ncould do him harm.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Hel--Death: the goddess of Death.--L.\n30. BATTLE AT RE.\nKing Magnus immediately turned round with his army against Svein, whom\nhe called his earl, although the Danes called him their king; and he\ncollected ships, and a great force, and on both sides a great strength\nwas assembled. In Svein's army were many chiefs from Scania, Halland,\nSeeland, and Fyen; while King Magnus, on the other hand, had mostly\nNorway and Jutland men, and with that war-force he hastened to meet\nSvein. They met at Re, near Vestland; and there was a great battle,\nwhich ended in King Magnus gaining the victory, and Svein taking flight.\nAfter losing many people, Svein fled back to Scania, and from thence\nto Gautland, which was a safe refuge if he needed it, and stood open to\nhim. King Magnus returned to Jutland, where he remained all winter (A.D.\n1044) with many people, and had a guard to watch his ships. Arnor, the\nearls' skald, speaks of this:--\n \"At Re our battle-loving lord\n In bloody meeting stained his sword,--\n At Re upon the western shore,\n In Vestland warrior's blood once more.\"\n31. BATTLE AT AROS.\nSvein Ulfson went directly to his ships as soon as he heard that King\nMagnus had left his fleet. He drew to him all the men he could, and went\nround in winter among the islands, Seeland, Fyen, and others. Towards\nYule he sailed to Jutland, and went into Limfjord, where many people\nsubmitted to him. He imposed scat upon some, but some joined King\nMagnus. Now when King Magnus heard what Svein was doing, he betook\nhimself to his ships with all the Northmen then in Denmark, and a part\nof the Danish troops, and steered south along the land. Svein was then\nin Aros with a great force; and when he heard of King Magnus he laid\nhis vessels without the town, and prepared for battle. When King Magnus\nheard for certain where Svein was, and that the distance between them\nwas but short, he held a House-thing, and addressed his people thus: \"It\nis reported to me that the earl and his fleet are lying not far from us,\nand that he has many people. Now I would let you know that I intend\nto go out against the earl and fight for it, although, we have fewer\npeople. We will, as formerly, put our trust in God, and Saint Olaf, my\nfather, who has given us victory sometimes when we fought, even though\nwe had fewer men than the enemy. Now I would have you get ready to seek\nout the enemy, and give battle the moment we find him by rowing all to\nattack, and being all ready for battle.\" Thereupon the men put on their\nweapons, each man making himself and his place ready; and then they\nstretched themselves to their oars. When they saw the earl's ships they\nrowed towards them, and made ready to attack. When Svein's men saw the\nforces they armed themselves, bound their ships together, and then began\none of the sharpest of battles. So says Thiodolf, the skald:--\n \"Shield against shield, the earl and king\n Made shields and swords together ring.\n The gold-decked heroes made a play\n Which Hild's iron-shirt men say\n They never saw before or since\n On battle-deck; the brave might wince,\n As spear and arrow whistling flew,\n Point blank, death-bringing, quick and true.\"\nThey fought at the bows, so that the men only on the bows could strike;\nthe men on the forecastle thrust with spears: and all who were farther\noff shot with light spears or javelins, or war-arrows. Some fought with\nstones or short stakes; and those who were aft of the mast shot with the\nbow. So Says Thiodolf:--\n \"Steel-pointed spear, and sharpened stake,\n Made the broad shield on arm shake:\n The eagle, hovering in the air,\n Screamed o'er the prey preparing there.\n And stones and arrows quickly flew,\n And many a warrior bold they slew.\n The bowman never twanged his bow\n And drew his shaft so oft as now;\n And Throndhjem's bowmen on that day\n Were not the first tired of this play:\n Arrows and darts so quickly fly,\n You could not follow with the eye.\"\nHere it appears how hot the battle was with casting weapons. King Magnus\nstood in the beginning of the battle within a shield-rampart; but as it\nappeared to him that matters were going on too slowly, he leaped over\nthe shields, and rushed forward in the ship, encouraging his men with\na loud cheer, and springing to the bows, where the battle was going on\nhand to hand. When his men saw this they urged each other on with mutual\ncheering, and there was one great hurrah through all the ships. So says\nThiodolf:--\n \"'On with our ships! on to the foe!'\n Cry Magnus' men--on, on they go.\n Spears against shields in fury rattle,--\n Was never seen so fierce a battle.\"\nAnd now the battle was exceedingly sharp; and in the assault Svein's\nship was cleared of all her forecastle men, upon and on both sides of\nthe forecastle. Then Magnus boarded Svein's ship, followed by his men;\nand one after the other came up, and made so stout an assault that\nSvein's men gave way, and King Magnus first cleared that ship, and then\nthe rest, one after the other. Svein fled, with a great part of his\npeople; but many fell, and many got life and peace. Thiodolf tells of\nthis:--\n \"Brave Magnus, from the stern springing\n On to the stem, where swords were ringing\n From his sea-raven's beak of gold\n Deals death around--the brave! the bold!\n The earl's housemen now begin\n To shrink and fall: their ranks grow thin--\n The king's luck thrives--their decks are cleared,\n Of fighting men no more appeared.\n The earl's ships are driven to flight,\n Before the king would stop the fight:\n The gold-distributor first then\n Gave quarters to the vanquished men.\"\nThis battle was fought on the last Sunday before Yule. So says\nThiodolf:--\n \"'Twas on a Sunday morning bright,\n Fell out this great and bloody fight,\n When men were arming, fighting, dying,\n Or on the red decks wounded lying.\n And many a man, foredoomed to die,\n To save his life o'erboard did fly,\n But sank; for swimming could not save,\n And dead men rolled in every wave.\"\nMagnus took seven ships from Svein's people. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"Thick Olaf's son seven vessels cleared,\n And with his fleet the prizes steered.\n The Norway girls will not be sad\n To hear such news--each from her lad.\"\nHe also sings:--\n \"The captured men will grieve the most\n Svein and their comrades to have lost;\n For it went ill with those who fled,\n Their wounded had no easy bed.\n A heavy storm that very night\n O'ertook them flying from the fight;\n And skulls and bones are tumbling round,\n Under the sea, on sandy ground.\"\nSvein fled immediately by night to Seeland, with the men who had escaped\nand were inclined to follow him; but King Magnus brought his ships to\nthe shore, and sent his men up the country in the night-time, and early\nin the morning they came flown to the strand with a great booty in\ncattle. Thiodolf tells about it:--\n \"But yesterday with heavy stones\n We crushed their skulls, and broke their bones,\n And thinned their ranks; and now to-day\n Up through their land we've ta'en our way,\n And driven their cattle to the shore,\n And filled out ships with food in store.\n To save his land from our quick swords,\n Svein will need something more than words.\"\n32. SVEIN'S FLIGHT.\nKing Magnus sailed with his fleet from the south after Svein to Seeland;\nbut as soon as the king came there Svein fled up the country with his\nmen, and Magnus followed them, and pursued the fugitives, killing all\nthat were laid hold of. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"The Seeland girl asks with fear,\n 'Whose blood-bespattered shield and spear--\n The earl's or king's--up from the shore\n Moved on with many a warrior more?'\n We scoured through all their muddy lanes,\n Woodlands, and fields, and miry plains.\n Their hasty footmarks in the clay\n Showed that to Ringsted led their way.\n \"Spattered with mud from heel to head,\n Our gallant lord his true men led.\n Will Lund's earl halt his hasty flight,\n And try on land another fight?\n His banner yesterday was seen,\n The sand-bills and green trees between,\n Through moss and mire to the strand,\n In arrow flight, leaving the land.\"\nThen Svein fled over to Fyen Island, and King Magnus carried fire and\nsword through Seeland, and burnt all round, because their men had joined\nSvein's troop in harvest. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"As Svein in winter had destroyed\n The royal house, the king employed\n No little force to guard the land,\n And the earl's forays to withstand.\n An armed band one morn he found,\n And so beset them round and round,\n That Canute's nephew quickly fled,\n Or he would have been captive led.\n \"Our Throndhjem king in his just ire\n Laid waste the land with sword and fire,\n Burst every house, and over all\n Struck terror into great and small.\n To the earl's friends he well repaid\n Their deadly hate--such wild work made\n On them and theirs, that from his fury,\n Flying for life, away they hurry.\"\n33. BURNING IN FYEN.\nAs soon as King Magnus heard that Svein with his troops had gone across\nto Fyen, he sailed after them; and when Svein heard this news he went\non board ship and sailed to Scania, and from thence to Gautland, and at\nlast to the Swedish King. King Magnus landed in Fyen, and plundered and\nburned over all; and all of Svein's men who came there fled far enough.\nThiodolf speaks of it thus:--\n \"Fiona isle, once green and fair,\n Lies black and reeking through the air:\n The red fog rises, thick and hot,\n From burning farm and smouldering cot.\n The gaping thralls in terror gaze\n On the broad upward-spiring blaze,\n From thatched roofs and oak-built walls,\n Their murdered masters' stately halls.\n \"Svein's men, my girl, will not forget\n That thrice they have the Norsemen met,\n By sea, by land, with steel, with fire,\n Thrice have they felt the Norse king's ire.\n Fiona's maids are slim and fair,\n The lovely prizes, lads, we'll share:\n Some stand to arms in rank and row,\n Some seize, bring off, and fend with blow.\"\nAfter this the people of Denmark submitted to King Magnus, and during\nthe rest of the winter, there was peace. King Magnus then appointed some\nof his men to govern Denmark; and when spring was advanced he sailed\nnorthwards with his fleet to Norway, where he remained a great part of\nthe summer.\n34. BATTLE AT HELGANES\nNow, when Svein heard that King Magnus had gone to Norway he rode\nstraight down, and had many people out of Svithjod with him. The people\nof Scania received him well, and he again collected an army, with which\nhe first crossed over into Seeland and seized upon it and Fyen, and all\nthe other isles. When King Magnus heard of this he gathered together men\nand ships, and sailed to Denmark; and as soon as he knew where Svein was\nlying with his ships King Magnus sailed to meet him. They met at a place\ncalled Helganes, and the battle began about the fall of day. King Magnus\nhad fewer men, but larger and better equipt vessels. So says Arnor, the\nearls' skald:--\n \"At Helganes--so goes the tale--\n The brave wolf-feeder, under sail,\n Made many an ocean-elk (1) his prey,\n Seized many a ship ere break of day.\n When twilight fell he urged the fight,\n Close combat--man to man all night;\n Through a long harvest night's dark hours,\n Down poured the battle's iron showers.\"\nThe battle was very hot, and as night advanced the fall of men was\ngreat. King Magnus, during the whole night, threw hand-spears. Thiodolf\nspeaks of this:--\n \"And there at Helganes sunk down,\n Sore wounded, men of great renown;\n And Svein's retainers lost all heart,\n Ducking before the flying dart.\n The Norsemen's king let fly his spears,\n His death-wounds adding to their fears;\n For each spear-blade was wet all o'er,\n Up to the shaft in their life-gore.\"\nTo make a short tale, King Magnus won the victory in this battle, and\nSvein fled. His ship was cleared of men from stem to stern; and it went\nso on board many others of his ships. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"Earl Svein fled from the empty deck,\n His lonely ship an unmann'd wreck;\n Magnus the Good, the people's friend,\n Pressed to the death on the false Svein.\n Hneiter (2), the sword his father bore,\n Was edge and point, stained red with gore;\n Swords sprinkle blood o'er armour bright,\n When kings for land and power fight.\"\nAnd Arnor says:--\n \"The cutters of Bjorn's own brother\n Soon changed their owner for another;\n The king took them and all their gear;\n The crews, however, got off clear.\"\nA great number of Svein's men fell, and King Magnus and his men had a\nvast booty to divide. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"Where the Norsemen the Danish slew,\n A Gautland shield and breast-plate true\n Fell to my share of spoil by lot;\n And something more i' the south I got:\n (There all the summer swords were ringing)\n A helm, gay arms, and gear worth bringing,\n Home to my quiet lovely one\n I sent--with news how we had won.\"\nSvein fled up to Scania with all the men who escaped with him; and King\nMagnus and his people drove the fugitives up through the country without\nmeeting any opposition either from Svein's men or the bondes. So says\nThiodolf:--\n \"Olaf's brave son then gave command,\n All his ships' crews should quickly land:\n King Magnus, marching at their head,\n A noble band of warriors led.\n A foray through the land he makes;\n Denmark in every quarter shakes.\n Up hill and down the horses scour,\n Carrying the Danes from Norsemen's power.\"\nKing Magnus drove with fire and sword through the land. So says\nThiodolf:--\n \"And now the Norsemen storm along,\n Following their banner in a throng:\n King Magnus' banner flames on high,\n A star to guide our roaming by.\n To Lund, o'er Scania's peaceful field,\n My shoulder bore my useless shield;\n A fairer land, a better road,\n As friend or foe, I never trod.\"\nThey began to burn the habitations all around, and the people fled on\nevery side. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"Our ice-cold iron in great store,\n Our arms, beside the king we bore:\n The Scanian rogues fly at the view\n Of men and steel all sharp and true.\n Their timbered houses flame on high,\n Red flashing over half the sky;\n The blazing town flings forth its light,\n Lighting the cowards on their flight.\"\nAnd he also sang:--\n \"The king o'er all the Danish land\n Roams, with his fire-bringing band:\n The house, the hut, the farm, the town,\n All where men dwelt is burned down.\n O'er Denmark's plains and corn-fields,\n Meadows and moors, are seen our shields:\n Victorious over all, we chase\n Svein's wounded men from place to place.\n \"Across Fiona's moor again,\n The paths late trodden by our men\n We tread once more, until quite near,\n Through morning mist, the foes appear.\n Then up our numerous banners flare\n In the cold early morning air;\n And they from Magnus' power who fly\n Cannot this quick war-work deny.\"\nThen Svein fled eastwards along Scania, and King Magnus returned to his\nships, and steered eastwards also along the Scanian coast, having got\nready with the greatest haste to sail. Thiodolf sings thus about it:--\n \"No drink but the salt sea\n On board our ships had we,\n When, following our king,\n On board our ships we spring.\n Hard work on the salt sea,\n Off Scania's coast, had we;\n But we laboured for the king,\n To his foemen death to bring.\"\nSvein fled to Gautland, and then sought refuge with the Swedish king,\nwith whom he remained all winter (A.D. 1046), and was treated with great\nrespect.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Ship.--L.\n (2) This was the name of Saint Olaf's sword,\n which Magnus had recovered.--L.\n35. OF KING MAGNUS'S CAMPAIGN.\nWhen King Magnus had subdued Scania he turned about, and first went\nto Falster, where he landed, plundered, and killed many people who had\nbefore submitted to Svein. Arnor speaks of this:--\n \"A bloody vengeance for their guile\n King Magnus takes on Falster Isle;\n The treacherous Danes his fury feel,\n And fall before his purpled steel.\n The battle-field is covered o'er,\n With eagle's prey from shore to shore;\n And the king's courtmen were the first\n To quench with blood the raven's thirst.\"\nThereafter Magnus with his fleet proceeded to the isle of Fyen, went on\nland, plundered, and made great devastation. So says Arnor, the earls'\nskald:--\n \"To fair Fiona's grassy shore\n His banner now again he bore:\n He who the mail-shirt's linked chains\n Severs, and all its lustre stains,--\n He will be long remembered there,\n The warrior in his twentieth year,\n Whom their black ravens from afar\n Saluted as he went to war.\"\n36. OF KING MAGNUS'S BATTLES.\nKing Magnus remained in Denmark all that winter (A.D. 1046), and sat in\npeace. He had held many battles, and had gained the victory in all. So\nsays Od Kikinaskald:--\n \"'Fore Michaelmas was struck the blow,\n That laid the Vindland vikings low;\n And people learned with joy to hear\n The clang of arms, and leaders' cheer.\n Short before Yule fell out the day,\n Southward of Aros, where the fray,\n Though not enough the foe to quell,\n Was of the bloodiest men can tell.\"\nAnd Arnor says:--\n \"Olaf's avenger who can sing?\n The skald cannot o'ertake the king,\n Who makes the war-bird daily drain\n The corpse-blood of his foemen slain.\n Four battles won within a year,--\n Breaker of shields! with swords and spear,\n And hand to hand, exalt thy fame\n Above the kings of greatest name.\"\nKing Magnus had three battles with Svein Ulfson. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"To our brave Throndhjem sovereign's praise\n The skald may all his skaldcraft raise;\n For fortune, and for daring deed,\n His song will not the truth exceed.\n After three battles to regain\n What was his own, unjustly ta'en,\n Unjustly kept, and dues denied,\n He levied dues in red-blood dyed.\"\n37. OF KING MAGNUS, AND THORFIN AND RAGNVALD, EARLS OF ORKNEY.\nWhile King Magnus the Good, a son of King Olaf the Saint, ruled over\nNorway, as before related, the Earl Ragnvald Brusason lived with him.\nEarl Thorfin Sigurdson, the uncle of Ragnvald, ruled then over Orkney.\nKing Magnus sent Ragnvald west to Orkney, and ordered that Thorfin\nshould let him have his father's heritage. Thorfin let Ragnvald have a\nthird part of the land along with him; for so had Erase, the father\nof Ragnvald, had it at his dying day. Earl Thorfin was married to\nIngebjorg, the earl-mother, who was a daughter of Fin Arnason. Earl\nRagnvald thought he should have two-thirds of the land, as Olaf the\nSaint had promised to his father Bruse, and as Bruse had enjoyed as\nlong as Olaf lived. This was the origin of a great strife between these\nrelations, concerning which we have a long saga. They had a great battle\nin Pentland Firth, in which Kalf Arnason was with Earl Thorfin. So says\nBjarne Gullbrarskald:--\n \"Thy cutters, dashing through the tide,\n Brought aid to Earl Thorfin's side,\n Fin's son-in-law, and people say\n Thy aid made Bruse's son give way.\n Kalf, thou art fond of warlike toil,\n Gay in the strife and bloody broil;\n But here 'twas hate made thee contend\n Against Earl Ragnvald, the king's friend.\"\n38. OF KING MAGNUS'S LETTER TO ENGLAND.\nKing Magnus ruled then both over Denmark and Norway; and when he had got\npossession of the Danish dominions he sent ambassadors over to England\nto King Edward, who brought to him King Magnus's letter and seal. And in\nthis letter there stood, along with a salutation from King Magnus,\nthese words:--\"Ye must have heard of the agreement which I and Hardaknut\nmade,--that he of us two who survived the other should have all the land\nand people which the deceased had possessed. Now it has so turned out,\nas ye have no doubt heard, that I have taken the Danish dominions as\nmy heritage after Hardaknut. But before he departed this life he\nhad England as well as Denmark; therefore I consider myself now, in\nconsequence of my rights by this agreement, to own England also. Now\nI will therefore that thou deliver to me the kingdom; otherwise I will\nseek to take it by arms, both from Denmark and Norway; and let him rule\nthe land to whom fate gives the victory.\"\n39. KING EDWARD'S ANSWER TO KING MAGNUS'S LETTER.\nNow when King Edward had read this letter, he replied thus: \"It is known\nto all men in this country that King Ethelred, my father, was udal-born\nto this kingdom, both after the old and new law of inheritance. We were\nfour sons after him; and when he by death left the throne my brother\nEdmund took the government and kingdom; for he was the oldest of us\nbrothers, and I was well satisfied that it was so. And after him my\nstepfather, Canute the Great, took the kingdom, and as long as he lived\nthere was no access to it. After him my brother Harald was king as long\nas he lived; and after him my brother Hardaknut took the kingdoms both\nof Denmark and England; for he thought that a just brotherly division\nthat he should have both England and Denmark, and that I should have no\nkingdom at all. Now he died, and then it was the resolution of all the\npeople of the country to take me for king here in England. So long as I\nhad no kingly title I served only superiors in all respects, like those\nwho had no claims by birth to land or kingdom. Now, however, I have\nreceived the kingly title, and am consecrated king. I have established\nmy royal dignity and authority, as my father before me; and while I live\nI will not renounce my title. If King Magnus come here with an army, I\nwill gather no army against him; but he shall only get the opportunity\nof taking England when he has taken my life. Tell him these words of\nmine.\" The ambassadors went back to King Magnus, and told him the answer\nto their message. King Magnus reflected a while, and answered thus:\n\"I think it wisest, and will succeed best, to let King Edward have his\nkingdom in peace for me, and that I keep the kingdoms God has put into\nmy hands.\"\nSAGA OF HARALD HARDRADE.\nPRELIMINARY REMARKS.\nHarald, son of Sigurd Syr, was born in the year A.D. 1015, and\nleft Norway A.D. 1030. He was called Hardrade, that is, the severe\ncounsellor, the tyrant, though the Icelanders never applied this epithet\nto him. Harald helped the Icelanders in the famine of A.D. 1056, and\nsent them timber for a church at Thingvol. It was the Norwegians who\ngave him the name tyrant in contrast to the \"debonairete\" of Magnus. He\ncame to Norway in A.D. 1046, and became sole king in A.D. 1047. He died\nin A.D. 1066, and his son and successor Magnus died in A.D. 1069.\nHis saga is to be compared with \"Agrip\", \"Fagrskinna\", and\n\"Morkinskinna\".\nThe skalds quoted are: Thiodolf, Bolverk, Illuge Bryndalaskald, Stuf the\nskald, Thorarin Skeggjason, Valgard o' Val, Od Kikinaskald, Grane Skald,\nThorleik the Fair, Stein Herdison, Ulf the Marshal, Arnor the earls'\nskald, Thorkel Skallason, and King Harald Hardrade himself.\n1. HARALD ESCAPES FROM THE BATTLE OF STIKLESTAD.\nHarald, son of Sigurd Syr, brother of Olaf the Saint, by the same\nmother, was at the battle of Stiklestad, and was fifteen years old when\nKing Olaf the Saint fell, as was before related. Harald was wounded, and\nescaped with other fugitives. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"At Haug the fire-sparks from his shield\n Flew round the king's head on the field,\n As blow for blow, for Olaf's sake,\n His sword and shield would give and take.\n Bulgaria's conqueror, I ween,\n Had scarcely fifteen winters seen,\n When from his murdered brother's side\n His unhelmed head he had to hide.\"\nRagnvald Brusason led Harald from the battle, and the night after the\nfray took him to a bonde who dwelt in a forest far from other people.\nThe peasant received Harald, and kept him concealed; and Harald was\nwaited upon until he was quite cured of his wounds. Then the bonde's son\nattended him on the way east over the ridge of the land, and they\nwent by all the forest paths they could, avoiding the common road. The\nbonde's son did not know who it was he was attending; and as they were\nriding together between two uninhabited forests, Harald made these\nverses:\n \"My wounds were bleeding as I rode;\n And down below the bondes strode,\n Killing the wounded with the sword,\n The followers of their rightful lord.\n From wood to wood I crept along,\n Unnoticed by the bonde-throng;\n 'Who knows,' I thought, 'a day may come\n My name will yet be great at home.'\"\nHe went eastward over the ridge through Jamtaland and Helsingjaland, and\ncame to Svithjod, where he found Ragnvald Brusason, and many others of\nKing Olaf's men who had fled from the battle at Stiklestad, and they\nremained there till winter was over.\n2. HARALD'S JOURNEY TO CONSTANTINOPLE.\nThe spring after (A.D. 1031) Harald and Ragnvald got ships, and went\neast in summer to Russia to King Jarisleif, and were with him all the\nfollowing winter. So says the skald Bolverk:--\n \"The king's sharp sword lies clean and bright,\n Prepared in foreign lands to fight:\n Our ravens croak to have their fill,\n The wolf howls from the distant hill.\n Our brave king is to Russia gone,--\n Braver than he on earth there's none;\n His sharp sword will carve many feast\n To wolf and raven in the East.\"\nKing Jarisleif gave Harald and Ragnvald a kind reception, and made\nHarald and Ellif, the son of Earl Ragnvald, chiefs over the land-defence\nmen of the king. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"Where Ellif was, one heart and hand\n The two chiefs had in their command;\n In wedge or line their battle order\n Was ranged by both without disorder.\n The eastern Vindland men they drove\n Into a corner; and they move\n The Lesians, although ill at ease,\n To take the laws their conquerors please.\"\nHarald remained several years in Russia, and travelled far and wide in\nthe Eastern land. Then he began his expedition out to Greece, and had a\ngreat suite of men with him; and on he went to Constantinople. So says\nBolverk:--\n \"Before the cold sea-curling blast\n The cutter from the land flew past,\n Her black yards swinging to and fro,\n Her shield-hung gunwale dipping low.\n The king saw glancing o'er the bow\n Constantinople's metal glow\n From tower and roof, and painted sails\n Gliding past towns and wooded vales.\"\n3. OF HARALD.\nAt that time the Greek empire was ruled by the Empress Zoe the Great,\nand with her Michael Catalactus. Now when Harald came to Constantinople\nhe presented himself to the empress, and went into her pay; and\nimmediately, in autumn, went on board the galleys manned with troops\nwhich went out to the Greek sea. Harald had his own men along with him.\nNow Harald had been but a short time in the army before all the Varings\nflocked to him, and they all joined together when there was a battle. It\nthus came to pass that Harald was made chief of the Varings. There was a\nchief over all the troops who was called Gyrger, and who was a relation\nof the empress. Gyrger and Harald went round among all the Greek\nislands, and fought much against the corsairs.\n4. OF HARALD AND GYRGER CASTING LOTS.\nIt happened once that Gyrger and the Varings were going through the\ncountry, and they resolved to take their night quarters in a wood; and\nas the Varings came first to the ground, they chose the place which was\nbest for pitching their tents upon, which was the highest ground; for\nit is the nature of the land there to be soft when rain falls, and\ntherefore it is bad to choose a low situation for your tents. Now when\nGyrger, the chief of the army, came up, and saw where the Varings\nhad set up their tents, he told them to remove, and pitch their tents\nelsewhere, saying he would himself pitch his tents on their ground.\nHarald replies, \"If ye come first to the night quarter, ye take up your\nground, and we must go pitch our tents at some other place where we best\ncan. Now do ye so, in the same way, and find a place where ye will. It\nis, I think, the privilege of us Varings here in the dominions of\nthe Greek emperor to be free, and independent of all but their own\ncommanders, and bound only to serve the emperor and empress.\" They\ndisputed long and hotly about this, and both sides armed themselves, and\nwere on the way to fight for it; but men of understanding came between\nand separated them. They said it would be better to come to an agreement\nabout such questions, so that in future no dispute could arise. It\ncame thus to an arbitration between them, at which the best and\nmost sagacious men should give their judgment in the case. At this\narbitration it was determined, with the consent of all parties, that\nlots should be thrown into a box, and the Greeks and Varings should draw\nwhich was first to ride, or to row, or to take place in a harbour, or\nto choose tent ground; and each side should be satisfied with what\nthe drawing of the lots gave them. Accordingly the lots were made and\nmarked. Harald said to Gyrger, \"Let me see what mark thou hast put upon\nthy lot, that we may not both mark our lots in the same way.\" He did\nso. Then Harald marked his lot, and put it into the box along with the\nother. The man who was to draw out the lots then took up one of the lots\nbetween his fingers, held it up in the air, and said, \"This lot shall be\nthe first to ride, and to row, and to take place in harbour and on the\ntent field.\" Harald seized his band, snatched the die, and threw it into\nthe sea, and called out, \"That was our lot!\" Gyrger said, \"Why did you\nnot let other people see it?\" Harald replies, \"Look at the one remaining\nin the box,--there you see your own mark upon it.\" Accordingly the lot\nwhich was left behind was examined, and all men saw that Gyrger's mark\nwas upon it, and accordingly the judgment was given that the Varings had\ngained the first choice in all they had been quarrelling about. There\nwere many things they quarrelled about, but the end always was that\nHarald got his own way.\n5. HARALD'S EXPEDITION IN THE LAND OF THE SARACENS (SERKLAND).\nThey went out all on a campaign in summer. When the whole army was thus\nassembled Harald kept his men out of the battle, or wherever he saw the\nleast danger, under pretext of saving his men; but where he was alone\nwith his own men only, he fought so desperately that they must either\ncome off victorious or die. It thus happened often that when he\ncommanded the army he gained victories, while Gyrger could do nothing.\nThe troops observed this, and insisted they would be more successful if\nHarald alone was chief of the whole army, and upbraided the general with\nnever effecting anything, neither himself, nor his people. Gyrger again\nsaid that the Varings would give him no assistance, and ordered Harald\nto go with his men somewhere else, and he, with the rest of his army,\nwould win what they could. Harald accordingly left the army with the\nVarings and the Latin men, and Gyrger on his side went off with the\nGreek troops. Then it was seen what each could do. Harald always gained\nvictories and booty; but the Greeks went home to Constantinople with\ntheir army, all except a few brave men, who, to gain booty and money,\njoined themselves to Harald, and took him for their leader. He then went\nwith his troops westward to Africa, which the Varings call Serkland,\nwhere he was strengthened with many men. In Serkland he took eighty\ncastles, some of which surrendered, and others were stormed. He then\nwent to Sicily. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"The serpent's bed of glowing gold\n He hates--the generous king, the bold!\n He who four score towers laid low,\n Ta'en from the Saracenic foe.\n Before upon Sicilian plains,\n Shield joined to shield, the fight he gains,\n The victory at Hild's war game;\n And now the heathens dread his name.\"\nSo says also Illuge Bryndala-skald:--\n \"For Michael's empire Harald fought,\n And southern lands to Michael brought;\n So Budle's son his friendship showed\n When he brought friends to his abode.\"\nHere it is said that Michael was king of the Greeks at that time. Harald\nremained many years in Africa, where he gathered great wealth in gold,\njewels, and all sorts of precious things; and all the wealth he gathered\nthere which he did not need for his expenses, he sent with trusty men\nof his own north to Novgorod to King Jarisleif's care and keeping. He\ngathered together there extraordinary treasure, as is reasonable to\nsuppose; for he had the plundering of the part of the world richest in\ngold and valuable things, and he had done such great deeds as with truth\nare related, such as taking eighty strongholds by his valour.\n6. BATTLE IN SICILY.\nNow when Harald came to Sicily he plundered there also, and sat down\nwith his army before a strong and populous castle. He surrounded the\ncastle; but the walls were so thick there was no possibility of breaking\ninto it, and the people of the castle had enough of provisions, and all\nthat was necessary for defence. Then Harald hit upon an expedient.\nHe made his bird-catchers catch the small birds which had their nests\nwithin the castle, but flew into the woods by day to get food for their\nyoung. He had small splinters of tarred wood bound upon the backs of the\nbirds, smeared these over with wax and sulphur, and set fire to them. As\nsoon as the birds were let loose they all flew at once to the castle to\ntheir young, and to their nests, which they had under the house roofs\nthat were covered with reeds or straw. The fire from the birds seized\nupon the house roofs; and although each bird could only carry a small\nburden of fire, yet all at once there was a mighty flame, caused by so\nmany birds carrying fire with them and spreading it widely among the\nhouse roofs. Thus one house after the other was set on fire, until the\ncastle itself was in flames. Then the people came out of the castle and\nbegged for mercy; the same men who for many days had set at defiance\nthe Greek army and its leader. Harald granted life and safety to all who\nasked quarter, and made himself master of the place.\n7. BATTLE AT ANOTHER CASTLE.\nThere was another castle before which Harald had come with his army.\nThis castle was both full of people and so strong, that there was no\nhope of breaking into it. The castle stood upon a flat hard plain. Then\nHarald undertook to dig a passage from a place where a stream ran in a\nbed so deep that it could not be seen from the castle. They threw out\nall the earth into the stream, to be carried away by the water. At this\nwork they laboured day and night, and relieved each other in gangs;\nwhile the rest of the army went the whole day against the castle, where\nthe castle people shot through their loop-holes. They shot at each other\nall day in this way, and at night they slept on both sides. Now when\nHarald perceived that his underground passage was so long that it must\nbe within the castle walls, he ordered his people to arm themselves. It\nwas towards daybreak that they went into the passage. When they got to\nthe end of it they dug over their heads until they came upon stones laid\nin lime which was the floor of a stone hall. They broke open the floor\nand rose into the hall. There sat many of the castle-men eating and\ndrinking, and not in the least expecting such uninvited wolves; for\nthe Varings instantly attacked them sword in hand, and killed some, and\nthose who could get away fled. The Varings pursued them; and some seized\nthe castle gate, and opened it, so that the whole body of the army\ngot in. The people of the castle fled; but many asked quarter from the\ntroops, which was granted to all who surrendered. In this way Harald got\npossession of the place, and found an immense booty in it.\n8. BATTLE AT A THIRD CASTLE.\nThey came to a third castle, the greatest and strongest of them all,\nand also the richest in property and the fullest of people. Around this\ncastle there were great ditches, so that it evidently could not be taken\nby the same device as the former; and they lay a long time before it\nwithout doing anything. When the castle-men saw this they became bolder,\ndrew up their array on the castle walls, threw open the castle gates,\nand shouted to the Varings, urging them, and jeering at them, and\ntelling them to come into the castle, and that they were no more fit for\nbattle than so many poultry. Harald told his men to make as if they did\nnot know what to do, or did not understand what was said. \"For,\" says\nhe, \"if we do make an assault we can effect nothing, as they can throw\ntheir weapons under their feet among us; and if we get in the castle\nwith a party of our people, they have it in their power to shut them in.\nand shut out the others; for they have all the castle gates beset with\nmen. We shall therefore show them the same scorn they show us, and\nlet them see we do not fear them. Our men shall go out upon the plain\nnearest to the castle; taking care, however, to keep out of bow-shot.\nAll our men shall go unarmed, and be playing with each other, so that\nthe castle-men may see we do not regard them or their array.\" Thus it\nwent on for some days, without anything being done.\n9. OF ULF AND HALDOR.\nTwo Iceland men were then with Harald; the one was Haldor (1), a son of\nthe gode Snorre, who brought this account to Iceland; the other was Ulf\nUspakson, a grandson of Usvifer Spake. Both were very strong men, bold\nunder arms, and Harald's best friends; and both were in this play. Now\nwhen some days were passed the castle people showed more courage, and\nwould go without weapons upon the castle wall, while the castle gates\nwere standing open. The Varings observing this, went one day to their\nsports with the sword under their cloaks, and the helmet under their\nhats. After playing awhile they observed that the castle people were\noff their guard; and instantly seizing their weapons, they made at the\ncastle gate. When the men of the castle saw this they went against them\narmed completely, and a battle began in the castle gate. The Varings had\nno shields, but wrapped their cloaks round their left arms. Some of\nthem were wounded, some killed, and all stood in great danger. Now came\nHarald with the men who had remained in the camp, to the assistance\nof his people; and the castle-men had now got out upon the walls, from\nwhich they shot and threw stones down upon them; so that there was a\nsevere battle, and those who were in the castle gates thought that help\nwas brought them slower than they could have wished. When Harald came to\nthe castle gate his standard-bearer fell, and Harald said to Haldor,\n\"Do thou take up the banner now.\" Haldor took up the banner, and said\nfoolishly, \"Who will carry the banner before thee, if thou followest it\nso timidly as thou hast done for a while?\" But these were words more\nof anger than of truth; for Harald was one of the boldest of men under\narms. Then they pressed in, and had a hard battle in the castle; and the\nend was that Harald gained the victory and took the castle. Haldor\nwas much wounded in the face, and it gave him great pain as long as he\nlived.\n ENDNOTES: (1) One of the descendants of this Haldor was Snorre\n Sturlason, the author of \"Heimskringla\".\n10. BATTLE AT A FOURTH CASTLE.\nThe fourth castle which Harald came to was the greatest of all we have\nbeen speaking about. It was so strong that there was no possibility of\nbreaking into it. They surrounded the castle, so that no supplies could\nget into it. When they had remained here a short time Harald fell sick,\nand he betook himself to his bed. He had his tent put up a little from\nthe camp, for he found quietness and rest out of the clamour and clang\nof armed men. His men went usually in companies to or from him to hear\nhis orders; and the castle people observing there was something new\namong the Varings, sent out spies to discover what this might mean. When\nthe spies came back to the castle they had to tell of the illness of the\ncommander of the Varings, and that no assault on that account had been\nmade on the castle. A while after Harald's strength began to fail, at\nwhich his men were very melancholy and cast down; all which was news to\nthe castle-men. At last Harald's sickness increased so rapidly that his\ndeath was expected through all the army. Thereafter the Varings went to\nthe castle-men; told them, in a parley, of the death of their commander;\nand begged of the priests to grant him burial in the castle. When the\ncastle people heard this news, there were many among them who ruled over\ncloisters or other great establishments within the place, and who were\nvery eager to get the corpse for their church, knowing that upon that\nthere would follow very rich presents. A great many priests, therefore,\nclothed themselves in all their robes, and went out of the castle with\ncross and shrine and relics and formed a beautiful procession. The\nVarings also made a great burial. The coffin was borne high in the air,\nand over it was a tent of costly linen and before it were carried many\nbanners. Now when the corpse was brought within the castle gate the\nVarings set down the coffin right across the entry, fixed a bar to keep\nthe gates open, and sounded to battle with all their trumpets, and drew\ntheir swords. The whole army of the Varings, fully armed, rushed from\nthe camp to the assault of the castle with shout and cry; and the monks\nand other priests who had gone to meet the corpse and had striven with\neach other who should be the first to come out and take the offering at\nthe burial, were now striving much more who should first get away\nfrom the Varings; for they killed before their feet every one who was\nnearest, whether clerk or unconsecrated. The Varings rummaged so well\nthis castle that they killed all the men, pillaged everything and made\nan enormous booty.\n11. OF HARALD.\nHarald was many years in these campaigns, both in Serkland and in\nSicily. Then he came back to Constantinople with his troops and stayed\nthere but a little time before he began his expedition to Jerusalem.\nThere he left the pay he had received from the Greek emperor and all the\nVarings who accompanied him did the same. It is said that on all\nthese expeditions Harald had fought eighteen regular battles. So says\nThiodolf:--\n \"Harald the Stern ne'er allowed\n Peace to his foemen, false and proud;\n In eighteen battles, fought and won,\n The valour of the Norseman shone.\n The king, before his home return,\n Oft dyed the bald head of the erne\n With bloody specks, and o'er the waste\n The sharp-claw'd wolf his footsteps traced.\"\n12. HARALD'S EXPEDITION TO PALESTINE.\nHarald went with his men to the land of Jerusalem and then up to the\ncity of Jerusalem, and wheresoever he came in the land all the towns and\nstrongholds were given up to him. So says the skald Stuf, who had heard\nthe king himself relate these tidings:--\n \"He went, the warrior bold and brave,\n Jerusalem, the holy grave,\n And the interior of the land,\n To bring under the Greeks' command;\n And by the terror of his name\n Under his power the country came,\n Nor needed wasting fire and sword\n To yield obediance to his word.\"\nHere it is told that this land came without fire and sword under\nHarald's command. He then went out to Jordan and bathed therein,\naccording to the custom of other pilgrims. Harald gave great gifts to\nour Lord's grave, to the Holy Cross, and other holy relics in the land\nof Jerusalem. He also cleared the whole road all the way out to Jordan,\nby killing the robbers and other disturbers of the peace. So says the\nskald Stuf:--\n \"The Agder king cleared far and wide\n Jordan's fair banks on either side;\n The robber-bands before him fled,\n And his great name was widely spread.\n The wicked people of the land\n Were punished here by his dread hand,\n And they hereafter will not miss\n Much worse from Jesus Christ than this.\"\n13. HARALD PUT IN PRISON.\nThereafter he went back to Constantinople. When Harald returned to\nConstantinople from Jerusalem he longed to return to the North to his\nnative land; and when he heard that Magnus Olafson, his brother's son,\nhad become king both of Norway and Denmark, he gave up his command in\nthe Greek service. And when the empress Zoe heard of this she became\nangry and raised an accusation against Harald that he had misapplied the\nproperty of the Greek emperor which he had received in the campaigns in\nwhich he was commander of the army. There was a young and beautiful girl\ncalled Maria, a brother's daughter of the empress Zoe, and Harald had\npaid his addresses to her; but the empress had given him a refusal. The\nVarings, who were then in pay in Constantinople, have told here in\nthe North that there went a report among well-informed people that the\nempress Zoe herself wanted Harald for her husband, and that she chiefly\nblamed Harald for his determination to leave Constantinople, although\nanother reason was given out to the public. Constantinus Monomachus was\nat that time emperor of the Greeks and ruled along with Zoe. On this\naccount the Greek emperor had Harald made prisoner and carried to\nprison.\n14. KING OLAF'S MIRACLE AND BLINDING THE GREEK EMPEROR.\nWhen Harald drew near to the prison King Olaf the Saint stood before him\nand said he would assist him. On that spot of the street a chapel has\nsince been built and consecrated to Saint Olaf and which chapel has\nstood there ever since. The prison was so constructed that there was a\nhigh tower open above, but a door below to go into it from the street.\nThrough it Harald was thrust in, along with Haldor and Ulf. Next night\na lady of distinction with two servants came, by the help of ladders,\nto the top of the tower, let down a rope into the prison and hauled them\nup. Saint Olaf had formerly cured this lady of a sickness and he had\nappeared to her in a vision and told her to deliver his brother. Harald\nwent immediately to the Varings, who all rose from their seats when he\ncame in and received him with joy. The men armed themselves forthwith\nand went to where the emperor slept. They took the emperor prisoner and\nput out both the eyes of him. So says Thorarin Skeggjason in his poem:--\n \"Of glowing gold that decks the hand\n The king got plenty in this land;\n But it's great emperor in the strife\n Was made stone-blind for all his life.\"\nSo says Thiodolf, the skald, also:--\n \"He who the hungry wolf's wild yell\n Quiets with prey, the stern, the fell,\n Midst the uproar of shriek and shout\n Stung tho Greek emperor's eyes both out:\n The Norse king's mark will not adorn,\n The Norse king's mark gives cause to mourn;\n His mark the Eastern king must bear,\n Groping his sightless way in fear.\"\nIn these two songs, and many others, it is told that Harald himself\nblinded the Greek emperor; and they would surely have named some duke,\ncount, or other great man, if they had not known this to be the true\naccount; and King Harald himself and other men who were with him spread\nthe account.\n15. HARALD'S JOURNEY FROM CONSTANTINOPLE.\nThe same night King Harald and his men went to the house where Maria\nslept and carried her away by force. Then they went down to where the\ngalleys of the Varings lay, took two of them and rowed out into Sjavid\nsound. When they came to the place where the iron chain is drawn across\nthe sound, Harald told his men to stretch out at their oars in both\ngalleys; but the men who were not rowing to run all to the stern of the\ngalley, each with his luggage in his hand. The galleys thus ran up\nand lay on the iron chain. As soon as they stood fast on it, and would\nadvance no farther, Harald ordered all the men to run forward into the\nbow. Then the galley, in which Harald was, balanced forwards and swung\ndown over the chain; but the other, which remained fast athwart the\nchain, split in two, by which many men were lost; but some were taken up\nout of the sound. Thus Harald escaped out of Constantinople and sailed\nthence into the Black Sea; but before he left the land he put the lady\nashore and sent her back with a good escort to Constantinople and bade\nher tell her relation, the Empress Zoe, how little power she had over\nHarald, and how little the empress could have hindered him from taking\nthe lady. Harald then sailed northwards in the Ellipalta and then all\nround the Eastern empire. On this voyage Harald composed sixteen songs\nfor amusement and all ending with the same words. This is one of them:--\n \"Past Sicily's wide plains we flew,\n A dauntless, never-wearied crew;\n Our viking steed rushed through the sea,\n As viking-like fast, fast sailed we.\n Never, I think, along this shore\n Did Norsemen ever sail before;\n Yet to the Russian queen, I fear,\n My gold-adorned, I am not dear.\"\nWith this he meant Ellisif, daughter of King Jarisleif in Novgorod.\n16. OF KING HARALD.\nWhen Harald came to Novgorod King Jarisleif received him in the most\nfriendly way and he remained there all winter (A.D. 1045). Then he took\ninto his own keeping all the gold and the many kinds of precious things\nwhich he had sent there from Constantinople and which together made up\nso vast a treasure that no man in the Northern lands ever saw the\nlike of it in one man's possession. Harald had been three times in the\npoluta-svarf while he was in Constantinople. It is the custom, namely,\nthere, that every time one of the Greek emperors dies, the Varings are\nallowed poluta-svarf; that is, they may go through all the emperor's\npalaces where his treasures are and each may take and keep what he can\nlay hold of while he is going through them.\n17. KING HARALD'S MARRIAGE.\nThis winter King Jarisleif gave Harald his daughter Elisabeth in\nmarriage. She is called by the Northmen Ellisif. This is related by Stuf\nthe Blind, thus:--\n \"Agder's chief now got the queen\n Who long his secret love had been.\n Of gold, no doubt, a mighty store\n The princess to her husband bore.\"\nIn spring he began his journey from Novgorod and came to Aldeigjuborg,\nwhere he took shipping and sailed from the East in summer. He turned\nfirst to Svithjod and came to Sigtuna. So says Valgard o' Val:--\n \"The fairest cargo ship e'er bore,\n From Russia's distant eastern shore\n The gallant Harald homeward brings--\n Gold, and a fame that skald still sings.\n The ship through dashing foam he steers,\n Through the sea-rain to Svithjod veers,\n And at Sigtuna's grassy shores\n His gallant vessel safely moors.\"\n18. THE LEAGUE BETWEEN KING HARALD AND SVEIN ULFSON.\nHarald found there before him Svein Ulfson, who the autumn before (A.D.\n1045) had fled from King Magnus at Helganes; and when they met they\nwere very friendly on both sides. The Swedish king, Olaf the Swede, was\nbrother of the mother of Ellisif, Harald's wife; and Astrid, the\nmother of Svein, was King Olaf's sister. Harald and Svein entered into\nfriendship with each other and confirmed it by oath. All the Swedes were\nfriendly to Svein, because he belonged to the greatest family in the\ncountry; and thus all the Swedes were Harald's friends and helpers also,\nfor many great men were connected with him by relationship. So says\nThiodolf:\n \"Cross the East sea the vessel flew,--\n Her oak-keel a white furrow drew\n From Russia's coast to Swedish land.\n Where Harald can great help command.\n The heavy vessel's leeward side\n Was hid beneath the rushing tide;\n While the broad sail and gold-tipped mast\n Swung to and fro in the hard blast.\"\n19. KING HARALD'S FORAY.\nThen Harald and Svein fitted out ships and gathered together a great\nforce; and when the troops were ready they sailed from the East towards\nDenmark. So says Valgard:--\n \"Brave Yngve! to the land decreed\n To thee by fate, with tempest speed\n The winds fly with thee o'er the sea--\n To thy own udal land with thee.\n As past the Scanlan plains they fly,\n The gay ships glances 'twixt sea and sky,\n And Scanian brides look out, and fear\n Some ill to those they hold most dear.\"\nThey landed first in Seeland with their men and herried and burned in\nthe land far and wide. Then they went to Fyen, where they also landed\nand wasted. So says Valgard:--\n \"Harald! thou hast the isle laid waste,\n The Seeland men away hast chased,\n And the wild wolf by daylight roams\n Through their deserted silent homes.\n Fiona too could not withstand\n The fury of thy wasting hand.\n Helms burst, shields broke,--Fiona's bounds.\n Were filled with death's terrific sounds.\n \"Red flashing in the southern sky,\n The clear flame sweeping broad and high,\n From fair Roeskilde's lofty towers,\n On lowly huts its fire-rain pours;\n And shows the housemates' silent train\n In terror scouring o'er the plain,\n Seeking the forest's deepest glen,\n To house with wolves, and 'scape from men.\n \"Few were they of escape to tell,\n For, sorrow-worn, the people fell:\n The only captives form the fray\n Were lovely maidens led away.\n And in wild terror to the strand,\n Down to the ships, the linked band\n Of fair-haired girls is roughly driven,\n Their soft skins by the irons riven.\"\n20. KING MAGNUS'S LEVY.\nKing Magnus Olafson sailed north to Norway in the autumn after the\nbattle at Helganes (A.D. 1045). There he hears the news that Harald\nSigurdson, his relation, was come to Svithjod; and moreover that Svein\nUlfson and Harald had entered into a friendly bond with each other and\ngathered together a great force, intending first to subdue Denmark and\nthen Norway. King Magnus then ordered a general levy over all Norway and\nhe soon collected a great army. He hears then that Harald and Svein were\ncome to Denmark and were burning and laying waste the land and that the\ncountry people were everywhere submitting to them. It was also told that\nKing Harald was stronger and stouter than other men, and so wise withal\nthat nothing was impossible to him, and he had always the victory when\nhe fought a battle; and he was also so rich in gold that no man could\ncompare with him in wealth. Thiodolf speaks thus of it:\n \"Norsemen, who stand the sword of foe\n Like forest-stems unmoved by blow!\n My hopes are fled, no peace is near,--\n People fly here and there in fear.\n On either side of Seeland's coast\n A fleet appears--a white winged host;\n Magnus form Norway takes his course,\n Harald from Sweden leads his force.\n21. TREATY BETWEEN HARALD AND MAGNUS.\nThose of Harald's men who were in his counsel said that it would be a\ngreat misfortune if relations like Harald and Magnus should fight and\nthrow a death-spear against each other; and therefore many offered to\nattempt bringing about some agreement between them, and the kings, by\ntheir persuasion, agreed to it. Thereupon some men were sent off in a\nlight boat, in which they sailed south in all haste to Denmark, and got\nsome Danish men, who were proven friends of King Magnus, to propose\nthis matter to Harald. This affair was conducted very secretly. Now when\nHarald heard that his relation, King Magnus, would offer him a league\nand partition, so that Harald should have half of Norway with King\nMagnus, and that they should divide all their movable property into two\nequal parts, he accepted the proposal, and the people went back to King\nMagnus with this answer.\n22. TREATY BETWEEN HARALD AND SVEIN BROKEN.\nA little after this it happened that Harald and Svein one evening were\nsitting at table drinking and talking together, and Svein asked Harald\nwhat valuable piece of all his property he esteemed the most.\nHe answered, it was his banner Land-waster.\nSvein asked what was there remarkable about it, that he valued it so\nhighly.\nHarald replied, it was a common saying that he must gain the victory\nbefore whom that banner is borne, and it had turned out so ever since he\nhad owned it.\nSvein replies, \"I will begin to believe there is such virtue in the\nbanner when thou hast held three battles with thy relation Magnus, and\nhast gained them all.\"\nThen answered Harald with an angry voice, \"I know my relationship to\nKing Magnus, without thy reminding me of it; and although we are now\ngoing in arms against him, our meeting may be of a better sort.\"\nSvein changed colour, and said, \"There are people, Harald, who say that\nthou hast done as much before as only to hold that part of an agreement\nwhich appears to suit thy own interest best.\"\nHarald answers, \"It becomes thee ill to say that I have not stood by an\nagreement, when I know what King Magnus could tell of thy proceedings\nwith him.\"\nThereupon each went his own way. At night, when Harald went to sleep\nwithin the bulwarks of his vessel, he said to his footboy, \"I will not\nsleep in my bed to-night, for I suspect there may be treachery abroad.\nI observed this evening that my friend Svein was very angry at my free\ndiscourse. Thou shalt keep watch, therefore, in case anything happen in\nthe night.\" Harald then went away to sleep somewhere else, and laid a\nbillet of wood in his place. At midnight a boat rowed alongside to the\nship's bulwark; a man went on board, lifted up the cloth of the tent of\nthe bulwarks, went up, and struck in Harald's bed with a great ax, so\nthat it stood fast in the lump of wood. The man instantly ran back to\nhis boat again, and rowed away in the dark night, for the moon was\nset; but the axe remained sticking in the piece of wood as an evidence.\nThereupon Harald waked his men and let them know the treachery intended.\n\"We can now see sufficiently,\" said he, \"that we could never match Svein\nif he practises such deliberate treachery against us; so it will be best\nfor us to get away from this place while we can. Let us cast loose our\nvessel and row away as quietly as possible.\" They did so, and rowed\nduring the night northwards along the land; and then proceeded night and\nday until they came to King Magnus, where he lay with his army. Harald\nwent to his relation Magnus, and there was a joyful meeting betwixt\nthem. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"The far-known king the order gave,\n In silence o'er the swelling wave,\n With noiseless oars, his vessels gay\n From Denmark west to row away;\n And Olaf's son, with justice rare,\n Offers with him the realm to share.\n People, no doubt, rejoiced to find\n The kings had met in peaceful mind.\"\nAfterwards the two relatives conversed with each other and all was\nsettled by peaceful agreement.\n23. KING MAGNUS GIVES HARALD HALF OF NORWAY.\nKing Magnus lay at the shore and had set up tents upon the land. There\nhe invited his relation, King Harald, to be his guest at table; and\nHarald went to the entertainment with sixty of his men and was feasted\nexcellently. Towards the end of the day King Magnus went into the tent\nwhere Harald sat and with him went men carrying parcels consisting of\nclothes and arms. Then the king went to the man who sat lowest and gave\nhim a good sword, to the next a shield, to the next a kirtle, and so\non,--clothes, or weapons, or gold; to all he gave one or the other\nvaluable gift, and the more costly to the more distinguished men among\nthem. Then he placed himself before his relation Harald, holding two\nsticks in his hand, and said, \"Which of these two sticks wilt thou have,\nmy friend?\"\nHarald replies, \"The one nearest me.\"\n\"Then,\" said King Magnus, \"with this stick I give thee half of the\nNorwegian power, with all the scat and duties, and all the domains\nthereunto belonging, with the condition that everywhere thou shalt be as\nlawful king in Norway as I am myself; but when we are both together in\none place, I shall be the first man in seat, service and salutation; and\nif there be three of us together of equal dignity, that I shall sit\nin the middle, and shall have the royal tent-ground and the royal\nlanding-place. Thou shalt strengthen and advance our kingdom, in return\nfor making thee that man in Norway whom we never expected any man should\nbe so long as our head was above ground.\" Then Harald stood up, and\nthanked him for the high title and dignity. Thereupon they both sat\ndown, and were very merry together. The same evening Harald and his men\nreturned to their ships.\n24. HARALD GIVES MAGNUS THE HALF OF HIS TREASURES.\nThe following morning King Magnus ordered the trumpets to sound to a\nGeneral Thing of the people; and when it was seated, he made known to\nthe whole army the gift he had given to his relation Harald. Thorer of\nSteig gave Harald the title of King there at the Thing; and the same\nday King Harald invited King Magnus to table with him, and he went with\nsixty men to King Harald's land-tent, where he had prepared a feast.\nThe two kings sat together on a high-seat, and the feast was splendid;\neverything went on with magnificence, and the kings' were merry and\nglad. Towards the close of the day King Harald ordered many caskets to\nbe brought into the tent, and in like manner people bore in weapons,\nclothes and other sorts of valuables; and all these King Harald divided\namong King Magnus's men who were at the feast. Then he had the caskets\nopened and said to King Magnus, \"Yesterday you gave us a large\nkingdom, which your hand won from your and our enemies, and took us in\npartnership with you, which was well done; and this has cost you much.\nNow we on our side have been in foreign parts, and oft in peril of life,\nto gather together the gold which you here see. Now, King Magnus, I will\ndivide this with you. We shall both own this movable property, and each\nhave his equal share of it, as each has his equal half share of Norway.\nI know that our dispositions are different, as thou art more liberal\nthan I am; therefore let us divide this property equally between us, so\nthat each may have his share free to do with as he will.\" Then Harald\nhad a large ox-hide spread out, and turned the gold out of the caskets\nupon it. Then scales and weights were taken and the gold separated and\ndivided by weight into equal parts; and all people wondered exceedingly\nthat so much gold should have come together in one place in the northern\ncountries. But it was understood that it was the Greek emperor's\nproperty and wealth; for, as all people say, there are whole houses\nthere full of red gold. The kings were now very merry. Then there\nappeared an ingot among the rest as big as a man's hand. Harald took\nit in his hands and said, \"Where is the gold, friend Magnus, that thou\ncanst show against this piece?\"\nKing Magnus replied, \"So many disturbances and levies have been in the\ncountry that almost all the gold and silver I could lay up is gone. I\nhave no more gold in my possession than this ring.\" And he took the ring\noff his hand and gave it to Harald.\nHarald looked at it, and said, \"That is but little gold, friend, for\nthe king who owns two kingdoms; and yet some may doubt whether thou art\nrightful owner of even this ring.\"\nThen King Magnus replied, after a little reflection, \"If I be not\nrightful owner of this ring, then I know not what I have got right\nto; for my father, King Olaf the Saint, gave me this ring at our last\nparting.\"\nThen said King Harald, laughing, \"It is true, King Magnus, what thou\nsayest. Thy father gave thee this ring, but he took the ring from my\nfather for some trifling cause; and in truth it was not a good time for\nsmall kings in Norway when thy father was in full power.\"\nKing Harald gave Thorer of Steig at that feast a bowl of mountain birch,\nthat was encircled with a silver ring and had a silver handle, both\nwhich parts were gilt; and the bowl was filled with money of pure\nsilver. With that came also two gold rings, which together stood for a\nmark. He gave him also his cloak of dark purple lined with white skins\nwithin, and promised him besides his friendship and great dignity.\nThorgils Snorrason, an intelligent man, says he has seen an altar-cloth\nthat was made of this cloak; and Gudrid, a daughter of Guthorm, the son\nof Thorer of Steig, said, according to Thorgil's account, that she had\nseen this bowl in her father Guthorm's possession. Bolverk also tells of\nthese matters:--\n \"Thou, generous king, I have been told,\n For the green land hast given gold;\n And Magnus got a mighty treasure,\n That thou one half might'st rule at pleasure.\n The people gained a blessed peace,\n Which 'twixt the kings did never cease;\n While Svein, disturbed with war's alarms,\n Had his folk always under arms.\"\n25. OF KING MAGNUS.\nThe kings Magnus and Harald both ruled in Norway the winter after their\nagreement (A.D. 1047), and each had his court. In winter they went\naround the Upland country in guest-quarters; and sometimes they were\nboth together, sometimes each was for himself. They went all the way\nnorth to Throndhjem, to the town of Nidaros. King Magnus had taken\nspecial care of the holy remains of King Olaf after he came to the\ncountry; had the hair and nails clipped every twelve month, and kept\nhimself the keys that opened the shrine. Many miracles were worked by\nKing Olaf's holy remains. It was not long before there was a breach\nin the good understanding between the two kings, as many were so\nmischievous as to promote discord between them.\n26. OF SVEIN ULFSON.\nSvein Ulfson remained behind in the harbour after Harald had gone away,\nand inquired about his proceedings. When he heard at last of Magnus and\nHarald having agreed and joined their forces, he steered with his forces\neastward along Scania, and remained there until towards winter, when he\nheard that King Magnus and King Harald had gone northwards to Norway.\nThen Svein, with his troops, came south to Denmark and took all the\nroyal income that winter (A.D. 1047).\n27. OF THE LEVY OF THE TWO KINGS.\nTowards spring (A.D. 1047) King Magnus and his relation, King Harald,\nordered a levy in Norway. It happened once that the kings lay all night\nin the same harbour and next day, King Harald, being first ready, made\nsail. Towards evening he brought up in the harbour in which Magnus and\nhis retinue had intended to pass the night. Harald laid his vessel in\nthe royal ground, and there set up his tents. King Magnus got under sail\nlater in the day and came into the harbour just as King Harald had done\npitching his tents. They saw then that King Harald had taken up the\nking's ground and intended to lie there. After King Magnus had ordered\nthe sails to be taken in, he said, \"The men will now get ready along\nboth sides of the vessel to lay out their oars, and some will open the\nhatches and bring up the arms and arm themselves; for, if they will not\nmake way for us, we will fight them.\" Now when King Harald sees\nthat King Magnus will give him battle, he says to his men, \"Cut our\nland-fastenings and back the ship out of the ground, for friend Magnus\nis in a passion.\" They did so and laid the vessel out of the ground\nand King Magnus laid his vessel in it. When they were now ready on both\nsides with their business, King Harald went with a few men on board of\nKing Magnus's ship. King Magnus received him in a friendly way, and\nbade him welcome. King Harald answered, \"I thought we were come among\nfriends; but just now I was in doubt if ye would have it so. But it is a\ntruth that childhood is hasty, and I will only consider it as a childish\nfreak.\" Then said King Magnus, \"It is no childish whim, but a trait of\nmy family, that I never forget what I have given, or what I have not\ngiven. If this trifle had been settled against my will, there would soon\nhave followed' some other discord like it. In all particulars I will\nhold the agreement between us; but in the same way we will have all that\nbelongs to us by that right.\" King Harald coolly replied, that it is an\nold custom for the wisest to give way; and returned to his ship. From\nsuch circumstances it was found difficult to preserve good understanding\nbetween the kings. King Magnus's men said he was in the right; but\nothers, less wise, thought there was some slight put upon Harald in the\nbusiness. King Harald's men, besides, insisted that the agreement was\nonly that King Magnus should have the preference of the harbour-ground\nwhen they arrived together, but that King Harald was not bound to draw\nout of his place when he came first. They observed, also, that King\nHarald had conducted himself well and wisely in the matter. Those who\nviewed the business in the worst light insisted that King Magnus wanted\nto break the agreement, and that he had done King Harald injustice,\nand put an affront on him. Such disputes were talked over so long\namong foolish people, that the spirit of disagreeing affected the kings\nthemselves. Many other things also occurred, in which the kings appeared\ndetermined to have each his own way; but of these little will be set\ndown here.\n28. KING MAGNUS THE GOOD'S DEATH.\nThe kings, Magnus and Harald, sailed with their fleet south to Denmark;\nand when Svein heard of their approach, he fled away east to Scania.\nMagnus and Harald remained in Denmark late in summer, and subdued the\nwhole country. In autumn they were in Jutland. One night, as King Magnus\nlay in his bed, it appeared to him in a dream that he was in the same\nplace as his father, Saint Olaf, and that he spoke to him thus: \"Wilt\nthou choose, my son, to follow me, or to become a mighty king, and\nhave long life; but to commit a crime which thou wilt never be able to\nexpiate?\" He thought he made the answer, \"Do thou, father, choose for\nme.\" Then the king thought the answer was, \"Thou shalt follow me.\" King\nMagnus told his men this dream. Soon after he fell sick and lay at a\nplace called Sudathorp. When he was near his death he sent his brother,\nThorer, with tokens to Svein Ulfson, with the request to give Thorer the\naid he might require. In this message King Magnus also gave the Danish\ndominions to Svein after his death; and said it was just that Harald\nshould rule over Norway and Svein over Denmark. Then King Magnus the\nGood died (A.D. 1047), and great was the sorrow of all the people at his\ndeath. So says Od Kikinaskald:--\n \"The tears o'er good King Magnus' bier,\n The people's tears, were all sincere:\n Even they to whom he riches gave\n Carried him heavily to the grave.\n All hearts were struck at the king's end;\n His house-thralls wept as for a friend;\n His court-men oft alone would muse,\n As pondering o'er unthought of news.\"\n29. KING MAGNUS'S FUNERAL.\nAfter this event King Harald held a Thing of his men-at-arms, and told\nthem his intention to go with the army to Viborg Thing, and make himself\nbe proclaimed king over the whole Danish dominions, to which, he said,\nhe had hereditary right after his relation Magnus, as well as to Norway.\nHe therefore asked his men for their aid, and said he thought the\nNorway man should show himself always superior to the Dane. Then Einar\nTambaskelfer replies that he considered it a greater duty to bring his\nfoster-son King Magnus's corpse to the grave, and lay it beside his\nfather, King Olaf's, north in Throndhjem town, than to be fighting\nabroad and taking another king's dominions and property. He ended his\nspeech with saying that he would rather follow King Magnus dead than any\nother king alive. Thereupon he had the body adorned in the most careful\nway, so that most magnificent preparations were made in the king's ship.\nThen all the Throndhjem people and all the Northmen made themselves\nready to return home with the king's body, and so the army was broken\nup. King Harald saw then that it was better for him to return to Norway\nto secure that kingdom first, and to assemble men anew; and so King\nHarald returned to Norway with all his army. As soon as he came to\nNorway he held a Thing with the people of the country, and had himself\nproclaimed king everywhere. He proceeded thus from the East through\nViken, and in every district in Norway he was named king. Einar\nTambaskelfer, and with him all the Throndhjem troops, went with King\nMagnus's body and transported it to the town of Nidaros, where it was\nburied in St. Clement's church, where also was the shrine of King\nOlaf the Saint. King Magnus was of middle size, of long and\nclear-complexioned countenance, and light hair, spoke well and hastily,\nwas brisk in his actions, and extremely generous. He was a great\nwarrior, and remarkably bold in arms. He was the most popular of kings,\nprized even by enemies as well as friends.\n30. OF SVEIN ULFSON.\nSvein Ulfson remained that autumn in Scania (A.D. 1047), and was making\nready to travel eastward to Sweden, with the intention of renouncing the\ntitle of king he had assumed in Denmark; but just as he was mounting his\nhorse some men came riding to him with the first news that King Magnus\nwas dead, and all the Northmen had left Denmark. Svein answered in\nhaste, \"I call God to witness that I shall never again fly from the\nDanish dominions as long as I live.\" Then he got on his horse and rode\nsouth into Scania, where immediately many people crowded to him. That\nwinter he brought under his power all the Danish dominions, and all the\nDanes took him for their king. Thorer, King Magnus's brother, came to\nSvein in autumn with the message of King Magnus, as before related,\nand was well received; and Thorer remained long with Svein and was well\ntaken care of.\n31. OF KING HARALD SIGURDSON.\nKing Harald Sigurdson took the royal power over all Norway after the\ndeath of King Magnus Olafson; and when he had reigned over Norway one\nwinter and spring was come (A.D. 1048), he ordered a levy through all\nthe land of one-half of all men and ships and went south to Jutland.\nHe herried and burned all summer wide around in the land and came into\nGodnarfjord, where King Harald made these verses:--\n \"While wives of husbands fondly dream,\n Here let us anchor in the stream,\n In Godnarfjord; we'll safely moor\n Our sea-homes, and sleep quite secure.\"\nThen he spoke to Thiodolf, the skald, and asked him to add to it what it\nwanted, and he sang:--\n \"In the next summer, I foresee,\n Our anchorage in the South will be;\n To hold our sea-homes on the ground,\n More cold-tongued anchors will be found.\"\nTo this Bolverk alludes in his song also, that Harald went to Denmark\nthe summer after King Magnus's death. Bolverk sings thus:--\n \"Next summer thou the levy raised,\n And seawards all the people gazed,\n Where thy sea-steeds in sunshine glancing\n Over the waves were gaily prancing;\n While the deep ships that plunder bore\n Seemed black specks from the distant shore.\n The Danes, from banks or hillocks green,\n Looked with dismay upon the scene.\"\n32. OF THORKEL GEYSA'S DAUGHTERS.\nThen they burned the house of Thorkel Geysa, who was a great lord, and\nhis daughters they carried off bound to their ships. They had made a\ngreat mockery the winter before of King Harald's coming with war-ships\nagainst Denmark; and they cut their cheese into the shape of anchors,\nand said such anchors might hold all the ships of the Norway king. Then\nthis was composed:--\n \"The Island-girls, we were told,\n Made anchors all our fleet to hold:\n Their Danish jest cut out in cheese\n Did not our stern king's fancy please.\n Now many a maiden fair, may be,\n Sees iron anchors splash the sea,\n Who will not wake a maid next morn\n To laugh at Norway's ships in scorn.\"\nIt is said that a spy who had seen the fleet of King Harald said to\nThorkel Geysa's daughters, \"Ye said, Geysa's daughters, that King Harald\ndared not come to Denmark.\" Dotta, Thorkel's daughter, replied, \"That\nwas yesterday.\" Thorkel had to ransom his daughters with a great sum. So\nsays Grane:--\n \"The gold-adorned girl's eye\n Through Hornskeg wood was never dry,\n As down towards the sandy shore\n The men their lovely prizes bore.\n The Norway leader kept at bay\n The foe who would contest the way,\n And Dotta's father had to bring\n Treasure to satisfy the king.\"\nKing Harald plundered in Denmark all that summer, and made immense\nbooty; but he had not any footing in the land that summer in Denmark.\nHe went to Norway again in autumn and remained there all winter (A.D.\n33. MARRIAGES AND CHILDREN OF HARALD HARDRADE.\nThe winter after King Magnus the Good died, King Harald took Thora,\ndaughter of Thorberg Arnason, and they had two sons; the oldest called\nMagnus, and the other Olaf. King Harald and Queen Ellisif had two\ndaughters; the one Maria, the other Ingegerd. The spring after the foray\nwhich has just been related King Harald ordered the people out and went\nwith them to Denmark (A.D. 1049), and herried there, and did so summer\nafter summer thereafter. So says Stuf, the skald:--\n \"Falster lay waste, as people tell,--\n The raven in other isles fared well.\n The Danes were everywhere in fear,\n For the dread foray every year.\"\n34. OF THE ARMAMENTS OF SVEIN ULFSON AND HARALD.\nKing Svein ruled over all the Danish dominions after King Magnus's\ndeath. He sat quiet all the winter; but in summer he lay out in his\nships with all his people and it was said he would go north to Norway\nwith the Danish army and make not less havoc there than King Harald\nhad made in Denmark. King Svein proposed to King Harald in winter (A.D.\n1049) to meet him the following summer at the Gaut river and fight until\nin the battle-field their differences were ended, or they were settled\npeacefully. They made ready on both sides all winter with their ships,\nand called out in summer one-half of all the fighting men. The same\nsummer came Thorleik the Fair out of Iceland, and composed a poem about\nKing Svein Ulfson. He heard, when he arrived in Norway, that King Harald\nhad sailed south to the Gaut river against King Svein. Then Thorleik\nsang this:--\n \"The wily Svein, I think, will meet\n These inland Norsemen fleet to fleet;\n The arrow-storm, and heaving sea,\n His vantage-fight and field will be.\n God only knows the end of strife,\n Or which shall have his land and life;\n This strife must come to such an end,\n For terms will never bind King Svein.\"\nHe also sang these verses:--\n \"Harald, whose red shield oft has shone\n O'er herried coasts, and fields hard won,\n Rides in hot wrath, and eager speeds\n O'er the blue waves his ocean-steeds.\n Svein, who in blood his arrows stains,\n Brings o'er the ocean's heaving plains\n His gold-beaked ships, which come in view\n Out from the Sound with many a hue.\"\nKing Harald came with his forces to the appointed meeting-place; but\nthere he heard that King Svein was lying with his fleet at the south\nside of Seeland. Then King Harald divided his forces; let the greater\npart of the bonde-troops return home; and took with him his court-men,\nhis lendermen, the best men-at-arms, and all the bonde-troops who lived\nnearest to the Danish land. They sailed over to Jutland to the south of\nVendilskage, and so south to Thioda; and over all they carried fire and\nsword. So says Stuf, the skald:--\n \"In haste the men of Thyland fly\n From the great monarch's threat'ning eye;\n At the stern Harald's angry look\n The boldest hearts in Denmark shook.\"\nThey went forward all the way south to Heidaby, took the merchant town\nand burnt it. Then one of Harald's men made the following verses:--\n \"All Heidaby is burned down!\n Strangers will ask where stood the town.\n In our wild humour up it blazed,\n And Svein looks round him all amazed.\n All Heidaby is burned down!\n From a far corner of the town\n I saw, before the peep of morning,\n Roofs, walls, and all in flame high burning.\"\nTo this also Thorleik alludes in his verses, when he heard there had\nbeen no battle at the Gaut river:--\n \"The stranger-warrior may inquire\n Of Harald's men, why in his ire\n On Heidaby his wrath he turns,\n And the fair town to ashes burns?\n Would that the day had never come\n When Harald's ships returned home\n From the East Sea, since now the town,\n Without his gain, is burned down!\"\n35. HARALD'S ESCAPE INTO THE JUTLAND SEA.\nThen King Harald sailed north and had sixty ships and the most of them\nlarge and heavily laden with the booty taken in summer; and as they\nsailed north past Thioda King Svein came down from the land with a great\nforce and he challenged King Harald to land and fight. King Harald\nhad little more than half the force of King Svein and therefore he\nchallenged Svein to fight at sea. So says Thorleik the Fair:--\n \"Svein, who of all men under heaven\n Has had the luckiest birth-hour given,\n Invites his foemen to the field,\n There to contest with blood-stained shield.\n The king, impatient of delay,\n Harald, will with his sea-hawks stay;\n On board will fight, and fate decide\n If Svein shall by his land abide.\"\nAfter that King Harald sailed north along Vendilskage; and the wind then\ncame against them, and they brought up under Hlesey, where they lay all\nnight. A thick fog lay upon the sea; and when the morning came and the\nsun rose they saw upon the other side of the sea as if many lights were\nburning. This was told to King Harald; and he looked at it, and said\nimmediately, \"Strike the tilts down on the ships and take to the oars.\nThe Danish forces are coming upon us, and the fog there where they are\nmust have cleared off, and the sun shines upon the dragon-heads of their\nships, which are gilded, and that is what we see.\" It was so as he had\nsaid. Svein had come there with a prodigious armed force. They rowed now\non both sides all they could. The Danish ships flew lighter before the\noars; for the Northmen's ships were both soaked with water and heavily\nladen, so that the Danes approached nearer and nearer. Then Harald,\nwhose own dragon-ship was the last of the fleet, saw that he could not\nget away; so he ordered his men to throw overboard some wood, and lay\nupon it clothes and other good and valuable articles; and it was so\nperfectly calm that these drove about with the tide. Now when the Danes\nsaw their own goods driving about on the sea, they who were in advance\nturned about to save them; for they thought it was easier to take what\nwas floating freely about, than to go on board the Northmen to take it.\nThey dropped rowing and lost ground. Now when King Svein came up to them\nwith his ship, he urged them on, saying it would be a great shame if\nthey, with so great a force, could not overtake and master so small a\nnumber. The Danes then began again to stretch out lustily at their oars.\nWhen King Harald saw that the Danish ships went faster he ordered his\nmen to lighten their ships, and cast overboard malt, wheat, bacon, and\nto let their liquor run out, which helped a little. Then Harald ordered\nthe bulwarkscreens, the empty casks and puncheons and the prisoners to\nbe thrown overboard; and when all these were driving about on the sea,\nSvein ordered help to be given to save the men. This was done; but so\nmuch time was lost that they separated from each other. The Danes turned\nback and the Northmen proceeded on their way. So says Thorleik the\nFair:--\n \"Svein drove his foes from Jutland's coast,--\n The Norsemen's ships would have been lost,\n But Harald all his vessels saves,\n Throwing his booty on the waves.\n The Jutlanders saw, as he threw,\n Their own goods floating in their view;\n His lighten'd ships fly o'er the main\n While they pick up their own again.\"\nKing Svein returned southwards with his ships to Hlesey, where he found\nseven ships of the Northmen, with bondes and men of the levy. When\nKing Svein came to them they begged for mercy, and offered ransom for\nthemselves. So says Thorleik the Fair:--\n \"The stern king's men good offers make,\n If Svein will ransom for them take;\n Too few to fight, they boldly say\n Unequal force makes them give way.\n The hasty bondes for a word\n Would have betaken them to the sword,\n And have prolonged a bloody strife--\n Such men can give no price for life.\"\n36. OF HARALD.\nKing Harald was a great man, who ruled his kingdom well in\nhome-concerns. Very prudent was he, of good understanding; and it is the\nuniversal opinion that no chief ever was in northern lands of such deep\njudgment and ready counsel as Harald. He was a great warrior; bold in\narms; strong and expert in the use of his weapons beyond any others, as\nhas been before related, although many of the feats of his manhood are\nnot here written down. This is owing partly to our uncertainty about\nthem, partly to our wish not to put stories into this book for which\nthere is no testimony. Although we have heard, many things talked about,\nand even circumstantially related, yet we think it better that something\nmay be added to, than that it should be necessary to take something\naway from our narrative. A great part of his history is put in verse\nby Iceland men, which poems they presented to him or his sons, and for\nwhich reason he was their great friend. He was, indeed, a great friend\nto all the people of that country; and once, when a very dear time set\nin, he allowed four ships to transport meal to Iceland, and fixed that\nthe shippund should not be dearer than 100 ells of wadmal. He permitted\nalso all poor people, who could find provisions to keep them on the\nvoyage across the sea, to emigrate from Iceland to Norway; and from that\ntime there was better subsistence in the country, and the seasons also\nturned out better. King Harold also sent from Norway a bell for the\nchurch of which Olaf the Saint had sent the timbers to Iceland, and\nwhich was erected on the Thing-plain. Such remembrances of King Harald\nare found here in the country, besides many great gifts which he\npresented to those who visited him.\n37. OF HALDOR SNORRASON.\nHaldor Snorrason and Ulf Uspakson, as before related, came to\nNorway with King Harald. They were, in many respects, of different\ndispositions. Haldor was very stout and strong, and remarkably handsome\nin appearance. King Harald gave him this testimony, that he, among\nall his men, cared least about doubtful circumstances, whether they\nbetokened danger or pleasure; for, whatever turned up, he was never in\nhigher nor in lower spirits, never slept less nor more on account of\nthem, nor ate or drank but according to his custom. Haldor was not a man\nof many words, but short in conversation, told his opinion bluntly and\nwas obstinate and hard; and this could not please the king, who had many\nclever people about him zealous in his service. Haldor remained a short\ntime with the king; and then came to Iceland, where he took up his abode\nin Hjardarholt, and dwelt in that farm to a very advanced age.\n38. OF ULF USPAKSON.\nUlf Uspakson stood in great esteem with King Harald; for he was a man\nof great understanding, clever in conversation, active and brave, and\nwithal true and sincere. King Harald made Ulf his marshal, and married\nhim to Jorun, Thorberg's daughter, a sister of Harald's wife, Thora. Ulf\nand Jorun's children were Joan the Strong of Rasvol, and Brigida, mother\nof Sauda-Ulf, who was father of Peter Byrdar-Svein, father of Ulf\nFly and Sigrid. Joan the Strong's son was Erlend Himalde, father of\nArchbishop Eystein and his brothers. King Harald gave Ulf the marshal\nthe rights of a lenderman and a fief of twelve marks income, besides a\nhalf-district in the Throndhjem land. Of this Stein Herdison speaks in\nhis song about Ulf.\n39. OF THE BUILDING OF CHURCHES AND HOUSES.\nKing Magnus Olafson built Olaf's church in the town (Nidaros), on the\nspot where Olaf's body was set down for the night, and which, at that\ntime, was above the town. He also had the king's house built there. The\nchurch was not quite finished when the king died; but King Harald\nhad what was wanting completed. There, beside the house, he began to\nconstruct a stone hall, but it was not finished when he died. King\nHarald had the church called Mary Church built from the foundations up,\nat the sandhill close to the spot where the king's holy remains were\nconcealed in the earth the first winter after his fall. It was a large\ntemple, and so strongly built with lime that it was difficult to break\nit when the Archbishop Eystein had it pulled down. Olaf's holy remains\nwere kept in Olaf's church while Mary Church was building. King Harald\nhad the king's house erected below Mary Kirk, at the side of the river,\nwhere it now is; and he had the house in which he had made the great\nhall consecrated and called Gregorius Church.\n40. BEGINNING OF HAKON IVARSON'S STORY.\nThere was a man called Ivar the White, who was a brave lenderman\ndwelling in the Uplands, and was a daughter's son of Earl Hakon the\nGreat. Ivar was the handsomest man that could be seen. Ivar's son was\ncalled Hakon; and of him it was said that he was distinguished above all\nmen then in Norway for beauty, strength and perfection of figure. In his\nvery youth he had been sent out on war expeditions, where he acquired\ngreat honour and consideration, and became afterwards one of the most\ncelebrated men.\n41. OF EINAR TAMBASKELFER.\nEinar Tambaskelfer was the most powerful lenderman in the Throndhjem\nland. There was but little friendship between him and King Harald,\nalthough Einar retained all the fiefs he had held while Magnus the Good\nlived. Einar had many large estates, and was married to Bergliot, a\ndaughter of Earl Hakon, as related above. Their son Eindride was grown\nup, and married to Sigrid, a daughter of Ketil Kalf and Gunhild, King\nHarald's sister's daughter. Eindride had inherited the beauty of his\nmother's father, Earl Hakon, and his sons; and in size and strength\nhe took after his father, Einar, and also in all bodily perfections by\nwhich Einar had been distinguished above other men. He was, also, as\nwell as his father, the most popular of men, which the sagas, indeed,\nshow sufficiently.\n42. OF EARL ORM.\nOrm was at that time earl in the Uplands. His mother was Ragnhild, a\ndaughter of Earl Hakon the Great, and Orm was a remarkably clever man.\nAslak Erlingson was then in Jadar at Sole, and was married to Sigrid, a\ndaughter of Earl Svein Hakonson. Gunhild, Earl Svein's other daughter,\nwas married to the Danish king, Svein Ulfson. These were the descendants\nof Earl Hakon at that time in Norway, besides many other distinguished\npeople; and the whole race was remarkable for their very beautiful\nappearance, and the most of them were gifted with great bodily\nperfection, and were all distinguished and important men.\n43. HARALD'S PRIDE.\nKing Harald was very proud, and his pride increased after he was\nestablished in the country; and it came so far that at last it was not\ngood to speak against him, or to propose anything different from what he\ndesired. So says Thiodolf, the skald:--\n \"In arms 'tis right the common man\n Should follow orders, one by one,--\n Should stoop or rise, or run or stand,\n As his war-leader may command;\n But now to the king who feeds the ravens\n The people bend like heartless cravens--\n Nothing is left them, but consent\n To what the king calls his intent.\"\n44. OF THE QUARREL OF KING HARALD AND EINAR TAMBASKELFER.\nEinar Tambaskelfer was the principal man among the bondes all about\nThrondhjem, and answered for them at the Things even against the king's\nmen. Einar knew well the law, and did not want boldness to bring forward\nhis opinion at Things, even if the king was present; and all the bondes\nstood by him. The king was very angry at this, and it came so far that\nthey disputed eagerly against each other. Einar said that the bondes\nwould not put up with any unlawful proceedings from him if he broke\nthrough the law of the land; and this occurred several times between\nthem. Einar then began to keep people about him at home, and he had many\nmore when he came into the town if the king was there. It once happened\nthat Einar came to the town with a great many men and ships; he had with\nhim eight or nine great war-ships and nearly 500 men. When he came to\nthe town he went up from the strand with his attendants. King Harald was\nthen in his house, standing out in the gallery of the loft; and when\nhe saw Einar's people going on shore, it is said Harald composed these\nverses:--\n \"I see great Tambaskelfer go,\n With mighty pomp, and pride, and show,\n Across the ebb-shore up the land,--\n Before, behind, an armed band.\n This bonde-leader thinks to rule,\n And fill himself the royal stool.\n A goodly earl I have known\n With fewer followers of his own.\n He who strikes fire from the shield,\n Einar, may some day make us yield,\n Unless our axe-edge quickly ends,\n With sudden kiss, what he intends.\"\nEinar remained several days in the town.\n45. THE FALL OF EINAR AND EINDRIDE.\nOne day there was a meeting held in the town, at which the king himself\nwas present. A thief had been taken in the town, and he was brought\nbefore the Thing. The man had before been in the service of Einar, who\nhad been very well satisfied with him. This was told to Einar, and he\nwell knew the king would not let the man off, and more because he took\nan interest in the matter. Einar, therefore, let his men get under arms,\nwent to the Thing, and took the man by force. The friends on both sides\nthen came between and endeavoured to effect a reconciliation; and they\nsucceeded so far that a meeting-place was appointed, to which both\nshould come. There was a Thing-room in the king's house at the river\nNid, and the king went into it with a few men, while the most of his\npeople were out in the yard. The king ordered the shutters of the\nloft-opening to be turned, so that there was but a little space left\nclear. When Einar came into the yard with his people, he told his son\nEindride to remain outside with the men, \"for there is no danger here\nfor me.\" Eindride remained standing outside at the room-door. When\nEinar came into the Thing-room, he said, \"It is dark in the king's\nThing-room.\" At that moment some men ran against him and assaulted him,\nsome with spears, some with swords. When Eindride heard this he drew his\nsword and rushed into the room; but he was instantly killed along with\nhis father. The king's men then ran up and placed themselves before the\ndoor, and the bondes lost courage, having no leader. They urged each\nother on, indeed, and said it was a shame they should not avenge their\nchief; but it came to nothing with their attack. The king went out to\nhis men, arrayed them in battle order, and set up his standard: but the\nbondes did not venture to assault. Then the king went with all his men\non board of his ships, rowed down the river, and then took his way out\nof the fjord. When Einar's wife Bergliot, who was in the house which\nEinar had possessed in the town, heard of Einar's fall, she went\nimmediately to the king's house where the bondes army was and urged them\nto the attack; but at the same moment the king was rowing out of the\nriver. Then said Bergliot, \"Now we want here my relation, Hakon Ivarson:\nEinar's murderer would not be rowing out of the river if Ivar stood here\non the riverbank.\" Then Bergliot adorned Einar's and Eindride's\ncorpses and buried them in Olaf's church, beside King Magnus Olafson's\nburial-place. After Einar's murder the king was so much disliked for\nthat deed that there was nothing that prevented the lendermen and bondes\nfrom attacking the king, and giving him battle, but the want of some\nleader to raise the banner in the bonde army.\n46. OF KING HARALD AND FIN ARNASON.\nFin Arnason dwelt at Austrat in Yrjar, and was King Harald's lenderman\nthere. Fin was married to Bergliot, a daughter of Halfdan, who was a son\nof Sigurd Syr, and brother of Olaf the Saint and of King Harald. Thora,\nKing Harald's wife, was Fin Arnason's brother's daughter: and Fin and\nall his brothers were the king's dearest friends. Fin Arnason had been\nfor some summers on a viking cruise in the West sea; and Fin, Guthorm\nGunhildson and Hakon Ivarson had all been together on that cruise. King\nHarald now proceeded out of Throndhjem fjord to Austrat, where he was\nwell received. Afterwards the king and Fin conversed with each other\nabout this new event of Einar's and his son's death, and of the\nmurmuring and threatening which the bondes made against the king.\nFin took up the conversation briskly, and said, \"Thou art managing ill\nin two ways: first, in doing all manner of mischief; and next, in being\nso afraid that thou knowest not what to do.\"\nThe king replied, laughing, \"I will send thee, friend, into the town to\nbring about a reconciliation with the bondes; and if that will not do,\nthou must go to the Uplands and bring matters to such an understanding\nwith Hakon Ivarson that he shall not be my opponent.\"\nFin replies, \"And how wilt thou reward me if I undertake this dangerous\nerrand; for both the people of Throndhjem and the people of Upland\nare so great enemies to thee that it would not be safe for any of thy\nmessengers to come among them, unless he were one who would be spared\nfor his own sake?\"\nThe king replies, \"Go thou on this embassy, for I know thou wilt succeed\nin it if any man can, and bring about a reconciliation; and then choose\nwhatever favour from us thou wilt.\"\nFin says, \"Hold thou thy word, king, and I will choose my petition.\nI will desire to have peace and safe residence in the country for my\nbrother Kalf, and all his estates restored; and also that he receive all\nthe dignity and power he had when he left the country.\"\nThe king assented to all that Fin laid down, and it was confirmed by\nwitnesses and shake of hand.\nThen said Fin, \"What shall I offer Hakon, who rules most among\nhis relations in the land, to induce him to agree to a treaty and\nreconciliation with thee?\"\nThe king replies, \"Thou shalt first hear what Hakon on his part requires\nfor making an agreement; then promote my interest as thou art best able;\nand deny him nothing in the end short of the kingdom.\"\nThen King Harald proceeded southwards to More, and drew together men in\nconsiderable numbers.\n47. OF FIN ARNASON'S JOURNEY.\nFin Arnason proceeded to the town and had with him his house-servants,\nnearly eighty men. When he came into the town he held a Thing with the\ntown's people. Fin spoke long and ably at the Thing; and told the town's\npeople, and bondes, above all things not to have a hatred against their\nking, or to drive him away. He reminded them of how much evil they had\nsuffered by acting thus against King Olaf the Saint; and added, that\nthe king was willing to pay penalty for this murder, according to the\njudgment of understanding and good men. The effect of Fin's speech was\nthat the bondes promised to wait quietly until the messengers came back\nwhom Bergliot had sent to the Uplands to her relative, Hakon Ivarson.\nFin then went out to Orkadal with the men who had accompanied him to\nthe town. From thence he went up to Dovrefield, and eastwards over the\nmountains. He went first to his son-in-law, Earl Orm, who was married to\nSigrid, Fin's daughter, and told him his business.\n48. OF FIN AND HAKON IVARSON.\nThen Fin and Earl Orm appointed a meeting with Hakon Ivarson; and when\nthey met Fin explained his errand to Hakon, and the offer which\nKing Harald made him. It was soon seen, from Hakon's speech, that he\nconsidered it to be his great duty to avenge the death of his relative,\nEindride; and added, that word was come to him from Throndhjem, from\nwhich he might expect help in making head against the king. Then Fin\nrepresented to Hakon how much better it would be for him to accept of as\nhigh a dignity from the king as he himself could desire, rather than to\nattempt raising a strife against the king to whom he was owing service\nand duty. He said if he came out of the conflict without victory, he\nforfeited life and property: \"And even if thou hast the victory,\nthou wilt still be called a traitor to thy sovereign.\" Earl Orm also\nsupported Fin's speech. After Hakon had reflected upon this he disclosed\nwhat lay on his mind, and said, \"I will be reconciled with King Harald\nif he will give me in marriage his relation Ragnhild, King Magnus\nOlafson's daughter, with such dower as is suitable to her and she will\nbe content with.\" Fin said he would agree to this on the king's part;\nand thus it was settled among them. Fin then returned to Throndhjem, and\nthe disturbance and enmity was quashed, so that the king could retain\nhis kingdom in peace at home; and the league was broken which Eindride's\nrelations had made among themselves for opposing King Harald.\n49. OF THE COURTSHIP OF HAKON IVARSON.\nWhen the day arrived for the meeting at which this agreement with Harald\nshould be finally concluded, Hakon went to King Harald; and in their\nconference the king said that he, for his part, would adhere to all that\nwas settled in their agreement. \"Thou Hakon,\" says he, \"must thyself\nsettle that which concerns Ragnhild, as to her accepting thee in\nmarriage; for it would not be advisable for thee, or for any one, to\nmarry Ragnhild without her consent.\" Then Hakon went to Ragnhild, and\npaid his addresses to her. She answered him thus: \"I have often to feel\nthat my father, King Magnus, is dead and gone from me, since I must\nmarry a bonde; although I acknowledge thou art a handsome man, expert in\nall exercises. But if King Magnus had lived he would not have married\nme to any man less than a king; so it is not to be expected that I will\ntake a man who has no dignity or title.\" Then Hakon went to King Harald\nand told him his conversation with Ragnhild, and also repeated the\nagreement which was made between him and Fin, who was with him, together\nwith many others of the persons who had been present at the conversation\nbetween him and Fin. Hakon takes them all to witness that such was the\nagreement that the king should give Ragnhild the dower she might desire.\n\"And now since she will have no man who has not a high dignity, thou\nmust give me such a title of honour; and, according to the opinion of\nthe people, I am of birth, family and other qualifications to be called\nearl.\"\nThe king replies, \"When my brother, King Olaf, and his son, King Magnus,\nruled the kingdom, they allowed only one earl at a time to be in the\ncountry, and I have done the same since I came to the kingly title; and\nI will not take away from Orm the title of honour I had before given\nhim.\"\nHakon saw now that his business had not advanced, and was very ill\npleased; and Fin was outrageously angry. They said the king had broken\nhis word; and thus they all separated.\n50. HAKON'S JOURNEY TO DENMARK.\nHakon then went out of the country with a well-manned ship. When he came\nto Denmark he went immediately to his relative, King Svein, who received\nhim honourably and gave him great fiefs. Hakon became King Svein's\ncommander of the coast defence against the vikings,--the Vindland\npeople, Kurland people, and others from the East countries,--who\ninfested the Danish dominions; and he lay out with his ships of war both\nwinter and summer.\n51. MURDER OF ASMUND.\nThere was a man called Asmund, who is said to have been King Svein's\nsister's son, and his foster-son. This Asmund was distinguished among\nall by his boldness and was much disliked by the king. When Asmund came\nto years, and to age of discretion, he became an ungovernable person\ngiven to murder and manslaughter. The king was ill pleased at this,\nand sent him away, giving him a good fief, which might keep him and his\nfollowers well. As soon as Asmund had got this property from the king he\ndrew together a large troop of people; and as the estate he had got from\nthe king was not sufficient for his expenses he took as his own much\nmore which belonged to the king. When the king heard this he summoned\nAsmund to him, and when they met the king said that Asmund should remain\nwith the court without keeping any retinue of his own; and this took\nplace as the king desired. But when Asmund had been a little time in\nthe king's court he grew weary of being there, and escaped in the night,\nreturned to his former companions and did more mischief than ever.\nNow when the king was riding through the country he came to the\nneighbourhood where Asmund was, and he sent out men-at-arms to seize\nhim. The king then had him laid in irons, and kept him so for some time\nin hope he would reform; but no sooner did Asmund get rid of his chains\nthan he absconded again, gathered together people and men-at-arms and\nbetook himself to plunder, both abroad and at home. Thus he made great\nforays, killing and plundering all around. When the people who suffered\nunder these disturbances came to the king and complained to him of their\nlosses, he replied, \"Why do ye tell me of this? Why don't you go to\nHakon Ivarson, who is my officer for the land-defence, placed on purpose\nto keep the peace for you peasants, and to hold the vikings in check?\nI was told that Hakon was a gallant and brave man, but I think he is\nrather shy when any danger of life is in the way.\" These words of the\nking were brought to Hakon, with many additions. Then Hakon went with\nhis men in search of Asmund, and when their ships met Hakon gave battle\nimmediately--and the conflict was sharp, and many men were killed. Hakon\nboarded Asmund's ship and cut down the men before his feet. At last he\nand Asmund met and exchanged blows until Asmund fell. Hakon cut off his\nhead, went in all haste to King Svein and found him just sitting down\nto the dinner-table. Hakon presented himself before the table, laid\nAsmund's head upon the table before the king, and asked if he knew it.\nThe king made no reply, but became as red as blood in the face. Soon\nafter the king sent him a message, ordering him to leave his service\nimmediately. \"Tell him I will do him no harm; but I cannot keep watch\nover all our relations.\" (1)\n ENDNOTES: (1) This incident shows how strong, in those ages, was the tie\n of relationship, and the point of honour of avenging its\n injuries--the clanship spirit.--L.\n52. HAKON IVARSON'S MARRIAGE.\nHakon then left Denmark, and came north to his estates in Norway. His\nrelation Earl Orm was dead. Hakon's relations and friends were glad to\nsee Hakon, and many gallant men gave themselves much trouble to bring\nabout a reconciliation between King Harald and Hakon. It was at last\nsettled in this way, that Hakon got Ragnhild, the king's daughter, and\nthat King Harald gave Hakon the earldom, with the same power Earl Orm\nhad possessed. Hakon swore to King Harald an oath of fidelity to all the\nservices he was liable to fulfill.\n53. RECONCILIATION OF KING HARALD AND KALF.\nKalf Arnason had been on a viking cruise to the Western countries ever\nsince he had left Norway; but in winter he was often in the Orkney\nIslands with his relative, Earl Thorfin. Fin Arnason sent a message to\nhis brother Kalf, and told him the agreement which he had made with King\nHarald, that Kalf should enjoy safety in Norway, and his estates, and\nall the fiefs he had held from King Magnus. When this message came to\nKalf he immediately got ready for his voyage, and went east to Norway to\nhis brother Fin. Then Fin obtained the king's peace for Kalf, and when\nKalf and the king met they went into the agreement which Fin and the\nking had settled upon before. Kalf bound himself to the king in the same\nway as he had bound himself to serve King Magnus, according to which\nKalf should do all that the king desired and considered of advantage\nto his realm. Thereupon Kalf received all the estates and fiefs he had\nbefore.\n54. FALL OF KALF ARNASON.\nThe summer following (A.D. 1050) King Harald ordered out a levy, and\nwent to Denmark, where he plundered during the summer; but when he came\nsouth to Fyen he found a great force assembled against him. Then\nthe king prepared to land his men from the ships and to engage in a\nland-fight. He drew up his men on board in order of battle; set Kalf\nArnason at the head of one division; ordered him to make the first\nattack, and told him where they should direct their assault, promising\nthat he would soon make a landing with the others, and come to their\nassistance. When Kalf came to the land with his men a force came down\nimmediately to oppose them, and Kalf without delay engaged in battle,\nwhich, however, did not last long; for Kalf was immediately overpowered\nby numbers, and betook himself to flight with his men. The Danes pursued\nthem vigorously, and many of the Northmen fell, and among them Kalf\nArnason. Now King Harald landed with his array; and they soon came on\ntheir way to the field of battle, where they found Kalf's body, and bore\nit down to the ships. But the king penetrated into the country, killing\nmany people and destroying much. So says Arnor:--\n \"His shining sword with blood he stains,\n Upon Fyona's grassy plains;\n And in the midst of fire and smoke,\n The king Fyona's forces broke.\"\n55. FIN ARNASON'S EXPEDITION OUT OF THE COUNTRY.\nAfter this Fin Arnason thought he had cause to be an enemy of the king\nupon account of his brother Kalf's death; and said the king had betrayed\nKalf to his fall, and had also deceived him by making him entice his\nbrother Kalf to come over from the West and trust to King Harald's\nfaith. When these speeches came out among people, many said that it was\nvery foolish in Fin to have ever supposed that Kalf could obtain the\nking's sincere friendship and favour; for they thought the king was the\nman to seek revenge for smaller offences than Kalf had committed against\nthe king. The king let every one say what he chose, and he himself\nneither said yes or no about the affair; but people perceived that the\nking was very well pleased with what had happened. King Harald once made\nthese verses:--\n \"I have, in all, the death-stroke given\n To foes of mine at least eleven;\n Two more, perhaps, if I remember,\n May yet be added to this number,\n I prize myself upon these deeds,\n My people such examples needs.\n Bright gold itself they would despise,\n Or healing leek-herb underprize,\n If not still brought before their eyes.\"\nFin Arnason took the business so much to heart that he left the country\nand went to Denmark to King Svein, where he met a friendly reception.\nThey spoke together in private for a long time; and the end of the\nbusiness was that Fin went into King Svein's service, and became his\nman. King Svein then gave Fin an earldom, and placed him in Halland,\nwhere he was long earl and defended the country against the Northmen.\n56. OF GUTHORM GUNHILDSON.\nKetil Kalf and Gunhild of Ringanes had a son called Guthorm, and he was\na sister's son to King Olaf and Harald Sigurdson. Guthorm was a gallant\nman, early advanced to manhood. He was often with King Harald, who loved\nhim much, and asked his advice; for he was of good understanding, and\nvery popular. Guthorm had also been engaged early in forays, and had\nmarauded much in the Western countries with a large force. Ireland was\nfor him a land of peace; and he had his winter quarters often in Dublin,\nand was in great friendship with King Margad.\n57. GUTHORM'S JUNCTION WITH THE IRISH KING MARGAD.\nThe summer after King Margad, and Guthorm with him, went out on an\nexpedition against Bretland, where they made immense booty. But when the\nking saw the quantity of silver which was gathered he wanted to have the\nwhole booty, and regarded little his friendship for Guthorm. Guthorm was\nill pleased that he and his men should be robbed of their share; but the\nking said, \"Thou must choose one of two things,--either to be content\nwith what we determine, or to fight; and they shall have the booty who\ngain the victory; and likewise thou must give up thy ships, for them I\nwill have.\" Guthorm thought there were great difficulties on both sides;\nfor it was disgraceful to give up ships and goods without a stroke, and\nyet it was highly dangerous to fight the king and his force, the king\nhaving sixteen ships and Guthorm only five. Then Guthorm desired three\ndays' time to consider the matter with his people, thinking in that time\nto pacify the king, and come to a better understanding with him through\nthe mediation of others; but he could not obtain from the king what\nhe desired. This was the day before St. Olaf's day. Guthorm chose the\ncondition that they would rather die or conquer like men, than suffer\ndisgrace, contempt and scorn, by submitting to so great a loss. He\ncalled upon God, and his uncle Saint Olaf, and entreated their help\nand aid; promising to give to the holy man's house the tenth of all\nthe booty that fell to their share, if they gained the victory. Then he\narranged his men, placed them in battle order against the great force,\nprepared for battle, and gave the assault. By the help of God, and the\nholy Saint Olaf, Guthorm won the battle. King Margad fell, and every\nman, old and young, who followed him; and after that great victor,\nGuthorm and all his people returned home joyfully with all the booty\nthey had gained by the battle. Every tenth penny of the booty they had\nmade was taken, according to the vow, to King Olaf the Saint's shrine;\nand there was so much silver that Guthorm had an image made of it,\nwith rays round the head, which was the size of his own, or of his\nforecastle-man's head; and the image was seven feet high. The image thus\nproduced was given by Guthorm to King Olaf of the Saint's temple, where\nit has since remained as a memorial of Guthorm's victory and King Olaf\nthe Saint's miracle.\n58. MIRACLE OF KING OLAF IN DENMARK.\nThere was a wicked, evil-minded count in Denmark who had a Norwegian\nservant-girl whose family belonged to Throndhjem district. She\nworshipped King Olaf the Saint, and believed firmly in his sanctity. But\nthe above mentioned count doubted all that was told of the holy man's\nmiracles, insisted that it was nothing but nonsense and idle talk, and\nmade a joke and scorn of the esteem and honour which all the country\npeople showed the good king. Now when his holyday came, on which the\nmild monarch ended his life, and which all Northmen kept sacred, this\nunreasonable count would not observe it, but ordered his servant-girl\nto bake and put fire in the oven that day. She knew well the count's\nmad passion, and that he would revenge himself severely on her if she\nrefused doing as he ordered. She went, therefore, of necessity, and\nbaked in the oven, but wept much at her work; and she threatened King\nOlaf that she never would believe in him, if he did not avenge this\nmisdeed by some mischance or other. And now shall ye come to hear a\nwell-deserved vengeance, and a true miracle. It happened, namely, in the\nsame hour that the count became blind of both eyes, and the bread which\nshe had shoved into the oven was turned into stone! Of these stones some\nare now in St. Olaf's temple, and in other places; and since that time\nOlafsmas has been always held holy in Denmark.\n59. KING OLAF'S MIRACLE ON A CRIPPLE.\nWest in Valland, a man had such bad health that he became a cripple,\nand went on his knees and elbows. One day he was upon the road, and had\nfallen asleep. He dreamt that a gallant man came up to him and asked him\nwhere he was going. When he named the neighbouring town, the man said\nto him, \"Go to Saint Olaf's church that stands in London, and there thou\nshalt be cured.\" There-upon he awoke, and went straightway to inquire\nthe road to Olaf's church in London. At last he came to London Bridge,\nand asked the men of the castle if they could tell him where Olaf's\nchurch was; but they replied, there were so many churches that they\ncould not tell to whom each of them was consecrated. Soon after a man\ncame up and asked him where he wanted to go, and he answered to Olaf's\nchurch. Then said the man, \"We shall both go together to Olaf's church,\nfor I know the way to it.\" Thereupon they went over the bridge to the\nshrine where Olaf's church was; and when they came to the gates of the\nchurchyard the man mounted over the half-door that was in the gate, but\nthe cripple rolled himself in, and rose up immediately sound and strong:\nwhen he looked about him his conductor had vanished.\n60. KING HARALD'S FORAY IN DENMARK.\nKing Harald had built a merchant town in the East at Oslo, where he\noften resided; for there was good supply from the extensive cultivated\ndistrict wide around. There also he had a convenient station to defend\nthe country against the Danes, or to make an attack upon Denmark, which\nhe was in the custom of doing often, although he kept no great force on\nfoot. One summer King Harald went from thence with a few light ships\nand a few men. He steered southwards out from Viken, and, when the wind\nserved, stood over to Jutland, and marauded; but the country people\ncollected and defended the country. Then King Harald steered to\nLimfjord, and went into the fjord. Limfjord is so formed that its\nentrance is like a narrow river; but when one gets farther into the\nfjord it spreads out into a wide sea. King Harald marauded on both\nsides of the land; and when the Danes gathered together on every side to\noppose him, he lay at a small island which was uncultivated. They wanted\ndrink on board his ships, and went up into the island to seek water; but\nfinding none, they reported it to the king. He ordered them to look for\nsome long earthworms on the island, and when they found one they brought\nit to the king. He ordered the people to bring the worm to a fire,\nand bake it before it, so that it should be thirsty. Then he ordered a\nthread to be tied round the tail of the worm, and to let it loose. The\nworm crept away immediately, while thread wound off from the clew as\nthe worm took it away; and the people followed the worm until it sought\ndownwards in the earth. There the king ordered them to dig for water,\nwhich they did, and found so much water that they had no want of it.\nKing Harald now heard from his spies that King Svein was come with a\nlarge armament to the mouth of the fjord; but that it was too late for\nhim to come into it, as only one ship at a time can come in. King\nHarald then steered with his fleet in through the fjord to where it was\nbroadest to a place called Lusbreid. In the inmost bight, there is but\na narrow neck of land dividing the fjord from the West sea. Thither King\nHarald rowed with his men towards evening; and at night when it was dark\nhe unloaded his ships, drew them over the neck of land into the West\nsea, loaded them again, and was ready with all this before day. He then\nsteered northwards along the Jutland coast. People then said that Harald\nhad escaped from the hands of the Danes. Harald said that he would come\nto Denmark next time with more people and larger vessels. King Harald\nthen proceeded north to Throndhjem.\n61. KING HARALD HAD A SHIP BUILT.\nKing Harald remained all winter at Nidaros (A.D. 1062) and had a vessel\nbuilt out upon the strand, and it was a buss. The ship was built of the\nsame size as the Long Serpent, and every part of her was finished with\nthe greatest care. On the stem was a dragon-head, and on the stern a\ndragon-tail, and the sides of the bows of the ship were gilt. The vessel\nwas of thirty-five rowers benches, and was large for that size, and was\nremarkably handsome; for the king had everything belonging to the ship's\nequipment of the best, both sails and rigging, anchors and cables. King\nHarald sent a message in winter south to Denmark to King Svein, that\nhe should come northwards in spring; that they should meet at the Gaut\nriver and fight, and so settle the division of the countries that the\none who gained the victory should have both kingdoms.\n62. KING HARALD'S CHALLENGE.\nKing Harald during this winter called out a general levy of all the\npeople of Norway, and assembled a great force towards spring. Then\nHarald had his great ship drawn down and put into the river Nid, and set\nup the dragon's head on her. Thiodolf, the skald, sang about it thus:--\n \"My lovely girl! the sight was grand\n When the great war-ships down the strand\n Into the river gently slid,\n And all below her sides was hid.\n Come, lovely girl, and see the show!--\n Her sides that on the water glow,\n Her serpent-head with golden mane,\n All shining back from the Nid again.\"\nThen King Harald rigged out his ship, got ready for sea, and when he\nhad all in order went out of the river. His men rowed very skilfully and\nbeautifully. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"It was upon a Saturday,\n Ship-tilts were struck and stowed away,\n And past the town our dragon glides,\n That girls might see our glancing sides.\n Out from the Nid brave Harald steers;\n Westward at first the dragon veers;\n Our lads together down with oars,\n The splash is echoed round the shores.\n \"Their oars our king's men handle well,\n One stroke is all the eye can tell:\n All level o'er the water rise;\n The girls look on in sweet surprise.\n Such things, they think, can ne'er give way;\n The little know the battle day.\n The Danish girls, who dread our shout,\n Might wish our ship-gear not so stout.\n \"'Tis in the fight, not on the wave,\n That oars may break and fail the brave.\n At sea, beneath the ice-cold sky,\n Safely our oars o'er ocean ply;\n And when at Throndhjem's holy stream\n Our seventy cars in distance gleam,\n We seem, while rowing from the sea,\n An erne with iron wings to be.\"\nKing Harald sailed south along the land, and called out the levy\neverywhere of men and ships. When they came east to Viken they got\na strong wind against them and the forces lay dispersed about in the\nharbour; some in the isles outside, and some in the fjords. So says\nThiodolf:--\n \"The cutters' sea-bleached bows scarce find\n A shelter from the furious wind\n Under the inland forests' side,\n Where the fjord runs its farthest tide.\n In all the isles and creeks around\n The bondes' ships lie on the ground,\n And ships with gunwales hung with shields\n Seek the lee-side of the green fields.\"\nIn the heavy storm that raged for some time the great ship had need of\ngood ground tackle. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"With lofty bow above the seas,\n Which curl and fly before the breeze,\n The gallant vessel rides and reels,\n And every plunge her cable feels.\n The storm that tries the spar and mast\n Tries the main-anchor at the last:\n The storm above, below the rock,\n Chafe the thick cable with each shock.\"\nWhen the weather became favourable King Harald sailed eastwards to the\nGaut river with his fleet and arrived there in the evening. So says\nThiodolf:--\n \"The gallant Harald now has come\n To Gaut, full half way from his home,\n And on the river frontier stands,\n To fight with Svein for life and lands.\n The night passed o'er, the gallant king\n Next day at Thumia calls a Thing,\n Where Svein is challenged to appear--\n A day which ravens wish were near.\"\n63. OF KING HARALD'S FLEET.\nWhen the Danes heard that the Northmen's army was come to the Gaut river\nthey all fled who had opportunity to get away. The Northmen heard that\nthe Danish king had also called out his forces and lay in the south,\npartly at Fyen and partly about Seeland. When King Harald found that\nKing Svein would not hold a meeting with him, or a fight, according\nto what had been agreed upon between them, he took the same course as\nbefore--letting the bonde troops return home, but manning 150 ships,\nwith which he sailed southwards along Halland, where he herried all\nround, and then brought up with his fleet in Lofufjord, and laid waste\nthe country. A little afterwards King Svein came upon them with all the\nDanish fleet, consisting of 300 ships. When the Northmen saw them King\nHarald ordered a general meeting of the fleet to be called by sound of\ntrumpet; and many there said it was better to fly, as it was not now\nadvisable to fight. The king replied, \"Sooner shall all lie dead one\nupon another than fly.\" So says Stein Herdison:--\n \"With falcon eye, and courage bright,\n Our king saw glory in the fight;\n To fly, he saw, would ruin bring\n On them and him--the folk and king.\n 'Hands up the arms to one and all!'\n Cries out the king; 'we'll win or fall!\n Sooner than fly, heaped on each other\n Each man shall fall across his brother!'\"\nThen King Harald drew up his ships to attack, and brought forward his\ngreat dragon in the middle of his fleet. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"The brave king through his vessels' throng\n His dragon war-ship moves along;\n He runs her gaily to the front,\n To meet the coming battle's brunt.\"\nThe ship was remarkably well equipt, and fully manned. So says\nThiodolf:--\n \"The king had got a chosen crew--\n He told his brave lads to stand true.\n The ring of shields seemed to enclose\n The ship's deck from the boarding foes.\n The dragon, on the Nis-river flood,\n Beset with men, who thickly stood,\n Shield touching shield, was something rare,\n That seemed all force of man to dare.\"\nUlf, the marshal, laid his ship by the side of the king's and ordered\nhis men to bring her well forward. Stein Herdison, who was himself in\nUlf's ship, sings of it thus:--\n \"Our oars were stowed, our lances high,\n As the ship moved swung in the sky.\n The marshal Ulf went through our ranks,\n Drawn up beside the rowers' banks:\n The brave friend of our gallant king\n Told us our ship well on to bring,\n And fight like Norsemen in the cause--\n Our Norsemen answered with huzzas.\"\nHakon Ivarson lay outside on the other wing, and had many ships with\nhim, all well equipt. At the extremity of the other side lay the\nThrondhjem chiefs, who had also a great and strong force.\n64. OF KING SVEIN'S ARMAMENT.\nSvein, the Danish king, also drew up his fleet, and laid his ship\nforward in the center against King Harald's ship, and Fin Arnason laid\nhis ship next; and then the Danes laid their ships, according as they\nwere bold or well-equipt. Then, on both sides, they bound the ships\ntogether all through the middle of the fleets; but as the fleets were\nso large, very many ships remained loose, and each laid his ship forward\naccording to his courage, and that was very unequal. Although the\ndifference among the men was great, altogether there was a very great\nforce on both sides. King Svein had six earls among the people following\nhim. So says Stein Herdison:--\n \"Danger our chief would never shun,\n With eight score ships he would not run:\n The Danish fleet he would abide,\n And give close battle side by side.\n From Leire's coast the Danish king\n Three hundred ocean steeds could bring,\n And o'er the sea-weed plain in haste\n Thought Harald's vessels would be chased.\"\n65. BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE OF NIS-RIVER.\nAs soon as King Harald was ready with his fleet, he orders the war-blast\nto sound, and the men to row forward to the attack. So says Stein\nHerdison:--\n \"Harald and Svein first met as foes,\n Where the Nis in the ocean flows;\n For Svein would not for peace entreat,\n But, strong in ships, would Harald meet.\n The Norsemen prove, with sword in hand,\n That numbers cannot skill withstand.\n Off Halland's coast the blood of Danes\n The blue sea's calm smooth surface stains.\"\nSoon the battle began, and became very sharp; both kings urging on their\nmen. So says Stein Herdison:--\n \"Our king, his broad shield disregarding,\n More keen for striking than for warding,\n Now tells his lads their spears to throw,--\n Now shows them where to strike a blow.\n From fleet to fleet so short the way,\n That stones and arrows have full play;\n And from the keen sword dropped the blood\n Of short-lived seamen in the flood.\"\nIt was late in the day when the battle began, and it continued the\nwhole night. King Harald shot for a long time with his bow. So says\nThiodolf:--\n \"The Upland king was all the night\n Speeding the arrows' deadly flight.\n All in the dark his bow-string's twang\n Was answered; for some white shield rang,\n Or yelling shriek gave certain note\n The shaft had pierced some ring-mail coat,\n The foemen's shields and bulwarks bore\n A Lapland arrow-scat(1) or more.\"\nEarl Hakon, and the people who followed him, did not make fast their\nships in the fleet, but rowed against the Danish ships that were loose,\nand slew the men of all the ships they came up with. When the Danes\nobserved this each drew his ship out of the way of the earl; but he set\nupon those who were trying to escape, and they were nearly driven to\nflight. Then a boat came rowing to the earl's ship and hailed him and\nsaid that the other wing of King Harald's fleet was giving way and many\nof their people had fallen. Then the earl rowed thither and gave so\nsevere an assault that the Danes had to retreat before him. The earl\nwent on in this way all the night, coming forward where he was most\nwanted, and wheresoever he came none could stand against him. Hakon\nrowed outside around the battle. Towards the end of the night the\ngreatest part of the Danish fleet broke into flight, for then King\nHarald with his men boarded the vessel of King Svein; and it was so\ncompletely cleared that all the crew fell in the ship, except those who\nsprang overboard. So says Arnor, the earls' skald:--\n \"Brave Svein did not his vessel leave\n Without good cause, as I believe:\n Oft on his casque the sword-blade rang,\n Before into the sea he sprang.\n Upon the wave his vessel drives;\n All his brave crew had lost their lives.\n O'er dead courtmen into the sea\n The Jutland king had now to flee.\"\nAnd when King Svein's banner was cut down, and his ship cleared of its\ncrew, all his forces took to flight, and some were killed. The ships\nwhich were bound together could not be cast loose, so the people who\nwere in them sprang overboard, and some got to the other ships that\nwere loose; and all King Svein's men who could get off rowed away, but\na great many of them were slain. Where the king himself fought the ships\nwere mostly bound together, and there were more than seventy left behind\nof King Svein's vessels. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"Svein's ships rode proudly o'er the deep,\n When, by a single sudden sweep,\n Full seventy sail, as we are told,\n Were seized by Norway's monarch bold.\"\nKing Harald rowed after the Danes and pursued them; but that was not\neasy, for the ships lay so thick together that they scarcely could move.\nEarl Fin Arnason would not flee; and being also shortsighted, was taken\nprisoner. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"To the six Danish earls who came\n To aid his force, and raise his name,\n No mighty thanks King Svein is owing\n For mighty actions of their doing.\n Fin Arnason, in battle known,\n With a stout Norse heart of his own,\n Would not take flight his life to gain,\n And in the foremost ranks was ta'en.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) The Laplanders paid their seat, or yearly tax, in bows and\n arrows; and the meaning of the skald appears to be, that as\n many as were paid in a year were shot at the foe.--L.\n66. KING SVEIN'S FLIGHT.\nEarl Hakon lay behind with his ships, while the king and the rest of the\nforces were pursuing the fugitives; for the earls' ships could not get\nforward on account of the ships which lay in the way before him. Then\na man came rowing in a boat to the earl's ship and lay at the bulwarks.\nThe man was stout and had on a white hat. He hailed the ship, \"Where is\nthe earl?\" said he.\nThe earl was in the fore-hold, stopping a man's blood. The earl cast\na look at the man in the hat and asked what his name was. He answered,\n\"Here is Vandrad: speak to me, earl.\"\nThe earl leant over the ship's side to him. Then the man in the boat\nsaid, \"Earl, I will accept of my life from thee, if thou wilt give it.\"\nThen the earl raised himself up, called two men who were friends dear\nto him, and said to them, \"Go into the boat; bring Vandrad to the land;\nattend him to my friend's Karl the bonde; and tell Karl, as a token that\nthese words come from me, that he let Vandrad have the horse which I\ngave to him yesterday, and also his saddle, and his son to attend him.\"\nThereupon they went into the boat and took the oars in hand, while\nVandrad steered. This took place just about daybreak, while the vessels\nwere in movement, some rowing towards the land, some towards the sea,\nboth small and great. Vandrad steered where he thought there was most\nroom between the vessels; and when they came near to Norway's ships the\nearl's men gave their names and then they all allowed them to go where\nthey pleased. Vandrad steered along the shore, and only set in towards\nthe land when they had come past the crowd of ships. They then went up\nto Karl the bonde's farm, and it was then beginning to be light. They\nwent into the room where Karl had just put on his clothes. The earl's\nmen told him their message and Karl said they must first take some food;\nand he set a table before them and gave them water to wash with.\nThen came the housewife into the room and said, \"I wonder why we could\nget no peace or rest all night with the shouting and screaming.\"\nKarl replies, \"Dost thou not know that the kings were fighting all\nnight?\"\nShe asked which had the better of it.\nKarl answered, \"The Northmen gained.\"\n\"Then,\" said she, \"our king will have taken flight.\"\n\"Nobody knows,\" says Karl, \"whether he has fled or is fallen.\"\nShe says, \"What a useless sort of king we have! He is both slow and\nfrightened.\"\nThen said Vandrad, \"Frightened he is not; but he is not lucky.\"\nThen Vandrad washed his hands; but he took the towel and dried them\nright in the middle of the cloth. The housewife snatched the towel from\nhim, and said, \"Thou hast been taught little good; it is wasteful to wet\nthe whole cloth at one time.\"\nVandrad replies, \"I may yet come so far forward in the world as to be\nable to dry myself with the middle of the towel.\"\nThereupon Karl set a table before them and Vandrad sat down between\nthem. They ate for a while and then went out. The horse was saddled and\nKarl's son ready to follow him with another horse. They rode away to\nthe forest; and the earl's men returned to the boat, rowed to the earl's\nship and told the success of their expedition.\n67. OF KING HARALD.\nKing Harald and his men followed the fugitives only a short way,\nand rowed back to the place where the deserted ships lay. Then the\nbattle-place was ransacked, and in King Svein's ship was found a heap\nof dead men; but the king's body was not found, although people believed\nfor certain that he had fallen. Then King Harald had the greatest\nattention paid to the dead of his men, and had the wounds of the living\nbound up. The dead bodies of Svein's men were brought to the land, and\nhe sent a message to the peasants to come and bury them. Then he let\nthe booty be divided, and this took up some time. The news came now that\nKing Svein had come to Seeland, and that all who had escaped from the\nbattle had joined him, along with many more, and that he had a great\nforce.\n68. FIN ARNASON GETS QUARTER.\nEarl Fin Arnason was taken prisoner in the battle, as before related;\nand when he was led before King Harald the king was very merry, and\nsaid, \"Fin, we meet here now, and we met last in Norway. The Danish\ncourt has not stood very firmly by thee; and it will be a troublesome\nbusiness for Northmen to drag thee, a blind old man, with them, and\npreserve thy life.\"\nThe earl replies, \"The Northmen find it very difficult now to conquer,\nand it is all the worse that thou hast the command of them.\"\nThen said King Harald, \"Wilt thou accept of life and safety, although\nthou hast not deserved it?\"\nThe earl replies, \"Not from thee, thou dog.\"\nThe king: \"Wilt thou, then, if thy relation Magnus gives thee quarter?\"\nMagnus, King Harald's son, was then steering the ship.\nThe earl replies, \"Can the whelp rule over life and quarter?\"\nThe king laughed, as if he found amusement in vexing him.--\"Wilt thou\naccept thy life, then, from thy she-relation Thorer?\"\nThe earl: \"Is she here?\"\n\"She is here,\" said the king.\nThen Earl Fin broke out with the ugly expressions which since have been\npreserved, as a proof that he was so mad with rage that he could not\ngovern his tongue:--\n\"No wonder thou hast bit so strongly, if the mare was with thee.\"\nEarl Fin got life and quarter and the king kept him a while about him.\nBut Fin was rather melancholy and obstinate in conversation; and King\nHarald said, \"I see, Fin, that thou dost not live willingly in company\nwith me and thy relations; now I will give thee leave to go to thy\nfriend King Svein.\"\nThe earl said, \"I accept of the offer willingly, and the more gratefully\nthe sooner I get away from hence.\"\nThe king afterwards let Earl Fin be landed and the traders going to\nHalland received him well. King Harald sailed from thence to Norway with\nhis fleet; and went first to Oslo, where he gave all his people leave to\ngo home who wished to do so.\n69. OF KING SVEIN.\nKing Svein, it is told, sat in Denmark all that winter, and had his\nkingdom as formerly. In winter he sent men north to Halland for Karl the\nbonde and his wife. When Karl came the king called him to him and asked\nhim if he knew him, or thought he had ever seen him before.\nKarl replies, \"I know thee, sire, and knew thee before, the moment I saw\nthee; and God be praised if the small help I could give was of any use\nto thee.\"\nThe king replies, \"I have to reward thee for all the days I have to\nlive. And now, in the first place, I will give thee any farm in Seeland\nthou wouldst desire to have; and, in the next place, will make thee a\ngreat man, if thou knowest how to conduct thyself.\"\nKarl thanked the king for his promise, and said he had now but one thing\nto ask.\nThe king asked what that was.\nKarl said that he would ask to take his wife with him.\nThe king said, \"I will not let thee do that; but I will provide thee a\nfar better and more sensible wife. But thy wife can keep the bonde-farm\nye had before and she will have her living from it.\"\nThe king gave Karl a great and valuable farm, and provided him a good\nmarriage; and he became a considerable man. This was reported far and\nwide and much praised; and thus it came to be told in Norway.\n70. OF THE TALK OF THE COURT-MEN.\nKing Harald stayed in Oslo the winter after the battle at Nis-river\n(A.D. 1063). In autumn, when the men came from the south, there was\nmuch talk and many stories about the battle which they had fought\nat Nis-river, and every one who had been there thought he could tell\nsomething about it. Once some of them sat in a cellar and drank, and\nwere very merry and talkative. They talked about the Nis-river battle,\nand who had earne'd the greatest praise and renown. They all agreed that\nno man there had been at all equal to Earl Hakon. He was the boldest in\narms, the quickest, and the most lucky; what he did was of the greatest\nhelp, and he won the battle. King Harald, in the meantime, was out in\nthe yard, and spoke with some people. He went then to the room-door, and\nsaid, \"Every one here would willingly be called Hakon;\" and then went\nhis way.\n71. OF THE ATTEMPT TO TAKE EARL HAKON.\nEarl Hakon went in winter to the Uplands, and was all winter in his\ndomains. He was much beloved by all the Uplanders. It happened, towards\nspring, that some men were sitting drinking in the town, and the\nconversation turned, as usual, on the Nis-river battle; and some praised\nEarl Hakon, and some thought others as deserving of praise as he. When\nthey had thus disputed a while, one of them said, \"It is possible that\nothers fought as bravely as the earl at Nis-river; but none, I think,\nhas had such luck with him as he.\"\nThe others replied, that his best luck was his driving so many Danes to\nflight along with other men.\nThe same man replied, \"It was greater luck that he gave King Svein\nquarter.\"\nOne of the company said to him, \"Thou dost not know what thou art\nsaying.\"\nHe replied, \"I know it for certain, for the man told me himself who\nbrought the king to the land.\"\nIt went, according to the old proverb, that the king has many ears. This\nwas told the king, and he immediately ordered horses to be gathered,\nand rode away directly with 900 men. He rode all that night and the\nfollowing day. Then some men met them who were riding to the town with\nmead and malt. In the king's retinue was a man called Gamal, who rode\nto one of these bondes who was an acquaintance of his, and spoke to him\nprivately. \"I will pay thee,\" said he, \"to ride with the greatest speed,\nby the shortest private paths that thou knowest, to Earl Hakon, and tell\nhim the king will kill him; for the king has got to the knowledge that\nEarl Hakon set King Svein on shore at Nis-river.\" They agreed on the\npayment. The bonde rode, and came to the earl just as he was sitting\ndrinking, and had not yet gone to bed. When the bonde told his errand,\nthe earl immediately stood up with all his men, had all his loose\nproperty removed from the farm to the forest, and all the people left\nthe house in the night. When the king came he halted there all night;\nbut Hakon rode away, and came east to Svithjod to King Steinkel and\nstayed with him all summer. King Harald returned to the town, travelled\nnorthwards to Throndhjem district, and remained there all summer; but in\nautumn he returned eastwards to Viken.\n72. OF EARL HAKON.\nAs soon as Earl Hakon heard the king had gone north he returned\nimmediately in summer to the Uplands (A.D. 1063), and remained there\nuntil the king had returned from the north. Then the earl went east\ninto Vermaland, where he remained during the winter, and where the king,\nSteinkel, gave him fiefs. For a short time in winter he went west to\nRaumarike with a great troop of men from Gautland and Vermaland, and\nreceived the scat and duties from the Upland people which belonged to\nhim, and then returned to Glutland, and remained there till spring. King\nHarald had his seat in Oslo all winter (A.D. 1064), and sent his men to\nthe Uplands to demand the scat, together with the king's land dues, and\nthe mulcts of court; but the Uplanders said they would pay all the scat\nand dues which they had to pay, to Earl Hakon as long as he was in life,\nand had forfeited his life or his fief; and the king got no dues that\nwinter.\n73. AGREEMENT BETWEEN KING HARALD AND KING SVEIN.\nThis winter messengers and ambassadors went between Norway and Denmark,\nwhose errand was that both Northmen and Danes should make peace, and\na league with each other, and to ask the kings to agree to it. These\nmessages gave favourable hopes of a peace; and the matter proceeded so\nfar that a meeting for peace was appointed at the Gaut river between\nKing Harald and King Svein. When spring approached, both kings assembled\nmany ships and people for this meeting. So says a skald in a poem on\nthis expedition of the kings, which begins thus:--\n \"The king, who from the northern sound\n His land with war-ships girds around,\n The raven-feeder, filled the coast\n With his proud ships, a gallant host!\n The gold-tipped stems dash through the foam\n That shakes the seamen's planked home;\n The high wave breaks up to the mast,\n As west of Halland on they passed,\n \"Harald whose word is fixed and sure,\n Whose ships his land from foes secure,\n And Svein, whose isles maintain is fleet,\n Hasten as friends again to meet;\n And every creek with vessels teems,--\n All Denmark men and shipping seems;\n And all rejoice that strife will cease,\n And men meet now but to make peace.\"\nHere it is told that the two kings held the meeting that was agreed upon\nbetween them, and both came to the frontiers of their kingdoms. So says\nthe skald:--\n \"To meet (since peace the Dane now craves)\n On to the south upon the waves\n Sailed forth our gallant northern king,\n Peace to the Danes with him to bring.\n Svein northward to his frontier hies\n To get the peace his people prize,\n And meet King Harald, whom he finds\n On land hard used by stormy winds.\"\nWhen the kings found each other, people began at once to talk of their\nbeing reconciled. But as soon as peace was proposed, many began to\ncomplain of the damage they had sustained by harrying, robbing and\nkilling men; and for a long time it did not look very like peace. It is\nhere related:--\n \"Before this meeting of the kings\n Each bende his own losses brings,\n And loudly claims some recompense\n From his king's foes, at their expense.\n It is not easy to make peace,\n Where noise and talking never cease:\n The bondes' warmth may quickly spread,\n And kings be by the people led.\n \"When kings are moved, no peace is sure;\n For that peace only is secure\n Which they who make it fairly make,--\n To each side give, from each side take.\n The kings will often rule but ill\n Who listen to the people's will:\n The people often have no view\n But their own interests to pursue.\"\nAt last the best men, and those who were the wisest, came between the\nkings, and settled the peace thus:--that Harald should have Norway, and\nSvein Denmark, according to the boundaries of old established between\nDenmark and Norway; neither of them should pay to the other for any\ndamage sustained; the war should cease as it now stood, each retaining\nwhat he had got; and this peace should endure as long as they were\nkings. This peace was confirmed by oath. Then the kings parted, having\ngiven each other hostages, as is here related:--\n \"And I have heard that to set fast\n The peace God brought about at last,\n Svein and stern Harald pledges sent,\n Who witnessed to their sworn intent;\n And much I wish that they and all\n In no such perjury may fall\n That this peace ever should be broken,\n And oaths should fail before God spoken.\"\nKing Harald with his people sailed northwards to Norway, and King Svein\nsouthwards to Denmark.\n74. KING HARALD'S BATTLE WITH EARL HAKON.\nKing Harald was in Viken in the summer (A.D. 1064), and he sent his men\nto the Uplands after the scat and duty which belonged to him; but the\nbondes paid no attention to the demand, but said they would hold all for\nEarl Hakon until he came for it. Earl Hakon was then up in Gautland\nwith a large armed force. When summer was past King Harald went south\nto Konungahella. Then he took all the light-sailing vessels he could get\nhold of and steered up the river. He had the vessels drawn past all\nthe waterfalls and brought them thus into the Wener lake. Then he rowed\neastward across the lake to where he heard Earl Hakon was; but when the\nearl got news of the king's expedition he retreated down the country,\nand would not let the king plunder the land. Earl Hakon had a large\narmed force which the Gautland people had raised for him. King Harald\nlay with his ships up in a river, and made a foray on land, but left\nsome of his men behind to protect the ships. The king himself rode up\nwith a part of the men, but the greater part were on foot. They had to\ncross a forest, where they found a mire or lake, and close to it a wood;\nand when they reached the wood they saw the earl's men, but the mire\nwas between them. They drew up their people now on both sides. Then King\nHarald ordered his men to sit down on the hillside. \"We will first see\nif they will attack us. Earl Hakon does not usually wait to talk.\" It\nwas frosty weather, with some snow-drift, and Harald's men sat down\nunder their shields; but it was cold for the Gautlanders, who had but\nlittle clothing with them. The earl told them to wait until King Harald\ncame nearer, so that all would stand equally high on the ground. Earl\nHakon had the same banner which had belonged to King Magnus Olafson.\nThe lagman of the Gautland people, Thorvid, sat upon a horse, and the\nbridle was fastened to a stake that stood in the mire. He broke out with\nthese words: \"God knows we have many brave and handsome fellows here,\nand we shall let King Steinkel hear that we stood by the good earl\nbravely. I am sure of one thing: we shall behave gallantly against\nthese Northmen, if they attack us; but if our young people give way, and\nshould not stand to it, let us not run farther than to that stream; but\nif they should give way farther, which I am sure they will not do,\nlet it not be farther than to that hill.\" At that instant the Northmen\nsprang up, raised the war-cry, and struck on their shields; and the\nGautland army began also to shout. The lagman's horse got shy with the\nwar-cry, and backed so hard that the stake flew up and struck the lagman\non the head. He said, \"Ill luck to thee, Northman, for that arrow!\" and\naway fled the lagman. King Harald had told his people, \"If we do make\na clash with the weapons, we shall not however, go down from the hill\nuntil they come nearer to us;\" and they did so. When the war-cry was\nraised the earl let his banner advance; but when they came under the\nhill the king's army rushed down upon them, and killed some of the\nearl's people, and the rest fled. The Northmen did not pursue the\nfugitives long, for it was the fall of day; but they took Earl Hakon's\nbanner and all the arms and clothes they could get hold of. King Harald\nhad both the banners carried before him as they marched away. They spoke\namong themselves that the earl had probably fallen. As they were riding\nthrough the forest they could only ride singly, one following the\nother. Suddenly a man came full gallop across the path, struck his spear\nthrough him who was carrying the earl's banner, seized the banner-staff,\nand rode into the forest on the other side with the banner. When this\nwas told the king he said, \"Bring me my armour, for the earl is alive.\"\nThen the king rode to his ships in the night; and many said that the\nearl had now taken his revenge. But Thiodolf sang thus:--\n \"Steinkel's troops, who were so bold,\n Who the Earl Hakon would uphold,\n Were driven by our horsemen's power\n To Hel, death goddess, in an hour;\n And the great earl, so men say\n Who won't admit he ran away,\n Because his men fled from the ground,\n Retired, and cannot now be found.\"\n75. DEATH OF HAL, THE MURDERER OF KODRAN.\nThe rest of the night Harald passed in his ships; but in the morning,\nwhen it was daylight, it was found that so thick ice had gathered about\nthe vessels that one could walk around them. The king ordered his men to\ncut the ice from the ships all the way out to the clear water; on which\nthey all went to break the ice. King Harald's son, Magnus, steered the\nvessel that lay lowest down the river and nearest the water. When the\npeople had cleared the ice away almost entirely, a man ran out to the\nice, and began hewing away at it like a madman. Then said one of the\nmen, \"It is going now as usual, that none can do so much as Hal who\nkilled Kodran, when once he lays himself to the work. See how he is\nhewing away at the ice.\" There was a man in the crew of Magnus, the\nking's son, who was called Thormod Eindridason; and when he heard the\nname of Kodran's murderer he ran up to Hal, and gave him a death-wound.\nKodran was a son of Gudmund Eyjolfson; and Valgerd, who was a sister of\nGudmund, was the mother of Jorun, and the grandmother by the mother's\nside of this Thormod. Thormod was a year old when Kodran was killed, and\nhad never seen Hal Utrygson until now. When the ice was broken all the\nway out to the water, Magnus drew his ship out, set sail directly, and\nsailed westward across the lake; but the king's ship, which lay farthest\nup the river, came out the last. Hal had been in the king's retinue,\nand was very dear to him; so that the king was enraged at his death.\nThe king came the last into the harbour, and Magnus had let the murderer\nescape into the forest, and offered to pay the mulct for him; and the\nking had very nearly attacked Magnus and his crew, but their friends\ncame up and reconciled them.\n76. OF KING HARALD.\nThat winter (A.D. 1065) King Harald went up to Raumarike, and had many\npeople with him; and he accused the bondes there of having kept from\nhim his scat and duties, and of having aided his enemies to raise\ndisturbance against him. He seized on the bondes and maimed some, killed\nothers, and robbed many of all their property. They who could do it fled\nfrom him. He burned everything in the districts and laid them altogether\nwaste. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"He who the island-people drove,\n When they against his power strove,\n Now bridle's Raumarike's men,\n Marching his forces through their glen.\n To punish them the fire he lights\n That shines afar off in dark nights\n From house and yard, and, as he says,\n Will warn the man who disobeys.\"\nThereafter the king went up to Hedemark, burnt the dwellings, and made\nno less waste and havoc there than in Raumarike. From thence he went\nto Hadeland and Ringerike, burning and ravaging all the land. So says\nThiodolf:--\n \"The bonde's household goods are seen\n Before his door upon the green,\n Smoking and singed: and sparks red hot\n Glow in the thatched roof of his cot.\n In Hedemark the bondes pray\n The king his crushing hand to stay;\n In Ringerike and Hadeland,\n None 'gainst his fiery wrath can stand.\"\nThen the bondes left all to the king's mercy. After the death of King\nMagnus fifteen years had passed when the battle at Nis-river took place,\nand afterwards two years elapsed before Harald and Svein made peace. So\nsays Thiodolf:--\n \"The Hordland king under the land\n At anchor lay close to the strand,\n At last, prepared with shield and spear\n The peace was settled the third year.\"\nAfter this peace the disturbances with the people of the Upland\ndistricts lasted a year and a half. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"No easy task it is to say\n How the king brought beneath his sway\n The Upland bondes, and would give\n Nought but their ploughs from which to live.\n The king in eighteen months brought down\n Their bonde power, and raised his own,\n And the great honour he has gained\n Will still in memory be retained.\"\n77. OF THE KINGS OF ENGLAND.\nEdward, Ethelred's son, was king of England after his brother\nHardacanute. He was called Edward the Good; and so he was. King Edward's\nmother was Queen Emma, daughter of Richard, earl of Rouen. Her brother\nwas Earl Robert, whose son was William the Bastard, who at that time was\nearl at Rouen in Normandy. King Edward's queen was Gyda, a daughter of\nEarl Godwin, the son of Ulfnad. Gyda's brothers were, Earl Toste, the\neldest; Earl Morukare the next; Earl Walter the third; Earl Svein the\nfourth; and the fifth was Harald, who was the youngest, and he was\nbrought up at King Edward's court, and was his foster-son. The king\nloved him very much, and kept him as his own son; for he had no\nchildren.\n78. OF HARALD GODWINSON.\nOne summer it happened that Harald, the son of Godwin, made an\nexpedition to Bretland with his ships, but when they got to sea they met\na contrary wind, and were driven off into the ocean. They landed west\nin Normandy, after suffering from a dangerous storm. They brought up at\nRouen, where they met Earl William, who received Harald and his company\ngladly. Harald remained there late in harvest, and was hospitably\nentertained; for the stormy weather continued, and there was no getting\nto sea, and this continued until winter set in; so the earl and Harald\nagreed that he should remain there all winter. Harald sat on the\nhigh-seat on one side of the earl; and on the other side sat the earl's\nwife, one of the most beautiful women that could be seen. They often\ntalked together for amusement at the drinking-table; and the earl\nwent generally to bed, but Harald and the earl's wife sat long in the\nevenings talking together, and so it went on for a great part of the\nwinter. In one of their conversations she said to Harald, \"The earl has\nasked me what it is we have to talk about so much, for he is angry\nat it.\" Harald replies, \"We shall then at once let him know all our\nconversation.\" The following day, Harald asked the earl to a conference,\nand they went together into the conference-chamber; where also the queen\nwas, and some of the councillors. Then Harald began thus:--\"I have to\ninform you, earl, that there lies more in my visit here than I have let\nyou know. I would ask your daughter in marriage, and have often spoke\nover this matter with her mother, and she has promised to support my\nsuit with you.\" As soon as Harald had made known this proposal of his,\nit was well received by all who were present. They explained the case\nto the earl; and at last it came so far that the earl was contracted\nto Harald, but as she was very young, it was resolved that the wedding\nshould be deferred for some years.\n79. KING EDWARD'S DEATH.\nWhen spring came Harald rigged his ships and set off; and he and the\nearl parted with great friendship. Harald sailed over to England to King\nEdward, but did not return to Valland to fulfill the marriage agreement.\nEdward was king over England for twenty-three years and died on a bed\nof sickness in London on the 5th of January, and was buried in Paul's\nchurch. Englishmen call him a saint.\n80. HARALD GODWINSON MADE KING OF ENGLAND.\nThe sons of Earl Godwin were the most powerful men in England. Toste was\nmade chief of the English king's army, and was his land-defence man when\nthe king began to grow old; and he was also placed above all the other\nearls. His brother Harald was always with the court itself, and\nnearest to the king in all service, and had the charge of the king's\ntreasure-chamber. It is said that when the king was approaching his last\nhour, Harald and a few others were with him. Harald first leans down\nover the king, and then said, \"I take you all to witness that the king\nhas now given me the kingdom, and all the realm of England:\" and then\nthe king was taken dead out of the bed. The same day there was a meeting\nof the chiefs, at which there was some talk of choosing a king; and then\nHarald brought forward his witnesses that King Edward had given him the\nkingdom on his dying day. The meeting ended by choosing Harald as king,\nand he was consecrated and crowned the 13th day of Yule, in Paul's\nchurch. Then all the chiefs and all the people submitted to him. Now\nwhen his brother, Earl Toste, heard of this he took it very ill, as he\nthought himself quite as well entitled to be king. \"I want,\" said he,\n\"that the principal men of the country choose him whom they think best\nfitted for it.\" And sharp words passed between the brothers. King Harald\nsays he will not give up his kingly dignity, for he is seated on the\nthrone which kings sat upon, and is anointed and consecrated a king.\nOn his side also was the strength of the people, for he had the king's\nwhole treasure.\n81. EARL TOSTE'S EXPEDITION TO DENMARK.\nNow when King Harald perceived that his brother Toste wanted to have\nhim deprived of the kingdom he did not trust him; for Toste was a clever\nman, and a great warrior, and was in friendship with the principal men\nof the country. He therefore took the command of the army from Toste,\nand also all the power he had beyond that of the other earls of the\ncountry. Earl Toste, again, would not submit to be his own brother's\nserving man; therefore he went with his people over the sea to Flanders,\nand stayed there awhile, then went to Friesland, and from thence to\nDenmark to his relation King Svein. Earl Ulf, King Svein's father, and\nGyda, Earl Toste's mother, were brother's and sister's children. The\nearl now asked King Svein for support and help of men; and King Svein\ninvited him to stay with him, with the promise that he should get so\nlarge an earldom in Denmark that he would be an important chief.\nThe earl replies, \"My inclination is to go back to my estate in England;\nbut if I cannot get help from you for that purpose, I will agree to help\nyou with all the power I can command in England, if you will go there\nwith the Danish army, and win the country, as Canute, your mother's\nbrother, did.\"\nThe king replied, \"So much smaller a man am I than Canute the Great,\nthat I can with difficulty defend my own Danish dominions against the\nNorthmen. King Canute, on the other hand, got the Danish kingdom in\nheritage, took England by slash and blow, and sometimes was near losing\nhis life in the contest; and Norway he took without slash or blow. Now\nit suits me much better to be guided by my own slender ability than to\nimitate my relation, King Canute's, lucky hits.\"\nThen Earl Toste said, \"The result of my errand here is less fortunate\nthan I expected of thee who art so gallant a man, seeing that thy\nrelative is in so great need. It may be that I will seek friendly help\nwhere it could less be expected; and that I may find a chief who is less\nafraid, king, than thou art of a great enterprise.\"\nThen the king and the earl parted, not just the best friends.\n82. EARL TOSTE'S EXPEDITION TO NORWAY.\nEarl Toste turned away then and went to Norway, where he presented\nhimself to King Harald, who was at that time in Viken. When they met the\nearl explained his errand to the king. He told him all his proceedings\nsince he left England, and asked his aid to recover his dominions in\nEngland.\nThe king replied that the Northmen had no great desire for a campaign in\nEngland, and to have English chiefs over them there. \"People say,\" added\nhe, \"that the English are not to be trusted.\"\nThe earl replied, \"Is it true what I have heard people tell in England,\nthat thy relative, King Magnus, sent men to King Edward with the message\nthat King Magnus had right to England as well as to Denmark, and had got\nthat heritage after Hardacanute, in consequence of a regular agreement?\"\nThe king replied, \"How came it that he did not get it, if he had a right\nto it?\"\n\"Why,\" replied the earl, \"hast thou not Denmark, as King Magnus, thy\npredecessor, had it?\"\nThe king replies, \"The Danes have nothing to brag of over us Northmen;\nfor many a place have we laid in ashes to thy relations.\"\nThen said the earl, \"If thou wilt not tell me, I will tell thee. Magnus\nsubdued Denmark, because all the chiefs of the country helped him;\nand thou hast not done it, because all the people of the country were\nagainst thee. Therefore, also, King Magnus did not strive for England,\nbecause all the nation would have Edward for king. Wilt thou take\nEngland now? I will bring the matter so far that most of the principal\nmen in England shall be thy friends, and assist thee; for nothing is\nwanting to place me at the side of my brother Harald but the king's\nname. All men allow that there never was such a warrior in the northern\nlands as thou art; and it appears to me extraordinary that thou hast\nbeen fighting for fifteen years for Denmark, and wilt not take England\nthat lies open to thee.\"\nKing Harald weighed carefully the earl's words, and perceived at once\nthat there was truth in much of what he said; and he himself had also a\ngreat desire to acquire dominions. Then King Harald and the earl talked\nlong and frequently together; and at last he took the resolution to\nproceed in summer to England, and conquer the country. King Harald sent\na message-token through all Norway and ordered out a levy of one-half\nof all the men in Norway able to carry arms. When this became generally\nknown, there were many guesses about what might be the end of this\nexpedition. Some reckoned up King Harald's great achievements, and\nthought he was also the man who could accomplish this. Others, again,\nsaid that England was difficult to attack; that it was very full of\npeople; and the men-at-arms, who were called Thingmen, were so brave,\nthat one of them was better than two of Harald's best men. Then said Ulf\nthe marshal:--\n \"I am still ready gold to gain;\n But truly it would be in vain,\n And the king's marshal in the hall\n Might leave his good post once for all,\n If two of us in any strife\n Must for one Thingman fly for life,\n My lovely Norse maid, in my youth\n We thought the opposite the truth.\"\nUlf the marshal died that spring (A.D. 1066). King Harald stood over\nhis grave, and said, as he was leaving it, \"There lies now the truest of\nmen, and the most devoted to his king.\"\nEarl Toste sailed in spring west to Flanders, to meet the people who had\nleft England with him, and others besides who had gathered to him both\nout of England and Flanders.\n83. GYRD'S DREAMS.\nKing Harald's fleet assembled at the Solunds. When King Harald was ready\nto leave Nidaros he went to King Olaf's shrine, unlocked it, clipped his\nhair and nails, and locked the shrine again, and threw the keys into the\nNid. Some say he threw them overboard outside of Agdanes; and since then\nthe shrine of Saint Olaf, the king, has never been opened. Thirty-five\nyears had passed since he was slain; and he lived thirty-five years\nhere on earth (A.D. 1080-1066). King Harald sailed with his ships he\nhad about him to the south to meet his people, and a great fleet was\ncollected; so that, according to the people's reckoning, King Harald had\nnearly 200 ships beside provision-ships and small craft.\nWhile they lay at the Solunds a man called Gyrd, on board the king's\nship, had a dream. He thought he was standing in the king's ship and saw\na great witch-wife standing on the island, with a fork in one hand and a\ntrough in the other. He thought also that he saw over all the fleet, and\nthat a fowl was sitting upon every ship's stern, and that these fowls\nwere all ravens or ernes; and the witch-wife sang this song:--\n \"From the east I'll 'tice the king,\n To the west the king I'll bring;\n Many a noble bone will be\n Ravens o'er Giuke's ship are fitting,\n Eyeing the prey they think most fitting.\n Upon the stem I'll sail with them!\n Upon the stem I'll sail with them!\"\n84. THORD'S DREAM.\nThere was also a man called Thord, in a ship which lay not far from the\nking's. He dreamt one night that he saw King Harald's fleet coming to\nland, and he knew the land to be England. He saw a great battle-array on\nthe land; and he thought both sides began to fight, and had many banners\nflapping in the air. And before the army of the people of the country\nwas riding a huge witch-wife upon a wolf; and the wolf had a man's\ncarcass in his mouth, and the blood was dropping from his jaws; and when\nhe had eaten up one body she threw another into his mouth, and so one\nafter another, and he swallowed them all. And she sang thus:--\n \"Skade's eagle eyes\n The king's ill luck espies:\n Though glancing shields\n Hide the green fields,\n The king's ill luck she spies.\n To bode the doom of this great king,\n The flesh of bleeding men I fling\n To hairy jaw and hungry maw!\n To hairy jaw and hungry maw!\"\n85. KING HARALD'S DREAM.\nKing Harald also dreamt one night that he was in Nidaros, and met his\nbrother, King Olaf, who sang to him these verses:--\n \"In many a fight\n My name was bright;\n Men weep, and tell\n How Olaf fell.\n Thy death is near;\n Thy corpse, I fear,\n The crow will feed,\n The witch-wife's steed.\"\nMany other dreams and forebodings were then told of, and most of them\ngloomy. Before King Harald left Throndhjem, he let his son Magnus be\nproclaimed king and set him as king over Norway while he was absent.\nThora, the daughter of Thorberg, also remained behind; but he took with\nhim Queen Ellisif and her two daughters, Maria and Ingegerd. Olaf, King\nHarald's son, also accompanied his father abroad.\n86. BATTLE AT SCARBOROUGH.\nWhen King Harald was clear for sea, and the wind became favourable, he\nsailed out into the ocean; and he himself landed in Shetland, but a part\nof his fleet in the Orkney Islands. King Harald stopped but a short time\nin Shetland before sailing to Orkney, from whence he took with him\na great armed force, and the earls Paul and Erlend, the sons of\nEarl Thorfin; but he left behind him here the Queen Ellisif, and her\ndaughters Maria and Ingegerd. Then he sailed, leaving Scotland and\nEngland westward of him, and landed at a place called Klifland. There\nhe went on shore and plundered, and brought the country in subjection\nto him without opposition. Then he brought up at Skardaburg, and fought\nwith the people of the place. He went up a hill which is there, and made\na great pile upon it, which he set on fire; and when the pile was in\nclear flame, his men took large forks and pitched the burning wood down\ninto the town, so that one house caught fire after the other, and the\ntown surrendered. The Northmen killed many people there and took all the\nbooty they could lay hold of. There was nothing left for the Englishmen\nnow, if they would preserve their lives, but to submit to King Harald;\nand thus he subdued the country wherever he came. Then the king\nproceeded south along the land, and brought up at Hellornes, where there\ncame a force that had been assembled to oppose him, with which he had a\nbattle, and gained the victory.\n87. OF HARALD'S ORDER OF BATTLE.\nThereafter the king sailed to the Humber, and up along the river, and\nthen he landed. Up in Jorvik were two earls, Earl Morukare, and his\nbrother, Earl Valthiof, and they had an immense army. While the army\nof the earls was coming down from the upper part of the country, King\nHarald lay in the Usa. King Harald now went on the land, and drew up his\nmen. The one arm of this line stood at the outer edge of the river, the\nother turned up towards the land along a ditch; and there was also a\nmorass, deep, broad, and full of water. The earls let their army proceed\nslowly down along the river, with all their troops in line. The king's\nbanner was next the river, where the line was thickest. It was thinnest\nat the ditch, where also the weakest of the men were. When the earls\nadvanced downwards along the ditch, the arm of the Northmen's line which\nwas at the ditch gave way; and the Englishmen followed, thinking the\nNorthmen would fly. The banner of Earl Morukare advanced then bravely.\n88. THE BATTLE AT THE HUMBER.\nWhen King Harald saw that the English array had come to the ditch\nagainst him, he ordered the charge to be sounded, and urged on his men.\nHe ordered the banner which was called the Land-ravager to be carried\nbefore him, and made so severe an assault that all had to give way\nbefore it; and there was a great loss among the men of the earls, and\nthey soon broke into flight, some running up the river, some down, and\nthe most leaping into the ditch, which was so filled with dead that the\nNorsemen could go dry-foot over the fen. There Earl Morukare fell. So\nsays Stein Herdison:--\n \"The gallant Harald drove along,\n Flying but fighting, the whole throng.\n At last, confused, they could not fight,\n And the whole body took to flight.\n Up from the river's silent stream\n At once rose desperate splash and scream;\n But they who stood like men this fray\n Round Morukare's body lay.\"\nThis song was composed by Stein Herdison about Olaf, son of King Harald;\nand he speaks of Olaf being in this battle with King Harald, his father.\nThese things are also spoken of in the song called \"Harald's Stave\":--\n \"Earl Valthiof's men\n Lay in the fen,\n By sword down hewed,\n So thickly strewed,\n That Norsemen say\n They paved a way\n Across the fen\n For the brave Norsemen.\"\nEarl Valthiof, and the people who escaped, fled up to the castle of\nYork; and there the greatest loss of men had been. This battle took\nplace upon the Wednesday next Mathias' day (A.D. 1066).\n89. OF EARL TOSTE.\nEarl Toste had come from Flanders to King Harald as soon as he arrived\nin England, and the earl was present at all these battles. It happened,\nas he had foretold the king at their first meeting, that in England\nmany people would flock to them, as being friends and relations of Earl\nToste, and thus the king's forces were much strengthened. After the\nbattle now told of, all people in the nearest districts submitted to\nHarald, but some fled. Then the king advanced to take the castle, and\nlaid his army at Stanforda-bryggiur (Stamford Bridge); and as King\nHarald had gained so great a victory against so great chiefs and so\ngreat an army, the people were dismayed, and doubted if they could\nmake any opposition. The men of the castle therefore determined, in a\ncouncil, to send a message to King Harald, and deliver up the castle\ninto his power. All this was soon settled; so that on Sunday the king\nproceeded with the whole army to the castle, and appointed a Thing of\nthe people without the castle, at which the people of the castle were\nto be present. At this Thing all the people accepted the condition of\nsubmitting to Harald, and gave him, as hostages, the children of the\nmost considerable persons; for Earl Toste was well acquainted with all\nthe people of that town. In the evening the king returned down to his\nships, after this victory achieved with his own force, and was very\nmerry. A Thing was appointed within the castle early on Monday morning,\nand then King Harald was to name officers to rule over the town, to give\nout laws, and bestow fiefs. The same evening, after sunset, King Harald\nGodwinson came from the south to the castle with a numerous army, and\nrode into the city with the good-will and consent of the people of the\ncastle. All the gates and walls were beset so that the Northmen could\nreceive no intelligence, and the army remained all night in the town.\n90. OF KING HARALD'S LANDING.\nOn Monday, when King Harald Sigurdson had taken breakfast, he ordered\nthe trumpets to sound for going on shore. The army accordingly got\nready, and he divided the men into the parties who should go, and who\nshould stay behind. In every division he allowed two men to land, and\none to remain behind. Earl Toste and his retinue prepared to land with\nKing Harald; and, for watching the ships, remained behind the king's son\nOlaf; the earls of Orkney, Paul and Erlend; and also Eystein Orre, a son\nof Thorberg Arnason, who was the most able and best beloved by the king\nof all the lendermen, and to whom the king had promised his daughter\nMaria. The weather was uncommonly fine, and it was hot sunshine. The men\ntherefore laid aside their armour, and went on the land only with their\nshields, helmets and spears, and girt with swords; and many had also\narrows and bows, and all were very merry. Now as they came near the\ncastle a great army seemed coming against them, and they saw a cloud\nof dust as from horses' feet, and under it shining shields and bright\narmour. The king halted his people, and called to him Earl Toste, and\nasked him what army this could be. The earl replied that he thought it\nmost likely to be a hostle army, but possibly it might be some of his\nrelations who were seeking for mercy and friendship, in order to obtain\ncertain peace and safety from the king. Then the king said, \"We must all\nhalt, to discover what kind of a force this is.\" They did so; and the\nnearer this force came the greater it appeared, and their shining arms\nwere to the sight like glancing ice.\n91. OF EARL TOSTE'S COUNSEL.\nThen said King Harald, \"Let us now fall upon some good sensible counsel;\nfor it is not to be concealed that this is an hostile army and the king\nhimself without doubt is here.\"\nThen said the earl, \"The first counsel is to turn about as fast as we\ncan to our ships to get our men and our weapons, and then we will make a\ndefence according to our ability; or otherwise let our ships defend us,\nfor there these horsemen have no power over us.\"\nThen King Harald said, \"I have another counsel. Put three of our best\nhorses under three of our briskest lads and let them ride with all speed\nto tell our people to come quickly to our relief. The Englishmen shall\nhave a hard fray of it before we give ourselves up for lost.\"\nThe earl said the king must order in this, as in all things, as he\nthought best; adding, at the same time, it was by no means his wish to\nfly. Then King Harald ordered his banner Land-ravager to be set up; and\nFrirek was the name of him who bore the banner.\n92. OF KING HARALD'S ARMY.\nThen King Harald arranged his army, and made the line of battle long,\nbut not deep. He bent both wings of it back, so that they met together;\nand formed a wide ring equally thick all round, shield to shield, both\nin the front and rear ranks. The king himself and his retinue were\nwithin the circle; and there was the banner, and a body of chosen men.\nEarl Toste, with his retinue, was at another place, and had a different\nbanner. The army was arranged in this way, because the king knew that\nhorsemen were accustomed to ride forwards with great vigour, but to\nturn back immediately. Now the king ordered that his own and the earl's\nattendants should ride forwards where it was most required. \"And our\nbowmen,\" said he, \"shall be near to us; and they who stand in the\nfirst rank shall set the spear-shaft on the ground, and the spear-point\nagainst the horseman's breast, if he rides at them; and those who\nstand in the second rank shall set the spear-point against the horse's\nbreast.\"\n93. OF KING HARALD GODWINSON.\nKing Harald Godwinson had come with an immense army, both of cavalry and\ninfantry. Now King Harald Sigurdson rode around his array, to see\nhow every part was drawn up. He was upon a black horse, and the horse\nstumbled under him, so that the king fell off. He got up in haste and\nsaid, \"A fall is lucky for a traveller.\"\nThe English king Harald said to the Northmen who were with him, \"Do ye\nknow the stout man who fell from his horse, with the blue kirtle and the\nbeautiful helmet?\"\n\"That is the king himself.\" said they.\nThe English king said, \"A great man, and of stately appearance is he;\nbut I think his luck has left him.\"\n94. OF THE TROOP OF THE NOBILITY.\nTwenty horsemen rode forward from the Thing-men's troops against the\nNorthmen's array; and all of them, and likewise their horses, were\nclothed in armour.\nOne of the horsemen said, \"Is Earl Toste in this army?\"\nThe earl answered, \"It is not to be denied that ye will find him here.\"\nThe horseman says, \"Thy brother, King Harald, sends thee salutation,\nwith the message that thou shalt have the whole of Northumberland; and\nrather than thou shouldst not submit to him, he will give thee the third\npart of his kingdom to rule over along with himself.\"\nThe earl replies, \"This is something different from the enmity and scorn\nhe offered last winter; and if this had been offered then it would have\nsaved many a man's life who now is dead, and it would have been better\nfor the kingdom of England. But if I accept of this offer, what will he\ngive King Harald Sigurdson for his trouble?\"\nThe horseman replied, \"He has also spoken of this; and will give him\nseven feet of English ground, or as much more as he may be taller than\nother men.\"\n\"Then,\" said the earl, \"go now and tell King Harald to get ready for\nbattle; for never shall the Northmen say with truth that Earl Toste left\nKing Harald Sigurdson to join his enemy's troops, when he came to fight\nwest here in England. We shall rather all take the resolution to die\nwith honour, or to gain England by a victory.\"\nThen the horseman rode back.\nKing Harald Sigurdson said to the earl, \"Who was the man who spoke so\nwell?\"\nThe earl replied, \"That was King Harald Godwinson.\"\nThen, said King Harald Sigurdson, \"That was by far too long concealed\nfrom me; for they had come so near to our army, that this Harald should\nnever have carried back the tidings of our men's slaughter.\"\nThen said the earl, \"It was certainly imprudent for such chiefs, and it\nmay be as you say; but I saw he was going to offer me peace and a great\ndominion, and that, on the other hand, I would be his murderer if I\nbetrayed him; and I would rather he should be my murderer than I his, if\none of two be to die.\"\nKing Harald Sigurdson observed to his men, \"That was but a little man,\nyet he sat firmly in his stirrups.\"\nIt is said that Harald made these verses at this time:--\n \"Advance! advance!\n No helmets glance,\n But blue swords play\n In our array.\n Advance! advance!\n No mail-coats glance,\n But hearts are here\n That ne'er knew fear.\"\nHis coat of mail was called Emma; and it was so long that it reached\nalmost to the middle of his leg, and so strong that no weapon ever\npierced it. Then said King Harald Sigurdson, \"These verses are but ill\ncomposed; I must try to make better;\" and he composed the following:--\n \"In battle storm we seek no lee,\n With skulking head, and bending knee,\n Behind the hollow shield.\n With eye and hand we fend the head;\n Courage and skill stand in the stead\n Of panzer, helm, and shield,\n In hild's bloody field.\"\nThereupon Thiodolf sang:--\n \"And should our king in battle fall,--\n A fate that God may give to all,--\n His sons will vengeance take;\n And never shone the sun upon\n Two nobler eaglet; in his run,\n And them we'll never forsake.\"\n95. OF THE BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE.\nNow the battle began. The Englishmen made a hot assault upon the\nNorthmen, who sustained it bravely. It was no easy matter for the\nEnglish to ride against the Northmen on account of their spears;\ntherefore they rode in a circle around them. And the fight at first was\nbut loose and light, as long as the Northmen kept their order of battle;\nfor although the English rode hard against the Northmen, they gave way\nagain immediately, as they could do nothing against them. Now when the\nNorthmen thought they perceived that the enemy were making but weak\nassaults, they set after them, and would drive them into flight; but\nwhen they had broken their shield-rampart the Englishmen rode up from\nall sides, and threw arrows and spears on them. Now when King Harald\nSigurdson saw this, he went into the fray where the greatest crash of\nweapons was, and there was a sharp conflict, in which many people fell\non both sides. King Harald then was in a rage, and ran out in front of\nthe array, and hewed down with both hands; so that neither helmet nor\narmour could withstand him, and all who were nearest gave way before\nhim. It was then very near with the English that they had taken to\nflight. So says Arnor, the earls' skald:--\n \"Where battle-storm was ringing,\n Where arrow-cloud was singing,\n Harald stood there,\n Of armour bare,\n His deadly sword still swinging.\n The foeman feel its bite;\n His Norsemen rush to fight,\n Danger to share,\n With Harald there,\n Where steel on steel was ringing.\"\n96. FALL OF KING HARALD.\nKing Harald Sigurdson was hit by an arrow in the windpipe, and that\nwas his death-wound. He fell, and all who had advanced with him, except\nthose who retired with the banner. There was afterwards the warmest\nconflict, and Earl Toste had taken charge of the king's banner. They\nbegan on both sides to form their array again, and for a long time there\nwas a pause in fighting. Then Thiodolf sang these verses:--\n \"The army stands in hushed dismay;\n Stilled is the clamour of the fray.\n Harald is dead, and with him goes\n The spirit to withstand our foes.\n A bloody scat the folk must pay\n For their king's folly on this day.\n He fell; and now, without disguise,\n We say this business was not wise.\"\nBut before the battle began again Harald Godwinson offered his brother,\nEarl Toste, peace, and also quarter to the Northmen who were still\nalive; but the Northmen called out, all of them together, that they\nwould rather fall, one across the other, than accept of quarter from\nthe Englishmen. Then each side set up a war-shout, and the battle began\nagain. So says Arnor, the earls' skald:--\n \"The king, whose name would ill-doers scare,\n The gold-tipped arrow would not spare.\n Unhelmed, unpanzered, without shield,\n He fell among us in the field.\n The gallant men who saw him fall\n Would take no quarter; one and all\n Resolved to die with their loved king,\n Around his corpse in a corpse-ring.\"\n97. SKIRMISH OF ORRE.\nEystein Orre came up at this moment from the ships with the men who\nfollowed him, and all were clad in armour. Then Eystein got King\nHarald's banner Land-ravager; and now was, for the third time, one of\nthe sharpest of conflicts, in which many Englishmen fell, and they were\nnear to taking flight. This conflict is called Orre's storm. Eystein\nand his men had hastened so fast from the ships that they were quite\nexhausted, and scarcely fit to fight before they came into the\nbattle; but afterwards they became so furious, that they did not guard\nthemselves with their shields as long as they could stand upright. At\nlast they threw off their coats of ringmail, and then the Englishmen\ncould easily lay their blows at them; and many fell from weariness,\nand died without a wound. Thus almost all the chief men fell among the\nNorway people. This happened towards evening; and then it went, as one\nmight expect, that all had not the same fate, for many fled, and were\nlucky enough to escape in various ways; and darkness fell before the\nslaughter was altogether ended.\n98. OF STYRKAR THE MARSHAL.\nStyrkar, King Harald Sigurdson's marshal, a gallant man, escaped upon a\nhorse, on which he rode away in the evening. It was blowing a cold wind,\nand Styrkar had not much other clothing upon him but his shirt, and\nhad a helmet on his head, and a drawn sword in his hand. As soon as his\nweariness was over, he began to feel cold. A waggoner met him in a lined\nskin-coat. Styrkar asks him, \"Wilt thou sell thy coat, friend?\"\n\"Not to thee,\" says the peasant: \"thou art a Northman; that I can hear\nby thy tongue.\"\nStyrkar replies, \"If I were a Northman, what wouldst thou do?\"\n\"I would kill thee,\" replied the peasant; \"but as ill luck would have\nit, I have no weapon just now by me that would do it.\"\nThen Styrkar says, \"As you can't kill me, friend, I shall try if I can't\nkill you.\" And with that he swung his sword, and struck him on the neck,\nso that his head came off. He then took the skin-coat, sprang on his\nhorse, and rode down to the strand.\nOlaf Haraldson had not gone on land with the others, and when he\nheard of his father's fall he made ready to sail away with the men who\nremained.\n99. OF WILLIAM THE BASTARD.\nWhen the Earl of Rouen, William the Bastard, heard of his relation, King\nEdward's, death, and also that Harald Godwinson was chosen, crowned,\nand consecrated king of England, it appeared to him that he had a\nbetter right to the kingdom of England than Harald, by reason of the\nrelationship between him and King Edward. He thought, also, that he\nhad grounds for avenging the affront that Harald had put upon him\nwith respect to his daughter. From all these grounds William gathered\ntogether a great army in Normandy, and had many men, and sufficient\ntransport-shipping. The day that he rode out of the castle to his ships,\nand had mounted his horse, his wife came to him, and wanted to speak\nwith him; but when he saw her he struck at her with his heel, and set\nhis spurs so deep into her breast that she fell down dead; and the\nearl rode on to his ships, and went with his ships over to England.\nHis brother, Archbishop Otto, was with him; and when the earl came to\nEngland he began to plunder, and take possession of the land as he came\nalong. Earl William was stouter and stronger than other men; a great\nhorseman and warrior, but somewhat stern; and a very sensible man, but\nnot considered a man to be relied on.\n100. FALL OF KING HARALD GODWINSON.\nKing Harald Godwinson gave King Harald Sigurdson's son Olaf leave to go\naway, with the men who had followed him and had not fallen in battle;\nbut he himself turned round with his army to go south, for he had heard\nthat William the Bastard was overwhelming the south of England with a\nvast army, and was subduing the country for himself. With King Harald\nwent his brothers Svein and Gyrd, and Earl Valthiof. King Harald\nand Earl William met each other south in England at Helsingja-port\n(Hastings). There was a great battle in which King Harald and his\nbrother Earl Gyrd and a great part of his men fell. This was the\nnineteenth day after the fall of King Harald Sigurdson. Harald's\nbrother, Earl Valthiof, escaped by flight, and towards evening fell in\nwith a division of William's people, consisting of 100 men; and when\nthey saw Earl Valthiof's troop they fled to a wood. Earl Valthiof set\nfire to the wood, and they were all burnt. So says Thorkel Skallason in\nValthiof's ballad:--\n \"Earl Valthiof the brave\n His foes a warming gave:\n Within the blazing grove\n A hundred men he drove.\n The wolf will soon return,\n And the witch's horse will burn\n Her sharp claws in the ash,\n To taste the Frenchman's flesh.\"\n101. EARL VALTHIOF'S DEATH.\nWilliam was proclaimed king of England. He sent a message to Earl\nValthiof that they should be reconciled, and gave him assurance of\nsafety to come to the place of meeting. The earl set out with a few men;\nbut when he came to a heath north of Kastala-bryggia, there met him two\nofficers of King William, with many followers, who took him prisoner,\nput him in fetters, and afterwards he was beheaded; and the English call\nhim a saint. Thorkel tells of this:--\n \"William came o'er the sea,\n With bloody sword came he:\n Cold heart and bloody hand\n Now rule the English land.\n Earl Valthiof he slew,--\n Valthiof the brave and true.\n Cold heart and bloody hand\n Now rule the English land.\"\nWilliam was after this king of England for twenty-one years, and his\ndescendants have been so ever since.\n102. OF OLAF HARALDSON'S EXPEDITION TO NORWAY.\nOlaf, the son of King Harald Sigurdson, sailed with his fleet from\nEngland from Hrafnseyr, and came in autumn to the Orkney Isles, where\nthe event had happened that Maria, a daughter of Harald Sigurdson, died\na sudden death the very day and hour her father, King Harald, fell. Olaf\nremained there all winter; but the summer after he proceeded east to\nNorway, where he was proclaimed king along with his brother Magnus.\nQueen Ellisif came from the West, along with her stepson Olaf and her\ndaughter Ingegerd. There came also with Olaf over the West sea Skule, a\nson of Earl Toste, and who since has been called the king's foster-son,\nand his brother Ketil Krok. Both were gallant men, of high family in\nEngland, and both were very intelligent; and the brothers were much\nbeloved by King Olaf. Ketil Krok went north to Halogaland, where King\nOlaf procured him a good marriage, and from him are descended many great\npeople. Skule, the king's foster-son, was a very clever man, and the\nhandsomest man that could be seen. He was the commander of King Olaf's\ncourt-men, spoke at the Things (1) and took part in all the country\naffairs with the king. The king offered to give Skule whatever district\nin Norway he liked, with all the income and duties that belonged to the\nking in it. Skule thanked him very much for the offer, but said he\nwould rather have something else from him. \"For if there came a shift\nof kings,\" said he, \"the gift might come to nothing. I would rather\ntake some properties lying near to the merchant towns, where you, sire,\nusually take up your abode, and then I would enjoy your Yule-feasts.\"\nThe king agreed to this, and conferred on him lands eastward at\nKonungahella, Oslo, Tunsberg, Sarpsborg, Bergen, and north at Nidaros.\nThese were nearly the best properties at each place, and have since\ndescended to the family branches which came from Skule. King Olaf\ngave Skule his female relative, Gudrun, the daughter of Nefstein, in\nmarriage. Her mother was Ingerid, a daughter of Sigurd Syr and Asta,\nKing Olaf the Saint's mother. Ingerid was a sister of King Olaf the\nSaint and of King Harald. Skule and Gudrun's son was Asolf of Reine, who\nmarried Thora, a daughter of Skopte Ogmundson; Asolf's and Thora's son\nwas Guthorm of Reine, father of Bard, and grandfather of King Inge and\nof Duke Skule.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Another instance of the old Norse or Icelandic tongue\n having been generally known in a part of England.\n103. OF KING HARALD SIGURDSON.\nOne year after King Harald's fall his body was transported from England\nnorth to Nidaros, and was buried in Mary church, which he had built. It\nwas a common observation that King Harald distinguished himself above\nall other men by wisdom and resources of mind; whether he had to take a\nresolution suddenly for himself and others, or after long deliberation.\nHe was, also, above all other men, bold, brave, and lucky, until his\ndying day, as above related; and bravery is half victory. So says\nThiodolf:--\n \"Harald, who till his dying day\n Came off the best in many a fray,\n Had one good rule in battle-plain,\n In Seeland and elsewhere, to gain--\n That, be his foes' strength more or less,\n Courage is always half success.\"\nKing Herald was a handsome man, of noble appearance; his hair and beard\nyellow. He had a short beard, and long mustaches. The one eyebrow was\nsomewhat higher than the other. He had large hands (1) and feet; but\nthese were well made. His height was five ells. He was stern and severe\nto his enemies, and avenged cruelly all opposition or misdeed. So says\nThiodolf:--\n \"Severe alike to friends or foes,\n Who dared his royal will oppose;\n Severe in discipline to hold\n His men-at-arms wild and bold;\n Severe the bondes to repress;\n Severe to punish all excess;\n Severe was Harald--but we call\n That just which was alike to all.\"\nKing Harald was most greedy of power, and of all distinction and honour.\nHe was bountiful to the friends who suited him. So says Thiodolf:--\n \"I got from him, in sea-fight strong,\n A mark of gold for my ship-song.\n Merit in any way\n He generously would pay.\"\nKing Harald was fifty years old when he fell. We have no particular\naccount of his youth before he was fifteen years old, when he was\nwith his brother, King Olaf, at the battle of Stiklestad. He lived\nthirty-five years after that, and in all that time was never free\nfrom care and war. King Harald never fled from battle, but often tried\ncunning ways to escape when he had to do with great superiority of\nforces. All the men who followed King Harald in battle or skirmish said\nthat when he stood in great danger, or anything came suddenly upon him,\nhe always took that course which all afterwards saw gave the best hope\nof a fortunate issue.\n ENDNOTES: (1) It is a singular physical circumstance, that in almost all\n the swords of those ages to be found in the collection of\n weapons in the Antiquarian Museum at Copenhagen, the handles\n indicate a size of hand very much smaller than the hands of\n modern people of any class or rank. No modern dandy, with\n the most delicate hands, would find room for his hand to\n grasp or wield with case some of the swords of these\n Northmen.--L.\n104. KING HARALD AND KING OLAF COMPARED.\nWhen Haldor, a son of Brynjolf Ulfalde the Old, who was a sensible man\nand a great chief, heard people talk of how unlike the brothers Saint\nOlaf and King Harald were in disposition, he used to say, \"I was in\ngreat friendship with both the brothers, and I knew intimately the\ndispositions of both, and never did I know two men more like in\ndisposition. Both were of the highest understanding, and bold in arms,\nand greedy of power and property; of great courage, but not acquainted\nwith the way of winning the favour of the people; zealous in governing,\nand severe in their revenge. King Olaf forced the people into\nChristianity and good customs, and punished cruelly those who disobeyed.\nThis just and rightful severity the chiefs of the country could not\nbear, but raised an army against him, and killed him in his own kingdom;\nand therefore he is held to be a saint. King Harald, again, marauded to\nobtain glory and power, forced all the people he could under his power,\nand died in another king's dominions. Both brothers, in daily life,\nwere of a worthy and considerate manner of living; they were of great\nexperience, and very laborious, and were known and celebrated far and\nwide for these qualities.\"\n105. KING MAGNUS'S DEATH.\nKing Magnus Haraldson ruled over Norway the first winter after King\nHarald's death (A.D. 1067), and afterwards two years (A.D. 1068-1069)\nalong with his brother, King Olaf. Thus there were two kings of Norway\nat that time; and Magnus had the northern and Olaf the eastern part of\nthe country. King Magnus had a son called Hakon, who was fostered by\nThorer of Steig in Gudbrandsdal, who was a brother of King Magnus by the\nmother's side; and Hakon was a most agreeable man.\nAfter King Harald Sigurdson's death the Danish king Svein let it be\nknown that the peace between the Northmen and the Danes was at an end,\nand insisted that the league between Harald and Svein was not for longer\ntime than their lives. There was a levy in both kingdoms. Harald's sons\ncalled out the whole people in Norway for procuring men and ships, and\nSvein set out from the south with the Danish army. Messengers then went\nbetween with proposals for a peace; and the Northmen said they would\neither have the same league as was concluded between King Harald and\nSvein, or otherwise give battle instantly on the spot. Verses were made\non this occasion, viz.:--\n \"Ready for war or peace,\n King Olaf will not cease\n From foeman's hand\n To guard his land.\"\nSo says also Stein Herdison in his song of Olaf:--\n \"From Throndhjem town, where in repose\n The holy king defies his foes,\n Another Olaf will defend\n His kingdom from the greedy Svein.\n King Olaf had both power and right,\n And the Saint's favour in the fight.\n The Saint will ne'er his kin forsake,\n And let Svein Ulfson Norway take.\"\nIn this manner friendship was concluded between the kings and peace\nbetween the countries. King Magnus fell ill and died of the ringworm\ndisease, after being ill for some time. He died and was buried at\nNidaros. He was an amiable king and bewailed by the people.\nSAGA OF OLAF KYRRE.\nPRELIMINARY REMARKS.\nSnorri's account of Olaf Kyrre corresponds with the statements found in\n\"Agrip\", \"Fagrskinna\", and \"Morkinskinna\".\nThere are but few events in Olaf's long reign, and hence he is very\nappropriately called the Quiet (Kyrre). As Hildebrand says, this saga\nseems to be written simply to fill out the empty space between Harald\nHardrade and Magnus Barefoot.\nSkalds quoted in this saga are: Stein Herdison and Stuf.\n1. OLAF'S PERSONAL APPEARANCE.\nOlaf remained sole king of Norway after the death (A.D. 1069) of his\nbrother King Magnus. Olaf was a stout man, well grown in limbs; and\nevery one said a handsomer man could not be seen, nor of a nobler\nappearance. His hair was yellow as silk, and became him well; his skin\nwas white and fine over all his body; his eyes beautiful, and his limbs\nwell proportioned. He was rather silent in general, and did not speak\nmuch even at Things; but he was merry in drinking parties. He loved\ndrinking much, and was talkative enough then; but quite peaceful. He was\ncheerful in conversation, peacefully inclined during all his reign, and\nloving gentleness and moderation in all things. Stein Herdison speaks\nthus of him:--\n \"Our Throndhjem king is brave and wise,\n His love of peace our bondes prize;\n By friendly word and ready hand\n He holds good peace through every land.\n He is for all a lucky star;\n England he frightens from a war;\n The stiff-necked Danes he drives to peace;\n Troubles by his good influence cease.\"\n2. OF KING OLAF'S MANNER OF LIVING.\nIt was the fashion in Norway in old times for the king's high-seat to\nbe on the middle of a long bench, and the ale was handed across the fire\n(1); but King Olaf had his high-seat made on a high bench across the\nroom; he also first had chimney-places in the rooms, and the floors\nstrewed both summer and winter. In King Olaf's time many merchant towns\narose in Norway, and many new ones were founded. Thus King Olaf founded\na merchant town at Bergen, where very soon many wealthy people settled\nthemselves, and it was regularly frequented by merchants from foreign\nlands. He had the foundations laid for the large Christ church, which\nwas to be a stone church; but in his time there was little done to it.\nBesides, he completed the old Christ church, which was of wood. King\nOlaf also had a great feasting-house built in Nidaros, and in many other\nmerchant towns, where before there were only private feasts; and in his\ntime no one could drink in Norway but in these houses, adorned for\nthe purpose with branches and leaves, and which stood under the king's\nprotection. The great guild-bell in Throndhjem, which was called\nthe pride of the town, tolled to call together to these guilds. The\nguild-brethren built Margaret's church in Nidaros of stone. In King\nOlaf's time there were general entertainments and hand-in-hand feasts.\nAt this time also much unusual splendour and foreign customs and\nfashions in the cut of clothes were introduced; as, for instance, costly\nhose plaited about the legs. Some had gold rings about the legs, and\nalso used coats which had lists down the sides, and arms five ells long,\nand so narrow that they must be drawn up with ties, and lay in folds\nall the way up to the shoulders. The shoes were high, and all edged with\nsilk, or even with gold. Many other kinds of wonderful ornaments were\nused at that time.\n ENDNOTES: (1) We may understand the arrangement by supposing the fire in\n the middle of the room, the smoke escaping by a hole in the\n roof, and a long bench on each side of the fire; one bench\n occupied by the high-seat of the king and great guests, the\n other by the rest of the guests; and the cup handed across\n the fire, which appears to have had a religious meaning\n previous to the introduction of Christianity.--L.\n3. FASHION OF KING OLAF'S COURT.\nKing Olaf used the fashion, which was introduced from the courts of\nforeign kings, of letting his grand-butler stand at the end of the\ntable, and fill the table-cups for himself and the other distinguished\nguests who sat at the table. He had also torch-bearers, who held as many\ncandles at the table as there were guests of distinction present.\nThere was also a marshal's bench outside of the table-circle, where the\nmarshal and other persons of distinction sat with their faces towards\nthe high-seat. King Harald, and the kings before him, used to drink out\nof deer-horn; and the ale was handed from the high-seat to the otherside\nover the fire, and he drank to the memory of any one he thought of. So\nsays Stuf the skald:--\n \"He who in battle is the first,\n And now in peace is best to trust,\n A welcome, hearty and sincere,\n Gave to me on my coming here.\n He whom the ravens watch with care,\n He who the gold rings does not spare,\n A golden horn full to the brink\n Gave me himself at Haug to drink.\"\n4. ARRANGEMENT OF KING OLAF'S COURT.\nKing Olaf had 120 courtmen-at-arms, and 60 pursuivants, besides 60\nhouse-servants, who provided what was wanted for the king's house\nwherever it might be, or did other work required for the king. When\nthe bondes asked why he kept a greater retinue than the law allowed, or\nformer kings kept when they went in guest-quarters or feasts which the\nbondes had to provide for them, the king answered, \"It does not happen\nthat I rule the kingdom better, or produce greater respect for me than\nye had for my father, although I have one-half more people than he\nhad. I do not by any means do it merely to plague you, or to make your\ncondition harder than formerly.\"\n5. KING SVEIN ULFSON'S DEATH.\nKing Svein Ulfson died ten years after the fall of both the Haralds\n(A.D. 1076). After him his son, Harald Hein, was king for three years\n(A.D. 1077-1080); then Canute the Holy for seven years (A.D. 1081-1087);\nafterwards Olaf, King Svein's third son, for eight years (A.D.\n1088-1095). Then Eirik the Good, Svein's fourth son, for eight winters\n(A.D. 1096-1103). Olaf, the king of Norway, was married to Ingerid, a\ndaughter of Svein, the Danish king; and Olaf, the Danish King Svein's\nson, married Ingegerd, a daughter of King Harald, and sister of King\nOlaf of Norway. King Olaf Haraldson, who was called by some Olaf Kyrre,\nbut by many Olaf the Bonde, had a son by Thora, Joan's daughter, who was\ncalled Magnus, and was one of the handsomest lads that could be seen,\nand was promising in every respect. He was brought up in the king's\ncourt.\n6. MIRACLES OF KING OLAF THE SAINT.\nKing Olaf had a church of stone built in Nidaros, on the spot where King\nOlaf's body had first been buried, and the altar was placed directly\nover the spot where the king's grave had been. This church was\nconsecrated and called Christ Church; and King Olaf's shrine was removed\nto it, and was placed before the altar, and many miracles took place\nthere. The following summer, on the same day of the year as the church\nwas consecrated, which was the day before Olafsmas, there was a great\nassemblage of people, and then a blind man was restored to sight. And on\nthe mass-day itself, when the shrine and the holy relics were taken out\nand carried, and the shrine itself, according to custom, was taken and\nset down in the churchyard, a man who had long been dumb recovered his\nspeech again, and sang with flowing tongue praise-hymns to God, and to\nthe honour of King Olaf the Saint. The third miracle was of a woman\nwho had come from Svithjod, and had suffered much distress on this\npilgrimage from her blindness; but trusting in God's mercy, had come\ntravelling to this solemnity. She was led blind into the church to hear\nmass this day; but before the service was ended she saw with both\neyes, and got her sight fully and clearly, although she had been blind\nfourteen years. She returned with great joy, praising God and King Olaf\nthe Saint.\n7. OF THE SHRINE OF KING OLAF THE SAINT.\nThere happened a circumstance in Nidaros, when King Olaf's coffin was\nbeing carried about through the streets, that it became so heavy that\npeople could not lift it from the spot. Now when the coffin was set\ndown, the street was broken up to see what was under it at that spot,\nand the body of a child was found which had been murdered and concealed\nthere. The body was carried away, the street put in order again as it\nhad been before, and the shrine carried on according to custom.\n8. KING OLAF WAS BLESSED WITH PEACE.\nIn the days of King Olaf there were bountiful harvests in Norway and\nmany good things. In no man's life had times been so good in Norway\nsince the days of Harald Harfager. King Olaf modified for the better\nmany a matter that his father had inaugurated and maintained with\nseverity. He was generous, but a strict ruler, for he was a wise man,\nand well understood what was of advantage to the kingdom. There are many\nstories of his good works. How much he loved and how kind he was to the\npeople may be seen from the following words, which he once spoke at a\nlarge banquet. He was happy and in the best of spirits, when one of his\nmen said, \"It pleases us, sire, to see you so happy.\" He answered: \"I\nhave reason to be glad when I see my subjects sitting happy and free in\na guild consecrated to my uncle, the sainted King Olaf. In the days of\nmy father these people were subjected to much terror and fear; the most\nof them concealed their gold and their precious things, but now I see\nglittering on his person what each one owns, and your freedom is my\ngladness.\" In his reign there was no strife, and he protected himself and\nhis realm against enemies abroad; and his nearest neighbours stood in\ngreat awe of him, although he was a most gentle man, as is confirmed by\nthe skald.\n9. MEETING OF OLAF KYRRE AND CANUTE THE SAINT.\nKing Olaf Kyrre was a great friend of his brother-in-law, the Danish\nking, Canute the holy. They appointed a meeting and met at the Gaut\nriver at Konungahella, where the kings used to have their meetings.\nThere King Canute made the proposal that they should send an army\nwestward to England on account of the revenge they had to take there;\nfirst and foremost King Olaf himself, and also the Danish king. \"Do one\nof two things,\" said King Canute,--\"either take sixty ships, which I\nwill furnish thee with, and be thou the leader; or give me sixty ships,\nand I shall be the leader.\" Then said King Olaf, \"This speech of thine,\nKing Canute, is altogether according to my mind; but there is this\ngreat difference between us; your family has had more luck in conquering\nEngland with great glory, and, among others, King Canute the Great;\nand it is likely that this good fortune follows your race. On the other\nhand, when King Harald, my father, went westward to England, he got his\ndeath there; and at that time the best men in Norway followed him. But\nNorway was so emptied then of chosen men, that such men have not since\nbeen to find in the country; for that expedition there was the most\nexcellent outfit, and you know what was the end of it. Now I know my own\ncapacity, and how little I am suited to be the leader; so I would rather\nyou should go, with my help and assistance.\"\nSo King Olaf gave Canute sixty large ships, with excellent equipment and\nfaithful men, and set his lendermen as chiefs over them; and all must\nallow that this armament was admirably equipt. It is also told in the\nsaga about Canute, that the Northmen alone did not break the levy\nwhen the army was assembled, but the Danes would not obey their king's\norders. This king Canute acknowledged, and gave them leave to trade in\nmerchandise where they pleased through his country, and at the same time\nsent the king of Norway costly presents for his assistance. On the other\nhand he was enraged against the Danes, and laid heavy fines upon them.\n10. A BONDE WHO UNDERSTOOD THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS.\nOne summer, when King Olaf's men had gone round the country collecting\nhis income and land dues, it happened that the king, on their\nreturn home asked them where on their expedition they had been best\nentertained. They said it was in the house of a bonde in one of the\nking's districts. \"There is an old bonde there who knows many things\nbefore they happen. We asked him about many things, which he explained\nto us; nay, we even believe that he understands perfectly the language\nof birds.\" The king replies, \"How can ye believe such nonsense?\" and\ninsisted that it was wrong to put confidence in such things. It happened\nsoon after that the king was sailing along the coast; and as they\nsailed through a Sound the king said, \"What is that township up in the\ncountry?\"\nThey replied, \"That is the district, sire, where we told you we were\nbest entertained.\"\nThen said the king, \"What house is that which stands up there, not far\nfrom the Sound?\"\nThey replied, \"That house belongs to the wise old bonde we told you of,\nsire.\"\nThey saw now a horse standing close to the house. Then said the king,\n\"Go there, and take that horse, and kill him.\"\nThey replied, \"We would not like to do him such harm.\"\nThe king: \"I will command. Cut off the horse's head; but take care of\nyourselves that ye let no blood come to the ground, and bear the horse\nout to my ship. Go then and bring to me the old man; but tell him\nnothing of what has happened, as ye shall answer for it with your\nlives.\"\nThey did as they were ordered, and then came to the old man, and told\nhim the king's message. When he came before the king, the king asked\nhim, \"Who owns the house thou art dwelling in?\"\nHe replies, \"Sire, you own it, and take rent for it.\"\nThe king: \"Show us the way round the ness, for here thou must be a good\npilot.\"\nThe old man went into his boat and rowed before the king's ship; and\nwhen he had rowed a little way a crow came flying over the ship, and\ncroaking hideously. The peasant listens to the crow. The king said, \"Do\nyou think, bonde, that betokens anything?\"\n\"Sire, that is certain,\" said he.\nThen another crow flies over the ship, and screeches dreadfully. The\nbonde was so ill hearing this that he could not row, and the oars hung\nloose in his hands.\nThen said the king, \"Thy mind is turned much to these crows, bonde, and\nto what they say.\"\nThe bonde replies, \"Now I suspect it is true what they say.\"\nThe third time the crow came flying screeching at its very worst, and\nalmost settling on the ship. Now the bonde threw down his oars, regarded\nthem no more, and stood up before the king.\nThen the king said, \"Thou art taking this much to heart, bonde; what is\nit they say?\"\nThe peasant--\"It is likely that either they or I have misunderstood--\"\n\"Say on,\" replied the king.\nThe bonde replied in a song:--\n \"The 'one-year old'\n Mere nonsense told;\n The 'two-years' chatter\n Seemed senseless matter;\n The three-years' croak\n Of wonders spoke.\n The foul bird said\n My old mare's head\n I row along;\n And, in her song,\n She said the thief\n Was the land's chief.\"\nThe king said, \"What is this, bonde! Wilt thou call me a thief?\"\nThen the king gave him good presents, and remitted all the land-rent of\nthe place he lived on. So says Stein:--\n \"The pillar of our royal race\n Stands forth adorned with every grace.\n What king before e'er took such pride\n To scatter bounty far and wide?\n Hung round with shields that gleam afar;\n The merchant ship on one bestows,\n With painted streaks in glowing rows.\n \"The man-at-arms a golden ring\n Boasts as the present of his king;\n At the king's table sits the guest,\n By the king's bounty richly drest.\n King Olaf, Norway's royal son,\n Who from the English glory won,\n Pours out with ready-giving hand\n His wealth on children of the land.\n \"Brave clothes to servants he awards,\n Helms and ring-mail coats grace his guards;\n Or axe and sword Har's warriors gain,\n And heavy armour for the plain.\n Gold, too, for service duly paid,\n Red gold all pure, and duly weighed,\n King Olaf gives--he loves to pay\n All service in a royal way.\"\n11. OF KING OLAF KYRRE'S DEATH.\nKing Olaf lived principally in his domains on his large farms. Once when\nhe was east in Ranrike, on his estate of Haukby, he took the disease\nwhich ended in his death. He had then been king of Norway for twenty-six\nyears (A.D. 1068-1093); for he was made king of Norway the year after\nKing Harald's death. King Olaf's body was taken north to Nidaros, and\nburied in Christ church, which he himself had built there. He was the\nmost amiable king of his time, and Norway was much improved in riches\nand cultivation during his reign.\nMAGNUS BAREFOOT'S SAGA.\nPRELIMINARY REMARKS.\nThe greater part of the contents of this saga is also found in \"Agrip\",\n\"Fagrskinna\", and \"Morkinskinna\".\nMagnus and his cousin Hakon became kings in 1093, but Hakon ruled only\ntwo years and died in 1095. King Magnus fell in the year 1103.\nSkalds quoted are: Bjorn Krephende, Thorkel Hamarskald, and Eldjarn.\n1. BEGINNING OF THE REIGN OF KING MAGNUS AND HIS COUSIN HAKON.\nMagnus, King Olaf's son, was, immediately after King Olaf's death,\nproclaimed at Viken king of all Norway; but the Upland people, on\nhearing of King Olaf's death, chose Hakon, Thorer's foster-son, a cousin\nof King Magnus, as king. Thereupon Hakon and Thorer went north to the\nThrondhjem country, and when they came to Nidaros they summoned the\nEyrathing; and at that Thing Hakon desired the bondes to give him the\nkingly title, which was agreed to, and the Throndhjem people proclaimed\nhim king of half of Norway, as his father, King Magnus, had been before.\nHakon relieved the Throndhjem people of all harbour duties, and gave\nthem many other privileges. He did away with Yule-gifts, and gained by\nthis the good-will of all the Throndhjem people. Thereafter Hakon formed\na court, and then proceeded to the Uplands, where he gave the Upland\npeople the same privileges as the Throndhjem people; so that they also\nwere perfectly well affected to him, and were his friends. The people in\nThrondhjem sang this ballad about him:--\n \"Young Hakon was the Norseman's pride,\n And Steig-Thorer was on his side.\n Young Hakon from the Upland came,\n With royal birth, and blood, and name.\n Young Hakon from the king demands\n His royal birthright, half the lands;\n Magnus will not the kingdom break,--\n The whole or nothing he will take.\"\n2. HAKON'S DEATH.\nKing Magnus proceeded north to the merchant town (Nidaros), and on his\narrival went straight to the king's house, and there took up his abode.\nHe remained here the first part of the winter (A.D. 1094), and kept\nseven longships in the open water of the river Nid, abreast of the\nking's house. Now when King Hakon heard that King Magnus was come to\nThrondhjem, he came from the East over the Dovrefield, and thence down\nfrom Throndhjem to the merchant town, where he took up his abode in the\nhouse of Skule, opposite to Clement's church, which had formerly been\nthe king's house. King Magnus was ill pleased with the great gifts which\nHakon had given to the bondes to gain their favour, and thought it was\nso much given out of his own property. This irritated his mind; and he\nthought he had suffered injustice from his relative in this respect,\nthat he must now put up with less income than his father and his\npredecessors before him had enjoyed; and he gave Thorer the blame. When\nKing Hakon and Thorer observed this, they were alarmed for what Magnus\nmight do; and they thought it suspicious that Magnus kept long-ships\nafloat rigged out, and with tents. The following spring, after\nCandlemas, King Magnus left the town in the night with his ships; the\ntents up, and lights burning in the tents. They brought up at Hefring,\nremained there all night, and kindled a fire on the land. Then Hakon and\nthe men in the town thought some treachery was on foot, and he let the\ntrumpets call all the men together out on the Eyrar, where the whole\npeople of the town came to him, and the people were gathering together\nthe whole night. When it was light in the morning, King Magnus saw the\npeople from all districts gathered together on the Eyrar; and he sailed\nout of the fjord, and proceeded south to where the Gulathing is held.\nHakon thanked the people for their support which they had given him, and\ngot ready to travel east to Viken. But he first held a meeting in the\ntown, where, in a speech, he asked the people for their friendship,\npromising them his; and added, that he had some suspicions of his\nrelation, King Magnus's intentions. Then King Hakon mounted his horse,\nand was ready to travel. All men promised him their good-will and\nsupport whenever he required them, and the people followed him out\nto the foot of Steinbjorg. From thence King Hakon proceeded up the\nDovrefield; but as he was going over the mountains he rode all day after\na ptarmigan, which flew up beside him, and in this chase a sickness\noverfell him, which ended in his death; and he died on the mountains.\nHis body was carried north, and came to the merchant town just half a\nmonth after he left it. The whole townspeople went to meet the body,\nsorrowing, and the most of them weeping; for all people loved him with\nsincere affection. King Hakon's body was interred in Christ church, and\nHakon and Magnus had ruled the country for two years. Hakon was a man\nfull twenty-five years old, and was one of the chiefs the most beloved\nby all the people. He had made a journey to Bjarmaland, where he had\ngiven battle and gained a victory.\n3. OF A FORAY IN HALLAND.\nKing Magnus sailed in winter (A.D. 1095) eastward to Viken; but when\nspring approached he went southwards to Halland, and plundered far and\nwide. He laid waste Viskardal and many other districts, and returned\nwith a great booty back to his own kingdom. So says Bjorn Krephende in\nhis song on Magnus:--\n \"Through Halland wide around\n The clang and shriek resound;\n The houses burn,\n The people mourn,\n Through Halland wide around.\n The Norse king strides in flame,\n Through Viskardal he came;\n The fire sweeps,\n The widow weeps,\n The Norse king strides in flame.\"\nHere it is told that King Magnus made the greatest devastation through\nHalland.\n4. OF THORER OF STEIG.\n\"There was a man called Svein, a son of Harald Fietter. He was a Danish\nman by family, a great viking and champion, and a very clever man, and\nof high birth in his own country. He had been some time with King Hakon\nMagnuson, and was very dear to him; but after King Hakon's decease\nThorer of Steig, his foster-father, had no great confidence in any\ntreaty or friendship with King Magnus, if the whole country came into\nhis power, on account of the position in which Thorer had stood to King\nMagnus, and the opposition he had made to him. Thereupon Thorer and\nSvein took counsel with each other, which they afterwards carried\ninto effect,--to raise, with Thorer's assistance, and his men, a troop\nagainst Magnus. But as Thorer was old and heavy, Svein took the command,\nand name of leader of the troop. In this design several chiefs took\npart, among whom the principal was Egil Aslakson of Aurland. Egil was a\nlenderman, and married to Ingebjorg, a daughter of Ogmund Thorbergson, a\nsister of Skopte of Giske. The rich and powerful man, Skjalg Erlingson,\nalso joined their party. Thorkel Hamarskald speaks of this in his ballad\nof Magnus:\n \"Thorer and Egil were not wise,\n They aimed too high to win a prize:\n There was no reason in their plan,\n And it hurt many a udalman.\n The stone, too great for them to throw,\n Fell back, and hurt them with the blow,\n And now the udalmen must rue\n That to their friends they were so true.\"\nThorer and Svein collected a troop in the Uplands, and went down through\nRaumsdal into Sunmore, and there collected vessels, with which they\nafterwards sailed north to Throndhjem.\n5. OF THORER'S ADVENTURES.\nThe lenderman Sigurd Ulstreng, a son of Lodin Viggiarskalle, collected\nmen by sending round the war-token, as soon as he heard of Thorer and\nthe troop which followed him, and had a rendezvous with all the men\nhe could raise at Viggia. Svein and Thorer also met there with their\npeople, fought with Sigurd, and gained the victory after giving him a\ngreat defeat; and Sigurd fled, and joined King Magnus. Thorer and his\nfollowers proceeded to the town (Nidaros), and remained there some time\nin the fjord, where many people joined them. King Magnus hearing this\nnews immediately collected an army, and proceeded north to Throndhjem.\nAnd when he came into the fjord Thorer and his party heard of it while\nthey lay at Herring, and they were ready to leave the fjord; and they\nrowed their ships to the strand at Vagnvik, and left them, and came into\nTheksdal in Seliuhverfe, and Thorer was carried in a litter over the\nmountains. Then they got hold of ships and sailed north to Halogaland.\nAs soon as King Magnus was ready for sea, he sailed from Throndhjem in\npursuit of them. Thorer and his party went north all the way to Bjarkey;\nand Jon, with his son Vidkun, fled from thence. Thorer and his men\nrobbed all the movable goods, and burnt the house, and a good long-ship\nthat belonged to Vidkun. While the hull was burning the vessel keeled\nto one side, and Thorer called out, \"Hard to starboard, Vidkun!\" Some\nverses were made about this burning in Bjarkey:--\n \"The sweetest farm that I have seen\n Stood on Bjarkey's island green;\n And now, where once this farmhouse stood,\n Fire crackles through a pile of wood;\n And the clear red flame, burning high,\n Flashes across the dark-night sky.\n Jon and Vidkun, this dark night,\n Will not be wandering without light.\"\n6. DEATH OF THORER AND EGIL.\nJon and Vidkun travelled day and night till they met King Magnus. Svein\nand Thorer proceeded northwards with their men, and plundered far and\nwide in Halogaland. But while they lay in a fjord called Harm, Thorer\nand his party saw King Magnus coming under sail towards them; and\nthinking they had not men enough to fight him, they rowed away and fled.\nThorer and Egil brought up at Hesjutun; but Svein rowed out to sea, and\nsome of their people rowed into the fjords. King Magnus pursued Thorer,\nand the vessels struck together while they were landing. Thorer stood in\nthe forecastle of his ship, and Sigurd Ulstreng called out to him, and\nasked, \"Art thou well, Thorer?\" Thorer replied, \"I am well in hands, but\nill on my feet.\"\nThen all Thorer's men fled up the country, and Thorer was taken\nprisoner. Egil was also taken prisoner, for he would not leave his wife.\nKing Magnus then ordered both of them to be taken out to Vambarholm;\nand when they were leading Thorer from the ship he tottered on his legs.\nThen Vidkun called out, \"More to the larboard, Thorer!\" When he was\nbeing led to the gallows he sang:--\n \"We were four comrades gay,--\n Let one by the helm stay.\"\nWhen he came to the gallows he said, \"Bad counsel comes to a bad end.\"\nThen Thorer was hanged; but when he was hoisted up the gallows tree\nhe was so heavy that his neck gave way, and the body fell down to the\nground; for Thorer was a man exceedingly stout, both high of stature\nand thick. Egil was also led to the gallows, and when the king's thralls\nwere about hanging him he said, \"Ye should not hang me, for in truth\neach of you deserves much more to be hanged.\" People sang these verses\nabout it:--\n \"I hear, my girl, that Egil said,\n When to the gallows he was led,\n That the king's thralls far more than he\n Deserved to hang on gallows-tree.\n It might be so; but, death in view,\n A man should to himself be true,--\n End a stout life by death as stout,\n Showing no fear; or care, or doubt.\"\nKing Magnus sat near while they were being hanged, and was in such a\nrage that none of his men was so bold as to ask mercy for them. The king\nsaid, when Egil was spinning at the gallows, \"Thy great friends help\nthee but poorly in time of need.\" From this people supposed that the\nking only wanted to have been entreated to have spared Egil's life.\nBjorn Krephende speaks of these things:--\n \"King Magnus in the robbers' gore\n Dyed red his sword; and round the shore\n The wolves howled out their wild delight,\n At corpses swinging in their sight.\n Have ye not heard how the king's sword\n Punished the traitors to their lord?\n How the king's thralls hung on the gallows\n Old Thorer and his traitor-fellows?\"\n7. OF THE PUNISHMENT OF THE THRONDHJEM PEOPLE.\nAfter this King Magnus sailed south to Throndhjem, and brought up in the\nfjord, and punished severely all who had been guilty of treason towards\nhim; killing some, and burning the houses of others. So says Bjorn\nKrephende:--\n \"He who despises fence of shields\n Drove terror through the Throndhjem fields,\n When all the land through which he came\n Was swimming in a flood of flame.\n The raven-feeder, will I know,\n Cut off two chieftans at a blow;\n The wolf could scarcely ravenous be,\n The ernes flew round the gallows-tree.\"\nSvein Harald Fletter's son, fled out to sea first, and sailed then to\nDenmark, and remained there; and at last came into great favour with\nKing Eystein, the son of King Magnus, who took so great a liking to\nSvein that he made him his dish-bearer, and held him in great respect.\nKing Magnus had now alone the whole kingdom, and he kept good peace\nin the land, and rooted out all vikings and lawless men. He was a\nman quick, warlike, and able, and more like in all things to his\ngrandfather, King Harald, in disposition and talents than to his father.\n8. OF THE BONDE SVEINKE, AND SIGURD ULSTRENG.\nThere was a man called Sveinke Steinarson, who was very wealthy, and\ndwelt in Viken at the Gaut river. He had brought up Hakon Magnuson\nbefore Thorer of Steig took him. Sveinke had not yet submitted to King\nMagnus. King Magnus ordered Sigurd Ulstreng to be called, and told him\nhe would send him to Sveinke with the command that he should quit the\nking's land and domain. \"He has not yet submitted to us, or shown us due\nhonour.\" He added, that there were some lendermen east in Viken, namely\nSvein Bryggjufot, Dag Eilifson, and Kolbjorn Klakke, who could bring\nthis matter into right bearing. Then Sigurd said, \"I did not know there\nwas the man in Norway against whom three lendermen besides myself were\nneedful.\" The king replied, \"Thou needst not take this help, unless\nit be necessary.\" Now Sigurd made himself ready for the journey with\na ship, sailed east to Viken, and there summoned the lendermen to him.\nThen a Thing was appointed to Viken, to which the people were called\nwho dwelt on the Gaut river, besides others; so that it was a numerous\nassembly. When the Thing was formed they had to wait for Sveinke. They\nsoon after saw a troop of men coming along, so well furnished with\nweapons that they looked like pieces of shining ice; and now came\nSveinke and his people to the Thing, and set themselves down in a\ncircle. All were clad in iron, with glowing arms, and 500 in number.\nThen Sigurd stood up, and spoke. \"My master, King Magnus, sends God's\nsalutation and his own to all friends, lendermen and others, his\nsubjects in the kingdom; also to the powerful bondes, and the people in\ngeneral, with kind words and offers of friendship; and to all who will\nobey him he offers his friendship and good will. Now the king will, with\nall cheerfulness and peace, show himself a gracious master to all who\nwill submit to him, and to all in his dominions. He will be the leader\nand defender of all the men of Norway; and it will be good for you to\naccept his gracious speech, and this offer.\"\nThen stood up a man in the troop of the Elfgrims, who was of great\nstature and grim countenance, clad in a leather cloak, with a halberd\non his shoulder, and a great steel hat upon his head. He looked sternly,\nand said, \"Here is no need of wheels, says the fox, when he draws the\ntrap over the ice.\" He said nothing more, but sat down again.\nSoon after Sigurd Ulstreng stood up again, and spoke thus: \"But little\nconcern or help have we for the king's affairs from you, Elfgrims, and\nbut little friendship; yet by such means every man shows how much\nhe respects himself. But now I shall produce more clearly the king's\nerrand.\" Thereupon he demanded land-dues and levy-dues, together with\nall other rights of the king, from the great bondes. He bade each of\nthem to consider with himself how they had conducted themselves in these\nmatters; and that they should now promote their own honour, and do the\nking justice, if they had come short hitherto in doing so. And then he\nsat down.\nThen the same man got up in the troop of Elfgrims who had spoken before,\nlifted his hat a little up, and said, \"The lads run well, say the\nLaplanders, who have skates for nothing.\" Then he sat himself down\nagain.\nSoon after Sigurd arose, after speaking with the lendermen, and said\nthat so weighty a message as the king's ought not to be treated lightly\nas a jest. He was now somewhat angry; and added, that they ought not\nto receive the king's message and errand so scornfully, for it was not\ndecent. He was dressed in a red or scarlet coat, and had a blue coat\nover it. He cast off his upper coat and said, \"Now it is come so far\nthat every one must look to himself, and not loiter and jest with\nothers; for by so doing every man will show what he is. We do not\nrequire now to be taught by others; for now we can see ourselves how\nmuch we are regarded. But this may be borne with; but not that ye treat\nso scornfully the king's message. Thereby every one shows how highly he\nconsiders himself. There is one man called Sveinke Steinarson, who\nlives east at the Gaut river; and from him the king will have his just\nland-dues, together with his own land, or will banish him from the\ncountry. It is of no use here to seek excuses, or to answer with sharp\nwords; for people are to be found who are his equals in power, although\nhe now receives our speech so unworthily; and it is better now than\nafterwards to return to the right way, and do himself honour, rather\nthan await disgrace for his obstinancy.\" He then sat down.\nSveinke then got up, threw back his steel-hat, and gave Sigurd many\nscornful words, and said, \"Tut! tut! 'tis a shame for the dogs, says\nthe proverb, when the fox is allowed to cast their excrements in the\npeasant's well. Here will be a miracle! Thou useless fellow! with a coat\nwithout arms, and a kirtle with skirts, wilt thou drive me out of the\ncountry? Thy relation, Sigurd Woolsack, was sent before on this errand,\nand one called Gille the Backthief, and one who had still a worse name.\nThey were a night in every house, and stole wherever they came. Wilt\nthou drive me out of the country? Formerly thou wast not so mighty, and\nthy pride was less when King Hakon, my foster-son, was in life. Then\nthou wert as frightened for him when he met thee on the road as a mouse\nin a mouse-trap, and hid thyself under a heap of clothes, like a dog on\nboard a ship. Thou wast thrust into a leather-bag like corn in a sack,\nand driven from house and farm like a year-old colt from the mares; and\ndost thou dare to drive me from the land? Thou shouldst rather think\nthyself lucky to escape from hence with life. Let us stand up and attack\nhim.\"\nThen all his men stood up, and made a great clash with their weapons.\nThen Svein Bryggjufot and the other lendermen saw there was no other\nchance for Sigurd but to get him on horseback, which was done, and he\nrode off into the forest. The end was that Sveinke returned home to his\nfarm, and Sigurd Ulstreng came, with great difficulty, by land north to\nThrondhjem to King Magnus, and told the result of his errand. \"Did I not\nsay,\" said the king, \"that the help of my lendermen would be needed?\"\nSigurd was ill pleased with his journey; insisted that he would be\nrevenged, cost what it will; and urged the king much. The king ordered\nfive ships to be fitted out; and as soon as they were ready for sea\nhe sailed south along the land, and then east to Viken, where he was\nentertained in excellent guest-quarters by his lendermen. The king told\nthem he would seek out Sveinke. \"For I will not conceal my suspicion\nthat he thinks to make himself king of Norway.\" They said that Sveinke\nwas both a powerful and an ungovernable man. Now the king went from\nViken until he came to Sveinke's farm. Then the lendermen desired that\nthey might be put on shore to see how matters stood; and when they came\nto the land they saw that Sveinke had already come down from the farm,\nand was on the road with a number of well-armed men. The lendermen held\nup a white shield in the air, as a peace-token; and when Sveinke saw it\nhe halted his men, and they approached each other. Then said Kolbjorn\nKlakke, \"King Magnus sends thee God's salutation and his own, and bids\nthee consider what becomes thee, and do him obedience, and not prepare\nthyself to give him battle.\" Kolbjorn offered to mediate peace between\nthem, if he could, and told him to halt his troops.\nSveinke said he would wait for them where he was. \"We came out to meet\nyou,\" he said, \"that ye might not tread down our corn-fields.\"\nThe lendermen returned to the king, and told him all was now at his\npleasure.\nThe king said, \"My doom is soon delivered. He shall fly the country, and\nnever come back to Norway as long as the kingdom is mine; and he shall\nleave all his goods behind.\"\n\"But will it not be more for thy honour,\" said Kolbjorn, \"and give thee\na higher reputation among other kings, if, in banishing him from the\ncountry, thou shouldst allow him to keep his property, and show himself\namong other people? And we shall take care that he never comes back\nwhile we live. Consider of this, sire, by yourself, and have respect for\nour assurance.\"\nThe king replied, \"Let him then go forth immediately.\"\nThey went back, therefore, to Sveinke, and told him the king's words;\nand also that the king had ordered him out of the country, and he should\nshow his obedience, since he had forgotten himself towards the king.\n\"It is for the honour of both that thou shouldst show obedience to the\nking.\"\nThen Sveinke said, \"There must be some great change if the king speaks\nagreeably to me; but why should I fly the country and my properties?\nListen now to what I say. It appears to me better to die upon my\nproperty than to fly from my udal estates. Tell the king that I will not\nstir from them even an arrow-flight.\"\nKolbjorn replied, \"This is scarcely prudent, or right; for it is\nbetter for one's own honour to give way to the best chief, than to make\nopposition to one's own loss. A gallant man succeeds wheresoever he\ngoes; and thou wilt be the more respected wheresoever thou art, with men\nof power, just because thou hast made head so boldly against so powerful\na chief. Hear our promises, and pay some attention to our errand. We\noffer thee to manage thy estates, and take them faithfully under our\nprotection; and also never, against thy will, to pay scat for thy land\nuntil thou comest back. We will pledge our lives and properties upon\nthis. Do not throw away good counsel from thee, and avoid thus the ill\nfortune of other good men.\"\nThen Sveinke was silent for a short time, and said at last, \"Your\nendeavours are wise; but I have my suspicions that ye are changing\na little the king's message. In consideration, however, of the great\ngood-will that ye show me, I will hold your advice in such respect that\nI will go out of the country for the whole winter, if, according to your\npromises, I can then retain my estates in peace. Tell the king, also,\nthese my words, that I do this on your account, not on his.\"\nThereupon they returned to the king, and said, that Sveinke left all in\nthe king's hands. \"But entreats you to have respect to his honour. He\nwill be away for three years, and then come back, if it be the king's\npleasure. Do this; let all things be done according to what is suitable\nfor the royal dignity and according to our entreaty, now that the matter\nis entirely in thy power, and we shall do all we can to prevent his\nreturning against thy will.\"\nThe king replied, \"Ye treat this matter like men, and, for your sakes,\nshall all things be as ye desire. Tell him so.\"\nThey thanked the king, and then went to Sveinke, and told him the\nking's gracious intentions. \"We will be glad,\" said they, \"if ye can\nbe reconciled. The king requires, indeed that thy absence shall be for\nthree years; but, if we know the truth rightly, we expect that before\nthat time he will find he cannot do without thee in this part of the\ncountry. It will be to thy own future honour, therefore, to agree to\nthis.\"\nSveinke replies, \"What condition is better than this? Tell the king that\nI shall not vex him longer with my presence here, and accept of my goods\nand estates on this condition.\"\nThereupon he went home with his men, and set off directly; for he had\nprepared everything beforehand. Kolbjorn remains behind, and makes\nready a feast for King Magnus, which also was thought of and prepared.\nSveinke, on the other hand, rides up to Gautland with all the men he\nthought proper to take with him. The king let himself be entertained in\nguest-quarters at his house, returned to Viken, and Sveinke's estates\nwere nominally the king's, but Kolbjorn had them under his charge. The\nking received guest-quarters in Viken, proceeded from thence northwards,\nand there was peace for a while; but now that the Elfgrims were without\na chief, marauding gangs infested them, and the king saw this eastern\npart of the kingdom would be laid waste. It appeared to him, therefore,\nmost suitable and advisable to make Sveinke himself oppose the stream,\nand twice he sent messages to him. But he did not stir until King Magnus\nhimself was south in Denmark, when Sveinke and the king met, and made\na full reconciliation; on which Sveinke returned home to his house and\nestates, and was afterwards King Magnus's best and trustiest friend,\nwho strengthened his kingdom on the eastern border; and their friendship\ncontinued as long as they lived.\n9. KING MAGNUS MAKES WAR ON THE SOUTHERN HEBUDES.\nKing Magnus undertook an expedition out of the country, with many fine\nmen and a good assortment of shipping. With this armament he sailed out\ninto the West sea, and first came to the Orkney Islands. There he took\nthe two earls, Paul and Erlend, prisoners, and sent them east to Norway,\nand placed his son Sigurd as chief over the islands, leaving some\ncounsellors to assist him. From thence King Magnus, with his followers,\nproceeded to the Southern Hebudes, and when he came there began to burn\nand lay waste the inhabited places, killing the people and plundering\nwherever he came with his men; and the country people fled in all\ndirections, some into Scotland-fjord, others south to Cantire, or out to\nIreland; some obtained life and safety by entering into his service. So\nsays Bjorn Krephende:--\n \"In Lewis Isle with fearful blaze\n The house-destroying fire plays;\n To hills and rocks the people fly,\n Fearing all shelter but the sky.\n In Uist the king deep crimson made\n The lightning of his glancing blade;\n The peasant lost his land and life\n Who dared to bide the Norseman's strife.\n The hunger battle-birds were filled\n In Skye with blood of foemen killed,\n And wolves on Tyree's lonely shore\n Dyed red their hairy jaws in gore.\n The men of Mull were tired of flight;\n The Scottish foemen would not fight,\n And many an island-girl's wail\n Was heard as through the isles we strife sail.\"\n10. OF LAGMAN, KING GUDROD'S SON.\nKing Magnus came with his forces to the Holy Island (Iona), and gave\npeace and safety to all men there. It is told that the king opened the\ndoor of the little Columb's Kirk there, but did not go in, but instantly\nlocked the door again, and said that no man should be so bold as to go\ninto that church hereafter; which has been the case ever since. From\nthence King Magnus sailed to Islay, where he plundered and burnt;\nand when he had taken that country he proceeded south around Cantire,\nmarauding on both sides in Scotland and Ireland, and advanced with his\nforay to Man, where he plundered. So says Bjorn Krephende:--\n \"On Sandey's plain our shield they spy:\n From Isla smoke rose heaven-high,\n Whirling up from the flashing blaze\n The king's men o'er the island raise.\n South of Cantire the people fled,\n Scared by our swords in blood dyed red,\n And our brave champion onward goes\n To meet in Man the Norseman's foes.\"\nLagman (Lawman) was the name of the son of Gudrod, king of the Hebudes.\nLawman was sent to defend the most northerly islands; but when King\nMagnus and his army came to the Hebudes, Lawman fled here and there\nabout the isles, and at last King Magnus's men took him and his ship's\ncrew as he was flying over to Ireland. The king put him in irons to\nsecure him. So says Bjorn Krephende:--\n \"To Gudrod's son no rock or cave,\n Shore-side or hill, a refuge gave;\n Hunted around from isle to isle,\n This Lawman found no safe asyle.\n From isle to isle, o'er firth and sound,\n Close on his track his foe he found.\n At Ness the Agder chief at length\n Seized him, and iron-chained his strength.\"\n11. OF THE FALL OF EARL HUGE THE BRAVE.\nAfterwards King Magnus sailed to Wales; and when he came to the sound of\nAnglesey there came against him an army from Wales, which was led by\ntwo earls--Hugo the brave, and Hugo the Stout. They began immediately to\ngive battle, and there was a severe conflict. King Magnus shot with the\nbow; but Huge the Brave was all over in armour, so that nothing was bare\nabout him excepting one eye. King Magnus let fly an arrow at him, as\nalso did a Halogaland man who was beside the king. They both shot at\nonce. The one shaft hit the nose-screen of the helmet, which was bent by\nit to one side, and the other arrow hit the earl's eye, and went through\nhis head; and that was found to be the king's. Earl Huge fell, and the\nBritons fled with the loss of many people. So says Bjorn Krephende:--\n \"The swinger of the sword\n Stood by Anglesey's ford;\n His quick shaft flew,\n And Huge slew.\n His sword gleamed a while\n O'er Anglesey Isle,\n And his Norsemen's band\n Scoured the Anglesey land.\"\nThere was also sung the following verse about it:--\n \"On the panzers arrows rattle,\n Where our Norse king stands in battle;\n From the helmets blood-streams flow,\n Where our Norse king draws his bow:\n His bowstring twangs,--its biting hail\n Rattles against the ring-linked mail.\n Up in the land in deadly strife\n Our Norse king took Earl Huge's life.\"\nKing Magnus gained the victory in this battle, and then took Anglesey\nIsle, which was the farthest south the Norway kings of former days had\never extended their rule. Anglesey is a third part of Wales. After\nthis battle King Magnus turned back with his fleet, and came first to\nScotland. Then men went between the Scottish king, Melkolm and King\nMagnus, and a peace was made between them; so that all the islands lying\nwest of Scotland, between which and the mainland he could pass in a\nvessel with her rudder shipped, should be held to belong to the king of\nNorway. Now when King Magnus came north to Cantire, he had a skiff\ndrawn over the strand at Cantire, and shipped the rudder of it. The\nking himself sat in the stern-sheets, and held the tiller; and thus he\nappropriated to himself the land that lay on the farboard side. Cantire\nis a great district, better than the best of the southern isles of the\nHebudes, excepting Man; and there is a small neck of land between it and\nthe mainland of Scotland, over which longships are often drawn.\n12. DEATH OF THE EARLS OF ORKNEY.\nKing Magnus was all the winter in the southern isles, and his men went\nover all the fjords of Scotland, rowing within all the inhabited and\nuninhabited isles, and took possession for the king of Norway of all\nthe islands west of Scotland. King Magnus contracted in marriage his son\nSigurd to Biadmynia, King Myrkjartan's daughter. Myrkjartan was a son of\nthe Irish king Thialfe, and ruled over Connaught. The summer after, King\nMagnus, with his fleet, returned east to Norway. Earl Erland died of\nsickness at Nidaros, and is buried there; and Earl Paul died in Bergen.\nSkopte Ogmundson, a grandson of Thorberg, was a gallant lenderman, who\ndwelt at Giske in Sunmore, and was married to Gudrun, a daughter of\nThord Folason. Their children were Ogmund, Fin, Thord, and Thora, who\nwas married to Asolf Skulason. Skopte's and Gudrun's sons were the most\npromising and popular men in their youth.\n13. QUARRELS OF KING MAGNUS AND KING INGE.\nSteinkel, the Swedish king, died about the same time (A.D. 1066) as the\ntwo Haralds fell, and the king who came after him in Svithjod was called\nHakon. Afterwards Inge, a son of Steinkel, was king, and was a good\nand powerful king, strong and stout beyond most men; and he was king of\nSvithjod when King Magnus was king of Norway. King Magnus insisted that\nthe boundaries of the countries in old times had been so, that the\nGaut river divided the kingdoms of the Swedish and Norwegian kings, but\nafterwards the Vener lake up to Vermaland. Thus King Magnus insisted\nthat he was owner of all the places lying west of the Vener lake up\nto Vermaland, which are the districts of Sundal, Nordal, Vear, and\nVardyniar, with all the woods belonging thereto. But these had for a\nlong time been under the Swedish dominion, and with respect to scat were\njoined to West Gautland; and, besides, the forest-settlers preferred\nbeing under the Swedish king. King Magnus rode from Viken up to Gautland\nwith a great and fine army, and when he came to the forest-settlements\nhe plundered and burnt all round; on which the people submitted, and\ntook the oath of fidelity to him. When he came to the Vener lake,\nautumn was advanced and he went out to the island Kvaldinsey, and made\na stronghold of turf and wood, and dug a ditch around it. When the work\nwas finished, provisions and other necessaries that might be required\nwere brought to it. The king left in it 300 men, who were the chosen of\nhis forces, and Fin Skoptason and Sigurd Ulstreng as their commanders.\nThe king himself returned to Viken.\n14. OF THE NORTHMEN.\nWhen the Swedish king heard this he drew together people, and the report\ncame that he would ride against these Northmen; but there was delay\nabout his riding, and the Northmen made these lines:--\n \"The fat-hipped king, with heavy sides,\n Finds he must mount before he rides.\"\nBut when the ice set in upon the Vener lake King Inge rode down, and had\nnear 300 men with him. He sent a message to the Northmen who sat in the\nburgh that they might retire with all the booty they had taken, and go\nto Norway. When the messengers brought this message, Sigurd Ulstreng\nreplied to it; saying that King Inge must take the trouble to come, if\nhe wished to drive them away like cattle out of a grass field, and said\nhe must come nearer if he wished them to remove. The messengers returned\nwith this answer to the king, who then rode out with all his army to\nthe island, and again sent a message to the Northmen that they might\ngo away, taking with them their weapons, clothes, and horses; but\nmust leave behind all their booty. This they refused. The king made an\nassault upon them, and they shot at each other. Then the king ordered\ntimber and stones to be collected, and he filled up the ditch; and\nthen he fastened anchors to long spars which were brought up to the\ntimber-walls, and, by the strength of many hands, the walls were broken\ndown. Thereafter a large pile of wood was set on fire, and the lighted\nbrands were flung in among them. Then the Northmen asked for quarter.\nThe king ordered them to go out without weapons or cloaks. As they went\nout each of them received a stroke with a whip, and then they set off\nfor Norway, and all the forest-men submitted again to King Inge. Sigurd\nand his people went to King Magnus, and told him their misfortune.\n15. KING MAGNUS AND GIPARDE.\nWhen King Magnus was east in Viken, there came to him a foreigner called\nGiparde. He gave himself out for a good knight, and offered his services\nto King Magnus; for he understood that in the king's dominions there was\nsomething to be done. The king received him well. At that time the\nking was preparing to go to Gautland, on which country the king had\npretensions; and besides he would repay the Gautland people the disgrace\nthey had occasioned him in spring, when he was obliged to fly from\nthem. He had then a great force in arms, and the West Gautlanders in the\nnorthern districts submitted to him. He set up his camp on the borders,\nintending to make a foray from thence. When King Inge heard of this\nhe collected troops, and hastened to oppose King Magnus; and when King\nMagnus heard of this expedition, many of the chiefs of the people urged\nhim to turn back; but this the king would not listen to, but in the\nnight time went unsuspectedly against the Swedish king. They met at\nFoxerne; and when he was drawing up his men in battle order he asked,\n\"Where is Giparde?\" but he was not to be found. Then the king made these\nverses:--\n \"Cannot the foreign knight abide\n Our rough array?--where does he hide?\"\nThen a skald who followed the king replied:--\n \"The king asks where the foreign knight\n In our array rides to the fight:\n Giparde the knight rode quite away\n When our men joined in bloody fray.\n When swords were wet the knight was slow\n With his bay horse in front to go;\n The foreign knight could not abide\n Our rough array, and went to hide.\"\nThere was a great slaughter, and after the battle the field was covered\nwith the Swedes slain, and King Inge escaped by flight. King Magnus\ngained a great victory. Then came Giparde riding down from the country,\nand people did not speak well of him for not being in the fight. He went\naway, and proceeded westward to England; and the voyage was stormy, and\nGiparde lay in bed. There was an Iceland man called Eldjarn, who went to\nbale out the water in the ship's hold, and when he saw where Giparde was\nlying he made this verse:--\n \"Does it beseem a courtman bold\n Here to be dozing in the hold?\n The bearded knight should danger face:\n The leak gains on our ship apace.\n Here, ply this bucket! bale who can;\n We need the work of every man.\n Our sea-horse stands full to the breast,--\n Sluggards and cowards must not rest.\"\nWhen they came west to England, Giparde said the Northmen had slandered\nhim. A meeting was appointed, and a count came to it, and the case was\nbrought before him for trial. He said he was not much acquainted with\nlaw cases, as he was but young, and had only been a short time in\noffice; and also, of all things, he said what he least understood to\njudge about was poetry. \"But let us hear what it was.\" Then Eldjarn\nsang:--\n \"I heard that in the bloody fight\n Giparde drove all our foes to flight:\n Brave Giparde would the foe abide,\n While all our men ran off to hide.\n At Foxerne the fight was won\n By Giparde's valour all alone;\n Where Giparde fought, alone was he;\n Not one survived to fight or flee.\"\nThen said the count, \"Although I know but little about skald-craft,\nI can hear that this is no slander, but rather the highest praise and\nhonour.\" Giparde could say nothing against it, yet he felt it was a\nmockery.\n16. BATTLE OF FOXERNE.\nThe spring after, as soon as the ice broke up, King Magnus, with a great\narmy, sailed eastwards to the Gaut river, and went up the eastern arm of\nit, laying waste all that belonged to the Swedish dominions. When they\ncame to Foxerne they landed from their vessels; but as they came over\na river on their way an army of Gautland people came against them,\nand there was immediately a great battle, in which the Northmen were\noverwhelmed by numbers, driven to flight, and many of them killed near\nto a waterfall. King Magnus fled, and the Gautlanders pursued, and\nkilled those they could get near. King Magnus was easily known. He was\na very stout man, and had a red short cloak over him, and bright yellow\nhair like silk that fell over his shoulders. Ogmund Skoptason, who was\na tall and handsome man, rode on one side of the king. He said, \"Sire,\ngive me that cloak.\"\nThe king said, \"What would you do with it?\"\n\"I would like to have it,\" said Ogmund; \"and you have given me greater\ngifts, sire.\"\nThe road was such that there were great and wide plains, so that the\nGautlanders and Northmen were always in sight of each other, unless\nwhere clumps of wood and bushes concealed them from each other now and\nthen. The king gave Ogmund the cloak and he put it on. When they came\nout again upon the plain ground, Ogmund and his people rode off right\nacross the road. The Gautlanders, supposing this must be the king, rode\nall after him, and the king proceeded to the ships. Ogmund escaped with\ngreat difficulty; however, he reached the ships at last in safety. King\nMagnus then sailed down the river, and proceeded north to Viken.\n17. MEETING OF THE KINGS AT THE GAUT RIVER.\nThe following summer a meeting of the kings was agreed upon at Konghelle\non the Gaut river; and King Magnus, the Swedish king, Inge, and the\nDanish king, Eirik Sveinson, all met there, after giving each other safe\nconduct to the meeting. Now when the Thing had sat down the kings went\nforward upon the plain, apart from the rest of the people, and they\ntalked with each other a little while. Then they returned to their\npeople, and a treaty was brought about, by which each should possess the\ndominions his forefathers had held before him; but each should make good\nto his own men the waste and manslaughter suffered by them, and then\nthey should agree between themselves about settling this with each\nother. King Magnus should marry King Inge's daughter Margaret, who\nafterwards was called Peace-offering. This was proclaimed to the people;\nand thus, within a little hour, the greatest enemies were made the best\nof friends.\nIt was observed by the people that none had ever seen men with more\nof the air of chiefs than these had. King Inge was the largest and\nstoutest, and, from his age, of the most dignified appearance. King\nMagnus appeared the most gallant and brisk, and King Eirik the most\nhandsome. But they were all handsome men; stout, gallant, and ready in\nspeech. After this was settled they parted.\n18. KING MAGNUS'S MARRIAGE.\nKing Magnus got Margaret, King Inge's daughter, as above related; and\nshe was sent from Svithjod to Norway with an honourable retinue. King\nMagnus had some children before, whose names shall here be given. The\none of his sons who was of a mean mother was called Eystein; the other,\nwho was a year younger, was called Sigurd, and his mother's name was\nThora. Olaf was the name of a third son, who was much younger than the\ntwo first mentioned, and whose mother was Sigrid, a daughter of Saxe of\nVik, who was a respectable man in the Throndhjem country; she was the\nking's concubine. People say that when King Magnus came home from\nhis viking cruise to the Western countries, he and many of his people\nbrought with them a great deal of the habits and fashion of clothing of\nthose western parts. They went about on the streets with bare legs,\nand had short kirtles and over-cloaks; and therefore his men called\nhim Magnus Barefoot or Bareleg. Some called him Magnus the Tall, others\nMagnus the Strife-lover. He was distinguished among other men by his\ntall stature. The mark of his height is put down in Mary church, in the\nmerchant town of Nidaros, which King Harald built. In the northern door\nthere were cut into the wall three crosses, one for Harald's stature,\none for Olaf's, and one for Magnus's; and which crosses each of them\ncould with the greatest ease kiss. The upper was Harald's cross; the\nlowest was Magnus's; and Olaf's was in the middle, about equally distant\nfrom both.\nIt is said that Magnus composed the following verses about the emperor's\ndaughter:--\n \"The ring of arms where blue swords gleam,\n The battle-shout, the eagle's scream,\n The Joy of war, no more can please:\n Matilda is far o'er the seas.\n My sword may break, my shield be cleft,\n Of land or life I may be reft;\n Yet I could sleep, but for one care,--\n One, o'er the seas, with light-brown hair.\"\nHe also composed the following:--\n \"The time that breeds delay feels long,\n The skald feels weary of his song;\n What sweetens, brightens, eases life?\n 'Tis a sweet-smiling lovely wife.\n My time feels long in Thing affairs,\n In Things my loved one ne'er appears.\n The folk full-dressed, while I am sad,\n Talk and oppose--can I be glad?\"\nWhen King Magnus heard the friendly words the emperor's daughter had\nspoken about him--that she had said such a man as King Magnus was\nappeared to her an excellent man, he composed the following:--\n \"The lover hears,--across the sea,\n A favouring word was breathed to me.\n The lovely one with light-brown hair\n May trust her thoughts to senseless air;\n Her thoughts will find like thoughts in me;\n And though my love I cannot see,\n Affection's thoughts fly in the wind,\n And meet each other, true and kind.\"\n19. OF THE QUARREL OF KING MAGNUS AND SKOPTE.\nSkopte Ogmundson came into variance with King Magnus, and they\nquarrelled about the inheritance of a deceased person which Skopte\nretained; but the king demanded it with so much earnestness, that it had\na dangerous appearance. Many meetings were held about the affair,\nand Skopte took the resolution that he and his son should never put\nthemselves into the king's power at the same time; and besides there was\nno necessity to do so. When Skopte was with the king he represented to\nhim that there was relationship between the king and him; and also\nthat he, Skopte, had always been the king's friend, and his father's\nlikewise, and that their friendship had never been shaken. He added,\n\"People might know that I have sense enough not to hold a strife, sire,\nwith you, if I was wrong in what I asked; but it is inherited from my\nancestors to defend my rights against any man, without distinction of\npersons.\" The king was just the same on this point, and his resolution\nwas by no means softened by such a speech. Then Skopte went home.\n20. FIN SKOPTASON'S PROCEEDINGS.\nThen Fin Skoptason went to the king, spoke with him, and entreated\nhim to render justice to the father and son in this business. The king\nanswers angrily and sharply. Then said Fin, \"I expected something else,\nsire, from you, than that you would use the law's vexations against\nme when I took my seat in Kvaldinsey Island, which few of your other\nfriends would do; as they said, what was true, that those who were left\nthere were deserted and doomed to death, if King Inge had not shown\ngreater generosity to us than you did; although many consider that we\nbrought shame and disgrace only from thence.\" The king was not to be\nmoved by this speech, and Fin returned home.\n21. OGMUND SKOPTASON'S PROCEEDINGS.\nThen came Ogmund Skoptason to the king; and when he came before him he\nproduced his errand, and begged the king to do what was right and proper\ntowards him and his father. The king insisted that the right was on his\nside, and said they were \"particularly impudent.\"\nThen said Ogmund, \"It is a very easy thing for thee, having the power,\nto do me and my father injustice; and I must say the old proverb is\ntrue, that one whose life you save gives none, or a very bad return.\nThis I shall add, that never again shall I come into thy service; nor\nmy father, if I can help it.\" Then Ogmund went home, and they never saw\neach other again.\n22. SKOPTE OGMUNDSON'S VOYAGE ABROAD.\nThe spring after, Skopte Ogmundson made ready to travel out of the\ncountry. They had five long-ships all well equipped. His sons, Ogmund,\nFin, and Thord, accompanied him on this journey. It was very late before\nthey were ready, and in autumn they went over to Flanders, and wintered\nthere. Early in spring they sailed westward to Valland, and stayed there\nall summer. Then they sailed further, and through Norvasund; and came\nin autumn to Rome, where Skopte died. All, both father and sons, died\non this journey. Thord, who died in Sicily, lived the longest. It is a\ncommon saying among the people that Skopte was the first Northman who\nsailed through Norvasund; and this voyage was much celebrated.\n23. MIRACLE OF KING OLAF THE SAINT AT A FIRE.\nIt happened once in the merchant town (Nidaros) where King Olaf reposes,\nthat there broke out a fire in the town which spread around. Then\nOlaf's shrine was taken out of the church, and set up opposite the fire.\nThereupon came a crazy foolish man, struck the shrine, threatened the\nholy saint, and said all must be consumed by the flames, both churches\nand other houses, if he did not save them by his prayers. Now the\nburning of the church did cease, by the help of Almighty God; but the\ninsane man got sore eyes on the following night, and he lay there until\nKing Olaf entreated God Almighty to be merciful to him; after which he\nrecovered in the same church.\n24. MIRACLE OF KING OLAF ON A LAME WOMAN.\nIt happened once in the merchant town that a woman was brought to the\nplace where the holy King Olaf reposes. She was so miserably shaped,\nthat she was altogether crumpled up; so that both her feet lay in a\ncircle against her loins. But as she was diligent in her prayers, often\nweeping and making vows to King Olaf, he cured her great infirmities; so\nthat feet, legs, and other limbs straightened, and every limb and part\ncame to the right use for which they were made. Before she could not\ncreep there, and now she went away active and brisk to her family and\nhome.\n25. WAR IN IRELAND.\nWhen King Magnus had been nine years king of Norway (A.D. 1094-1102), he\nequipped himself to go out of the country with a great force. He sailed\nout into the West sea with the finest men who could be got in Norway.\nAll the powerful men of the country followed him; such as Sigurd\nHranason, Vidkun Jonson, Dag Eilifson, Serk of Sogn, Eyvind Olboge, the\nking's marshal Ulf Hranason, brother of Sigurd, and many other great\nmen. With all this armament the king sailed west to the Orkney Islands,\nfrom whence he took with him Earl Erlend's sons, Magnus and Erling,\nand then sailed to the southern Hebudes. But as he lay under the Scotch\nland, Magnus Erlendson ran away in the night from the king's ship, swam\nto the shore, escaped into the woods, and came at last to the Scotch\nking's court. King Magnus sailed to Ireland with his fleet, and\nplundered there. King Myrkjartan came to his assistance, and they\nconquered a great part of the country, both Dublin and Dyflinnarskire\n(Dublin shire). King Magnus was in winter (A.D. 1102) up in Connaught\nwith King Myrkjartan, but set men to defend the country he had taken.\nTowards spring both kings went westward with their army all the way\nto Ulster, where they had many battles, subdued the country, and had\nconquered the greatest part of Ulster when Myrkjartan returned home to\nConnaught.\n26. KING MAGNUS'S FORAY ON THE LAND.\nKing Magnus rigged his ships, and intended returning to Norway, but set\nhis men to defend the country of Dublin. He lay at Ulster ready for\nsea with his whole fleet. As they thought they needed cattle for\nship-provision, King Magnus sent a message to King Myrkjartan, telling\nhim to send some cattle for slaughter; and appointed the day before\nBartholomew's day as the day they should arrive, if the messengers\nreached him in safety; but the cattle had not made their appearance the\nevening before Bartholomew's mass. On the mass-day itself, when the sun\nrose in the sky, King Magnus went on shore himself with the greater part\nof his men, to look after his people, and to carry off cattle from the\ncoast. The weather was calm, the sun shone, and the road lay through\nmires and mosses, and there were paths cut through; but there was\nbrushwood on each side of the road. When they came somewhat farther,\nthey reached a height from which they had a wide view. They saw from\nit a great dust rising up the country, as of horsemen, and they said\nto each other, \"That must be the Irish army;\" but others said, \"It was\ntheir own men returning with the cattle.\" They halted there; and Eyvind\nOlboge said, \"How, sire, do you intend to direct the march? The men\nthink we are advancing imprudently. You know the Irish are treacherous;\nthink, therefore, of a good counsel for your men.\" Then the king said,\n\"Let us draw up our men, and be ready, if there be treachery.\" This was\ndone, and the king and Eyvind went before the line. King Magnus had a\nhelmet on his head; a red shield, in which was inlaid a gilded lion;\nand was girt with the sword of Legbit, of which the hilt was of tooth\n(ivory), and handgrip wound about with gold thread; and the sword was\nextremely sharp. In his hand he had a short spear, and a red silk short\ncloak, over his coat, on which, both before and behind, was embroidered\na lion in yellow silk; and all men acknowledged that they never had\nseen a brisker, statelier man. Eyvind had also a red silk cloak like the\nking's; and he also was a stout, handsome, warlike man.\n27. FALL OF KING MAGNUS.\nWhen the dust-cloud approached nearer they knew their own men, who were\ndriving the cattle. The Irish king had been faithful to the promises he\nhad given the king, and had sent them. Thereupon they all turned towards\nthe ships, and it was mid-day. When they came to the mires they went\nbut slowly over the boggy places; and then the Irish started up on every\nside against them from every bushy point of land, and the battle began\ninstantly. The Northmen were going divided in various heaps, so that\nmany of them fell.\nThen said Eyvind to the king, \"Unfortunate is this march to our people,\nand we must instantly hit upon some good plan.\"\nThe king answered, \"Call all the men together with the war-horns under\nthe banner, and the men who are here shall make a rampart with their\nshields, and thus we will retreat backwards out of the mires; and we\nwill clear ourselves fast enough when we get upon firm ground.\"\nThe Irish shot boldly; and although they fell in crowds, there came\nalways two in the place of one. Now when the king had come to the\nnearest ditch there was a very difficult crossing, and few places were\npassable; so that many Northmen fell there. Then the king called to his\nlenderman Thorgrim Skinhufa, who was an Upland man, and ordered him to\ngo over the ditch with his division. \"We shall defend you,\" said he, \"in\nthe meantime, so that no harm shall come to you. Go out then to those\nholms, and shoot at them from thence; for ye are good bowmen.\"\nWhen Thorgrim and his men came over the ditch they cast their shields\nbehind their backs, and set off to the ships.\nWhen the king saw this, he said, \"Thou art deserting thy king in an\nunmanly way. I was foolish in making thee a lenderman, and driving\nSigurd Hund out of the country; for never would he have behaved so.\"\nKing Magnus received a wound, being pierced by a spear through both\nthighs above the knees. The king laid hold of the shaft between his\nlegs, broke the spear in two, and said, \"Thus we break spear-shafts,\nmy lads; let us go briskly on. Nothing hurts me.\" A little after King\nMagnus was struck in the neck with an Irish axe, and this was his\ndeath-wound. Then those who were behind fled. Vidkun Jonson instantly\nkilled the man who had given the king his death-wound, and fled, after\nhaving received three wounds; but brought the king's banner and the\nsword Legbit to the ships. Vidkun was the last man who fled; the other\nnext to him was Sigurd Hranason, and the third before him, Dag Eilifson.\nThere fell with King Magnus, Eyvind Olboge, Ulf Hranason, and many other\ngreat people. Many of the Northmen fell, but many more of the Irish.\nThe Northmen who escaped sailed away immediately in autumn. Erling, Earl\nErlend's'son, fell with King Magnus in Ireland; but the men who fled\nfrom Ireland came to the Orkney Islands. Now when King Sigurd heard that\nhis father had fallen, he set off immediately, leaving the Irish king's\ndaughter behind, and proceeded in autumn with the whole fleet directly\nto Norway.\n28. OF KING MAGNUS AND VIDKUN JONSON.\nKing Magnus was ten years king of Norway (A.D. 1094-1105), and in his\ndays there was good peace kept within the country; but the people were\nsorely oppressed with levies. King Magnus was beloved by his men, but\nthe bondes thought him harsh. The words have been transmitted from him\nthat he said when his friends observed that he proceeded incautiously\nwhen he was on his expeditions abroad,--\"The kings are made for honour,\nnot for long life.\" King Magnus was nearly thirty years of age when he\nfell. Vidkun did not fly until he had killed the man who gave the king\nhis mortal wound, and for this cause King Magnus's sons had him in the\nmost affectionate regard.\nSAGA OF SIGURD THE CRUSADER AND HIS BROTHERS EYSTEIN AND OLAF.\nPRELIMINARY REMARKS.\n\"Agrip\", \"Fagrskinna\", and \"Morkinskinna\" more or less complete the\nstory of the sons of Magnus. They contain some things omitted by Snorre,\nwhile, on the other hand, some facts related by Snorre are not found in\nthe above sources.\nThjodrek the Monk tells of Sigurd that he made a Journey to Jerusalem,\nconquered many heathen cities, and among them Sidon; that he captured\na cave defended by robbers, received presents from Baldwin, returned to\nNorway in Eystein's lifetime, and became insane, as a result, as some\nsay, of a poisonous drink.\nThe three brothers became kings in the year A.D. 1103. Olaf died 1115,\nEystein 1122 or 1123, Sigurd 1130.\nSkalds quoted in this saga are: Thorarin Stutfeld, Einar Skulason,\nHaldor Skvaldre, and Arne Fjoruskeif.\n1. BEGINNING OF THE REIGN OF KING MAGNUS'S SONS.\nAfter King Magnus Barefoot's fall, his sons, Eystein, Sigurd, and Olaf,\ntook the kingdom of Norway. Eystein got the northern, and Sigurd the\nsouthern part of the country. King Olaf was then four or five years old,\nand the third part of the country which he had was under the management\nof his two brothers. King Sigurd was chosen king when he was thirteen or\nfourteen years old, and Eystein was a year older. King Sigurd left\nwest of the sea the Irish king's daughter. When King Magnus's sons were\nchosen kings, the men who had followed Skopte Ogmundson returned home.\nSome had been to Jerusalem, some to Constantinople; and there they had\nmade themselves renowned, and they had many kinds of novelties to talk\nabout. By these extraordinary tidings many men in Norway were incited to\nthe same expedition; and it was also told that the Northmen who liked to\ngo into the military service at Constantinople found many opportunities\nof getting property. Then these Northmen desired much that one of the\ntwo kings, either Eystein or Sigurd, should go as commander of the troop\nwhich was preparing for this expedition. The kings agreed to this, and\ncarried on the equipment at their common expense. Many great men, both\nof the lendermen and bondes, took part in this enterprise; and when all\nwas ready for the journey it was determined that Sigurd should go,\nand Eystein in the meantime, should rule the kingdom upon their joint\naccount.\n2. OF THE EARLS OF ORKNEY.\nA year or two after King Magnus Barefoot's fall, Hakon, a son of Earl\nPaul, came from Orkney. The kings gave him the earldom and government\nof the Orkney Islands, as the earls before him, his father Paul or\nhis Uncle Erland, had possessed it; and Earl Hakon then sailed back\nimmediately to Orkney.\n3. KING SIGURD'S JOURNEY OUT OF THE COUNTRY.\nFour years after the fall of King Magnus (A.D. 1107), King Sigurd sailed\nwith his people from Norway. He had then sixty ships. So says Thorarin\nStutfeld:--\n \"A young king just and kind,\n People of loyal mind:\n Such brave men soon agree,--\n To distant lands they sail with glee.\n To the distant Holy Land\n A brave and pious band,\n Magnificent and gay,\n In sixty long-ships glide away.\"\nKing Sigurd sailed in autumn to England, where Henry, son of William the\nBastard, was then king, and Sigurd remained with him all winter. So says\nEinar Skulason:--\n \"The king is on the waves!\n The storm he boldly braves.\n His ocean-steed,\n With winged speed,\n O'er the white-flashing surges,\n To England's coast he urges;\n And there he stays the winter o'er:\n More gallant king ne'er trod that shore.\"\n4. OF KING SIGURD'S JOURNEY.\nIn spring King Sigurd and his fleet sailed westward to Valland (A.D.\n1108), and in autumn came to Galicia, where he stayed the second winter\n(A.D. 1109). So says Einar Skulason:--\n \"Our king, whose land so wide\n No kingdom stands beside,\n In Jacob's land next winter spent,\n On holy things intent;\n And I have heard the royal youth\n Cut off an earl who swerved from truth.\n Our brave king will endure no ill,--\n The hawks with him will get their fill.\"\nIt went thus:--The earl who ruled over the land made an agreement with\nKing Sigurd, that he should provide King Sigurd and his men a market at\nwhich they could purchase victuals all the winter; but this he did not\nfulfil longer than to about Yule. It began then to be difficult to get\nfood and necessaries, for it is a poor barren land. Then King Sigurd\nwith a great body of men went against a castle which belonged to the\nearl; and the earl fled from it, having but few people. King Sigurd took\nthere a great deal of victuals and of other booty, which he put on board\nof his ships, and then made ready and proceeded westward to Spain. It so\nfell out, as the king was sailing past Spain, that some vikings who were\ncruising for plunder met him with a fleet of galleys, and King Sigurd\nattacked them. This was his first battle with heathen men; and he won\nit, and took eight galleys from them. So says Haldor Skvaldre:--\n \"Bold vikings, not slow\n To the death-fray to go,\n Meet our Norse king by chance,\n And their galleys advance.\n The bold vikings lost\n Many a man of their host,\n And eight galleys too,\n With cargo and crew.\"\nThereafter King Sigurd sailed against a castle called Sintre and fought\nanother battle. This castle is in Spain, and was occupied by many\nheathens, who from thence plundered Christian people. King Sigurd took\nthe castle, and killed every man in it, because they refused to be\nbaptized; and he got there an immense booty. So says Haldor Skvaldre:--\n \"From Spain I have much news to tell\n Of what our generous king befell.\n And first he routs the viking crew,\n At Cintra next the heathens slew;\n The men he treated as God's foes,\n Who dared the true faith to oppose.\n No man he spared who would not take\n The Christian faith for Jesus' sake.\"\n5. LISBON TAKEN.\nAfter this King Sigurd sailed with his fleet to Lisbon, which is a\ngreat city in Spain, half Christian and half heathen; for there lies\nthe division between Christian Spain and heathen Spain, and all the\ndistricts which lie west of the city are occupied by heathens. There\nKing Sigurd had his third battle with the heathens, and gained the\nvictory, and with it a great booty. So says Haldor Skvaldre:--\n \"The son of kings on Lisbon's plains\n A third and bloody battle gains.\n He and his Norsemen boldly land,\n Running their stout ships on the strand.\"\nThen King Sigurd sailed westwards along heathen Spain, and brought up\nat a town called Alkasse; and here he had his fourth battle with the\nheathens, and took the town, and killed so many people that the town\nwas left empty. They got there also immense booty. So says Haldor\nSkvaldre:--\n \"A fourth great battle, I am told,\n Our Norse king and his people hold\n At Alkasse; and here again\n The victory fell to our Norsemen.\"\nAnd also this verse:--\n \"I heard that through the town he went,\n And heathen widows' wild lament\n Resounded in the empty halls;\n For every townsman flies or falls.\"\n6. BATTLE IN THE ISLAND FORMINTERRA.\nKing Sigurd then proceeded on his voyage, and came to Norfasund; and\nin the sound he was met by a large viking force, and the king gave them\nbattle; and this was his fifth engagement with heathens since the\ntime he left Norway. He gained the victory here also. So says Haldor\nSkvaldre:--\n \"Ye moistened your dry swords with blood,\n As through Norfasund ye stood;\n The screaming raven got a feast,\n As ye sailed onward to the East.\"\nKing Sigurd then sailed eastward along the coast of Serkland, and came\nto an island there called Forminterra. There a great many heathen Moors\nhad taken up their dwelling in a cave, and had built a strong stone wall\nbefore its mouth. They harried the country all round, and carried all\ntheir booty to their cave. King Sigurd landed on this island, and went\nto the cave; but it lay in a precipice, and there was a high winding\npath to the stone wall, and the precipice above projected over it. The\nheathens defended the stone wall, and were not afraid of the Northmen's\narms; for they could throw stones, or shoot down upon the Northmen under\ntheir feet; neither did the Northmen, under such circumstances, dare\nto mount up. The heathens took their clothes and other valuable things,\ncarried them out upon the wall, spread them out before the Northmen,\nshouted, and defied them, and upbraided them as cowards. Then Sigurd\nfell upon this plan. He had two ship's boats, such as we call barks,\ndrawn up the precipice right above the mouth of the cave; and had thick\nropes fastened around the stem, stern, and hull of each. In these boats\nas many men went as could find room, and then the boats were lowered\nby the ropes down in front of the mouth of the cave; and the men in the\nboats shot with stones and missiles into the cave, and the heathens were\nthus driven from the stone wall. Then Sigurd with his troops climbed\nup the precipice to the foot of the stone wall, which they succeeded in\nbreaking down, so that they came into the cave. Now the heathens fled\nwithin the stone wall that was built across the cave; on which the king\nordered large trees to be brought to the cave, made a great pile in the\nmouth of it, and set fire to the wood. When the fire and smoke got the\nupper hand, some of the heathens lost their lives in it; some fled; some\nfell by the hands of the Northmen; and part were killed, part burned;\nand the Northmen made the greatest booty they had got on all their\nexpeditions. So says Halder Skvaldre:--\n \"Forminterra lay\n In the victor's way;\n His ships' stems fly\n To victory.\n The bluemen there\n Must fire bear,\n And Norsemen's steel\n At their hearts feel.\"\nAnd also thus:--\n \"'Twas a feat of renown,--\n The boat lowered down,\n With a boat's crew brave,\n In front of the cave;\n While up the rock scaling,\n And comrades up trailing,\n The Norsemen gain,\n And the bluemen are slain.\"\nAnd also Thorarin Stutfeld says:--\n \"The king's men up the mountain's side\n Drag two boats from the ocean's tide;\n The two boats lay,\n Like hill-wolves grey.\n Now o'er the rock in ropes they're swinging\n Well manned, and death to bluemen bringing;\n They hang before\n The robber's door.\"\n7. OF THE BATTLES OF IVIZA AND MINORCA.\nThereafter King Sigurd proceeded on his expedition, and came to an\nisland called Iviza (Ivica), and had there his seventh battle, and\ngained a victory. So says Haldor Skvaldre:--\n \"His ships at Ivica now ride,\n The king's, whose fame spreads far and wide;\n And hear the bearers of the shield\n Their arms again in battle wield.\"\nThereafter King Sigurd came to an island called Manork (Minorca), and\nheld there his eighth battle with heathen men, and gained the victory.\nSo says Haldor Skvaldre:--\n \"On green Minorca's plains\n The eighth battle now he gains:\n Again the heathen foe\n Falls at the Norse king's blow.\"\n8. DUKE ROGER MADE A KING.\nIn spring King Sigurd came to Sicily (A.D. 1109), and remained a long\ntime there. There was then a Duke Roger in Sicily, who received the king\nkindly, and invited him to a feast. King Sigurd came to it with a great\nretinue, and was splendidly entertained. Every day Duke Roger stood at\nthe company's table, doing service to the king; but the seventh day of\nthe feast, when the people had come to table, and had wiped their hands,\nKing Sigurd took the duke by the hand, led him up to the high-seat, and\nsaluted him with the title of king; and gave the right that there should\nbe always a king over the dominion of Sicily, although before there had\nonly been earls or dukes over that country.\n9. OF KING ROGER.\nKing Roger of Sicily was a very great king. He won and subdued all\nApulia, and many large islands besides in the Greek sea; and therefore\nhe was called Roger the Great. His son was William, king of Sicily, who\nfor a long time had great hostility with the emperor of Constantinople.\nKing William had three daughters, but no son. One of his daughters he\nmarried to the Emperor Henry, a son of the Emperor Frederik; and their\nson was Frederik, who for a short time after was emperor of Rome. His\nsecond daughter was married to the Duke of Kipr. The third daughter,\nMargaret, was married to the chief of the corsairs; but the Emperor\nHenry killed both these brothers-in-law. The daughter of Roger\nthe Great, king of Sicily, was married to the Emperor Manuel of\nConstantinople; and their son was the Emperor Kirjalax.\n10. KING SIGURD'S EXPEDITION TO PALESTINE.\nIn the summer (A.D. 1110) King Sigurd sailed across the Greek sea to\nPalestine, and thereupon went up to Jerusalem, where he met Baldwin,\nking of Palestine. King Baldwin received him particularly well, and rode\nwith him all the way to the river Jordan, and then back to the city of\nJerusalem. Einar Skulason speaks thus of it:--\n \"Good reason has the skald to sing\n The generous temper of the king,\n Whose sea-cold keel from northern waves\n Ploughs the blue sea that green isles laves.\n At Acre scarce were we made fast,\n In holy ground our anchors cast,\n When the king made a joyful morn\n To all who toil with him had borne.\"\nAnd again he made these lines:--\n \"To Jerusalem he came,\n He who loves war's noble game,\n (The skald no greater monarch finds\n Beneath the heaven's wide hall of winds)\n All sin and evil from him flings\n In Jordan's wave: for all his sins\n (Which all must praise) he pardon wins.\"\nKing Sigurd stayed a long time in the land of Jerusalem (Jorsalaland) in\nautumn, and in the beginning of winter.\n11. SIDON TAKEN.\nKing Baldwin made a magnificent feast for King Sigurd and many of his\npeople, and gave him many holy relics. By the orders of King Baldwin\nand the patriarch, there was taken a splinter off the holy cross; and\non this holy relic both made oath, that this wood was of the holy cross\nupon which God Himself had been tortured. Then this holy relic was given\nto King Sigurd; with the condition that he, and twelve other men with\nhim, should swear to promote Christianity with all his power, and erect\nan archbishop's seat in Norway if he could; and also that the cross\nshould be kept where the holy King Olaf reposed, and that he should\nintroduce tithes, and also pay them himself. After this King Sigurd\nreturned to his ships at Acre; and then King Baldwin prepared to go to\nSyria, to a heathen town called Saet. On this expedition King Sigurd\naccompanied him, and after the kings had besieged the town some time it\nsurrendered, and they took possession of it, and of a great treasure of\nmoney; and their men found other booty. King Sigurd made a present of\nhis share to King Baldwin. So say Haldor Skvaldre:--\n \"He who for wolves provides the feast\n Seized on the city in the East,\n The heathen nest; and honour drew,\n And gold to give, from those he slew.\"\nEinar Skulason also tells of it:--\n \"The Norsemen's king, the skalds relate,\n Has ta'en the heathen town of Saet:\n The slinging engine with dread noise\n Gables and roofs with stones destroys.\n The town wall totters too,--it falls;\n The Norsemen mount the blackened walls.\n He who stains red the raven's bill\n Has won,--the town lies at his will.\"\nThereafter King Sigurd went to his ships and made ready to leave\nPalestine. They sailed north to the island Cyprus; and King Sigurd\nstayed there a while, and then went to the Greek country, and came\nto the land with all his fleet at Engilsnes. Here he lay still for a\nfortnight, although every day it blew a breeze for going before the wind\nto the north; but Sigurd would wait a side wind, so that the sails might\nstretch fore and aft in the ship; for in all his sails there was silk\njoined in, before and behind in the sail, and neither those before nor\nthose behind the ships could see the slightest appearance of this, if\nthe vessel was before the wind; so they would rather wait a side wind.\n12. SIGURD'S EXPEDITION TO CONSTANTINOPLE.\nWhen King Sigurd sailed into Constantinople, he steered near the land.\nOver all the land there are burghs, castles, country towns, the one upon\nthe other without interval. There from the land one could see into the\nbights of the sails; and the sails stood so close beside each other,\nthat they seemed to form one enclosure. All the people turned out to see\nKing Sigurd sailing past. The Emperor Kirjalax had also heard of King\nSigurd's expedition, and ordered the city port of Constantinople to be\nopened, which is called the Gold Tower, through which the emperor rides\nwhen he has been long absent from Constantinople, or has made a campaign\nin which he has been victorious. The emperor had precious cloths spread\nout from the Gold Tower to Laktjarna, which is the name of the emperor's\nmost splendid hall. King Sigurd ordered his men to ride in great state\ninto the city, and not to regard all the new things they might see;\nand this they did. King Sigurd and his followers rode with this great\nsplendour into Constantinople, and then came to the magnificent hall,\nwhere everything was in the grandest style.\nKing Sigurd remained here some time. The Emperor Kirjalax sent his men\nto him to ask if he would rather accept from the emperor six lispund of\ngold, or would have the emperor give the games in his honour which the\nemperor was used to have played at the Padreim. King Sigurd preferred\nthe games, and the messengers said the spectacle would not cost the\nemperor less than the money offered. Then the emperor prepared for the\ngames, which were held in the usual way; but this day everything went\non better for the king than for the queen; for the queen has always the\nhalf part in the games, and their men, therefore, always strive against\neach other in all games. The Greeks accordingly think that when the\nking's men win more games at the Padreim than the queen's, the king\nwill gain the victory when he goes into battle. People who have been in\nConstantinople tell that the Padreim is thus constructed:--A high\nwall surrounds a flat plain, which may be compared to a round bare\nThing-place, with earthen banks all around at the stone wall, on which\nbanks the spectators sit; but the games themselves are in the flat\nplain. There are many sorts of old events represented concerning the\nAsas, Volsungs, and Giukungs, in these games; and all the figures are\ncast in copper, or metal, with so great art that they appear to be\nliving things; and to the people it appears as if they were really\npresent in the games. The games themselves are so artfully and cleverly\nmanaged, that people appear to be riding in the air; and at them also\nare used shot-fire (1), and all kinds of harp-playing, singing, and\nmusic instruments.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Fireworks, or the Greek fire, probably were used.--L.\n13. SIGURD AND THE EMPEROR OF CONSTANTINOPLE.\nIt is related that King Sigurd one day was to give the emperor a feast,\nand he ordered his men to provide sumptuously all that was necessary for\nthe entertainment; and when all things were provided which are suitable\nfor an entertainment given by a great personage to persons of high\ndignity, King Sigurd ordered his men to go to the street in the city\nwhere firewood was sold, as they would require a great quantity to\nprepare the feast. They said the king need not be afraid of wanting\nfirewood, for every day many loads were brought into the town. When it\nwas necessary, however, to have firewood, it was found that it was all\nsold, which they told the king. He replied, \"Go and try if you can get\nwalnuts. They will answer as well as wood for fuel.\" They went and\ngot as many as they needed. Now came the emperor, and his grandees and\ncourt, and sat down to table. All was very splendid; and King\nSigurd received the emperor with great state, and entertained him\nmagnificently. When the queen and the emperor found that nothing\nwas wanting, she sent some persons to inquire what they had used for\nfirewood; and they came to a house filled with walnuts, and they came\nback and told the queen. \"Truly,\" said she, \"this is a magnificent king,\nwho spares no expense where his honour is concerned.\" She had contrived\nthis to try what they would do when they could get no firewood to dress\ntheir feast with.\n14. KING SIGURD THE CRUSADER'S RETURN HOME.\nKing Sigurd soon after prepared for his return home. He gave the emperor\nall his ships; and the valuable figureheads which were on the king's\nships were set up in Peter's church, where they have since been to be\nseen. The emperor gave the king many horses and guides to conduct him\nthrough all his dominions. Then King Sigurd left Constantinople; but a\ngreat many Northmen remained, and went into the emperor's pay. Then King\nSigurd traveled from Bulgaria, and through Hungary, Pannonia. Suabia,\nand Bavaria, where he met the Roman emperor, Lotharius, who received him\nin the most friendly way, gave him guides through his dominions, and had\nmarkets established for him at which he could purchase all he required.\nWhen King Sigurd came to Slesvik in Denmark, Earl Eilif made a sumptuous\nfeast for him; and it was then midsummer. In Heidaby he met the Danish\nking, Nikolas, who received him in the most friendly way, made a great\nentertainment for him, accompanied him north to Jutland, and gave him a\nship provided with everything needful. From thence the king returned\nto Norway, and was joyfully welcomed on his return to his kingdom (A.D.\n1110). It was the common talk among the people, that none had ever\nmade so honourable a journey from Norway as this of King Sigurd. He\nwas twenty years of age, and had been three years on these travels. His\nbrother Olaf was then twelve years old.\n15. EYSTEIN'S DOINGS IN THE MEANTIME.\nKing Eystein had also effected much in the country that was useful while\nKing Sigurd was on his journey. He established a monastery at Nordnes\nin Bergen, and endowed it with much property. He also built Michael's\nchurch, which is a very splendid stone temple. In the king's house there\nhe also built the Church of the Apostles, and the great hall, which is\nthe most magnificent wooden structure that was ever built in Norway.\nHe also built a church at Agdanes with a parapet; and a harbour, where\nformerly there had been a barren spot only. In Nidaros he built in\nthe king's street the church of Saint Nikolas, which was particularly\nornamented with carved work, and all in wood. He also built a church\nnorth in Vagar in Halogaland, and endowed it with property and revenues.\n16. OF KING EYSTEIN.\nKing Eystein sent a verbal message to the most intelligent and powerful\nof the men of Jamtaland, and invited them to him; received them all as\nthey came with great kindness; accompanied them part of the way home,\nand gave them presents, and thus enticed them into a friendship with\nhim. Now as many of them became accustomed to visit him and receive\ngifts from him, and he also sent gifts to some who did not come\nthemselves, he soon gained the favour of all the people who had most\ninfluence in the country. Then he spoke to the Jamtaland people, and\ntold them they had done ill in turning away from the kings of Norway,\nand withdrawing from them their taxes and allegiance. He began by\nsaying how the Jamtaland people had submitted to the reign of Hakon, the\nfoster-son of Athelstane, and had long afterwards been subjected to the\nkings of Norway, and he represented to them how many useful things they\ncould get from Norway, and how inconvenient it was for them to apply\nto the Swedish king for what they needed. By these speeches he brought\nmatters so far that the Jamtaland people of their own accord offered to\nbe subject to him, which they said was useful and necessary for them;\nand thus, on both sides, it was agreed that the Jamtalanders should put\ntheir whole country under King Eystein. The first beginning was with the\nmen of consequence, who persuaded the people to take an oath of fidelity\nto King Eystein; and then they went to King Eystein and confirmed the\ncountry to him by oath; and this arrangement has since continued for a\nlong time. King Eystein thus conquered Jamtaland by his wisdom, and not\nby hostile inroads, as some of his forefathers had done.\n17. OF KING EYSTEIN'S PERFECTIONS.\nKing Eystein was the handsomest man that could be seen. He had blue\nopen eyes; his hair yellow and curling; his stature not tall, but of the\nmiddle size. He was wise, intelligent, and acquainted with the laws and\nhistory. He had much knowledge of mankind, was quick in counsel, prudent\nin words, and very eloquent and very generous. He was very merry, yet\nmodest; and was liked and beloved, indeed, by all the people. He was\nmarried to Ingebjorg, a daughter of Guthorm, son of Thorer of Steig; and\ntheir daughter was Maria, who afterwards married Gudbrand Skafhogson.\n18. OF IVAR INGIMUNDSON.\nKing Eystein had in many ways improved the laws and priveleges of the\ncountry people, and kept strictly to the laws; and he made himself\nacquainted with all the laws of Norway, and showed in everything great\nprudence and understanding. What a valuable man King Eystein was, how\nfull of friendship, and how much he turned his mind to examining and\navoiding everything that could be of disadvantage to his friends, may be\nseen from his friendship to an Iceland man called Ivar Ingimundson. The\nman was witty, of great family, and also a poet. The king saw that Ivar\nwas out of spirits, and asked him why he was so melancholy. \"Before,\nwhen thou wast with us, we had much amusement with thy conversation. I\nknow thou art a man of too good an understanding to believe that I would\ndo anything against thee. Tell me then what it is.\"\nHe replied, \"I cannot tell thee what it is.\"\nThen said the king, \"I will try to guess what it is. Are there any men\nwho displease thee?\"\nTo this he replied, \"No.\"\n\"Dost thou think thou art held in less esteem by me than thou wouldst\nlike to be?\"\nTo this he also replied, \"No.\"\n\"Hast thou observed anything whatever that has made an impression on\nthee at which thou art ill pleased?\"\nHe replied, it was not this either.\nThe king: \"Would you like to go to other chiefs or to other men?\"\nTo this he answered, \"No.\"\nThe king: \"It is difficult now to guess. Is there any girl here, or in\nany other country, to whom thy affections are engaged?\"\nHe said it was so.\nThe king said, \"Do not be melancholy on that account. Go to Iceland\nwhen spring sets in, and I shall give thee money, and presents, and with\nthese my letters and seal to the men who have the principal sway there;\nand I know no man there who will not obey my persuasions or threats.\"\nIvar replied, \"My fate is heavier, sire; for my own brother has the\ngirl.\"\nThen said the king, \"Throw it out of thy mind; and I know a counsel\nagainst this. After Yule I will travel in guest-quarters. Thou shalt\ncome along with me, and thou will have an opportunity of seeing many\nbeautiful girls; and, provided they are not of the royal stock, I will\nget thee one of them in marriage.\"\nIvar replies, \"Sire, my fate is still the heavier; for as oft as I see\nbeautiful and excellent girls I only remember the more that girl, and\nthey increase my misery.\"\nThe king: \"Then I will give thee property to manage, and estates for thy\namusement.\"\nHe replied, \"For that I have no desire.\"\nThe king: \"Then I will give thee money, that thou mayest travel in other\ncountries.\"\nHe said he did not wish this.\nThen said the king, \"It is difficult for me to seek farther, for I have\nproposed everything that occurs to me. There is but one thing else;\nand that is but little compared to what I have offered thee. Come to me\nevery day after the tables are removed, and, if I am not sitting upon\nimportant business, I shall talk with thee about the girl in every way\nthat I can think of; and I shall do so at leisure. It sometimes happens\nthat sorrow is lightened by being brought out openly; and thou shalt\nnever go away without some gift.\"\nHe replied, \"This I will do, sire, and return thanks for this inquiry.\"\nAnd now they did so constantly; and when the king was not occupied with\nweightier affairs he talked with him, and his sorrow by degrees wore\naway, and he was again in good spirits.\n19. OF KING SIGURD.\nKing Sigurd was a stout and strong man, with brown hair; of a manly\nappearance, but not handsome; well grown; of little speech, and often\nnot friendly, but good to his friends, and faithful; not very eloquent,\nbut moral and polite. King Sigurd was self-willed, and severe in his\nrevenge; strict in observing the law; was generous; and withal an\nable, powerful king. His brother Olaf was a tall, thin man; handsome\nin countenance; lively, modest, and popular. When all these brothers,\nEystein, Sigurd and Olaf were kings of Norway, they did away with many\nburthens which the Danes had laid upon the people in the time that Svein\nAlfifason ruled Norway; and on this account they were much beloved, both\nby the people and the great men of the country.\n20. OF KING SIGURD'S DREAM.\nOnce King Sigurd fell into low spirits, so that few could get him to\nconverse, and he sat but a short time at the drinking table. This was\nheavy on his counsellors, friends, and court; and they begged King\nEystein to consider how they could discover the cause why the people who\ncame to the king could get no reply to what they laid before him. King\nEystein answered them, that it was difficult to speak with the king\nabout this; but at last, on the entreaty of many, he promised to do\nit. Once, when they were both together, King Eystein brought the matter\nbefore his brother, and asked the cause of his melancholy. \"It is a\ngreat grief, sire, to many to see thee so melancholy; and we would like\nto know what has occasioned it, or if perchance thou hast heard any news\nof great weight?\"\nKing Sigurd replies, that it was not so.\n\"Is it then, brother,\" says King Eystein, \"that you would like to travel\nout of the country, and augment your dominions as our father did?\"\nHe answered, that it was not that either.\n\"Is it, then, that any man here in the country has offended?\"\nTo this also the king said \"No.\"\n\"Then I would like to know if you have dreamt anything that has\noccasioned this depression of mind?\"\nThe king answered that it was so.\n\"Tell me, then, brother, thy dream.\"\nKing Sigurd said, \"I will not tell it, unless thou interpret it as it\nmay turn out; and I shall be quick at perceiving if thy interpretation\nbe right or not.\"\nKing Eystein replies, \"This is a very difficult matter, sire, on both\nsides; as I am exposed to thy anger if I cannot interpret it, and to the\nblame of the public if I can do nothing in the matter; but I will rather\nfall under your displeasure, even if my interpretation should not be\nagreeable.\"\nKing Sigurd replies, \"It appeared to me, in a dream, as if we brothers\nwere all sitting on a bench in front of Christ church in Throndhjem; and\nit appeared to me as if our relative, King Olaf the Saint, came out of\nthe church adorned with the royal raiment glancing and splendid, and\nwith the most delightful and joyful countenance. He went to our brother\nKing Olaf, took him by the hand, and said cheerfully, to him, 'Come with\nme, friend.' On which he appeared to stand up and go into the church.\nSoon after King Olaf the Saint came out of the church, but not so gay\nand brilliant as before. Now he went to thee, brother, and said to thee\nthat thou shouldst go with him; on which he led thee with him, and ye\nwent into the church. Then I thought, and waited for it, that he would\ncome to me, and meet me; but it was not so. Then I was seized with\ngreat sorrow, and great dread and anxiety fell upon me, so that I was\naltogether without strength; and then I awoke.\"\nKing Eystein replies, \"Thus I interpret your dream, sire,--That the\nbench betokens the kingdom we brothers have; and as you thought King\nOlaf came with so glad a countenance to our brother, King Olaf, he\nwill likely live the shortest time of us brothers, and have all good to\nexpect hereafter; for he is amiable, young in years, and has gone but\nlittle into excess, and King Olaf the Saint must help him. But as you\nthought he came towards me, but not with so much joy, I may possibly\nlive a few years longer, but not become old, and I trust his providence\nwill stand over me; but that he did not come to me with the same\nsplendour and glory as to our brother Olaf, that will be because, in\nmany ways, I have sinned and transgressed his command. If he delayed\ncoming to thee, I think that in no way betokens thy death, but rather a\nlong life; but it may be that some heavy accident may occur to thee, as\nthere was an unaccountable dread overpowering thee; but I foretell that\nthou will be the oldest of us, and wilt rule the kingdom longest.\"\nThen said Sigurd, \"This is well and intelligently interpreted, and it is\nlikely it will be so.\" And now the king began to be cheerful again.\n21. OF KING SIGURD'S MARRIAGE.\nKing Sigurd married Malmfrid, a daughter of King Harald Valdemarson,\neastward in Novgorod. King Harald Valdemarson's mother was Queen Gyda\nthe Old, a daughter of the Swedish king, Inge Steinkelson. Harald\nValdemarson's other daughter, sister to Malmfrid, was Ingebjorg, who was\nmarried to Canute Lavard, a son of the Danish king, Eirik the Good, and\ngrandson of King Svein Ulfson. Canute's and Ingebjorg's children were,\nthe Danish king, Valdemar, who came to the Danish kingdom after Svein\nEirikson; and daughters Margaret, Christina, and Catherine. Margaret was\nmarried to Stig Hvitaled; and their daughter was Christina, married to\nthe Swedish king, Karl Sorkvison, and their son was King Sorkver.\n22. OF THE CASES BEFORE THE THING.\nThe king's relative, Sigurd Hranason, came into strife with King Sigurd.\nHe had had the Lapland collectorship on the king's account, because of\ntheir relationship and long friendship, and also of the many services\nSigurd Hranason had done to the kings; for he was a very distinguished,\npopular man. But it happened to him, as it often does to others, that\npersons more wicked and jealous than upright slandered him to King\nSigurd, and whispered in the king's ear that he took more of the\nLaplander's tribute to himself than was proper. They spoke so long about\nthis, that King Sigurd conceived a dislike and anger to him, and sent a\nmessage to him. When he appeared before the king, the king carried these\nfeelings with him, and said, \"I did not expect that thou shouldst have\nrepaid me for thy great fiefs and other dignities by taking the king's\nproperty, and abstracting a greater portion of it than is allowable.\"\nSigurd Hranason replies, \"It is not true that has been told you; for I\nhave only taken such portion as I had your permission to take.\"\nKing Sigurd replies, \"Thou shalt not slip away with this; but the matter\nshall be seriously treated before it comes to an end.\" With that they\nparted.\nSoon after, by the advice of his friends, the king laid an action\nagainst Sigurd Hranason at the Thing-meeting in Bergen, and would have\nhim made an outlaw. Now when the business took this turn, and appeared\nso dangerous, Sigurd Hranason went to King Eystein, and told him what\nmischief King Sigurd intended to do him, and entreated his assistance.\nKing Eystein replied, \"This is a difficult matter that you propose to\nme, to speak against my brother; and there is a great difference between\ndefending a cause and pursuing it in law;\" and added, that this was a\nmatter which concerned him and Sigurd equally. \"But for thy distress,\nand our relationship, I shall bring in a word for thee.\"\nSoon after Eystein visited King Sigurd, and entreated him to spare the\nman, reminding him of the relationship between them and Sigurd Hranason,\nwho was married to their aunt, Skialdvor; and said he would pay the\npenalty for the crime committed against the king, although he could not\nwith truth impute any blame to him in the matter. Besides, he reminded\nthe king of the long friendship with Sigurd Hranason. King Sigurd\nreplied, that it was better government to punish such acts. Then King\nEystein replied, \"If thou, brother, wilt follow the law, and punish\nsuch acts according to the country's privileges, then it would be most\ncorrect that Sigurd Hranason produce his witnesses, and that the case be\njudged at the Thing, but not at a meeting; for the case comes under\nthe law of the land, not under Bjarkey law.\" Then said Sigurd, \"It\nmay possibly be so that the case belongs to it, as thou sayest, King\nEystein; and if it be against law what has hitherto been done in this\ncase, then we shall bring it before the Thing.\" Then the kings parted,\nand each seemed determined to take his own way. King Sigurd summoned the\nparties in the case before the Arnarnes Thing, and intended to pursue it\nthere. King Eystein came also to the Thing-place; and when the case\nwas brought forward for judgment, King Eystein went to the Thing before\njudgment was given upon Sigurd Hranason. Now King Sigurd told the lagmen\nto pronounce the judgment; but King Eystein replied thus: \"I trust there\nare here men acquainted sufficiently with the laws of Norway, to know\nthat they cannot condemn a lendermen to be outlawed at this Thing.\" And\nhe then explained how the law was, so that every man clearly understood\nit. Then said King Sigurd, \"Thou art taking up this matter very warmly,\nKing Eystein, and it is likely the case will cost more trouble before\nit comes to an end than we intended; but nevertheless we shall follow it\nout. I will have him condemned to be outlawed in his native place.\" Then\nsaid King Eystein, \"There are certainly not many things which do not\nsucceed with thee, and especially when there are but few and small folks\nto oppose one who has carried through such great things.\" And thus they\nparted, without anything being concluded in the case. Thereafter King\nSigurd called together a Gula Thing, went himself there, and summoned to\nhim many high chiefs. King Eystein came there also with his suite; and\nmany meetings and conferences were held among people of understanding\nconcerning this case, and it was tried and examined before the lagmen.\nNow King Eystein objected that all the parties summoned in any cases\ntried here belonged to the Thing-district; but in this case the deed and\nthe parties belonged to Halogaland. The Thing accordingly ended in doing\nnothing, as King Eystein had thus made it incompetent. The kings parted\nin great wrath; and King Eystein went north to Throndhjem. King\nSigurd, on the other hand, summoned to him all lendermen, and also\nthe house-servants of the lendermen, and named out of every district a\nnumber of the bondes from the south parts of the country, so that he\nhad collected a large army about him; and proceeded with all this crowd\nnorthwards along the coast to Halogaland, and intended to use all his\npower to make Sigurd Hranason an outlaw among his own relations. For\nthis purpose he summoned to him the Halogaland and Naumudal people, and\nappointed a Thing at Hrafnista. King Eystein prepared himself also, and\nproceeded with many people from the town of Nidaros to the Thing, where\nhe made Sigurd Hranason, by hand-shake before witnesses, deliver over to\nhim the following and defending this case. At this Thing both the kings\nspoke, each for his own side. Then King Eystein asks the lagmen where\nthat law was made in Norway which gave the bondes the right to judge\nbetween the kings of the country, when they had pleas with each other.\n\"I shall bring witnesses to prove that Sigurd has given the case into my\nhands; and it is with me, not with Sigurd Hranason, that King Sigurd has\nto do in this case.\" The lagmen said that disputes between kings must be\njudged only at the Eyra Thing in Nidaros.\nKing Eystein said, \"So I thought that it should be there, and the cases\nmust be removed there.\"\nThen King Sigurd said, \"The more difficulties and inconvenience thou\nbringest upon me in this matter, the more I will persevere in it.\" And\nwith that they parted.\nBoth kings then went south to Nidaros town, where they summoned a Thing\nfrom eight districts. King Eystein was in the town with a great many\npeople, but Sigurd was on board his ships. When the Thing was opened,\npeace and safe conduct was given to all; and when the people were all\ncollected, and the case should be gone into, Bergthor, a son of Svein\nBryggjufot, stood up, and gave his evidence that Sigurd Hranason had\nconcealed a part of the Laplanders' taxes.\nThen King Eystein stood up and said, \"If thy accusation were true,\nalthough we do not know what truth there may be in thy testimony, yet\nthis case has already been dismissed from three Things, and a fourth\ntime from a town meeting; and therefore I require that the lagmen acquit\nSigurd in this case according to law.\" And they did so.\nThen said King Sigurd, \"I see sufficiently, King Eystein, that thou hast\ncarried this case by law-quirks (1), which I do not understand. But now\nthere remains, King Eystein, a way of determining the case which I am\nmore used to, and which I shall now apply.\"\nHe then retired to his ships, had the tents taken down, laid his whole\nfleet out at the holm, and held a Thing of his people; and told them\nthat early in the morning they should land at Iluvellir, and give battle\nto King Eystein. But in the evening, as King Sigurd sat at his table in\nhis ship taking his repast, before he was aware of it a man cast himself\non the floor of the forehold, and at the king's feet. This was Sigurd\nHranason, who begged the king to take what course with regard to him the\nking himself thought proper. Then came Bishop Magne and Queen Malmfrid,\nand many other great personages, and entreated forgiveness for Sigurd\nHranason; and at their entreaty the king raised him up, took him by the\nhand, and placed him among his men, and took him along with himself to\nthe south part of the country. In autumn the king gave Sigurd Hranason\nleave to go north to his farm, gave him an employment, and was always\nafterward his friend. After this day, however, the brothers were never\nmuch together, and there was no cordiality or cheerfulness among them.\n ENDNOTES: (1) These law-quirks show a singularly advanced state of law.\n and deference to the Law Things, amidst such social disorder\n and misdeeds.--L.\n23. OF KING OLAF'S DEATH.\nKing Olaf Magnuson fell into a sickness which ended in his death. He was\nburied in Christ church in Nidaros, and many were in great grief at his\ndeath. After Olaf's death, Eystein and Sigurd ruled the country, the\nthree brothers together having been kings of Norway for twelve years\n(A.D. 1104-1115); namely, five years after King Sigurd returned home,\nand seven years before. King Olaf was seventeen years old when he died,\nand it happened on the 24th of December.\n24. MAGNUS THE BLIND; HIS BIRTH.\nKing Eystein had been about a year in the east part of the country at\nthat time, and King Sigurd was then in the north. King Eystein remained\na long time that winter in Sarpsborg. There was once a powerful and rich\nbonde called Olaf of Dal, who dwelt in Great Dal in Aumord, and had two\nchildren,--a son called Hakon Fauk, and a daughter called Borghild, who\nwas a very beautiful girl, and prudent, and well skilled in many things.\nOlaf and his children were a long time in winter in Sarpsborg, and\nBorghild conversed very often with King Eystein; so that many reports\nwere spread about their friendship. The following summer King Eystein\nwent north, and King Sigurd came eastward, where he remained all\nwinter, and was long in Konungahella, which town he greatly enlarged and\nimproved. He built there a great castle of turf and stone, dug a great\nditch around it, and built a church and several houses within the\ncastle. The holy cross he allowed to remain at Konungahella, and therein\ndid not fulfill the oath he had taken in Palestine; but, on the other\nhand, he established tithe, and most of the other things to which he had\nbound himself by oath. The reason of his keeping the cross east at the\nfrontier of the country was, that he thought it would be a protection to\nall the land; but it proved the greatest misfortune to place this relic\nwithin the power of the heathens, as it afterwards turned out.\nWhen Borghild, Olaf's daughter, heard it whispered that people talked\nill of her conversations and intimacy with King Eystein, she went to\nSarpsborg; and after suitable fasts she carried the iron as proof of her\ninnocence, and cleared herself thereby fully from all offence. When\nKing Sigurd heard this, he rode one day as far as usually was two days'\ntravelling, and came to Dal to Olaf, where he remained all night, made\nBorghild his concubine, and took her away with him. They had a son,\nwho was called Magnus, and he was sent immediately to Halogaland, to\nbe fostered at Bjarkey by Vidkun Jonson; and he was brought up there.\nMagnus grew up to be the handsomest man that could be seen, and was very\nsoon stout and strong.\n25. COMPARISON BETWEEN THE TWO KINGS.\nKing Eystein and King Sigurd went both in spring to guest-quarters\nin the Uplands; and each was entertained in a separate house, and the\nhouses were not very distant from each other. The bondes, however,\nthought it more convenient that both should be entertained together by\nturns in each house; and thus they were both at first in the house of\nKing Eystein. But in the evening, when the people began to drink, the\nale was not good; so that the guests were very quiet and still. Then\nsaid King Eystein, \"Why are the people so silent? It is more usual in\ndrinking parties that people are merry, so let us fall upon some jest\nover our ale that will amuse people; for surely, brother Sigurd, all\npeople are well pleased when we talk cheerfully.\"\nSigurd replies, bluntly, \"Do you talk as much as you please, but give me\nleave to be silent.\"\nEystein says, \"It is a common custom over the ale-table to compare one\nperson with another, and now let us do so.\" Then Sigurd was silent.\n\"I see,\" says King Eystein, \"that I must begin this amusement. Now I\nwill take thee, brother, to compare myself with, and will make it appear\nso as if we had both equal reputation and property, and that there is no\ndifference in our birth and education.\"\nThen King Sigurd replies, \"Do you remember that I was always able to\nthrow you when we wrestled, although you are a year older?\"\nThen King Eystein replied, \"But I remember that you was not so good at\nthe games which require agility.\"\nSigurd: \"Do you remember that I could drag you under water, when we swam\ntogether, as often as I pleased?\"\nEystein: \"But I could swim as far as you, and could dive as well as you;\nand I could run upon snow-skates so well that nobody could beat me, and\nyou could no more do it than an ox.\"\nSigurd: \"Methinks it is a more useful and suitable accomplishment for\na chief to be expert at his bow; and I think you could scarcely draw my\nbow, even if you took your foot to help.\"\nEystein: \"I am not strong at the bow as you are, but there is less\ndifference between our shooting near; and I can use the skees\nmuch better than you, and in former times that was held a great\naccomplishment.\"\nSigurd: \"It appears to me much better for a chief who is to be the\nsuperior of other men, that he is conspicuous in a crowd, and strong\nand powerful in weapons above other men; easily seen, and easily known,\nwhere there are many together.\"\nEystein: \"It is not less a distinction and an ornament that a man is\nof a handsome appearance, so as to be easily known from others on that\naccount; and this appears to me to suit a chief best, because the best\nornament is allied to beauty. I am moreover more knowing in the law than\nyou, and on every subject my words flow more easily than yours.\"\nSigurd: \"It may be that you know more law-quirks, for I have had\nsomething else to do; neither will any deny you a smooth tongue. But\nthere are many who say that your words are not to be trusted; that what\nyou promise is little to be regarded; and that you talk just according\nto what those who are about you say, which is not kingly.\"\nEystein: \"This is because, when people bring their cases before me, I\nwish first to give every man that satisfaction in his affairs which\nhe desires; but afterwards comes the opposite party, and then there\nis something to be given or taken away very often, in order to mediate\nbetween them, so that both may be satisfied. It often happens, too, that\nI promise whatever is desired of me, that all may be joyful about me. It\nwould be an easy matter for me to do as you do,--to promise evil to all;\nand I never hear any complain of your not keeping this promise to them.\"\nSigurd: \"It is the conversation of all that the expedition that I made\nout of the country was a princely expedition, while you in the meantime\nsat at home like your father's daughter.\"\nEystein: \"Now you touched the tender spot. I would not have brought up\nthis conversation if I had not known what to reply on this point. I can\ntruly say that I equipt you from home like a sister, before you went\nupon this expedition.\"\nSigurd: \"You must have heard that on this expedition I was in many a\nbattle in the Saracen's land, and gained the victory in all; and you\nmust have heard of the many valuable articles I acquired, the like\nof which were never seen before in this country, and I was the most\nrespected wherever the most gallant men were; and, on the other hand,\nyou cannot conceal that you have only a home-bred reputation.\"\nEystein: \"I have heard that you had several battles abroad, but it was\nmore useful for the country what I was doing in the meantime here at\nhome. I built five churches from the foundations, and a harbour out at\nAgdanes, where it before was impossible to land, and where vessels ply\nnorth and south along the coast. I set a warping post and iron ring in\nthe sound of Sinholm, and in Bergen I built a royal hall, while you were\nkilling bluemen for the devil in Serkland. This, I think, was of but\nlittle advantage to our kingdom.\"\nKing Sigurd said: \"On this expedition I went all the way to Jordan\nand swam across the river. On the edge of the river there is a bush of\nwillows, and there I twisted a knot of willows, and said this knot thou\nshouldst untie, brother, or take the curse thereto attached.\"\nKing Eystein said: \"I shall not go and untie the knot which you tied for\nme; but if I had been inclined to tie a knot for thee, thou wouldst\nnot have been king of Norway at thy return to this country, when with a\nsingle ship you came sailing into my fleet.\"\nThereupon both were silent, and there was anger on both sides. More\nthings passed between the brothers, from which it appeared that each\nof them would be greater than the other; however, peace was preserved\nbetween them as long as they lived.\n26. OF KING SIGURD'S SICKNESS.\nKing Sigurd was at a feast in the Upland, and a bath was made ready for\nhim. When the king came to the bath and the tent was raised over the\nbathing-tub, the king thought there was a fish in the tub beside him;\nand a great laughter came upon him, so that he was beside himself, and\nwas out of his mind, and often afterwards these fits returned.\nMagnus Barefoot's daughter, Ragnhild, was married by her brothers to\nHarald Kesia, a son of the Danish king, Eirik the Good; and their sons\nwere Magnus, Olaf, Knut and Harald.\n27. OF KING EYSTEIN'S DEATH.\nKing Eystein built a large ship at Nidaros, which, in size and shape,\nwas like the Long Serpent which King Olaf Trygvason had built. At the\nstem there was a dragon's head, and at the stern a crooked tail, and\nboth were gilded over. The ship was high-sided; but the fore and aft\nparts appeared less than they should be. He also made in Nidaros many\nand large dry-docks of the best material, and well timbered.\nSix years after King Olaf's death, it happened that King Eystein, at a\nfeast at Hustadir in Stim, was seized with an illness which soon carried\nhim off. He died the 29th of August, 1123, and his body was carried\nnorth to Nidaros, and buried in Christ church; and it is generally said\nthat so many mourners never stood over any man's grave in Norway as over\nKing Eystein's, at least since the time Magnus the Good, Saint Olaf's\nson, died. Eystein had been twenty years (A.D. 1104-1123) king of\nNorway; and after his decease his brother, King Sigurd, was the sole\nking of Norway as long as he lived.\n28. BAPTIZING THE PEOPLE OF SMALAND.\nThe Danish king, Nikolas, a son of Svein Ulfson, married afterwards the\nQueen Margaret, a daughter of King Inge, who had before been married to\nKing Magnus Barefoot; and their sons were Nikolas and Magnus the Strong.\nKing Nikolas sent a message to King Sigurd the Crusader, and asked him\nif he would go with him with all his might and help him to the east\nof the Swedish dominion, Smaland, to baptize the inhabitants; for the\npeople who dwelt there had no regard for Christianity, although some of\nthem had allowed themselves to be baptized. At that time there were many\npeople all around in the Swedish dominions who were heathens, and many\nwere bad Christians; for there were some of the kings who renounced\nChristianity, and continued heathen sacrifices, as Blotsvein, and\nafterwards Eirik Arsale, had done. King Sigurd promised to undertake\nthis journey, and the kings appointed their meeting at Eyrarsund. King\nSigurd then summoned all people in Norway to a levy, both of men and\nships; and when the fleet was assembled he had about 300 ships. King\nNikolas came very early to the meeting-place, and stayed there a long\ntime; and the bondes murmured much, and said the Northmen did not intend\nto come. Thereupon the Danish army dispersed, and the king went away\nwith all his fleet. King Sigurd came there soon afterwards, and was ill\npleased; but sailed east to Svimraros, and held a House-thing, at which\nSigurd spoke about King Nikolas's breach of faith, and the Northmen,\non this account, determined to go marauding in his country. They first\nplundered a village called Tumathorp, which is not far from Lund; and\nthen sailed east to the merchant-town of Calmar, where they plundered,\nas well as in Smaland, and imposed on the country a tribute of\n1500 cattle for ship provision; and the people of Smaland received\nChristianity. After this King Sigurd turned about with his fleet, and\ncame back to his kingdom with many valuable articles and great booty,\nwhich he had gathered on this expedition; and this levy was called the\nCalmar levy. This was the summer before the eclipse. This was the only\nlevy King Sigurd carried out as long as he was king.\n29. OF THORARIN STUTFELD.\nIt happened once when King Sigurd was going from the drinking-table to\nvespers, that his men were very drunk and merry; and many of them sat\noutside the church singing the evening song, but their singing was very\nirregular. Then the king said, \"Who is that fellow I see standing at the\nchurch with a skin jacket on?\" They answered, that they did not know.\nThen the king said:--\n \"This skin-clad man, in sorry plight,\n Puts all our wisdom here to flight.\"\nThen the fellow came forward and said:--\n \"I thought that here I might be known,\n Although my dress is scanty grown.\n 'Tis poor, but I must be content:\n Unless, great king, it's thy intent\n To give me better; for I have seen\n When I and rags had strangers been.\"\nThe king answered, \"Come to me to-morrow when I am at the drink-table.\"\nThe night passed away; and the morning after the Icelander, who was\nafterwards called Thorarin Stutfetd, went into the drinking-room. A man\nstood outside of the door of the room with a horn in his hand, and said,\n\"Icelander! the king says that if thou wilt deserve any gift from him\nthou shalt compose a song before going in, and make it about a man whose\nname is Hakon Serkson, and who is called Morstrut (1); and speak about\nthat surname in thy song.\" The man who spoke to him was called Arne\nFioruskeif. Then they went into the room; and when Thorarin came before\nthe king's seat he recited these verses:--\n \"Throndhjem's warrior-king has said\n The skald should be by gifts repaid,\n If he before this meeting gave\n The king's friend Serk a passing stave.\n The generous king has let me know\n My stave, to please, must be framed so\n That my poor verse extol the fame\n Of one called Hakon Lump by name.\"\nThen said the king, \"I never said so, and somebody has been making a\nmock of thee. Hakon himself shall determine what punishment thou shalt\nhave. Go into his suite.\" Hakon said, \"He shall be welcome among us, for\nI can see where the joke came from;\" and he placed the Icelander at his\nside next to himself, and they were very merry. The day was drawing to\na close, and the liquor began to get into their heads, when Hakon said,\n\"Dost thou not think, Icelander, that thou owest me some penalty? and\ndost thou not see that some trick has been played upon thee?\"\nThorarin replies, \"It is true, indeed, that I owe thee some\ncompensation.\"\nHakon says, \"Then we shall be quits, if thou wilt make me another stave\nabout Arne.\"\nHe said he was ready to do so; and they crossed over to the side of the\nroom where Arne was sitting, and Thorarin gave these verses:--\n \"Fioruskeif has often spread,\n With evil heart and idle head,\n The eagle's voidings round the land,\n Lampoons and lies, with ready hand.\n Yet this landlouper we all know,\n In Africa scarce fed a crow,\n Of all his arms used in the field,\n Those in most use were helm and shield.\"\nArne sprang up instantly, drew his sword, and was going to fall upon\nhim; but Hakon told him to let it alone and be quiet, and bade him\nremember that if it came to a quarrel he would come off the worst\nhimself. Thorarin afterwards went up to the king, and said he had\ncomposed a poem which he wished the king to hear. The king consented,\nand the song is known by the name of the Stutfeld poem. The king asked\nThorarin what he intended to do. He replied, it was his intention to go\nto Rome. Then the king gave him much money for his pilgrimage, and told\nhim to visit him on his return, and promised to provide for him.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Morstrut is a short, fat, punchy fellow.--L.\n30. OF SIGURD AND OTTAR BIRTING.\nIt is told that King Sigurd, one Whitsunday, sat at table with many\npeople, among whom were many of his friends; and when he came to his\nhigh-seat, people saw that his countenance was very wild, and as if he\nhad been weeping, so that people were afraid of what might follow.\nThe king rolled his eyes, and looked at those who were seated on the\nbenches. Then he seized the holy book which he had brought with him\nfrom abroad, and which was written all over with gilded letters; so that\nnever had such a costly book come to Norway. His queen sat by his side.\nThen said King Sigurd, \"Many are the changes which may take place during\na man's lifetime. I had two things which were dear to me above all when\nI came from abroad, and these were this book and the queen; and now\nI think the one is only worse and more loathsome than the other, and\nnothing I have belonging to me that I more detest. The queen does not\nknow herself how hideous she is; for a goat's horn is standing out on\nher head, and the better I liked her before the worse I like her\nnow.\" Thereupon he cast the book on the fire which was burning on the\nhall-floor, and gave the queen a blow with his fist between the eyes.\nThe queen wept; but more at the king's' illness than at the blow, or the\naffront she had suffered.\nThen a man stood up before the king; his name was Ottar Birting; and he\nwas one of the torch-bearers, although a bonde's son, and was on service\nthat day. He was of small stature, but of agreeable appearance; lively,\nbold, and full of fun; black haired, and of a dark skin. He ran and\nsnatched the book which the king had cast into the fire, held it out,\nand said, \"Different were the days, sire, when you came with great state\nand splendour to Norway, and with great fame and honour; for then all\nyour friends came to meet you with joy, and were glad at your coming.\nAll as one man would have you for king, and have you in the highest\nregard and honour. But now days of sorrow are come over us; for on\nthis holy festival many of your friends have come to you, and cannot be\ncheerful on account of your melancholy and ill health. It is much to be\ndesired that you would be merry with them; and do, good king, take this\nsaving advice, make peace first with the queen, and make her joyful whom\nyou have so highly affronted, with a friendly word; and then all your\nchiefs, friends, and servants; that is my advice.\"\nThen said King Sigurd, \"Dost thou dare to give me advice, thou great\nlump of a houseman's lad!\" And he sprang up, drew his sword, and swung\nit with both hands as if going to cut him down.\nBut Ottar stood quiet and upright; did not stir from the spot, nor show\nthe slightest sign of fear; and the king turned round the sword-blade\nwhich he had waved over Ottar's head, and gently touched him on the\nshoulder with it. Then he sat down in silence on his high-seat.\nAll were silent who were in the hall, for nobody dared to say a word.\nNow the king looked around him, milder than before, and said, \"It is\ndifficult to know what there is in people. Here sat my friends, and\nlendermen, marshals and shield-bearers, and all the best men in the\nland; but none did so well against me as this man, who appears to you\nof little worth compared to any of you, although now he loves me most. I\ncame here like a madman, and would have destroyed my precious property;\nbut he turned aside my deed, and was not afraid of death for it. Then he\nmade an able speech, ordering his words so that they were honourable to\nme, and not saying a single word about things which could increase my\nvexation; but even avoiding what might, with truth, have been said.\nSo excellent was his speech, that no man here, however great his\nunderstanding, could have spoken better. Then I sprang up in a pretended\nrage, and made as if I would have cut him down; but he was courageous as\nif he had nothing to fear; and seeing that, I let go my purpose; for he\nwas altogether innocent. Now ye shall know, my friends, how I intend to\nreward him; he was before my torchbearer, and shall now be my lenderman;\nand there shall follow what is still more, that he shall be the most\ndistinguished of my lendermen. Go thou and sit among the lendermen, and\nbe a servant no longer.\"\nOttar became one of the most celebrated men in Norway for various good\nand praiseworthy deeds.\n31. OF KING SIGURD'S DREAM.\nIn King Sigurd's latter days he was once at an entertainment at one\nof his farms; and in the morning when he was dressed he was silent\nand still, so that his friends were afraid he was not able to govern\nhimself. Now the farm bailiff, who was a man of good sense and courage,\nbrought him into conversation, and asked if he had heard any news of\nsuch importance that it disturbed his mirth; or if the entertainment\nhad not satisfied him; or if there was anything else that people could\nremedy.\nKing Sigurd said, that none of the things he had mentioned was the\ncause. \"But it is that I think upon the dream I had in the night.\"\n\"Sire,\" replied he, \"may it prove a lucky dream! I would gladly hear\nit.\"\nThe king: \"I thought that I was in Jadar, and looked out towards the\nsea; and that I saw something very black moving itself; and when it came\nnear it appeared to be a large tree, of which the branches stretched far\nabove the water, and the roots were down in the sea. Now when the tree\ncame to the shore it broke into pieces, and drove all about the land,\nboth the mainland and the out-islands, rocks and strands; and it\nappeared to me as if I saw over all Norway along the sea-coast, and\nsaw pieces of that tree, some small and some large, driven into every\nbight.\"\nThen said the bailiff, \"It is likely that you an best interpret this\ndream yourself; and I would willingly hear your interpretation of it.\"\nThen said the king, \"This dream appears to me to denote the arrival in\nthis country of some man who will fix his seat here, and whose posterity\nwill spread itself over the land; but with unequal power, as the dream\nshows.\"\n32. OF ASLAK HANE.\nIt so happened once, that King Sigurd sat in a gloomy mood among many\nworthy men. It was Friday evening, and the kitchen-master asked what\nmeat should be made ready.\nThe king replies, \"What else but flesh-meat?\" And so harsh were his\nwords that nobody dared to contradict him, and all were ill at ease.\nNow when people prepared to go to table, dishes of warm flesh-meat were\ncarried in; but all were silent, and grieved at the king's illness.\nBefore the blessing was pronounced over the meat, a man called Aslak\nHane spoke. He had been a long time with King Sigurd on his journey\nabroad, and was not a man of any great family; and was small of stature,\nbut fiery. When he perceived how it was, and that none dared to accost\nthe king, he asked, \"What is it, sire, that is smoking on the dish\nbefore you?\"\nThe king replies, \"What do you mean, Aslak? what do you think it is?\"\nAslak: \"I think it is flesh-meat; and I would it were not so.\"\nThe king: \"But if it be so, Aslak?\"\nHe replied, \"It would be vexatious to know that a gallant king, who has\ngained so much honour in the world, should so forget himself. When you\nrose up out of Jordan, after bathing in the same waters as God himself,\nwith palm-leaves in your hands, and the cross upon your breast, it was\nsomething else you promised, sire, than to eat flesh-meat on a Friday.\nIf a meaner man were to do so, he would merit a heavy punishment. This\nroyal hall is not so beset as it should be, when it falls upon me, a\nmean man, to challenge such an act.\"\nThe king sat silent, and did not partake of the meat; and when the time\nfor eating was drawing to an end, the king ordered the flesh dishes to\nbe removed and other food was brought in, such as it is permitted to\nuse. When the meal-time was almost past, the king began to be cheerful,\nand to drink. People advised Aslak to fly, but he said he would not do\nso. \"I do not see how it could help me; and to tell the truth, it is\nas good to die now that I have got my will, and have prevented the king\nfrom committing a sin. It is for him to kill me if he likes.\"\nTowards evening the king called him, and said, \"Who set thee on, Aslak\nHane, to speak such free words to me in the hearing of so many people?\"\n\"No one, sire, but myself.\"\nThe king: \"Thou wouldst like, no doubt, to know what thou art to have\nfor such boldness; what thinkest thou it deserves.\"\nHe replies, \"If it be well rewarded, sire, I shall be glad; but should\nit be otherwise, then it is your concern.\"\nThen the king said, \"Smaller is thy reward than thou hast deserved.\nI give thee three farms. It has turned out, what could not have been\nexpected, that thou hast prevented me from a great crime,--thou, and\nnot the lendermen, who are indebted to me for so much good.\" And so it\nended.\n33. OF A WOMAN BROUGHT TO THE KING.\nOne Yule eve the king sat in the hall, and the tables were laid out, and\nthe king said, \"Get me flesh-meat.\"\nThey answered, \"Sire, it is not the custom to eat flesh-meat on Yule\neve.\"\nThe king said, \"If it be not the custom I will make it the custom.\"\nThey went out, and brought him a dolphin. The king stuck his knife into\nit, but did not eat of it. Then the king said, \"Bring me a girl here\ninto the hall.\" They brought him a woman whose head-dress went far down\nher brows. The king took her hand in his hands, looked at her, and said,\n\"An ill looking girl!\"\n((LACUNA--The rest of this story is missing))\n34. HARALD GILLE COMES TO NORWAY.\nHalkel Huk, a son of Jon Smiorbalte, who was lenderman in More, made a\nvoyage in the West sea, all the way to the South Hebudes. A man came to\nhim out of Ireland called Gillikrist, and gave himself out for a son of\nKing Magnus Barefoot. His mother came with him, and said his other name\nwas Harald. Halkel received the man, brought him to Norway with him, and\nwent immediately to King Sigurd with Harald and his mother. When they\nhad told their story to the king, he talked over the matter with his\nprincipal men, and bade them give their opinions upon it. They were of\ndifferent opinions, and all left it to the king himself, although there\nwere several who opposed this; and the king followed his own counsel.\nKing Sigurd ordered Harald to be called before him, and told him that he\nwould not deny him the proof, by ordeal, of who his father was; but on\ncondition that if he should prove his descent according to his claim, he\nshould not desire the kingdom in the lifetime of King Sigurd, or of King\nMagnus: and to this he bound himself by oath. King Sigurd said he must\ntread over hot iron to prove his birth; but this ordeal was thought by\nmany too severe, as he was to undergo it merely to prove his father, and\nwithout getting the kingdom; but Harald agreed to it, and fixed on the\ntrial by iron: and this ordeal was the greatest ever made in Norway; for\nnine glowing plowshares were laid down, and Harald went over them with\nbare feet, attended by two bishops.\nThree days after the iron trial the ordeal was taken to proof, and the\nfeet were found unburnt. Thereafter King Sigurd acknowledged Harald's\nrelationship; but his son Magnus conceived a great hatred of him, and\nin this many chiefs followed Magnus. King Sigurd trusted so much to his\nfavour with the whole people of the country, that he desired all men,\nunder oath, to promise to accept Magnus after him as their king; and all\nthe people took this oath.\n35. RACE BETWEEN MAGNUS AND HARALD GILLE.\nHarald Gille was a tall, slender-grown man, of a long neck and face,\nblack eyes, and dark hair, brisk and quick, and wore generally the\nIrish dress of short light clothes. The Norse language was difficult for\nHarald, and he brought out words which many laughed at. Harald sat late\ndrinking one evening. He spoke with another man about different things\nin the west in Ireland; and among other things, said that there were\nmen in Ireland so swift of foot that no horse could overtake them in\nrunning. Magnus, the king's son, heard this, and said, \"Now he is lying,\nas he usually does.\"\nHarald replies, \"It is true that there are men in Ireland whom no horse\nin Norway could overtake.\" They exchanged some words about this, and\nboth were drunk. Then said Magnus, \"Thou shalt make a wager with me, and\nstake thy head if thou canst not run so fast as I ride upon my horse,\nand I shall stake my gold ring.\"\nHarald replies, \"I did not say that I could run so swiftly; but I said\nthat men are to be found in Ireland who will run as fast; and on that I\nwould wager.\"\nThe king's son Magnus replies, \"I will not go to Ireland about it; we\nare wagering here, and not there.\"\nHarald on this went to bed, and would not speak to him more about it.\nThis was in Oslo. The following morning, when the early mass was over,\nMagnus rode up the street, and sent a message to Harald to come to him.\nWhen Harald came he was dressed thus. He had on a shirt and trousers\nwhich were bound with ribands under his foot-soles, a short cloak, an\nIrish hat on his head, and a spear-shaft in his hand. Magnus set up a\nmark for the race. Harald said, \"Thou hast made the course too long;\"\nbut Magnus made it at once even much longer, and said it was still\ntoo short. There were many spectators. They began the race, and Harald\nfollowed always the horse's pace; and when they came to the end of the\nrace course, Magnus said, \"Thou hadst hold of the saddle-girth, and the\nhorse dragged thee along.\" Magnus had his swift runner, the Gautland\nhorse. They began the race again, and Harald ran the whole race-course\nbefore the horse. When came to the end Harald asked, \"Had I hold of the\nsaddle-girths now?\"\nMagnus replied, \"Thou hadst the start at first.\"\nThen Magnus let his horse breathe a while, and when he was ready he put\nthe spurs to him, and set off in full gallop. Harald stood still, and\nMagnus looked back, and called, \"Set off now.\"\nThen Harald ran quickly past the horse, and came to the end of the\ncourse so long before him that he lay down, and got up and saluted\nMagnus as he came in.\nThen they went home to the town. In the meantime King Sigurd had been at\nhigh mass, and knew nothing of this until after he had dined that day.\nThen he said to Magnus angrily, \"Thou callest Harald useless; but I\nthink thou art a great fool, and knowest nothing of the customs of\nforeign people. Dost thou not know that men in other countries exercise\nthemselves in other feats than in filling themselves with ale, and\nmaking themselves mad, and so unfit for everything that they scarcely\nknow each other? Give Harald his ring, and do not try to make a fool of\nhim again, as long as I am above ground.\"\n36. OF SIGURD'S SWIMMING.\nIt happened once that Sigurd was out in his ship, which lay in the\nharbour; and there lay a merchant ship, which was an Iceland trader, at\nthe side of it. Harald Gille was in the forecastle of the king's ship,\nand Svein Rimhildson, a son of Knut Sveinson of Jadar, had his berth the\nnext before him. There was also Sigurd Sigurdson, a gallant lenderman,\nwho himself commanded a ship. It was a day of beautiful weather and warm\nsunshine, and many went out to swim, both from the long-ship and the\nmerchant vessel. An Iceland man, who was among the swimmers, amused\nhimself by drawing those under water who could not swim so well as\nhimself; and at that the spectators laughed. When King Sigurd saw and\nheard this, he cast off his clothes, sprang into the water, and swam to\nthe Icelander, seized him, and pressed him under the water, and held him\nthere; and as soon as the Icelander came up the king pressed him down\nagain, and thus the one time after the other.\nThen said Sigurd Sigurdson, \"Shall we let the king kill this man?\"\nSomebody said, \"No one has any wish to interfere.\"\nSigurd replies, that \"If Dag Eilifson were here, we should not be\nwithout one who dared.\"\nThen Sigurd sprang overboard, swam to the king, took hold of him, and\nsaid, \"Sire, do not kill the man. Everybody sees that you are a much\nbetter swimmer.\"\nThe king replies, \"Let me loose, Sigurd: I shall be his death, for he\nwill destroy our people under water.\"\nSigurd says, \"Let us first amuse ourselves; and, Icelander, do thou set\noff to the land,\" which he did. The king now got loose from Sigurd, and\nswam to his ship, and Sigurd went his way: but the king ordered that\nSigurd should not presume to come into his presence; this was reported\nto Sigurd, and so he went up into the country.\n37. OF HARALD AND SVEIN RIMHILDSON.\nIn the evening, when people were going to bed, some of the ship's men\nwere still at their games up in the country. Harald was with those who\nplayed on the land, and told his footboy to go out to the ship, make his\nbed, and wait for him there. The lad did as he was ordered. The king had\ngone to sleep; and as the boy thought Harald late, he laid himself in\nHarald's berth. Svein Rimhildson said, \"It is a shame for brave men to\nbe brought from their farms at home, and to have here serving boys to\nsleep beside them.\" The lad said that Harald had ordered him to come\nthere. Svein Rimhildson said, \"We do not so much care for Harald himself\nlying here, if he do not bring here his slaves and beggars;\" and seized\na riding-whip, and struck the boy on the head until the blood flowed\nfrom him. The boy ran immediately up the country, and told Harald what\nhad happened, who went immediately out to the ship, to the aft part of\nthe forecastle, and with a pole-axe struck Svein so that he received a\nsevere wound on his hands; and then Harald went on shore. Svein ran to\nthe land after him, and, gathering his friends, took Harald prisoner,\nand they were about hanging him. But while they were busy about this,\nSigurd Sigurdson went out to the king's ship and awoke him. When the\nking opened his eyes and recognised Sigurd, he said. \"For this reason\nthou shalt die, that thou hast intruded into my presence; for thou\nknowest that I forbade thee:\" and with these words the king sprang up.\nSigurd replied, \"That is in your power as soon as you please; but other\nbusiness is more urgent. Go to the land as quickly as possible to help\nthy brother; for the Rogaland people are going to hang him.\"\nThen said the king, \"God give us luck, Sigurd! Call my trumpeter, and\nlet him call the people all to land, and to meet me.\"\nThe king sprang on the land, and all who knew him followed him to where\nthe gallows was being erected. The king instantly took Harald to him;\nand all the people gathered to the king in full armour, as they heard\nthe trumpet. Then the king ordered that Svein and all his comrades\nshould depart from the country as outlaws; but by the intercession of\ngood men the king was prevailed on to let them remain and hold their\nproperties, but no mulct should be paid for Svein's wound.\nThen Sigurd Sigurdson asked if the king wished that he should go forth\nout of the country.\n\"That will I not,\" said the king; \"for I can never be without thee.\"\n38. OF KING OLAF'S MIRACLE.\nThere was a young and poor man called Kolbein; and Thora, King Sigurd\nthe Crusader's mother, had ordered his tongue to be cut out of his\nmouth, and for no other cause than that this young man had taken a piece\nof meat out of the king-mother's tub which he said the cook had given\nhim, and which the cook had not ventured to serve up to her. The man had\nlong gone about speechless. So says Einar Skulason in Olaf's ballad:--\n \"The proud rich dame, for little cause,\n Had the lad's tongue cut from his jaws:\n The helpless man, of speech deprived,\n His dreadful sore wound scarce survived.\n A few weeks since at Hild was seen,\n As well as ever he had been,\n The same poor lad--to speech restored\n By Olaf's power, whom he adored.\"\nAfterwards the young man came to Nidaros, and watched in the Christ\nchurch; but at the second mass for Olaf before matins he fell asleep,\nand thought he saw King Olaf the Saint coming to him; and that Olaf\ntalked to him, and took hold with his hands of the stump of his tongue\nand pulled it. Now when he awoke he found himself restored, and joyfully\ndid he thank our Lord and the holy Saint Olaf, who had pitied and helped\nhim; for he had come there speechless, and had gone to the holy shrine,\nand went away cured, and with his speech clear and distinct.\n39. KING OLAF'S MIRACLE WITH A PRISONER.\nThe heathens took prisoner a young man of Danish family and carried him\nto Vindland, where he was in fetters along with other prisoners. In\nthe day-time he was alone in irons, without a guard; but at night a\npeasant's son was beside him in the chain, that he might not escape from\nthem. This poor man never got sleep or rest from vexation and sorrow,\nand considered in many ways what could help him; for he had a great\ndread of slavery, and was pining with hunger and torture. He could not\nagain expect to be ransomed by his friends, as they had already restored\nhim twice from heathen lands with their own money; and he well knew that\nit would be difficult and expensive for them to submit a third time to\nthis burden. It is well with the man who does not undergo so much in the\nworld as this man knew he had suffered. He saw but one way; and that\nwas to get off and escape if he could. He resolved upon this in the\nnight-time, killed the peasant, and cut his foot off after killing him,\nand set off to the forest with the chain upon his leg. Now when the\npeople knew this, soon after daylight in the morning, they pursued him\nwith two dogs accustomed to trace any one who escaped, and to find him\nin the forest however carefully he might be concealed. They got him\ninto their hands and beat him, and did him all kinds of mischief; and\ndragging him home, left barely alive, and showed him no mercy. They\ntortured him severely; put him in a dark room, in which there lay\nalready sixteen Christian men; and bound him both with iron and other\ntyings, as fast as they could. Then he began to think that the\nmisery and pain he had endured before were but shadows to his present\nsufferings. He saw no man before his eyes in this prison who would beg\nfor mercy for him; no one had compassion on his wretchedness, except\nthe Christian men who lay bound with him, who sorrowed with him, and\nbemoaned his fate together with their own misfortunes and helplessness.\nOne day they advised him to make a vow to the holy King Olaf, to devote\nhimself to some office in his sacred house, if he, by God's compassion\nand Saint Olaf's prayers could get away from this prison. He gladly\nagreed to this, and made a vow and prepared himself for the situation\nthey mentioned to him. The night after he thought in his sleep that he\nsaw a man, not tall, standing at his side, who spoke to him thus, \"Here,\nthou wretched man, why dost thou not get up?\"\nHe replied, \"Sir, who are you?\"\n\"I am King Olaf, on whom thou hast called.\"\n\"Oh, my good lord! gladly would I raise myself; but I lie bound with\niron and with chains on my legs, and also the other men who lie here.\"\nThereupon the king accosts him with the words, \"Stand up at once and be\nnot afraid; for thou art loose.\"\nHe awoke immediately, and told his comrades what, had appeared to him in\nhis dream. They told him to stand up, and try if it was true. He stood\nup, and observed that he was loose. Now said his fellow-prisoners, this\nwould help him but little, for the door was locked both on the inside\nand on the outside. Then an old man who sat there in a deplorable\ncondition put in his word, and told him not to doubt the mercy of the\nman who had loosened his chains; \"For he has wrought this miracle on\nthee that thou shouldst enjoy his mercy, and hereafter be free, without\nsuffering more misery and torture. Make haste, then, and seek the door;\nand if thou are able to slip out, thou art saved.\"\nHe did so, found the door open, slipped out, and away to the forest. As\nsoon as the Vindland people were aware of this they set loose the dogs,\nand pursued him in great haste; and the poor man lay hid, and saw well\nwhere they were following him. But now the hounds lost the trace when\nthey came nearer, and all the eyes that sought him were struck with a\nblindness, so that nobody could find him, although he lay before their\nfeet; and they all returned home, vexed that they could not find him.\nKing Olaf did not permit this man's destruction after he had reached the\nforest, and restored him also to his health and hearing; for they had so\nlong tortured and beaten him that he had become deaf. At last he came\non board of a ship, with two other Christian men who had been long\nafflicted in that country. All of them worked zealously in this vessel,\nand so had a successful flight. Then he repaired to the holy man's\nhouse, strong and fit to bear arms. Now he was vexed at his vow, went\nfrom his promise to the holy king, ran away one day, and came in the\nevening to a bonde who gave him lodging for God's sake. Then in the\nnight he saw three girls coming to him; and handsome and nobly dressed\nwere they. They spoke to him directly, and sharply reprimanded him for\nhaving been so bold as to run from the good king who had shown so much\ncompassion to him, first in freeing him from his irons, and then from\nthe prison; and yet he had deserted the mild master into whose service\nhe had entered. Then he awoke full of terror, got up early, and told the\nhouse-father his dream. The good man had nothing so earnest in life as\nto send him-back to the holy place. This miracle was first written down\nby a man who himself saw the man, and the marks of the chains upon his\nbody.\n40. KING SIGURD MARRIES CECILIA.\nIn the last period of King Sigurd's life, his new and extraordinary\nresolution was whispered about, that he would be divorced from his\nqueen, and would take Cecilia, who was a great man's daughter, to wife.\nHe ordered accordingly a great feast to be prepared, and intended to\nhold his wedding with her in Bergen. Now when Bishop Magne heard this,\nhe was very sorry; and one day the bishop goes to the king's hall, and\nwith him a priest called Sigurd, who was afterwards bishop of Bergen.\nWhen they came to the king's hall, the bishop sent the king a message\nthat he would like to meet him; and asked the king to come out to him.\nHe did so, and came out with a drawn sword in his hand. He received the\nbishop kindly and asked him to go in and sit down to table with him.\nThe bishop replies, \"I have other business now. Is it true, sire, what\nis told me, that thou hast the intention of marrying, and of driving\naway thy queen, and taking another wife?\"\nThe king said it was true.\nThen the bishop changed countenance, and angrily replied, \"How can it\ncome into your mind, sire, to do such an act in our bishopric as to\nbetray God's word and law, and the holy church? It surprises me that\nyou treat with such contempt our episcopal office, and your own royal\noffice. I will now do what is my duty; and in the name of God, of the\nholy King Olaf, of Peter the apostle, and of the other saints, forbid\nthee this wickedness.\"\nWhile he thus spoke he stood straight up, as if stretching out his neck\nto the blow, as if ready if the king chose to let the sword fall; and\nthe priest Sigurd, who afterwards was bishop, has declared that the\nsky appeared to him no bigger than a calf's skin, so frightful did the\nappearance of the king present itself to him. The king returned to the\nhall, however, without saying a word; and the bishop went to his house\nand home so cheerful and gay that he laughed, and saluted every child on\nhis way, and was playing with his fingers. Then the priest Sigurd\nasked him the reason, saying, \"Why are you so cheerful, sir? Do you not\nconsider that the king may be exasperated against you? and would it not\nbe better to get out of the way?\"\nThen said the bishop, \"It appears to me more likely that he will not act\nso; and besides, what death could be better, or more desirable, than\nto leave life for the honour of God? or to die for the holy cause of\nChristianity and our own office, by preventing that which is not right?\nI am so cheerful because I have done what I ought to do.\"\nThere was much noise in the town about this. The king got ready for\na journey, and took with him corn, malt and honey. He went south to\nStavanger, and prepared a feast there for his marriage with Cecilia.\nWhen a bishop who ruled there heard of this he went to the king, and\nasked if it were true that he intended to marry in the lifetime of the\nqueen.\nThe king said it was so.\nThe bishop answers, \"If it be so, sire, you must know how much such a\nthing is forbidden to inferior persons. Now it appears as if you thought\nit was allowable for you, because you have great power, and that it is\nproper for you, although it is against right and propriety; but I do\nnot know how you will do it in our bishopric, dishonouring thereby God's\ncommand, the holy Church, and our episcopal authority. But you must\nbestow a great amount of gifts and estates on this foundation, and\nthereby pay the mulct due to God and to us for such transgression.\"\nThen said the king, \"Take what thou wilt of our possessions. Thou art\nfar more reasonable than Bishop Magne.\"\nThen the king went away, as well pleased with this bishop as ill pleased\nwith him who had laid a prohibition on him. Thereafter the king married\nthe girl, and loved her tenderly.\n41. IMPROVEMENT OF KONUNGAHELLA.\nKing Sigurd improved the town of Konungahella so much, that there was\nnot a greater town in Norway at the time, and he remained there long for\nthe defence of the frontiers. He built a king's house in the castle, and\nimposed a duty on all the districts in the neighbourhood of the town, as\nwell as on the townspeople, that every person of nine years of age and\nupwards should bring to the castle five missile stones for weapons, or\nas many large stakes sharp at one end and five ells long. In the castle\nthe king built a cross-church of timber, and carefully put together,\nas far as regards the wood and other materials. The cross-church was\nconsecrated in the 24th year of King Sigurd's reign (A.D. 1127). Here\nthe king deposited the piece of the holy cross, and many other holy\nrelics. It was called the castle church; and before the high altar he\nplaced the tables he had got made in the Greek country, which were of\ncopper and silver, all gilt, and beautifully adorned with jewels. Here\nwas also the shrine which the Danish king Eirik Eimune had sent to\nKing Sigurd; and the altar book, written with gold letters, which the\npatriarch had presented to King Sigurd.\n42. KING SIGURD'S DEATH.\nThree years after the consecration of the cross-church, when King Sigurd\nwas stopping at Viken, he fell sick (A.D. 1130). He died the night\nbefore Mary's-mass (August 15), and was buried in Halvard's church,\nwhere he was laid in the stone wall without the choir on the south side.\nHis son Magnus was in the town at the time and took possession of the\nwhole of the king's treasury when King Sigurd died. Sigurd had been king\nof Norway twenty-seven years (A.D. 1104-1130), and was forty years of\nage when he died. The time of his reign was good for the country; for\nthere was peace, and crops were good.\nSAGA OF MAGNUS THE BLIND AND OF HARALD GILLE.\nPRELIMINARY REMARKS\nAn age of conflict now begins in Norway. On his death, in 1130, Sigurd\nleft his son Magnus and his brother Harald. They soon divided the\ngovernment, and then entered upon a five-years' conflict, until Magnus,\nin 1135, with eyes picked out, went into a convent.\nThe next year, 1136, a new pretender appeared in the person of Sigurd\nSlembe, who took King Harald's life in 1137. Magnus died in 1139.\nOther literature in regard to this epoch is \"Fagrskinna\" and\n\"Morkinskinna\". The corresponding part of \"Agrip\" is lost.\nSkalds quoted are: Haldor Skvaldre, Einar Skulason, and Ivar\nIngemundson.\n1. MAGNUS AND HARALD PROCLAIMED KINGS.\nKing Sigurd's son Magnus was proclaimed in Oslo king of all the country\nimmediately after his father's death, according to the oath which the\nwhole nation had sworn to King Sigurd; and many went into his service,\nand many became his lendermen. Magnus was the handsomest man then in\nNorway; of a passionate temper, and cruel, but distinguished in bodily\nexercises. The favour of the people he owed most to the respect for his\nfather. He was a great drinker, greedy of money, hard, and obstinate.\nHarald Gille, on the other hand, was very pleasing in intercourse, gay,\nand full of mirth; and so generous that he spared in nothing for the\nsake of his friends. He willingly listened to good advice, so that he\nallowed others to consult with him and give counsel. With all this he\nobtained favour and a good repute, and many men attached themselves as\nmuch to him as to King Magnus. Harald was in Tunsberg when he heard of\nhis brother King Sigurd's death. He called together his friends to a\nmeeting, and it was resolved to hold the Hauga Thing (1) there in the\ntown. At this Thing, Harald was chosen king of half the country, and it\nwas called a forced oath which had been taken from him to renounce his\npaternal heritage. Then Harald formed a court, and appointed lendermen;\nand very soon he had as many people about him as King Magnus. Then men\nwent between them, and matters stood in this way for seven days; but\nKing Magnus, finding he had fewer people, was obliged to give way,\nand to divide the kingdom with Harald into two parts. The kingdom\naccordingly was so divided (October 3, 1130) that each of them should\nhave the half part of the kingdom which King Sigurd had possessed; but\nthat King Magnus alone should inherit the fleet of ships, the table\nservice, the valuable articles and the movable effects which had\nbelonged to his father, King Sigurd. He was notwithstanding the\nleast satisfied with his share. Although they were of such different\ndispositions, they ruled the country for some time in peace. King Harald\nhad a son called Sigurd, by Thora, a daughter of Guthorm Grabarde. King\nHarald afterwards married Ingerid, a daughter of Ragnvald, who was a\nson of the Swedish King Inge Steinkelson. King Magnus was married to\na daughter of Knut Lavard, and she was a sister of the Danish King\nValdernar; but King Magnus having no affection for her, sent her back to\nDenmark; and from that day everything went ill with him, and he brought\nupon himself the enmity of her family.\n ENDNOTES: (1) Hauga-thing means a Thing held at the tumuli or burial\n mounds.--L.\n2. OF THE FORCES OF HARALD AND MAGNUS.\nWhen the two relations, Harald and Magnus, had been about three years\nkings of Norway (A.D. 1131-1133), they both passed the fourth winter\n(A.D. 1134) in the town of Nidaros, and invited each other as guests;\nbut their people were always ready for a fight. In spring King Magnus\nsailed southwards along the land with his fleet, and drew all the men he\ncould obtain out of each district, and sounded his friends if they would\nstrengthen him with their power to take the kingly dignity from Harald,\nand give him such a portion of the kingdom, as might be suitable;\nrepresenting to them that King Harald had already renounced the kingdom\nby oath. King Magnus obtained the consent of many powerful men. The same\nspring Harald went to the Uplands, and by the upper roads eastwards\nto Viken; and when he heard what King Magnus was doing, he also drew\ntogether men on his side. Wheresoever the two parties went they killed\nthe cattle, or even the people, upon the farms of the adverse party.\nKing Magnus had by far the most people, for the main strength of the\ncountry lay open to him for collecting men from it. King Harald was in\nViken on the east side of the fjord, and collected men, while they were\ndoing each other damage in property and life. King Harald had with him\nKristrod, his brother by his mother's side, and many other lendermen;\nbut King Magnus had many more. King Harald was with his forces at a\nplace called Fors in Ranrike, and went from thence towards the sea. The\nevening before Saint Lawrence day (August 10), they had their supper at\na place called Fyrileif, while the guard kept a watch on horseback all\naround the house. The watchmen observed King Magnus's army hastening\ntowards the house, and consisting of full 6000 men, while King Harald\nhad but 1500. Now come the watchmen who had to bring the news to King\nHarald of what was going on and say that King Magnus's army was now very\nnear the town.\nThe king says, \"What will my relation King Magnus Sigurdson have? He\nwants not surely to fight us.\"\nThjostolf Alason replies, \"You must certainly, sire, make preparation\nfor that, both for yourself and your men. King Magnus has been drawing\ntogether an army all the summer for the purpose of giving you battle\nwhen he meets you.\"\nThen King Harald stood up, and ordered his men to take their arms. \"We\nshall fight, if our relative King Magnus wants to fight us.\"\nThen the war-horns sounded, and all Harald's men went out from the house\nto an enclosed field, and set up their banners. King Harald had on two\nshirts of ring-mail, but his brother Kristrod had no armour on; and a\ngallant man he was. When King Magnus and his men saw King Harald's troop\nthey drew up and made their array, and made their line so long that\nthey could surround the whole of King Harald's troop. So says Haldor\nSkvaldre:--\n \"King Magnus on the battle-plain\n From his long troop-line had great gain;\n The plain was drenched with warm blood,\n Which lay a red and reeking flood.\"\n3. BATTLE AT FYRILEIF.\nKing Magnus had the holy cross carried before him in this battle, and\nthe battle was great and severe. The king's brother, Kristrod, had\npenetrated with his troop into the middle of King Magnus's array,\nand cut down on each side of him, so that people gave way before him\neverywhere. But a powerful bonde who was in King Harald's array raised\nhis spear with both hands, and drove it through between Kristrod's\nshoulders, so that it came out at his breast; and thus fell Kristrod.\nMany who were near asked the bonde why he had done so foul a deed.\nThe bonde replies, \"He knows the consequences now of slaughtering my\ncattle in summer, and taking all that was in my house, and forcing me\nto follow him here. I determined to give him some return when the\nopportunity came.\"\nAfter this King Harald's army took to flight, and he fled himself, with\nall his men. Many fell; and Ingemar Sveinson of Ask, a great chief and\nlenderman, got there his death-wound, and nearly sixty of King Harald's\ncourt-men also fell. Harald himself fled eastward to Viken to his ships,\nand went out of the country to King Eirik Eimune in Denmark, and found\nhim in Seeland and sought aid from him. King Eirik received him well,\nand principally because they had sworn to each other to be as brothers\n(1); and gave him Halland as a fief to rule over, and gave him\nseven long-ships, but without equipment. Thereafter King Harald went\nnorthwards through Halland, and many Northmen came to meet him. After\nthis battle King Magnus subdued the whole country, giving life and\nsafety to all who were wounded, and had them taken care of equally with\nhis own men. He then called the whole country his own, and had a choice\nof the best men who were in the country. When they held a council among\nthemselves afterwards, Sigurd Sigurdson, Thorer Ingeridson, and all the\nmen of most understanding, advised that they should keep their forces\ntogether in Viken, and remain there, in case Harald should return from\nthe south; but King Magnus would take his own way, and went north to\nBergen. There he sat all winter (A.D. 1135), and allowed his men to\nleave him; on which the lendermen returned home to their own houses.\n ENDNOTES: (1) These brotherhoods, by which one man was bound by oath to\n aid or avenge another, were common in the Middle Ages among\n all ranks. \"Sworn brothers\" is still a common expression\n with us.--L.\n4. DEATH OF ASBJORN AND OF NEREID.\nKing Harald came to Konungahella with the men who had followed him from\nDenmark. The lendermen and town's burgesses collected a force against\nhim, which they drew up in a thick array above the town. King Harald\nlanded from his ships, and sent a message to the bondes, desiring that\nthey would not deny him his land, as he wanted no more than what of\nright belonged to him. Then mediators went between them; and it came\nto this, that the bondes dismissed their troops, and submitted to him.\nThereupon he bestowed fiefs and property on the lendermen, that they\nmight stand by him, and paid the bondes who joined him the lawful\nmulcts for what they had lost. A great body of men attached themselves,\ntherefore, to King Harald; and he proceeded westwards to Viken, where he\ngave peace to all men, except to King Magnus's people, whom he plundered\nand killed wherever he found them. And when he came west to Sarpsborg he\ntook prisoners two of King Magnus s lendermen, Asbjorn and his brother\nNereid; and gave them the choice that one should be hanged, and the\nother thrown into the Sarpsborg waterfall, and they might choose as they\npleased. Asbjorn chose to be thrown into the cataract, for he was the\nelder of the two, and this death appeared the most dreadful; and so it\nwas done. Halder Skvaldre tells of this:--\n \"Asbjorn, who opposed the king,\n O'er the wild cataract they fling:\n Nereid, who opposed the king,\n Must on Hagbard's high tree swing.\n The king given food in many a way\n To foul-mouthed beasts and birds of prey:\n The generous men who dare oppose\n Are treated as the worst of foes.\"\nThereafter King Harald proceeded north to Tunsberg, where he was well\nreceived, and a large force gathered to him.\n5. OF THE COUNSELS PROPOSED.\nWhen King Magnus, who was in Bergen, heard these tidings, he called\ntogether all the chiefs who were in the town, and asked them their\ncounsel, and what they should now do. Then Sigurd Sigurdson said, \"Here\nI can give a good advice. Let a ship be manned with good men, and put\nme, or any other lenderman, to command it; send it to thy relation, King\nHarald, and offer him peace according to the conditions upright men may\ndetermine upon, and offer him the half of the kingdom. It appears to\nme probable that King Harald, by the words and counsel of good men, may\naccept this offer, and thus there may be a peace established between\nyou.\"\nThen King Magnus replied, \"This proposal I will not accept of; for of\nwhat advantage would it be, after we have gained the whole kingdom in\nsummer to give away the half of it now? Give us some other counsel.\"\nThen Sigurd Sigurdson answered, \"It appears to me, sire, that your\nlendermen who in autumn asked your leave to return home will now sit\nat home and will not come to you. At that time it was much against my\nadvice that you dispersed so entirely the people we had collected; for\nI could well suppose that Harald would come back to Viken as soon as he\nheard that it was without a chief. Now there is still another counsel,\nand it is but a poor one; but it may turn out useful to us. Send out\nyour pursuivants, and send other people with them, and let them go\nagainst the lendermen who will not join you in your necessity, and\nkill them; and bestow their property on others who will give you help\nalthough they may have been of small importance before. Let them drive\ntogether the people, the bad as well as the good; and go with the men\nyou can thus assemble against King Harald, and give him battle.\"\nThe king replies, \"It would be unpopular to put to death people of\ndistinction, and raise up inferior people who often break faith and\nlaw, and the country would be still worse off. I would like to hear some\nother counsel still.\"\nSigurd replies, \"It is difficult for me now to give advice, as you will\nneither make peace nor give battle. Let us go north to Throndhjem, where\nthe main strength of the country is most inclined to our side; and on\nthe way let us gather all the men we can. It may be that these Elfgrims\nwill be tired of such a long stride after us.\"\nThe king replies, \"We must not fly from those whom we beat in summer.\nGive some better counsel still.\"\nThen Sigurd stood up and said, while he was preparing to go out, \"I will\nnow give you the counsel which I see you will take, and which must have\nits course. Sit here in Bergen until Harald comes with his troops, and\nthen you will either suffer death or disgrace.\"\nAnd Sigurd remained no longer at that meeting.\n6. OF HARALD'S FORCE.\nKing Harald came from the East along the coast with a great army, and\nthis winter (A.D. 1135) is called on that account the Crowd-winter. King\nHarald came to Bergen on Christmas eve, and landed with his fleet at\nFloruvagar; but would not fight on account of the sacred time. But King\nMagnus prepared for defence in the town. He erected a stone-slinging\nmachine out on the holm, and had iron chains and wooden booms laid\nacross over the passage from the king's house to Nordnes, and to the\nMonks bridge. He had foot-traps made, and thrown into Saint John's\nfield, and did not suspend these works except during the three sacred\ndays of Christmas. The last holyday of Yule, King Harald ordered his\nwar-horns to sound the gathering of his men for going to the town; and,\nduring the Yule holydays, his army had been increased by about 900 men.\n7. KING MAGNUS TAKEN PRISONER.\nKing Harald made a promise to King Olaf the Saint for victory, that he\nwould build an Olaf's church in the town at his own expense. King Magnus\ndrew up his men in the Christ church yard; but King Harald laid his\nvessels first at Nordnes. Now when King Magnus and his people saw that,\nthey turned round towards the town, and to the end of the shore; but\nas they passed through the streets many of the burgesses ran into their\nhouses and homes, and those who went across the fields fell into the\nfoot-traps. Then King Magnus and his men perceived that King Harald had\nrowed with all his men across to Hegravik, and landed there, and had\ngone from thence the upper road up the hill opposite the town. Now\nMagnus returned back again through the streets, and then his men fled\nfrom him in all directions; some up to the mountains, some up to\nthe neighbourhood of the convent of nuns, some to churches, or hid\nthemselves as they best could. King Magnus fled to his ship; but\nthere was no possibility of getting away, for the iron chains outside\nprevented the passage of vessels. He had also but few men with him, and\ntherefore could do nothing. Einar Skulason tells of this in the song of\nHarald:--\n \"For a whole week an iron chain\n Cut off all sailing to the main:\n Bergen's blue stable was locked fast,--\n Her floating wains could not get past.\"\nSoon after Harald's people came out to the ships, and then King Magnus\nwas made prisoner. He was sitting behind in the forecastle upon the\nchests of the high-seat, and at his side Hakon Fauk, his mother's\nbrother, who was very popular but was not considered very wise, and Ivar\nAssurson. They, and many others of King Magnus's friends, were taken,\nand some of them killed on the spot.\n8. KING MAGNUS MUTILATED.\nThereafter King Harald had a meeting of his counsellors, and desired\ntheir counsel; and in this meeting the judgment was given that Magnus\nshould be deposed from his dominions, and should no longer be called\nking. Then he was delivered to the king's slaves, who mutilated him,\npicked out both his eyes, cut off one foot, and at last castrated him.\nIvar Assurson was blinded, and Hakon Fauk killed. The whole country then\nwas reduced to obedience under King Harald. Afterwards it was diligently\nexamined who were King Magnus's best friends, or who knew most of his\nconcealments of treasure or valuables. The holy cross King Magnus had\nkept beside him since the battle of Fyrileif, but would not tell where\nit was deposited for preservation. Bishop Reinald of Stavanger, who\nwas an Englishman, was considered very greedy of money. He was a great\nfriend of King Magnus, and it was thought likely that great treasure\nand valuables had been given into his keeping. Men were sent for him\naccordingly, and he came to Bergen, where it was insisted against\nhim that he had some knowledge of such treasure; but he denied it\naltogether, would not admit it, and offered to clear himself by ordeal.\nKing Harald would not have this, but laid on the bishop a money fine\nof fifteen marks of gold, which he should pay to the king. The bishop\ndeclared he would not thus impoverish his bishop's see, but would rather\noffer his life. On this they hanged the bishop out on the holm, beside\nthe sling machine. As he was going to the gallows he threw the sock from\nhis foot, and said with an oath, \"I know no more about King Magnus's\ntreasure than what is in this sock;\" and in it there was a gold ring.\nBishop Reinald was buried at Nordnes in Michael's church, and this deed\nwas much blamed. After this Harald Gille was sole king of Norway as long\nas he lived.\n9. WONDERFUL OMENS IN KONUNGAHELLA.\nFive years after King Sigurd's death remarkable occurrences took place\nin Konungahella (A.D. 1135). Guthorm, a son of Harald Fletter, and\nSaemund Husfreyja, were at that time the king's officers there. Saemund\nwas married to Ingebjorg, a daughter of the priest Andres Brunson. Their\nsons were Paul Flip and Gunne Fis. Saemund's natural son was called\nAsmund. Andres Brunson was a very remarkable man, who carried on divine\nservice in the Cross church. His wife (1) was called Solveig. Jon\nLoptson, who was then eleven years old, was in their house to be\nfostered and educated. The priest Lopt Saemundson, Jon's father, was\nalso in the town at that time. The priest Andres and Solveig had\na daughter by name Helga, who was Einar's wife. It happened now in\nKonungahella, the next Sunday night after Easter week, that there was\na great noise in the streets through the whole town as if the king was\ngoing through with all his court-men. The dogs were so affected that\nnobody could hold them, but they slipped loose; and when they came out\nthey ran mad, biting all that came in their way, people and cattle.\nAll who were bitten by them till the blood came turned raging mad; and\npregnant women were taken in labour prematurely, and became mad. From\nEaster to Ascension-day, these portentous circumstances took place\nalmost every night. People were dreadfully alarmed at these wonders; and\nmany made themselves ready to remove, sold their houses, and went out\nto the country districts, or to other towns. The most intelligent men\nlooked upon it as something extremely remarkable; were in dread of it;\nand said, as it proved to be, that it was an omen of important events\nwhich had not yet taken place. And the priest Andres, on Whit Sunday,\nmade a long and excellent speech, and turned the conclusion of it to\nthe distressing situation of the townspeople; telling them to muster\ncourage, and not lay waste their excellent town by deserting it, but\nrather to take the utmost care in all things, and use the greatest\nforesight against all dangers, as of fire or the enemy, and to pray to\nGod to have mercy on them.\n ENDNOTES: (1) The Catholic priests appear to have had wives at that time\n in Norway, and celibacy to have been confined to the monks.\n10. THE RISE OF WAR IN KONUNGAHELLA.\nThirteen loaded merchant ships made ready to leave the town, intending\nto proceed to Bergen; but eleven of them were lost, men and goods, and\nall that was in them; the twelfth was lost also, but the people were\nsaved, although the cargo went to the bottom. At that time the priest\nLopt went north to Bergen, with all that belonged to him, and arrived\nsafely. The merchant vessels were lost on Saint Lawrence eve (August\n10). The Danish king Eirik and the Archbishop Assur, both sent notice to\nKonungahella to keep watch on their town; and said the Vindland people\nhad a great force on foot with which they made war far around on\nChristian people, and usually gained the victory. But the townspeople\nattended very little to this warning, were indifferent, and forgot more\nand more the dreadful omens the longer it was since they happened. On\nthe holy Saint Lawrence day, while the words of high mass were spoken,\ncame to the Vindland king Rettibur to Konungahella with 550 Vindland\ncutters, and in each cutter were forty-four men and two horses. The\nking's sister's son Dunimiz, and Unibur, a chief who ruled over many\npeople, were with him. These two chiefs rowed at once, with a part of\ntheir troops, up the east arm of the Gaut river past Hising Isle, and\nthus came down to the town; but a part of the fleet lay in the western\narm, and came so to the town. They made fast their ships at the piles,\nand landed their horses, and rode over the height of Bratsas, and from\nthence up around the town. Einar, a relation of priest Andres, brought\nthese tidings up to the Castle church; for there the whole inhabitants\nof the town were gathered to hear high mass. Einar came just as the\npriest Andres was holding his discourse; and he told the people that\nan army was sailing up against the town with a great number of ships of\nwar, and that some people were riding over Bratsas. Many said it must be\nthe Danish king Eirik, and from him they might expect peace. The people\nran down into the town to their properties, armed themselves, and went\ndown upon the piers, whence they immediately saw there was an enemy\nand an immense army. Nine East-country trading vessels belonging to the\nmerchants were afloat in the river at the piers. The Vindland people\nfirst directed their course toward these and fought with the merchants,\nwho armed themselves, and defended themselves long, well, and manfully.\nThere was a hard battle, and resistance, before the merchant vessels\nwere cleared of their men; and in this conflict the Vindland people\nlost 150 of their ships, with all the men on board. When the battle was\nsharpest the townsmen stood upon the piers, and shot at the heathens.\nBut when the fight slackened the burgesses fled up to the town, and from\nthence into the castle; and the men took with them all their valuable\narticles, and such goods as they could carry. Solveig and her daughters,\nwith two other women, went on shore when the Vindlanders took possession\nof the merchant vessels. Now the Vindlanders landed, and mustered their\nmen, and discovered their loss. Some of them went up into the town, some\non board the merchant ships, and took all the goods they pleased;\nand then they set fire to the town, and burnt it and the ships. They\nhastened then with all their army to assault the castle.\n11. THE SECOND BATTLE.\nKing Rettibur made an offer to those who were in the castle that they\nshould go out, and he would give them their lives, weapons, clothes,\nsilver, and gold; but all exclaimed against it, and went out on the\nfortification; some shot, some threw stones, some sharp stakes. It was\na great battle, in which many fell on both sides, but by far the most\nof the Vindlanders. Solveig came up to a large farm called Solbjorg, and\nbrought the news. A message war-token was there split, and sent out to\nSkurbagar, where there happened to be a joint ale-drinking feast, and\nmany men were assembled. A bonde called Olver Miklimun (Mickle Mouth)\nwas there, who immediately sprang up, took helmet and shield, and a\ngreat axe in his hand, and said, \"Stand up, brave lads, and take your\nweapons. Let us go help the townspeople; for it would appear shameful\nto every man who heard of it, if we sit here sipping our ale, while good\nmen in the town are losing their lives by our neglect.\"\nMany made an objection, and said they would only be losing their own\nlives, without being of any assistance to the townspeople.\nThen said Olver, \"Although all of you should hold back, I will go alone;\nand one or two heathens, at any rate, shall fall before I fall.\"\nHe ran down to the town, and a few men after him to see what he would\ndo, and also whether they could assist him in any way. When he came\nnear the castle, and the heathens saw him, they sent out eight men fully\narmed against him; and when they met, the heathen men ran and surrounded\nhim on all sides. Olver lifted his axe, and struck behind him with\nthe extreme point of it, hitting the neck of the man who was coming up\nbehind him, so that his throat and jawbone were cut through, and he fell\ndead backwards. Then he heaved his axe forwards, and struck the next man\nin the head, and clove him down to the shoulders. He then fought with\nthe others, and killed two of them; but was much wounded himself. The\nfour who remained took to flight, but Olver ran after them. There was\na ditch before them, and two of the heathens jumped into it, and Olver\nkilled them both; but he stuck fast himself in the ditch, so that two of\nthe eight heathens escaped. The men who had followed Olver took him\nup, and brought him back to Skurbagar, where his wounds were bound and\nhealed; and it was the talk of the people, that no single man had ever\nmade such a bloody onset. Two lendermen, Sigurd Gyrdson, a brother of\nPhilip, and Sigard, came with 600 men to Skurbagar; on which Sigurd\nturned back with 400 men. He was but little respected afterwards, and\nsoon died. Sigard, on the other hand, proceeded with 200 men towards the\ntown; and they gave battle to the heathens, and were all slain. While\nthe Vindlanders were storming the castle, their king and his chiefs were\nout of the battle. At one place there was a man among the Vindlanders\nshooting with a bow, and killing a man for every arrow; and two men\nstood before him, and covered him with their shields. Then Saemund\nHusfreyja said to his son Asmund, that they should both shoot together\nat this bowman. \"But I will shoot at the man who holds the shield before\nhim.\" He did so, and he knocked the shield down a little before the man;\nand in the same instant Asmund shot between the shields, and the arrow\nhit the bowman in the forehead, so that it came out at his neck, and he\nfell down dead. When the Vindlanders saw it they howled like dogs, or\nlike wolves. Then King Rettibur called to them that he would give them\nsafety and life, but they refused terms. The heathens again made a\nhard assault. One of the heathens in particular fought so bravely, and\nventured so near, that he came quite up to the castle-gate, and pierced\nthe man who stood outside the gate with his sword; and although they\nused both arrows and stones against him, and he had neither shield nor\nhelmet, nothing could touch him, for he was so skilled in witchcraft\nthat weapon could not wound him. Then priest Andres took consecrated\nfire; blew upon it; cut tinder in pieces, and laid it on the fire; and\nthen laid the tinder on the arrow-point, and gave it to Asmund. He shot\nthis arrow at the warlock; and the shaft hit so well that it did its\nbusiness, and the man of witchcraft fell dead. Then the heathens crowded\ntogether as before, howling and whining dreadfully; and all gathered\nabout their king, on which the Christians believed that they were\nholding a council about retreating. The interpreters, who understood\nthe Vindland tongue, heard the chief Unibur make the following speech:\n\"These people are brave, and it is difficult to make anything of them;\nand even if we took all the goods in their town, we might willingly give\nas much more that we had never come here, so great has been our loss of\nmen and chiefs. Early in the day, when we began to assault the castle,\nthey defended themselves first with arrows and spears; then they fought\nagainst us with stones; and now with sticks and staves, as against dogs.\nI see from this that they are in want of weapons and means of defense;\nso we shall make one more hard assault, and try their strength.\" It\nwas as he said, that they now fought with stakes; because, in the first\nassault, they had imprudently used up all their missile weapons and\nstones; and now when the Christians saw the number of their stakes\ndiminishing, they clave each stake in two. The heathens now made a very\nhot attack, and rested themselves between whiles, and on both sides they\nwere exhausted. During a rest the Vindland king Rettibur again offered\nterms, and that they should retain the weapons, clothes, and silver they\ncould carry out of the castle. Saemund Husfreyja had fallen, and the men\nwho remained gave the counsel to deliver up the castle and themselves\ninto the power of the heathens; but it was a foolish counsel; for the\nheathens did not keep their promises, but took all people, men, women,\nand children, and killed all of them who were wounded or young, or could\nnot easily be carried with them. They took all the goods that were in\nthe castle; went into the Cross church, and plundered it of all its\nornaments. The priest Andres gave King Rettibur a silver-mounted gilt\nsceptre, and to his sister's son Dunimiz he gave a gold ring. They\nsupposed from this that he was a man of great importance in the town,\nand held him in higher respect than the others. They took away with them\nthe holy cross, and also the tables which stood before the altar, which\nSigurd had got made in the Greek country, and had brought home himself.\nThese they took, and laid flat down on the steps before the altar. Then\nthe heathens went out of the church. Rettibur said, \"This house has\nbeen adorned with great zeal for the God to whom it is dedicated; but,\nmethinks, He has shown little regard for the town or house: so I see\ntheir God has been angry at those who defended them.\" King Rettibur gave\nthe priest Andres the church, the shrine, the holy cross, the Bible,\nthe altar-book, and four clerks (prisoners); but the heathens burnt the\nCastle church, and all the houses that were in the castle. As the fire\nthey had set to the church went out twice, they hewed the church down,\nand then it burnt like other houses. Then the heathens went to their\nships with the booty; but when they mustered their people and saw their\nloss, they made prisoners of all the people, and divided them among the\nvessels. Now priest Andres went on board the king's ship with the holy\ncross, and there came a great terror over the heathens on account of the\nportentous circumstance which took place in the king's ship; namely,\nit became so hot that all thought they were to be burnt up. The king\nordered the interpreter to ask the priest why this happened. He replied,\nthat the Almighty God on whom the Christians believed, sent them a proof\nof His anger, that they who would not believe in their Creator presumed\nto lay hands on the emblem of His suffering; and that there lay so much\npower in the cross, that such, and even clearer miracles, happened to\nheathen men who had taken the cross in their hands. The king had the\npriest put into the ship's boat, and the priest Andres carried the holy\ncross in his grasp. They led the boat along past the ship's bow,\nand then along the side of the next ship, and then shoved it with a\nboat-hook in beside the pier. Then Andres went with the cross by night\nto Solbjorg, in rain and dreadful weather; but brought it in good\npreservation. King Rettibur, and the men he had remaining, went home\nto Vindland, and many of the people who were taken at Konungahella were\nlong afterwards in slavery in Vindland; and those who were ransomed and\ncame back to Norway to their udal lands and properties, throve worse\nthan before their capture. The merchant town of Konungahella has never\nsince risen to the importance it was of before this event.\n12. OF MAGNUS THE BLIND.\nKing Magnus, after he was deprived of sight, went north to Nidaros,\nwhere he went into the cloister on the holm, and assumed the monk's\ndress. The cloister received the farm of Great Hernes in Frosta for his\nsupport. King Harald alone ruled the country the following winter, gave\nall men peace and pardon who desired it, and took many of the men into\nhis court-service who had been with King Magnus. Einar Skulason says\nthat King Harald had two battles in Denmark; the one at Hvedn Isle, and\nthe other at Hlesey Isle:--\n \"Unwearied champion! who wast bred\n To stain thy blue-edged weapons red!\n Beneath high Hvedn's rocky shore,\n The faithless felt thy steel once more.\"\nAnd again, thus:--\n \"On Hlesey's plain the foe must quail\n 'Fore him who dyes their shirts of mail.\n His storm-stretched banner o'er his head\n Flies straight, and fills the foe with dread.\"\n13. OF KING HARALD GILLE AND BISHOP MAGNUS.\nKing Harald Gille was a very generous man. It is told that in his time\nMagnus Einarson came from Iceland to be consecrated a bishop, and the\nking received him well, and showed him much respect. When the bishop was\nready to sail for Iceland again, and the ship was rigged out for sea, he\nwent to the hall where the king was drinking, saluted him politely and\nwarmly, and the king received him joyfully. The queen was sitting beside\nthe king.\nThen said the king, \"Are you ready, bishop, for your voyage?\"\nHe replied that he was.\nThe king said, \"You come to us just now at a bad time; for the tables\nare just removed, and there is nothing at hand suitable to present to\nyou. What is there to give the bishop?\"\nThe treasurer replies, \"Sire, as far as I know, all articles of any\nvalue are given away.\"\nThe king: \"Here is a drinking goblet remaining; take this, bishop; it is\nnot without value.\"\nThe bishop expressed his thanks for the honour shown him.\nThen said the queen, \"Farewell, bishop! and a happy voyage.\"\nThe king said to her, \"When did you ever hear a noble lady say so to a\nbishop without giving him something?\"\nShe replies, \"Sire, what have I to give him?\"\nThe king: \"Thou hast the cushion under thee.\"\nThereupon this, which was covered with costly cloth, and was a valuable\narticle, was given to the bishop. When the bishop was going away the\nking took the cushion from under himself and gave it him, saying, \"They\nhave long been together.\" When the bishop arrived in Iceland to his\nbishop's see, it was talked over what should be done with the goblet\nthat would be serviceable for the king; and when the bishop asked\nthe opinion of other people, many thought it should be sold, and the\nvalue-bestowed on the poor. Then said the bishop, \"I will take another\nplan. I will have a chalice made of it for this church, and consecrate\nit, so that all the saints of whom there are relics in this church shall\nlet the king have some good for his gift every time a mass is sung over\nit.\" This chalice has since belonged to the bishopric of Skalholt; and\nof the costly cloth with which the cushions given him by the king were\ncovered, were made the choristers' cloaks which are now in Skalholt.\nFrom this the generous spirit of King Harald may be seen, as well as\nfrom many other things, of which but a few are set down here.\n14. BEGINNING OF SIGURD SLEMBIDJAKN.\nThere was a man, by name Sigurd, who was brought up in Norway, and was\ncalled priest Adalbrikt's son. Sigurd's mother was Thora, a daughter of\nSaxe of Vik, a sister of Sigrid, who was mother of King Olaf Magnuson,\nand of Kare, the king's brother who married Borghild, a daughter of Dag\nEilifson. Their sons were Sigurd of Austrat and Dag. Sigurd of Austrat's\nsons were Jon of Austrat, Thorstein, and Andres the Deaf. Jon was\nmarried to Sigrid, a sister of King Inge and of Duke Skule. This\nSigurd, in his childhood, was kept at his book, became a clerk, and was\nconsecrated a deacon; but as he ripened in years and strength he became\na very clever man, stout, strong, distinguished for all perfections and\nexercises beyond any of his years,--indeed, beyond any man in Norway.\nSigurd showed early traces of a haughty ungovernable spirit, and was\ntherefore called Slembidjakn. He was as handsome a man as could be seen,\nwith rather thin but beautiful hair. When it came to Sigurd's ears that\nhis mother said King Magnus was his father, he laid aside all clerkship;\nand as soon as he was old enough to be his own master, he left the\ncountry. He was a long time on his travels, went to Palestine; was at\nthe Jordan river; and visited many holy places, as pilgrims usually do.\nWhen he came back, he applied himself to trading expeditions. One winter\nhe was in Orkney with Earl Harald, and was with him when Thorkel Fostre\nSummarlidason was killed. Sigurd was also in Scotland with the Scottish\nking David, and was held in great esteem by him. Thereafter Sigurd went\nto Denmark; and according to the account of himself and his men, he\nthere submitted to the iron ordeal to confirm his paternal descent, and\nproved by it, in the presence of five bishops, that he was a son of King\nMagnus Barefoot. So says Ivar Ingemundson, in Sigurd's song:--\n \"The holiest five\n Of men alive,--\n Bishops were they,--\n Solemnly say,\n The iron glowing\n Red hot, yet showing\n No scaith on skin,\n Proves cause and kin.\"\nKing Harald Gille's friends, however, said this was only a lie, and\ndeceit of the Danes.\n15. SIGURD IN ICELAND.\nIt is told before of Sigurd that he passed some years in merchant\nvoyages, and he came thus to Iceland one winter, and took up his lodging\nwith Thorgils Odson in Saurby; but very few knew where he was. In\nautumn, when the sheep were being driven into a fold to be slaughtered,\na sheep that was to be caught ran to Sigurd; and as Sigurd thought the\nsheep ran to him for protection, he stretched out his hands to it and\nlifted it over the fold dyke, and let it run to the hills, saying,\n\"There are not many who seek help from me, so I may well help this one.\"\nIt happened the same winter that a woman had committed a theft, and\nThorgils, who was angry at her for it, was going to punish her; but\nshe ran to Sigurd to ask his help, and he set her upon the bench by\nhis side. Thorgils told him to give her up, and told him what she had\ncommitted; but Sigurd begged forgiveness for her since she had come\nto him for protection, and that Thorgils would dismiss the complaint\nagainst her, but Thorgils insisted that she should receive her\npunishment. When Sigurd saw that Thorgils would not listen to his\nentreaty, he started up, drew his sword, and bade him take her if he\ndared; and Thorgils seeing that Sigurd would defend the woman by force\nof arms, and observing his commanding mien, guessed who he must be,\ndesisted from pursuing the woman, and pardoned her. There were many\nforeign men there, and Sigurd made the least appearance among them. One\nday Sigurd came into the sitting-room, and a Northman who was splendidly\nclothed was playing chess with one of Thorads house-servants. The\nNorthman called Sigurd, and asked him his advice how to play; but when\nSigurd looked at the board, he saw the game was lost. The man who\nwas playing against the Northman had a sore foot, so that one toe was\nbruised, and matter was coming out of it. Sigurd, who was sitting on the\nbench, takes a straw, and draws it along the floor, so that some young\nkittens ran after it. He drew the straw always before them, until they\ncame near the house-servant's foot, who jumping up with a scream, threw\nthe chessmen in disorder on the board; and thus it was a dispute how the\ngame had stood. This is given as a proof of Sigurd's cunning. People did\nnot know that he was a learned clerk until the Saturday before Easter,\nwhen he consecrated the holy water with chant; and the longer he stayed\nthere the more he was esteemed. The summer after, Sigurd told Thorgils\nbefore they parted, that he might with all confidence address his\nfriends to Sigurd Slembidjakn. Thorgils asked how nearly he was related\nto him, on which he replies, \"I am Sigurd Slembidjakn, a son of King\nMagnus Barefoot.\" He then left Iceland.\n16. OF SIGURD SLEMBE.\nWhen Harald Gille had been six years (A.D. 1136), king of Norway, Sigurd\ncame to the country and went to his brother King Harald, and found him\nin Bergen. He placed himself entirely in the king's hands, disclosed\nwho his father was, and asked him to acknowledge their relationship. The\nking gave him no hasty or distinct reply; but laid the matter before\nhis friends in a conference at a specially appointed meeting. After\nthis conference it became known that the king laid an accusation against\nSigurd, because he had been at the killing of Thorkel Fostre in the\nWest. Thorkel had accompanied Harald to Norway when he first came to\nthe country, and had been one of Harald's best friends. This case was\nfollowed up so severely, that a capital accusation against Sigurd was\nmade, and, by the advice of the lendermen, was carried so far, that some\nof the king's pursuivants went one evening late to Sigurd, and called\nhim to them. They then took a boat and rowed away with Sigurd from the\ntown south to Nordnes. Sigurd sat on a chest in the stern of the boat,\nand had his suspicions that foul play was intended. He was clothed in\nblue trousers, and over his shirt he had a hood tied with ribands,\nwhich served him for a cloak. He sat looking down, and holding his\nhood-strings; and sometimes moved them over his head, sometimes let\nthem fall again before him. Now when they had passed the ness, they\nwere drunk, and merry, were rowing so eagerly that they were not taking\nnotice of anything. Sigurd stood up, and went on the boat's deck; but\nthe two men who were placed to guard him stood up also, and followed\nhim to the side of the vessel, holding by his cloak, as is the custom in\nguarding people of distinction. As he was afraid that they would catch\nhold of more of his clothes, he seized them both, and leaped overboard\nwith them. The boat, in the meantime, had gone on a long way, and it was\na long time before those on board could turn the vessel, and long before\nthey could get their own men taken on board again; and Sigurd dived\nunder water, and swam so far away that he reached the land before they\ncould get the boat turned to pursue him. Sigurd, who was very swift of\nfoot, hied up to the mountains, and the king's men travelled about the\nwhole night seeking him without finding him. He lay down in a cleft of\nthe rocks; and as he was very cold he took off his trousers, cut a hole\nin the seat of them, and stuck his head through it, and put his arms\nin the legs of them. He escaped with life this time; and the king's men\nreturned, and could not conceal their unsuccessful adventure.\n17. TREACHERY TOWARDS KING HARALD.\nSigurd thought now that it would be of no use to seek any help from\nKing Harald again; and he kept himself concealed all the autumn and the\nbeginning of the winter. He lay hid in Bergen, in the house of a priest.\nKing Harald was also in the town, and many great people with him. Now\nSigurd considered how, with his friends' help, he might take the king by\nsurprise, and make an end of him. Many men took part in this design; and\namong them some who were King Harald's court-men and chamberlains,\nbut who had formerly been King Magnus's court-men. They stood in great\nfavour with the king, and some of them sat constantly at the king's\ntable. On Saint Lucia's day (December 13), in the evening when they\nproposed to execute this treason, two men sat at the king's table\ntalking together; and one of them said to the king, \"Sire, we two\ntable-companions submit our dispute to your judgment, having made a\nwager of a basket of honey to him who guesses right. I say that you\nwill sleep this night with your Queen Ingerid; and he says that you will\nsleep with Thora, Guthorm's daughter.\"\nThe king answered laughing, and without suspecting in the least that\nthere lay treachery under the question, that he who had asked had lost\nhis bet.\nThey knew thus where he was to be found that night; but the main guard\nwas without the house in which most people thought the king would sleep,\nviz., that which the queen was in.\n18. MURDER OF KING HARALD.\nSigurd Slembe, and some men who were in his design, came in the night\nto the lodging in which King Harald was sleeping; killed the watchman\nfirst; then broke open the door, and went in with drawn swords. Ivar\nKolbeinson made the first attack on King Harald; and as the king had\nbeen drunk when he went to bed he slept sound, and awoke only when the\nmen were striking at him. Then he said in his sleep, \"Thou art treating\nme hardly, Thora.\" She sprang up, saying, \"They are treating thee hardly\nwho love thee less than I do.\" Harald was deprived of life. Then Sigurd\nwent out with his helpers, and ordered the men to be called to him who\nhad promised him their support if he should get King Harald taken out\nof the way. Sigurd and his men then went on, and took a boat, set\nthemselves to the oars, and rowed out in front of the king's house; and\nthen it was just beginning to be daylight. Then Sigurd stood up, spoke\nto those who were standing on the king's pier, made known to them the\nmurder of King Harald by his hand, and desired that they would take him,\nand choose him as chief according to his birth. Now came many swarming\ndown to the pier from the king's house; and all with one voice replied,\nthat they would never give obedience or service to a man who had\nmurdered his own brother. \"And if thou are not his brother, thou hast no\nclaim from descent to be king.\" They clashed their weapons together, and\nadjudged all murderers to be banished and outlawed men. Now the king's\nhorn sounded, and all lendermen and courtmen were called together.\nSigurd and his companions saw it was best for them to get way; and\nhe went northward to North Hordaland, where he held a Thing with the\nbondes, who submitted to him, and gave him the title of king. From\nthence he went to Sogn, and held a Thing there with the bondes and was\nproclaimed king. Then he went north across the fjords, and most people\nsupported his cause. So says Ivar Ingemundson:--\n \"On Harald's fall\n The bondes all,\n In Hord and Sogn,\n Took Magnus' son.\n The Things swore too\n They would be true\n To this new head\n In Harald's stead.\"\nKing Harald was buried in the old Christ church.\nSAGA OF SIGURD, INGE, AND EYSTEIN, THE SONS OF HARALD\nPRELIMINARY REMARKS.\nSigurd died A.D. 1155, Eystein 1157, and Inge 1161.\nOther literature is \"Morkinskinna\" and \"Fagrskinna.\"\nSigurd Slembe is the subject of a drama by Bjornstjerne Bjornson,\ntranslated into English by William Morton Payne, and published by\nHoughton, Mifflin & Co., Boston, 1888.\nSkalds quoted are: Kolle, Einar Skulason, and Thorbjorn Skakkaskald.\n1. HISTORY OF KINGS SIGURD AND INGE.\nQueen Ingerid, and with her the lendermen and the court which had been\nwith King Harald, resolved to send a fast-sailing vessel to Throndhjem\nto make known King Harald's death, and also to desire the Throndhjem\npeople to take King Harald's son Sigurd for king. He was then in the\nnorth, and was fostered by Sadagyrd Bardson. Queen Ingerid herself\nproceeded eastward immediately to Viken. Inge was the name of her son by\nKing Harald, and he was then fostered by Amunde Gyrdson, a grandson of\nLogberse. When they came to Viken a Borgar-thing was immediately called\ntogether, at which Inge, who was in the second year of his age, was\nchosen king. This resolution was supported by Amunde and Thjostolf\nAlason, together with many other great chiefs. Now when the tidings came\nnorth to Throndhjem that King Harald was murdered, the Throndhjem people\ntook Sigurd, King Harald's son, to be the king; and this resolution was\nsupported by Ottar Birting, Peter Saudaulfson, the brothers Guthorm\nof Reine, and Ottar Balle, sons of Asolf and many other great chiefs.\nAfterwards the whole nation almost submitted to the brothers, and\nprincipally because their father was considered holy; and the country\ntook the oath to them, that the kingly power should not go to any other\nman as long as any of King Harald's sons were alive.\n2. OF SIGURD SLEMBIDJAKN.\nSigurd Slembe sailed north around Stad; and when he came to North More,\nhe found that letters and full powers had arrived before him from the\nleaders who had given in their allegiance to Harald's sons; so that\nthere he got no welcome or help. As Sigurd himself had but few people\nwith him, he resolved to go with them to Throndhjem, and seek out Magnus\nthe Blind; for he had already sent a message before him to Magnus's\nfriends. Now when they came to the town, they rowed up the river Nid\nto meet King Magnus, and fastened their land-ropes on the shore at\nthe king's house; but were obliged to set off immediately, for all the\npeople rose against them. They then landed at Monkholm, and took Magnus\nthe Blind out of the cloister against the will of the monks; for he had\nbeen consecrated a monk. It is said by some that Magnus willingly went\nwith them; although it was differently reported, in order to make his\ncause appear better. Sigurd, immediately after Yule (January, A.D.\n1137), went forth with his suite, expecting aid from his relations and\nMagnus's friends, and which they also got. Sigurd sailed with his men\nout of the fjord, and was joined afterwards by Bjorn Egilson, Gunnar\nof Gimsar, Haldor Sigurdson, Aslak Hakonson, the brothers Bendikt and\nEirik, and also the court which had before been with King Magnus, and\nmany others. With this troop they went south to More, and down to the\nmouth of Raumsdal fjord. Here Sigurd and Magnus divided their forces,\nand Sigurd went immediately westwards across the sea. King Magnus again\nproceeded to the Uplands, where he expected much help and strength, and\nwhich he obtained. He remained there the winter and all the summer (A.D.\n1137), and had many people with him; but King Inge proceeded against him\nwith all his forces, and they met at a place called Mynne. There was a\ngreat battle, at which King Magnus had the most people. It is related\nthat Thjostolf Alason carried King Inge in his belt as long as the\nbattle lasted, and stood under the banner; but Thjostolf was hard\npressed by fatigue and fighting; and it is commonly said that King Inge\ngot his ill health there, and which he retained as long as he lived, so\nthat his back was knotted into a hump, and the one foot was shorter than\nthe other; and he was besides so infirm that he could scarcely walk as\nlong as he lived. The defeat began to turn upon Magnus and his men; and\nin the front rank of his array fell Haldor Sigurdson, Bjorn Egilson,\nGunnar of Gimsar, and a great number of his men, before he himself would\ntake to his horse and fly. So says Kolle:--\n \"Thy arrow-storm on Mynne's banks\n Fast thinn'd the foemen's strongest ranks;\n Thy good sword hewed the raven's feast\n On Mynne's banks up in the East.\n Shield clashed on shield, and bucklers broke\n Under thy battle-axe's stroke;\n While thou, uncovered, urged the fray,\n Thy shield and mail-coat thrown away.\"\nAnd also this:--\n \"The king to heaven belonging fled,\n When thou, in war's quick death-game bred,\n Unpanzered, shieldless on the plain\n His heavy steel-clad guards hadst slain.\n The painted shield, and steel-plate mail,\n Before thy fierce attack soon fail,\n To Magnus who belongs to heaven,\n Was no such fame in battle given.\"\nMagnus fled eastward to Gautland, and then to Denmark. At that time\nthere was in Gautland an earl, Karl Sonason, who was a great and\nambitious man. Magnus the Blind and his men said, wherever they happened\nto meet with chiefs, that Norway lay quite open to any great chieftain\nwho would attack it; for it might well be said there was no king in the\ncountry, and the kingdom was only ruled by lendermen, and, among those\nwho had most sway, there was, from mutual jealousy, most discord. Now\nKarl, being ambitious of power, listens willingly to such speeches;\ncollects men, and rides west to Viken, where many people, out of fear,\nsubmit to him. When Thjostolf Alason and Amunde heard of this, they went\nwith the men they could get together, and took King Inge with them. They\nmet Earl Karl and the Gautland army eastward in Krokaskog, where there\nwas a great battle and a great defeat, King Inge gaining the victory.\nMunan Ogmundson, Earl Karl's mother's brother, fell there. Ogmund, the\nfather of Munan, was a son of Earl Orm Eilifson, and Sigrid, a daughter\nof Earl Fin Arnason. Astrid, Ogrnund's daughter, was the mother of Earl\nKarl. Many others of the Gautland people fell at Krokaskog; and the earl\nfled eastward through the forest. King Inge pursued them all the way out\nof the kingdom; and this expedition turned out a great disgrace to them.\nSo says Kolle:--\n \"I must proclaim how our great lord\n Coloured deep red his ice-cold sword;\n And ravens played with Gautland bones,\n And wolves heard Gautlanders' last groans.\n Their silly jests were well repaid,--\n In Krokaskog their laugh was laid:\n Thy battle power was then well tried,\n And they who won may now deride.\"\n3. KING EIRIK'S EXPEDITION TO NORWAY.\nMagnus the Blind then went to Denmark to King Eirik Eimune, where he\nwas well received. He offered the king to follow him if he would invade\nNorway with a Danish army, and subdue the country; saying, that if he\ncame to Norway with his army, no man in Norway would venture to throw\na spear against him. The king allowed himself to be moved by Magnus's\npersuasions, ordered a levy, and went north to Norway with 200 ships;\nand Magnus and his men were with him on this expedition. When they came\nto Viken, they proceeded peacefully and gently on the east side of the\nfjord; but when the fleet came westward to Tunsberg, a great number\nof King Inge's lendermen came against them. Their leader was Vatnorm\nDagson, a brother of Gregorius. The Danes could not land to get water\nwithout many of them being killed; and therefore they went in through\nthe fjord to Oslo, where Thjostolf Alason opposed them. It is told that\nsome people wanted to carry the holy Halvard's coffin out of the town in\nthe evening when the fleet was first observed, and as many as could took\nhold of it; but the coffin became so heavy that they could not carry\nit over the church floor. The morning after, however, when they saw the\nfleet sailing in past the Hofud Isle, four men carried the coffin out of\nthe town, and Thjostolf and all the townspeople followed it.\n4. THE TOWN OF OSLO BURNT.\nKing Eirik and his army advanced against the town; and some of his men\nhastened after Thjostolf and his troop. Thjostolf threw a spear at a\nman named Askel, which hit him under the throat, so that the spear point\nwent through his neck; and Thjostolf thought he had never made a better\nspear-cast, for, except the place he hit, there was nothing bare to be\nseen. The shrine of St. Halvard, was taken up to Raumarike, where it\nremained for three months. Thjostolf went up to Raumarike, and collected\nmen during the night, with whom he returned towards the town in the\nmorning. In the meantime King Eirik set fire to Halvard's church, and\nto the town, which was entirely burnt. Thjostolf came soon after to the\ntown with the men he had assembled, and Eirik sailed off with his fleet;\nbut could not land anywhere on that side of the fjord, on account of the\ntroops of the lendermen who came down against them; and wherever they\nattempted a landing, they left five or six men or more upon the strand.\nKing Inge lay with a great number of people into Hornborusund, but when\nhe learned this, he turned about southwards to Denmark again. King Inge\npursued him, and took from him all the ships he could get hold of; and\nit was a common observation among people, that never was so poor an\nexpedition made with so great an armament in another king's dominions.\nKing Eirik was ill pleased at it, and thought King Magnus and his men\nhad been making a fool of him by encouraging him to undertake this\nexpedition, and he declared he would never again besuch friends with\nthem as before.\n5. OF SIGURD SLEMBIDJAKN.\nSigurd Slembidjakn came that summer from the West sea to Norway,\nwhere he heard of his relation King Magnus's unlucky expedition; so he\nexpected no welcome in Norway, but sailed south, outside the rocks, past\nthe land, and set over to Denmark, and went into the Sound. He fell in\nwith some Vindland cutters south of the islands, gave them battle, and\ngained the victory. He cleared eight ships, killing many of the men, and\nhe hanged the others.\nHe also had a battle off the Island Mon with the Vindland men, and\ngained a victory. He then sailed from the south and came to the eastern\narm of the Gaut river, and took three ships of the fleet of Thorer\nHvinantorde, and Olaf, the son of Harald Kesia, who was Sigurd's own\nsister's son; for Ragnhild, the mother of Olaf, was a daughter of King\nMagnus Barefoot. He drove Olaf up the country.\nThjostolf was at this time in Konungahella, and had collected people to\ndefend the country, and Sigurd steered thither with his fleet. They shot\nat each other, but he could not effect a landing; and, on both sides,\nmany were killed and many wounded. Ulfhedin Saxolfson, Sigurd's\nforecastle man, fell there. He was an Icelander, from the north quarter.\nSigurd continued his course northwards to Viken and plundered far\nand wide around. Now when Sigurd lay in a harbour called Portyrja on\nLimgard's coast, and watched the ships going to or coming from Viken to\nplunder them, the Tunsberg men collected an armed force against him,\nand came unexpectedly upon them while Sigurd and his men were on shore\ndividing their booty. Some of the men came down from the land, but some\nof the other party laid themselves with their ships right across the\nharbour outside of them. Sigurd ran up into his ship, and rowed out\nagainst them. Vatnorm's ship was the nearest, and he let his ship fall\nbehind the line, and Sigurd rowed clear past, and thus escaped with one\nship and the loss of many men. This verse was made upon Vatnorm (1):--\n \"The water serpent, people say,\n From Portyrja slipped away.\"\n ENDNOTES: (1) Vatnorm, the name of this man, means the water-serpent,\n and appears to have been a favourite name for war-ships also;\n hence the pun in the lines upon Vatnorm.--L.\n6. THE MURDER OF BEINTEIN.\nSigurd Slembidjakn sailed from thence to Denmark; and at that time a man\nwas lost in his ship, whose name was Kolbein Thorliotson of Batald.\nHe was sitting in a boat which was made fast to the vessel, and upset\nbecause she was sailing quickly. When they came south to Denmark,\nSigurd's ship itself was cast away; but he got to Alaborg, and was\nthere in winter. The summer after (A.D. 1138) Magnus and Sigurd sailed\ntogether from the south with seven ships, and came unexpectedly in\nthe night to Lister, where they laid their ships on the land. Beintein\nKolbeinson, a court-man of King Inge, and a very brave man, was there.\nSigurd and his men jumped on shore at daylight, came unexpectedly on the\npeople, surrounded the house, and were setting fire to the buildings;\nbut Beintein came out of a store-house with his weapons, well armed, and\nstood within the door with drawn sword, his shield before him, helmet\non, and ready to defend himself. The door was somewhat low. Sigurd asked\nwhich of his lads had most desire to go in against Beintein, which he\ncalled brave man's work; but none was very hurried to make ready for\nit. While they were discussing this matter Sigurd rushed into the house,\npast Beintein. Beintein struck at him, but missed him. Sigurd turned\ninstantly on Beintein; and after exchanging blows, Sigurd gave him his\ndeath-stroke, and came out presently bearing his head in his hands.\nThey took all the goods that were in the farm-house, carried the booty\nto their ships, and sailed away. When King Inge and his friends, and\nalso Kolbein's sons, Sigurd and Gyrd, the brothers of Beintein, heard of\nBeintein's murder, the king sent a great force against Sigurd Slembe and\nhis followers; and also travelled himself, and took a ship from Hakon\nPaulson Pungelta, who was a daughter's son of Aslak, a son of Erling\nSkjalgson of Sole, and cousin of Hakon Mage. King Inge drove Hakon and\nhis followers up the country, and took all their gear. Sigurd Stork,\na son of Eindride of Gautdal, and his brother, Eirik Hael, and Andres\nKelduskit, son of Grim of Vist, all fled away into the fjords. But\nSigurd Slembe, Magnus the Blind and Thorieif Skiappa sailed outside the\nisles with three ships north to Halogaland; and Magnus was in winter\n(A.D. 1139) north in Bjarkey Isle with Vidkun Jonson. But Sigurd had the\nstem and stern-post of his ship cut out, made a hole in her, and sank\nher in the inner part of Egisfjord, and thereafter he passed the winter\nat Tialdasund by Gljufrafjord in Hin. Far up the fjord there is a cave\nin the rock; in that place Sigurd sat with his followers, who were above\ntwenty men, secretly, and hung a grey cloth before the mouth of the\nhole, so that no person could see them from the strand. Thorleif\nSkiappa, and Einar, son of Ogmund of Sand, and of Gudrun, daughter of\nEinar Arason of Reikiaholar, procured food for Sigurd during the winter.\nIt is said that Sigurd made the Laplanders construct two boats for him\nduring the winter up in the fjord; and they were fastened together with\ndeer sinews, without nails, and with twigs of willow instead of knees,\nand each boat could carry twelve men. Sigurd was with the Laplanders\nwhile they were making the boats; and the Laplanders had good ale, with\nwhich they entertained Sigurd. Sigurd made these lines on it:--\n \"In the Lapland tent\n Brave days we spent.\n Under the grey birch tree;\n In bed or on bank\n We knew no rank,\n And a merry crew were we.\n \"Good ale went round\n As we sat on the ground,\n Under the grey birch tree;\n And up with the smoke\n Flew laugh and joke,\n And a merry crew were we.\"\nThese boats were so light that no ship could overtake them in the water,\naccording to what was sung at the time:--\n \"Our skin-sewed Fin-boats lightly swim,\n Over the sea like wind they skim.\n Our ships are built without a nail;\n Few ships like ours can row or sail.\"\nIn spring Sigurd and Magnus went south along the coast with the two\nboats which the Laplanders had made; and when they came to Vagar they\nkilled Svein the priest and his two sons.\n7. OF SIGURD'S SLEMBE'S CAMPAIGN.\nThereafter Sigurd came south to Vikar, and seized King Sigurd's\nlendermen, William Skinnare and Thorald Kept, and killed them both. Then\nSigurd turned south-wards along the coast, and met Styrkar Glaesirofa\nsouth of Byrda, as he was coming from the south from the town of\nNidaros, and killed him. Now when Sigurd came south to Valsnes, he met\nSvinagrim outside of the ness, and cut off his right hand. From thence\nhe went south to More, past the mouth of the Throndhjem fjord, where\nthey took Hedin Hirdmage and Kalf Kringluauge. They let Hedin escape,\nbut killed Kalf. When King Sigurd, and his foster-father, Sadagyrd,\nheard of Sigurd Slembidjakn's proceedings, and what he was doing, they\nsent people to search for him; and their leader was Jon Kauda, a son of\nKalf Range. Bishop Ivar's brother, and besides the priest Jon Smyril.\nThey went on board the ship the Reindeer, which had twenty-two rowing\nbenches, and was one of the swiftest sailing vessels, to seek Sigurd;\nbut as they could not find him, they returned north-wards with little\nglory; for people said that they had got sight of Sigurd and his people,\nand durst not attack them. Afterwards Sigurd proceeded southwards to\nHordaland, and came to Herdla, where Einar, a son of Laxapaul, had a\nfarm; and went into Hamar's fjord, to the Gangdaga-thing. They took all\nthe goods that were at the farm, and a long-ship of twenty-two benches\nwhich belonged to Einar; and also his son, four years old, who was\nliving with one of his labouring people. Some wanted to kill the boy,\nbut others took him and carried him with them. The labouring man said,\n\"It will not be lucky for you to kill the child; and it will be of no\nuse to you to carry him away, for it is my son, and not Einar's.\" And on\nhis word they let the boy remain, and went away. When Einar came home he\ngave the labourer money to the value of two ore of gold, and thanked him\nfor his clever invention, and promised him his constant friendship.\nSo says Eirik Odson, who first wrote down this relation; and he heard\nhimself Einar Paulson telling these circumstances in Bergen. Sigurd then\nwent southward along the coast all the way east to Viken, and met Fin\nSaudaulfson east at Kvildar, as he was engaged in drawing in King Inge's\nrents and duties, and hanged him. Then they sailed south to Denmark.\n8. OF KING INGE'S LETTER TO KING SIGURD.\nThe people of Viken and of Bergen complained that it was wrong for\nKing Sigurd and his friends to be sitting quietly north in the town of\nNidaros, while his father's murderer was cruising about in the ordinary\npassage at the mouth of the Throndhjem fjord; and King Inge and his\npeople, on the other hand, were in Viken in the midst of the danger,\ndefending the country and holding many battles. Then King Inge sent a\nletter north to the merchant-town Nidaros, in which were these words:\n\"King Inge Haraldson sends his brother King Sigurd, as also\nSadagyrd, Ogmund Svipte, Ottar Birting, and all lendermen, court-men,\nhouse-people, and all the public, rich and poor, young and old, his own\nand God's salutation. The misfortune is known to all men that on account\nof our childhoods--thou being five, and I but three years of age--we can\nundertake nothing without the counsel of our friends and other good men.\nNow I and my men think that we stand nearer to the danger and necessity\ncommon to us both, than thou and thy friends; therefore make it so\nthat thou, as soon as possible, come to me, and as strong in troops as\npossible, that we may be assembled to meet whatever may come. He will be\nour best friend who does all he can that we may be united, and may take\nan equal part in all things. But if thou refuse, and wilt not come after\nthis message which I send thee in need, as thou hast done before, then\nthou must expect that I will come against thee with an armament; and let\nGod decide between us; for we are not in a condition to sit here at so\ngreat an expense, and with so numerous a body of troops as are necessary\nhere on account of the enemy, and besides many other pressing charges,\nwhilst thou hast half of all the land-tax and other revenues of Norway.\nLive in the peace of God!\"\n9. OTTAR BIRTING'S SPEECH.\nThen Ottar Birting stood up in the Thing, and first of all answered\nthus: \"This is King Sigurd's reply to his brother King Inge--that God\nwill reward him for his good salutation, and likewise for the trouble\nand burden which he and his friends have in this kingdom, and in matters\nof necessity which effect them both. Although now some think there is\nsomething sharp in King Inge's message to his brother Sigurd, yet he has\nin many respects sufficient cause for it. Now I will make known to you\nmy opinion, and we will hear if King Sigurd and the other people of\npower will agree to it; and it is, that thou, King Sigurd, make thyself\nready, with all the people who will follow thee, to defend thy country;\nand go as strong in men as possible to thy brother King Inge as soon as\nthou art prepared, in order to assist each other in all things that\nare for the common good; and may God Almighty strengthen and assist you\nboth! Now, king, we will have thy words.\"\nPeter, a son of Saudaulf, who was afterwards called Peter Byrdarsvein,\nbore King Sigurd to the Thing. Then the king said, \"Ye must know that,\nif I am to advise, I will go as soon as possible to my brother King\nInge.\" Then others spoke, one after the other; but although each began\nhis speech in his own way, he ended with agreeing to what Ottar Birting\nhad proposed; and it was determined to call together the war-forces, and\ngo to the east part of the country. King Sigurd accordingly went with\ngreat armament east to Viken, and there he met his brother King Inge.\n10. FALL OF MAGNUS THE BLIND.\nThe same autumn (A.D. 1139) Sigurd Slembe and Magnus the Blind came from\nDenmark with thirty ships, manned both with Danes and Northmen. It was\nnear to winter. When the kings heard of this, they set out with their\npeople eastwards to meet them. They met at Hvalar, near Holm the Grey,\nthe day after Martinmas, which was a Sunday. King Inge and King Sigurd\nhad twenty ships, which were all large. There was a great battle; but,\nafter the first assault, the Danes fled home to Denmark with eighteen\nships. On this Sigurd's and Magnus's ships were cleared; and as the\nlast was almost entirely bare of men, and Magnus was lying in his bed,\nHreidar Griotgardson, who had long followed him, and been his courtman,\ntook King Magnus in his arms, and tried to run with him on board some\nother ship. But Hreidar was struck by a spear, which went between his\nshoulders; and people say King Magnus was killed by the same spear.\nHreidar fell backwards upon the deck, and Magnus upon him; and every\nman spoke of how honourably he had followed his master and rightful\nsovereign. Happy are they who have such praise! There fell, on King\nMagnus's ship, Lodin Saupprud of Linustadar, Bruse Thormodson; and\nthe forecastle-men to Sigurd Slembidjakn, Ivar Kolbeinson and Halyard\nFaeger, who had been in Sigurd Slembe's fore-hold. This Ivar had been\nthe first who had gone in, in the night, to King Harald, and had laid\nhands on him. There fell a great number of the men of King Magnus and\nSigurd Slembe, for Inge's men let not a single one escape if they got\nhold of him; but only a few are named here. They killed upon a holm\nmore than forty men, among whom were two Icelanders--the priest Sigurd\nBergthorson, a grandson of Mas; the other Clemet, a son of Are Einarson.\nBut three Icelanders obtained their lives: namely, Ivar Skrauthanke, a\nson of Kalf Range, and who afterwards was bishop of Throndhjem, and was\nfather of the archbishop Eirik. Ivar had always followed King Magnus,\nand he escaped into his brother Jon Kauda's ship. Jon was married to\nCecilia, a daughter of Gyrd Bardson, and was then in King Inge's and\nSigurd's armament. There were three in all who escaped on board of Jon's\nship. The second was Arnbjorn Ambe, who afterwards married Thorstein's\ndaughter in Audsholt; the third was Ivar Dynta, a son of Stare, but on\nthe mother's side of a Throndhjem family,--a very agreeable man. When\nthe troops came to know that these three were on board his ship,\nthey took their weapons and assaulted the vessel, and some blows\nwere exchanged, and the whole fleet had nearly come to a fight among\nthemselves; but it came to an agreement, so that Jon ransomed his\nbrothers Ivar and Arnbjorn for a fixed sum in ransom, which, however,\nwas afterwards remitted. But Ivar Dynta was taken to the shore, and\nbeheaded; for Sigurd and Gyrd, the sons of Kolbein, would not take any\nmulct for him, as they knew he had been at their brother Beintein's\nmurder. Ivar the bishop said, that never was there anything that touched\nhim so nearly, as Ivar's going to the shore under the axe, and turning\nto the others with the wish that they might meet in joy here-after.\nGudrid Birger's daughter, a sister of Archbishop Jon, told Eirik Odson\nthat she heard Bishop Ivar say this.\n11. SIGURD SLEMBE TAKEN PRISONER.\nA man called Thrand Gialdkere was the steersman of King Inge's ship. It\nwas come so far, that Inge's men were rowing in small boats between the\nships after those who were swimming in the water, and killed those they\ncould get hold of. Sigurd Slembe threw himself overboard after his ship\nhad lost her crew, stripped off his armour under the water, and then\nswam with his shield over him. Some men from Thrand's vessel took\nprisoner a man who was swimming, and were about to kill him; but he\nbegged his life, and offered to tell them where Sigurd Slembe was, and\nthey agreed to it. Shields and spears, dead men, weapons, and clothes,\nwere floating all around on the sea about the ships, \"Ye can see,\" said\nhe, \"a red shield floating on the water; he is under it.\" They rowed\nto it immediately, took him, and brought him on board of Thrand's ship.\nThrand then sent a message to Thjostolf, Ottar, and Amunde. Sigurd\nSlembe had a tinder box on him; and the tinder was in a walnut-shell,\naround which there was wax. This is related, because it seems an\ningenious way of preserving it from ever getting wet. He swam with a\nshield over him, because nobody could know one shield from another where\nso many were floating about; and they would never have hit upon him, if\nthey had not been told where he was. When Thrand came to the land with\nSigurd, and it was told to the troops that he was taken, the army set\nup a shout of joy. When Sigurd heard it he said, \"Many a bad man will\nrejoice over my head this day.\" Then Thjostolf Alason went to where\nSigurd was sitting, struck from his head a silk hat with silver fringes,\nand said. \"Why wert thou so impudent, thou son of a slave! to dare to\ncall thyself King Magnus Barefoot's son?\"\nSigurd replied, \"Presume not to compare my father to a slave; for thy\nfather was of little worth compared to mine.\"\nHal, a son of the doctor Thorgeir Steinson, King Inge's court-man, was\npresent at this circumstance, and told it to Eirik Odson, who afterwards\nwrote these relations in a book, which he called \"Hryggjarstykke\". In\nthis book is told all concerning Harald Gille and his sons, and Magnus\nthe Blind, and Sigurd Slembidjakn, until their deaths. Eirik was a\nsensible man, who was long in Norway about that time. Some of his\nnarratives he wrote down from Hakon Mage's account; some were from\nlendermen of Harald's sons, who along with his sons were in all this\nfeud, and in all the councils. Eirik names, moreover, several men of\nunderstanding and veracity, who told him these accounts, and were so\nnear that they saw or heard all that happened. Something he wrote from\nwhat he himself had heard or seen.\n12. TORTURE OF SIGURD SLEMBE.\nHal says that the chiefs wished to have Sigurd killed instantly; but the\nmen who were the most cruel, and thought they had injuries to avenge,\nadvised torturing him; and for this they named Beintein's brothers,\nSigurd and Gyrd, the sons of Kolbein. Peter Byrdarsvein would also\navenge his brother Fin. But the chiefs and the greater part of the\npeople went away. They broke his shin-bones and arms with an axe-hammer.\nThen they stripped him, and would flay him alive; but when they tried to\ntake off the skin, they could not do it for the gush of blood. They took\nleather whips and flogged him so long, that the skin was as much taken\noff as if he had been flayed. Then they stuck a piece of wood in his\nback until it broke, dragged him to a tree and hanged him; and then\ncut off his head, and brought the body and head to a heap of stones and\nburied them there. All acknowledge, both enemies and friends, that no\nman in Norway, within memory of the living, was more gifted with all\nperfections, or more experienced, than Sigurd, but in some respects he\nwas an unlucky man. Hal says that he spoke little, and answered only\na few, and in single words, under his tortures, although they spoke to\nhim. Hal says further, that he never moved when they tortured him, more\nthan if they were striking a stock or a stone. This Hal alleged as proof\nthat he was a brave hero, who had courage to endure tortures; for he\nstill held his tongue, and never moved from the spot. And farther he\nsays, that he never altered his voice in the least, but spoke with as\nmuch ease as if he was sitting at the ale-table; neither speaking higher\nnor lower, nor in a more tremulous voice than he was used to do. He\nspoke until he gave up the ghost, and sang between whiles parts of the\nPsalm-book, and which Hal considered beyond the powers and strength of\nordinary men. And the priest who had the church in the neighbourhood let\nSigurd's body be transported thither to the church. This priest was a\nfriend of Harald's sons: but when they heard it they were angry at him,\nhad the body carried back to where it had been, and made the priest pay\na fine. Sigurd's friends afterwards came from Denmark with a ship for\nhis body, carried it to Alaborg, and interred it in Mary church in that\ntown. So said Dean Ketil, who officiated as priest at Mary church, to\nEirik; and that Sigurd was buried there. Thjostolf Alason transported\nMagnus the Blind's body to Oslo, and buried it in Halvard's church,\nbeside King Sigurd his father. Lodin Saupprud was transported to\nTunsberg; but the others of the slain were buried on the spot.\n13. EYSTEIN HARALDSON COMES TO NORWAY.\nWhen the kings Sigurd and Inge had ruled over Norway about six years,\nEystein, who was a son of Harald Gille, came in spring from Scotland\n(A.D. 1142). Arne Sturla, Thorleif Brynjolfson, and Kolbein Hruga had\nsailed westward over the sea after Eystein, accompanied him to Norway,\nand sailed immediately with him to Throndhjem. The Throndhjem people\nreceived him well; and at the Eyra-thing of Ascension-day he was chosen\nking, so that he should have the third part of Norway with his brothers\nSigurd and Inge. They were at this time in the east part of the country;\nand men went between the kings who brought about a peace, and that\nEystein should have a third part of the kingdom. People believed what he\nsaid of his paternal descent, because King Harald himself had testified\nto it, and he did not resort to the ordeal of iron. King Eystein's\nmother was called Bjadok, and she followed him to Norway. Magnus was the\nname of King Harald Gille's fourth son, who was fostered by Kyrpingaorm.\nHe also was chosen king, and got a fourth part of the country; but\nMagnus was deformed in his feet, lived but a short time, and died in his\nbed. Einar Skulason speaks of them:--\n \"The generous Eystein money gave;\n Sigurd in fight was quick and brave;\n Inge loved well the war-alarm;\n Magnus to save his land from harm.\n No country boasts a nobler race\n The battle-field, or Thing, to grace.\n Four brothers of such high pretence\n The sun ne'er shone upon at once.\"\n14. MURDER OF OTTAR BIRTING.\nAfter King Harald Gille's death Queen Ingerid married Ottar Birting,\nwho was a lendermen and a great chief, and of a Throndhjem family, who\nstrengthened King Inge's government much while he was in his childhood.\nKing Sigurd was not very friendly to Ottar; because, as he thought,\nOttar always took King Inge's side. Ottar Birting was killed north in\nthe merchant town (Nidaros), in an assault upon him in the twilight as\nhe was going to the evening song. When he heard the whistling of the\nblow he held up his cloak with his hands against it; thinking, no doubt,\nit was a snowball thrown at him, as young boys do in the streets. Ottar\nfell by the stroke; but his son, Alf Hrode, who just at the same moment\nwas coming into the churchyard, saw his father's fall, and saw that the\nman who had killed him ran east about the church. Alf ran after him, and\nkilled him at the corner of the choir; and people said that he had good\nluck in avenging his father, and afterwards was much more respected than\nhe had been before.\n15. BEGINNING OF KING EYSTEIN.\nKing Eystein Haraldson was in the interior of the Throndhjem district\nwhen he heard of Ottar's murder, and summoned to him the bonde-army,\nwith which he proceeded to the town; and he had many men. Ottar's\nrelations and other friends accused King Sigurd, who was in the town,\nof having instigated this deed; and the bondes were much enraged against\nhim. But the king offered to clear himself by the ordeal of iron, and\nthereby to establish the truth of his denial; and accordingly a peace\nwas made. King Sigurd went to the south end of the country, and the\nordeal was never afterwards heard of.\n16. BEGINNING OF ORM THE KING-BROTHER.\nQueen Ingerid had a son to Ivar Sneis, and he was called Orm, and got\nthe surname of King-brother. He was a handsome man in appearance, and\nbecame a great chief, as shall be told hereafter. Ingerid afterwards\nmarried Arne of Stodreim, who was from this called King's-mate; and\ntheir children were Inge, Nikolas, Philip of Herdla, and Margaret, who\nwas first married to Bjorn Buk, and afterwards to Simon Karason.\n17. JOURNEY OF ERLING SKAKKE AND EARL RAGNVALD.\nKyrpingaorm and Ragnhild, a daughter of Sveinke Steinarson, had a son\ncalled Erling. Kyrpingaorm was a son of Svein Sveinson, who was a son of\nErling of Gerd. Otto's mother was Ragna, a daughter of Earl Orm Eilifson\nand Sigrid, a daughter of Earl Fin Arnason. The mother of Earl Orm\nwas Ragnhild, a daughter of Earl Hakon the Great. Erling was a man of\nunderstanding, and a great friend of King Inge, by whose assistance and\ncounsel Erling obtained in marriage Christina, a daughter of King Sigurd\nthe Crusader and Queen Malmfrid. Erling possessed a farm at Studla in\nSouth Hordaland. Erling left the country; and with him went Eindride\nUnge and several lendermen, who had chosen men with them. They intended\nto make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and went across the West sea to\nOrkney. There Earl Ragnvald and Bishop William joined them; and they had\nin all fifteen ships from Orkney, with which they first sailed to the\nSouth Hebrides, from thence west to Valland, and then the same way King\nSigurd the Crusader had sailed to Norvasund; and they plundered all\naround in the heathen part of Spain. Soon after they had sailed\nthrough the Norvasund, Eindride Unge and his followers, with six ships,\nseparated from them; and then each was for himself. Earl Ragnvald\nand Erling Skakke fell in with a large ship of burden at sea called a\ndromund, and gave battle to it with nine ships. At last they laid their\ncutters close under the dromund; but the heathens threw both weapons and\nstones, and pots full of pitch and boiling oil. Erling laid his ship so\nclose under the dromund, that the missiles of the heathens fell without\nhis ship. Then Erling and his men cut a hole in the dromund, some\nworking below and some above the water-mark; and so they boarded\nthe vessel through it. So says Thorbjorn Skakkaskald, in his poem on\nErling:--\n \"The axes of the Northmen bold\n A door into the huge ships' hold\n Hewed through her high and curved side,\n As snug beneath her bulge they ride.\n Their spears bring down the astonished foe,\n Who cannot see from whence the blow.\n The eagle's prey, they, man by man,\n Fall by the Northmen's daring plan.\"\nAudunraude, Erling's forecastle-man, was the first man who got into the\ndromund. Then they carried her, killing an immense number of people;\nmaking an extraordinarily valuable booty, and gaining a famous victory.\nEarl Ragnvald and Erling Skakke came to Palestine in the course of their\nexpedition, and all the way to the river Jordan. From thence they\nwent first to Constantinople, where they left their ships, travelled\nnorthwards by land, and arrived in safety in Norway, where their journey\nwas highly praised. Erling Skakke appeared now a much greater man than\nbefore, both on account of his journey and of his marriage; besides he\nwas a prudent sensible man, rich, of great family, eloquent, and devoted\nto King Inge by the strictest friendship more than to the other royal\nbrothers.\n18. BIRTH OF HAKON HERDEBREID.\nKing Sigurd went to a feast east in Viken along with his court, and rode\npast a house belonging to a great bonde called Simon. While the king was\nriding past the house, he heard within such beautiful singing that he\nwas quite enchanted with it, and rode up to the house, and saw a lovely\ngirl standing at the handmill and grinding. The king got off his horse,\nand went to the girl and courted her. When the king went away, the bonde\nSimon came to know what the object of the king's visit had been. The\ngirl was called Thora, and she was Simon the bonde's servant-girl. Simon\ntook good care of her afterwards, and the girl brought forth a male\nchild (A.D. 1047), who was called Hakon, and was considered King\nSigurd's son. Hakon was brought up by Simon Thorbergson and his wife\nGunhild. Their own sons also, Onund and Andreas, were brought up with\nHakon, and were so dear to him that death only could have parted them.\n19. EYSTEIN AND THE PEASANTS OF HISING ISLE.\nWhile King Eystein Haraldson was in Viken, he fell into disputes with\nthe bondes of Reine and the inhabitants of Hising Isle, who assembled\nto oppose him; but he gave them battle at a place called Leikberg, and\nafterwards burnt and destroyed all around in Hising; so that the\nbondes submitted to his will, paid great fines to the king, and he took\nhostages from them. So says Einar Skulason:--\n \"The Viken men\n Won't strive again,\n With words or blows,\n The king to oppose.\n None safety found\n On Viken's ground,\n Till all, afraid,\n Pledge and scat paid.\"\nAnd further:--\n \"The king came near;\n He who is dear\n To all good men\n Came down the glen,\n By Leikberg hill.\n They who do ill,\n The Reine folk, fly\n Or quarter cry.\"\n20. WAR EXPEDITION OF KING HARALDSON.\nSoon after King Eystein began his journey out of the country over sea to\nthe West (A.D. 1153), and sailed first to Caithness. Here he heard that\nEarl Harald Maddad's son was in Thursa, to which he sailed directly\nin three small boats. The earl had a ship of thirty banks of oars, and\nnearly eighty men in her. But they were not prepared to make resistance,\nso that King Eystein was able to board the ship with his men; and he\ntook the earl prisoner, and carried him to his own ship, but the earl\nransomed himself with three marks of gold: and thus they parted. Einar\nSkulason tells of it thus:--\n \"Earl Harald in his stout ship lay\n On the bright sand in Thursa bay;\n With fourscore men he had no fear,\n Nor thought the Norse king was so near,\n He who provides the eagle's meals\n In three small boats along-shore steals;\n And Maddad's son must ransom pay\n For his bad outlook that fair day.\"\nFrom thence King Eystein sailed south along the east side of Scotland,\nand brought up at a merchant-town in Scotland called Aberdeen, where he\nkilled many people, and plundered the town. So says Einar Skulason:--\n \"At Aberdeen, too, I am told,\n Fell many by our Norsemen bold;\n Peace was disturbed, and blue swords broke\n With many a hard and bloody stroke.\"\nThe next battle was at Hartlepool in the south, with a party of\nhorsemen. The king put them to flight, and seized some ships there. So\nsays Einar:--\n \"At Hartlepool, in rank and row,\n The king's court-men attack the foe.\n The king's sharp sword in blood was red,\n Blood dropped from every Norse spear-head.\n Ravens rejoice o'er the warm food\n Of English slain, each where he stood;\n And in the ships their thirst was quenched:\n The decks were in the foe's blood drenched.\"\nThen he went southwards to England, and had his third battle at Whitby,\nand gained the victory, and burnt the town. So says Einar:--\n \"The ring of swords, the clash of shields,\n Were loud in Whitby's peaceful fields;\n For here the king stirred up the strife.--\n Man against man, for death or life.\n O'er roof and tower, rose on high\n The red wrath-fire in the sky;\n House after house the red fiend burns;\n By blackened walls the poor man mourns.\"\nThereafter he plundered wide around in England, where Stephen was\nthen the king. After this King Eystein fought with some cavalry at\nSkarpasker. So says Einar:--\n \"At Skarpasker the English horse\n Retire before the Norse king's force:\n The arrow-shower like snow-drift flew,\n And the shield-covered foemen slew.\"\nHe fought next at Pilavik, and gained the victory. So says Einar:--\n \"At Pilavik the wild wolf feeds,\n Well furnished by the king's brave deeds\n He poured upon the grass-green plain\n A red shower from the Perthmen slain.\n On westwards in the sea he urges,\n With fire and sword the country purges:\n Langtown he burns; the country rang,\n For sword on shield incessant clang.\"\nHere they burnt Langatun, a large village; and people say that the town\nhas never since risen to its former condition. After this King Eystein\nleft England in autumn, and returned to Norway. People spoke in various\nways about this expedition.\n21. OF HARALD'S SONS.\nThere was good peace maintained in Norway in the first years of the\ngovernment of Harald's sons; and as long as their old counsellors were\nalive, there was some kind of unanimity among them. While Inge and\nSigurd were in their childhood, they had a court together; but Eystein,\nwho was come to age of discretion, had a court for himself. But when\nInge's and Sigurd's counsellors were dead,--namely, Sadagyrd Bardson,\nOttar Birting, Amunde Gyrdson, Thjostolf Alason, Ogmund Svipter, and\nOgmund Denger, a brother of Erling Skakke (Erling was not much looked\nup to while Ogmund lived),--the two kings, Inge and Sigurd divided their\ncourts. King Inge then got great assistance from Gregorius Dagson, a son\nof Dag Eilifson by Ragnhild a daughter of Skapte Ogmundson. Gregorius\nhad much property, and was himself a thriving, sagacious man. He\npresided in the governing the country under King Inge, and the king\nallowed him to manage his property for him according to his own\njudgment.\n22. HABITS AND MANNERS OF HARALD'S SONS.\nWhen King Sigurd grew up he was a very ungovernable, restless man in\nevery way; and so was King Eystein, but Eystein was the more reasonable\nof the two. King Sigurd was a stout and strong man, of a brisk\nappearance; he had light brown hair, an ugly mouth; but otherwise a\nwell-shaped countenance. He was polite in his conversation beyond any\nman, and was expert in all exercises. Einar Skulason speaks of this:--\n \"Sigurd, expert in every way\n To wield the sword in bloody fray,\n Showed well that to the bold and brave\n God always luck and victory gave.\n In speech, as well as bloody deeds,\n The king all other men exceeds;\n And when he speaks we think that none\n Has said a word but he alone.\"\nKing Eystein was dark and dingy in complexion, of middle height, and a\nprudent able man; but what deprived him of consideration and popularity\nwith those under him were his avarice and narrowness. He was married to\nRagna, a daughter of Nicolas Mase. King Inge was the handsomest among\nthem in countenance. He had yellow but rather thin hair, which was much\ncurled. His stature was small; and he had difficulty in walking alone,\nbecause he had one foot withered, and he had a hump both on his back and\nhis breast. He was of cheerful conversation, and friendly towards his\nfriends; was generous, and allowed other chiefs to give him counsel in\ngoverning the country. He was popular, therefore, with the public; and\nall this brought the kingdom and the mass of the people on his side.\nKing Harald Gille's daughter Brigida was first married to the Swedish\nking Inge Halsteinson, and afterwards to Earl Karl Sonason, and then to\nthe Swedish king Magnus. She and King Inge Haraldson were cousins by the\nmother's side. At last Brigida married Earl Birger Brose, and they had\nfour sons, namely, Earl Philip, Earl Knut, Folke, and Magnus. Their\ndaughters were Ingegerd, who was married to the Swedish king Sorkver,\nand their son was King Jon; a second daughter was called Kristin, and a\nthird Margaret. Harald Gille's second daughter was called Maria, who was\nmarried to Simon Skalp, a son of Halkel Huk; and their son was called\nNikolas. King Harald Gille's third daughter was called Margaret, who was\nmarried to Jon Halkelson, a brother of Simon. Now many things occurred\nbetween the brothers which occasioned differences and disputes; but I\nwill only relate what appears to me to have produced the more important\nevents.\n23. CARDINAL NIKOLAS COMES TO THE COUNTRY.\nIn the days of Harald's sons Cardinal Nikolas came from Rome to Norway,\nbeing sent there by the pope. The cardinal had taken offence at\nthe brothers Sigurd and Eystein, and they were obliged to come to a\nreconciliation with him; but, on the other hand, he stood on the most\naffectionate terms with King Inge, whom he called his son. Now when\nthey were all reconciled with him, he moved them to let Jon Birgerson\nbe consecrated archbishop of Throndhjem and gave him a vestment which is\ncalled a pallium; and settled moreover that the archbishop's seat should\nbe in Nidaros, in Christ church, where King Olaf the Saint reposes.\nBefore that time there had only been common bishops in Norway. The\ncardinal introduced also the law, that no man should go unpunished who\nappeared with arms in the merchant-town, excepting the twelve men who\nwere in attendancce on the king. He improved many of the customs of the\nNorthmen while he was in the country. There never came a foreigner to\nNorway whom all men respected so highly, or who could govern the people\nso well as he did. After some time he returned to the South with many\nfriendly presents, and declared ever afterwards that he was the greatest\nfriend of the people of Norway. When he came south to Rome the former\npope died suddenly, and all the people of Rome would have Cardinal\nNikolas for pope, and he was consecrated under the name of Adrian; and\naccording to the report of men who went to Rome in his days, he had\nnever any business, however important, to settle with other people, but\nhe would break it off to speak with the Northmen who desired to see him.\nHe was not long pope, and is now considered a saint.\n24. MIRACLE OF KING OLAF.\nIn the time of Harald Gille's sons, it happened that a man called Haldor\nfell into the hands of the Vindland people, who took him and mutilated\nhim, cut open his neck, took out the tongue through the opening, and cut\nout his tongue root. He afterwards sought out the holy King Olaf, fixed\nhis mind entirely on the holy man, and weeping besought King Olaf to\nrestore his speech and health. Thereupon he immediately recovered his\nspeech by the good king's compassion, went immediately into his service\nfor all his life, and became an excellent trustworthy man. This miracle\ntook place a fortnight before the last Olafsmas, upon the day that\nCardinal Nikolas set foot on the land of Norway.\n25. MIRACLES OF KING OLAF ON RICHARD.\nIn the Uplands were two brothers, men of great family, and men of\nfortune, Einar and Andres, sons of Guthorm Grabard, and brothers of\nKing Sigurd Haraldson's mother; and they had great properties and udal\nestates in that quarter. They had a sister who was very handsome, but\ndid not pay sufficient regard to the scandal of evil persons, as it\nafterwards appeared. She was on a friendly footing with an English\npriest called Richard, who had a welcome to the house of her brothers,\nand on account of their friendship for him she did many things to please\nhim, and often to his advantage; but the end of all this was, that an\nugly report flew about concerning this girl. When this came into the\nmouth of the public all men threw the blame on the priest. Her brothers\ndid the same, and expressed publicly, as soon as they observed it, that\nthey laid the blame most on him. The great friendship that was between\nthe earl and the priest proved a great misfortune to both, which might\nhave been expected, as the brothers were silent about their secret\ndetermination, and let nothing be observed. But one day they called the\npriest to them, who went, expecting nothing but good from them; enticed\nhim from home with them, saying that they intended to go to another\ndistrict, where they had some needful business, and inviting him to go\nwith them. They had with them a farm-servant who knew their purpose.\nThey went in a boat along the shore of a lake which is called Rands\nlake, and landed at a ness called Skiptisand, where they went on shore\nand amused themselves awhile. Then they went to a retired place, and\ncommanded their servant-man to strike the priest with an axe-hammer.\nHe struck the priest so hard that he swooned; but when he recovered he\nsaid, \"Why are ye playing so roughly with me?\" They replied, \"Although\nnobody has told thee of it before, thou shalt now find the consequence\nof what thou hast done.\" They then upbraided him; but he denied their\naccusations, and besought God and the holy King Olaf to judge between\nthem. Then they broke his leg-bones, and dragged him bound to the forest\nwith them; and then they put a string around his head, and put a board\nunder his head and shoulders, and made a knot on the string, and bound\nhis head fast to the board. Then the elder brother, Einar, took a wedge,\nand put it on the priest's eye, and the servant who stood beside him\nstruck upon it with an axe, so that the eye flew out, and fell upon the\nboard. Then he set the pin upon the other eye, and said to the servant,\n\"Strike now more softly.\" He did so, and the wedge sprang from the\neye-stone, and tore the eyelid loose. Then Einar took up the eyelid in\nhis hand, and saw that the eye-stone was still in its place; and he set\nthe wedge on the cheek, and when the servant struck it the eye-stone\nsprang out upon the cheek-bone. Thereafter they opened his mouth, took\nhis tongue and cut it off, and then untied his hands and his head. As\nsoon as he came to himself, he thought of laying the eye-stones in their\nplace under the eyelids, and pressing then with both hands as much as\nhe could. Then they carried him on board, and went to a farm called\nSaeheimrud, where they landed. They sent up to the farm to say that a\npriest was lying in the boat at the shore. While the message was going\nto the farm, they asked the priest if he could talk; and he made a noise\nand attempted to speak. Then said Einar to his brother, \"If he recover\nand the stump of his tongue grow, I am afraid he will get his speech\nagain.\" Thereupon they seized the stump with a pair of tongs, drew it\nout, cut it twice, and the third time to the very roots, and left him\nlying half dead. The housewife in the farm was poor; but she hastened to\nthe place with her daughter, and they carried the priest home to their\nfarm in their cloaks. They then brought a priest, and when he arrived he\nbound all his wounds; and they attended to his comfort as much as they\nwere able. And thus lay the wounded priest grievously handled, but\ntrusting always to God's grace, and never doubting; and although he was\nspeechless, he prayed to God in thought with a sorrowful mind, but with\nthe more confidence the worse he was. He turned his thoughts also to the\nmild King Olaf the Saint, God's dear favourite, of whose excellent deeds\nhe had heard so much told, and trusted so much more zealously on him\nwith all his heart for help in his necessity. As he lay there lame, and\ndeprived of all strength, he wept bitterly, moaned, and prayed with a\nsore heart that the dear King Olaf would help him. Now when this wounded\npriest was sleeping after midnight, he thought he saw a gallant man\ncoming to him, who spoke these words, \"Thou art ill off, friend Richard,\nand thy strength is little.\" He thought he replied to this assentingly.\nThen the man accosted him again, \"Thou requirest compassion?\" The priest\nreplies, \"I need the compassion of Almighty God and the holy King Olaf.\"\nHe answered, \"Thou shalt get it.\" Thereupon he pulled the tongue-stump\nso hard that it gave the priest pain; then he stroked with his hands his\neyes, and legs, and other wounded members. Then the priest asked who he\nwas. He looked at him, and said, \"Olaf, come here from Throndhjem;\" and\nthen disappeared. But the priest awoke altogether sound, and thus he\nspoke: \"Happy am I, and thanks be to the Almighty God and the holy King\nOlaf, who have restored me!\" Dreadfully mishandled as he had been, yet\nso quickly was he restored from his misfortune that he scarcely thought\nhe had been wounded or sick. His tongue was entire; both his eyes were\nin their places, and were clear-sighted; his broken legs and every other\nwound were healed, or were free from pain; and, in short, he had got\nperfect health. But as a proof that his eyes had been punched out, there\nremained a white scar on each eyelid, in order that this dear king's\nexcellence might be manifest on the man who had been so dreadfully\nmisused.\n26. KING INGE AND SIGURD HOLD A THING.\nKing Eystein and King Sigurd had quarrelled, because King Sigurd had\nkilled King Eystein's court-man Harald, the Viken man, who owned a house\nin Bergen, and also the priest Jon Tapard, a son of Bjarne Sigurdson.\nOn account of this affair, a conference to settle it was appointed in\nwinter in the Uplands. The two sat together in the conference for a long\ntime, and so much was known of their conference that all three brothers\nwere to meet the following summer in Bergen. It was added, that their\nconference was to the effect that King Inge should have two or three\nfarms, and as much income as would keep thirty men beside him, as he had\nnot health to be a king. When King Inge and Gregorius heard this report,\nthey came to Bergen with many followers. King Sigurd arrived there a\nlittle later, and was not nearly so strong in men. Sigurd and Inge had\nthen been nineteen years kings of Norway (A.D. 1155). King Eystein came\nlater still from the south than the other two from the north. Then King\nInge ordered the Thing to be called together on the holm by the sound\nof trumpet; and Sigurd and Inge came to it with a great many people.\nGregorius had two long-ships, and at the least ninety men, whom he kept\nin provisions. He kept his house-men better than other lendermen; for he\nnever took part in any entertainment where each guest brings his liquor,\nwithout having all his house-men to drink with him. He went now to the\nThing in a gold-mounted helmet, and all his men had helmets on. Then\nKing Inge stood up, and told the assembly what he had heard; how his\nbrothers were going to use him, and depose him from his kingdom; and\nasked for their assistance. The assembled people made a good return to\nhis speech, and declared they would follow him.\n27. OF GREGORIUS DAGSON.\nThen King Sigurd stood up and said it was a false accusation that King\nInge had made against him and his brother, and insisted that Gregorius\nhad invented it; and insinuated that it would not be long, if he had\nhis will, before they should meet so that the golden helmet should be\ndoffed; and ended his speech by hinting that they could not both live.\nGregorius replied, that Sigurd need not long so much for this, as he\nwas ready now, if it must be so. A few days after, one of Gregorius's\nhouse-men was killed out upon the street, and it was Sigurd's house-men\nwho killed him. Gregorius would then have fallen upon King Sigurd and\nhis people; but King Inge, and many others, kept him back. But one\nevening, just as Queen Ingerid, King Inge's mother, was coming from\nvespers, she came past where Sigurd Skrudhyrna, a courtman of King Inge,\nlay murdered. He was then an old man, and had served many kings. King\nSigurd's courtmen, Halyard Gunnarson, and Sigurd, a son of Eystein\nTrafale, had killed him; and people suspected it was done by order of\nKing Sigurd. She went immediately to King Inge, and told him he would\nbe a little king if he took no concern, but allowed his court-men to be\nkilled, the one after the other, like swine. The king was angry at her\nspeech; and while they were scolding about it, came Gregorius in helmet\nand armour, and told the king not to be angry, for she was only saying\nthe truth. \"And I am now,\" says he, \"come to thy assistance, if thou\nwilt attack King Sigurd; and here we are, above 100 men in helmets and\narmour, and with them we will attack where others think the attack may\nbe worst.\" But the most dissuaded from this course, thinking that Sigurd\nwould pay the mulct for the slaughter done. Now when Gregorius saw\nthat there would be no assault, he accosted King Inge thus: \"Thou wilt\nfrighten thy men from thee in this way; for first they lately killed my\nhouse-man, and now thy court-man, and afterwards they will chase me,\nor some other of thy lendermen whom thou wouldst feel the loss of, when\nthey see that thou art indifferent about such things; and at last, after\nthy friends are killed, they will take the royal dignity from thee.\nWhatever thy other lendermen may do, I will not stay here longer to be\nslaughtered like an ox; but Sigurd the king and I have a business to\nsettle with each other to-night, in whatever way it may turn out. It is\ntrue that there is but little help in thee on account of thy ill health,\nbut I should think thy will should not be less to hold thy hand over thy\nfriends, and I am now quite ready to go from hence to meet Sigurd, and\nmy banner is flying in the yard.\"\nThen King Inge stood up, and called for his arms, and ordered every man\nwho wished to follow him to get ready, declaring it was of no use to try\nto dissuade him; for he had long enough avoided this, but now steel must\ndetermine between them.\n28. OF KING SIGURD'S FALL.\nKing Sigurd sat and drank in Sigrid Saeta's house ready for battle,\nalthough people thought it would not come to an assault at all. Then\ncame King Inge with his men down the road from the smithy shops,\nagainst the house. Arne, the king's brother-in-law, came out from the\nSand-bridge, Aslak Erlendson from his own house, and Gregorius from the\nstreet where all thought the assault would be worst. King Sigurd and\nhis men made many shots from the holes in the loft, broke down the\nfireplaces, and threw stones on them. Gregorius and his men cut down the\ngates of the yard; and there in the port fell Einar, a son of Laxapaul,\nwho was of Sigurd's people, together with Halvard Gunnarson, who was\nshot in a loft, and nobody lamented his death. They hewed down the\nhouses, and many of King Sigurd's men left him, and surrendered for\nquarter. Then King Sigurd went up into a loft, and desired to be heard.\nHe had a gilt shield, by which they knew him, but they would not listen\nto him, and shot arrows at him as thick as snow in a snow-shower, so\nthat he could not stay there. As his men had now left him, and the\nhouses were being hewn down, he went out from thence, and with him his\ncourt-man Thord Husfreyja from Viken. They wanted to come where King\nInge was to be found, and Sigurd called to his brother King Inge, and\nbegged him to grant him life and safety; but both Thord and Sigurd\nwere instantly killed, and Thord fell with great glory. King Sigurd\nwas interred in the old Christ church out on the holm. King Inge gave\nGregorius the ship King Sigurd had owned. There fell many of King\nSigurd's and King Inge's men, although I only name a few; but of\nGregorius's men there fell four; and also some who belonged to no party,\nbut were shot on the piers, or out in the ships. It was fought on a\nFriday, and fourteen days before Saint John the Baptist's day (June 10,\n1155). Two or three days after King Eystein came from the eastward with\nthirty ships, and had along with him his brother's son Hakon, a son of\nKing Sigurd. Eystein did not come up to the town, but lay in Floruvagar,\nand good men went between to get a reconciliation made. But Gregorius\nwanted that they should go out against him, thinking there never would\nbe a better opportunity; and offered to be himself the leader. \"For\nthou, king, shalt not go, for we have no want of men.\" But many\ndissuaded from this course, and it came to nothing. King Eystein\nreturned back to Viken, and King Inge to Throndhjem, and they were in a\nsort reconciled; but they did not meet each other.\n29. OF GREGORIUS DAGSON.\nSomewhat later than King Eystein, Gregorius Dagson also set out to the\neastward and came to his farm Bratsberg in Hofund; but King Eystein was\nup in the fjord at Oslo, and had his ships drawn above two miles over\nthe frozen sea, for there was much ice at that time in Viken. King\nEystein went up to Hofund to take Gregorius; but he got news of what was\non foot, and escaped to Thelemark with ninety men, from thence over the\nmountains, and came down in Hardanger; and at last to Studla in Etne, to\nErling Skakke's farm. Erling himself had gone north to Bergen; but\nhis wife Kristin, a daughter of King Sigurd, was at home, and offered\nGregorius all the assistance he wanted; and he was hospitably received.\nHe got a long-ship there which belonged to Erling, and everything else\nhe required. Gregorius thanked her kindly, and allowed that she had\nbehaved nobly, and as might have been expected of her. Gregorius then\nproceeded to Bergen, where he met Erling, who thought also that his wife\nhad done well.\n30. RECONCILIATION OF EYSTEIN AND INGE.\nThen Gregorius went north to Throndhjem, and came there before Yule.\nKing Inge was rejoiced at his safety, and told him to use his property\nas freely as his own, King Eystein having burnt Gregorius's house, and\nslaughtered his stock of cattle. The ship-docks which King Eystein the\nElder had constructed in the merchant town of Nidaros, and which had\nbeen exceedingly expensive, were also burnt this winter, together with\nsome good vessels belonging to King Inge. This deed was ascribed to King\nEystein and Philip Gyrdson, King Sigurd's foster-brother, and occasioned\nmuch displeasure and hatred. The following summer King Inge went south\nwith a very numerous body of men; and King Eystein came northwards,\ngathering men also. They met in the east (A.D. 1156) at the Seleys,\nnear to the Naze; but King Inge was by far the strongest in men. It was\nnearly coming to a battle; but at last they were reconciled on these\nconditions, that King Eystein should be bound to pay forty-five marks of\ngold, of which King Inge should have thirty marks, because King Eystein\nhad occasioned the burning of the docks and ships; and, besides,\nthat Philip, and all who had been accomplices in the deed, should be\noutlawed. Also that the men should be banished the country, against whom\nit could be proved that they gave blow or wound to King Sigurd; for King\nEystein accused King Inge of protecting these men; and that Gregorius\nshould have fifteen marks of gold for the value of his property burnt by\nKing Eystein. King Eystein was ill pleased with these terms, and looked\nupon the treaty as one forced upon him. From that meeting King Inge went\neastward to Viken, and King Eystein north to Throndhjem; and they had no\nintercourse with each other, nor were the messages which passed between\nthem very friendly, and on both sides they killed each other's friends.\nKing Eystein, besides, did not pay the money; and the one accused the\nother of not fulfilling what was promised. King Inge and Gregorius\nenticed many people from King Eystein; among others, Bard Standale\nBrynjolfson, Simon Skalp, a son of Halkel Huk, Halder Brynjolfson, Jon\nHalkelson, and many other lendermen.\n31. OF EYSTEIN AND INGE.\nTwo years after King Sigurd's fall (A.D. 1157) both kings assembled\narmaments; namely, King Inge in the east of the country, where he\ncollected eighty ships; and King Eystein in the north, where he had\nforty-five, and among these the Great Dragon, which King Eystein\nMagnuson had built after the Long Serpent; and they had on both sides\nmany and excellent troops. King Inge lay with his ships south at Moster\nIsle, and King Eystein a little to the north in Graeningasund.\nKing Eystein sent the young Aslak Jonson, and Arne Sturla, a son of\nSnaebjorn, with one ship to meet King Inge; but when the king's men knew\nthem, they assaulted them, killed many of their people, and took all\nthat was in the ship belonging to them. Aslak and Arne and a few more\nescaped to the land, went to King Eystein, and told him how King Inge\nhad received them. Thereupon King Eystein held a House-thing, and told\nhis followers how ill King Inge had treated his men, and desired the\ntroops to follow him. \"I have,\" said he, \"so many, and such excellent\nmen, that I have no intention to fly, if ye will follow me.\" But this\nspeech was not received with much favour. Halkel Huk was there; but both\nhis sons, Simon and Jon, were with King Inge. Halkel replied, so loud\nthat many heard him, \"Let thy chests of gold follow thee, and let them\ndefend thy land.\"\n32. KING EYSTEIN'S DEATH.\nIn the night many of King Eystein's ships rowed secretly away, some of\nthem joining King Inge, some going to Bergen, or up into the fjords; so\nthat when it was daylight in the morning the king was lying behind with\nonly ten ships. Then he left the Great Dragon, which was heavy to row,\nand several other vessels behind; and cut and destroyed the Dragon,\nstarted out the ale, and destroyed all that they could not take with\nthem. King Eystein went on board of the ship of Eindride, a son of Jon\nMorner, sailed north into Sogn, and then took the land-road eastwards to\nViken. King Inge took the vessels, and sailed with them outside of the\nisles to Viken. King Eystein had then got east as far as Fold, and had\nwith him 1200 men; but when they saw King Inge's force, they did not\nthink themselves sufficiently strong to oppose him, and they retired to\nthe forest. Every one fled his own way, so that the king was left with\nbut one man. King Inge and his men observed King Eystein's flight, and\nalso that he had but few people with him, and they went immediately to\nsearch for him. Simon Skalp met the king just as he was coming out of a\nwillow bush. Simon saluted him. \"God save you, sire,\" said he.\nThe king replied, \"I do not know if thou are not sire here.\"\nSimon replied, \"That is as it may happen.\"\nThe king begged him to conceal him, and said it was proper to do so.\n\"For there was long friendship between us, although it has now gone\ndifferently.\"\nSimon replied, it could not be.\nThen the king begged that he might hear mass before he died, which\naccordingly took place. Then Eystein laid himself down on his face on\nthe grass, stretched out his hands on each side, and told them to cut\nthe sign of the cross between his shoulders, and see whether he could\nnot bear steel as King Inge's followers had asserted of him. Simon told\nthe man who had to put the king to death to do so immediately, for\nthe king had been creeping about upon the grass long enough. He was\naccordingly slain, and he appears to have suffered manfully. His body\nwas carried to Fors, and lay all night under the hill at the south side\nof the church. King Eystein was buried in Fors church, and his grave is\nin the middle of the church-floor, where a fringed canopy is spread over\nit, and he is considered a saint. Where he was executed, and his blood\nran upon the ground, sprang up a fountain, and another under the hill\nwhere his body lay all night. From both these waters many think they\nhave received a cure of sickness and pain. It is reported by the Viken\npeople that many miracles were wrought at King Eystein's grave, until\nhis enemies poured upon it soup made of boiled dog's flesh. Simon Skalp\nwas much hated for this deed, which was generally ascribed to him; but\nsome said that when King Eystein was taken Simon sent a message to King\nInge, and the king commanded that King Eystein should not come before\nhis face. So King Sverre has caused it to be written; but Einar Skulason\ntells of it thus:--\n \"Simon Skalp, the traitor bold,\n For deeds of murder known of old,\n His king betrayed; and ne'er will he\n God's blessed face hereafter see.\"\nSAGA OF HAKON HERDEBREID (HAKON THE BROAD-SHOULDERED) (1)\nPRELIMINARY REMARKS.\nThis saga describes the feud between Hakon Sigurdson and his uncle Inge.\nThe only skald quoted is Einar Skulason.\n ENDNOTES: (1) The period is from A.D. 1157 to 1161.--L.\n1. BEGINNING OF HAKON HERDEBREID.\nHakon, King Sigurd's son, was chosen chief of the troop which had\nfollowed King Eystein, and his adherents gave him the title of king. He\nwas ten years old. At that time he had with him Sigurd, a son of\nHalvard Hauld of Reyr, and Andreas and Onund, the sons of Simon, his\nfoster-brothers, and many chiefs, friends of King Sigurd and King\nEystein; and they went first up to Gautland. King Inge took possession\nof all the estates they had left behind, and declared them banished.\nThereafter King Inge went to Viken, and was sometimes also in the north\nof the country. Gregorius Dagson was in Konungahella, where the danger\nwas greatest, and had beside him a strong and handsome body of men, with\nwhich he defended the country.\n2. OF GREGORIUS DAGSON.\nThe summer after (A.D. 1158) Hakon came with his men, and proceeded to\nKonungahella with a numerous and handsome troop. Gregorius was then in\nthe town, and summoned the bondes and townspeople to a great Thing, at\nwhich he desired their aid; but he thought the people did not hear him\nwith much favour, so he did not much trust them. Gregorius set off with\ntwo ships to Viken, and was very much cast down. He expected to meet\nKing Inge there, having heard he was coming with a great army to Viken.\nNow when Gregorius had come but a short way north he met Simon Skalp,\nHaldor Brynjolfson, and Gyrd Amundason, King Inge's foster-brothers.\nGregorius was much delighted at this meeting, and turned back with them,\nbeing all in one body, with eleven ships. As they were rowing up to\nKonungahella, Hakon, with his followers, was holding a Thing without the\ntown, and saw their approach; and Sigurd of Reyr said, \"Gregorius must\nbe fey to be throwing himself with so few men into our hands.\" Gregorius\nlanded opposite the town to wait for King Inge, for he was expected,\nbut he did not come. King Hakon put himself in order in the town, and\nappointed Thorliot Skaufaskalle, who was a viking and a robber, to be\ncaptain of the men in the merchant ships that were afloat in the river;\nand King Hakon and Sigurd were within the town, and drew up the men on\nthe piers, for all the townspeople had submitted to King Hakon.\n3. KING HAKON'S FLIGHT.\nGregorius rowed up the river, and let the ship drive down with the\nstream against Thorliot. They shot at each other a while, until Thorliot\nand his comrades jumped overboard; and some of them were killed, some\nescaped to the land. Then Gregorius rowed to the piers, and let a\ngangway be cast on shore at the very feet of Hakon's men. There the man\nwho carried his banner was slain, just as he was going to step on shore.\nGregorius ordered Hal, a son of Audun Halson, to take up the banner,\nwhich he did, and bore the banner up to the pier. Gregorius followed\nclose after him, held his shield over his head, and protected him as\nwell as himself. As soon as Gregorius came upon the pier, and Hakon's\nmen knew him, they gave way, and made room for him on every side.\nAfterwards more people landed from the ships, and then Gregorius made a\nsevere assault with his men; and Hakon's men first moved back, and then\nran up into the town. Gregorius pursued them eagerly, drove them twice\nfrom the town, and killed many of them. By the report of all men, never\nwas there so glorious an affair as this of Gregorius; for Hakon had more\nthan 4000 men, and Gregorius not full 400. After the battle, Gregorius\nsaid to Hal Audunson, \"Many men, in my opinion, are more agile in battle\nthan ye Icelanders are, for ye are not so exercised as we Norwegians;\nbut none, I think, are so bold under arms as ye are.\" King Inge came up\nsoon after, and killed many of the men who had taken part with Hakon;\nmade some pay heavy fines, burnt the houses of some, and some he drove\nout of the country, or treated otherwise very ill. Hakon fled at first\nup to Gautland with all his men; but the winter after (A.D. 1159), he\nproceeded by the upper road to Throndhjem, and came there before Easter.\nThe Throndhjem people received him well, for they had always served\nunder that shield. It is said that the Throndhjem people took Hakon\nas king, on the terms that he should have from Inge the third part of\nNorway as his paternal heritage. King Inge and Gregorius were in Viken,\nand Gregorius wanted to make an expedition against the party in the\nnorth; but it came to nothing that winter, as many dissuaded from it.\n4. FALL OF GYRD AND HAVARD.\nKing Hakon left Throndhjem in spring with thirty ships nearly; and some\nof his men sailed before the rest with seven ships, and plundered in\nNorth and South More. No man could remember that there ever before had\nbeen plundering between the two towns (Bergen and Nidaros). Jon the son\nof Halkel Huk collected the bondes in arms, and proceeded against them;\ntook Kolbein Ode prisoner, killed every woman's son of them in his ship.\nThen they searched for the others, found them all assembled in seven\nships, and fought with them; but his father Halkel not coming to his\nassistance as he had promised, many good bondes were killed, and Jon\nhimself was wounded. Hakon proceeded south to Bergen with his forces;\nbut when he came to Stiornvelta, he heard that King Inge and Gregorius\nhad arrived a few nights before from the east at Bergen, and therefore\nhe did not venture to steer thither. They sailed the outer course\nsouthwards past Bergen, and met three ships of King Inge's fleet, which\nhad been outsailed on the voyage from the east. On board of them were\nGyrd Amundason, King Inge's foster-brother, who was married to Gyrid\na sister of Gregorius, and also lagman Gyrd Gunhildson, and Havard\nKlining. King Hakon had Gyrd Amundason and Havard Klining put to death;\nbut took lagman Gyrd southwards, and then proceeded east to Viken.\n5. OF THE CONSULTATIONS OF KING INGE.\nWhen King Inge heard of this he sailed east after them, and they met\neast in the Gaut river. King Inge went up the north arm of the river,\nand sent out spies to get news of Hakon and his fleet; but he himself\nlanded at Hising, and waited for his spies. Now when the spies came back\nthey went to the king, and said that they had seen King Hakon's forces,\nand all his ships which lay at the stakes in the river, and Hakon's\nmen had bound the stems of their vessels to them. They had two great\nEast-country trading vessels, which they had laid outside of the fleet,\nand on both these were built high wooded stages (castles). When King\nInge heard the preparations they had made, he ordered a trumpet to call\na House-thing of all the men; and when the Thing was seated he asked\nhis men for counsel, and applied particularly to Gregorius Dagson, his\nbrother-in-law Erling Skakke, and other lendermen and ship-commanders,\nto whom he related the preparations of Hakon and his men.\nThen Gregorius Dagson replied first, and made known his mind in the\nfollowing words:--\"Sometimes we and Hakon have met, and generally they\nhad the most people; but, notwithstanding, they fell short in battle\nagainst us. Now, on the other hand, we have by far the greatest force;\nand it will appear probable to the men who a short time ago lost gallant\nrelations by them, that this will be a good occasion to get vengeance,\nfor they have fled before us the greater part of the summer; and we have\noften said that if they waited for us, as appears now to be the case, we\nwould have a brush with them. Now I will tell my opinion, which is, that\nI will engage them, if it be agreeable to the king's pleasure; for I\nthink it will go now as formerly, that they must give way before us if\nwe attack them bravely; and I shall always attack where others may think\nit most difficult.\"\nThe speech was received with much applause, and all declared they were\nready to engage in battle against Hakon. Then they rowed with all the\nships up the river, until they came in sight of each other, and then\nKing Inge turned off from the river current under the island. Now the\nking addressed the lendermen again, and told them to get ready for\nbattle. He turned himself especially to Erling Skakke, and said, what\nwas true, that no man in the army had more understanding and knowledge\nin fighting battles, although some were more hot. The king then\naddressed himself to several of the lendermen, speaking to them by name;\nand ended by desiring that each man should make his attack where he\nthought it would be of advantage, and thereafter all would act together.\n6. ERLING'S SPEECH.\nErling Skakke replied thus to the king's speech: \"It is my duty, sire,\nnot to be silent; and I shall give my advice, since it is desired.\nThe resolution now adopted is contrary to my judgment; for I call it\nfoolhardy to fight under these circumstances, although we have so many\nand such fine men. Supposing we make an attack on them, and row up\nagainst this river-current; then one of the three men who are in each\nhalf room must be employed in rowing only, and another must be covering\nwith the shield the man who rows; and what have we then to fight with\nbut one third of our men? It appears to me that they can be of little\nuse in the battle who are sitting at their oars with their backs turned\nto the enemy. Give me now some time for consideration, and I promise you\nthat before three days are over I shall fall upon some plan by which we\ncan come into battle with advantage.\"\nIt was evident from Erling's speech that he dissuaded from an attack;\nbut, notwithstanding, it was urged by many who thought that Hakon would\nnow, as before, take to the land. \"And then,\" said they, \"we cannot get\nhold of him; but now they have but few men, and we have their fate in\nour own hands.\"\nGregorius said but little; but thought that Erling rather dissuaded from\nan attack that Gregorius's advice should have no effect, than that he\nhad any better advice to give.\n7. OF HAKON'S FLEET.\nThen said King Inge to Erling, \"Now we will follow thy advice, brother,\nwith regard to the manner of attacking; but seeing how eager our\ncounsellors are for it, we shall make the attack this day.\"\nErling replied, \"All the boats and light vessels we have should row\noutside the island, and up the east arm of the river, and then down with\nthe stream upon them, and try if they cannot cut them loose from the\npiles. Then we, with the large ships, shall row from below here against\nthem; and I cannot tell until it be tried, if those who are now so\nfuriously warm will be much brisker at the attack than I am.\"\nThis counsel was approved by all. There was a ness stretched out between\ntheir fleet and Hakon's, so that they could not see each other. Now when\nHakon and his men, who had taken counsel with each other in a meeting,\nsaw the boat-squadron rowing down the river, some thought King Inge\nintended to give them battle; but many believed they did not dare, for\nit looked as if the attack was given up; and they, besides, were very\nconfident, both in their preparations and men. There were many great\npeople with Hakon: there were Sigurd of Reyr, and Simon's sons; Nikolas\nSkialdvarson; Eindride, a son of Jon Mornef, who was the most gallant\nand popular man in the Throndhjem country; and many other lendermen and\nwarriors. Now when they saw that King Inge's men with many ships were\nrowing out of the river, Hakon and his men believed they were going to\nfly; and therefore they cut their land-ropes with which they lay fast at\nthe piles, seized their oars, and rowed after them in pursuit. The\nships ran fast down with the stream; but when they came further down\nthe river, abreast of the ness, they saw King Inge's main strength lying\nquiet at the island Hising. King Inge's people saw Hakon's ships under\nway, and believed they were coming to attack them; and now there was\ngreat bustle and clash of arms, and they encouraged each other by a\ngreat war-shout. Hakon with his fleet turned northwards a little to the\nland, where there was a turn in the bight of the river, and where there\nwas no current. They made ready for battle, carried land-ropes to the\nshore, turned the stems of their ships outwards, and bound them all\ntogether. They laid the large East-country traders without the\nother vessels, the one above, the other below, and bound them to the\nlong-ships. In the middle of the fleet lay the king's ship, and next to\nit Sigurd's; and on the other side of the king's ship lay Nikolas, and\nnext to him Endride Jonson. All the smaller ships lay farther off, and\nthey were all nearly loaded with weapons and stones.\n8. SIGURD OF REYR'S SPEECH.\nThen Sigurd of Reyr made the following speech: \"Now there is hope that\nthe time is come which has been promised us all the summer, that we\nshall meet King Inge in battle. We have long prepared ourselves for\nthis; and many of our comrades have boasted that they would never fly\nfrom or submit to King Inge and Gregorius, and now let them remember\ntheir words. But we who have sometimes got the toothache in our\nconflicts with them, speak less confidently; for it has happened, as\nall have heard, that we very often have come off without glory. But,\nnevertheless, it is now necessary to fight manfully, and stand to it\nwith steadiness; for the only escape for us is in victory. Although we\nhave somewhat fewer men than they, yet luck determines which side shall\nhave the advantage, and God knows that the right is on our side. Inge\nhas killed two of his brothers; and it is obvious to all men that the\nmulct he intends to pay King Hakon for his father's murder is to murder\nhim also, as well as his other relations, which will be seen this day to\nbe his intent. King Hakon desired from the beginning no more of Norway\nthan the third part, which his father had possessed, and which was\ndenied him; and yet, in my opinion, King Hakon has a better right to\ninherit after his father's brother, King Eystein, than Inge or Simon\nSkalp, or the other men who killed King Eystein. Many of them who would\nsave their souls, and yet have defiled their hands with such bloody\ndeeds as Inge has done, must think it a presumption before God that\nhe takes the name of king; and I wonder God suffers such monstrous\nwickedness as his; but it may be God's will that we shall now put him\ndown. Let us fight then manfully, and God will give us victory; and, if\nwe fall, will repay us with joys unspeakable for now allowing the might\nof the wicked to prevail over us. Go forth then in confidence, and be\nnot afraid when the battle begins. Let each watch over his own and his\ncomrade's safety, and God protect us all.\" There went a good report\nabroad of this speech of Sigurd, and all promised fairly, and to do\ntheir duty. King Hakon went on board of the great East-country ship, and\na shield-bulwark was made around him; but his standard remained on the\nlong-ship in which it had been before.\n9. OF KING INGE'S MEN.\nNow must we tell about King Inge and his men. When they saw that King\nHakon and his people were ready for battle, and the river only was\nbetween them, they sent a light vessel to recall the rest of the fleet\nwhich had rowed away; and in the meantime the king waited for them,\nand arranged the troops for the attack. Then the chiefs consulted in\npresence of the army, and told their opinions; first, which ships should\nlie nearest to the enemy; and then where each should attack.\nGregorius spoke thus: \"We have many and fine men; and it is my advice,\nKing Inge, that you do not go to the assault with us, for everything is\npreserved if you are safe. And no man knows where an arrow may hit, even\nfrom the hands of a bad bowman; and they have prepared themselves so,\nthat missiles and stones can be thrown from the high stages upon the\nmerchant ships, so that there is less danger for those who are farthest\nfrom them. They have not more men than we lendermen can very well engage\nwith. I shall lay my ship alongside their largest ship, and I expect the\nconflict between us will be but short; for it has often been so in our\nformer meetings, although there has been a much greater want of men\nwith us than now.\" All thought well of the advice that the king himself\nshould not take part in the battle.\nThen Erling Skakke said, \"I agree also to the counsel that you, sire,\nshould not go into the battle. It appears to me that their preparations\nare such, that we require all our precaution not to suffer a great\ndefeat from them; and whole limbs are the easiest cured. In the council\nwe held before to-day many opposed what I said, and ye said then that\nI did not want to fight; but now I think the business has altered its\nappearance, and greatly to our advantage, since they have hauled off\nfrom the piles, and now it stands so that I do not dissuade from giving\nbattle; for I see, what all are sensible of, how necessary it is to put\nan end to this robber band who have gone over the whole country with\npillage and destruction, in order that people may cultivate the land in\npeace, and serve a king so good and just as King Inge who has long had\ntrouble and anxiety from the haughty unquiet spirit of his relations,\nalthough he has been a shield of defence for the whole people, and has\nbeen exposed to manifold perils for the peace of the country.\" Erling\nspoke well and long, and many other chiefs also; and all to the same\npurpose--all urging to battle. In the meantime they waited until all the\nfleet should be assembled. King Inge had the ship Baekisudin; and, at\nthe entreaty of his friends, he did not join the battle, but lay still\nat the island.\n10. BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE.\nWhen the army was ready they rowed briskly against the enemy, and both\nsides raised a war-shout. Inge's men did not bind their ships together,\nbut let them be loose; for they rowed right across the current, by which\nthe large ships were much swayed. Erling Skakke laid his ship beside\nKing Hakon's ship, and ran the stem between his and Sigurd's ship, by\nwhich the battle began. But Gregorius's ship swung upon the ground,\nand heeled very much over, so that at first she could not come into the\nbattle; and when Hakon's men saw this they laid themselves against her,\nand attacked Gregorius's ship on all sides. Ivar, Hakon Mage's son,\nlaid his ship so that the stems struck together; and he got a boat-hook\nfastened on Gregorius, on that part of his body where the waist is\nsmallest, and dragged him to him, by which Gregorius stumbled against\nthe ship's rails; but the hook slipped to one side, or Gregorius\nwould have been dragged over-board. Gregorius, however, was but little\nwounded, for he had on a plate coat of armour. Ivar called out to him,\nthat he had a \"thick bark.\" Gregorius replied, that if Ivar went on so\nhe would \"require it all, and not have too much.\" It was very near then\nthat Gregorius and his men had sprung overboard; but Aslak Unge threw an\nanchor into their ship, and dragged them off the ground. Then Gregorius\nlaid himself against Ivar's ship, and they fought a long while; but\nGregorius's ship being both higher sided and more strongly manned,\nmany people fell in Ivar's ship, and some jumped overboard. Ivar was so\nseverely wounded that he could not take part in the fight. When his ship\nwas cleared of the men, Gregorius let Ivar be carried to the shore, so\nthat he might escape; and from that time they were constant friends.\n11. KING HAKON'S FLIGHT.\nWhen King Inge and his men saw that Gregorius was aground, he encouraged\nhis crew to row to his assistance. \"It was,\" he said, \"the most\nimprudent advice that we should remain lying here, while our friends are\nin battle; for we have the largest and best ship in all the fleet. But\nnow I see that Gregorius, the man to whom I owe the most, is in need of\nhelp; so we must hasten to the fight where it is sharpest. It is also\nmost proper that I should be in the battle; for the victory, if we win\nit, will belong to me. And if I even knew beforehand that our men were\nnot to gain the battle, yet our place is where our friends are; for I\ncan do nothing if I lose the men who are justly called the defence of\nthe country, who are the bravest, and have long ruled for me and my\nkingdom.\" Thereupon he ordered his banner to be set up, which was done;\nand they rowed across the river. Then the battle raged, and the king\ncould not get room to attack, so close lay the ships before him. First\nhe lay under the East-country trading ship, and from it they threw down\nupon his vessel spears, iron-shod stakes, and such large stones that\nit was impossible to hold out longer there, and he had to haul off. Now\nwhen the king's people saw that he was come they made place for him, and\nthen he laid alongside of Eindride Jonson's ship. Now King Hakon's men\nabandoned the small ships, and went on board the large merchant vessels;\nbut some of them sprang on shore. Erling Skakke and his men had a\nsevere conflict. Erling himself was on the forecastle, and called his\nforecastlemen, and ordered them to board the king's ship; but they\nanswered, this was no easy matter, for there were beams above with an\niron comb on them. Then Erling himself went to the bow, and stayed there\na while, until they succeeded in getting on board the king's ship: and\nthen the ship was cleared of men on the bows, and the whole army gave\nway. Many sprang into the water, many fell, but the greater number got\nto the land. So says Einar Skulason:--\n \"Men fall upon the slippery deck--\n Men roll off from the blood-drenched wreck;\n Dead bodies float down with the stream,\n And from the shores witch-ravens scream.\n The cold blue river now runs red\n With the warm blood of warriors dead,\n And stains the waves in Karmt Sound\n With the last drops of the death-wound.\n \"All down the stream, with unmann'd prow,\n Floats many an empty long-ship now,\n Ship after ship, shout after shout,\n Tell that Kign Hakon can't hold out.\n The bowmen ply their bows of elm,\n The red swords flash o'er broken helm:\n King Hakon's men rush to the strand,\n Out of their ships, up through the land.\"\nEinar composed a song about Gregorius Dagson, which is called the\nRiver-song. King Inge granted life and peace to Nikolas Skialdvarson\nwhen his ship was deserted, and thereupon he went into King Inge's\nservice, and remained in it as long as the king lived. Eindride Jonson\nleaped on board of King Inge's ship when his own was cleared of men, and\nbegged for his life. King Inge wished to grant it; but Havard Klining's\nson ran up, and gave him a mortal wound, which was much blamed; but he\nsaid Eindride had been the cause of his father's death. There was much\nlamentation at Eindride's death, but principally in the Throndhjem\ndistrict. Many of Hakon's people fell here, but not many chiefs. Few of\nKing Inge's people fell, but many were wounded. King Hakon fled up the\ncountry, and King Inge went north to Viken with his troops; and he, as\nwell as Gregorius, remained in Viken all winter (A.D. 1160). When King\nInge's men, Bergliot and his brothers, sons of Ivar of Elda, came from\nthe battle to Bergen, they slew Nickolas Skeg, who had been Hakon's\ntreasurer, and then went north to Throndhjem.\nKing Hakon came north before Yule, and Sigurd was sometimes home at\nReyr; for Gregorius, who was nearly related to Sigurd, had obtained for\nhim life and safety from King Inge, so that he retained all his estates.\nKing Hakon was in the merchant-town of Nidaros in Yule; and one evening\nin the beginning of Yule his men fought in the room of the court, and in\nthis affray eight men were killed, and many were wounded. The eighth\nday of Yule, King Hakon's man Alf Rode, son of Ottar Birting, with about\neighty men, went to Elda, and came in the night unexpectedly on the\npeople, who were very drunk, and set fire to the room; but they went\nout, and defended themselves bravely. There fell Bergliot, Ivar's son,\nand Ogmund, his brother, and many more. They had been nearly thirty\naltogether in number. In winter died, north in the merchant-town, Andres\nSimonson, King Hakon's foster-brother; and his death was much deplored.\nErling Skakke and Inge's men, who were in Bergen, threatened that in\nwinter they would proceed against Hakon and his men; but it came to\nnothing. Gregorius sent word from the east, from Konungahella, that\nif he were so near as Erling and his men, he would not sit quietly in\nBergen while Hakon was killing King Inge's friends and their comrades in\nwar north in the Throndhjem country.\n12. THE CONFLICT UPON THE PIERS.\nKing Inge and Gregorius left the east in spring, and came to Bergen; but\nas soon as Hakon and Sigurd heard that Inge had left Viken, they went\nthere by land. When King Inge and his people came to Bergen, a quarrel\narose between Haldor Brynjolfson and Bjorn Nikolason. Bjorn's house-man\nasked Haldor's when they met at the pier, why he looked so pale.\nHe replied, because he had been bled.\n\"I could not look so pale if I tried, at merely being bled.\"\n\"I again think,\" retorted the other, \"that thou wouldst have borne it\nworse, and less manfully.\" And no other beginning was there for their\nquarrel than this. Afterwards one word followed another, till from\nbrawling they came to fighting. It was told to Haldor Brynjolfson, who\nwas in the house drinking, that his house-man was wounded down on the\npier and he went there immediately. But Bjorn's house-men had come there\nbefore, and as Haldor thought his house-man had been badly treated, he\nwent up to them and beat them; and it was told to Bjorn Buk that the\npeople of Viken were beating his house-men on the pier. Then Bjorn and\nhis house-men took their weapons, hurried down to the pier, and would\navenge their men; and a bloody strife began. It was told Gregorius that\nhis relation Haldor required assistance, and that his house-men were\nbeing cut down in the street; on which Gregorius and his men ran to the\nplace in their armour. Now it was told Erling Skakke that his sister's\nson Bjorn was fighting with Gregorius and Haldor down on the piers, and\nthat he needed help. Then he proceeded thither with a great force, and\nexhorted the people to stand by him; saying it would be a great disgrace\nnever to be wiped out, if the Viken people should trample upon them\nin their own native place. There fell thirteen men, of whom nine\nwere killed on the spot, and four died of their wounds, and many were\nwounded. When the word came to King Inge that Gregorius and Erling were\nfighting down on the piers, he hastened there, and tried to separate\nthem; but could do nothing, so mad were they on both sides. Then\nGregorius called to Inge, and told him to go away; for it was in vain to\nattempt coming between them, as matters now stood. He said it would be\nthe greatest misfortune if the king mixed himself up with it; for he\ncould not be certain that there were not people in the fray who would\ncommit some great misdeed if they had opportunity. Then King Inge\nretired; and when the greatest tumult was over, Gregorius and his men\nwent to Nikolas church, and Erling behind them, calling to each other.\nThen King Inge came a second time, and pacified them; and both agreed\nthat he should mediate between them.\nWhen King Inge and Gregorius heard that King Hakon was in Viken, they\nwent east with many ships; but when they came King Hakon fled from them,\nand there was no battle. Then King Inge went to Oslo, and Gregorius was\nin Konungahella.\n13. MUNAN'S DEATH.\nSoon after Gregorius heard that Hakon and his men were at a farm called\nSaurby, which lies up beside the forest. Gregorius hastened there; came\nin the night; and supposing that King Hakon and Sigurd would be in the\nlargest of the houses, set fire to the buildings there. But Hakon and\nhis men were in the smaller house, and came forth, seeing the fire, to\nhelp their people. There Munan fell, a son of Ale Uskeynd, a brother of\nKing Sigurd Hakon's father. Gregorius and his men killed him, because he\nwas helping those whom they were burning within the house. Some escaped,\nbut many were killed. Asbjorn Jalda, who had been a very great viking,\nescaped from the house, but was grievously wounded. A bonde met him, and\nhe offered the man money to let him get away; but the bonde replied, he\nwould do what he liked best; and, adding that he had often been in fear\nof his life for him, he slew him. King Hakon and Sigurd escaped, but\nmany of their people were killed. Thereafter Gregorius returned home\nto Konungahella. Soon after King Hakon and Sigurd went to Haldor\nBrynjolfson's farm of Vettaland, set fire to the house, and burnt it.\nHaldor went out, and was cut down instantly with his house-men; and in\nall there were about twenty men killed. Sigrid, Haldor's wife, was a\nsister of Gregorius, and they allowed her to escape into the forest in\nher night-shift only; but they took with them Amunde, who was a son\nof Gyrd Amundason and of Gyrid Dag's daughter, and a sister's son of\nGregorius, and who was then a boy about five years old.\n14. OF THE FALL OF GREGORIUS DAGSON.\nWhen Gregorius heard the news he took it much to heart, and inquired\ncarefully where they were. Gregorius set out from Konungahella late in\nYule, and came to Fors the thirteenth day of Yule, where he remained a\nnight, and heard vespers the last day of Yule, which was a Saturday, and\nthe holy Evangel was read before him. When Gregorius and his followers\nsaw the men of King Hakon and Sigurd, the king's force appeared to them\nsmaller than their own. There was a river called Befia between them,\nwhere they met; and there was unsound ice on the river, for there went\na stream under the ice from it. King Hakon and his men had cut a rent\nin the ice, and laid snow over it, so that nobody could see it. When\nGregorius came to the ice on the river the ice appeared to him unsound,\nhe said; and he advised the people to go to the bridge, which was close\nby, to cross the river. The bonde-troops replied, that they did not know\nwhy he should be afraid to go across the ice to attack so few people\nas Hakon had, and the ice was good enough. Gregorius said it was seldom\nnecessary to encourage him to show bravery, and it should not be so now.\nThen he ordered them to follow him, and not to be standing on the land\nwhile he was on the ice, and he said it was their council to go out upon\nthe dangerous ice, but he had no wish to do so, or to be led by them.\nThen he ordered the banner to be advanced, and immediately went out\non the ice with the men. As soon as the bondes found that the ice was\nunsound they turned back. Gregorius fell through the ice, but not very\ndeep, and he told his men to take care. There were not more than twenty\nmen with him, the others having turned back. A man of King Hakon's troop\nshot an arrow at Gregorius, which hit him under the throat, and thus\nended his life. Gregorius fell, and ten men with him. It is the talk of\nall men that he had been the most gallant lenderman in Norway that any\nman then living could remember; and also he behaved the best towards\nus Icelanders of any chief since King Eystein the Elder's death.\nGregorius's body was carried to Hofund, and interred at Gimsey Isle, in\na nunnery which is there, of which Gregorius's sister, Baugeid, was then\nthe abbess.\n15. KING INGE HEARS OF GREGORIUS'S FALL.\nTwo bailiffs went to Oslo to bring the tidings to King Inge. When they\narrived they desired to speak to the king: and he asked, what news they\nbrought.\n\"Gregorius Dagson's death,\" said they.\n\"How came that misfortune?\" asked the king.\nWhen they had told him how it happened, he said, \"They gave advice who\nunderstood the least.\"\nIt is said he took it so much to heart that he cried like a child. When\nhe recovered himself he said, \"I wanted to go to Gregorius as soon as\nI heard of Haldor's murder; for I thought that Gregorius would not\nsit long before thinking of revenge. But the people here would think\nnothing so important as their Yule feasts, and nothing could move them\naway; and I am confident that if I had been there, he would either have\nproceeded more cautiously, or I and Gregorius would now have shared one\nlodging. Now he is gone, the man who has been my best friend, and more\nthan any other has kept the kingdom in my hands; and I think it will\nbe but a short space between us. Now I make an oath to go forth against\nHakon, and one of two things shall happen: I shall either come to\nmy death, or shall walk over Hakon and his people; and such a man as\nGregorius is not avenged, even if all were to pay the penalty of their\nlives for him.\"\nThere was a man present who replied, \"Ye need not seek after them, for\nthey intend to seek you.\"\nKristin, King Sigurd's daughter and King Inge's cousin, was then in\nOslo. The king heard that she intended going away. He sent a message to\nher to inquire why she wished to leave the town.\nShe thought it was dangerous and unsafe for a female to be there. The\nking would not let her go. \"For if it go well with me, as I hope, you\nwill be well here; and if I fall, my friends may not get leave to dress\nmy body; but you can ask permission, and it will not be denied you, and\nyou will thereby best requite what I have done for you.\"\n16. OF KING INGE.\nOn Saint Blasius' day (February 3, 1161), in the evening, King Inge's\nspies brought him the news that King Hakon was coming towards the town.\nThen King Inge ordered the war-horns to call together all the troops\nup from the town; and when he drew them up he could reckon them to be\nnearly 4000 men. The king let the array be long, but not more than five\nmen deep. Then some said that the king should not be himself in the\nbattle, as they thought the risk too great; but that his brother\nOrm should be the leader of the army. The king replied, \"I think if\nGregorius were alive and here now, and I had fallen and was to be\navenged, he would not lie concealed, but would be in the battle. Now,\nalthough I, on account of my ill health, am not fit for the combat as he\nwas, yet will I show as good will as he would have had; and it is not to\nbe thought of that I should not be in the battle.\"\nPeople say that Gunhild, who was married to Simon, King Hakon's\nfoster-brother, had a witch employed to sit out all night and procure\nthe victory for Hakon; and that the answer was obtained, that they\nshould fight King Inge by night, and never by day, and then the result\nwould be favourable. The witch who, as people say, sat out was called\nThordis Skeggia; but what truth there may be in the report I know not.\nSimon Skalp had gone to the town, and was gone to sleep, when the\nwar-shouts awoke him. When the night was well advanced, King Inge's\nspies came to him, and told him that King Hakon and his army were coming\nover the ice; for the ice lay the whole way from the town to Hofud Isle.\n17. KING INGE'S SPEECH.\nThereupon King Inge went with his army out on the ice, and he drew it up\nin order of battle in front of the town. Simon Skalp was in that wing\nof the array which was towards Thraelaberg; and on the other wing, which\nwas towards the Nunnery, was Gudrod, the king of the South Hebudes, a\nson of Olaf Klining, and Jon, a son of Svein Bergthor Buk. When King\nHakon and his army came near to King Inge's array, both sides raised a\nwar-shout. Gudrod and Jon gave King Hakon and his men a sign, and let\nthem know where they were in the line; and as soon as Hakon's men in\nconsequence turned thither, Gudrod immediately fled with 1500 men; and\nJon, and a great body of men with him, ran over to King Hakon's army,\nand assisted them in the fight. When this news was told to King Inge, he\nsaid, \"Such is the difference between my friends. Never would Gregorius\nhave done so in his life!\" There were some who advised King Inge to get\non horseback, and ride from the battle up to Raumarike; \"where,\" said\nthey, \"you would get help enough, even this very day.\" The king replied,\nhe had no inclination to do so. \"I have heard you often say, and I think\ntruly, that it was of little use to my brother, King Eystein, that he\ntook to flight; and yet he was a man distinguished for many qualities\nwhich adorn a king. Now I, who labour under so great decrepitude, can\nsee how bad my fate would be, if I betook myself to what proved so\nunfortunate for him; with so great a difference as there is between our\nactivity, health, and strength. I was in the second year of my age when\nI was chosen king of Norway, and I am now twenty-five; and I think I\nhave had misfortune and sorrow under my kingly dignity, rather than\npleasure and peaceful days. I have had many battles, sometimes with\nmore, sometimes with fewer people; and it is my greatest luck that I\nhave never fled. God will dispose of my life, and of how long it shall\nbe; but I shall never betake myself to flight.\"\n18. KING INGE'S FALL.\nNow as Jon and his troop had broken the one wing of King Inge's array,\nmany of those who were nearest to him fled, by which the whole array was\ndispersed, and fell into disorder. But Hakon and his men went briskly\nforwards; and now it was near daybreak. An assault was made against King\nInge's banner, and in this conflict King Inge fell; but his brother\nOrm continued the battle, while many of the army fled up into the\ntown. Twice Orm went to the town after the king's fall to encourage\nthe people, and both times returned, and went out again upon the ice to\ncontinue the battle. Hakon's men attacked the wing of the array which\nSimon Skalp led; and in that assault fell of King Inge's men his\nbrother-in-law, Gudbrand Skafhogson. Simon Skalp and Halvard Hikre went\nagainst each other with their troops, and fought while they drew aside\npast Thraelaberg; and in this conflict both Simon and Halvard fell. Orm,\nthe king's brother, gained great reputation in this battle; but he\nat last fled. Orm the winter before had been contracted with Ragna, a\ndaughter of Nikolas Mase, who had been married before to King Eystein\nHaraldson; and the wedding was fixed for the Sunday after Saint\nBlasius's mass, which was on a Friday. Orm fled east to Svithjod, where\nhis brother Magnus was then king; and their brother Ragnvald was an\nearl there at that time. They were the sons of Queen Ingerid and Henrik\nHalte, who was a son of the Danish king Svein Sveinson. The princess\nKristin took care of King Inge's body, which was laid on the stone wall\nof Halvard's church, on the south side without the choir. He had then\nbeen king for twenty-three years (A.D. 1137-1161). In this battle many\nfell on both sides, but principally of King Inge's men. Of King Hakon's\npeople fell Arne Frirekson. Hakon's men took all the feast and victuals\nprepared for the wedding, and a great booty besides.\n19. OF KING HAKON AND QUEEN KRISTIN.\nThen King Hakon took possession of the whole country, and distributed\nall the offices among his own friends, both in the towns and in the\ncountry. King Hakon and his men had a meeting in Halvard's church, where\nthey had a private conference concerning the management of the country.\nKristin the princess gave the priest who kept the church keys a large\nsum of money to conceal one of her men in the church, so that she might\nknow what Hakon and his counsellors intended. When she learnt what they\nhad said, she sent a man to Bergen to her husband Erling Skakke, with\nthe message that he should never trust Hakon or his men.\n20. OF OLAF'S MIRACLE.\nIt happened at the battle of Stiklestad, as before related, that King\nOlaf threw from him the sword called Hneiter when he received his wound.\nA Swedish man, who had broken his own sword, took it up, and fought with\nit. When this man escaped with the other fugitives he came to Svithjod,\nand went home to his house. From that time he kept the sword all his\ndays, and afterwards his son, and so relation after relation; and when\nthe sword shifted its owner, the one told to the other the name of the\nsword and where it came from. A long time after, in the days of Kirjalax\nthe emperor of Constantinople, when there was a great body of Varings in\nthe town, it happened in the summer that the emperor was on a campaign,\nand lay in the camp with his army. The Varings who had the guard, and\nwatched over the emperor, lay on the open plain without the camp. They\nchanged the watch with each other in the night, and those who had been\nbefore on watch lay down and slept; but all completely armed. It was\ntheir custom, when they went to sleep, that each should have his helmet\non his head, his shield over him, sword under the head, and the right\nhand on the sword-handle. One of these comrades, whose lot it was to\nwatch the latter part of the night, found, on awakening towards morning,\nthat his sword was gone. He looked after it, and saw it lying on\nthe flat plain at a distance from him. He got up and took the sword,\nthinking that his comrades who had been on watch had taken the sword\nfrom him in a joke; but they all denied it. The same thing happened\nthree nights. Then he wondered at it, as well as they who saw or heard\nof it; and people began to ask him how it could have happened. He said\nthat his sword was called Hneiter, and had belonged to King Olaf the\nSaint, who had himself carried it in the battle of Stiklestad; and he\nalso related how the sword since that time had gone from one to another.\nThis was told to the emperor, who called the man before him to whom the\nsword belonged, and gave him three times as much gold as the sword was\nworth; and the sword itself he had laid in Saint Olaf's church, which\nthe Varings supported, where it has been ever since over the altar.\nThere was a lenderman of Norway while Harald Gille's sons, Eystein,\nInge, and Sigurd lived, who was called Eindride Unge; and he was in\nConstantinople when these events took place. He told these circumstances\nin Norway, according to what Einar Skulason says in his song about King\nOlaf the Saint, in which these events are sung.\n21. OLAF'S MIRACLE IN FAVOUR OF THE VARINGS.\nIt happened once in the Greek country, when Kirjalax was emperor there,\nthat he made an expedition against Blokumannaland. When he came to the\nPezina plains, a heathen king came against him with an innumerable host.\nHe brought with him many horsemen, and many large waggons, in which\nwere large loop-holes for shooting through. When they prepared for their\nnight quarters they drew up their waggons, one by the side of the other,\nwithout their tents, and dug a great ditch without; and all which made a\ndefence as strong as a castle. The heathen king was blind. Now when the\nGreek king came, the heathens drew up their array on the plains before\ntheir waggon-fortification. The Greeks drew up their array opposite, and\nthey rode on both sides to fight with each other; but it went on so\nill and so unfortunately, that the Greeks were compelled to fly after\nsuffering a great defeat, and the heathens gained a victory. Then the\nking drew up an array of Franks and Flemings, who rode against the\nheathens, and fought with them; but it went with them as with the\nothers, that many were killed, and all who escaped took to flight.\nThen the Greek king was greatly incensed at his men-at-arms; and they\nreplied, that he should now take his wine-bags, the Varings. The king\nsays that he would not throw away his jewels, and allow so few men,\nhowever bold they might be, to attack so vast an army. Then Thorer\nHelsifig, who at that time was leader of the Varings replied to the\nking's words, \"If there was burning fire in the way, I and my people\nwould run into it, if I knew the king's advantage required it.\" Then the\nking replied, \"Call upon your holy King Olaf for help and strength.\"\nThe Varings, who were 450 men, made a vow with hand and word to build a\nchurch in Constantinople, at their own expense and with the aid of other\ngood men, and have the church consecrated to the honour and glory of the\nholy King Olaf; and thereupon the Varings rushed into the plain. When\nthe heathens saw them, they told their king that there was another troop\nof the Greek king's army come out upon the plain; but they were only a\nhandful of people. The king says, \"Who is that venerable man riding on\na white horse at the head of the troop?\" They replied, \"We do not see\nhim.\" There was so great a difference of numbers, that there were sixty\nheathens for every Christian man; but notwithstanding the Varings went\nboldly to the attack. As soon as they met terror and alarm seized the\narmy of the heathens, and they instantly began to fly; but the Varings\npursued, and soon killed a great number of them. When the Greeks and\nFranks who before had fled from the heathens saw this, they hastened to\ntake part, and pursue the enemy with the others. Then the Varings had\nreached the waggon-fortification, where the greatest defeat was given to\nthe enemy. The heathen king was taken in the flight of his people, and\nthe Varings brought him along with them; after which the Christians took\nthe camp of the heathens, and their waggon-fortification.\nMAGNUS ERLINGSON'S SAGA.\nPRELIMINARY REMARKS.\nWith this saga, which describes a series of conflicts, Snorre's\n\"Heimskringla\" ends. King Eystein died in 1177, but Magnus Erlingson\ncontinued to reign until his death in 1184. The conflicts continued\nuntil the opposition party was led to victory by King Sverre.\nThe only skald quoted is Thorbjorn Skakkaskald.\n1. OF MAGNUS ERLINGSON'S BEGINNING.\nWhen Erling got certain intelligence of the determinations of Hakon and\nhis counsellors, he sent a message to all the chiefs who he knew had\nbeen steady friends of King Inge, and also to his court-men and his\nretinue, who had saved themselves by flight, and also to all Gregorius's\nhouse-men, and called them together to a meeting. When they met, and\nconversed with each other, they resolved to keep their men together; and\nwhich resolution they confirmed by oath and hand-shake to each other.\nThen they considered whom they should take to be king. Erling Skakke\nfirst spoke, and inquired if it was the opinion of the chiefs and other\nmen of power that Simon Skalp's son, the son of the daughter of King\nHarald Gille, should be chosen king, and Jon Halkelson be taken to\nlead the army; but Jon refused it. Then it was inquired if Nikolas\nSkialdvarson, a sister's son of King Magnus Barefoot, would place\nhimself at the head of the army; but he answered thus:--It was his\nopinion that some one should be chosen king who was of the royal race;\nand, for leader of the troops, some one from whom help and understanding\nwere to be looked for; and then it would be easier to gather an army.\nIt was now tried whether Arne would let any of his sons, King Inge's\nbrothers, be proclaimed king. Arne replies, that Kristin's son, she was\nthe daughter of King Sigurd the Crusader, was nearest by propinquity\nof descent to the crown of Norway. \"And here is also a man to be his\nadviser, and whose duty it is to take care of him and of the kingdom;\nand that man is his father Erling, who is both prudent, brave,\nexperienced in war, and an able man in governing the kingdom; he wants\nno capability of bringing this counsel into effect, if luck be with\nhim.\" Many thought well of this advice.\nErling replied to it, \"As far as I can see or hear in this meeting, the\nmost will rather be excused from taking upon themselves such a difficult\nbusiness. Now it appears to me altogether uncertain, provided we begin\nthis work, whether he who puts himself at the head of it will gain any\nhonour; or whether matters will go as they have done before when any\none undertakes such great things, that he loses all his property and\npossibly his life. But if this counsel be adopted, there may be men\nwho will undertake to carry it through; but he who comes under such an\nobligation must seek, in every way, to prevent any opposition or enmity\nfrom those who are now in this council.\"\nAll gave assurance that they would enter into this confederacy with\nperfect fidelity. Then said Erling, \"I can say for myself that it would\nalmost be my death to serve King Hakon; and however dangerous it may\nbe, I will rather venture to adopt your advice, and take upon me to lead\nthis force, if that be the will, counsel, and desire of you all, and if\nyou will all bind yourselves to this agreement by oath.\"\nTo this they all agreed; and in this meeting it was determined to take\nErling's son Magnus to be king. They afterwards held a Thing in the\ntown; and at this Thing Magnus Erlingson, then five years old, was\nelected king of the whole country. All who had been servants of King\nInge went into his service, and each of them retained the office and\ndignity he had held under King Inge (A.D. 1161).\n2. KING MAGNUS GOES TO DENMARK.\nErling Skakke made himself ready to travel, fitted out ships, and had\nwith him King Magnus, together with the household-men who were on the\nspot. In this expedition were the king's relatives,--Arne; Ingerid, King\nInge's mother, with her two sons; besides Jon Kutiza, a son of Sigurd\nStork, and Erling's house-men, as well as those who had been Gregorius's\nhouse-men; and they had in all ten ships. They went south to Denmark to\nKing Valdemar and Buriz Heinrekson, King Inge's brother. King Valdemar\nwas King Magnus's blood-relation; for Ingebjorg, mother of King\nValdemar, and Malmfrid, mother of Kristin, King Magnus's mother, were\ncousins. The Danish king received them hospitably, and he and Erling\nhad private meetings and consultations: and so much was known of their\ncounsels, that King Valdemar was to aid King Magnus with such help as\nmight be required from his kingdom to win and retain Norway. On the\nother hand, King Valdemar should get that domain in Norway which his\nancestors Harald Gormson and Svein Forked-beard had possessed; namely,\nthe whole of Viken as far north as Rygiarbit. This agreement was\nconfirmed by oath and a fixed treaty. Then Erling and King Magnus made\nthemselves ready to leave Denmark, and they sailed out of Vendilskage.\n3. BATTLE OF TUNSBERG.\nKing Hakon went in spring, after the Easter week, north to Throndhjem,\nand had with him the whole fleet that had belonged to King Inge. He held\na Thing there in the merchant-town, and was chosen king of the whole\ncountry. Then he made Sigurd of Reyr an earl, and gave him an earldom,\nand afterwards proceeded southwards with his followers all the way\nto Viken. The king went to Tunsberg; but sent Earl Sigurd east to\nKonungahella, to defend the country with a part of the forces in case\nErling should come from the south. Erling and his fleet came to Agder,\nand went straight north to Bergen, where they killed Arne Brigdarskalle,\nKing Hakon's officer, and came back immediately against King Hakon. Earl\nSigurd, who had not observed the journey of Erling and his followers\nfrom the south, was at that time east in the Gaut river, and King Hakon\nwas in Tunsberg. Erling brought up at Hrossanes, and lay there some\nnights. In the meantime King Hakon made preparations in the town. When\nErling and his fleet were coming up to the town, they took a merchant\nvessel, filled it with wood and straw, and set fire to it; and the wind\nblowing right towards the town, drove the vessel against the piers.\nErling had two cables brought on board the vessel, and made fast to two\nboats, and made them row along as the vessel drove. Now when the fire\nwas come almost abreast of the town, those who were in the boats held\nback the vessel by the ropes, so that the town could not be set on fire;\nbut so thick a smoke spread from it over the town, that one could not\nsee from the piers where the king's array was. Then Erling drew the\nwhole fleet in where the wind carried the fire, and shot at the enemy.\nWhen the townspeople saw that the fire was approaching their houses,\nand many were wounded by the bowmen, they resolved to send the priest\nHroald, the long-winded speaker, to Erling, to beg him to spare them and\nthe town; and they dissolved the array in favour of Hakon, as soon\nas Hroald told them their prayer was granted. Now when the array of\ntowns-people had dispersed, the men on the piers were much thinned:\nhowever, some urged Hakon's men to make resistance: but Onund Simonson,\nwho had most influence over the army, said, \"I will not fight for Earl\nSigurd's earldom, since he is not here himself.\" Then Onund fled,\nand was followed by all the people, and by the king himself; and they\nhastened up the country. King Hakon lost many men here; and these verses\nwere made about it:--\n \"Onund declares he will not go\n In battle 'gainst Earl Sigurd's foe,\n If Earl Sigurd does not come,\n But with his house-men sits at home.\n King Magnus' men rush up the street,\n Eager with Hakon's troop to meet;\n But Hakon's war-hawks, somewhat shy,\n Turn quick about, and off they fly.\"\nThorbjorn Skakkaskald also said:--\n \"The Tunsberg men would not be slow\n In thy good cause to risk a blow;\n And well they knew the chief could stain\n The wolves' mouths on a battle-plain.\n But the town champion rather fears\n The sharp bright glance of levelled spears;\n Their steel-clad warrior loves no fight\n Where bowstring twangs, or fire flies bright.\"\nKing Hakon then took the land-road northwards to Throndhjem. When Earl\nSigurd heard of this, he proceeded with all the ships he could get the\nseaway north-wards, to meet King Hakon there.\n4. OF ERLING AND HAKON.\nErling Skakke took all the ships in Tunsberg belonging to King Hakon,\nand there he also took the Baekisudin which had belonged to King Inge.\nThen Erling proceeded, and reduced the whole of Viken in obedience to\nKing Magnus, and also the whole country north wheresoever he appeared up\nto Bergen, where he remained all winter. There Erling killed Ingebjorn\nSipil, King Hakon's lenderman of the north part of the Fjord district.\nIn winter (A.D. 1162) King Hakon was in Throndhjem; but in the following\nspring he ordered a levy, and prepared to go against Erling. He had with\nhim Earl Sigurd, Jon Sveinson, Eindride Unge, Onund Simonson, Philip\nPeterson, Philip Gyrdson, Ragnvald Kunta, Sigurd Kapa, Sigurd Hiupa,\nFrirek Keina, Asbjorn of Forland, Thorbjorn, a son of Gunnar the\ntreasurer, and Stradbjarne.\n5. OF ERLING'S PEOPLE.\nErling was in Bergen with a great armament, and resolved to lay a\nsailing prohibition on all the merchant vessels which were going north\nto Nidaros; for he knew that King Hakon would soon get tidings of him,\nif ships were sailing between the towns. Besides, he gave out that it\nwas better for Bergen to get the goods, even if the owners were obliged\nto sell them cheaper than they wished than that they should fall into\nthe hands of enemies and thereby strengthen them. And now a great many\nvessels were assembled at Bergen, for many arrived every day, and none\nwere allowed to go away. Then Erling let some of the lightest of his\nvessels be laid ashore, and spread the report that he would wait for\nHakon, and, with the help of his friends and relations, oppose the enemy\nthere. He then one day called a meeting of the ship-masters, and gave\nthem and all the merchant ships and their steersmen leave to go where\nthey pleased. When the men who had charge of the cargoes, and were all\nready to sail away with their goods, some for trade, others on various\nbusiness, had got leave from Erling Skakke to depart, there was a\nsoft and favourable wind for sailing north along the coast. Before the\nevening all who were ready had set sail, and hastened on as fast as they\ncould, according to the speed of their vessels, the one vying with the\nother. When this fleet came north to More, Hakon's fleet had arrived\nthere before them: and he himself was there fully engaged in collecting\npeople, and summoning to him the lendermen, and all liable to serve in\nthe levy, without having for a long time heard any news from Bergen.\nNow, however, they heard, as the latest news, that Erling Skakke had\nlaid his ships up in Bergen, and there they would find him; and also\nthat he had a large force with him. King Hakon sailed from thence to\nVeey, and sent away Earl Sigurd and Onund Simonson to gather people, and\nsent men also to both the More districts. After King Hakon had remained\na few days at the town he sailed farther, and proceeded to the South,\nthinking that it would both promote his journey and enable new levies to\njoin him sooner.\nErling Skakke had given leave on Sunday to all the merchant vessels to\nleave Bergen; and on Tuesday, as soon as the early mass was over, he\nordered the warhorns to sound, summoned to him the men-at-arms and the\ntownsmen, and let the ships which were laid up on shore be drawn down\ninto the water. Then Erling held a House-Thing with his men and the\npeople of the levy; told them his intentions; named ship commanders;\nand had the names called over of the men who were to be on board of the\nking's ship. This Thing ended with Erling's order to every man to make\nhimself ready in his berth wherever a place was appointed him; and\ndeclared that he who remained in the town after the Baekisudin was\nhauled out, should be punished by loss of life or limb. Orm, the king's\nbrother, laid his ships out in the harbour immediately that evening, and\nmany others, and the greater number were afloat before.\n6. OF ERLING SKAKKE.\nOn Wednesday, before mass was sung in the town, Erling sailed from\nBergen with all his fleet, consisting of twenty-one ships; and there was\na fresh breeze for sailing northwards along the coast. Erling had his\nson King Magnus with him, and there were many lendermen accompanied by\nthe finest men. When Erling came north, abreast of the Fjord district,\nhe sent a boat on shore to Jon Halkelson's farm, and took Nikolas, a son\nof Simon Skalp and of Maria, Harald Gille's daughter, and brought him\nout to the fleet, and put him on board the king's ship. On Friday,\nimmediately after matins, they sailed to Steinavag, and King Hakon,\nwith thirteen ships, was lying in the harbour in the neighbourhood. He\nhimself and his men were up at play upon the island, and the lendermen\nwere sitting on the hill, when they saw a boat rowing from the south\nwith two men in it, who were bending back deep towards the keel, and\ntaking hasty strokes with their oars. When they came to the shore they\ndid not belay the boat, but both ran from it. The great men seeing this,\nsaid to each other, \"These men must have some news to tell;\" and got up\nto meet them. When they met, Onund Simonson asked, \"Have ye any news of\nErling Skakke, that ye are running so fast?\"\nThey answered, as soon as they could get out the words, for they had\nlost their breath, \"Here comes Erling against you, sailing from the\nsouth, with twenty-one ships, or thereabouts, of which many are great\nenough; and now ye will soon see their sails.\"\nThen said Eindride Unge, \"Too near to the nose, said the peasant, when\nhis eye was knocked out.\"\nThey went in haste now to where the games were playing, and immediately\nthe war-horns resounded, and with the battle-call all the people were\ngathered down to the ships in the greatest haste. It was just the time\nof day when their meat was nearly cooked. All the men rushed to the\nships, and each ran on board the vessel that was nearest to him, so that\nthe ships were unequally manned. Some took to the oars; some raised the\nmasts, turned the heads of the vessels to the north, and steered for\nVeey, where they expected much assistance from the towns.\n7. FALL OF KING HAKON.\nSoon after they saw the sails of Erling's fleet, and both fleets came in\nsight of each other. Eindride Unge had a ship called Draglaun, which was\na large buss-like long-ship, but which had but a small crew; for\nthose who belonged to her had run on board of other ships, and she was\ntherefore the hindmost of Hakon's fleet. When Eindride came abreast of\nthe island Sek, the Baekisudin, which Erling Skakke himself commanded,\ncame up with her; and these two ships were bound fast together. King\nHakon and his followers had arrived close to Veey; but when they heard\nthe war-horn they turned again to assist Eindride. Now they began the\nbattle on both sides, as the vessels came up. Many of the sails lay\nmidships across the vessels; and the ships were not made fast to each\nother, but they lay side by side. The conflict was not long before\nthere came disorder in Hakon's ship; and some fell, and others sprang\noverboard. Hakon threw over him a grey cloak, and jumped on board\nanother ship; but when he had been there a short time he thought he had\ngot among his enemies; and when he looked about him he saw none of his\nmen nor of his ships near him. Then he went into the Baekisudin to the\nforecastle-men, and begged his life. They took him in their keeping, and\ngave him quarter. In this conflict there was a great loss of people,\nbut principally of Hakon's men. In the Baekisudin fell Nikolas,\nSimon Skalp's son; and Erling's men are accused of having killed him\nthemselves. Then there was a pause in the battle, and the vessels\nseparated. It was now told to Erling that Hakon was on board of his\nship; that the forecastle-men had taken him, and threatened that they\nwould defend him with arms. Erling sent men forwards in the ship to\nbring the forecastle-men his orders to guard Hakon well, so that he\nshould not get away. He at the same time let it be understood that he\nhad no objection to giving the king life and safety, if the other chiefs\nwere willing, and a peace could be established. All the forecastle-men\ngave their chief great credit and honour for these words. Then Erling\nordered anew a blast of the war-horns, and that the ships should be\nattacked which had not lost their men; saying that they would never\nhave such another opportunity of avenging King Inge. Thereupon they all\nraised a war-shout, encouraged each other, and rushed to the assault.\nIn this tumult King Hakon received his death-wound. When his men knew he\nhad fallen they rowed with all their might against the enemy, threw away\ntheir shields, slashed with both hands, and cared not for life. This\nheat and recklessness, however, proved soon a great loss to them; for\nErling's men saw the unprotected parts of their bodies, and where their\nblows would have effect. The greater part of Hakon's men who remained\nfell here; and it was principally owing to the want of numbers, as they\nwere not enough to defend themselves. They could not get quarter, also\nexcepting those whom the chiefs took under their protection and bound\nthemselves to pay ransom for. The following of Hakon's people fell:\nSigurd Kapa, Sigurd Hiupa, and Ragnvald Kunta; but some ships crews got\naway, rowed into the fjords, and thus saved their lives. Hakon's body\nwas carried to Raumsdal, and buried there; but afterwards his brother,\nKing Sverre, had the body transported north to the merchant town\nNidaros, and laid in the stone wall of Christ church south of the choir.\n8. FLIGHT OF THE CHIEFS OF HAKON'S MEN.\nEarl Sigurd, Eindride Unge, Onund Simonson, Frirek Keina, and other\nchiefs kept the troop together, left the ships in Raumsdal, and went\nup to the Uplands. King Magnus and his father Erling sailed with their\ntroops north to Nidaros in Throndhjem, and subdued the country as they\nwent along. Erling called together an Eyra-thing, at which King Magnus\nwas proclaimed king of all Norway. Erling, however, remained there but a\nshort time; for he thought the Throndhjem people were not well affected\ntowards him and his son. King Magnus was then called king of the whole\ncountry.\nKing Hakon had been a handsome man in appearance, well grown, tall and\nthin; but rather broad-shouldered, on which account his men called him\nHerdebreid. As he was young in years, his lendermen ruled for him. He\nwas cheerful and friendly in conversation, playful and youthful in his\nways, and was much liked by the people.\n9. OF KING SIGURD'S BEGINNING.\nThere was an Upland man called Markus of Skog, who was a relation of\nEarl Sigurd. Markus brought up a son of King Sigurd Mun, who was also\ncalled Sigurd. This Sigurd was chosen king (A.D. 1162) by the Upland\npeople, by the advice of Earl Sigurd and the other chiefs who had\nfollowed King Hakon. They had now a great army, and the troops were\ndivided in two bodies; so that Markus and the king were less exposed\nwhere there was anything to do, and Earl Sigurd and his troop, along\nwith the lendermen, were most in the way of danger. They went with their\ntroops mostly through the Uplands, and sometimes eastwards to Viken.\nErling Skakke had his son King Magnus always with him, and he had also\nthe whole fleet and the land defence under him. He was a while in Bergen\nin autumn; but went from thence eastward to Viken, where he settled in\nTunsberg for his winter quarters (A.D. 1163), and collected in Viken all\nthe taxes and revenues that belonged to Magnus as king; and he had\nmany and very fine troops. As Earl Sigurd had but a small part of the\ncountry, and kept many men on foot, he soon was in want of money; and\nwhere there was no chief in the neighbourhood he had to seek money by\nunlawful ways,--sometimes by unfounded accusations and fines, sometimes\nby open robbery.\n10. EARL SIGURD'S CONDEMNATION.\nAt that time the realm of Norway was in great prosperity. The bondes\nwere rich and powerful, unaccustomed to hostilities or violence, and the\noppression of roving troops; so that there was soon a great noise and\nscandal when they were despoiled and robbed. The people of Viken were\nvery friendly to Erling and King Magnus, principally from the popularity\nof the late King Inge Haraldson; for the Viken people had always served\nunder his banner. Erling kept a guard in the town, and twelve men were\non watch every night. Erling had Things regularly with the bondes, at\nwhich the misdeeds of Sigurd's people were often talked over; and by\nthe representations of Erling and his adherents, the bondes were brought\nunanimously to consider that it would be a great good fortune if these\nbands should be rooted out. Arne, the king's relation, spoke well and\nlong on this subject, and at last severely; and required that all\nwho were at the Thing,--men-at-arms, bondes, towns-men, and\nmerchants,--should come to the resolution to sentence according to law\nEarl Sigurd and all his troop, and deliver them to Satan, both living\nand dead. From the animosity and hatred of the people, this was agreed\nto by all; and thus the unheard-of deed was adopted and confirmed by\noath, as if a judgment in the case was delivered there by the Thing\naccording to law. The priest Hroald the Long-winded, who was a very\neloquent man, spoke in the case; but his speech was to the same purpose\nas that of others who had spoken before. Erling gave a feast at Yule in\nTunsberg, and paid the wages of the men-at-arms at Candlemas.\n11. OF ERLING.\nEarl Sigurd went with his best troops down to Viken, where many people\nwere obliged to submit to his superior force, and many had to pay money.\nHe drove about thus widely higher up the country, penetrating into\ndifferent districts. But there were some in his troop who desired\nprivately to make peace with Erling; but they got back the answer,\nthat all who asked for their lives should obtain quarter, but they only\nshould get leave to remain in the country who had not been guilty of any\ngreat offenses against Erling. And when Sigurd's adherents heard that\nthey would not get leave to remain in the country, they held together\nin one body; for there were many among them who knew for certain that\nErling would look upon them as guilty of offences against him. Philip\nGyrdson made terms with Erling, got his property back, and went home to\nhis farm; but soon after Sigurd's men came there, and killed him. They\ncommitted many crimes against each other, and many men were slain in\ntheir mutual persecution; but here what was committed by the chiefs only\nis written down.\n12. ERLING GETS NEWS OF EARL SIGURD.\nIt was in the beginning of Lent that news came to Erling that Earl\nSigurd intended to come upon him; and news of him came here and there,\nsometimes nearer, sometimes farther off. Erling sent out spies in all\nquarters around to discover where they were. Every evening he assembled\nall the men-at-arms by the war-horn out of the town; and for a long time\nin the winter they lay under arms all night, ready to be drawn up in\narray. At last Erling got intelligence that Sigurd and his followers\nwere not far distant, up at the farm Re. Erling then began his\nexpedition out of the town, and took with him all the towns-people who\nwere able to carry arms and had arms, and likewise all the merchants;\nand left only twelve men behind to keep watch in the town. Erling\nwent out of the town on Thursday afternoon, in the second week of Lent\n(February 19); and every man had two days' provisions with him. They\nmarched by night, and it was late before they got out of the town with\nthe men. Two men were with each shield and each horse; and the people,\nwhen mustered, were about 1200 men. When they met their spies, they were\ninformed that Sigurd was at Re, in a house called Rafnnes, and had 500\nmen. Then Erling called together his people; told them the news he had\nreceived, and all were eager to hasten their march, fall on them in the\nhouses, or engage them by night.\nErling replied to them thus:--\"It is probable that we and Earl Sigurd\nshall soon meet. There are also many men in this band whose handy-work\nremains in our memories; such as cutting down King Inge, and so many\nmore of our friends, that it would take long to reckon them up. These\ndeeds they did by the power of Satan, by witchcraft, and by villainy;\nfor it stands in our laws and country rights, that however highly a man\nmay have been guilty, it shall be called villainy and cowardly murder to\nkill him in the night. This band has had its luck hitherto by following\nthe counsel of men acquainted with witchcraft and fighting by night,\nand not in the light of day; and by this proceeding have they been\nvictorious hitherto over the chiefs whose heads they have laid low\non the earth. Now we have often seen, and proved, how unsuitable and\nimproper it is to go into battle in the nighttime; therefore let us\nrather have before our eyes the example of chiefs better known to us,\nand who deserve better to be imitated, and fight by open day in regular\nbattle array, and not steal upon sleeping men in the night. We have\npeople enough against them, so few as they are. Let us, therefore, wait\nfor day and daylight, and keep together in our array in case they attack\nus.\"\nThereafter the whole army sat down. Some opened up bundles of hay, and\nmade a bed of it for themselves; some sat upon their shields, and thus\nwaited the daydawn. The weather was raw, and there was a wet snowdrift.\n13. OF EARL SIGURD'S BATTLE ARRAY.\nEarl Sigurd got the first intelligence of Erling's army, when it was\nalready near to the house. His men got up, and armed themselves; but not\nknowing how many men Erling had with him, some were inclined to fly, but\nthe most determined to stand. Earl Sigurd was a man of understanding,\nand could talk well, but certainly was not considered brave enough to\ntake a strong resolution; and indeed the earl showed a great inclination\nto fly, for which he got many stinging words from his men-at-arms. As\nday dawned, they began on both sides to draw up their battle array. Earl\nSigurd placed his men on the edge of a ridge between the river and the\nhouse, at a place at which a little stream runs into the river. Erling\nand his people placed their array on the other side of the river; but at\nthe back of his array were men on horseback well armed, who had the king\nwith them. When Earl Sigurd's men saw that there was so great a want\nof men on their side, they held a council, and were for taking to the\nforest. But Earl Sigurd said, \"Ye alleged that I had no courage, but it\nwill now be proved; and let each of you take care not to fail, or fly,\nbefore I do so. We have a good battle-field. Let them cross the bridge;\nbut as soon as the banner comes over it let us then rush down the hill\nupon them, and none desert his neighbour.\"\nEarl Sigurd had on a red-brown kirtle, and a red cloak, of which the\ncorners were tied and turned back; shoes on his feet; and a shield and\nsword called Bastard. The earl said, \"God knows that I would rather get\nat Erling Skakke with a stroke of Bastard, than receive much gold.\"\n14. EARL SIGURD'S FALL.\nErling Skakke's army wished to go on to the bridge; but Erling told them\nto go up along the river, which was small, and not difficult to cross,\nas its banks were flat; and they did so. Earl Sigurd's array proceeded\nup along the ridge right opposite to them; but as the ridge ended, and\nthe ground was good and level over the river, Erling told his men\nto sing a Paternoster, and beg God to give them the victory who best\ndeserved it. Then they all sang aloud \"Kyrie Eleison\", and struck\nwith their weapons on their shields. But with this singing 300 men of\nErling's people slipped away and fled. Then Erling and his people went\nacross the river, and the earl's men raised the war-shout; but there was\nno assault from the ridge down upon Erling's array, but the battle began\nupon the hill itself. They first used spears then edge weapons; and the\nearl's banner soon retired so far back, that Erling and his men scaled\nthe ridge. The battle lasted but a short time before the earl's men\nfled to the forest, which they had close behind them. This was told Earl\nSigurd, and his men bade him fly; but he replied, \"Let us on while we\ncan.\" And his men went bravely on, and cut down on all sides. In this\ntumult fell Earl Sigurd and Jon Sveinson, and nearly sixty men. Erling\nlost few men, and pursued the fugitives to the forest. There Erling\nhalted his troops, and turned back. He came just as the king's slaves\nwere about stripping the clothes off Earl Sigurd, who was not quite\nlifeless. He had put his sword in the sheath, and it lay by his side.\nErling took it, struck the slaves with it, and drove them away. Then\nErling, with his troops, returned, and sat down in Tunsberg. Seven days\nafter Earl Sigurd's fall Erling's men took Eindride Unge prisoner, and\nkilled him, with all his ship's crew.\n15. MARKUS OF SKOG, AND SIGURD SIGURDSON.\nMarkus of Skog, and King Sigurd, his foster-son, rode down to Viken\ntowards spring, and there got a ship; but when Erling heard it he went\neastwards against them, and they met at Konungahella. Markus fled with\nhis followers to the island Hising; and there the country people of\nHising came down in swarms, and placed themselves in Markus's and\nSigurd's array. Erling and his men rowed to the shore; but Markus's men\nshot at them. Then Erling said to his people, \"Let us take their ships,\nbut not go up to fight with a land force. The Hisingers are a bad set\nto quarrel with,--hard, and without understanding. They will keep this\ntroop but a little while among them, for Hising is but a small\nspot.\" This was done: they took the ships, and brought them over to\nKonungahella. Markus and his men went up to the forest district, from\nwhich they intended to make assaults, and they had spies out on both\nsides. Erling had many men-at-arms with him, whom he brought from other\ndistricts, and they made attacks on each other in turn.\n16. BEGINNING OF ARCHBISHOP EYSTEIN.\nEystein, a son of Erlend Himaide, was selected to be archbishop, after\nArchbishop Jon's death; and he was consecrated the same year King Inge\nwas killed. Now when Archbishop Eystein came to his see, he made himself\nbeloved by all the country, as an excellent active man of high birth.\nThe Throndhjem people, in particular, received him with pleasure; for\nmost of the great people in the Throndhjem district were connected with\nthe archbishop by relationship or other connection, and all were his\nfriends. The archbishop brought forward a request to the bondes in a\nspeech, in which he set forth the great want of money for the see, and\nalso how much greater improvement of the revenues would be necessary\nto maintain it suitably, as it was now of much more importance than\nformerly when the bishop's see was first established. He requested of\nthe bondes that they should give him, for determining law-suits, an ore\nof silver value, instead of what they had before paid, which was an ore\nof judgment money, of that kind which was paid to the king in judging\ncases; and the difference between the two kinds of ore was, that the\nore he desired was a half greater than the other. By help of the\narchbishop's relations and friends, and his own activity, this was\ncarried; and it was fixed by law in all the Throndhjem district, and in\nall the districts belonging to his archbishopric.\n17. OF MARKUS AND KING SIGURD.\nWhen Sigurd and Markus lost their ships in the Gaut river, and saw they\ncould get no hold on Erling, they went to the Uplands, and proceeded by\nland north to Throndhjem. Sigurd was received there joyfully, and chosen\nking at an Eyra-thing; and many gallant men, with their sons, attached\nthemselves to his party. They fitted out ships, rigged them for a\nvoyage, and proceeded when summer came southwards to More, and took up\nall the royal revenues wheresoever they came. At this time the\nfollowing lendermen were appointed in Bergen for the defence of the\ncountry:--Nikolas Sigurdson, Nokve Palson, and several military leaders;\nas Thorolf Dryl, Thorbjorn Gjaldkere, and many others. As Markus and\nSigurd sailed south, they heard that Erling's men were numerous\nin Bergen; and therefore they sailed outside the coast-rocks, and\nsouthwards past Bergen. It was generally remarked, that Markus's men\nalways got a fair wind, wherever they wished to sail to.\n18. MARKUS AND KING SIGURD KILLED.\nAs soon as Erling Skakke heard that Sigurd and Markus had sailed\nsouthwards, he hastened to Viken, and drew together an armed force; and\nhe soon had a great many men, and many stout ships. But when he came\nfarther in Viken, he met with a strong contrary wind, which kept him\nthere in port the whole summer. Now when Sigurd and Markus came east\nto Lister, they heard that Erling had a great force in Viken; so they\nturned to the north again. But when they reached Hordaland, with the\nintention of sailing to Bergen, and came opposite the town, Nikolas and\nhis men rowed out against them, with more men and larger ships than\nthey had. Sigurd and Markus saw no other way of escaping but to row away\nsouthwards. Some of them went out to sea, others got south to the sound,\nand some got into the Fjords. Markus, and some people with him, sprang\nupon an isle called Skarpa. Nikolas and his men took their ships, gave\nJon Halkelson and a few others quarter, but killed the most of them they\ncould get hold of. Some days after Eindride Heidafylja found Sigurd and\nMarkus, and they were brought to Bergen. Sigurd was beheaded outside of\nGrafdal, and Markus and another man were hanged at Hvarfsnes. This took\nplace on Michaelmas day (September 29, 1163), and the band which had\nfollowed them was dispersed.\n19. ERLING AND THE PEOPLE OF HISING ISLE.\nFrirek Keina and Bjarne the Bad, Onund Simonson and Ornolf Skorpa had\nrowed out to sea with some ships, and sailed outside along the land to\nthe east. Wheresoever they came to the land they plundered, and killed\nErling's friends. Now when Erling heard that Sigurd and Markus were\nkilled, he gave leave to the lendermen and people of the levy to return\nhome; but he himself, with his men, set his course eastward across\nthe Folden fjord, for he heard of Markus's men there. Erling sailed to\nKonungahella, where he remained the autumn; and in the first week of\nwinter Erling went out to the island Hising with his men, and called the\nbondes to a Thing. When the Hising people came to the Thing, Erling\nlaid his law-suit against them for having joined the bands of Sigurd and\nMarkus, and having raised men against him. Assur was the name of one\nof the greatest of the bondes on the island, and he answered Erling on\naccount of the others. The Thing was long assembled; but at the close\nthe bondes gave the case into Erling's own power, and he appointed a\nmeeting in the town within one week, and named fifteen bondes who should\nappear there. When they came, he condemned them to pay a penalty of\n300 head of cattle; and the bondes returned home ill pleased at this\nsentence. Soon after the Gaut river was frozen, and Erling's ships were\nfast in the ice; and the bondes kept back the mulct, and lay assembled\nfor some time. Erling made a Yule feast in the town; but the Hising\npeople had joint-feasts with each other, and kept under arms during\nYule. The night after the fifth day of Yule Erling went up to Hising,\nsurrounded Assur's house, and burnt him in it. He killed one hundred\nmen in all, burnt three houses, and then returned to Konungahella. The\nbondes came then, according to agreement, to pay the mulct.\n20. DEATH OF FRIREK KEINA AND BJARNE.\nErling Skakke made ready to sail in spring as soon as he could get his\nships afloat for ice, and sailed from Konungahella; for he heard that\nthose who had formerly been Markus's friends were marauding in the north\nof Viken. Erling sent out spies to learn their doings, searched for\nthem, and found them lying in a harbour. Onund Simonson and Ornolf\nSkorpa escaped, but Frirek Keina and Bjarne the Bad were taken, and many\nof their followers were killed. Erling had Frirek bound to an anchor\nand thrown overboard; and for that deed Erling was much detested in the\nThrondhjem country, for the most powerful men there were relatives of\nFrirek. Erling ordered Bjarne the Bad to be hanged; and he uttered,\naccording to his custom, many dreadful imprecations during his\nexecution. Thorbjorn Skakkaskald tells of this business:--\n \"East of the Fjord beyond the land,\n Unnoticed by the pirate band,\n Erling stole on them ere they knew,\n And seized and killed all Keina's crew.\n Keina, fast to an anchor bound,\n Was thrown into the deep-blue Sound;\n And Bjarne swung high on gallows-tree,\n A sight all good men loved to see.\"\nOnund and Ornolf, with the band that had escaped, fled to Denmark; but\nwere sometimes in Gautland, or in Viken.\n21. CONFERENCE BETWEEN ERLING AND EYSTEIN.\nErling Skakke sailed after this to Tunsberg, and remained there very\nlong in spring (A.D. 1164); but when summer came he proceeded north to\nBergen, where at that time a great many people were assembled. There\nwas the legate from Rome, Stephanus; the Archbishop Eystein, and other\nbishops of the country. There was also Bishop Brand, who was consecrated\nbishop of Iceland, and Jon Loptson, a daughter's son of King Magnus\nBarefoot; and on this occasion King Magnus and Jon's other relations\nacknowledged the relationship with him.\nArchbishop Eystein and Erling Skakke often conversed together in\nprivate; and, among other things, Erling asked one day, \"Is it true,\nsir, what people tell me, that you have raised the value of the ore upon\nthe people north in Throndhjem, in the law cases in which money-fees are\npaid you?\"\n\"It is so,\" said the archbishop, \"that the bondes have allowed me an\nadvance on the ore of law casualties; but they did it willingly, and\nwithout any kind of compulsion, and have thereby added to their honour\nfor God and the income of the bishopric.\"\nErling replies, \"Is this according to the law of the holy Olaf? or have\nyou gone to work more arbitrarily in this than is written down in the\nlawbook?\"\nThe archbishop replies, \"King Olaf the Holy fixed the laws, to which he\nreceived the consent and affirmative of the people; but it will not be\nfound in his laws that it is forbidden to increase God's right.\"\nErling: \"If you augment your right, you must assist us to augment as\nmuch the king's right.\"\nThe archbishop: \"Thou hast already augmented enough thy son's power and\ndominion; and if I have exceeded the law in taking an increase of the\nore from the Throndhjem people, it is, I think, a much greater breach of\nthe law that one is king over the country who is not a king's son, and\nwhich has neither any support in the law, nor in any precedent here in\nthe country.\"\nErling: \"When Magnus was chosen king, it was done with your knowledge\nand consent, and also of all the other bishops here in the country.\"\nArchbishop: \"You promised then, Erling, that provided we gave our\nconsent to electing Magnus king, you would, on all occasions, and with\nall your power, strengthen God's rights.\"\nErling: \"I may well admit that I have promised to preserve and\nstrengthen God's commands and the laws of the land with all my power,\nand with the king's strength; and now I consider it to be much more\nadvisable, instead of accusing each other of a breach of our promises,\nto hold firmly by the agreement entered into between us. Do you\nstrengthen Magnus in his dominion, according to what you have promised;\nand I will, on my part, strengthen your power in all that can be of\nadvantage or honour.\"\nThe conversation now took a more friendly turn; and Erling said,\n\"Although Magnus was not chosen king according to what has been the\nold custom of this country, yet can you with your power give him\nconsecration as king, as God's law prescribes, by anointing the king to\nsovereignty; and although I be neither a king, nor of kingly race, yet\nmost of the kings, within my recollection, have not known the laws or\nthe constitution of the country so well as I do. Besides, the mother of\nKing Magnus is the daughter of a king and queen born in lawful wedlock,\nand Magnus is son of a queen and a lawfully married wife. Now if you\nwill give him royal consecration, no man can take royalty from him.\nWilliam Bastard was not a king's son; but he was consecrated and crowned\nking of England, and the royalty in England has ever since remained with\nhis race, and all have been crowned. Svein Ulfson was not a king's son\nin Denmark, and still he was a crowned king, and his sons likewise, and\nall his descendants have been crowned kings. Now we have here in Norway\nan archiepiscopal seat, to the glory and honour of the country; let us\nalso have a crowned king, as well as the Danes and Englishmen.\"\nErling and the archbishop afterwards talked often of this matter, and\nthey were quite agreed. Then the archbishop brought the business before\nthe legate, and got him easily persuaded to give his consent. Thereafter\nthe archbishop called together the bishops, and other learned men, and\nexplained the subject to them. They all replied in the same terms, that\nthey would follow the counsels of the archbishop, and all were eager to\npromote the consecration as soon as the archbishop pleased.\n22. KING MAGNUS'S CONSECRATION.\nErling Skakke then had a great feast prepared in the king's house. The\nlarge hall was covered with costly cloth and tapestry, and adorned\nwith great expense. The court-men and all the attendants were there\nentertained, and there were numerous guests, and many chiefs. Then King\nMagnus received the royal consecration from the Archbishop Eystein;\nand at the consecration there were five other bishops and the legate,\nbesides a number of other clergy. Erling Skakke, and with him twelve\nother lendermen, administered to the king the oath of the law; and\nthe day of the consecration the king and Erling had the legate, the\narchbishop, and all the other bishops as guests; and the feast was\nexceedingly magnificent, and the father and son distributed many great\npresents. King Magnus was then eight years of age, and had been king for\nthree years.\n23. KING VALDEMAR'S EMBASSY.\nWhen the Danish king Valdemar heard the news from Norway that Magnus\nwas become king of the whole country, and all the other parties in the\ncountry were rooted out, he sent his men with a letter to King Magnus\nand Erling, and reminded them of the agreement which Erling had entered\ninto, under oath, with King Valdemar, of which we have spoken before;\nnamely, that Viken from the east to Rygiarbit should be ceded to King\nValdemar, if Magnus became the sole king of Norway. When the ambassadors\ncame forward and showed Erling the letter of the Danish king, and he\nheard the Danish king's demand upon Norway, he laid it before the other\nchiefs by whose counsels he usually covered his acts. All, as one\nman, replied that the Danes should never hold the slightest portion of\nNorway; for never had things been worse in the land than when the Danes\nhad power in it. The ambassadors of the Danish king were urgent with\nErling for an answer, and desired to have it decided; but Erling begged\nthem to proceed with him east to Viken, and said he would give his final\nanswer when he had met with the men of most understanding and influence\nin Viken.\n24. ERLING AND THE PEOPLE OF VIKEN.\nErling Skakke proceeded in autumn to Viken, and stayed in Tunsberg,\nfrom whence he sent people to Sarpsborg to summon a Thing (1) of four\ndistricts; and then Erling went there with his people.\nWhen the Thing was seated Erling made a speech in which he explained the\nresolutions which had been settled upon between him and the Danish king,\nthe first time he collected troops against his enemies. \"I will,\" said\nErling, \"keep faithfully the agreement which we then entered into with\nthe king, if it be your will and consent, bondes, rather to serve the\nDanish king than the king who is now consecrated and crowned king of\nthis country.\"\nThe bondes replied thus to Erling's speech: \"Never will we become the\nDanish king's men, as long as one of us Viken men is in life.\" And the\nwhole assembly, with shouts and cries, called on Erling to keep the oath\nhe had taken to defend his son's dominions, \"should we even all follow\nthee to battle.\" And so the Thing was dissolved.\nThe ambassadors of the Danish king then returned home, and told the\nissue of their errand. The Danes abused Erling, and all Northmen, and\ndeclared that evil only proceeded from them; and the report was spread,\nthat in Spring the Danish king would send out an army and lay waste\nNorway. Erling returned in autumn north to Bergen, stayed there all\nwinter, and gave their pay to his people.\n ENDNOTES: (1) This reference to a Thing of the people in the affairs of\n the country is a striking example of the right of the Things\n being recognised, in theory at least, as fully as the right\n of our parliaments in later times.--L.\n25. LETTERS OF THE THRONDHJEM PEOPLE.\nThe same winter (A.D. 1165) some Danish people came by land through the\nUplands, saying they were to go, as was then the general practice, to\nthe holy King Olaf's festival. But when they came to the Throndhjem\ncountry, they went to many men of influence, and told their business;\nwhich was, that the Danish king had sent them to desire their\nfriendship, and consent, if he came to the country, promising them both\npower and money. With this verbal message came also the Danish king's\nletter and seal, and a message to the Throndhjem people that they should\nsend back their letters and seals to him. They did so, and the most of\nthem received well the Danish king's message; whereupon the messengers\nreturned back towards Lent. Erling was in Bergen; and towards spring\nErling's friends told him the loose reports they had heard by some\nmerchant vessels that had arrived from Throndhjem, that the Throndhjem\npeople were in hostility openly against him; and had declared that if\nErling came to Throndhjem, he should never pass Agdanes in life. Erling\nsaid this was mere folly and idle talk. Erling now made it known that\nhe would go to Unarheim to the Gangdag-thing; and ordered a cutter of\ntwenty rowing benches to be fitted out, a boat of fifteen benches, and\na provision-ship. When the vessels were ready, there came a strong\nsoutherly gale. On the Thursday of the Ascension week, Erling called his\npeople by sound of trumpet to their departure; but the men were loath\nto leave the town, and were ill inclined to row against the wind. Erling\nbrought his vessels to Biskupshafn. \"Well,\" said Erling, \"since ye are\nso unwilling to row against the wind, raise the mast, hoist the sails,\nand let the ship go north.\" They did so, and sailed northwards both day\nand night. On Wednesday, in the evening, they sailed in past Agdanes,\nwhere they found a fleet assembled of many merchant vessels, rowing\ncraft, and boats, all going towards the town to the celebration of the\nfestival,--some before them, some behind them--so that the townspeople\npaid no attention to the long-ships coming.\n26. ERLING AND THE PEOPLE OF THRONDHJEM.\nErling came to the town just as vespers was being sung in Christ church.\nHe and his men ran into the town, to where it was told them that the\nlenderman, Alf Rode, a son of Ottar Birting, was still sitting at table,\nand drinking with his men. Erling fell upon them; and Alf was killed,\nwith almost all his men. Few other men were killed; for they had almost\nall gone to church, as this was the night before Christ's Ascension-day.\nIn the morning early, Erling called all the people by sound of trumpet\nto a Thing out upon Evrar. At the Thing Erling laid a charge against the\nThrondhjem people, accusing them of intending to betray the country,\nand take it from the king; and named Bard Standale, Pal Andreason, and\nRazabard, who then presided over the town's affairs, and many others.\nThey, in their defence, denied the accusation; but Erling's writer stood\nup, produced many letters with seals, and asked if they acknowledged\ntheir seals which they had sent to the Danish king; and thereupon the\nletters were read. There was also a Danish man with Erling who had gone\nwith the letters in winter, and whom Erling for that purpose had taken\ninto his service. He told to these men the very words which each of them\nhad used. \"And you, Razabard, spoke, striking your breast; and the\nvery words you used were, 'Out of this breast are all these counsels\nproduced.'\" Bard replied, \"I was wrong in the head, sirs, when I spoke\nso.\" There was now nothing to be done but to submit the case entirely to\nthe sentence Erling might give upon it. He took great sums of money from\nmany as fines, and condemned all those who had been killed as lawless,\nand their deeds as lawless; making their deaths thereby not subject to\nmulct. Then Erling returned south to Bergen.\n27. KING VALDEMAR'S EXPEDITION TO NORWAY.\nThe Danish king Valdemar assembled in spring (A.D. 1165) a great\narmy, and proceeded with it north to Viken. As soon as he reached\nthe dominions of the king of Norway, the bondes assembled in a great\nmultitude. The king advanced peacefully; but when they came to the\nmainland, the people shot at them even when there were only two or three\ntogether, from which the ill-will of the country people towards them\nwas evident. When they came to Tunsberg, King Valdemar summoned a\nHauga-thing; but nobody attended it from the country parts. Then\nValdemar spoke thus to his troops: \"It is evident that all the\ncountry-people are against us; and now we have two things to choose: the\none to go through the country, sword in hand, sparing neither man nor\nbeast; the other is to go back without effecting our object. And it\nis more my inclination to go with the army to the East against the\nheathens, of whom we have enough before us in the East country, than to\nkill Christian people here, although they have well deserved it.\" All\nthe others had a greater desire for a foray; but the king ruled, and\nthey all returned back to Denmark without effecting their purpose. They\npillaged, however, all around in the distant islands, or where the\nking was not in the neighbourhood. They then returned south to Denmark\nwithout doing anything.\n28. ERLING'S EXPEDITION TO JUTLAND.\nAs soon as Erling heard that a Danish force had come to Viken, he\nordered a levy through all the land, both of men and ships, so that\nthere was a great assemblage of men in arms; and with this force he\nproceeded eastward along the coast. But when he came to Lidandisnes,\nhe heard that the Danish army had returned south to Denmark, after\nplundering all around them in Viken. Then Erling gave all the people of\nthe levy permission to return home; but he himself and some lendermen,\nwith many vessels, sailed to Jutland after the Danes. When they came to\na place called Dyrsa, the Danes who had returned from the expedition lay\nthere with many ships. Erling gave them battle, and there was a fight,\nin which the Danes soon fled with the loss of many people; and Erling\nand his men plundered the ships and the town, and made a great booty,\nwith which they returned to Norway. Thereafter, for a time, there was\nhostility between Norway and Denmark.\n29. ERLING'S EXPEDITION TO DENMARK.\nThe princess Krisfin went south in autumn (A.D. 1165) to Denmark, to\nvisit her relation King Valdemar, who was her cousin. The king received\nher kindly, and gave her fiefs in his kingdom, so that she could\nsupport her household well. She often conversed with the king, who was\nremarkably kind towards her. In the spring following (A.D. 1166) Kristin\nsent to Erling, and begged him to pay a visit to the Danish king, and\nenter into a peace with him. In summer Erling was in Viken, where he\nfitted out a long-ship, manned it with his finest lads, and sailed\n(a single ship) over to Jutland. When he heard that the Danish king\nValdemar was in Randaros, Erling sailed thither, and came to the town\njust as the king sat at the dinner-table, and most of the people were\ntaking their meal. When his people had made themselves ready according\nto Erling's orders, set up the ship-tents, and made fast the ship,\nErling landed with twelve men, all in armour, with hats over their\nhelmets, and swords under their cloaks. They went to the king's lodging,\nwhere the doors stood open, and the dishes were being carried in.\nErling and his people went in immediately, and drew up in front of the\nhigh-seat. Erling said, \"Peace and safe conduct we desire, king, both\nhere and to return home.\"\nThe king looked at him, and said, \"Art thou here, Erling?\"\nHe replies, \"Here is Erling; and tell us, at once, if we shall have\npeace and safe conduct.\"\nThere were eighty of the king's men in the room, but all unarmed. The\nking replies, \"Peace ye shall have, Erling, according to thy desire; for\nI will not use force or villainy against a man who comes to visit me.\"\nErling then kissed the king's hand, went out, and down to his ship.\nErling stayed at Randaros some time with the king, and they talked about\nterms of peace between them and between the countries. They agreed that\nErling should remain as hostage with the Danish king; and that Asbjorn\nSnara, Bishop Absalon's brother, should go to Norway as hostage on the\nother part.\n30. KING VALDEMAR AND ERLING.\nIn a conference which King Valdemar and Erling once had together. Erling\nsaid, \"Sire, it appears to me likely that it might lead to a peace\nbetween the countries if you got that part of Norway which was promised\nyou in our agreement; but if it should be so, what chief would you place\nover it? Would he be a Dane?\"\n\"No,\" replied the king; \"no Danish chief would go to Norway, where he\nwould have to manage an obstinate hard people, when he has it so easy\nhere with me.\"\nErling: \"It was on that very consideration that I came here; for I would\nnot on any account in the world deprive myself of the advantage of your\nfriendship. In days of old other men, Hakon Ivarson and Fin Arnason,\ncame also from Norway to Denmark, and your predecessor, King Svein, made\nthem both earls. Now I am not a man of less power in Norway than they\nwere then, and my influence is not less than theirs; and the king gave\nthem the province of Halland to rule over, which he himself had and\nowned before. Now it appears to me, sire, that you, if I become your\nman and vassal, can allow me to hold of you the fief which my son\nMagnus will not deny me, by which I will be bound in duty, and ready, to\nundertake all the service belonging to that title.\"\nErling spoke such things, and much more in the same strain, until it\ncame at last to this, that Erling became Valdemar's man and vassal; and\nthe king led Erling to the earl's seat one day, and gave him the title\nof earl, and Viken as a fief under his rule. Earl Erling went thereafter\nto Norway, and was earl afterwards as long as he lived; and also the\npeace with the Danish king was afterwards always preserved. Earl Erling\nhad four sons by his concubines. The one was called Hreidar, the next\nOgmund; and these by two different mothers: the third was called Fin;\nthe fourth Sigurd: these were younger, and their mother was Asa the\nFair. The princess Kristin and Earl Erling had a daughter called\nRagnhild, who was married to Jon Thorbergson of Randaberg. Kristin went\naway from the country with a man called Grim Rusle; and they went to\nConstantinople, where they were for a time, and had some children.\n31. BEGINNING OF OLAF.\nOlaf, a son of Gudbrand Skafhaug, and Maria, a daughter of King Eystein\nMagnuson, were brought up in the house of Sigurd Agnhot in the Uplands.\nWhile Earl Erling was in Denmark (A.D. 1166), Olaf and his foster-father\ngathered a troop together, and many Upland people joined them; and Olaf\nwas chosen king by them. They went with their bands through the\nUplands, and sometimes down to Viken, and sometimes east to the forest\nsettlements; but never came on board of ships. Now when, Earl Erling got\nnews of this troop, he hastened to Viken with his forces; and was there\nin summer in his ships, and in Oslo in autumn (A.D. 1167) and kept Yule\nthere. He had spies up the country after this troop, and went himself,\nalong with Orm, the King-brother, up the country to follow them. Now\nwhen they came to a lake called.... .... (1) they took all the vessels\nthat were upon the lake.\n ENDNOTES: (1) The name of the lake not given.\n32. OF ERLING.\nThe priest who performed divine service at a place called Rydiokul,\nclose by the lake, invited the earl to a feast at Candlemas. The earl\npromised to come; and thinking it would be good to hear mass there, he\nrowed with his attendants over the lake the night before Candlemas day.\nBut the priest had another plan on hand. He sent men to bring Olaf news\nof Earl Erling's arrival. The priest gave Erling strong drink in the\nevening, and let him have an excessive quantity of it. When the\nearl wished to lie down and sleep, the beds were made ready in the\ndrinking-room; but when they had slept a short time the earl awoke, and\nasked if it was not the hour for matins. The priest replied, that only\na small part of the night was gone, and told him to sleep in peace. The\nearl replied, \"I dream of many things to-night, and I sleep ill.\" He\nslumbered again, but awoke soon, and told the priest to get up and sing\nmass. The priest told the earl to sleep, and said it was but midnight.\nThen the earl again lay down, slept a little while, and, springing out\nof bed, ordered his men to put on their clothes. They did so; took\ntheir weapons, went to the church, and laid their arms outside while the\npriest was singing matins.\n33. BATTLE AT RYDIOKUL.\nAs Olaf got the message in the evening, they travelled in the night\nsix miles, which people considered an extraordinarily long march. They\narrived at Rydiokul while the priest was still singing mass, and it was\npitch-dark. Olaf and his men went into the room, raised a war-shout, and\nkilled some of the earl's men who had not gone to the early mass. Now\nwhen Erling and his men heard the war-shout, they ran to their weapons,\nand hastened down to their ships. Olaf and his men met them at a fence,\nat which there was a sharp conflict. Erling and his men retreated along\nthe fence, which protected them. Erling had far fewer men, and many of\nthem had fallen, and still more were wounded. What helped Earl Erling\nand his men the most was, that Olaf's men could not distinguish them, it\nwas so dark; and the earl's men were always drawing down to their ships.\nAre Thorgeirson, father of Bishop Gudmund fell there, and many other\nof Erling's court-men. Erling himself was wounded in the left side; but\nsome say he did it himself in drawing his sword. Orm the King-brother\nwas also severely wounded; and with great difficulty they escaped\nto their ships, and instantly pushed off from land. It was generally\nconsidered as a most unlucky meeting for Olaf's people, as Earl Erling\nwas in a manner sold into their hands, if they had proceeded with common\nprudence. He was afterwards called Olaf the Unlucky; but others called\nhis people Hat-lads. They went with their bands through the Uplands as\nbefore. Erling again went down to Viken to his ships, and remained there\nall summer. Olaf was in the Uplands, and sometimes east in the forest\ndistricts, where he and his troop remained all the next winter (A.D.\n34. BATTLE AT STANGAR.\nThe following spring the Hat-lads went down to Viken, and raised the\nking's taxes all around, and remained there long in summer. When Earl\nErling heard this, he hastened with his troops to meet them in Viken,\nand fell in with them east of the Fjord, at a place called Stangar;\nwhere they had a great battle, in which Erling was victorious. Sigurd\nAgnhot, and many others of Olaf's men, fell there; but Olaf escaped by\nflight, went south to Denmark, and was all winter (A.D. 1169) in Alaborg\nin Jutland. The following spring Olaf fell into an illness which ended\nin death, and he was buried in the Maria church; and the Danes call him\na saint.\n35. HARALD'S DEATH.\nKing Magnus had a lenderman called Nikolas Kufung, who was a son of Pal\nSkaptason. He took Harald prisoner, who called himself a son of King\nSigurd Haraldson and the princess Kristin, and a brother of King Magnus\nby the mother's side. Nikolas brought Harald to Bergen, and delivered\nhim into Earl Erling's hands. It was Erling's custom when his enemies\ncame before him, that he either said nothing to them, or very little,\nand that in all gentleness, when he had determined to put them to death;\nor rose with furious words against them, when he intended to spare their\nlives. Erling spoke but little to Harald, and many, therefore, suspected\nhis intentions; and some begged King Magnus to put in a good word\nfor Harald with the earl; and the king did so. The earl replies, \"Thy\nfriends advise thee badly. Thou wouldst govern this kingdom but a short\ntime in peace and safety, if thou wert to follow the counsels of the\nheart only.\" Earl Erling ordered Harald to be taken to Nordnes, where he\nwas beheaded.\n36. EYSTEIN EYSTEINSON AND THE BIRKEBEINS.\nThere was a man called Eystein, who gave himself out for a son of King\nEystein Haraldson. He was at this time young, and not full grown. It is\ntold of him that he one summer appeared in Svithjod, and went to\nEarl Birger Brosa, who was then married to Brigida, Eystein's aunt, a\ndaughter of King Harald Gille. Eystein explained his business to him,\nand asked their assistance. Both Earl Birger and his wife listened to\nhim in a friendly way, and promised him their confidence, and he stayed\nwith them a while. Earl Birger gave him some assistance of men, and a\ngood sum for travelling expenses; and both promised him their friendship\non his taking leave. Thereafter Eystein proceeded north into Norway\n(A.D. 1174), and when he came down to Viken people flocked to him in\ncrowds; and Eystein was there proclaimed king, and he remained in Viken\nin winter. As they were very poor in money, they robbed all around,\nwherefore the lendermen and bondes raised men against them; and being\nthus overpowered by numbers, they fled away to the forests and deserted\nhill grounds, where they lived for a long time. Their clothes being worn\nout, they wound the bark of the birch-tree about their legs, and thus\nwere called by the bondes Birkebeins. They often rushed down upon the\nsettled districts, pushed on here or there, and made an assault where\nthey did not find many people to oppose them. They had several battles\nwith the bondes with various success; and the Birkebeins held three\nbattles in regular array, and gained the victory in them all. At\nKrokaskog they had nearly made an unlucky expedition, for a great number\nof bondes and men-at-arms were assembled there against them; but the\nBirkebeins felled brushwood across the roads, and retired into the\nforest. They were two years (A.D. 1175-1176) in Viken before they showed\nthemselves in the northern parts of the country.\n37. BIRKEBEINS, KING EYSTEIN, AND SKAKKE.\nMagnus had been king for thirteen years when the Birkebeins first made\ntheir appearance. They got themselves ships in the third summer (A.D.\n1176), with which they sailed along the coast gathering goods and\nmen. They were first in Viken; but when summer advanced they proceeded\nnorthwards, and so rapidly that no news preceded them until they came to\nThrondhjem. The Birkebeins' troop consisted principally of hill-men and\nElfgrims, and many were from Thelemark; and all were well armed.\nTheir king, Eystein, was a handsome man, and with a little but good\ncountenance; and he was not of great stature, for his men called him\nEystein Meyla. King Magnus and Earl Erling were in Bergen when the\nBirkebeins sailed past it to the north; but they did not hear of them.\nEarl Erling was a man of great understanding and power, an excellent\nleader in war, and an able and prudent ruler of the country; but he\nhad the character of being cruel and severe. The cause of this was\nprincipally that he never allowed his enemies to remain in the country,\neven when they prayed to him for mercy; and therefore many joined the\nbands which were collected against him. Erling was a tall strong-made\nman, somewhat short-necked and high-shouldered; had a long and sharp\ncountenance of a light complexion, and his hair became very grey.\nHe bore his head a little on one side; was free and agreeable in his\nmanners. He wore the old fashion of clothes,--long body-pieces and long\narms to his coats, foreign cloak, and high shoes. He made the king wear\nthe same kind of dress in his youth; but when he grew up, and acted for\nhimself, he dressed very sumptuously.\nKing Magnus was of a light turn of mind, full of jokes; a great lover of\nmirth, and not less of women.\n38. OF NIKOLAS.\nNikolas was a son of Sigurd Hranason and of Skialdvor, a daughter of\nBrynjolf Ulfalde, and a sister of Haldor Brynjolfson by the father's\nside, and of King Magnus Barefoot by the mother's side. Nikolas was a\ndistinguished chief, who had a farm at Ongul in Halogaland, which was\ncalled Steig. Nikolas had also a house in Nidaros, below Saint Jon's\nchurch, where Thorgeir the scribe lately dwelt. Nikolas was often in\nthe town, and was president of the townspeople. Skialdvor, Nikolas's\ndaughter, was married to Eirik Arnason, who was also a lenderman.\n39. OF EIRIK AND NIKOLAS.\nAs the people of the town were coming from matins the last day of\nMarymas (September 8th), Eirik came up to Nikolas, and said, \"Here are\nsome fishermen come from the sea, who report that some long-ships are\nsailing into the fjord; and people conjecture that these may be the\nBirkebeins. It would be advisable to call the townspeople together with\nthe war-horns, to meet under arms out on Eyrar.\"\nNikolas replies, \"I don't go after fishermen's reports; but I shall send\nout spies to the fjord, and in the meantime hold a Thing to-day.\"\nEirik went home; but when they were ringing to high mass, and Nikolas\nwas going to church, Eirik came to hint again, and said, \"I believe the\nnews to be true; for here are men who say they saw them under sail; and\nI think it would be most advisable to ride out of town, and gather men\nwith arms; for it appears to me the townspeople will be too few.\"\nNikolas replies, \"Thou art mixing everything together; let us first hear\nmass, and then take our resolution.\"\nNikolas then went into the church. When the mass was over Eirik went to\nNikolas, and said, \"My horses are saddled; I will ride away.\"\nNikolas replies, \"Farewell, then: we will hold a Thing to-day on the\nEyrar, and examine what force of men there may be in the town.\"\nEirik rode away, and Nikolas went to his house, and then to dinner.\n40. THE FALL OF NIKOLAS.\nThe meat was scarcely put on the table, when a man came into the house\nto tell Nikolas that the Birkebeins were roving up the river. Then\nNikolas called to his men to take their weapons. When they were armed\nNikolas ordered them to go up into the loft. But that was a most\nimprudent step; for if they had remained in the yard, the townspeople\nmight have come to their assistance; but now the Birkebeins filled the\nwhole yard, and from thence scrambled from all sides up to the loft.\nThey called to Nikolas, and offered him quarter, but he refused it. Then\nthey attacked the loft. Nikolas and his men defended themselves with\nbow-shot, hand-shot, and stones of the chimney; but the Birkebeins hewed\ndown the houses, broke up the loft, and returned shot for shot from bow\nor hand. Nikolas had a red shield in which were gilt nails, and about it\nwas a border of stars. The Birkebeins shot so that the arrows went in\nup to the arrow feather. Then said Nikolas, \"My shield deceives me.\"\nNikolas and a number of his people fell, and his death was greatly\nlamented. The Birkebeins gave all the towns-people their lives.\n41. EYSTEIN PROCLAIMED KING.\nEystein was then proclaimed king, and all the people submitted to him.\nHe stayed a while in the town, and then went into the interior of the\nThrondhjem land, where many joined him, and among them Thorfin Svarte\nof Snos with a troop of people. When the Birkebeins, in the beginning\nof winter (A.D. 1177), came again into the town, the sons of Gudrun from\nSaltnes, Jon Ketling, Sigurd, and William, joined them; and when they\nproceeded afterwards from Nidaros up Orkadal, they could number nearly\n2000 men. They afterwards went to the Uplands, and on to Thoten\nand Hadaland, and from thence to Ringerike, and subdued the country\nwheresover they came.\n42. THE FALL OF KING EYSTEIN.\nKing Magnus went eastward to Viken in autumn with a part of his men and\nwith him Orm, the king's brother; but Earl Erling remained behind in\nBergen to meet the Berkebeins in case they took the sea route. King\nMagnus went to Tunsberg, where he and Orm held their Yule (A.D. 1177).\nWhen King Magnus heard that the Birkebeins were up in Re, the king and\nOrm proceeded thither with their men. There was much snow, and it was\ndreadfully cold. When they came to the farm they left the beaten track\non the road, and drew up their array outside of the fence, and trod a\npath through the snow with their men, who were not quite 1500 in number.\nThe Birkebeins were dispersed here and there in other farms, a few men\nin each house. When they perceived King Magnus's army they assembled,\nand drew up in regular order; and as they thought their force was larger\nthan his, which it actually was, they resolved to fight; but when they\nhurried forward to the road only a few could advance at a time, which\nbroke their array, and the men fell who first advanced upon the beaten\nway. Then the Birkebeins' banner was cut down; those who were nearest\ngave way and some took to flight. King Magnus's men pursued them,\nand killed one after the other as they came up with them. Thus the\nBirkebeins could never form themselves in array; and being exposed to\nthe weapons of the enemy singly, many of them fell, and many fled. It\nhappened here, as it often does, that although men be brave and gallant,\nif they have once been defeated and driven to flight, they will not\neasily be brought to turn round. Now the main body of the Birkebeins\nbegan to fly, and many fell; because Magnus's men killed all they could\nlay hold of, and not one of them got quarter. The whole body became\nscattered far and wide. Eystein in his flight ran into a house, and\nbegged for his life, and that the bonde would conceal him; but the bonde\nkilled him, and then went to King Magnus, whom he found at Rafnnes,\nwhere the king was in a room warming himself by the fire along with many\npeople. Some went for the corpse, and bore it into the room, where the\nking told the people to come and inspect the body. A man was sitting on\na bench in the corner, and he was a Birkebein, but nobody had observed\nhim; and when he saw and recognised his chief's body he sprang up\nsuddenly and actively, rushed out upon the floor, and with an axe he had\nin his hands made a blow at King Magnus's neck between the shoulders.\nA man saw the axe swinging, and pulled the king to a side, by which the\naxe struck lower in the shoulder, and made a large wound. He then raised\nthe axe again, and made a blow at Orm, the King-brother, who was lying\non a bench, and the blow was directed at both legs; but Orm seeing the\nman about to kill him, drew in his feet instantly, threw them over his\nhead, and the blow fell on the bench, in which the axe stuck fast; and\nthen the blows at the Birkebein came so thick that he could scarcely\nfall to the ground. It was discovered that he had dragged his entrails\nafter him over the floor; and this man's bravery was highly praised.\nKing Magnus's men followed the fugitives, and killed so many that they\nwere tired of it. Thorfin of Snos, and a very great number of Throndhjem\npeople, fell there.\n43. OF THE BIRKEBEINS.\nThe faction which called itself the Birkebeins had gathered together in\ngreat numbers. They were a hardy people, and the boldest of men under\narms; but wild, and going forward madly when they had a strong force.\nThey had few men in their faction who were good counsellors, or\naccustomed to rule a country by law, or to head an army; and if there\nwere such men among them who had more knowledge, yet the many would\nonly allow of those measures which they liked, trusting always to their\nnumbers and courage. Of the men who escaped many were wounded, and had\nlost both their clothes and their arms, and were altogether destitute\nof money. Some went east to the borders, some went all the way east to\nSvithjod; but the most of them went to Thelemark, where they had their\nfamilies. All took flight, as they had no hope of getting their lives\nfrom King Magnus or Earl Erling.\n44. OF KING MAGNUS ERLINGSON.\nKing Magnus then returned to Tunsberg, and got great renown by this\nvictory; for it had been an expression in the mouths of all, that Earl\nErling was the shield and support of his son and himself. But after\ngaining a victory over so strong and numerous a force with fewer troops,\nKing Magnus was considered by all as surpassing other leaders, and that\nhe would become a warrior as much greater than his father, Earl Erling,\nas he was younger.", "source_dataset": "gutenberg", "source_dataset_detailed": "gutenberg - Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway\n"}, +{"source_document": "", "creation_year": 1221, "culture": " Finnish\n", "content": "Produced by Juha Kiuru\nEDDA\nTaruopillinen alkuosa\nGylfin harhan\u00e4ky (Gylfaginning)\nKirj.\nSNORRI STURLUSON\nIslantilaisesta tekstist\u00e4 suomennos\nWSOY, Porvoo, 1911.\nGylfin harhan\u00e4ky.\n1. Gylfi oli er\u00e4\u00e4n miehen nimi, h\u00e4n oli kuningas ja viisas ja\nloitsutaitoinen mies. H\u00e4n ihmetteli suuresti sit\u00e4, ett\u00e4 Aasakansa oli\nniin taitava, ett\u00e4 kaikki k\u00e4vi heid\u00e4n mielens\u00e4 mukaan. H\u00e4n mietti,\njohtuisiko se heid\u00e4n omasta olennostaan, vaiko niist\u00e4 jumaluusvoimista,\njoita he palvelivat. H\u00e4n l\u00e4hti Aasain kartanoon, (\u00e1sgardr) vaan\nkulki salaa k\u00e4tkeytyen vanhan miehen haahmoon pysy\u00e4kseen siten\ntuntemattomana; mutta Aasat olivat niin paljon viisaampia, ett\u00e4 heill\u00e4\noli ennakkotiet\u00e4mys, ja he n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t h\u00e4nen matkansa, ennenkuin h\u00e4n tuli,\nja asettivat h\u00e4nelle harhan\u00e4kyj\u00e4 vastaan. Kun h\u00e4n tuli linnaan sis\u00e4lle,\nn\u00e4ki h\u00e4n niin korkean salin, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nen silm\u00e4ns\u00e4 tuskin kantoivat sen\nyli. Sen katto oli peitetty kultaisilla kilvill\u00e4 kuin p\u00e4rekatto.\nGylfi n\u00e4ki miehen salin ovella, t\u00e4m\u00e4 leikki niin taitavasti veitsill\u00e4,\nett\u00e4 seitsem\u00e4n kappaletta oli yhtaikaa ilmassa. Mies kysyi ensiksi\nh\u00e4nen nime\u00e4ns\u00e4; h\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4 oli Gangleri (matkasta v\u00e4synyt) ja h\u00e4n\noli eksynyt tielt\u00e4 ja pyysi y\u00f6sijaa ja kysyi, kuka omisti salin. Mies\nvastasi, ett\u00e4 se oli heid\u00e4n kuninkaansa oma: \"vaan min\u00e4 voin saattaa\nsinut h\u00e4nen luokseen, silloin saat itse kysy\u00e4 h\u00e4nell\u00e4 h\u00e4nen nime\u00e4ns\u00e4\",\nja mies k\u00e4\u00e4ntyi h\u00e4nen edell\u00e4\u00e4n saliin; mutta h\u00e4n meni j\u00e4lest\u00e4, ja heti\novi sulkeutui heid\u00e4n kintereill\u00e4\u00e4n. Siell\u00e4 n\u00e4ki h\u00e4n paljon huoneita ja\npaljon kansaa, muutamat pelasivat, muutamat joivat, muutamat olivat\nasestettuina ja urheilivat. Silloin katsahti h\u00e4n ymp\u00e4rilleen, ja luuli\nhuomaavansa paljon ep\u00e4ilytt\u00e4v\u00e4\u00e4 siin\u00e4, mit\u00e4 h\u00e4n n\u00e4ki; silloin arveli\nh\u00e4n: \"Kaikki ovenpielet on tutkittava, ennenkuin astuu edemm\u00e4s sis\u00e4lle,\nei voi tiet\u00e4\u00e4, miss\u00e4 vihamiehet istuvat v\u00e4ijyksiss\u00e4.\"\nH\u00e4n n\u00e4ki kolme kunniaistuinta, joista jokainen oli toistaan ylemp\u00e4n\u00e4,\nja kolme miest\u00e4 istui niill\u00e4, yksi kullakin istuimella. Silloin kysyi\nh\u00e4n, mitk\u00e4 p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6jen nimet olivat. Mies, joka oli johtanut h\u00e4net\nsis\u00e4lle, vastasi, ett\u00e4 se, joka istui alimmaisella kunniaistuimella,\noli kuningas: \"ja h\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4 on H\u00e1rr (korkea), se, joka istuu\nl\u00e4hinn\u00e4 h\u00e4nt\u00e4, on nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n Jafnh\u00e1rr (yht\u00e4 korkea) ja se, joka istuu\nylinn\u00e4, on nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n Thridi (kolmas)\". Sitten kysyi H\u00e1rr tulokkaalta,\noliko h\u00e4nell\u00e4 muita asioita, mutta H\u00e1rin salissa oli ruokaa ja juomaa\ntarjona h\u00e4nelle niinkuin kaikille muillekin. Gangleri sanoi, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n\nensin tahtoi kysy\u00e4, oliko sis\u00e4ll\u00e4 joku viisas mies. H\u00e1rr sanoi ettei\nh\u00e4n p\u00e4\u00e4sisi ehe\u00e4n\u00e4 ulos, ellei h\u00e4n osoittautuisi viisaimmaksi: \"ja\nseiso sin\u00e4 niin kauvan kuin kysyt: h\u00e4n on istuva, joka vastaa\".\n2. Gangleri alkoi n\u00e4in puheensa: \"Kuka on korkein tai vanhin\njumalista?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"H\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4 on Alfodr (kaikkein is\u00e4)\nmeid\u00e4n kielell\u00e4mme, mutta vanhassa Asgardissa oli h\u00e4nell\u00e4 12 nime\u00e4,\nensim\u00e4inen on Alfodr, toinen Herran eli Herjan, kolmas Nikarr eli\nHnikarr, nelj\u00e4s Nikudr eli Hnikudr, viides Fjolnir, kuudes \u00f3ski,\nseitsem\u00e4s \u00f3mi, kahdeksas Biflidi eli Biflindi, yhdeks\u00e4s Svidurr,\nkymmenes Svidrir, yhdestoista Vidrir, kahdestoista J\u00e1lg eli J\u00e1lkr\".\n-- Silloin kysyi Gangleri: \"Miss\u00e4 on t\u00e4m\u00e4 jumala ja mink\u00e4lainen valta\nh\u00e4nell\u00e4 on ja mit\u00e4 mainetekoja on h\u00e4n tehnyt?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"H\u00e4n\nel\u00e4\u00e4 ikuisiin aikoihin ja hallitsee koko valtakuntaansa ja vallitsee\nkaikkea, suurta ja pient\u00e4.\" -- Silloin sanoi Jafnh\u00e1rr: \"H\u00e4n loi taivaan\nja maan ja ilman ja kaiken niihin kuuluvan\". -- Silloin sanoi Thridi:\n\"Suurinta on sent\u00e4\u00e4n se, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n loi ihmisen ja antoi h\u00e4nelle sielun,\njoka on el\u00e4v\u00e4 eik\u00e4 h\u00e4vi\u00e4v\u00e4, vaikka ruumis m\u00e4t\u00e4nee maaksi tai palaa\ntuhaksi. Kaikki ihmiset, joilla on oikea usko, tulevat el\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n ja\nolemaan h\u00e4nen kanssaan paikassa nimelt\u00e4 Giml\u00e9, mutta pahat ihmiset\nmenev\u00e4t Hel'iin (Manalaan) ja sielt\u00e4 Niflhel'iin (Pimentolaan), joka on\nalhaalla yhdeks\u00e4nness\u00e4 maailmassa.\" -- Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Mit\u00e4\nteki h\u00e4n, ennenkuin taivas ja maa luotiin?\" -- Silloin vastasi H\u00e1rr:\n\"Silloin oli h\u00e4n Hr\u00edmthurs'ien (j\u00e4\u00e4j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isten) luona\".\n3. Gangleri sanoi: \"Mik\u00e4 oli alku, tai miten se syntyi, tai mit\u00e4 oli\nennen sit\u00e4?\" -- H\u00e1rr vastasi: \"Kuten sanotaan Volusp\u00e1'ssa (velhon\nennustuksessa): 'Ajan alussa ei ollut olemassa mit\u00e4\u00e4n, ei hiekkaa,\nei j\u00e4rve\u00e4, ei viileit\u00e4 aaltoja, ei ollut maata, ei taivasta sen\nyl\u00e4puolella, Ginnungagap (ammottava kuilu) oli olemassa, ruohoa ei\nollut'.\"\nSilloin sanoi Jafnh\u00e1rr. \"Monta ik\u00e4kautta ennen kuin maa luotiin\nNiflheimr (Sumula, Pimentola). Sen keskell\u00e4 on l\u00e4hde, jota kutsutaan\nnimell\u00e4 Hvergelmir (kohiseva kattila), ja siit\u00e4 l\u00e4htev\u00e4t joet, joiden\nnimet ovat: Svol, Gunnthr\u00e1, Fjorm, Fimbulthul, Sl\u00eddr ja Hrid, Sylgr ja\nYlgr, Vid, Leiptr, l\u00e4hinn\u00e4 Hel'in aitausta on Gjoll.\" -- Silloin sanoi\nThridi: \"Ensiksi oli kumminkin olemassa maailma etel\u00e4isell\u00e4 puoliskolla\nnimelt\u00e4 M\u00faspell (Panula); se on valoisa ja kuuma, se seutu on leimuava\nja palava, ja mahdoton asua niille, jotka ovat outoja siell\u00e4 eiv\u00e4tk\u00e4\nomista siell\u00e4 perint\u00f6tilaa. Surtr (musta) on nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4n, joka istuu\nsiell\u00e4 maan rajalla maata puolustamassa. H\u00e4nell\u00e4 on v\u00e4lkkyv\u00e4 miekka, ja\nmaailmanlopussa on h\u00e4n l\u00e4htev\u00e4 h\u00e4vitt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n ja voittamaan kaikki jumalat\nja polttava koko maailman tulella.\"\n4. Gangleri sanoi: \"Mit\u00e4 tapahtui, ennenkuin sukukunnat syntyiv\u00e4t\nja ihmiskunta enentyi?\" -- Silloin sanoi H\u00e1rr: \"Kun ne joet, joiden\nnimi on \u00e9liv\u00e1gar, olivat tulleet niin kauvas alkul\u00e4hteest\u00e4\u00e4n, ett\u00e4\nmyrkkyvirta, joka seurasi mukana, hyytyi tulesta vuotavan kuonan\nlailla, muuttui se j\u00e4\u00e4ksi, ja kun t\u00e4m\u00e4 j\u00e4\u00e4 pys\u00e4htyi eik\u00e4 en\u00e4\u00e4 vy\u00f6rynyt,\npeittyi se kuuralla, mutta kostea usva, joka nousi myrkyst\u00e4, j\u00e4\u00e4tyi\nkuuraksi, ja kuurakerros kasaantui toisen p\u00e4\u00e4lle aina Ginnungagap'iin\n(kurimukseen) asti.\" -- Silloin sanoi Jafnh\u00e1rr: \"Se osa Ginnungagap'ia,\njoka on pohjoiseen p\u00e4in, t\u00e4yttyi j\u00e4\u00e4n ja kuuran painosta ja siell\u00e4 oli\nhienoa sadetta ja tuulta, mutta Ginnungagap'in etel\u00e4inen osa keveni,\nkoska sit\u00e4 kohtasivat kipin\u00e4t, jotka sinkoilivat M\u00faspellzheimist\u00e4.\" --\nSilloin sanoi Thridi: \"Niinkuin Niflheimist\u00e4 tuli kylm\u00e4\u00e4, ja niinkuin\nkaikki siell\u00e4 oli kauheata, niin oli kaikki se, mik\u00e4 oli M\u00faspell'in\nl\u00e4heisyydess\u00e4, kuumaa ja valoisaa, mutta Ginnungagap oli leuto kuin\ntyyni ilma. Kun nyt kuuma ilma kohtasi kuuran, niin ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 suli ja\nalkoi tippua, tuli niihin tippuviin pisaroihin eloa sen voimasta, joka\nl\u00e4hetti kuumuuden, ja syntyi ihmisen n\u00e4k\u00f6inen olento, h\u00e4nt\u00e4 kutsutaan\nnimell\u00e4 Ymir, mutta j\u00e4\u00e4j\u00e4ttil\u00e4iset kutsuvat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 nimell\u00e4 Aurgelmir, ja\nh\u00e4nest\u00e4 polveutuvat j\u00e4\u00e4j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isten suvut.\"\nSilloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Kuinka syntyi h\u00e4nest\u00e4 sukuja, ja kuinka\nsaattoi k\u00e4yd\u00e4 niin, ett\u00e4 tuli monta ihmist\u00e4, vai luuletteko h\u00e4net\njumalaksi, josta nyt olet puhunut?\" -- Silloin vastasi Jafnh\u00e1rr: \"Emme\nmill\u00e4\u00e4n muotoa pid\u00e4 h\u00e4nt\u00e4 jumalana, h\u00e4n oli h\u00e4ijy ja kaikki h\u00e4nen\nsukulaisensa samoin, niit\u00e4 me kutsumme j\u00e4\u00e4j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isiksi. Mutta niin\nkerrotaan, ett\u00e4 kun h\u00e4n nukkui, hikosi h\u00e4n, ja silloin kasvoi h\u00e4nen\nvasemman k\u00e4sivartensa alta mies ja vaimo, ja h\u00e4nen toinen jalkansa sai\ntoisen kanssa pojan, ja siten syntyiv\u00e4t suvut, ne ovat j\u00e4\u00e4j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isi\u00e4.\nVanhaa j\u00e4\u00e4j\u00e4ttil\u00e4ist\u00e4 me kutsumme nimell\u00e4 Ymir.\"\n5. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Miss\u00e4 asui Ymir ja mill\u00e4 h\u00e4n eli?\" -- H\u00e1rr\nvastasi: \"Kun kuura suli, tapahtui l\u00e4hinn\u00e4, ett\u00e4 siit\u00e4 syntyi lehm\u00e4,\njonka nimi oli Audumla, ja sen utarista juoksi nelj\u00e4 maitojokea, ja se\nantoi Ymille ravintoa.\" -- Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Mill\u00e4 lehm\u00e4 eli?\"\n-- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Se nuoleskeli kuurakivi\u00e4, jotka olivat suolaisia, ja\nensim\u00e4isen\u00e4 p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4, jona se nuoleskeli kivi\u00e4, tuli niist\u00e4 illalla\nihmisen hiukset, toisena p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 ihmisen p\u00e4\u00e4, kolmantena p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 oli\nsiin\u00e4 koko ihminen. H\u00e4nt\u00e4 kutsuttiin nimelt\u00e4 B\u00fari, ja h\u00e4n oli kaunis\nulkomuodoltaan, suuri ja voimakas. H\u00e4n sai pojan, jonka nimi oli\nBorr. T\u00e4m\u00e4 sai puolisokseen naisen, jonka nimi oli Bestla, h\u00e4n oli\nBolthorn-j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isen tyt\u00e4r. He saivat kolme poikaa, yhden nimi oli\n\u00f3dinn, toisen Vili (tahto), kolmannen V\u00e9 (pyh\u00e4). Ja minun uskoni on,\nett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 Odinn ja h\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4 hallitsevat taivasta ja maata, me\nuskomme, ett\u00e4 se oli h\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4. Se on sen miehen nimi, jonka me\ntied\u00e4mme suurimmaksi ja mainehikkaimmaksi, ja te voitte hyvin kutsua\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4 samoin.\"\n6. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Miten k\u00e4vi heid\u00e4n suvulleen, ja kuka\noli mahtavin?\" -- Silloin vastasi H\u00e1rr: \"Borin pojat surmasivat\nYmir-j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isen. Mutta kun h\u00e4n kaatui, vuoti niin paljon verta\nh\u00e4nen haavoistaan, ett\u00e4 siihen hukkui koko j\u00e4\u00e4j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isten suku,\nlukuunottamatta yht\u00e4, joka pelastui huonekuntineen. H\u00e4nt\u00e4 kutsuvat\nj\u00e4ttil\u00e4iset nimell\u00e4 Bergelmir. H\u00e4n astui ruuheensa vaimoineen, ja he\npelastuivat siin\u00e4, ja heist\u00e4 polveutuvat j\u00e4\u00e4j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isten suvut.\"\n7. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Mihin ryhtyiv\u00e4t silloin Borin pojat, koska\nsin\u00e4 uskot, ett\u00e4 he olivat jumalia?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Siit\u00e4 on paljon\nkertomista. He ottivat Ymin ja veiv\u00e4t h\u00e4net keskelle Ginnungagap'ia ja\nloivat h\u00e4nest\u00e4 maan -- h\u00e4nen verest\u00e4\u00e4n meren ja sis\u00e4j\u00e4rvet, maa luotiin\nlihasta, mutta kalliot luista, ja kivist\u00f6t ja kivir\u00f6ykki\u00f6t he loivat\nhampaista ja poskihampaista ja niist\u00e4 luista, jotka oli murrettu.\"\n-- Silloin sanoi Jafnh\u00e1rr: \"Verest\u00e4, joka vuoti haavoista ja virtasi\nvapaasti, tekiv\u00e4t he meren ja ymp\u00e4r\u00f6iv\u00e4t ja kiinnittiv\u00e4t t\u00e4ll\u00e4 maan ja\npanivat t\u00e4m\u00e4n meren sen ymp\u00e4rille, ja useimpain ihmisten tulee olemaan\nmahdotonta p\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4n yli.\" -- Silloin sanoi Thridi: \"He ottivat\nmy\u00f6s h\u00e4nen p\u00e4\u00e4kallonsa ja tekiv\u00e4t siit\u00e4 taivaan ja asettivat sen maan\nyli nelj\u00e4lle ilmansuunnalle, ja joka kolkkaan panivat he k\u00e4\u00e4pi\u00f6n,\nniiden nimet ovat: Austri (It\u00e4), Vestri (L\u00e4nsi), Nordri (Pohja), Sudri\n(Etel\u00e4). Sitten ottivat he ne kipin\u00e4t ja s\u00e4kenet, jotka lenteliv\u00e4t\nilmassa ja olivat singonneet M\u00faspellzheimist\u00e4, ja panivat ne keskelle\nGinnungagap'ia taivaalle sek\u00e4 yl\u00f6s ett\u00e4 alas valaisemaan taivasta ja\nmaata. He m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4siv\u00e4t kaikille valoille paikat, muutamille taivaalla,\nmuutamat taas kulkivat irrallaan taivaan alla, ja he m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4siv\u00e4t\nkumminkin niillekin paikan ja s\u00e4\u00e4tiv\u00e4t niiden radan. N\u00e4in sanotaan\nvanhoissa runoissa, ett\u00e4 siit\u00e4 l\u00e4htien erotettiin p\u00e4iv\u00e4 ja y\u00f6 ja\nlaskettiin vuodet.\"\nSilloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Ne ovat kummallisia tapahtumia, joista nyt\nkuulen, maa on ihmeellisesti valmistettu ja taidokkaasti luotu.\nMillainen oli maan muoto?\" -- Silloin vastasi H\u00e1rr: \"Se on py\u00f6re\u00e4\nulkomuodoltansa ja sen ulkopuolella on syv\u00e4 meri. T\u00e4lt\u00e4 merenrannikolta\nantoivat he j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isten suvuille maita asuttaviksi, mutta edemm\u00e4ksi\nsis\u00e4maahan rakensivat he linnoituksen j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isten vihamielisyyden\nvaralta. T\u00e4h\u00e4n ymp\u00e4rysmuuriin k\u00e4yttiv\u00e4t he Ymir-j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isen\nkulmakarvoja ja nimittiv\u00e4t sen nimell\u00e4 Midgardr (keskikartano). He\nottivat my\u00f6s h\u00e4nen aivonsa, heittiv\u00e4t ne ilmaan ja tekiv\u00e4t niist\u00e4\npilvet.\"\n8. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Paljon n\u00e4ytt\u00e4v\u00e4t he minusta toimittaneen,\nkun maa ja taivas oli luotu ja aurinko ja taivaankappaleet asetettu\npaikoilleen ja m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4tty p\u00e4iv\u00e4n ja y\u00f6n vaihtelu. Mutta mist\u00e4 tulivat\nihmiset, jotka kansoittivat maan?\" -- Silloin vastasi H\u00e1rr: \"Kun Borin\npojat kulkivat pitkin merenrantaa, l\u00f6ysiv\u00e4t he kaksi puuta, nostivat\npuut ja loivat niist\u00e4 ihmisi\u00e4; ensim\u00e4inen heist\u00e4 antoi heille hengen ja\nel\u00e4m\u00e4n, toinen j\u00e4rjen ja liikuntokyvyn, kolmas ulkomuodon, puhekyvyn,\nkuulon ja n\u00e4\u00f6n, he antoivat heille vaatteet ja nimet, miehen nimi oli\nAskr ja naisen Embla, ja heist\u00e4 polveutuu se ihmissuku, jolle annettiin\nasuinpaikka Midgardin sis\u00e4puolella. Sen j\u00e4lkeen he tekiv\u00e4t itselleen\nkeskelle maailmaa linnan, jota kutsutaan nimell\u00e4 Asgardr, sit\u00e4 kutsuvat\nihmiset nimell\u00e4 Tr\u00f3ja. Sinne asettuivat jumalat ja heid\u00e4n sukunsa\nasumaan, ja sen j\u00e4lkeen tapahtui suuria tapahtumia ja muutoksia sek\u00e4\nmaassa ett\u00e4 ilmassa. Siell\u00e4 on paikka, jonka nimi on Hlidskj\u00e1lf, ja\nkun Alfodr istui sinne kunniaistuimelle, n\u00e4ki h\u00e4n kaikki maailmat\nja jokaisen ihmisen toimen ja ymm\u00e4rsi kaiken, mit\u00e4 h\u00e4n n\u00e4ki. H\u00e4nen\nvaimonsa oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n Frigg Fjorgvinin tyt\u00e4r, ja heist\u00e4 polveutuu se\nsuku, jota me kutsumme Aasa-suvuksi, ja se asui vanhassa Asgardissa ja\nsiihen kuuluvissa valtakunnissa ja on se jumalista polveutuva suku. Ja\nsen t\u00e4hden voi h\u00e4nell\u00e4 olla nimi Alfodr, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n on kaikkien jumalien\nja ihmisten ja kaiken sen is\u00e4, joka h\u00e4nen ja h\u00e4nen voimansa nojalla\nvalmistettiin. Maa oli h\u00e4nen tytt\u00e4rens\u00e4 ja h\u00e4nen vaimonsa, siit\u00e4 sai\nh\u00e4n ensim\u00e4isen pojan, se on \u00e1sa-Th\u00f3rr; t\u00e4ss\u00e4 oli v\u00e4ke\u00e4 ja voimaa, jolla\nh\u00e4n voittaa kaikki elolliset olennot.\"\n9. \"Norfi eli Narfi oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n j\u00e4ttil\u00e4inen, joka asui Jotunheimiss\u00e4\n(J\u00e4ttien kodissa), h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli tyt\u00e4r nimelt\u00e4 N\u00f3tt (Y\u00f6); t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli\nmusta ja tumma, jommoinen h\u00e4nen sukunsakin oli. H\u00e4n oli naimisissa\nmiehen kanssa, jonka nimi oli Nagltari, heid\u00e4n poikansa oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n\nAudr. Sen j\u00e4lkeen oli h\u00e4n naimisissa miehen kanssa, jonka nimi oli\n\u00e1narr; Jord (Maa) oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n heid\u00e4n tytt\u00e4rens\u00e4. Viimeksi sai h\u00e4net\nDellingr, joka oli Aasasukua, heid\u00e4n poikansa oli Dagr (P\u00e4iv\u00e4), h\u00e4n oli\nvaalea ja kaunis tullen is\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4. Silloin otti Alfodr N\u00f3tt'in ja Dagin,\nh\u00e4nen poikansa, ja antoi heille kaksi hevosta ja kahdet rattaat ja\nl\u00e4hetti heid\u00e4t yl\u00f6s taivaalle ajamaan vuorokaudessa ymp\u00e4ri maan. N\u00f3tt\najaa edelt\u00e4 hevosella, jota kutsutaan nimell\u00e4 Hrimfaxi (Kuuraharja),\njoka aamu se kastaa maan kuolainvaahdollaan. Dagilla on hevonen nimelt\u00e4\nSkinfaxi (Heloharja), ja se valaisee harjallaan koko ilman ja maan.\"\n10. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Kuinka ohjaa h\u00e4n auringon ja kuun kulkua?\"\n-- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Er\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 miehell\u00e4 nimelt\u00e4 Mundilfari oli kaksi lasta,\nne olivat niin kauniita ja somia, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n nimitti poikansa nimell\u00e4\nM\u00e1ni (Kuu) ja tytt\u00e4rens\u00e4 nimell\u00e4 S\u00f3l (Aurinko), ja naitti t\u00e4m\u00e4n\nmiehelle, jonka nimi oli Glenr. Mutta jumalat vihastuivat sellaisesta\nylimielisyydest\u00e4 ja ottivat nuo sisarukset ja asettivat heid\u00e4t\ntaivaalle ja antoivat S\u00f3l'in ajaa sit\u00e4 hevosta, joka veti jumalien\nluoman auringon rattaita. Aurinko oli luotu valaisemaan maailmoja siit\u00e4\nkipin\u00e4st\u00e4, joka sinkosi M\u00faspeltzheimist\u00e4. Niiden hevosten nimet ovat\n\u00e1rvakr ja Alsvidr, mutta hevosten lapojen alle panivat jumalat kaksi\ntuulipaljetta heit\u00e4 vilvoittamaan, muutamissa muinaisrunoissa kutsutaan\nt\u00e4t\u00e4 laitosta nimell\u00e4 \u00edsarnkol (raudankylm\u00e4 tuulahdus). M\u00e1ni ohjaa\nkuun kulkua ja vallitsee uutta kuuta ja t\u00e4ytt\u00e4 kuuta. H\u00e4n nosti maasta\nkaksi lasta, joiden nimet olivat Bil ja Hj\u00faki, n\u00e4iden menness\u00e4 Byrgir\nnimiselt\u00e4 kaivolta kantaen olallaan saavia nimelt\u00e4 S\u00e4gr ja tankoa\nnimelt\u00e4 Simul. Vidfinnr oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n heid\u00e4n is\u00e4ns\u00e4. N\u00e4m\u00e4t lapset\nseuraavat M\u00e1nia kuten maasta saattaa n\u00e4hd\u00e4.\"\n11. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Nopeaan kulkee aurinko ja melkein kuin\npelk\u00e4isi se, eik\u00e4 se kiirehtisi enemp\u00e4\u00e4 kulkuaan, jos se pelk\u00e4isi\nkuolemataan.\" -- Silloin vastasi H\u00e1rr: \"Ei ole kumma, ett\u00e4 se\nkulkee kiivaasti, l\u00e4hell\u00e4 k\u00e4y se, joka sit\u00e4 ahdistaa, eik\u00e4 sill\u00e4\nole muuta neuvoa kuin paeta.\" -- Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Kuka sit\u00e4\nkiusaa?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Kaksi sutta, ja se, joka k\u00e4y sen j\u00e4less\u00e4,\non nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n Skoll, sit\u00e4 se pelk\u00e4\u00e4 ja se onkin sieppaava auringon.\nToisen nimi on Hati Hr\u00f3dvitnin poika, joka juoksee sen edell\u00e4, ja on\nsieppaava kuun, ja niin on k\u00e4yv\u00e4.\" -- Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Mist\u00e4\nsudet polveutuvat?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"J\u00e4ttil\u00e4isnainen asuu it\u00e4\u00e4np\u00e4in\nMidgardista mets\u00e4ss\u00e4, jonka nimi on J\u00e1rnvidr, siin\u00e4 mets\u00e4ss\u00e4 asuvat\nj\u00e4ttil\u00e4isnaiset, joiden nimi on J\u00e1rnvidjur. Mutta vanha j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isnainen\nsynnytt\u00e4\u00e4 monta j\u00e4ttil\u00e4ist\u00e4, kaikki sudenhaahmoisia, ja siit\u00e4\nsuvusta ovat n\u00e4m\u00e4 sudet. Ja niin kerrotaan, ett\u00e4 suvusta tulee yksi\nmahtavimmaksi, jota kutsutaan nimell\u00e4 M\u00e1nagarmr (Kuunkoira). Se t\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4\nitsens\u00e4 kaikkien ihmisten el\u00e4m\u00e4ll\u00e4, jotka kuolevat, ja se nielee kuun\nja pirskoittaa verell\u00e4 taivaan ja koko ilman; sen t\u00e4hden aurinko\nkadottaa valonsa, ja tuulet ovat silloin levottomia ja puhaltavat\nsiell\u00e4 ja t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4.\"\n12. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Mik\u00e4 tie vie maasta taivaaseen?\" -- Silloin\nvastasi H\u00e1rr ja hymyili: \"Se ei ollut viisaasti kysytty. Eik\u00f6 sinulle\nole sanottu, ett\u00e4 jumalat rakensivat sillan maasta taivaaseen, jonka\nsillan nimi on Bifrost? Sen olet kyll\u00e4 n\u00e4hnyt, mutta on mahdollista,\nett\u00e4 te kutsutte sit\u00e4 sateenkaareksi. Se on kolmiv\u00e4rinen ja sangen\nvahva ja suuremmalla taidolla ja ymm\u00e4rryksell\u00e4 tehty kuin muut\nrakennukset. Mutta niin vahva kuin se onkin, murtuu se, kun M\u00faspell'in\npojat tulevat ja ajavat sen yli, ja niin heid\u00e4n hevosensa uivat suurten\njokien yli ja siten he p\u00e4\u00e4sev\u00e4t perille.\" -- Silloin sanoi Gangleri:\n\"Minusta tuntuu silt\u00e4, etteiv\u00e4t jumalat ole rakentaneet siltaa\nluotettavan vahvaksi, koska se voi murtua, vaikka he kumminkin voivat\ntehd\u00e4 kuten tahtovat.\" -- Silloin sanoi H\u00e1rr: \"Eiv\u00e4t jumalat ansaitse\nmoitetta t\u00e4st\u00e4 rakennuksesta, Bifrost on hyv\u00e4 silta, mutta t\u00e4ss\u00e4\nmaailmassa ei ole ainoatakaan kappaletta, joka kest\u00e4isi, kun M\u00faspell'in\npojat tekev\u00e4t tuhoja.\"\n13. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Mihin ryhtyi Alfodr sitten, kun Asgardr\noli tehty?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Aluksi asetti h\u00e4n hallitusmiehi\u00e4 ja pani\nheid\u00e4t kanssaan m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n ihmisten kohtaloita ja neuvottelemaan\nlinnan j\u00e4rjestelyst\u00e4, se tapahtui Idavollr nimisess\u00e4 paikassa keskell\u00e4\nlinnaa. Heid\u00e4n ensim\u00e4inen tekonsa oli temppelin rakentaminen, jossa\nheid\u00e4n kaksitoista istuintaan oli, paitsi Alfodr'ille kuuluvaa\nkunniaistuinta. T\u00e4m\u00e4 rakennus on maailman parhaiten tehty ja suurin,\nsiin\u00e4 on ulkopuolelta ja sis\u00e4puolelta kaikki kuin pelkk\u00e4\u00e4 kultaa. T\u00e4t\u00e4\npaikkaa kutsutaan nimell\u00e4 Gladsheimr (Ilola t. Loistola). He tekiv\u00e4t\ntoisenkin rakennuksen, se oli temppeli, joka kuului jumalattarille,\nse oli sangen kaunis rakennus, sit\u00e4 kutsutaan nimell\u00e4 Ving\u00f3lf. Sitten\ntekiv\u00e4t he rakennuksen, johon he asettivat ahjoja ja sen lis\u00e4ksi\ntekiv\u00e4t he vasaran, pihdit ja alasimen ja sitten kaikki muut ty\u00f6kalut.\nSitten takoivat he metallia ja kive\u00e4 ja puuta, ja niin runsaasti sit\u00e4\nmetallia, jonka nimi on kulta, ett\u00e4 kaikki heid\u00e4n talouskalunsa ja\nvaljaansa olivat kullasta. T\u00e4t\u00e4 aikaa kutsutaan kultakaudeksi, kunnes\nsen turmeli naisten tulo; n\u00e4m\u00e4t tulivat Jotunheimist\u00e4. Sitten jumalat\nistuivat istuimilleen ja toimittivat tuomioitaan ja muistivat, ett\u00e4\nk\u00e4\u00e4pi\u00f6t olivat vironneet eloon mullassa ja maan sis\u00e4ss\u00e4 kuin madot\nlihassa. K\u00e4\u00e4pi\u00f6t oli ensiksi luotu ja ne olivat vironneet henkiin Ymin\nruumiissa, jossa ne eliv\u00e4t matoina; mutta jumalien k\u00e4skyst\u00e4 saivat\nne ihmisj\u00e4rjen ja ihmismuodon, ne asuvat kumminkin maan sis\u00e4ss\u00e4 ja\nkiviss\u00e4.\"\n14. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Miss\u00e4 on jumalien p\u00e4\u00e4paikka tai pyh\u00e4kk\u00f6?\"\n-- H\u00e1rr vastasi: \"Se on Yggdrasill'in saarnen luona, siell\u00e4 tulevat\njumalat joka p\u00e4iv\u00e4 langettamaan tuomioitaan.\" -- Silloin sanoi\nJafnh\u00e1rr: \"Saarni on suurin ja paras kaikista puista, sen oksat\nulottuvat yli koko maailman ja kohoavat taivaan yli. Puun kolme juurta\npysytt\u00e4v\u00e4t sit\u00e4 pystyss\u00e4 ja ne haarautuvat hyvin kauvas toisistaan:\nyksi on Aasojen luona, toinen j\u00e4\u00e4j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isten, siell\u00e4, miss\u00e4 muinoin\noli Ginnungagap, ja kolmas on Niflheimin yl\u00e4puolella. T\u00e4m\u00e4n juuren\nalla on Hvergelmir, ja Nidhoggr nakertaa alhaaltap\u00e4in juuria. Multa\nsen juuren alla, joka haarautuu j\u00e4\u00e4j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isi\u00e4 kohden, on Mimisbrunnr\n(M\u00edmin kaivo), siin\u00e4 on viisautta ja ymm\u00e4rryst\u00e4. H\u00e4n, joka omistaa\nkaivon, on nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n M\u00edmir, h\u00e4nell\u00e4 on hyvin paljon tietoja, koska h\u00e4n\njuo kaivosta Gjallarhorn-nimisell\u00e4 juomasarvella. Sinne tuli Alfodr ja\npyysi yht\u00e4 siemausta kaivosta, mutta h\u00e4n ei saanut, ennenkuin antoi\nsilm\u00e4ns\u00e4 pantiksi. -- Saarnen kolmas juuri on taivaalla, ja sen alla\non kaivo, joka on sangen pyh\u00e4 ja jonka nimi on Urdarbrunnr, siell\u00e4\non jumalilla tuomiopaikkansa. Joka p\u00e4iv\u00e4 ratsastavat Aasat sinne\nyl\u00f6s Bifrost'in yli, jonka nimi on my\u00f6s Asbr\u00fa (Aasain silta). Aasain\nhevosten nimet ovat n\u00e4m\u00e4: Sleipnir on paras, se on Odinin, sill\u00e4 on\nkahdeksan jalkaa; toinen on Gladr, kolmas Gyllir, nelj\u00e4s Glenr, viides\nSkeidbrimir, kuudes Silfrintopr, seitsem\u00e4s Sinir, kahdeksas G\u00edsl,\nyhdeks\u00e4s Falh\u00f3fnir, kymmenes Gulltopr, yhdestoista L\u00e9ttfeti. Baldr'in\nhevonen oli poltettu h\u00e4nen kanssaan, mutta Th\u00f3rr k\u00e4velee tuomiopaikalle\nja kahlaa ne joet, joiden nimet ovat n\u00e4m\u00e4: Kormt ja Ormt ja kaksi\nKerlaug'ia; ne joet on Th\u00f3rr kahlaava joka p\u00e4iv\u00e4, kun h\u00e4n langettaa\ntuomionsa Yggdrasilin saarnen luona; sill\u00e4 Asbr\u00fa palaa t\u00e4ydess\u00e4\nliekiss\u00e4, pyh\u00e4t vedet kiehuvat.\"\nSilloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Palaako Bifrost'illa tuli?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi:\n\"Se punainen, mink\u00e4 n\u00e4et kaaressa, on palavaa tulta. Vuorij\u00e4ttil\u00e4iset\ntahtoisivat tulla yl\u00f6s taivaalle, jos kaikki, jotka tahtovat l\u00e4hte\u00e4,\nvoisivat kulkea Bifrost'in yli. On monta kaunista paikkaa taivaalla,\nja kaikkialla on siell\u00e4 jumalallinen puolustusvarustus. Saarnen alla\nkaivon luona on ihana sali, ja siit\u00e4 salista tulee kolme impe\u00e4,\njotka ovat nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n Urdr, Verdandi, Skuld (olleisuus, syntyv\u00e4isyys,\ntulevaisuus). N\u00e4m\u00e4 immet m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4\u00e4v\u00e4t ihmisten ij\u00e4n, niit\u00e4 kutsumme me\nNorniksi (Kohtalottariksi). Mutta on my\u00f6s monta muuta Nornaa, jotka\ntulevat jokaisen lapsen luo, kun se on syntynyt, m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n sen ik\u00e4\u00e4,\nja n\u00e4m\u00e4t ovat jumalien sukua. On toisia keijukaisten sukua ja kolmas\nlaji k\u00e4\u00e4pi\u00f6itten sukua.\"\nSilloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Jos Nornat vallitsevat ihmisten kohtaloita,\nniin ne jakavat lahjansa hyvin ep\u00e4tasaisesti, koska muutamilla on\nhyv\u00e4 el\u00e4m\u00e4 ja paljon valtaa, muutamilla taas v\u00e4h\u00e4inen osa tai valta,\nmuutamilla pitk\u00e4 el\u00e4m\u00e4, muutamilla lyhyt.\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Hyv\u00e4t Nornat\nja hyv\u00e4\u00e4 sukuper\u00e4\u00e4 olevat suovat hyv\u00e4n el\u00e4m\u00e4n, mutta kun onnettomuus\nkohtaa ihmisi\u00e4, on se pahojen Nornien syy.\"\n15. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Mit\u00e4 muita kummia on kerrottava\nsaarnesta?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Paljon on siit\u00e4 sanottavaa. Saarnen oksilla\nistuu kotka, joka on sangen viisas, mutta sen silmien v\u00e4liss\u00e4 istuu\nhaukka, jonka nimi on Vedrfolnir. Orava, jonka nimi on Ratatoskr,\njuoksentelee yl\u00f6s ja alas saarnea pitkin ja kuljettaa vihanviestej\u00e4\nkotkan ja Nidhoggr-k\u00e4\u00e4rmeen v\u00e4lill\u00e4, mutta nelj\u00e4 hirve\u00e4 juoksentelee\nsaarnen oksilla ja sy\u00f6 tuoreita vesoja, niiden hirvien nimet ovat:\nD\u00e1inn, Dvalin, Duneyrr, Durathr\u00f3r. Mutta niin paljon k\u00e4\u00e4rmeit\u00e4\non Hvergelmiss\u00e4 Nidhoggin kanssa, ett'ei kieli voi kertoa. -- Ja\nkerrotaan, ett\u00e4 Nornat, jotka asuvat Urdarbrunnin luona, ottavat joka\np\u00e4iv\u00e4 vett\u00e4 kaivosta ja sen mukana kaivon ymp\u00e4rill\u00e4 olevaa mutaa\nja pirskoittavat sit\u00e4 saarnen p\u00e4\u00e4lle, jotteiv\u00e4t sen oksat kuivuisi\neiv\u00e4tk\u00e4 m\u00e4t\u00e4nisi. Mutta se vesi on niin pyh\u00e4\u00e4, ett\u00e4 kaikki, mik\u00e4 joutuu\nkaivoon, tulee yht\u00e4 valkoiseksi kuin munankuoren sis\u00e4puolella oleva\nkalvo. -- Kastetta, joka siit\u00e4 putoo maahan, kutsutaan hunajakasteeksi,\nja siit\u00e4 el\u00e4v\u00e4t mehil\u00e4iset. Kaksi lintua syntyy Urdarbrunnissa, niit\u00e4\nkutsutaan joutseniksi ja niist\u00e4 polveutuu lintusuku nimelt\u00e4 joutsenet.\"\n16. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: Paljon tietoja voit antaa taivaasta.\nMit\u00e4 muita p\u00e4\u00e4paikkoja on siell\u00e4 paitsi Urdarbrunnr? -- H\u00e1rr sanoi:\n\"Siell\u00e4 on monta uhkeata paikkaa. Siell\u00e4 on paikka, jota kutsutaan\nnimell\u00e4 \u00e1lfheimr (keijukaisten koti), ja jossa asuu kansa nimelt\u00e4\nLj\u00f3s\u00e1lfar (valo-keijukaiset), mutta D\u00f6kk\u00e1lfit (tummat keijukaiset)\nel\u00e4v\u00e4t alhaalla maan sis\u00e4ss\u00e4. Ne ovat erilaiset ulkomuodoltaan, mutta\nviel\u00e4 erilaisemmat olennoltaan. Valokeijukaiset ovat ulkomuodoltaan\naurinkoa kauniimmat, mutta tummat keijukaiset ovat mustempia kuin\npiki. Viel\u00e4 on siell\u00e4 paikka, jota kutsutaan nimell\u00e4 Breidablik (laaja\nloiste) ja jota kauniimpaa paikkaa ei ole olemassa. Siell\u00e4 on my\u00f6s\npaikka nimelt\u00e4 Glitnir (kimalteleva), jonka sein\u00e4t ja pilarit ja\npylv\u00e4\u00e4t ovat punaisesta kullasta ja katto hopeasta. Viel\u00e4 on siell\u00e4\npaikka nimelt\u00e4 Himinbjorg (Taivaanvaara), se sijaitsee taivaanrannalla,\nsillankorvassa, miss\u00e4 Bifrost koskettaa taivasta. Viel\u00e4 on siell\u00e4 suuri\nolopaikka, jonka nimi on Valaskj\u00e1lf (taistelussa kaatuneitten pankko),\nse on Odinin. Sen tekiv\u00e4t jumalat ja kattoivat sen puhtaalla hopealla,\nsiin\u00e4 on Hlidskj\u00e1lf-niminen kunniaistuin, ja kun Alfodr istuu t\u00e4ll\u00e4\nistuimella, n\u00e4kee h\u00e4n kaikki maailmat. Etel\u00e4isell\u00e4 taivaanrannalla\non rakennus, joka on kaikkein kaunein ja aurinkoa loistavampi ja\njonka nimi on Giml\u00e9. Se pysyy pystyss\u00e4, kun sek\u00e4 taivas ett\u00e4 maa\novat hukkuneet, ja siin\u00e4 paikassa tulevat hyv\u00e4t ja hurskaat ihmiset\nikuisesti asumaan.\"\nSilloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Mik\u00e4 suojelee t\u00e4t\u00e4 paikkaa, kun Surtin liekki\npolttaa taivaan ja maan?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Kerrotaan, ett\u00e4 on olemassa\ntoinen taivas t\u00e4m\u00e4n etel\u00e4- ja yl\u00e4puolella ja sen nimi on Andlangr,\nmutta sen yl\u00e4puolella taas on kolmas ja sen nimi on V\u00eddbl\u00e1inn, siin\u00e4\ntaivaassa luulemme t\u00e4m\u00e4n paikan olevan, ja yksin valokeijukaisten nyt\nel\u00e4v\u00e4n niill\u00e4 seuduin.\"\n17. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Mist\u00e4 tulee tuuli? Se on niin voimakas,\nett\u00e4 se liikuttaa suuret meret ja lietsoo tulta, mutta miten voimakas\nse lieneekin, ei kukaan saata n\u00e4hd\u00e4 sit\u00e4, miten ihmeellisesti se\non luotu.\" -- Silloin sanoi H\u00e1rr: \"Sen voin kyll\u00e4 sanoa sinulle.\nPohjoisella taivaanrannalla istuu j\u00e4ttil\u00e4inen, jonka nimi on Hr\u00e4svelgr\n(Ruumiinahmija), h\u00e4n on kotkan haahmossa, ja kun se lehahtaa lentoon,\nsilloin tulee sen siipien alta ilmaa.\"\n18. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Mist\u00e4 johtuu suuri eroavaisuus kuuman\nkes\u00e4n ja kylm\u00e4n talven v\u00e4lill\u00e4?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Ei viisas mies niin\nkysyisi, sill\u00e4 sen tiet\u00e4v\u00e4t kaikki sanoa, mutta, jos sin\u00e4 yksin\nolet niin tiet\u00e4m\u00e4t\u00f6n, ettet ole t\u00e4t\u00e4 kuullut, niin luen sen sinulle\nkumminkin hyv\u00e4ksi, ett\u00e4 ennemmin kysyt niin taitamattomasti sit\u00e4, mit\u00e4\nsinun tulisi tiet\u00e4\u00e4, kuin kauvemmin olet tiet\u00e4m\u00e4t\u00f6n siit\u00e4. Sv\u00e1sudr on\nh\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4, joka on Sumar'in (Kes\u00e4n) is\u00e4, ja h\u00e4n viett\u00e4\u00e4 iloista\nel\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4, niin ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4 mukaan kutsutaan 'sv\u00e1sligt' kaikkea,\nmik\u00e4 on lauhkeaa. Vetr'in (talven) is\u00e4\u00e4 kutsutaan milloin nimelt\u00e4\nVindlj\u00f3ni (Tuulentuoja), milloin nimell\u00e4 Vindsvalr (Tuulenvilpe\u00e4);\nh\u00e4nen is\u00e4ns\u00e4 on V\u00e1sadr (Kylm\u00e4nkostea). N\u00e4m\u00e4 esi-is\u00e4t olivat julmia ja\ntylyj\u00e4 ja Vetr'illa on heid\u00e4n luonteensa.\"\n19. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Mitk\u00e4 ovat ne Aasat, joihin ihmisten\non uskottava?\" -- H\u00e1rr vastasi: \"On olemassa kaksitoista jumalista\npolveutuvaa Aasaa.\" -- Silloin sanoi Jafnh\u00e1rr: \"Eiv\u00e4t nais-Aasat ole\nv\u00e4hemm\u00e4n pyhi\u00e4 eiv\u00e4tk\u00e4 mahtavia.\" -- Silloin sanoi Thridi: \"Odinn on\nkorkein ja vanhin Aasoista. H\u00e4n vallitsee kaikkea, ja miten mahtavia\nmuut jumalat lienev\u00e4tkin, palvelevat ne kaikki h\u00e4nt\u00e4 kuten lapset\nis\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4. Frigg on h\u00e4nen puolisonsa ja h\u00e4n tiet\u00e4\u00e4 kaikki ihmiskohtalot,\njoskaan h\u00e4n ei ennusta. -- Odinin nimi on Alfodr, koska h\u00e4n on kaikkien\njumalien is\u00e4, h\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4 on my\u00f6s Valfodr (Taistelun is\u00e4), koska\nh\u00e4nen lempipoikiaan ovat kaikki ne, jotka kaatuvat taistelussa. Heille\nsuo h\u00e4n asunnoksi Valholl'in ja Ving\u00f3lfin, ja heid\u00e4n nimens\u00e4 on\nsiell\u00e4 Einherjar (yht\u00e4 sotajoukkoa). H\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4 on my\u00f6s Hangagud\n(Hirtettyjen jumala) ja Haptagud (Sitomisen jumala), Farmagud (Kuormien\njumala), ja viel\u00e4 monta muuta nime\u00e4 antoi h\u00e4n itselleen tultuaan\nkuningas Geirr\u00f6din luo: 'Nimeni on Grimr ja Gangleri, Herjann,\nHj\u00e1lmberi, Thekkr, Thridi, Thudr, Udr, Helblindi, H\u00e1rr, Sadr, Svipall,\nSanngetall, Herteitr, Hnikarr, Bileygr, B\u00e1leygr, Bolverkr, Fjolnir,\nGrimnir, Glapsvidr, Fjolsvidr, Sidhottr, Sidskeggr, Sigfodr, Hnikudr,\nAlfodr, Atridr, Farmat\u00fdr, Oski, Omi, Jafnh\u00e1rr, Biflindi, Gondlir,\nH\u00e1rbardr, Svidurr, Svidrir, J\u00e1lkr, Kjalarr, Vidurr, Thr\u00f3r, Yggr,\nThundr, Vakr, Skilfingr, V\u00e1fudr, Hroptat\u00fdr, Gautr, Verat\u00fdr'.\"\nSilloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Suunnattoman paljon nimi\u00e4 olette te antaneet\nh\u00e4nelle, ja totta tosiaan mahtaa olla sangen viisas se, joka voi\nselitt\u00e4\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4n ja kertoa, mitk\u00e4 tapaukset ovat aiheuttaneet kunkin\nn\u00e4ist\u00e4 nimist\u00e4.\" -- Silloin vastasi H\u00e1rr: \"Tarvitsee paljon tietoa\nselitt\u00e4\u00e4kseen ne t\u00e4ydellisesti, mutta lyhyesti voin sanoa sinulle,\nett\u00e4 useimmat niist\u00e4 johtuvat siit\u00e4 seikasta, ett\u00e4 yht\u00e4 monta kuin on\neri kielt\u00e4 maailmassa, yht\u00e4 monella eri tavalla ovat kansat luulleet\nolleensa pakoitetut muuntamaan h\u00e4nen nime\u00e4ns\u00e4 kielelleen avuksi\nhuutaakseen ja rukoillakseen h\u00e4nt\u00e4. Muutamat n\u00e4ist\u00e4 nimist\u00e4 taas ovat\naiheutuneet h\u00e4nen matkoistaan, joista on olemassa kertomuksia, eik\u00e4\nsinua voi kutsua viisaaksi mieheksi, ellet tied\u00e4 kertoa n\u00e4ist\u00e4 suurista\ntapahtumista.\"\n20. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Mitk\u00e4 ovat muiden Aasojen nimet, ja mit\u00e4\nhe tulevat toimittamaan ja mit\u00e4 mainetekoja ovat he jo suorittaneet?\"\n-- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Th\u00f3rr on heist\u00e4 etevin, h\u00e4nt\u00e4 kutsutaan nimell\u00e4\nAsa-Th\u00f3rr eli oku-Th\u00f3rr, h\u00e4n on voimakkain kaikista jumalista ja\nihmisist\u00e4. H\u00e4nell\u00e4 on valtakunta, jonka nimi on Thr\u00fadvangar ja h\u00e4nen\npalatsinsa Bilskirnir, siin\u00e4 on 540 lattiata, se on suurin tunnettu\nrakennus. -- Th\u00f3rilla on kaksi pukkia, joiden nimet ovat Tanngnj\u00f3str\n(Hampaan narskuttaja) ja Tanngrisnir (Hampaan purija), ja vaunut,\njoilla h\u00e4n ajaa, mutta pukit vet\u00e4v\u00e4t vaunuja, siksi kutsutaan h\u00e4nt\u00e4\nnimell\u00e4 oku-Th\u00f3rr (Tor ajaja). H\u00e4nell\u00e4 on my\u00f6s kolme kalleutta, yksi on\nvasara Mjollnir (Musertaja), jonka j\u00e4\u00e4j\u00e4ttil\u00e4iset ja vuorij\u00e4ttil\u00e4iset\ntuntevat, kun sit\u00e4 heilutetaan, eik\u00e4 kumma, sill\u00e4 se on murskannut\nmonelta heid\u00e4n esi-is\u00e4lt\u00e4\u00e4n ja sukulaiseltaan p\u00e4\u00e4n. H\u00e4nell\u00e4 on toinen\nmit\u00e4 kallisarvoisin aarre, voimavy\u00f6, ja kun h\u00e4n sen sitoo ymp\u00e4rilleen,\ntulee h\u00e4nen jumalallinen voimansa puolta suuremmaksi. Kolmas suuri\nkalleus, mik\u00e4 h\u00e4nell\u00e4 on, ovat rautahansikkaat, ilman niit\u00e4 ei h\u00e4n voi\ntarttua vasaran varteen. Mutta ei kukaan ole niin viisas, ett\u00e4 voisi\nkertoa kaikki h\u00e4nen mainetekonsa; mutta sanoa voin sinulle, ett\u00e4 kest\u00e4\u00e4\nkauvan aikaa, ennenkuin on kerrottu kaikki, mit\u00e4 min\u00e4 tied\u00e4n.\"\n21. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Tahtoisin saada tietoja useammista\nAasoista.\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Toinen Odinin pojista on Baldr, ja h\u00e4nest\u00e4\non vain hyv\u00e4\u00e4 kerrottavaa. H\u00e4n on paras ja h\u00e4nt\u00e4 rakastavat kaikki,\nh\u00e4n on niin kaunis ulkomuodoltaan ja niin vaalea, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nest\u00e4\ns\u00e4teilee valoa. Er\u00e4s kasvi (Matricaria inodora, saunakukka) on niin\nvalkoinen, ett\u00e4 sit\u00e4 verrataan Baldr'in kulmakarvoihin, se on\nkaikkein valkein kasvi, ja siit\u00e4 voit p\u00e4\u00e4tt\u00e4\u00e4 h\u00e4nen kauneutensa sek\u00e4\ntukan- ett\u00e4 ihonv\u00e4riin n\u00e4hden. H\u00e4n on viisain Aasoista ja kaunopuheisin\nja armeliain, mutta h\u00e4nell\u00e4 on se ominaisuus, ettei mik\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4nen\ntuomioistaan voi kallistua (puolueellisesti). H\u00e4n asuu Breidablik'iss\u00e4,\njoka on taivaalla, siin\u00e4 paikassa ei saa olla mit\u00e4\u00e4n saastaista.\"\n22. \"Kolmas Aasa on nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n Njordr, h\u00e4n asuu taivaalla paikassa,\njonka nimi on N\u00f3at\u00fan (laivavalkama), h\u00e4n m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4\u00e4 tuulen suunnan ja\nhillitsee meren ja tuulen, h\u00e4nt\u00e4 tulee huutaa avuksi merenkulkuun ja\nkalastukseen. H\u00e4n on niin voimakas ja rikas, ett\u00e4 voi antaa sek\u00e4 maata\nett\u00e4 irtainta omaisuutta niille, jotka h\u00e4nt\u00e4 rukoilevat, ja h\u00e4nt\u00e4\ntulee avuksi huutaa niiden saavuttamiseksi. Njordr ei ole Aasa-sukua,\nh\u00e4net kasvatettiin Vanaheimiss\u00e4 (Vanein kodissa), mutta Vanit antoivat\nh\u00e4net sotavangiksi jumalille ja ottivat sijaan sotavangin nimelt\u00e4\nH\u00f6nir, h\u00e4n sai aikaan sovinnon jumalien ja Vanien v\u00e4lille. Njordilla\non vaimona Thjaza-j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isen tyt\u00e4r nimelt\u00e4 Skadi. Skadi tahtoo asua\nsiin\u00e4 paikassa, jonka h\u00e4nen is\u00e4ns\u00e4 oli omistanut, se on muutamilla\ntuntureilla ja sen nimi on Thrymheimr (Kohinan koti), mutta Njordr\ntahtoo olla l\u00e4hell\u00e4 merta. He sopivat siit\u00e4, ett\u00e4 he olisivat yhdeks\u00e4n\ny\u00f6t\u00e4 Thrymheimiss\u00e4 ja sitten toista yhdeks\u00e4n y\u00f6t\u00e4 N\u00f3at\u00fan'issa. Mutta\nkun Njordr tuli takaisin N\u00f3at\u00fan'iin tuntureilta, lausui h\u00e4n t\u00e4m\u00e4n:\n'Ik\u00e4v\u00e4t olivat minusta tunturit, en ollut niill\u00e4 kauan, ainoastaan\nyhdeks\u00e4n y\u00f6t\u00e4; susien ulvonta kuulosti minusta pahalta verraten\njoutsenen lauluun.' Silloin lausui Skadi t\u00e4m\u00e4n: 'En voinut nukkua meren\nrannalla lintujen huudoilta; joka aamu her\u00e4tti minut lokki ulapalta\ntullen.' Silloin l\u00e4hti Skadi yl\u00f6s tuntureille ja asui Thrymheimiss\u00e4, ja\nh\u00e4n hiiht\u00e4\u00e4 usein ja ampuu mets\u00e4nriistaa jousellaan, h\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4 on\nOndurgod (Hiihdonjumala) eli Ondurdis (Hiihdonjumalatar).\"\n23. \"Njordr sai sitten N\u00f3at\u00fan'issa kaksi lasta, toisen nimi oli Freyr\nja tytt\u00e4ren Freyja, he olivat kaunismuotoisia ja voimakkaita. Freyr on\nkorkein Aasoista, h\u00e4nen vallassaan ovat sade ja p\u00e4iv\u00e4npaiste ja siten\nmaankasvu, ja h\u00e4nt\u00e4 on rukoiltava vuodentulon ja rauhan jumalana.\nH\u00e4nen vallassaan on my\u00f6s ihmisten rikkaus. Mutta Freyja on t\u00e4rkein\njumalattarista, h\u00e4nen on se paikka taivaalla, jonka nimi on Folkvangr,\nja miss\u00e4 h\u00e4n ratsastaa taisteluun, saa h\u00e4n puolet kaatuneista, mutta\nOdinn toisen puolen. -- H\u00e4nen salinsa on Sessr\u00famnir, se on suuri\nja uljas. Mutta kun h\u00e4n matkustaa, ajaa h\u00e4n kissoillaan ja istuu\nvaunuissa. H\u00e4n on aulein avuksi huudeltaessa, ja h\u00e4nen nimest\u00e4\u00e4n\njohtuu kunnianimi fr\u00f3va (rouva), jolla mahtavia naisia kutsutaan.\nH\u00e4nt\u00e4 miellytt\u00e4v\u00e4t suuresti rakkauslaulut, h\u00e4nt\u00e4 on hyv\u00e4 rukoilla\nlemmenasioissa.\"\n24. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Voimakkailta tuntuvat minusta n\u00e4m\u00e4 Aasat,\neik\u00e4 ole kumma, ett\u00e4 teill\u00e4 on suuri valta, kun tunnette niin hyvin\njumalat ja tied\u00e4tte, kenen puoleen kulloinkin k\u00e4\u00e4nty\u00e4 rukouksella.\nMutta onko viel\u00e4 muita jumalia?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Viel\u00e4 on jumala,\njonka nimi on T\u00fdr, h\u00e4n on rohkein ja urhein ja h\u00e4n ratkaisee voiton\ntaisteluissa, t\u00e4t\u00e4 jumalaa tulee urhojen rukoilla. On olemassa\nsananparsi, ett\u00e4 se on t\u00fdhraustr (urhoollinen kuin T\u00fdr), joka on muita\nrohkeampi eik\u00e4 s\u00e4iky mit\u00e4\u00e4n. H\u00e4n on my\u00f6s viisas, niin ett\u00e4 sanotaan\nmy\u00f6s, ett\u00e4 se on t\u00fdspakr (viisas kuin T\u00fdr), joka on viisain. Muuan\nmerkki h\u00e4nen urhoollisuudestaan on, ett\u00e4 kun Aasat houkuttelivat\nFenris\u00falfin (suorisukkosuden) antamaan sitoa itsens\u00e4 Gleipnir-nimisell\u00e4\nkahleella, ei h\u00e4n uskonut heit\u00e4, ett\u00e4 he p\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4isiv\u00e4t h\u00e4net, ennenkuin\nhe panivat h\u00e4nen suuhunsa pantiksi T\u00fdr'in k\u00e4den. Mutta kun Aasat\neiv\u00e4t tahtoneet p\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4\u00e4k\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4nt\u00e4, purasi h\u00e4n k\u00e4den poikki kohdalta,\njonka nimi nyt on \u00falflidr (sudenj\u00e4sen, ranne). Siit\u00e4 saakka on T\u00fdr\ntoisk\u00e4tinen, eik\u00e4 h\u00e4nt\u00e4 lueta niihin, jotka voivat sovittaa ihmisi\u00e4.\"\n25. \"Bragi on er\u00e4\u00e4n nimi. H\u00e4n on kuuluisa viisaudestaan ja eritt\u00e4inkin\nkaunopuheisuudestaan ja sukkeluudestaan. H\u00e4n on taitavin runoilemaan,\nja h\u00e4nen mukaansa kutsutaan runoutta nimell\u00e4 bragr ja h\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4\nmukaan kutsutaan my\u00f6s nimell\u00e4 bragr naisten ja miesten joukossa sit\u00e4,\njoka on muita naisia tai miehi\u00e4 kaunopuheisempi. H\u00e4nen vaimonsa on\nIdunn, t\u00e4m\u00e4 s\u00e4ilytt\u00e4\u00e4 lippaassaan niit\u00e4 omenia, joita jumalat saavat\nmaistaa, kun he vanhenevat, ja silloin he kaikki tulevat nuoriksi. N\u00e4in\non k\u00e4yv\u00e4 aina jumalten h\u00e4myyn (Ragna-r\u00f6kr) asti.\" -- Silloin sanoi\nGangleri: \"Minusta jumalat luottavat liiaksi Idunin uskollisuuteen ja\nhuolenpitoon.\" -- Silloin sanoi H\u00e1rr hym\u00e4ht\u00e4en: \"V\u00e4h\u00e4lt\u00e4p\u00e4 piti kerran,\nettei k\u00e4ynyt huonosti; voin kertoa siit\u00e4, mutta saat nyt ensin kuulla\nuseampia Aasojen nimi\u00e4.\"\n26. \"Heimdallr on er\u00e4\u00e4n nimi, h\u00e4nt\u00e4 kutsutaan nimell\u00e4 Hv\u00edti-\u00e1ss\n(valkea Aasa). H\u00e4n on mahtava ja pyh\u00e4, h\u00e4net synnytti yhdeks\u00e4n impe\u00e4,\njotka kaikki olivat sisaruksia. H\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4 on my\u00f6s Hallinsk\u00eddi ja\nGullintanni, h\u00e4nen hampaansa olivat n\u00e4et kullasta. H\u00e4nen hevosensa\nnimi on Gulltopr. H\u00e4n asuu Himinbjorg- nimisess\u00e4 paikassa Bifrost'in\nluona ja on jumalien vartija istuen taivaanrannalla ja suojellen siltaa\nvuorij\u00e4ttil\u00e4isilt\u00e4. H\u00e4n tarvitsee unta v\u00e4hemm\u00e4n kuin lintu ja n\u00e4kee\nyht\u00e4l\u00e4isesti y\u00f6ll\u00e4 kuin p\u00e4iv\u00e4ll\u00e4kin satoja peninkulmia eteens\u00e4, h\u00e4n\nkuulee my\u00f6s, kuinka ruoho kasvaa maassa tai villa lampaissa ja kaiken\nsen, mik\u00e4 kuuluu \u00e4\u00e4nekk\u00e4\u00e4mm\u00e4lt\u00e4. H\u00e4nell\u00e4 on torvi, jonka nimi on\nGjallarhorn, ja h\u00e4nen toitotuksensa kuuluu koko maailmassa. Heimdallin\ns\u00e4il\u00e4n nimi on 'ihmisenp\u00e4\u00e4'.\"\n27. \"Hodr on er\u00e4\u00e4n Aasan nimi, h\u00e4n on sokea ja erinomaisen v\u00e4kev\u00e4,\nmutta jumalat soisivat, ettei t\u00e4t\u00e4 Aasaa tarvitsisi mainita, sill\u00e4\nh\u00e4nen k\u00e4ttens\u00e4 teko tulee kauvan s\u00e4ilym\u00e4\u00e4n jumalien ja ihmisten\nmuistissa.\"\n28. \"Vidarr on er\u00e4\u00e4n nimi ja my\u00f6s Thogli-\u00e1ss (vaitelias Aasa). H\u00e4nell\u00e4\non paksu kenk\u00e4 ja h\u00e4n on Th\u00f3rin j\u00e4lkeen voimakkain ja h\u00e4nest\u00e4 on\njumalille suurta apua kaikissa vaaroissa.\"\n29. \"\u00e1li eli V\u00e1li on er\u00e4\u00e4n nimi, h\u00e4n on Odinin ja Rindr-neidon poika ja\nurhea taisteluissa sek\u00e4 sangen tarkka ampuja.\"\n30. \"Ullr on er\u00e4\u00e4n nimi, h\u00e4n on Sif'in poika ja Th\u00f3rin poikapuoli. H\u00e4n\non niin taitava jousimies ja hiiht\u00e4j\u00e4, ettei kukaan voi kilpailla h\u00e4nen\nrinnallaan. H\u00e4n on my\u00f6s kaunis muodoltaan ja h\u00e4nell\u00e4 on sotilaan ryhti.\nH\u00e4nt\u00e4 tulee rukoilla kaksintaisteluissa.\"\n31. \"Forseti on Baldr'in ja Nannan Nep'intytt\u00e4ren pojan nimi. H\u00e4nen on\nse paikka taivaalla, jonka nimi on Glitnir. Kaikki, jotka riitaisissa\noikeusasioissa tulevat h\u00e4nen luokseen, l\u00e4htev\u00e4t sielt\u00e4 sovussa, se on\nparas tuomioistuin jumalille ja ihmisille.\"\n32. \"Viel\u00e4 luetaan Aasoihin h\u00e4net, jota muutamat kutsuvat Aasojen\npanettelijaksi ja viekkauden is\u00e4ksi ja kaikkien jumalien ja\nihmisten h\u00e4pe\u00e4ksi. H\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4 on Loki eli Loptr ja h\u00e4n on\nF\u00e1rbauti-j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isen poika, h\u00e4nen \u00e4itins\u00e4 nimi on Laufey eli N\u00e1l, h\u00e4nen\nveljens\u00e4 ovat B\u00fdleistr ja Helblindi (Manan sokea). Loki on kaunis ja\nmuhkea muodoltaan, h\u00e4ijy mielelt\u00e4\u00e4n ja sangen vaihteleva luonteeltaan.\nH\u00e4nell\u00e4 on enemm\u00e4n kuin muilla sit\u00e4 taitoa, jonka nimi on viekkaus, ja\nkyky\u00e4 kaikkeen, h\u00e4n saattoi Aasat usein mit\u00e4 suurimpaan h\u00e4t\u00e4\u00e4n, mutta\nauttoi heit\u00e4 my\u00f6s usein viekkaudella. H\u00e4nen vaimonsa nimi on Sigyn,\nheid\u00e4n poikansa on Nari eli Narfi.\"\n33. \"Viel\u00e4 on Lokilla muita lapsia. Angrboda-niminen oli er\u00e4s\nj\u00e4ttil\u00e4isnainen Jotunheimist\u00e4, h\u00e4nen kanssaan sai Loki kolme lasta,\nyksi oli Fenris\u00falfr, toinen Jormungandr -- se on Midgardin k\u00e4\u00e4rme --,\nkolmas on Hel. Kun jumalat saivat tiet\u00e4\u00e4, ett\u00e4 n\u00e4it\u00e4 kolmea sisarusta\nkasvatettiin Jotunheimiss\u00e4, ja tutkimalla ennustuksia huomasivat,\nett\u00e4 n\u00e4ist\u00e4 sisaruksista tulisi heille paljon onnettomuutta, ja koska\nsaattoi odottaa kaikkea pahaa heist\u00e4 ensiksikin \u00e4idin puolelta ja\nviel\u00e4 pahempaa is\u00e4n puolelta, niin l\u00e4hetti Alfodr jumalat ottamaan\nlapset ja tuomaan ne h\u00e4nelle. Ja kun ne tulivat h\u00e4nen luokseen, heitti\nh\u00e4n k\u00e4\u00e4rmeen siihen syv\u00e4\u00e4n mereen, joka ymp\u00e4r\u00f6i koko maata, ja t\u00e4m\u00e4\nk\u00e4\u00e4rme kasvoi niin, ett\u00e4 se makaa keskell\u00e4 merta ymp\u00e4ri maan ja puree\npyrst\u00f6\u00e4\u00e4n. Hel'in heitti h\u00e4n Niflheimiin ja antoi h\u00e4nelle vallan\nyhdeks\u00e4n maailman yli ja h\u00e4nen tuli osoittaa olinpaikka kaikille,\njotka l\u00e4hetettiin h\u00e4nen luokseen, kaikille sairaudesta tai vanhuudesta\nkuolleille. H\u00e4nell\u00e4 on siell\u00e4 suuria taloja, ja h\u00e4nen talonsa ovat\nsangen korkeita ja porttinsa suuria; \u00e9lj\u00fadnir (kurjuus) on h\u00e4nen\nsalinsa nimi, n\u00e4lk\u00e4 on h\u00e4nen vatinsa, n\u00e4l\u00e4nh\u00e4t\u00e4 veitsens\u00e4, Ganglati\n(hidas) on h\u00e4nen miesorjansa, Ganglot (vitkasteleva) naisorjansa,\nFallanda-forad (luhistuminen) kynnys, jonka yli astutaan sis\u00e4lle, Kor\n(sairaus) vuode, Blikjanda-bol (loistava kurjuus) h\u00e4nen vuodeverhonsa.\nH\u00e4n on puoleksi musta, puoleksi ihonv\u00e4rinen, siksi on h\u00e4net helppo\ntuntea, h\u00e4n on my\u00f6s sangen inhottava ja kauhea.\"\n\"Sutta kasvattivat Aasat kotona, T\u00fdr yksin rohkeni menn\u00e4 viem\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4nelle\nruokaa. Mutta kun jumalat n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t, kuinka paljon h\u00e4n p\u00e4ivitt\u00e4in\nkasvoi, ja kun kaikki ennustukset tiesiv\u00e4t, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4tty\nheille tuhoksi, p\u00e4\u00e4ttiv\u00e4t Aasat valmistaa sangen lujat kahleet, jotka\nhe nimittiv\u00e4t L\u00f6ding'iksi, ja veiv\u00e4t ne suden luo ja k\u00e4skiv\u00e4t h\u00e4nen\nkoetella voimiaan kahleissa. Susi ei katsonut kahleita itselleen\nylivoimaisiksi ja antoi tehd\u00e4 niill\u00e4, mit\u00e4 he tahtoivat. Mutta ensi\nkerralla, kun susi oikaisi itsens\u00e4, murtuivat kahleet, siten vapautui\nh\u00e4n L\u00f6ding'ist\u00e4. Sitten tekiv\u00e4t Aasat toiset kahleet, puolta lujemmat,\njotka he kutsuivat nimell\u00e4 Dr\u00f3mi, ja k\u00e4skiv\u00e4t suden viel\u00e4 koetella\nniit\u00e4 ja sanoivat, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n tulisi sangen kuuluisaksi voimastaan, ellei\nsellainen takoteos voisi h\u00e4nt\u00e4 pid\u00e4tt\u00e4\u00e4. Mutta susi ajatteli, ett\u00e4\nn\u00e4m\u00e4 kahleet olivat sangen lujat, mutta my\u00f6s, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nen voimansa oli\nkasvanut, sittenkun h\u00e4n mursi L\u00f6ding'in h\u00e4n ajatteli my\u00f6s, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nen\noli antauduttava vaaraan, jos mieli tulla kuuluisaksi ja antoi panna\nitsens\u00e4 kahleisiin. Ja kun Aasat sanoivat niiden olevan kunnossa,\npudisteli susi itse\u00e4\u00e4n, iski kahleet maata vasten ja ponnisteli\nhurjasti, oikaisi itsens\u00e4 ja mursi kahleet, niin ett\u00e4 sirpaleet\nsinkoilivat et\u00e4\u00e4lle, siten vapautui se Dr\u00f3mi'sta. Sittemmin on tullut\nsananparreksi, ett\u00e4 jokin 'p\u00e4\u00e4stet\u00e4\u00e4n L\u00f6ding'ist\u00e4' tai 'vapautetaan\nDr\u00f3mi'sta', kun jotain tehd\u00e4\u00e4n suurella ponnistuksella. Sen j\u00e4lkeen\npelk\u00e4siv\u00e4t jumalat, etteiv\u00e4t he saisi sutta sidotuksi, ja Alfodr\nl\u00e4hetti silloin sen, jonka nimi on Skirnir, Freyn l\u00e4hettil\u00e4\u00e4n alas\nSvart\u00e1lfaheimiin (Mustien keijukaisten kotiin) muutamien k\u00e4\u00e4pi\u00f6itten\nluo ja teetti kahleet, joiden nimi on Gleipnir, ne oli tehty kuudesta\neri lajista: kissan astunnan kaiusta, naisen parrasta, vuoren juurista,\nkarhun j\u00e4nteist\u00e4, kalan hengityksest\u00e4 ja linnun syljest\u00e4. Ja vaikket\nentiselt\u00e4\u00e4n tiet\u00e4isik\u00e4\u00e4n t\u00e4t\u00e4 kertomusta, niin saat pian todistuksia\nsiit\u00e4, ettei sinulle ole valehdeltu; lieneth\u00e4n n\u00e4hnyt, ettei naisilla\nole partaa, eik\u00e4 kissan juoksusta synny \u00e4\u00e4nt\u00e4, eik\u00e4 vuoren alla ole\njuuria. Totta tosiaan, yht\u00e4 totta on kaikki, mit\u00e4 olen sinulle sanonut,\njoskin muutamat n\u00e4ist\u00e4 seikoista ovat sinulle tuntemattomia.\" --\nSilloin sanoi Gangleri: \"T\u00e4m\u00e4n voin tosiaan ymm\u00e4rt\u00e4\u00e4 todeksi, voin\nhavaita sen, mink\u00e4 nyt olet ottanut todisteeksi, mutta miten taottiin\nkahleet?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Sen voin kyll\u00e4 sanoa sinulle. Kahleet\ntulivat sile\u00e4t ja taipuisat kuin silkkinauha, mutta niin lujat ja\nvahvat kuin nyt saat kuulla. Kun kahleet vietiin Aasoille, kiittiv\u00e4t\nhe l\u00e4hettil\u00e4st\u00e4, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli hyvin toimittanut teht\u00e4v\u00e4ns\u00e4. Silloin\nl\u00e4htiv\u00e4t Aasat j\u00e4rvelle, jonka nimi on \u00e1msvartnir ja saareen, jota\nkutsutaan nimell\u00e4 Lyngvi, ja kutsuivat suden mukaansa, n\u00e4yttiv\u00e4t\nh\u00e4nelle silkkinauhan ja k\u00e4skiv\u00e4t h\u00e4nen katkaista sen ja sanoivat sen\nolevan hiukan lujemman kuin mit\u00e4 olisi voinut p\u00e4\u00e4tt\u00e4\u00e4 sen paksuudesta.\nHe ojensivat sen toinen toisilleen ja koettelivat k\u00e4sivoimin sen\nlujuutta, eik\u00e4 se katkennut, mutta he arvelivat, ett\u00e4 susi ehk\u00e4 sent\u00e4\u00e4n\nsaattaisi sen katkaista. Silloin vastasi susi: 'Silt\u00e4 minusta n\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4\nt\u00e4m\u00e4 nauha kuin en saavuttaisi mit\u00e4\u00e4n mainetta, vaikka katkaisisinkin\nniin kapean nauhan, mutta jos se on tehty viisaudella ja taidolla,\nvaikka n\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4kin v\u00e4h\u00e4p\u00e4t\u00f6iselt\u00e4, niin ei se nauha tule milloinkaan\njalkoihini.' Silloin sanoivat Aasat, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n pian katkaisisi\nsilkkinauhan, koska h\u00e4n ennen oli murtanut suuret rautakahleet. 'Mutta\njollet saa katkaistuksi t\u00e4t\u00e4 nauhaa, silloin et voi s\u00e4ikytt\u00e4\u00e4 jumalia,\nja me p\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4mme sinut silloin.' Susi sanoi: 'Jos te sidotte minut,\nniin etten min\u00e4 saa itse\u00e4ni p\u00e4\u00e4stetyksi, silloin te viekkaasti kyll\u00e4\najattelette, ett\u00e4 minun on my\u00f6h\u00e4ist\u00e4 saada teilt\u00e4 apua. Min\u00e4 olen\nhaluton antamaan sitoa itseni t\u00e4ll\u00e4 nauhalla, mutta mieluummin kuin\nett\u00e4 syyt\u00e4tte minua arkuudesta, pankoon joku teist\u00e4 k\u00e4tens\u00e4 suuhuni\ntakeeksi siit\u00e4, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 tapahtuu vilpitt\u00f6m\u00e4sti.' Kaikki Aasat\nkatselivat toisiaan ja huomasivat nyt vaikeuden kaksinkertaiseksi,\neik\u00e4 kukaan tahtonut ojentaa k\u00e4tt\u00e4\u00e4n, kunnes T\u00fdr ojensi oikean k\u00e4tens\u00e4\nja pani sen suden suuhun. Mutta kun susi ponnisti, lujittui nauha, ja\nkuta ankarammin h\u00e4n huitoi, sit\u00e4 kire\u00e4mpi oli nauha. Silloin hymyiliv\u00e4t\nkaikki paitsi T\u00fdr; h\u00e4n menetti k\u00e4tens\u00e4. Kun Aasat n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t, ett\u00e4 susi\noli t\u00e4ydellisesti sidottu, ottivat he k\u00f6yden nimelt\u00e4 Gelgja, joka l\u00e4hti\nkahleista ja pujottivat sen suuren paaden l\u00e4pi -- sen nimi oli Gjoll --\nja kiinnittiv\u00e4t paaden syv\u00e4lle maahan. Sitten ottivat he suuren kiven\nja ty\u00f6nsiv\u00e4t sen viel\u00e4 syvemm\u00e4lle maahan -- sen nimi oli Thviti -- ja\npitiv\u00e4t sitten t\u00e4t\u00e4 kive\u00e4 liekapaaluna. Susi aukoi kitaansa kauheasti,\nriehui ja tahtoi purra heit\u00e4; he ty\u00f6nsiv\u00e4t h\u00e4nen suuhunsa miekan, jonka\nkahva koskettaa suden alaleukaa ja k\u00e4rki kitalakea, se on h\u00e4nell\u00e4 suun\nsalpana. H\u00e4n ulvoo ilke\u00e4sti, ja h\u00e4nen suustansa valuu kuolaa: se on\njoki, jonka nimi on V\u00e1n. Siell\u00e4 h\u00e4n makaa Ragna-r\u00f6kr'iin asti.\" --\nSilloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Loki oli saanut pahoja lapsia, mutta kaikki\nn\u00e4m\u00e4 sisarukset ovat hyvin merkillisi\u00e4. Miksi eiv\u00e4t Aasat surmanneet\nsutta, kun heill\u00e4 on odotettavana tuhoa siit\u00e4?\" -- H\u00e1rr vastasi:\n\"Jumalat kunnioittavat siksi paljon pyh\u00e4k\u00f6it\u00e4\u00e4n ja rauhoitettuja\npaikkojaan, etteiv\u00e4t he tahtoneet h\u00e4v\u00e4ist\u00e4 niit\u00e4 suden verell\u00e4, vaikka\nennustus tiet\u00e4\u00e4, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nest\u00e4 on tuleva Odinin surma.\"\n34. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Mitk\u00e4 ovat nais-Aasat?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi:\n\"Frigg on korkein. H\u00e4n omistaa talon nimelt\u00e4 Fensalir, joka on ihmeen\nuhkea. Toinen on S\u00e1ga. H\u00e4n asuu S\u00f6kkvabekk'issa, joka on suuri sali.\nKolmas on Eir, h\u00e4n on paras l\u00e4\u00e4k\u00e4ri. Nelj\u00e4s on Gefjun, h\u00e4n on impi\nja h\u00e4nt\u00e4 palvelevat kaikki ne, jotka kuolevat neitoina. Viides on\nFulla, h\u00e4n on my\u00f6s impi ja kulkee hiukset hajallaan ja kultarihma\np\u00e4\u00e4n ymp\u00e4rill\u00e4. H\u00e4n kantaa Frigg'in lipasta ja pit\u00e4\u00e4 huolta h\u00e4nen\nkeng\u00e4nnauhoistaan sek\u00e4 on osallisena h\u00e4nen salaisessa neuvostossaan.\nKuudes, Freyja on t\u00e4rkein Frigg'in rinnalla. H\u00e4n meni naimisiin\nmiehen kanssa, jonka nimi on \u00f3dr, heid\u00e4n tytt\u00e4rens\u00e4 on Hnoss, h\u00e4n on\nniin kaunis, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4 mukaan kutsutaan kaikkea kaunista\nja kallisarvoista sanalla hnoss. Odr l\u00e4hti pitkille matkoille,\nmutta Freyja suri h\u00e4nt\u00e4, h\u00e4nen kyyneleens\u00e4 ovat puhdasta kultaa.\nFreyjalla on monta nime\u00e4, syyn\u00e4 siihen on, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n kutsui itse\u00e4\u00e4n\neri nimill\u00e4 kulkiessaan tuntemattomien kansakuntien keskuudessa\netsim\u00e4ss\u00e4 Odia. H\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4 on Mardoll ja Horn, Gefn, S\u00fdr. Freyja\nomisti Br\u00edsingamen-nimisen koristeen. H\u00e4nt\u00e4 kutsutaan my\u00f6s nimell\u00e4\nVanad\u00eds. Seitsem\u00e4s on Sjofn, h\u00e4n koettaa taivuttaa ihmisten, naisten\nja miesten mielet rakkauteen, ja h\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4 mukaan kutsutaan\nrakkautta sanalla sjafni. Kahdeksas on Lofn, h\u00e4n on niin lempe\u00e4 ja\nhyv\u00e4 avuksi huutaa, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n saa Alfodr'ilta tai Frigg'ilt\u00e4 luvan\nyhdist\u00e4\u00e4 ihmisi\u00e4, naisia ja miehi\u00e4, vaikka se ennakolta n\u00e4ytt\u00e4isikin\nestetylt\u00e4 ja kielletylt\u00e4. H\u00e4nen nimest\u00e4\u00e4n on lof (lupa) sana syntynyt\nja samoin ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n on suuresti ihmisten ylist\u00e4m\u00e4 (lofud). Yhdeks\u00e4s\non V\u00e1r, h\u00e4n kuulee ihmisten valat ja ne sopimukset, joita naiset ja\nmiehet kesken\u00e4\u00e4n tekev\u00e4t. Siksi kutsutaan sellaisia asioita nimell\u00e4\n'v\u00e1rar'. H\u00e4n rankaisee my\u00f6s ne, jotka rikkovat valansa. Kymmenes on\nVor, h\u00e4n on viisas ja kyselyhaluinen, niin ettei mik\u00e4\u00e4n voi pysy\u00e4\nh\u00e4nelt\u00e4 salassa. On olemassa sananparsi, ett\u00e4 nainen tulee jonkun asian\nsuhteen 'vor', kun h\u00e4n saa tiet\u00e4\u00e4 sen. Yhdestoista on Syn, h\u00e4n vartioi\ntalon ovea ja sulkee sen niilt\u00e4, joiden ei tule p\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4 sis\u00e4lle. H\u00e4net\non pantu k\u00e4r\u00e4jill\u00e4 niiden asioiden puolustajaksi, jotka h\u00e4n tahtoo\nlievent\u00e4\u00e4. Siksi onkin olemassa sananparsi, ett\u00e4 pannaan 'syn' eteen,\nkun joku kielt\u00e4\u00e4 rikollisuutensa. Kahdestoista on Hl\u00edn, h\u00e4net on\npantu suojaksi niille ihmisille, jotka Frigg tahtoo pelastaa jostakin\nvaarasta. Siit\u00e4 johtuu sananparsi, ett\u00e4 se, joka pelastuu, 'nojautuu'\n(hleinir). Kolmastoista on Snotra, h\u00e4n on viisas ja kohtelias, h\u00e4nen\nnimens\u00e4 mukaan kutsutaan naista tai miest\u00e4, joka on kohtelias, 'snotr'.\nNelj\u00e4stoista on Gn\u00e1, h\u00e4net l\u00e4hett\u00e4\u00e4 Frigg eri maailmoihin asioilleen,\nja h\u00e4nell\u00e4 on hevonen, joka laukkaa ilman halki ja meren yli ja jonka\nnimi on H\u00f3fvarpnir. Kerran, kun h\u00e4n ratsasti, n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t muutamat Vanit\nh\u00e4nen kulkunsa ilmassa, silloin sanoi yksi heist\u00e4: 'Mik\u00e4 siell\u00e4 lent\u00e4\u00e4,\nmik\u00e4 siell\u00e4 kulkee ja ilman l\u00e4pi liukuu?' H\u00e4n vastasi: 'En lenn\u00e4,\nkumminkin kuljen ja liu'un ilman halki H\u00f3fvarpnir-hevosellani, jonka\nHamskerpir sai Gardrofa'n kanssa.' Gn\u00e1'n nimest\u00e4 johtuu, ett\u00e4 sanotaan:\nkohottautuu yl\u00f6sp\u00e4in (gn\u00e6far) sellaisesta, mik\u00e4 ulottuu korkealle. S\u00f3l\nja Bil lasketaan my\u00f6s Aasattarien joukkoon, mutta heid\u00e4n syntyper\u00e4st\u00e4\u00e4n\nonkin jo edell\u00e4 kerrottu.\"\n35. \"Viel\u00e4 on olemassa muita, joiden tulee palvella Valholl'issa,\nkantaa juomaa ja huolehtia p\u00f6yt\u00e4kaluista ja oluttuopeista, heit\u00e4\nnimitet\u00e4\u00e4n Gr\u00edmnism\u00e1l'issa seuraavasti: 'Hrist'in ja Mist'in tahdon\nitselleni sarvea kantavan. Skeggjold ja Skogul, Hildr ja Thr\u00fadr, Hlokk\nja Herfjotur, Goll ja Geirahod, Randgr\u00eddr ja R\u00e1dgr\u00eddr ja Reginleif\nkantavat Valholl'in sotureille olutta'.\"\n\"N\u00e4m\u00e4 ovat nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n Valkyyrioita (valkyrjur), heid\u00e4t l\u00e4hett\u00e4\u00e4 Odinn\njoka taisteluun, he valitsevat miehist\u00e4 ne, joiden tulee kaatua, ja\nheid\u00e4n vallassaan on voitto. Gudr ja R\u00f3ta ja nuorin Norna, jonka nimi\non Skuld, ratsastavat my\u00f6s aina valitsemaan kaatuvia ja ratkaisemaan\ntaistelua. Jord, Th\u00f3rin \u00e4iti ja Rindr, V\u00e1li'n \u00e4iti luetaan my\u00f6s\nnais-Aasoihin.\"\n36. \"Gymir oli er\u00e4\u00e4n miehen nimi, ja h\u00e4nen vaimonsa oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n\nAurboda, h\u00e4n oli vuorij\u00e4ttil\u00e4isten sukua. Heid\u00e4n tytt\u00e4rens\u00e4 oli\nGerdr, joka oli kaunein kaikista naisista. Er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 oli Freyr\nmennyt Hlidskj\u00e1lf'ille ja katseli kaikkia maailmoja. Mutta kun h\u00e4n\nkatsahti pohjoista kohden, n\u00e4ki h\u00e4n er\u00e4\u00e4ss\u00e4 kyl\u00e4ss\u00e4 suuren ja kauniin\nrakennuksen. T\u00e4h\u00e4n rakennukseen meni nainen, ja kun h\u00e4n kohotti\nk\u00e4sivartensa ja avasi oven, silloin v\u00e4l\u00e4hti loiste h\u00e4nen k\u00e4sivarsistaan\nsek\u00e4 ilmassa ett\u00e4 merell\u00e4, ja kaikki maailmat valkenivat h\u00e4nest\u00e4.\nSiten sai Freyr rangaistuksen siit\u00e4 julkeudesta, ett\u00e4 oli istuutunut\npyh\u00e4lle istuimelle, niin ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n l\u00e4hti pois harmistuneena. Ja kun\nh\u00e4n tuli kotiin, ei h\u00e4n puhunut, ei nukkunut eik\u00e4 juonut, eik\u00e4 kukaan\nuskaltanut puhutella h\u00e4nt\u00e4. Silloin kutsutti Njordr luokseen Freyn\npalvelijan, nimelt\u00e4 Skirnir, ja k\u00e4ski h\u00e4nen menn\u00e4 Freyn luo ja pyyt\u00e4\u00e4\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4 sanomaan, miksi h\u00e4n oli niin pahoillaan, ettei h\u00e4n puhunut\nkenenk\u00e4\u00e4n kanssa. Skirnir sanoi menev\u00e4ns\u00e4, mutta vastenmielisesti,\nja sanoi pahoja vastauksia olevan odotettavissa. Kun h\u00e4n tuli Freyn\nluo, kysyi h\u00e4n, miksi Freyr oli niin masentunut eik\u00e4 puhunut kenenk\u00e4\u00e4n\nkanssa. Silloin vastasi Freyr ja sanoi, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli n\u00e4hnyt kauniin\nnaisen ja oli h\u00e4nen t\u00e4htens\u00e4 niin murheissaan, ettei h\u00e4n voisi kauvaa\nel\u00e4\u00e4, ellei h\u00e4n saisi h\u00e4nt\u00e4 omakseen: 'ja nyt pit\u00e4\u00e4 sinun l\u00e4hte\u00e4\nkosimaan h\u00e4nt\u00e4 minun puolestani ja tuoda h\u00e4net t\u00e4nne, joko sitten h\u00e4nen\nis\u00e4ns\u00e4 tahtoo sit\u00e4 tai ei; kyll\u00e4 palkitsen sen sinulle hyvin.' Silloin\nvastasi Skirnir, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n suostuisi l\u00e4htem\u00e4\u00e4n l\u00e4hettil\u00e4smatkalle, mutta\nFreyn tulisi luovuttaa h\u00e4nelle miekkansa -- se oli niin oivallinen,\nett\u00e4 se iski itsest\u00e4\u00e4n -- ja Freyr suostui siihen ja antoi h\u00e4nelle\nmiekan. Silloin l\u00e4hti Skirnir, kosi naista h\u00e4nelle ja sai h\u00e4nen\nlupauksensa: yhdeks\u00e4n y\u00f6n per\u00e4st\u00e4 tulisi h\u00e4n Barrey-nimiseen paikkaan\nja viett\u00e4isi siell\u00e4 h\u00e4it\u00e4 Freyn kanssa. Mutta kun Skirnir sanoi\nFreylle toimittamansa asian, lausui t\u00e4m\u00e4 n\u00e4in: 'Pitk\u00e4 on y\u00f6, pitk\u00e4 on\ntoinen, kuinka jaksan odottaa kolmea? Usein tuntui minusta kuukausi\nlyhyemm\u00e4lt\u00e4 kuin t\u00e4m\u00e4n tuskaisen y\u00f6n puolikas.' T\u00e4m\u00e4 oli syyn\u00e4 siihen,\nett\u00e4 Freyr oli niin aseeton, kun h\u00e4n taisteli Beli'n kanssa ja tappoi\nh\u00e4net hirvensarvella.\" -- Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Olipa kumma, ett\u00e4\nsellainen p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6 kuin Freyr suostui antamaan pois miekan, jonka\nvertaista h\u00e4nell\u00e4 ei ollut toista, suunnaton vahinko se oli h\u00e4nelle,\nkun h\u00e4n taisteli Beli'n kanssa; totta tosiaan h\u00e4n silloin mahtoi katua\nt\u00e4t\u00e4 lahjoitustaan.\" -- Silloin vastasi H\u00e1rr: \"Se merkitsi v\u00e4h\u00e4n, ett\u00e4\nh\u00e4n otteli Beli'n kanssa, Freyr olisi voinut surmata h\u00e4net nyrkill\u00e4\u00e4n;\nmutta se aika on tuleva, jolloin Freyr kipe\u00e4mmin kaipaa miekkaansa, kun\nM\u00faspell'in pojat tulevat tuhoja tekem\u00e4\u00e4n.\"\n37. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Sin\u00e4 sanot, ett\u00e4 kaikki, jotka ovat\ntaistelussa kaatuneet maailman alusta, ovat nyt tulleet Odinin luo\nValholl'iin. Mit\u00e4 on h\u00e4nell\u00e4 antaa heille ravinnoksi, luulisin, ett\u00e4\nsiell\u00e4 on sangen suuri kansanpaljous?\" -- Silloin vastasi H\u00e1rr:\n\"Totta on, mit\u00e4 sanot, sangen suuri kansanpaljous on siell\u00e4 ja paljon\nenemm\u00e4n tulee siell\u00e4 viel\u00e4 olemaan ja kumminkin tulee n\u00e4ytt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n\nliian v\u00e4h\u00e4lt\u00e4, kun susi tulee. Mutta ei milloinkaan ole niin suurta\nkansanjoukkoa Valholl'issa, ett\u00e4 silt\u00e4 loppuisi sen sian silava,\njonka nimi on S\u00e4hr\u00edmnir. Se keitet\u00e4\u00e4n joka p\u00e4iv\u00e4, ja illalla on se\nj\u00e4lleen kokonainen. Mutta kysymys, jonka nyt teet, n\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4 minusta\nolevan sellainen, ett\u00e4 harvat lienev\u00e4t kyllin viisaita siihen oikein\nvastaamaan. Andhr\u00edmnir on keitt\u00e4j\u00e4n nimi ja Eldhr\u00edmnir kattilan.\"\nSilloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Onko Odinilla samaa ruokaa kuin Valholl'in\nsotureilla?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Ruuan, joka on h\u00e4nen p\u00f6yd\u00e4ll\u00e4\u00e4n, antaa h\u00e4n\nkahdelle sudelle, ne ovat h\u00e4nen ja niiden nimet ovat Geri ja Freki;\nmutta itse h\u00e4n ei tarvitse ruokaa, viini on h\u00e4nelle sek\u00e4 ruokana ett\u00e4\njuomana.\"\n\"Kaksi korppia istuu h\u00e4nen olkap\u00e4ill\u00e4\u00e4n ja ne sanovat h\u00e4nen korvaansa\nkaikki tapahtumat, mit\u00e4 he n\u00e4kev\u00e4t ja kuulevat, niiden nimet ovat\nHuginn ja Muninn. Ne l\u00e4hett\u00e4\u00e4 h\u00e4n p\u00e4iv\u00e4n sarastaessa lent\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n\nymp\u00e4ri koko maailmaa, ja ne palaavat takaisin aamiaiselle. Siten saa\nh\u00e4n tiet\u00e4\u00e4 monta asiaa, ja sen t\u00e4hden kutsutaan h\u00e4nt\u00e4 my\u00f6s nimell\u00e4\nHrafnagud (Korppienjumala).\"\n38. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Mit\u00e4 Valholl'in sotureilla on juotavana\nsellaista, jota riitt\u00e4\u00e4 yht\u00e4 runsaasti kuin ruokaa, vai juodaanko\nsiell\u00e4 vett\u00e4?\" -- Silloin sanoi H\u00e1rr: \"Kummallisesti kysyt nyt\nik\u00e4\u00e4nkuin Alfodr kutsuisi luokseen kuninkaita, jaarleja ja muita\nmahtavia miehi\u00e4 ja antaisi heille vett\u00e4 juoda -- totta tosiaan\nValholl'iin tulee moni, jonka mielest\u00e4 vesijuoma olisi kalliisti\nostettu, ellei siell\u00e4 olisi parempaa kestityst\u00e4 saatavana, sen j\u00e4lkeen\nkun ensin oli k\u00e4rsitty haavoja ja kipua, kunnes oli kuoltu. Voin kertoa\nsinulle muutakin sielt\u00e4. Heidr\u00fan-niminen vuohi seisoo Valholl'in\nyl\u00e4puolella ja pureskelee lehti\u00e4 kuuluisan L\u00e4radrpuun oksilta, ja sen\nutarista tiukkuu niin paljon simaa p\u00e4ivitt\u00e4in, ett\u00e4 siit\u00e4 t\u00e4yttyy\nastia, joka on niin suuri, ett\u00e4 kaikki Valholl'in soturit saavat siit\u00e4\njuoda kyll\u00e4kseen.\" -- Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Se vuohi on heille\nerinomaisen hy\u00f6dyllinen, ja ihmeen hyv\u00e4 mahtaa olla puu, josta se\nsy\u00f6.\" -- Silloin sanoi H\u00e1rr: \"Viel\u00e4 ihmeellisempi on hirvi Eikthyrnir,\njoka seisoo Valholl'issa ja sy\u00f6 saman puun lehti\u00e4. Sen sarvista\ntippuu niin paljon pisaroita, ett\u00e4 ne juoksevat alas Hvergelmiin,\nja niist\u00e4 syntyv\u00e4t joet, joiden nimet ovat: S\u00edd, V\u00edd, S\u00f6kin, Eikin,\nSvol, Gunnthr\u00e1, Fjorm, Fimbulthul, Gipul, Gopul, Gomul, Geirvimul;\nn\u00e4m\u00e4 virtaavat Aasojen alueen l\u00e4pi. Viel\u00e4 mainitaan n\u00e4m\u00e4: Thyn, V\u00edn,\nTholl, Holl, Gr\u00e1d, Gunnthr\u00e1in, Nyt, Not, Nonn, Hronn, V\u00edna, Vegsvinn,\nThj\u00f3dnuma.\"\n39. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Kummallisia ovat asiat, joita nyt kerrot.\nSuunnattoman suuri rakennus mahtaa Valholl olla, lienee usein ahdasta\nsen ovilla.\" -- Silloin vastasi H\u00e1rr: \"Miksi et kysy, montako ovea on\nsalissa, tai miten suuret ovet? Kun kuulet sen, silloin kyll\u00e4 sanot,\nett\u00e4 on ihme, ellei ken tahansa voi menn\u00e4 ulos ja sis\u00e4lle. Totta on,\nettei ole vaikeampaa saada paikkaa sis\u00e4ll\u00e4 kuin tulla sinne; t\u00e4ss\u00e4\nsaat kuulla, mit\u00e4 Grimnism\u00e1l'issa sanotaan: 'Viisisataa ovea ja\nnelj\u00e4kymment\u00e4 tied\u00e4n olevan Valholl'issa, kahdeksan sataa soturia menee\njoka ovesta, kun he l\u00e4htev\u00e4t taistelemaan sutta vastaan'.\"\n40. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Sangen suuri kansanpaljous on\nValholl'issa, totta tosiaan Odinn on mahtava p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6, koska h\u00e4n\njohtaa niin suurta sotajoukkoa. Mutta miten huvittelevat soturit\nsilloin, kun he eiv\u00e4t pid\u00e4 juominkia?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Joka p\u00e4iv\u00e4,\nkun he ovat pukeutuneet, asestautuvat he, menev\u00e4t pihamaalle, ja\ntaistelevat ja surmaavat toisiaan. Se on heid\u00e4n ajanvietett\u00e4\u00e4n, ja kun\ntulee aamiaisen aika, silloin ratsastavat he kotiin Valholl'iin ja\nistuutuvat juominkia pit\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n. -- Mutta totta on, mit\u00e4 sanoit, suuri\non Odinn, paljon on siit\u00e4 todistuksia; n\u00e4in kuuluvat Aasojen omat\nsanat: 'Yggdrasilin saarni on puista parahin ja Skidbladnir aluksista,\nOdinn Aasoista ja hevosista Sleipnir, Bifrost silloista ja Bragi\nrunoilijoista, H\u00e1br\u00f3k haukoista ja koirista Garmr'.\"\n41. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Kuka omistaa Sleipnir-hevosen, tai mit\u00e4\nsiit\u00e4 on sanottavaa?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Et sin\u00e4 tunne Sleipnir'i\u00e4 etk\u00e4\ntied\u00e4, miten se syntyi, mutta tulet huomaamaan, ett\u00e4 se on kertomisen\narvoista. Jumalien ensim\u00e4isen asutuksen aikana, kun he olivat luoneet\nMidgardin ja tehneet Valholl'in, tuli sinne rakennusmestari ja\ntarjoutui kolmen talven kuluessa tekem\u00e4\u00e4n heille niin hyv\u00e4n linnan,\nett\u00e4 se olisi luotettava suoja vuorij\u00e4ttil\u00e4isi\u00e4 ja j\u00e4\u00e4j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isi\u00e4\nvastaan, vaikka ne tulisivat Midgardin sis\u00e4puolellekin; mutta h\u00e4n vaati\npalkaksi Freyjan puolisokseen ja auringon ja kuun. Silloin vet\u00e4ytyiv\u00e4t\njumalat keskustelemaan ja neuvottelivat, ja rakennusmestarin kanssa\ntehtiin se sopimus, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n saisi sen, mit\u00e4 oli halunnut, jos\nh\u00e4n saisi linnan valmiiksi yhten\u00e4 talvena, mutta jos ensim\u00e4isen\u00e4\nkes\u00e4p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 joku kohta viel\u00e4 olisi tekem\u00e4tt\u00e4 linnasta, menett\u00e4isi\nh\u00e4n palkkansa. H\u00e4nen ei tulisi my\u00f6sk\u00e4\u00e4n pyyt\u00e4\u00e4 apua kelt\u00e4\u00e4n. Kun he\nesittiv\u00e4t h\u00e4nelle n\u00e4m\u00e4 ehdot, pyysi h\u00e4n heilt\u00e4 lupaa saada k\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4\napunaan Svadilfari nimist\u00e4 hevostaan ja Loki neuvoi my\u00f6nt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n sen\nh\u00e4nelle. Ensim\u00e4isen\u00e4 talvip\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 ryhtyi h\u00e4n rakentamaan linnaa,\nmutta \u00f6isin ved\u00e4tti h\u00e4n kivi\u00e4 hevosellaan, ja Aasoista tuntui hyvin\nihmeelliselt\u00e4, kuinka suuria kivim\u00f6hk\u00e4leit\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 hevonen veti, hevonen\nsuoritti puolta suuremman v\u00e4kity\u00f6n kuin rakennusmestari. Heid\u00e4n\nsopimuksensa oli monien todistajien lujilla valoilla vahvistettu,\nkoska j\u00e4ttil\u00e4iset eiv\u00e4t pit\u00e4neet turvallisena olla Aasojen luona ilman\ntakauksia, jos Th\u00f3rr tulisi kotiin; mutta silloin oli h\u00e4n l\u00e4htenyt\nit\u00e4\u00e4n noita turilaita h\u00e4vitt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n. Mutta talven l\u00e4hetess\u00e4 loppuaan\nedistyi linnanrakennusty\u00f6 rivakasti, ja linna oli niin korkea ja\nluja, ettei sit\u00e4 vastaan voinut tehd\u00e4 rynn\u00e4kk\u00f6\u00e4. Mutta kun oli en\u00e4\u00e4\nkolme p\u00e4iv\u00e4\u00e4 kes\u00e4\u00e4n, silloin ty\u00f6 oli edistynyt melkein linnanportille\nasti. Silloin istuivat jumalat tuomioistuimilleen ja neuvottelivat ja\nkyseliv\u00e4t toisiltaan, kuka oli neuvonut naittamaan Freyjan Jotunheimiin\nja turmelemaan ilman ja taivaan ottamalla sielt\u00e4 auringon ja kuun ja\nantamalla ne j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isille. Siit\u00e4 olivat kaikki yksimielisi\u00e4, ett\u00e4\nt\u00e4h\u00e4n oli mahtanut neuvoa h\u00e4n, joka neuvoo kaikkeen pahuuteen, Loki\nLaufey'npoika, ja sanoivat, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n olisi kovan kuoleman oma, ellei\nh\u00e4n keksisi keinoa, miten rakennusmestari menett\u00e4isi palkkansa, ja\nhe ahdistivat Lokia. Mutta kun h\u00e4n pel\u00e4styi, vannoi h\u00e4n valan, ett\u00e4\nh\u00e4n toimittaisi, ett\u00e4 rakennusmestari menett\u00e4isi palkkansa, maksoi\nniit\u00e4 maksoi. Ja samana iltana, kun rakennusmestari ajoi ulos kivi\u00e4\nnoutamaan Svadilfari-orhilla, huikkasi mets\u00e4st\u00e4 tamma orhiin luo ja\nhirnui sille; mutta kun orhi huomasi, mink\u00e4lainen hevonen se oli,\nhurjistui se, raastoi poikki kantohihnan ja laukkasi tamman luo. Mutta\nt\u00e4m\u00e4 juoksi mets\u00e4\u00e4n ja rakennusmestari j\u00e4lest\u00e4 ottamaan orhia kiinni.\nN\u00e4m\u00e4 hevoset laukkasivat koko y\u00f6n, ja rakennusmestari oli y\u00f6n mets\u00e4ss\u00e4,\nmutta seuraavana p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 ei tullutkaan niin paljoa rakennetuksi\nkuin ennen. Kun rakennusmestari n\u00e4ki, ettei ty\u00f6 tulisi valmiiksi,\nvaltasi h\u00e4net j\u00e4ttil\u00e4israivo; mutta kun Aasat n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t selv\u00e4sti, ett\u00e4\nh\u00e4n olikin vuorij\u00e4ttil\u00e4inen, silloin ei v\u00e4litetty valasta, vaan he\nkutsuivat Th\u00f3ria, ja silm\u00e4nr\u00e4p\u00e4yksess\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 tuli, ja sitten heilahti\nilmassa Mjollnirvasara. Silloin h\u00e4n maksoi rakennuspalkkion, ei\nauringolla eik\u00e4 kuulla, vaan h\u00e4n suvaitsematta h\u00e4nen asua Jotunheimiss\u00e4\nmusersi ensi iskulla h\u00e4nen kallonsa pieniksi siruiksi ja l\u00e4hetti\nh\u00e4net alas Niflheimiin. Mutta Loki oli kohdannut Svadilfari'n sill\u00e4\nseurauksella, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n jonkun aikaa my\u00f6hemmin sai varsan. Se oli harmaa\nja kahdeksanjalkainen ja on se hevosista paras jumalien ja ihmisten\nmailla.\"\n42. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Mit\u00e4 on kerrottavaa Skidbladnista, koska\nse on laivoista parhain, eik\u00f6 ole toista yht\u00e4 suurta laivaa kuin\nse?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Skidbladnir on paras laivoista ja suurimmalla\ntaituruudella tehty, mutta Naglfar on suurin laiva, sen omistaa\nM\u00faspell. Muutamat k\u00e4\u00e4pi\u00f6t, \u00edvaldi'n pojat, tekiv\u00e4t Skidbladnin ja\nantoivat aluksen Freylle. Se on niin suuri, ett\u00e4 kaikki Aasat voivat\nmahtua sinne aseineen ja varustuksineen, ja sill\u00e4 on my\u00f6t\u00e4tuuli niin\npian kuin purje on nostettu, mihin ik\u00e4n\u00e4 se on ohjattava; mutta\nsilloin, kun sill\u00e4 ei kuljeta merell\u00e4, voi sen k\u00e4\u00e4ri\u00e4 kokoon kuin\nvaatteen ja pit\u00e4\u00e4 sit\u00e4 kukkarossaan, niin monesta kappaleesta ja niin\nsuurella taidolla on se tehty.\"\n43. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Hyv\u00e4 laiva on Skidbladnir, mutta hyvin\npaljon taikataitoa tarvittaneen, ennenkuin sellainen ty\u00f6 suoritetaan.\nEik\u00f6 Th\u00f3rr milloinkaan ole tullut mihink\u00e4\u00e4n, miss\u00e4 h\u00e4n olisi tavannut\njotakin niin valtavaa ja vahvaa, ett\u00e4 se olisi ollut h\u00e4nelle\nylivoimaista v\u00e4kevyyteen ja taikataitoon n\u00e4hden?\" -- Silloin sanoi\nH\u00e1rr: \"Harvat tiet\u00e4v\u00e4t siit\u00e4 kertoa, mutta monesti on h\u00e4n kohdannut\nankaraa vastustusta, ja joskin niin olisi ollut, ett\u00e4 jotakin olisi\nollut niin voimakasta tai vahvaa, ettei Th\u00f3rr olisi voinut voittaa\nsit\u00e4, ei siit\u00e4 ole tarvis mainita, sill\u00e4 monet seikat todistavat,\nja kaikkien tulee uskoa, ett\u00e4 Th\u00f3rr on voimakkain.\" Silloin sanoi\nGangleri: \"Minusta tuntuu kuin olisivat n\u00e4m\u00e4 asiat, joita olen teilt\u00e4\nkysynyt, sellaisia, ettei kukaan voi niihin vastata.\" -- Silloin\nsanoi Jafnh\u00e1rr: \"Olemme kuulleet sanotuksi niist\u00e4 seikoista, jotka\ntuntuvat meist\u00e4 uskomattomilta, mutta t\u00e4ss\u00e4 l\u00e4hell\u00e4 istuu h\u00e4n, joka\ntiet\u00e4\u00e4 sanoa totuuden niist\u00e4, ja sinun tulee uskoa, ettei h\u00e4n nyt\nensikerran valehtele, kun ei h\u00e4n koskaan ennen ole valehdellut.\" --\nSilloin sanoi Gangleri: \"T\u00e4ss\u00e4 seison ja kuuntelen, tuleeko mit\u00e4\u00e4n\nvastausta kysymykseen, muussa tapauksessa selit\u00e4n teid\u00e4t voitetuiksi,\nellette osaa vastata kysymykseeni.\" -- Silloin sanoi Thridi: \"Ilmeist\u00e4\non nyt, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n tahtoo tiet\u00e4\u00e4 n\u00e4m\u00e4 kertomukset, vaikkei meist\u00e4 ole\nhyv\u00e4 niit\u00e4 kertoa. Se on t\u00e4m\u00e4n kertomuksen alku, ett\u00e4 oku-Th\u00f3rr l\u00e4hti\npukeillaan ja vaunuilla ja h\u00e4nen kanssaan Aasa, jonka nimi on Loki.\nIllalla he tulivat er\u00e4\u00e4n talonpojan luo ja saivat siell\u00e4 y\u00f6sijan.\nMutta illalla otti Th\u00f3rr pukkinsa ja teurasti molemmat, sen j\u00e4lkeen\nne nyljettiin ja kanneltiin kattilaan. Mutta kun ne oli keitetty,\nistui Th\u00f3rr tovereineen illalliselle. Th\u00f3rr kutsui ruualle kanssaan\ntalonpojan ja h\u00e4nen vaimonsa ja heid\u00e4n lapsensa, talonpojan pojan nimi\noli Thj\u00e1lfi ja tytt\u00e4ren Roskva. Sitten asetti Th\u00f3rr pukinnahat lieden\nviereen ja sanoi, ett\u00e4 talonpoika ja h\u00e4nen talonv\u00e4kens\u00e4 heitt\u00e4isiv\u00e4t\nluut pukinnahoille. Thj\u00e1lfi, talonpojan poika, piteli yht\u00e4 pukin\nlapaluuta ja katkaisi sen veitsell\u00e4\u00e4n ytimeen asti. Th\u00f3rr oli siell\u00e4\ny\u00f6t\u00e4, mutta juuri ennen p\u00e4iv\u00e4n sarastusta nousi h\u00e4n ja pukeutui,\notti Mjollnir-vasaran, heilautti sit\u00e4 ja pyhitti pukinnahat, silloin\npukit nousivat ja toinen niist\u00e4 ontui toisella takajalallaan. Sen\nhuomasi Th\u00f3rr ja sanoi, ett\u00e4 talonpoika tai h\u00e4nen talonv\u00e4kens\u00e4 olivat\nmahtaneet varomattomasti k\u00e4sitell\u00e4 pukinluita; h\u00e4n huomasi, ett\u00e4 lapa\noli murtunut. Ei tarvitse pitk\u00e4lti kuvailla, kaikki voivat ymm\u00e4rt\u00e4\u00e4,\nkuinka talonpoika lienee pelj\u00e4stynyt, kun h\u00e4n n\u00e4ki, ett\u00e4 Th\u00f3rr laski\nkulmakarvat silmilleen; mink\u00e4 h\u00e4n n\u00e4ki silmist\u00e4, oli h\u00e4nest\u00e4 kyll\u00e4ksi\nluhistamaan h\u00e4net maahan yksist\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4nen katseensa edess\u00e4. Th\u00f3rr\nkiersi k\u00e4tens\u00e4 vasaranvarren ymp\u00e4ri, niin ett\u00e4 rustot valkenivat,\nmutta talonpoika teki niinkuin saattoi odottaa ja koko h\u00e4nen\ntalonv\u00e4kens\u00e4: he huusivat \u00e4\u00e4nekk\u00e4\u00e4sti ja pyysiv\u00e4t armoa ja tarjosivat\nhyvitykseksi kaiken omaisuutensa. Mutta kun h\u00e4n n\u00e4ki heid\u00e4n pelkonsa,\nlauhtui h\u00e4nen vihansa ja h\u00e4n leppyi ja otti heilt\u00e4 sovinnoksi heid\u00e4n\nlapsensa Thj\u00e1lfi'n ja Roskva'n, joista silloin tuli h\u00e4nen velvolliset\npalvelijansa; ne seuraavat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 sittemmin alituisesti.\"\n44. \"Sinne j\u00e4tti Th\u00f3rr pukit ja l\u00e4hti it\u00e4\u00e4np\u00e4in Jotunheimiin aina\nmerelle asti ja sitten syv\u00e4n meren yli. Mutta kun h\u00e4n tuli rantaan,\nnousi h\u00e4n maihin ja h\u00e4nen kanssaan Loki ja Thj\u00e1lfi ja Roskva. Kun he\nolivat kulkeneet jonkun aikaa, tulivat he suureen mets\u00e4\u00e4n ja kulkivat\nsit\u00e4 koko p\u00e4iv\u00e4n pime\u00e4n tuloon asti. Thj\u00e1lfi oli nopsin kaikista,\nh\u00e4n kantoi Th\u00f3rin ev\u00e4spussia, mutta ruokatavaroista oli puute. Kun\ntuli pime\u00e4, etsiv\u00e4t he itselleen y\u00f6sijaa ja l\u00f6ysiv\u00e4t hyvin suuren\nrakennuksen, jossa oli p\u00e4\u00e4ss\u00e4 yht\u00e4 leve\u00e4 ovi kuin rakennus itse. Sinne\nhe asettuivat y\u00f6ksi. Mutta keskiy\u00f6ll\u00e4 syntyi suuri maanj\u00e4ristys, maa\nt\u00e4risi heid\u00e4n allaan ja huone h\u00e4ilyi. Silloin nousi Th\u00f3rr yl\u00f6s, kutsui\nseuralaisiaan, ja he etsiv\u00e4t ja l\u00f6ysiv\u00e4t oikealle keskelt\u00e4 rakennusta\nsivuhuoneen ja meniv\u00e4t siihen. Th\u00f3rr istui ovelle, mutta toiset olivat\nperemm\u00e4ll\u00e4 huoneessa ja pelk\u00e4siv\u00e4t; Th\u00f3rr piteli vasaranvarresta ja\naikoi puolustautua. Silloin kuulivat he suurta pauhua ja jymy\u00e4. Mutta\nkun p\u00e4iv\u00e4 sarasti, meni Th\u00f3rr ulos ja n\u00e4ki miehen vieress\u00e4\u00e4n mets\u00e4ss\u00e4,\neik\u00e4 h\u00e4n ollut pieni. H\u00e4n nukkui ja kuorsasi \u00e4\u00e4nekk\u00e4\u00e4sti. Silloin luuli\nTh\u00f3rr ymm\u00e4rt\u00e4v\u00e4ns\u00e4, mit\u00e4 y\u00f6llinen melu oli ollut; h\u00e4n vy\u00f6tti itsens\u00e4\nvoimavy\u00f6ll\u00e4\u00e4n, ja Aasavoima kasvoi h\u00e4ness\u00e4. Samassa her\u00e4si mies ja\nhyp\u00e4hti pystyyn, mutta sen ainoan kerran sanotaan Th\u00f3rin ep\u00e4r\u00f6ineen\niske\u00e4 h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vasarallaan, ja h\u00e4n kysyi h\u00e4nen nime\u00e4\u00e4n. H\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4\noli Skr\u00fdmir: 'mutta minun ei ole tarvis', sanoi t\u00e4m\u00e4, 'kysy\u00e4 sinun\nnime\u00e4si, min\u00e4 huomaan, ett\u00e4 sin\u00e4 olet \u00e1sa-Th\u00f3rr, mutta sin\u00e4k\u00f6 olet\nvienyt k\u00e4sineeni?' Silloin Skr\u00fdmir kurotti ja nosti k\u00e4sineen maasta,\nja Th\u00f3rr n\u00e4ki silloin, ett\u00e4 sit\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli y\u00f6ll\u00e4 pit\u00e4nyt rakennuksena,\nmutta sivuhuone oli ollut k\u00e4sineen peukalo. Skr\u00fdmir kysyi, tahtoisiko\nTh\u00f3rr liitty\u00e4 h\u00e4nen seuraansa, ja Th\u00f3rr my\u00f6ntyi siihen. Silloin otti\nSkr\u00fdmir ja p\u00e4\u00e4sti ev\u00e4spussinsa ja valmistautui sy\u00f6m\u00e4\u00e4n aamiaista;\nmutta Th\u00f3rr seuralaisineen toisessa paikassa. Skr\u00fdmir ehdotti sitten,\nett\u00e4 he yhdist\u00e4isiv\u00e4t ev\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4, ja Th\u00f3rr my\u00f6ntyi siihen. Silloin sitoi\nSkr\u00fdmir kaikki heid\u00e4n ev\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4 yhdeksi mytyksi ja pani sen selk\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4.\nH\u00e4n kulki edell\u00e4p\u00e4in ja astui jokseenkin pitkin askelin, mutta my\u00f6h\u00e4\u00e4n\nillalla Skr\u00fdmir etsi heille y\u00f6sijan er\u00e4\u00e4n suuren tammen alla. Silloin\nsanoi Skr\u00fdmir Th\u00f3rille panevansa maata: 'mutta ottakaa te ev\u00e4spussi ja\nsy\u00f6k\u00e4\u00e4 illallista.' Sen j\u00e4lkeen nukkui Skr\u00fdmir ja kuorsasi \u00e4\u00e4nekk\u00e4\u00e4sti;\nmutta Th\u00f3rr otti ev\u00e4spussin ja aikoi avata sen, ja totta on, miten\nuskomattomalta n\u00e4ytt\u00e4neekin, ettei h\u00e4n saanut yht\u00e4\u00e4n solmua auki eik\u00e4\np\u00e4\u00e4stetyksi kumpaakaan hihnanp\u00e4\u00e4t\u00e4, niin ett\u00e4 se olisi ollut entist\u00e4\u00e4n\nh\u00f6llemm\u00e4ll\u00e4. Kun h\u00e4n n\u00e4ki, ettei t\u00e4m\u00e4 ty\u00f6 hy\u00f6dytt\u00e4nyt mit\u00e4\u00e4n, silloin\nvihastui h\u00e4n, tarttui molemmin k\u00e4sin Mjollnir-vasaraan ja astui\naskeleen Skr\u00fdmiin makuupaikkaa kohden ja iski h\u00e4nt\u00e4 p\u00e4\u00e4h\u00e4n; mutta\nSkr\u00fdmir her\u00e4si ja kysyi, putosiko lehti h\u00e4nen p\u00e4\u00e4h\u00e4ns\u00e4 ja olivatko he\nnyt sy\u00f6neet ja olivatko he valmiita asettumaan levolle. Th\u00f3rr sanoi,\nett\u00e4 he menisiv\u00e4t nukkumaan, ja he meniv\u00e4t silloin toisen tammen alle.\nVarmaa on, ettei siell\u00e4 ollut turvallista nukkua. Puoliy\u00f6n aikaan\nkuuli Th\u00f3rr, ett\u00e4 Skr\u00fdmir kuorsasi ja nukkui sike\u00e4sti, niin ett\u00e4\nkaikui mets\u00e4ss\u00e4. Silloin nousi h\u00e4n ja meni h\u00e4nen luokseen, heilutti\nvasaraansa taajaan ja voimakkaasti ja iski h\u00e4nt\u00e4 keskelle p\u00e4\u00e4kalloa\nja huomasi, ett\u00e4 vasarank\u00e4rki painui syv\u00e4lle p\u00e4\u00e4h\u00e4n. Samassa her\u00e4si\nSkr\u00fdmir ja sanoi: 'Mit\u00e4 nyt, putosiko joku tammenterho p\u00e4\u00e4h\u00e4ni? Miten\non laitasi, Th\u00f3rr?' Mutta Th\u00f3rr palasi \u00e4kki\u00e4 takaisin ja vastasi, ett\u00e4\nh\u00e4n oli juuri her\u00e4nnyt, ja sanoi, ett\u00e4 oli puoliy\u00f6 ja viel\u00e4 nukkumisen\naikaa. Silloin Th\u00f3rr ajatteli, ett\u00e4, jos h\u00e4n saisi tilaisuuden iske\u00e4\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4 viel\u00e4 kolmannen kerran, ei Skr\u00fdmir en\u00e4\u00e4 milloinkaan tulisi\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4 n\u00e4kem\u00e4\u00e4n. Nyt h\u00e4n makasi ja odotti, ett\u00e4 Skr\u00fdmir taas vaipuisi\nsyv\u00e4\u00e4n uneen. Silloin hypp\u00e4si h\u00e4n yl\u00f6s ja juoksi h\u00e4nen luoksensa,\nheilutti vasaraansa kaikin voimin ja iski h\u00e4nt\u00e4 siihen ohimoon, joka\noli n\u00e4kyviss\u00e4. Silloin vasara painui vartta my\u00f6ten, mutta Skr\u00fdmir\nhypp\u00e4si pystyyn, siveli poskeaan ja sanoi: 'Istuneeko jotakin lintuja\npuussa yl\u00e4puolellani, minusta tuntui her\u00e4tess\u00e4ni kuin olisi oksilta\npudonnut risuja p\u00e4\u00e4h\u00e4ni. Oletko hereill\u00e4, Th\u00f3rr? Lienee nyt aika nousta\nja pukeutua, mutta ei teill\u00e4 nyt ole en\u00e4\u00e4 pitk\u00e4\u00e4 matkaa linnaan,\njota kutsutaan nimell\u00e4 \u00fatgardr (Ulkola). Olen kuullut, ett\u00e4 olette\nkesken\u00e4nne puhelleet siit\u00e4, etten ole pienikasvuinen mies, mutta\nsuurempia saatte n\u00e4hd\u00e4, kun tulette Utgardiin. Nyt tahdon antaa teille\nhyv\u00e4n neuvon: \u00c4lk\u00e4\u00e4 k\u00e4ytt\u00e4ytyk\u00f6 kopeasti, Utgarda-Lokin hovimiehet\neiv\u00e4t tule k\u00e4rsim\u00e4\u00e4n kerskailua moisilta pojannaskaleilta; mutta muussa\ntapauksessa k\u00e4\u00e4ntyk\u00e4\u00e4 takaisin, ja niin luulenkin olevan parasta\nteid\u00e4n tehd\u00e4. Mutta jos tahdotte matkustaa eteenp\u00e4in, niin suunnatkaa\nkulkunne it\u00e4\u00e4nk\u00e4sin, minun tieni kulkee pohjoiseen tuntureille, jotka\nnyt voitte n\u00e4hd\u00e4.' Skr\u00fdmir otti ev\u00e4spussin ja heitti sen olalleen sek\u00e4\nk\u00e4\u00e4ntyi suoraan mets\u00e4\u00e4n pois heist\u00e4, eik\u00e4 kerrota, ett\u00e4 Aasat olisivat\ntoivoneet heid\u00e4n tapaavan toisensa j\u00e4lleen.\"\n45. \"Th\u00f3rr kulki seuralaisineen eteenp\u00e4in puolip\u00e4iv\u00e4\u00e4n asti, jolloin\nhe n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t linnan lakeudella ja olivat pakoitetut taivuttamaan p\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4\ntaaksep\u00e4in, ennenkuin n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t sen katon. He meniv\u00e4t linnan luo,\nlinnanportti oli rautaristikolla varustettu ja lukittu. Th\u00f3rr rynt\u00e4si\nristikkoa vasten eik\u00e4 saanut sit\u00e4 aukaistua, mutta kun he ponnistelivat\np\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4kseen linnan sis\u00e4\u00e4n, tunkeutuivat he s\u00e4leiden lomitse ja p\u00e4\u00e4siv\u00e4t\nsiten sis\u00e4lle. Siell\u00e4 n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t he suuren salin ja meniv\u00e4t sinne. Ovi\noli auki, he astuivat sis\u00e4\u00e4n ja n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t kahdella penkill\u00e4 paljon\nmiehi\u00e4, joista useimmat olivat hyvin kookkaita. Sitten tulivat he\nkuninkaan, Utgarda-Lokin eteen ja tervehtiv\u00e4t h\u00e4nt\u00e4; mutta t\u00e4m\u00e4 k\u00e4\u00e4nsi\nverkalleen katseensa heihin, hymyili ivallisesti ja sanoi: 'Pitk\u00e4ksi\ntulee kysy\u00e4 pitk\u00e4n matkan vaiheista, mutta onko toisin kuin mit\u00e4\nluulen ett\u00e4 nimitt\u00e4in t\u00e4m\u00e4 pikku poika on oku-Th\u00f3rr? Lienet kumminkin\nvoimakkaampi kuin milt\u00e4 minusta n\u00e4yt\u00e4t. Mihin taituruudenn\u00e4ytteisiin\nluulette, toverit, olevanne valmiit? T\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 meid\u00e4n joukossamme \u00e4lk\u00f6\u00f6n\nolko ket\u00e4\u00e4n, joka ei jossakin taidossa tai kyvyss\u00e4 olisi toisia\netev\u00e4mpi.' Silloin sanoi h\u00e4n, joka oli taaimmaisena ja jonka nimi on\nLoki: 'Kyll\u00e4 osaan sen taidon, jota olen valmis paikalla koettelemaan,\nett'ei t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 sis\u00e4ll\u00e4 ole sit\u00e4, joka nopeammin s\u00f6isi ruokansa kuin\nmin\u00e4.' Silloin vastasi Utgarda-Loki: 'Se on taito, jos siihen pystyt,\nkoetelkaamme t\u00e4t\u00e4 taitoa.' H\u00e4n huusi penkkej\u00e4 kohti er\u00e4\u00e4lle, jonka\nnimi on Logi, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n menisi lattialle kilpailemaan Lokin kanssa.\nSitten otettiin kaukalo ja kannettiin se sis\u00e4lle salin lattialle\nja t\u00e4ytettiin lihalla. Loki istui toiseen p\u00e4\u00e4h\u00e4n ja Logi toiseen,\nmolemmat s\u00f6iv\u00e4t, mink\u00e4 kerkesiv\u00e4t ja kohtasivat toisensa keskell\u00e4\nkaukaloa. Silloin oli Loki sy\u00f6nyt kaiken lihan luista, mutta Logi oli\nsy\u00f6nyt kaiken lihan ja viel\u00e4 lis\u00e4ksi luut ja kaukalon, ja kaikkein\nmielest\u00e4 oli nyt Loki joutunut tappiolle kilpailussa. Silloin kysyi\nUtgarda-Loki, mit\u00e4 taituruutta pikku mies saattaisi n\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4, ja\nThj\u00e1lfi sanoi, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n koettaisi juosta muutamia kertoja kilpaa kenen\nkanssa tahansa, jonka Utgarda-Loki m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4isi siihen. Silloin sanoi\nUtgarda-Loki, ett\u00e4 se oli hyv\u00e4 taito, mutta ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nen todenn\u00e4k\u00f6isesti\ntuli olla sangen harjaantunut vikkelyyteen, jos mieli voittaa siin\u00e4,\nt\u00e4t\u00e4 koeteltaisiin kumminkin pian. Sitten Utgarda-Loki nousi ja meni\nulos, ja siell\u00e4 oli hyv\u00e4 kilpajuoksurata pitkin tasaista kentt\u00e4\u00e4.\nUtgarda-Loki kutsui luokseen poikasen nimelt\u00e4 Hugi ja k\u00e4ski h\u00e4nen\njuosta kilpaa Thj\u00e1lfin kanssa. Silloin juoksivat he ensi kierron, ja\nHugi p\u00e4\u00e4si niin paljon edelle, ett\u00e4 ehti k\u00e4\u00e4nty\u00e4 h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan radan\np\u00e4\u00e4ss\u00e4. Silloin sanoi Utgarda-Loki: 'Thj\u00e1lfi, sinun tulee ponnistaa\nenemm\u00e4n, jos mielit voittaa, mutta totta on, ettei t\u00e4nne ole tullut\nket\u00e4\u00e4n, joka minusta olisi n\u00e4ytt\u00e4nyt nopsemmalta kuin sin\u00e4.' Sitten\nalkoivat he toisen kierron, ja kun Hugi tuli radan p\u00e4\u00e4h\u00e4n ja k\u00e4\u00e4ntyi,\noli Thj\u00e1lf'iin pitk\u00e4 nuolenkantama. Silloin sanoi Utgarda-Loki:\n'Hyvin n\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4 minusta Thj\u00e1lfi juoksevan, mutten usko nyt, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n\nvoittaa, nyt se lopullisesti koetellaan, kun he juoksevat kolmannen\nkierroksen.' Silloin juoksivat he viel\u00e4 yhden kierroksen, mutta kun\nHugi oli tullut radan p\u00e4\u00e4h\u00e4n ja k\u00e4\u00e4ntyi, ei Thj\u00e1lfi ollut viel\u00e4 p\u00e4\u00e4ssyt\npuoliv\u00e4liin. Silloin sanoivat kaikki, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4t\u00e4 leikki\u00e4 oli kyll\u00e4ksi\nkoeteltu. Utgarda-Loki kysyi silloin Th\u00f3rilta, mit\u00e4 taitoja h\u00e4n\ntahtoisi heille n\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4, koska niin suuremmoisia huhuja oli kulkenut\nh\u00e4nen suurt\u00f6ist\u00e4\u00e4n. Silloin sanoi Th\u00f3rr mieluimmin ryhtyv\u00e4ns\u00e4 juomaan\nkilpaa kenen kanssa tahansa. Utgarda-Loki sanoi, ett\u00e4 se kernaasti\nsaisi tapahtua, meni sis\u00e4lle saliin ja kutsui tarjoilupoikasensa ja\nk\u00e4ski h\u00e4nen tuoda rangaistussarven, josta hovimiesten oli tapana juoda.\nTarjoilupoikanen tuli mukanaan sarvi, jonka h\u00e4n antoi Th\u00f3rin k\u00e4teen.\nSilloin sanoi Utgarda-Loki: 'Pidet\u00e4\u00e4n hyvin juotuna, jos joku yhdell\u00e4\nsiemauksella tyhjent\u00e4\u00e4 sarven, muutamat tyhjent\u00e4v\u00e4t sen kahdella,\nmuttei kukaan ole niin kehno juomari, ettei tyhjent\u00e4isi sit\u00e4 kolmella.'\nTh\u00f3rr katseli sarvea, eik\u00e4 se n\u00e4ytt\u00e4nyt h\u00e4nest\u00e4 suurelta, vaikka se\ntosin oli koko lailla pitk\u00e4; mutta h\u00e4nen olikin sangen kova jano, ja\nh\u00e4n rupesi juomaan ja otti hyvin suuria kulauksia ja luuli, ettei\nh\u00e4nen tarvitsisi useampaa kertaa kumartua sarven yli. Mutta kun h\u00e4n\nheng\u00e4styi ja h\u00e4nen oli pakko nostaa sarvi pois huuliltaan, n\u00e4ki h\u00e4n,\nmiten paljon juomaa oli kulunut, se n\u00e4ytti h\u00e4nest\u00e4 olevan varsin v\u00e4h\u00e4n\nalempana kuin ensiksi. Silloin sanoi Utgarda-Loki: 'Hyvin juotu eik\u00e4\nliikaa. Enp\u00e4 olisi uskonut, jos minulle olisi sanottu, ettei Aasa-Th\u00f3rr\nvoisi juoda suurempia kulauksia, mutta tied\u00e4n kumminkin, ett\u00e4 aijot\ntoisella kulauksella tyhjent\u00e4\u00e4 sarven.' Th\u00f3rr ei vastannut mit\u00e4\u00e4n,\nnosti sarven huulilleen ja aikoi nyt juoda suuremman kulauksen ja\nponnisti juodessaan, kunnes heng\u00e4styi, ja viel\u00e4 n\u00e4ki h\u00e4n, ettei sarven\nk\u00e4rki tahtonut kohota niin paljoa kuin h\u00e4n olisi suonut. Kun h\u00e4n otti\nsarven huuliltaan ja katseli katselemistaan sit\u00e4, n\u00e4ytti h\u00e4nest\u00e4 nyt\nsilt\u00e4 kuin olisi v\u00e4hemm\u00e4n siit\u00e4 kulunut kuin ensi kerralla, nyt saattoi\nvain l\u00e4ikytt\u00e4m\u00e4tt\u00e4 kantaa sarvea. Silloin sanoi Utgarda-Loki: 'Mit\u00e4\nnyt, Th\u00f3rr, etk\u00f6 nyt j\u00e4tt\u00e4ne yhdeksi kulaukseksi enemm\u00e4n kuin mik\u00e4\non edullista? Minusta n\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4 silt\u00e4, ett\u00e4, jos sinun pit\u00e4\u00e4 tyhjent\u00e4\u00e4\nsarvi kolmannella kulauksella, niin siit\u00e4 tulee kaikkein suurin. Mutta\nemme me voi pit\u00e4\u00e4 sinua niin suurena miehen\u00e4 kuin miksi Aasat sinua\nkutsuvat, ellet osoittaudu voimakkaammaksi kuin milt\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4n koetuksen\nsuhteen n\u00e4ytti.' Silloin vihastui Th\u00f3rr, nosti sarven huulilleen ja\njoi voimainsa takaa ponnistaen kaikki voimansa juodakseen, ja kun\nh\u00e4n katsoi sarveen, oli juoma nyt eniten v\u00e4hentynyt, ja h\u00e4n antaa\npois sarven eik\u00e4 tahdo juoda enemp\u00e4\u00e4. Silloin sanoi Utgarda-Loki:\n'Ilmeist\u00e4 on nyt, ettei sinun voimasi ole niin suuri kuin mit\u00e4 me sen\nluulimme olevan, mutta haluatko koetella useampia urheiluja, selv\u00e4\u00e4\non nyt, ettet t\u00e4st\u00e4 mit\u00e4\u00e4n mainetta niit\u00e4.' Th\u00f3rr vastasi: 'Tahdon\nviel\u00e4 koetella muutamia urheiluja, mutta kummalliselta olisi minusta\ntuntunut kotona Aasojen luona ollessani, jos moisia kulauksia olisi\nsanottu niin pieniksi. Mink\u00e4 koetuksen tahdotte nyt tarjota minulle?'\nSilloin sanoi Utgarda-Loki: 'Sen tekev\u00e4t t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 pikkupojat, mik\u00e4\nn\u00e4ytt\u00e4neekin v\u00e4h\u00e4p\u00e4t\u00f6iselt\u00e4, nimitt\u00e4in nostavat maasta kissani; enk\u00e4\nolisi rohjennut ehdottaa moista Aasa-Th\u00f3r'ille, ellen olisi n\u00e4hnyt,\nett\u00e4 sin\u00e4 olet paljon mit\u00e4tt\u00f6m\u00e4mpi kuin mit\u00e4 luulin.' Sen j\u00e4lkeen\njuoksi esiin harmaa kissa, jokseenkin suuri, salin lattialle; Th\u00f3rr\nmeni sen luo, tarttui siihen k\u00e4sin alhaaltap\u00e4in keskelt\u00e4 mahanalusta\nja nosti sit\u00e4 yl\u00f6s, mutta kissa k\u00f6yrist\u00e4ytyi kaareksi sit\u00e4 mukaa kuin\nTh\u00f3rr nosti yl\u00f6s k\u00e4si\u00e4\u00e4n; mutta kun Th\u00f3rr oikaisihe niin pitk\u00e4ksi kuin\nvoi, nosti kissa yht\u00e4 jalkaansa, eik\u00e4 Th\u00f3rr voinut suorittaa t\u00e4t\u00e4\nkoetusta. Silloin sanoi Utgarda-Loki: 'Niin k\u00e4vi t\u00e4m\u00e4n koetuksen kuin\nolin odottanutkin. Kissa on suurehko, mutta Th\u00f3rr on lyhyt ja pieni\nn\u00e4iden suurmiesten rinnalla, jotka ovat t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 luonani.' Silloin sanoi\nTh\u00f3rr: 'Miten pieneksi minua kutsunettekin, niin tulkoon nyt jokainen\npainimaan kanssani, nyt olen vihainen.' Silloin vastasi Utgarda-Loki,\nkatseli penkeille p\u00e4in ja sanoi: 'En n\u00e4e t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 sis\u00e4ll\u00e4 ket\u00e4\u00e4n, joka\nei pit\u00e4isi h\u00e4pe\u00e4llisen\u00e4 painia sinun kanssasi.' Ja viel\u00e4 sanoi h\u00e4n:\n'Katsokaamme ensin, kutsukaa t\u00e4nne kasvatus\u00e4itini Elli ja painikoon\nTh\u00f3rr h\u00e4nen kanssaan, jos tahtoo. H\u00e4n on kaatanut miehi\u00e4, jotka\nminusta eiv\u00e4t n\u00e4ytt\u00e4neet heikommilta kuin Th\u00f3rr.' Sen j\u00e4lkeen astui\nsaliin vanha akka, ja Utgarda-Loki sanoi, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n k\u00e4visi k\u00e4siksi\nAasa-Th\u00f3riin. Lyhyesti sanoen k\u00e4vi painissa niin, ett\u00e4 kuta ankarammin\nTh\u00f3rr ponnisteli, sit\u00e4 tanakammin akka seisoi. Silloin turvautui akka\nviekkauteen, ja nyt alkoi Th\u00f3rr horjua ja ankaran ottelun per\u00e4st\u00e4\nluhistui h\u00e4n pian toiselle polvelleen. Silloin meni Utgarda-Loki\nja k\u00e4ski heid\u00e4n heret\u00e4 painimasta ja sanoi, ettei Th\u00f3rin kaiketi\ntarvinnut vaatia useampia h\u00e4nen hovilaisistaan painiin. Olikin jo y\u00f6,\nUtgarda-Loki n\u00e4ytti Th\u00f3rille ja h\u00e4nen seuralaisilleen istumapaikat, ja\nhe viettiv\u00e4t siell\u00e4 y\u00f6n saaden osakseen hyv\u00e4\u00e4 kestityst\u00e4.\"\n46. \"Aamulla, p\u00e4iv\u00e4n sarastaessa nousivat Th\u00f3rr ja h\u00e4nen seuralaisensa,\npukeutuivat ja olivat valmiit l\u00e4htem\u00e4\u00e4n pois. Silloin tuli Utgarda-Loki\nja asetutti p\u00f6yd\u00e4n heid\u00e4n eteens\u00e4, ei siit\u00e4 puuttunut hyv\u00e4\u00e4 kestityst\u00e4\nruuan eik\u00e4 juoman puolesta. Kun he olivat sy\u00f6neet, varustautuivat he\nl\u00e4htem\u00e4\u00e4n. Utgarda-Loki saattoi heit\u00e4 ulos ja meni heid\u00e4n kanssaan\nlinnan ulkopuolelle. Hyv\u00e4stelless\u00e4 sanoi Utgarda-Loki Th\u00f3rille ja\nkysyi, miten h\u00e4n piti matkansa onnistuneena ja oliko h\u00e4n tavannut\nket\u00e4\u00e4n itse\u00e4\u00e4n v\u00e4kev\u00e4mp\u00e4\u00e4. Th\u00f3rr sanoi, ettei h\u00e4n saattanut kielt\u00e4\u00e4,\nett\u00e4 h\u00e4nen oli k\u00e4ynyt v\u00e4h\u00e4n nolosti kohdatessaan h\u00e4net: 'Tied\u00e4n,\nett\u00e4 te tulette kutsumaan minua mit\u00e4tt\u00f6m\u00e4ksi mieheksi ja olen siihen\ntyytym\u00e4t\u00f6n.' Silloin sanoi Utgarda-Loki: 'Nyt sanon sinulle totuuden,\nkun olet tullut ulos linnasta etk\u00e4, jos min\u00e4 el\u00e4n ja taidan hallita,\nen\u00e4\u00e4 koskaan tule sinne, etk\u00e4 totta tosiaan olisi koskaan tullutkaan\nsinne, jos olisin ennakolta tiennyt, ett\u00e4 olet niin v\u00e4kev\u00e4 ja ett\u00e4\nolit v\u00e4h\u00e4ll\u00e4 tuottaa meille suurta tuhoa. Mutta olen k\u00e4ytt\u00e4nyt sinua\nvastaan silm\u00e4nlumeita, ja ensi kerralla mets\u00e4ss\u00e4 min\u00e4 kohtasin teid\u00e4t,\nja kun sin\u00e4 aijoit avata ev\u00e4spussin, olin min\u00e4 sitonut sen erityisell\u00e4\nrautasiteell\u00e4, etk\u00e4 sin\u00e4 l\u00f6yt\u00e4nyt paikkaa, josta se oli avattava. Sen\nj\u00e4lkeen iskit minua vasaralla kolmasti. Ensimm\u00e4inen isku oli heikoin\nja kumminkin niin ankara, ett\u00e4 se olisi ollut surmani, jos se olisi\nosunut paikalle, mutta sin\u00e4 n\u00e4it salini vieress\u00e4 tasaisen kallion ja\nsiin\u00e4 kolme neliskulmaista laaksoa, joista yksi oli syvin, ne olivat\nsinun vasaranj\u00e4lki\u00e4si; asetin kallion iskuja vastaan, mutta et sin\u00e4\nsit\u00e4 n\u00e4hnyt. Samoin oli my\u00f6s kilpaleikkien laita, joita koettelitte\nhoviv\u00e4keni kanssa; ensim\u00e4inen oli se, jonka Loki suoritti. H\u00e4n oli\nhyvin n\u00e4lk\u00e4\u00e4ntynyt ja s\u00f6i nopeasti, mutta se, jonka nimi on Logi\n(Liekki), on virvatuli, ja se poltti sukkelasti sek\u00e4 kaukalon ett\u00e4\nlihan. Kun Thj\u00e1lfi juoksi kilpaa sen kanssa, jonka nimi on Hugi\n(Ajatus), oli se minun ajatukseni, ja turha oli Thj\u00e1lfin toivoa\nvoivansa kilpailla sen kanssa nopeudessa. Ja kun sin\u00e4 joit sarvesta\nja sinusta tuntui k\u00e4yv\u00e4n hitaasti, niin tapahtui siin\u00e4 totta tosiaan\nihme, jota en olisi uskonut mahdolliseksi. Sarven toinen p\u00e4\u00e4 oli\nmeress\u00e4, jota sin\u00e4 et n\u00e4hnyt; mutta nyt, kun tulet merelle, voit n\u00e4hd\u00e4,\nmiten paljon vesi on alentunut sinun juonnistasi. Sit\u00e4 aluetta, mik\u00e4\nj\u00e4i kuiville, kutsutaan nyt vesij\u00e4t\u00f6ksi (fjora = se osa rantaa, mik\u00e4\npakoveden aikana j\u00e4\u00e4 kuiville).' Ja viel\u00e4 sanoi h\u00e4n: 'Eik\u00e4 minusta\nn\u00e4ytt\u00e4nyt v\u00e4hemm\u00e4n arvokkaalta, ett\u00e4 nostit kissan, ja, sanoakseni\nsinulle totuuden, silloin kaikki pelj\u00e4styiv\u00e4t, kun he n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t, ett\u00e4\nnostit yhden sen jaloista maasta. Kissa ei ollutkaan se, milt\u00e4 se\nn\u00e4ytti, se oli Midgardin k\u00e4\u00e4rme, joka ymp\u00e4r\u00f6i koko maata, ja sen pituus\ntuskin riitti pyrst\u00f6n ja p\u00e4\u00e4n koskiessa maata, ja niin korkealle\nkurotit, ettei ollut en\u00e4\u00e4 pitk\u00e4lt\u00e4 taivaaseen. Hyvin ihmeellisesti\noli my\u00f6s painisi laita, kun niin kauvan jaksoit pit\u00e4\u00e4 puoliasi etk\u00e4\npudonnut muuta kuin toiselle polvellesi painiessasi Ellin (Vanhuuden)\nkanssa, sill\u00e4 ei ole sellaista syntynyt eik\u00e4 tule syntym\u00e4\u00e4n, jota ei\nvanhuus kukistaisi, jos h\u00e4n el\u00e4\u00e4 niin kauvan, ett\u00e4 se h\u00e4net saavuttaa.\nMutta nyt on totta, ett\u00e4 meid\u00e4n on erottava, ja parempi olisi\nkummallekin, ettette toisten tulisi minua tapaamaan. Min\u00e4 tulen viel\u00e4\nmuulloinkin puolustamaan linnaani samallaisilla tai toisenlaisilla\npetoksilla, niin ettette tule voittamaan minua.' Kun Th\u00f3rr kuuli t\u00e4m\u00e4n\npuheen, tarttui h\u00e4n vasaraansa ja heilautti sit\u00e4 ilmassa, mutta kun h\u00e4n\naikoi iske\u00e4 sill\u00e4, ei h\u00e4n n\u00e4hnyt miss\u00e4\u00e4n Utgarda-Lokia. Silloin k\u00e4\u00e4ntyi\nh\u00e4n takaisin linnaan ja aikoi murskata sen, mutta h\u00e4n n\u00e4kikin edess\u00e4\u00e4n\nvain avaran ja kauniin tasangon eik\u00e4 mit\u00e4\u00e4n linnaa. Silloin k\u00e4\u00e4ntyi\nh\u00e4n pois ja kulki tiet\u00e4\u00e4n, kunnes h\u00e4n tuli takaisin Thr\u00fadvangiin.\nVarmaa on, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n silloin mieless\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4\u00e4tti koettaa tavata Midgardin\nk\u00e4\u00e4rmeen, mik\u00e4 sittemmin tapahtuikin. Nyt en luule kenenk\u00e4\u00e4n voivan\nantaa sinulle parempia tietoja t\u00e4st\u00e4 Th\u00f3rin matkasta.\"\n47. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Sangen mahtava mies lienee Utgarda-Loki,\nmutta viekkautta ja taikaa k\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4 h\u00e4n paljon hyv\u00e4kseen. Voi n\u00e4hd\u00e4,\nkuinka mahtava h\u00e4n on, koska h\u00e4nell\u00e4 on niin v\u00e4kevi\u00e4 hovilaisia,\nmutta eik\u00f6 Th\u00f3rr ole kostanut heille?\" -- H\u00e1rr vastasi: \"Ei ole\noppimattomallekaan tuntematonta, ett\u00e4 Th\u00f3rr hankki hyvityksen t\u00e4st\u00e4\nmatkasta, josta nyt on kerrottu, eik\u00e4 h\u00e4n viipynyt kauvaa kotona,\nennenkuin h\u00e4n varustautui niin kiireesti matkalle, ettei h\u00e4nell\u00e4 ollut\nvaunuja, ei pukkeja eik\u00e4 seuralaisia. H\u00e4n l\u00e4hti Midgardista nuorukaisen\nhaahmossa ja tuli muutamana iltana er\u00e4\u00e4n j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isen luo, jonka nimi\noli Hymir, Th\u00f3rr oli siell\u00e4 y\u00f6t\u00e4, mutta p\u00e4iv\u00e4n sarastaessa Hymir nousi\nja pukeutui ja valmistautui soutamaan j\u00e4rvelle kaloja pyyt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n. Th\u00f3rr\nhypp\u00e4si pystyyn, oli pian valmis ja pyysi, ett\u00e4 Hymir sallisi h\u00e4nen\nsoutaa j\u00e4rvelle kanssaan, mutta Hymir sanoi, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nest\u00e4 olisi v\u00e4h\u00e4n\napua, koska h\u00e4n oli pieni ja nuori: 'ja sinun tulee vilu, jos istun\nniin kauvan ja niin kaukana j\u00e4rvell\u00e4 kuin minun on tapana tehd\u00e4.' Mutta\nTh\u00f3rr sanoi, ett\u00e4 sen vuoksi saattaisi soutaa et\u00e4\u00e4lle maasta, eik\u00e4\nollut muka varmaa, h\u00e4nk\u00f6 ensiksi tahtoisi soutaa takaisin maihin, ja\nTh\u00f3rr vihastui niin j\u00e4ttil\u00e4iselle, ett\u00e4 oli v\u00e4h\u00e4ll\u00e4 l\u00e4im\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4 h\u00e4nt\u00e4\nvasarallaan, mutta h\u00e4n j\u00e4tti sen tekem\u00e4tt\u00e4, koska h\u00e4n aikoi koetella\nvoimiaan muualla. H\u00e4n kysyi Hymilt\u00e4, mit\u00e4 he k\u00e4ytt\u00e4v\u00e4t sy\u00f6ttin\u00e4, mutta\nHymir k\u00e4ski h\u00e4nen itse hankkia sy\u00f6ttej\u00e4. Silloin l\u00e4hti Th\u00f3rr sinne,\nmiss\u00e4 miss\u00e4 h\u00e4n n\u00e4ki Hymille kuuluvan h\u00e4rk\u00e4lauman, otti suurimman\nh\u00e4r\u00e4n, jonka nimi oli Himinhrj\u00f3dr, rep\u00e4isi silt\u00e4 p\u00e4\u00e4n poikki ja vei\nsen mukanaan j\u00e4rvelle. Hymir oli silloin ty\u00f6nt\u00e4nyt veneen vesille.\nTh\u00f3rr astui veneeseen ja istui per\u00e4\u00e4n, otti kaksi airoa ja alkoi\nsoutaa, ja Hymin mielest\u00e4 kulki vene eteenp\u00e4in h\u00e4nen soutaessaan.\nHymir souti kokassa ja h\u00e4nen soudustaan kulki vene nopeasti. Silloin\nsanoi Hymir, ett\u00e4 he olivat tulleet niille matalikoille, joilla h\u00e4nen\noli tapana istua ja onkia kampeloita; mutta Th\u00f3rr sanoi tahtovansa\nsoutaa paljon kauvemmas. He soutivat viel\u00e4 kappaleen matkaa, silloin\nsanoi Hymir, ett\u00e4 he olivat tulleet niin kauvas ulapalle, ett\u00e4 olisi\nvaarallista Midgardin k\u00e4\u00e4rmeen t\u00e4hden pysytt\u00e4yty\u00e4 ulompana; mutta\nTh\u00f3rr sanoi soutavansa viel\u00e4 hetkisen. Niin h\u00e4n tekikin, mutta Hymir\nei ollut varsin hyvill\u00e4\u00e4n. Kun Th\u00f3rr oli vet\u00e4nyt airot yl\u00f6s, asetti\nh\u00e4n kuntoon sangen lujan onkisiiman, jonka koukku ei ollut pienempi\neik\u00e4 heikompi. Sitten pani Th\u00f3rr onkeen h\u00e4r\u00e4np\u00e4\u00e4n ja heitti sen\nmereen, siima meni pohjaan, ja totta tosiaan Th\u00f3rr petti Midgardin\nk\u00e4\u00e4rmett\u00e4 yht\u00e4 paljon kuin Utgarda-Loki oli pett\u00e4nyt Th\u00f3ria, kun\nt\u00e4m\u00e4 nosti k\u00e4\u00e4rmeen k\u00e4dell\u00e4\u00e4n. Midgardin k\u00e4\u00e4rme nielaisi h\u00e4r\u00e4np\u00e4\u00e4n,\nmutta koukku tarttui sen kitaan. Kun k\u00e4\u00e4rme tunsi sen, riuhtaisihe\nse niin rajusti, ett\u00e4 Th\u00f3rin molemmat nyrkit kolahtivat veneenlaitaa\nvasten. Silloin vihastui Th\u00f3rr ja kokosi Aasavoimansa ja potkaisi\nniin lujasti, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nen molemmat jalkansa puhkaisivat veneen, ja h\u00e4n\nseisoi merenpohjassa. Sitten veti h\u00e4n k\u00e4\u00e4rmeen veneenlaidalle, mutta\nsen voi sanoa, ettei kukaan ole niin hirve\u00e4t\u00e4 n\u00e4ky\u00e4 n\u00e4hnyt, joka ei\nn\u00e4hnyt, kuinka Th\u00f3rin silm\u00e4t iskiv\u00e4t tulta k\u00e4\u00e4rmett\u00e4 kohti, ja k\u00e4\u00e4rme\ntuijotti h\u00e4neen alhaaltap\u00e4in ja ruiskutti myrkky\u00e4. Kerrotaan, ett\u00e4\nHymir-j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isen kasvoilla v\u00e4ri vaihtui ja h\u00e4n kalpeni kauhusta, kun\nh\u00e4n n\u00e4ki k\u00e4\u00e4rmeen ja n\u00e4ki, kuinka vesi tulvi veneeseen ja ulos siit\u00e4.\nSamassa, kun Th\u00f3rr tarttui vasaraansa ja heilautti sen ilmaan, sieppasi\nj\u00e4ttil\u00e4inen sy\u00f6ttiveitsens\u00e4 ja katkaisi Th\u00f3rin siiman veneenlaitaa\nvasten, ja k\u00e4\u00e4rme vaipui mereen, mutta Th\u00f3rr heitti vasaransa sen\nj\u00e4lkeen, ja sanotaan, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n l\u00f6i silt\u00e4 p\u00e4\u00e4n poikki meress\u00e4; mutta\nmin\u00e4 luulen totuuden olevan sen, ett\u00e4 Midgardin k\u00e4\u00e4rme el\u00e4\u00e4 viel\u00e4\nja makaa ulkomeress\u00e4. Th\u00f3rr puristi k\u00e4tens\u00e4 nyrkkiin ja iski Hymi\u00e4\nkorvalle, niin ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 suistui mereen; ja (viel\u00e4) voidaan n\u00e4hd\u00e4 h\u00e4nen\njalkapohjansa, mutta Th\u00f3rr kahlasi maihin.\"\n48. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Onko Aasoille tapahtunut viel\u00e4 t\u00e4rke\u00e4mpi\u00e4\ntapauksia? Suunnattoman urosty\u00f6n suoritti Th\u00f3rr t\u00e4ll\u00e4 matkalla.\" --\nH\u00e1rr vastasi: \"Kyll\u00e4 olisi kerrottavina tapauksia, joita Aasat pitiv\u00e4t\nsuurempiarvoisina. Mutta se on t\u00e4m\u00e4n kertomuksen alku, ett\u00e4 Baldr\nhyv\u00e4 oli n\u00e4hnyt t\u00e4rkeit\u00e4 ja vaarallisia unia el\u00e4m\u00e4st\u00e4\u00e4n. Kun h\u00e4n\nkertoi Aasoille unensa, neuvottelivat he yhdess\u00e4, ja p\u00e4\u00e4tettiin pyyt\u00e4\u00e4\nBaldr'\u00edlle turvallisuutta kaikellaista onnettomuutta vastaan, ja Frigg\nvannotti tulta ja vett\u00e4, rautaa ja kaikkia metalleja, kivi\u00e4, maata,\npuita, tauteja, el\u00e4imi\u00e4, lintuja, myrkkyj\u00e4 ja k\u00e4\u00e4rmeit\u00e4 s\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n\nBaldr'ia. Kun t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli tehty ja m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4tty, oli Baldr'in ja Aasojen\nhuvituksena se, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n nousi kokouksessa, ja muista mitk\u00e4 ampuivat\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4, mitk\u00e4 iskiv\u00e4t, mitk\u00e4 kivittiv\u00e4t, mutta mit\u00e4 tahansa tehtiinkin,\nei se vahingoittanut h\u00e4nt\u00e4, ja t\u00e4m\u00e4 n\u00e4ytti kaikista suurelta kunnialta.\nMutta kun Loki Laufeynpoika n\u00e4ki t\u00e4m\u00e4n, oli h\u00e4n pahoillaan siit\u00e4,\nettei mik\u00e4\u00e4n vahingoittanut Baldr'ia. H\u00e4n meni Fensaliin Frigg'in luo\nja otti naisen muodon. Silloin kysyi Frigg, tiet\u00e4isik\u00f6 t\u00e4m\u00e4 nainen,\nmit\u00e4 Aasat toimittivat kokouksessaan. H\u00e4n sanoi, ett\u00e4 kaikki ampuivat\nBaldr'ia ja ettei se h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vahingoittanut. Silloin sanoi Frigg: 'Eiv\u00e4t\nmitk\u00e4\u00e4n aseet eiv\u00e4tk\u00e4 puulajit tule vahingoittamaan Baldr'ia, olen\nvannottanut ne kaikki.' Silloin kysyi vaimo: 'Onko kaikki vannonut\ns\u00e4\u00e4li\u00e4 Baldr'ille?' Frigg vastasi: 'L\u00e4nteenp\u00e4in Valholl'ista kasvaa\nvesa, jota kutsutaan nimell\u00e4 Mistilteinn (viscum album), se oli minusta\nliian nuori vannotettavaksi.' Sen j\u00e4lkeen h\u00e4visi nainen, mutta Loki\notti mistelivesan ja meni kokoukseen. Hodr seisoi siell\u00e4 \u00e4\u00e4rimm\u00e4isen\u00e4\nmiesten piiriss\u00e4, koska h\u00e4n oli sokea. Silloin sanoi Loki h\u00e4nelle:\n'Miksi et ammu Baldr'ia?' H\u00e4n vastasi: 'Koska en n\u00e4e, miss\u00e4 Baldr\non, ja sit\u00e4paitsi olen aseeton.' Silloin sanoi Loki: 'Tee toki kuten\nmuut miehet ja osoita Baldr'ille sama kunnia kuin muut, kyll\u00e4 n\u00e4yt\u00e4n\nsinulle, miss\u00e4 h\u00e4n seisoo, ammu h\u00e4nt\u00e4 t\u00e4ll\u00e4 vesalla.' Hodr otti\nmistelivesan ja ampui sill\u00e4 Baldr'ia Lokin neuvon mukaan; nuoli l\u00e4visti\nBaldr'in, ja h\u00e4n kaatui kuolleena maahan. Se oli suurin onnettomuus,\nmik\u00e4 on tapahtunut jumalille ja ihmisille. Kun Baldr oli kaatunut,\nmeniv\u00e4t kaikki Aasat sanattomiksi eiv\u00e4tk\u00e4 kyenneet edes nostamaan\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4. He katselivat toinen toisiaan, ja kaikilla oli sama mieliala\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4 kohtaan, joka oli tehnyt teon, mutta ei kukaan saattanut kostaa,\nsill\u00e4 siin\u00e4 oli niin rauhoitettu paikka. Mutta kun Aasat koettivat\npuhua, puhkesivat he ensin itkuun, niin ettei kukaan voinut puhua\ntoiselleen surustaan, mutta Odinn tunsi t\u00e4m\u00e4n vahingon sit\u00e4 syvemmin,\nkoska h\u00e4n parhaiten tiesi, kuinka suuri tappio ja menetys Baldr'in\nkuolema oli Aasoille. Kun jumalat tointuivat, sanoi Frigg ja kysyi,\nkuka Aasoista tahtoisi voittaa koko h\u00e4nen rakkautensa ja suosionsa\nratsastamalla Hel'in tiet\u00e4 my\u00f6ten ja koettamalla l\u00f6yt\u00e4\u00e4 Baldr'in sek\u00e4\ntarjoomalla Hel'ille lunnaita, jos h\u00e4n antaisi Baldr'in palata kotiin\nAsgardiin. H\u00e4n oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n Herm\u00f3dr nopsa, Odinin poika, joka otti\ntehd\u00e4kseen t\u00e4m\u00e4n matkan. Silloin otettiin Sleipnir, Odinin hevonen ja\ntalutettiin se esille, Herm\u00f3dr nousi sen selk\u00e4\u00e4n ja ratsasti pois.\nMutta Aasat ottivat Baldr'in ruumiin ja veiv\u00e4t sen rantaan. Hringhorni\noli Baldr'in laivan nimi, se oli suurin kaikista laivoista, ja sen\naikoivat jumalat ty\u00f6nt\u00e4\u00e4 vesille ja siin\u00e4 suorittaa Baldr'in ruumiin\npolttajaiset, mutta laiva ei hievahtanutkaan. Silloin l\u00e4hetettiin\nhakemaan Jotunheimist\u00e4 Hyrrokkin-nimist\u00e4 j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isakkaa. Kun h\u00e4n\ntuli ratsastaen sudella, kyyk\u00e4\u00e4rme ohjaksina, hypp\u00e4si h\u00e4n hevosen\nsel\u00e4st\u00e4, mutta Odinn kutsui nelj\u00e4 v\u00e4kimiest\u00e4 (berserkr) pit\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n huolta\nhevosesta, eiv\u00e4tk\u00e4 he saaneet sit\u00e4 pidellyksi muuten kuin kaatamalla\nsen maahan. Hyrrokkin tarttui veneen kokkaan ja lykk\u00e4si sen vesille\nensi vet\u00e4isyll\u00e4, niin ett\u00e4 telat tulta iskiv\u00e4t ja koko maa j\u00e4risi.\nSilloin vihastui Th\u00f3rr, tarttui vasaraansa ja olisi musertanut h\u00e4nen\np\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4, elleiv\u00e4t kaikki muut jumalat olisi pyyt\u00e4neet h\u00e4nelle armoa.\nSitten kannettiin Baldr'in ruumis laivaan, mutta kun h\u00e4nen vaimonsa\nNanna Nep'intyt\u00e4r n\u00e4ki sen, murtui h\u00e4nen syd\u00e4mens\u00e4 surusta ja h\u00e4n\nkuoli; h\u00e4netkin kannettiin roviolle, joka sytytettiin. Th\u00f3rr meni ja\npyhitti rovion Mjollnir-vasarallaan; mutta h\u00e4nen jalkainsa edess\u00e4\njuoksenteli k\u00e4\u00e4pi\u00f6 nimelt\u00e4 Litr, Th\u00f3rr potkaisi sen tuleen, ja se\npaloi. N\u00e4ihin ruumiinpolttajaisiin tuli monellaista kansaa, ensiksikin\nmainittakoon Odinn, h\u00e4nen kanssaan tuli Frigg ja Odinin Valk\u00fdrjat\nja korpit, mutta Freyr ajoi vaunuilla karjun vet\u00e4m\u00e4n\u00e4, jonka nimi\noli Slidrugtanni, Heimdallr ratsasti Gulltopr nimisell\u00e4 hevosella ja\nFreyja ajoi kissoillaan. Sinne tuli my\u00f6skin paljon j\u00e4\u00e4j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isi\u00e4\nja vuorij\u00e4ttil\u00e4isi\u00e4. Odinn pani roviolle kultasormuksen, jonka nimi\non Draupnir; sill\u00e4 oli se ominaisuus, ett\u00e4 siit\u00e4 joka yhdeks\u00e4s y\u00f6\ntippui kahdeksan yht\u00e4 painavaa kultasormusta kuin se itse. Baldr'in\nhevonen talutettiin roviolle t\u00e4ysiss\u00e4 valjaissa. Mutta Herm\u00f3dista\non kerrottava, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n ratsasti yhdeks\u00e4n y\u00f6t\u00e4 pimeit\u00e4 ja syvi\u00e4\nlaaksoja, niin ettei h\u00e4n n\u00e4hnyt mit\u00e4\u00e4n, kunnes h\u00e4n tuli Gjallar-joelle\nja ratsasti Gjallar-siltaa, joka on laskettu kiilt\u00e4v\u00e4ll\u00e4 kullalla.\nM\u00f3dgudr on neidon nimi, joka vartioi siltaa. T\u00e4m\u00e4 kysyi h\u00e4nen nime\u00e4\u00e4n\nja sukuaan ja sanoi, ett\u00e4 edellisen\u00e4 p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 oli sillan yli ratsastanut\nviisi joukkuetta kuolleita miehi\u00e4: 'mutta silta kumisee yht\u00e4 paljon\nyksin sinun allasi, eik\u00e4 sinulla ole kuolleen v\u00e4ri\u00e4; miksi ratsastat\nt\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 Hel'in tiell\u00e4'. H\u00e4n vastasi: 'Min\u00e4 ratsastan Hel'in luo etsim\u00e4\u00e4n\nBaldr'ia, vai oletko sin\u00e4 kenties n\u00e4hnyt Baldr'in Hel'in tiell\u00e4?'\nNeito sanoi, ett\u00e4 Baldr oli ratsastanut Gjallar-sillan yli; 'mutta\ntie Hel'iin kulkee alasp\u00e4in ja pohjoiseen'. Silloin ratsasti Herm\u00f3dr,\nkunnes h\u00e4n tuli Hel'in portille, siell\u00e4 nousi h\u00e4n hevosen sel\u00e4st\u00e4 ja\nsitoi satulavy\u00f6n lujasti, nousi sitten takaisin hevosen selk\u00e4\u00e4n ja\nkannusti sit\u00e4, ja hevonen laukkasi niin rajusti portin yli, ettei\nse tullut sen l\u00e4hellek\u00e4\u00e4n. Herm\u00f3dr ratsasti rakennuksen luo, nousi\nhevosen sel\u00e4st\u00e4 ja meni sis\u00e4lle saliin ja n\u00e4ki siell\u00e4 veljens\u00e4 Baldr'in\nistuvan kunnia-istuimella. Herm\u00f3dr y\u00f6pyi sinne, mutta aamulla pyysi h\u00e4n\nHel'ilt\u00e4, ett\u00e4 Baldr saisi ratsastaa h\u00e4nen kanssaan kotiin, ja ilmaisi\nkuinka suuri suru Aasojen kesken vallitsi; mutta Hel sanoi, ett\u00e4 nyt\nosoittautuisi, oliko Baldr niin rakastettu, kuin on sanottu. 'Jos\nkaikki kappaleet maailmassa, el\u00e4v\u00e4t ja kuolleet, itkev\u00e4t h\u00e4nt\u00e4, silloin\nsaa h\u00e4n l\u00e4hte\u00e4 Aasojen luo takaisin, mutta h\u00e4n saa pysy\u00e4 Hel'in luona,\njos joku vastustaa sit\u00e4, tai ei tahdo itke\u00e4.' Silloin nousi Herm\u00f3dr,\nmutta Baldr saattoi h\u00e4net ulos salista, otti Draupnir-sormuksen ja\nl\u00e4hetti sen Odinille muistoksi. Nanna l\u00e4hetti Frigg'ille vaatekappaleen\nja viel\u00e4 muita lahjoja, ja Fullalle sormuksen. Silloin ratsasti Herm\u00f3dr\nsamaa tiet\u00e4 takaisin ja tuli Asgardiin ja ilmoitti siell\u00e4 kaikki\nkuulemansa ja n\u00e4kem\u00e4ns\u00e4. Sen j\u00e4lkeen l\u00e4hettiv\u00e4t Aasat l\u00e4hettej\u00e4 koko\nmaailmaan pyyt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n, ett\u00e4 itkett\u00e4isiin Baldr pois Hel'ist\u00e4, ja kaikki\ntekiv\u00e4t niin, ihmiset ja el\u00e4imet, kivet, puut ja kaikki metallit kuten\nlienet n\u00e4hnyt n\u00e4iden kappalten itkev\u00e4n, kun ne joutuvat kylm\u00e4st\u00e4\nl\u00e4mpim\u00e4\u00e4n. Kun l\u00e4hettil\u00e4\u00e4t l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t kotiin ja olivat hyvin toimittaneet\nasiansa, l\u00f6ysiv\u00e4t he er\u00e4\u00e4n j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isnaisen istumassa kallionrotkossa,\nh\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4 oli Thokk. He pyysiv\u00e4t h\u00e4nt\u00e4 itkem\u00e4\u00e4n Baldr'ia Hel'ista,\nmutta h\u00e4n sanoi: 'Thokk itkee kuivia kyyneli\u00e4 Baldr'in kuoleman\njohdosta. Ei el\u00e4m\u00e4ss\u00e4 eik\u00e4 kuolemassa ilahuttanut minua miehen poika --\npit\u00e4k\u00f6\u00f6n Hel omansa.' Arvellaan, ett\u00e4 se olisi ollut Loki Laufeynpoika,\njoku on saanut enin onnettomuutta aikaan Aasojen kesken.\"\n49. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Paljon sai Loki aikaan, kun h\u00e4n ensin\naiheutti Baldr'in surman ja sitten sen, ellei h\u00e4nt\u00e4 lunastettu\nHel'ist\u00e4, mutta kostettiinko t\u00e4m\u00e4 h\u00e4nelle?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Kyll\u00e4\nh\u00e4n sai siit\u00e4 palkan, jota h\u00e4n kauvan tulee muistamaan. Kun jumalat\nolivat h\u00e4neen vihastuneet niin kovasti kuin saattoi odottaakin, pakeni\nh\u00e4n ja piiloutui er\u00e4\u00e4lle vuorelle ja rakensi sinne huoneen, jossa\noli nelj\u00e4 ovea, jotta h\u00e4n voisi n\u00e4hd\u00e4 huoneesta jokaiselle nelj\u00e4lle\nilmansuunnalle, mutta monta kertaa p\u00e4iv\u00e4ss\u00e4 muuttihe h\u00e4n lohenmuotoon\nja k\u00e4tkeytyi Fr\u00e1nangr-nimiseen koskeen. Silloin mietti h\u00e4n, mit\u00e4\nkeinoja Aasat tulisivat k\u00e4ytt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n pyyt\u00e4\u00e4kseen h\u00e4net koskesta. Mutta\nkun h\u00e4n istui huoneessa, otti h\u00e4n pellavalankaa ja punoi siit\u00e4\nsilmukoita kuten verkkoa sittemmin kudottiin, ja h\u00e4nen edess\u00e4\u00e4n\nroihusi tuli. Silloin n\u00e4ki h\u00e4n, ett\u00e4 Aasat olivat v\u00e4h\u00e4n matkan p\u00e4\u00e4ss\u00e4\nh\u00e4nest\u00e4; sill\u00e4 Odinn oli n\u00e4hnyt Hlidskj\u00e1lf'ista, miss\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli. H\u00e4n\nhypp\u00e4si heti pystyyn ja sukelsi jokeen, mutta heitti verkon tuleen. Kun\nAasat tulivat huoneeseen, meni ensiksi sis\u00e4lle h\u00e4n, joka oli kaikkein\nviisain ja jonka nimi oli Kvasir, ja kun h\u00e4n n\u00e4ki tulessa hiiltyneet\nverkonj\u00e4tteet, ymm\u00e4rsi h\u00e4n, ett\u00e4 se oli oleva kalanpyydys, ja huomautti\nsiit\u00e4 toisiakin Aasoja. He ottivat ja tekiv\u00e4t itselleen verkon sen\nmukaan kuin he hiiltyneist\u00e4 j\u00e4tteist\u00e4 n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t Lokin tehneen. Kun\nverkko oli valmis, meniv\u00e4t Aasat joelle ja heittiv\u00e4t verkon koskeen.\nTh\u00f3rr piteli toista verkonp\u00e4\u00e4t\u00e4, toista piteliv\u00e4t kaikki muut Aasat,\nja he vetiv\u00e4t verkkoa. Mutta Loki ui edell\u00e4 ja asettui kahden kiven\nv\u00e4liin. He vetiv\u00e4t verkon h\u00e4nen ylitseen ja tunsivat, ett\u00e4 oli jotain\nel\u00e4v\u00e4\u00e4 tiell\u00e4. He meniv\u00e4t toistamiseen yl\u00f6s koskelle, heittiv\u00e4t verkon\nveteen ja kiinnittiv\u00e4t siihen jotakin niin raskasta, ettei mik\u00e4\u00e4n\nvoinut liukua sen alitse. Silloin Loki ui verkon edell\u00e4, mutta kun h\u00e4n\nn\u00e4ki, ettei ollut en\u00e4\u00e4 pitk\u00e4lt\u00e4 mereen, hypp\u00e4si h\u00e4n verkonsyrj\u00e4n yli\nja heitt\u00e4ytyi koskeen. Nyt n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t Aasat, miss\u00e4 h\u00e4n ui, he meniv\u00e4t\nviel\u00e4 kerran yl\u00f6s koskelle ja jakoivat verkon kahteen osaan, mutta\nTh\u00f3rr kahlasi j\u00e4lest\u00e4 keskelt\u00e4 jokea, ja niin he kulkivat merelle.\nMutta Loki n\u00e4ki kaksi mahdollisuutta olevan, hengenvaarallista oli\nuida mereen, toinen mahdollisuus oli viel\u00e4 kerran hyp\u00e4t\u00e4 verkon yli;\nt\u00e4m\u00e4n h\u00e4n tekikin ja hypp\u00e4si mit\u00e4 sukkelimmin verkonreunan yli. Th\u00f3rr\ntavoitti h\u00e4nt\u00e4 ja tarttui h\u00e4neen k\u00e4sin; mutta h\u00e4n liukui k\u00e4sist\u00e4, niin\nett\u00e4 Th\u00f3rr sai kiinni vasta pyrst\u00f6st\u00e4, ja sen t\u00e4hden on lohi suippo\npyrst\u00f6st\u00e4. Nyt oli Loki pyydetty ja julistettu rauhattomaksi ja h\u00e4n\npantiin er\u00e4\u00e4seen luolaan. Sitten ottivat Aasat kolme tasaista paatta,\nasettivat ne syrj\u00e4lleen ja hakkasivat l\u00e4ven kuhunkin paateen.\"\n\"Sitten otettiin Lokin pojat V\u00e1li ja Nari eli Narfi, Aasat muuttivat\nV\u00e4lin raatelevan suden muotoon, ja h\u00e4n raateli veljens\u00e4 Narfin. Sitten\nottivat Aasat t\u00e4m\u00e4n suolet ja sitoivat niill\u00e4 Lokin noiden kolmen\nter\u00e4v\u00e4reunaisen paaden p\u00e4\u00e4lle; yksi niist\u00e4 on h\u00e4nen harteittensa\nalla, toinen lanteitten, kolmas pohkeitten, ja n\u00e4m\u00e4 siteet muuttuivat\nraudaksi. Sitten otti Skadi kyyk\u00e4\u00e4rmeen ja ripusti sen h\u00e4nen ylitseen,\njotta myrkky valuisi k\u00e4\u00e4rmeest\u00e4 h\u00e4nen kasvoilleen. Mutta h\u00e4nen vaimonsa\nSigyn seisoo h\u00e4nen vieress\u00e4\u00e4n ja pitelee vatia myrkkypisaroiden alla.\nKun vati on t\u00e4ysi, menee h\u00e4n ja kaataa pois myrkyn, mutta sill\u00e4 v\u00e4lin\ntippuu myrkky Lokin kasvoille. Silloin kouristaa h\u00e4nt\u00e4 niin ankarasti,\nett\u00e4 koko maa vapisee -- sit\u00e4 te kutsutte maanj\u00e4ristykseksi -- siin\u00e4\nh\u00e4n makaa kahlehdittuna Ragna-r\u00f6kr'iin asti.\"\n50. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Mit\u00e4 on kerrottavaa Ragna-r\u00f6kr'ist\u00e4?\nSit\u00e4 en ole koskaan ennen kuullut mainittavan.\" H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Suuria\non kerrottavana siit\u00e4 ja paljon, ensiksikin, ett\u00e4 tulee talvi, jota\nkutsutaan nimell\u00e4 Fimbulvetr. Silloin tuiskuaa lunta joka suunnalta,\non kova pakkanen, ja tuimat tuulet puhaltavat, eik\u00e4 aurinko paista.\nT\u00e4llaisia talvia on kolme per\u00e4kk\u00e4in, eik\u00e4 ole v\u00e4lill\u00e4 kes\u00e4\u00e4, mutta\nniiden edell\u00e4 on kolme muuta talvea, joiden kuluessa on kaikkialla\nmaailmassa suuria taisteluita. Silloin surmaavat veljekset toisiaan\nahneudesta, eik\u00e4 kukaan s\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4 is\u00e4\u00e4 tai poikaa miestapossa eik\u00e4\naviosuhteitten loukkaamisessa. Sitten tapahtuu sangen t\u00e4rke\u00e4 tapaus,\nkun susi nielaisee auringon; sit\u00e4 pidet\u00e4\u00e4n suurena onnettomuutena.\nSitten sieppaa toinen susi kuun ja saa siten my\u00f6s aikaan suurta\nvahinkoa, t\u00e4hdet h\u00e4vi\u00e4v\u00e4t taivaalla. Silloin tapahtuu sekin, ett\u00e4\nmaa ja kaikki vuoret t\u00e4risev\u00e4t niin, ett\u00e4 puut irtaantuvat maasta,\nja vuoret sortuvat, kaikki kahleet ja siteet katkeavat ja kirpoavat.\nSilloin p\u00e4\u00e4see Fenris\u00falfr irti, ja meri tulvehtii maalle, sill\u00e4 silloin\nMidgardin k\u00e4\u00e4rme kiemurtelee j\u00e4ttil\u00e4isvimmassa ja matelee maihin.\nSilloin tapahtuu my\u00f6s, ett\u00e4 Naglfar-niminen laiva p\u00e4\u00e4see valloilleen.\nSe on tehty kuolleitten kynsist\u00e4, ja sen t\u00e4hden olkoon sanottu\nvarotukseksi, ett\u00e4, jos joku kuolee leikkaamattomin kynsin, lis\u00e4\u00e4 h\u00e4n\npaljon aineita Naglfar-laivaan, jonka jumalat ja ihmiset soisivat\nmy\u00f6h\u00e4\u00e4n valmistuvan. T\u00e4m\u00e4n tulvan aikana p\u00e4\u00e4see Naglfar irti. Hrymr on\nnimelt\u00e4\u00e4n j\u00e4ttil\u00e4inen, joka ohjaa Naglfar-laivaa. Fenris\u00falfr sy\u00f6ksyy\nkita ammollaan, sen alaleuka k\u00e4y maahan ja yl\u00e4leuka ulottuu taivaaseen;\nse ammottaisi viel\u00e4 enemm\u00e4n, jos olisi tilaa, tulta iskev\u00e4t sen silm\u00e4t\nja sieraimet. Midgardin k\u00e4\u00e4rme ruiskuttaa myrkky\u00e4, niin ett\u00e4 se\npirskoittaa sill\u00e4 koko ilman ja maan, se on hirvitt\u00e4v\u00e4 ja kulkee suden\nrinnalla. T\u00e4ss\u00e4 jymyss\u00e4 halkeaa taivas, ja M\u00faspell'in pojat ratsastavat\nesille, Surtr ratsastaa eellimm\u00e4isen\u00e4, ja h\u00e4nen edess\u00e4\u00e4n ja takanaan on\nleiskuva tuli. H\u00e4nen miekkansa on sangen hyv\u00e4 ja loistaa kirkkaammin\nkuin aurinko. Mutta kun he ratsastavat Bifrost'in yli, silloin\nmurtuu se kuten aikaisemmin on sanottu. M\u00faspell'in pojat tunkeutuvat\nkent\u00e4lle, jonka nimi on V\u00edgr\u00eddr (Taistelutuoksinan kentt\u00e4), sinne\ntulevat silloin my\u00f6s Fenris\u00falfr ja Midgardin k\u00e4\u00e4rme. Sinne tulevat\nmy\u00f6s sittemmin Loki ja Hrymr ja t\u00e4m\u00e4n kanssa kaikki j\u00e4\u00e4j\u00e4ttil\u00e4iset,\nLokia taas seuraavat kaikki Hel'in toverit, M\u00faspell'in pojilla on oma\ntaisteluj\u00e4rjest\u00f6ns\u00e4 ja se on sangen loistava. Vigridr-kentt\u00e4 on sata\npeninkulmaa joka taholle. Kun t\u00e4m\u00e4 tapahtuu, silloin nousee Heimdallr,\npuhaltaa rajusti Gjallar-torveen ja her\u00e4tt\u00e4\u00e4 kaikki jumalat, ja he\npit\u00e4v\u00e4t kokousta yhdess\u00e4. Silloin ratsastaa Odinn M\u00edmin kaivolle,\nja saa M\u00edmilt\u00e4 neuvoja itselleen ja sotajoukolleen. Silloin v\u00e4rjyy\nYggdrasilin saarni, eik\u00e4 mik\u00e4\u00e4n taivaassa eik\u00e4 maan p\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 ole pelotta.\nAasat ja kaikki Valholl'in soturit pukeutuvat asepukuun ja rient\u00e4v\u00e4t\nkent\u00e4lle. Eellimm\u00e4isen\u00e4 ratsastaa Odinn kultakyp\u00e4ri p\u00e4\u00e4ss\u00e4, yll\u00e4 kaunis\nhaarniska ja vy\u00f6ll\u00e4 miekka nimelt\u00e4 Gungnir. H\u00e4n hy\u00f6kk\u00e4\u00e4 Fenris-sutta\nkohden, ja Th\u00f3rr h\u00e4nen rinnallaan, mutta h\u00e4n ei voi auttaa Odinia,\nsill\u00e4 h\u00e4nell\u00e4 on t\u00e4ysi ty\u00f6 taistellessaan Midgardin k\u00e4\u00e4rmeen kanssa.\nFreyr taistelee Surtin kanssa tuimassa kaksintaistelussa, kunnes Freyr\nkaatuu; se aiheuttaa h\u00e4nen kuolemansa, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nelt\u00e4 puuttuu oiva\nmiekkansa, jonka h\u00e4n oli antanut Skirnille. Sill\u00e4v\u00e4lin on p\u00e4\u00e4ssyt irti\nGarmr-koirakin, joka oli ollut kahlehdittuna Gnipa-luolan edustalla; se\ntuottaa suurimman onnettomuuden; se taistelee T\u00fdr-jumalan kanssa, ja he\nsurmaavat toisensa. Th\u00f3rin onnistuu surmata Midgardin k\u00e4\u00e4rme, mutta h\u00e4n\nastuu vain yhdeks\u00e4n askelta poisp\u00e4in, niin h\u00e4n vaipuu maahan kuolleena\nsiit\u00e4 myrkyst\u00e4, jota k\u00e4\u00e4rme oli ruiskuttanut h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan. Susi\nnielaisee Odinin, siten h\u00e4n kuolee; mutta samassa astuu Vidarr esiin ja\ntallaa toisella jalallaan suden alaleukaan. Siin\u00e4 jalassa on h\u00e4nell\u00e4\nkenk\u00e4, t\u00e4h\u00e4n on kaikkina aikoina koottu ainetta, n\u00e4et nahkaliuskoja,\njoita vuollaan kengist\u00e4 varpaitten ja kantap\u00e4\u00e4n kohdalta. Sen t\u00e4hden\ntulee jokaisen, joka tahtoo olla Aasoille avuksi, viskata pois ne\nliuskat. Toisella k\u00e4dell\u00e4 tarttuu Vidarr suden yl\u00e4leukaan ja rep\u00e4isee\nsen kidan, ja niin kuolee susi. Loki ottelee Heimdallin kanssa, ja\nhe surmaavat toisensa. Sen j\u00e4lkeen viskaa Surtr tulta maan p\u00e4\u00e4lle ja\npolttaa koko maailman.\"\n51. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"Mit\u00e4 j\u00e4\u00e4 sitten j\u00e4lelle, kun koko maailma\non palanut, ja kaikki jumalat ja Valholl'in soturit ja koko ihmissuku\novat kuolleet, ja kumminkin olette ennen sanoneet, ett\u00e4 jokainen\nihminen tulee ikuisesti el\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n jossakin maailmassa.\" -- Silloin\nvastasi Thridi: \"Paljon on hyvi\u00e4 ja paljon pahoja olinpaikkoja, paras\non olla Giml\u00e9'ss\u00e4 taivaalla, ja runsaasti on hyvi\u00e4 juomia niit\u00e4\nrakastaville salissa, jonka nimi on Brimir, se on pakkasettomassa\npaikassa. Mieluisa on my\u00f6skin sali, joka on Nida-tuntureilla, se on\npunaisesta kullasta ja nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n Sindri. N\u00e4iss\u00e4 saleissa tulevat\nasumaan hyv\u00e4t ja hurskaat ihmiset. Ruumisrannalla (N\u00e1strandir) on\nsuuri, mutta paha sali, jonka ovi on pohjoiseen. Se on kokonaan punottu\nk\u00e4\u00e4rmeitten selist\u00e4 kuten pajuista tehty huone. Kaikki k\u00e4\u00e4rmeenp\u00e4\u00e4t\nk\u00e4\u00e4ntyv\u00e4t sis\u00e4\u00e4n huoneeseen ja ruiskuttavat myrkky\u00e4, niin ett\u00e4\nsalin l\u00e4pi juoksee myrkkyvirtoja. Niiden yli kahlaavat valapatot ja\nmurhaajat. Mutta Hvergelmiss\u00e4 on pahinta: siell\u00e4 piinaa Nidhoggr\nvainajain ruumiita.\"\n52. Silloin sanoi Gangleri: \"El\u00e4\u00e4k\u00f6 silloin viel\u00e4 joitakin jumalia, ja\nonko olemassa maata tai taivasta?\" -- H\u00e1rr sanoi: \"Maa kohoo silloin\nmerest\u00e4 viheri\u00e4n\u00e4 ja ihanana, siin\u00e4 kasvavat pellot kylv\u00e4m\u00e4tt\u00e4.\nV\u00eddarr ja V\u00e1li el\u00e4v\u00e4t, siis ei meri eik\u00e4 Surtin tulo ole heit\u00e4\nvahingoittanut. He asuvat Ida-lakeudella, miss\u00e4 ennen oli Asgardr, ja\nsinne tulevat silloin Th\u00f3rin pojat, M\u00f3di ja Magni, ja tuovat mukanaan\nMjollnir-vasaran. Sitten tulevat sinne Baldr ja Hodr Hel'ist\u00e4. He\nistuutuvat silloin kaikki yhdess\u00e4 puhumaan, muistelemaan salaisuuksiaan\nja juttelemaan entisist\u00e4 tapahtumista, Midgardin k\u00e4\u00e4rmeest\u00e4 ja\nFenris-sudesta. Silloin l\u00f6yt\u00e4v\u00e4t he ruohikosta kultataulut, jotka\nolivat olleet Aasojen omia. -- Hoddm\u00edmisholt-nimisess\u00e4 paikassa\non kaksi ihmist\u00e4 nimelt\u00e4 Lif ja Lif-Thrasir ollut k\u00e4tk\u00f6ss\u00e4 Surtin\npalon aikana, heid\u00e4n ruokanaan ovat aamun kastepisarat. N\u00e4ist\u00e4\nihmisist\u00e4 tulee polveutumaan niin suuri suku, ett\u00e4 koko maailma tulee\nkansoitetuksi. Mutta kummalliselta tuntunee sinusta, ett\u00e4 aurinko oli\nsaanut yht\u00e4 ihanan tytt\u00e4ren kuin se itse oli, ja t\u00e4m\u00e4 kulkee \u00e4itins\u00e4\nrataa. -- Jos viel\u00e4 osaat kysy\u00e4 etemm\u00e4s ajassa, niin silloin en tied\u00e4,\nmist\u00e4 sen olet saanut, sill\u00e4 en ikin\u00e4 ole kuullut kenenk\u00e4\u00e4n pitemm\u00e4lt\u00e4\nkertovan maailman menosta -- ja nyt k\u00e4yt\u00e4 hyv\u00e4ksesi kuulemiasi niinkuin\nolet sen k\u00e4sitt\u00e4nyt.\"\n53. Sen j\u00e4lkeen kuuli Gangleri suurta jyskett\u00e4 joka puolelta ja k\u00e4\u00e4ntyi\nymp\u00e4ri, ja kun h\u00e4n katseli enemm\u00e4n ymp\u00e4rilleen, huomasi h\u00e4n seisovansa\ntasaisella kent\u00e4ll\u00e4 eik\u00e4 n\u00e4hnyt mit\u00e4\u00e4n salia eik\u00e4 linnaa. Silloin\nmeni h\u00e4n tiehens\u00e4, tuli kotiin valtakuntaansa ja kertoi siell\u00e4, mit\u00e4\nh\u00e4n oli n\u00e4hnyt ja kuullut, ja h\u00e4nen j\u00e4lkeens\u00e4 kertoivat kaikki toinen\ntoiselleen n\u00e4m\u00e4 kertomukset.\nMUUTAMA SANA SELITYKSEKSI.\nKalevalan, oman suuren kansanrunoelmamme yhteydess\u00e4 on paljon puhuttu\nmy\u00f6s islantilaisesta Eddasta, jonka sis\u00e4llys on kuitenkin suomalaiselle\nlukijakunnalle ollut verrattain v\u00e4h\u00e4n tunnettu. Aika siis lienee\ntoimittaa ainakin joku osa siit\u00e4 suomalaiseen asuun.\nHuomattava on, ett\u00e4 nimell\u00e4 Edda kulkee kaksikin eri teosta, nimitt\u00e4in\n_Vanhempi_ eli _Runollinen Edda_ ja _Nuorempi_ eli _Suorasanainen\nEdda_. T\u00e4m\u00e4 nimi \"Edda\", joka merkitsee \"Runo-oppi\", on oikeastaan\nj\u00e4lkim\u00e4iselle kuuluva, sittemmin on se siirtynyt edellisellekin, koska\nmolemmat kokoonpanot sis\u00e4llykselt\u00e4\u00e4n varsin l\u00e4heisesti liittyv\u00e4t\ntoisiinsa.\nSuorasanainen Edda jakaantuu kolmeen osaan: 1) _Gylfaginning_\n(Gylfin harhan\u00e4ky), 2) _Sk\u00e1ldskaparm\u00e1l_ (Runouden kieli) ja 3)\n_H\u00e1ttatal_ (Eri runomuotojen luettelo). Koko teos on aijottu nuorille,\nharjaantumattomille runoniekoille osittain suorastaan esikuvaksi,\nosittain oppaaksi ja ohjeeksi. Edellisess\u00e4 tarkoituksessa on syntynyt\nteoksen viimeinen osa _H\u00e1ttatal_, joka samalla on sis\u00e4llykselt\u00e4\u00e4n\nNorjan kuninkaalle Hakon vanhalle ja h\u00e4nen jaarlilleen Skulille\nomistettu ylistysrunoelma. Se t\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4 102 s\u00e4keen pituisena, mit\u00e4\nvaihtelevimpiin runomittoihin puettuna sepitelm\u00e4n\u00e4 oivallisesti\ntarkoituksensa. Varsinaisen niin sanoaksemme \"runouden oppikirjan\"\nmuodostaa _Sk\u00e1lskaparm\u00e1l_. Se on p\u00e4\u00e4asiassa suorasanainen,\nj\u00e4rjestelm\u00e4llinen esitys runoudessa k\u00e4ytett\u00e4v\u00e4st\u00e4 kuvakielest\u00e4,\njoka melkein rajattoman moninaisuutensa ja vivahtelunsa vuoksi oli\nerikoisesti opittava. Samalla sis\u00e4lt\u00e4\u00e4 se otteita sek\u00e4 suorasanaisessa\nett\u00e4 runomuodossa kansan vanhoista taruista, joiden tuntemista\nrunollisten vertauskuvien ymm\u00e4rt\u00e4minen edellytt\u00e4\u00e4. Perinpohjaisemman\nja yhten\u00e4isemm\u00e4n esityksen islantilaisten jumalaistarustosta, alkaen\nmaailman luomisesta ja maailman loppuun p\u00e4\u00e4ttyen, sis\u00e4lt\u00e4\u00e4 kumminkin\n_Nuoremman Eddan_ ensi osa _Gylfaginning_. Kertomuksen asu on\nsuorasanaisen vuoropuhelun muotoon sommiteltu, mutta tekij\u00e4 on sinne\nt\u00e4nne siroitellut melkoisen m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4n runomuotoisista l\u00e4hteist\u00e4 per\u00e4isin\nolevia otteita, ik\u00e4\u00e4nkuin todistuskappaleiksi kertomilleen.\nMies, jolla on kyllin kyky\u00e4 pysty\u00e4kseen luomaan teoksen sellaisen\nkuin Nuorempi Edda, oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n Snorri Sturluson. T\u00e4m\u00e4 nerokas\nislantilainen kirjailija ja taitava valtiomies eli vuosien 1178 ja\n1241 v\u00e4lill\u00e4. H\u00e4n oli syntynyt vanhasta, mainehikkaasta suvusta, joka\noli is\u00e4nmaalleen antanut m.m. kuuluisan runoilijan Snorri hyv\u00e4n.\nKolmivuotiaasta asti oli Snorri Sturluson kasvatettavana er\u00e4\u00e4n arvossa\npidetyn ylimyksen kodissa, miss\u00e4 h\u00e4n lapsuutensa aikana lienee\nperehtynyt Norjan kuninkaitten ynn\u00e4 Islannin historiaan sek\u00e4 kotimaansa\nmaantietoon. Ollessaan 19 vuotias menetti Snorri kasvatusis\u00e4ns\u00e4.\nSilloin oli h\u00e4nen is\u00e4vainajansa perint\u00f6 tuhlattu, ja Snorrin veli ja\nkasvatusveli toimittivat h\u00e4net naimisiin Herdis-nimisen naisen kanssa.\nT\u00e4m\u00e4n maatilalla asui h\u00e4n sitten, kunnes h\u00e4n peritty\u00e4\u00e4n er\u00e4\u00e4n toisen\nsellaisen muutti sille, eroten samalla todellisuudessa, joskaan ei\nvirallisesti, puolisostaan, joka j\u00e4i asumaan kotitaloonsa. Snorri\nsaavutti sittemmin yh\u00e4 vaikuttavamman aseman kotimaassaan, viel\u00e4p\u00e4\nasetettiin h\u00e4net useita eri kertoja korkeimpaan virkaan, lainlukijaksi.\nH\u00e4n teki my\u00f6s matkoja Norjaan, miss\u00e4 herttua Skuli ja aluksi kuningas\nHakonkin h\u00e4nt\u00e4 suosivat. Mutta samalla sai h\u00e4n vuosien kuluessa\nk\u00e4rsi\u00e4 paljon sek\u00e4 sukulaistensa ett\u00e4 maamiestens\u00e4 h\u00e4ik\u00e4ilem\u00e4tt\u00f6m\u00e4n\nep\u00e4luulon ja kateuden t\u00e4hden ja joutui moniin selkkauksiin, sek\u00e4\nusein viattomasti syytetyksi. Lopuksi sai h\u00e4n surmansa runossa\nylist\u00e4m\u00e4ns\u00e4 kuninkaan toimesta ja oman v\u00e4vyns\u00e4, er\u00e4\u00e4n vallanhimoisen\nylimyksen k\u00e4dest\u00e4. Snorrin luonteen huomattavimpia piirteit\u00e4 olivat\nmaltillisuus ja rauhanrakkaus, vaikka h\u00e4nen vaikuttiminaan olivatkin\nvallan ja maineen pyynti ja joskaan h\u00e4n ei aikakautensa yleisen\nluonteen mukaisesti ollut yksityisel\u00e4m\u00e4lt\u00e4\u00e4n moitteeton. Snorrin\nis\u00e4nmaallisten pyrint\u00f6jen todellisuus ja saavutukset tulivat n\u00e4kyviin\nvasta h\u00e4nen sorruttuaan r\u00e4ike\u00e4n\u00e4 vastakohtana sille kohtalolle, jonka\nalaiseksi Islanti h\u00e4nen j\u00e4lkeens\u00e4 joutui menett\u00e4ess\u00e4\u00e4n t\u00e4ydellisesti\nitsen\u00e4isyytens\u00e4.\nSnorri Sturluson on my\u00f6s kuuluisa verrattain laajasta kirjallisesta\ntoiminnastaan. Niinp\u00e4 on _Heimskringla_, kokoelma Norjan kuninkaitten\nel\u00e4m\u00e4kertoja, h\u00e4nen tuotantoaan. H\u00e4n on my\u00f6s kohottanut rappeutuvan\nislantilaisen runouden kukoistukseen sek\u00e4 omilla runoelmillaan ett\u00e4\nv\u00e4lillisesti edist\u00e4m\u00e4ll\u00e4 t\u00e4t\u00e4 yll\u00e4mainitulla teoksellaan Eddalla.\nKuten islantilaiset eristetyss\u00e4 kotimaassaan yleens\u00e4 varhain her\u00e4siv\u00e4t\nkansallistuntoon, niin oli Snorri Sturlusonkin t\u00e4ysin selvill\u00e4 sen\nhenkisen omaisuuden arvosta, joka kansan taruihin k\u00e4tkeytyi, ja niin\nonkin h\u00e4nen selitt\u00e4v\u00e4 ja valaiseva esityksens\u00e4 niist\u00e4 j\u00e4lkimaailmalle\nollut ja on edelleen oleva arvokas.\nSeuraavassa _Gylfaginningin_ k\u00e4\u00e4nn\u00f6ksess\u00e4, jonka tarkoituksena on\nantaa mahdollisimman todenmukainen k\u00e4sitys alkuper\u00e4isest\u00e4 tekstist\u00e4,\non p\u00e4\u00e4paino pantu suorasanaiselle osalle, kun taas runomuotoisista\ntodistuskappaleista osa tarpeettomana kertauksena on j\u00e4tetty pois, osa\nsuorasanaisesti suomennettu.\nMuutamien ominaisnimiss\u00e4 esiintyvien, kielellemme vieraitten\n\u00e4\u00e4nnemerkkien selitys lienee paikallaan. Niinp\u00e4 tavataan niiss\u00e4\nvokaalimerkki, joka osoittaa alkukieless\u00e4 avonaista o-\u00e4\u00e4nnett\u00e4, mik\u00e4\nn.k. u-\u00e4\u00e4nteenmukauksen kautta on syntynyt varhaisemmasta a-sta.\nKonsonantit d ja th (erikoisella kirjaimella merkitty) ilmaisevat\nedellinen puhe\u00e4\u00e4nellist\u00e4, j\u00e4lkim\u00e4inen puhe\u00e4\u00e4net\u00f6nt\u00e4 henk\u00e4ys\u00e4\u00e4nnett\u00e4,\nspiranttia, jotka viel\u00e4 meid\u00e4n p\u00e4ivin\u00e4mme tavataan, vaikkakin nyt\nmolemmat samoin (th) merkittyin\u00e4 englannin kieless\u00e4, edellinen esim.\nsik\u00e4l\u00e4isess\u00e4 sanassa brother (veli), j\u00e4lkim\u00e4inen sanassa month\n(kuukausi). Korkomerkki\u00e4 on islantilaisessa kirjoituksessa k\u00e4ytetty\n\u00e4\u00e4nti\u00f6n pituutta osoittamaan. Siten merkittyjen isojen kirjasinten\npuutteessa on nimen alussa t\u00e4ytynyt joko k\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4 pient\u00e4 kirjainta\n(sanan ensi kerran esiintyess\u00e4) taikka tavallista isoa kirjainta, esim.\n\u00f3dinn, Odinn.\nTaivutettaessa on ominaisnimist\u00e4, jotka p\u00e4\u00e4ttyv\u00e4t kieless\u00e4 hyvin\nyleiseen nominatiivin tunnukseen -r, t\u00e4m\u00e4 sijap\u00e4\u00e4te j\u00e4tetty pois,\nnoudattamalla t\u00e4ten periaatetta, jonka mukaan taivutamme esim. Homeros,\nHomeron.\nK\u00e4\u00e4nn\u00f6ksen vastaavaisuuden alkutekstiin on tarkastanut tohtori Ralf\nSax\u00e9n, suomalaisen asun taas professori Kaarle Krohn. Itse k\u00e4\u00e4nn\u00f6sty\u00f6n\non suorittanut ylioppilas Liisa Bergius.\nEnd of Project Gutenberg's Edda: taruopillinen alkuosa, by Snorri Sturluson", "source_dataset": "gutenberg", "source_dataset_detailed": "gutenberg - Edda"}, +{"source_document": "", "creation_year": 1221, "culture": " Finnish\n", "content": "Produced by Tapio Riikonen\nKUNINGASTARINOITA\nKirj.\nSnorri Sturluson\nNorjan kielest\u00e4 lyhent\u00e4en suomentanut\nToivo Wallenius\nHelsingiss\u00e4,\nKustannusosakeyhti\u00f6 Otava,\nSIS\u00c4LLYS:\n Johdanto.\n Katsaus Norjan kansan vanhimpaan historiaan.\n Snorre Sturluson ja h\u00e4nen teoksensa.\n Harald Kaunotukan tarina.\n Haakon Hyv\u00e4n tarina.\n Eirikinpoikain tarina.\n Haakon jaarlin tarina.\n Olavi Trygvenpojan tarina.\n Viiteselitykset.\nJOHDANTO.\nKatsaus Norjan kansan vanhimpaan historiaan.\n\"Norjan kansan historia alkaa samaan aikaan kuin sen maankin\", sanoo\nP.A. Munch teoksessaan \"Norjan kansan historia\"; \"ja yht\u00e4 v\u00e4h\u00e4n kuin\nhistoria tiet\u00e4\u00e4 kertoa tapahtumista, jotka ovat sattuneet Norjan\npohjalla ennen norjalaisten tuloa, yht\u00e4 v\u00e4h\u00e4n se tiet\u00e4\u00e4 norjalaisista,\nennenkuin se tapaa heid\u00e4t Norjassa asuvina\". Aikoinaan onkin\nesitetty se arvelu, ett\u00e4 Norja on jo alkujaan ollut germaanisen\nv\u00e4est\u00f6n asuttama; mutta my\u00f6hempi tutkimus on kuitenkin tehnyt sen\njohtop\u00e4\u00e4t\u00f6ksen, ett\u00e4 nykyisten norjalaisten esi-is\u00e4t ovat saapuneet\nmaahan etel\u00e4isemmilt\u00e4 tienoilta. Skandinaaviset muinaistarut kertovat\nheid\u00e4n vaeltaneen Ven\u00e4j\u00e4n etel\u00e4osista jumalien johtamina, ja my\u00f6skin\ntiede on m\u00e4\u00e4ritellyt heid\u00e4n varhaisimmaksi tunnetuksi asuinpaikakseen\ngermaanilais-kansain yhteisen alkukodin, joka sijaitsi Mustanmeren\nrantamilla Tonavan suupuolen ja Krimin v\u00e4lisell\u00e4 alalla. Mit\u00e4 tiet\u00e4 he\novat sielt\u00e4 siirtyneet pohjan perille, sit\u00e4 ei ole voitu varmasti\nratkaista. Luultavasti he ovat kulkeneet Ven\u00e4j\u00e4n ja Saksan jokia\nseuraten It\u00e4meren rannikolle, mist\u00e4 matka lienee jatkunut Tanskan\nkautta Skandinaavian niemimaalle. Munch tosin arvelee mahdolliseksi,\nett\u00e4 Norja on asutettu pohjoisesta k\u00e4sin, siten ett\u00e4 tulokkaat ovat\nPohjanlahtea kiert\u00e4en saapuneet ensiksi Lappiin ja Ruijaan; mutta t\u00e4t\u00e4\nolettamusta ei h\u00e4n ole voinut p\u00e4tev\u00e4sti todistaa.\nOli miten tahansa, jo my\u00f6hemm\u00e4ll\u00e4 kivikaudella, useita vuosituhansia\nennen nykyist\u00e4 ajanlaskuamme, asusti Norjassa germaanilaista v\u00e4est\u00f6\u00e4,\njoka oli tunkenut tielt\u00e4\u00e4n toiseen rotuun kuuluvan kansan, luultavasti\nlappalaiset. T\u00e4m\u00e4 v\u00e4est\u00f6 oli sitten saman kehityksen alainen kuin\nEuroopan muutkin kansat, siirtyen kivikaudesta pronssikauteen, sen\nj\u00e4lkeen rautakauden eri vaiheisiin. Roomalaisen maailmanvallan aikana\nse joutui tekemisiin etel\u00e4isempien sivistyskansojen kanssa kehitt\u00e4en\nhyvinkin laajalle ulottuvia kauppasuhteita, kuten lukuisat raha- y.m.\nl\u00f6yd\u00f6t todistavat. Ja kun suuret germaanilaiset kansainvaellukset\nalkavat, ottaa pohjola runsaasti osaa niihin. \"Kansojen \u00e4idinkohduksi\"\nnimitt\u00e4\u00e4 muuan goottilaisten historioitsija pohjolaa, ja viimeaikainen\ntutkimus onkin osoittanut, ett\u00e4 useat germaanilaisheimot, jotka niin\nankarasti j\u00e4rkyttiv\u00e4t Rooman valtakunnan perustuksia ja murtivat siihen\narveluttavia aukkoja, l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t alkujaan Skandinaavien maista tai\nainakin olivat l\u00e4heisiss\u00e4 suhteissa sik\u00e4l\u00e4isiin asukkaisiin. Sellaisia\nolivat m.m. gootit, burgundit, herulit ja langobardit.\nVuoden 550:n vaiheilla alkaa historian valo h\u00e4m\u00e4r\u00e4n\u00e4 kajastuksena\ntunkeutua pohjankin perille selvitellen sik\u00e4l\u00e4isi\u00e4 olosuhteita ainakin\n\u00e4\u00e4riviivoiltaan, ja t\u00e4ll\u00f6in saamme ensimm\u00e4iset tiedot Norjankin\nvaltiollisista ja yhteiskunnallisista oloista. Goottilainen Jornandes\nluettelee _Skandzan_ (Skandinaavian) kansain joukossa useita\nnorjalaisia pikkuheimoja, joiden nimet esiintyv\u00e4t my\u00f6hemm\u00e4ll\u00e4kin\najalla, ja h\u00e4nen aikalaisensa Caesarean Prokopius tuntee \"Thulen\" ja\nsen kolmetoista kansaa eli kuningaskuntaa. N\u00e4iden esitt\u00e4mist\u00e4 nimist\u00e4\np\u00e4\u00e4tt\u00e4en on Norjassa jo ennen vuotta 550 muodostunut pikkuvaltioita,\njotka vastaavat historiallisen ajan _fylkej\u00e4_. Heimojen hallinto oli\nmonarkkinen, ja kansa oli jaettu kihlakuntiin (_herred_), joiden\nyleiset asiat ratkaistiin k\u00e4r\u00e4jill\u00e4, miss\u00e4 johtajilla kuitenkin oli\np\u00e4\u00e4t\u00f6svalta. Kukin kihlakunta omisti alkujaan maan yhteisesti, mutta\nmaanviljelyksen ja karjanhoidon kehittyess\u00e4 muodostui suvun\nyksityisomaisuus (_odet_); viljelem\u00e4t\u00f6n maa pysyi yhteisen\u00e4\n(_almenning_), jota k\u00e4ytettiin laitumiksi tai mets\u00e4stykseen. Kansan\nmuodostivat vapaat miehet (talonpojat), jotka voivat vuokrata osan\ntilastaan vapaille maattomille (_lejl\u00e6nding_) tai omistaa\nyksityisomaisuutena orjia. Kansan yl\u00e4puolella olivat p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6t\n(jaarlit, _herset_), joiden suvuilla oli perinn\u00f6llinen arvo rikkauden\nja urot\u00f6iden perustuksella. N\u00e4ill\u00e4 oli oikeus pit\u00e4\u00e4 soturiseuruetta ja\nk\u00e4yd\u00e4 yksityissotia. Kun valtio joutui sotaan, valittiin yksityinen\np\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6 johtajaksi, ja h\u00e4n saattoi menestyess\u00e4\u00e4n kohota kuninkaaksi\ntai valloittaa itselleen valtakunnan.\nN\u00e4ill\u00e4 perustuksilla alkavat Norjan kansan olot kehitty\u00e4 varsinaisen\nhistoriallisen ajan koittaessa 8:nnen vuosisadan loppupuolella. T\u00e4ll\u00f6in\nilmenee parin ensimm\u00e4isen vuosisadan kuluessa kolme huomattavaa\nsuuntaviivaa. Norjassa kuten molemmissa naapurimaissakin esiintyy\nvoimakas pyrkimys valtiolliseen yhten\u00e4isyyteen, koko maan k\u00e4sitt\u00e4v\u00e4n\nvaltakunnan luomiseen. Sen yhteydess\u00e4 tapahtuu huomattava maastamuutto\nja viikinkiretket kehittyv\u00e4t korkeimmilleen. Ja lopuksi alkaa\nkristinuskon ja pakanuuden v\u00e4lill\u00e4 taistelu, joka p\u00e4\u00e4ttyy ensinmainitun\nvoittoon, mik\u00e4 taas on omansa vahvistamaan kansallista ja valtiollista\nyhten\u00e4isyytt\u00e4 ja tekee lopun viikinkiretkist\u00e4.\nYhdist\u00e4misty\u00f6n pani alulle kuningas Halvdan Musta 9:nnen vuosisadan\nalkupuolella alistaen valtaansa suurimman osan Kaakkois-Norjaa. Sen\nsuoritti loppuun h\u00e4nen poikansa Harald Kaunotukka, joka kymmenvuotiaana\nperi is\u00e4ns\u00e4 valtakunnan. Ripe\u00e4sti h\u00e4n kukisti enonsa Guthormin\nauttamana entisten pikkukuninkaiden kapinat ja laajensi aluettaan vuosi\nvuodelta, niin ett\u00e4 se lopulta k\u00e4sitti koko silloisen Norjan, yksinp\u00e4\nHaalogalanninkin kaukana pohjan perill\u00e4. Ratkaisevin taistelu tapahtui\nHafsfjordin luona, miss\u00e4 h\u00e4n verisess\u00e4 yhteent\u00f6rm\u00e4yksess\u00e4 tuhosi\nliittoutuneiden ruhtinasten merivoimat. T\u00e4m\u00e4n j\u00e4lkeen ei kukaan en\u00e4\u00e4\nvastustanut h\u00e4nen valtaansa Norjassa, vaan taipumattomimmatkin\nv\u00e4istyiv\u00e4t h\u00e4nen tielt\u00e4\u00e4n siirtyen vieraisiin maihin. My\u00f6skin\nulkovaltoihin n\u00e4hden Harald esiintyi voimakkaasti est\u00e4en erin\u00e4isi\u00e4\nit\u00e4isi\u00e4 alueita joutumasta Svean kuninkaan alaisiksi ja valloittaen\nNorjalle Orkney-saaret sek\u00e4 Shetlannin.\nVoitolle p\u00e4\u00e4sty\u00e4\u00e4n Harald j\u00e4rjesti valtakuntansa olot tehden entiset\nsuurmiehet virkamiehikseen ja anastaen aineelliseksi tuekseen monta\nsataa suurtilaa ymp\u00e4ri maata. Jaarlit ja herset saivat nyt kuninkaan\npalvelijoina hoitaa oikeudenk\u00e4ytt\u00f6\u00e4 ja peri\u00e4 veroja sek\u00e4 sakkoja; he\nvarustivat kuninkaan palvelukseen aseellisia miehi\u00e4 ja olivat sodassa\ntalonpoikain johtajina. Suurta tyytym\u00e4tt\u00f6myytt\u00e4 her\u00e4tti se, ett\u00e4\nkuningas alkoi vaatia talonpojilta vakinaisia veroja, sill\u00e4 vapaa\n_odal_-mies oli tottunut pit\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n itse\u00e4\u00e4n t\u00e4ysin riippumattomana.\nHarald kuningas joutui kuitenkin itse horjuttamaan ty\u00f6ns\u00e4\npysyv\u00e4isyytt\u00e4. Vanhaksi k\u00e4yty\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4n jakoi valtakunnastaan alueita\nlukuisille pojilleen, ja jo h\u00e4nen el\u00e4ess\u00e4\u00e4n n\u00e4m\u00e4 osoittivat katkeralla\nriitaisuudellaan, ett\u00e4 valtakunnan yhteys oli vaarassa. H\u00e4nen\ntarkoituksensa oli tehd\u00e4 lempipojastaan Eirikist\u00e4 varsinaisen valtansa\nperij\u00e4, mutta t\u00e4m\u00e4n veljet eiv\u00e4t olleet halukkaita alistumaan, ja\nHaraldin kuoltua Eirik Verikirves koetti turhaan verisell\u00e4 v\u00e4kivallalla\nlujittaa asemaansa. H\u00e4nen t\u00e4ytyi itsens\u00e4 v\u00e4isty\u00e4 maasta, kun er\u00e4s\nHaraldin nuoremmista pojista, Englannissa kasvatettu Haakon Hyv\u00e4,\nsaapui v. 840 Norjaan vaatimaan itselleen is\u00e4nperint\u00f6\u00e4. Vihattu Eirik\nkuoli viikinkiretkill\u00e4, ja Haakon, joka oli saanut tuekseen Norjan\nmahtavimman suurmiehen, trondhjemilaisen Sigurd jaarlin, ja voittanut\ntalonpoikain suosion lempe\u00e4ll\u00e4 olemuksellaan, tuli Haraldin luoman\nylivallan perij\u00e4ksi. H\u00e4nen kerrotaan j\u00e4rjest\u00e4neen oikeusolot\nvakiinnuttamalla kaksi lakikuntaa sek\u00e4 maan puolustuslaitoksen\nm\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4\u00e4m\u00e4ll\u00e4 kunkin fylken asevelvollisuuden ulkonaisen vaaran uhatessa.\nMutta er\u00e4\u00e4seen mullistavaan muutokseen oli Haakonin valta viel\u00e4 liian\nheikko. H\u00e4n oli Englannissa saanut kristillisen kasvatuksen ja p\u00e4\u00e4tti\nasemansa lujitettuaan saattaa uuden uskon voimaan my\u00f6skin omassa\nmaassaan. H\u00e4nen l\u00e4hin ymp\u00e4rist\u00f6ns\u00e4 suostuikin kastettavaksi, mutta\ntalonpojat eiv\u00e4t taipuneet hylk\u00e4\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n vanhoja jumalia ja isilt\u00e4\nperittyj\u00e4 uhrimenoja; p\u00e4invastoin, esiintyen k\u00e4r\u00e4jill\u00e4 ja uhrijuhlissa\nvarsin uhkaavasti, he pakottivat kuninkaankin muodollisesti\ntunnustamaan vanhaa uskoa. Varmaankin olisi kansan ja kuninkaan v\u00e4lill\u00e4\nsyntynyt ilmiriita t\u00e4m\u00e4n arkaluontoisen kysymyksen t\u00e4hden, ellei\nulkonainen vaara olisi heit\u00e4 yhdist\u00e4nyt. Eirik kuninkaan pojat eiv\u00e4t\nnimitt\u00e4in halunneet j\u00e4tt\u00e4\u00e4 Norjaa h\u00e4nen hallittavakseen, vaan k\u00e4viv\u00e4t\ntuon tuostakin tanskalaisten avustamina h\u00e4iritsem\u00e4ss\u00e4 h\u00e4nen toimiaan.\nHaakon sai heist\u00e4 kyll\u00e4 voiton kahdessa verisess\u00e4 taistelussa, mutta\nviimeisess\u00e4 h\u00e4n haavoittui hengenvaarallisesti ja kuoli heti sen\nj\u00e4lkeen, luovutettuaan valtansa Eirikinpojille. N\u00e4iden hallitusta ei\nkuitenkaan kest\u00e4nyt kauan, vaan valta siirtyi ennen pitk\u00e4\u00e4\ntrondhjemilaiselle jaarlille Haakon Sigurdinpojalle, joka ensin\nhallitsi maata Tanskan kuninkaan k\u00e4skyl\u00e4isen\u00e4, sittemmin itsen\u00e4isen\u00e4.\nT\u00e4ll\u00f6in pakanuus p\u00e4\u00e4si uudelleen vallitsevaksi Norjassa.\nSek\u00e4 Harald Kaunotukan ett\u00e4 Haakon Hyv\u00e4n toiminnan uudisti\nmenestyksellisesti kuningas Olavi Trygvenpoika, joka v. 995 palasi\nis\u00e4nmaahansa vietetty\u00e4\u00e4n lapsuutensa orjuudessa, nuoruutensa ja\nvarhaisimman miehuutensa viikinkiretkill\u00e4 ja vaihtelevissa\nseikkailuissa vierailla mailla ja merill\u00e4. Haakon jaarli, joka muuten\noli kyvyk\u00e4s mies, oli her\u00e4tt\u00e4nyt talonpoikien vihan varsinkin\naistillisuutensa vuoksi, ja Harald Kaunotukan j\u00e4lkel\u00e4isen saapuessa\nmaahan n\u00e4m\u00e4 nousivat kapinaan jaarlia vastaan, joka sai surmansa oman\norjansa k\u00e4dest\u00e4. Lyhyess\u00e4 ajassa oli koko Norja uudelle kuninkaalle\nkuuliainen, ja h\u00e4n voi nyt ryhty\u00e4 toteuttamaan Haakon Hyv\u00e4n aikeita,\ns.o. levitt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n kristinuskoa. H\u00e4n oli tosin tuonut Englannista\nkerallaan pappeja ja munkkeja, mutta enimm\u00e4kseen h\u00e4n n\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4\nturvautuneen v\u00e4kivaltaan. Alue toisensa j\u00e4lkeen pakotettiin alistumaan\nkasteeseen, talonpojat, jotka olivat aseissa saapuneet k\u00e4r\u00e4jille uhaten\ntaivuttaa Olavin samaten kuin Haakon Hyv\u00e4nkin, eiv\u00e4t uskaltaneet\nylivoiman edess\u00e4 k\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4 niit\u00e4, j\u00e4ykk\u00e4niskaisimmat surmattiin usein\nhirvein kidutuksin, vanhojen jumalien temppelit h\u00e4vitettiin, ja sijaan\nkohosi Valkean Kristuksen pyh\u00e4kk\u00f6j\u00e4.\nOlavi Trygvenpoika oli ennen Norjaan tuloaan viett\u00e4nyt aito viikingin\nseikkailurikasta el\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4, ja sotasankarin tavoin h\u00e4nen p\u00e4iv\u00e4ns\u00e4 my\u00f6skin\np\u00e4\u00e4ttyiv\u00e4t. Tanskan kuningas Svein P\u00f6rh\u00f6parta, Ruotsin Olavi kuningas\nja Haakon jaarlin poika Eirik liittoutuivat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan v\u00e4ijyen\nsopivaa tilaisuutta tuhotakseen mahtavan hallitsijan. Sellainen\nilmestyikin v. 1000 Olavi Trygvenpojan k\u00e4ydess\u00e4 Vendinmaassa. Svolderin\nluona hy\u00f6kk\u00e4siv\u00e4t viholliset h\u00e4nen kimppuunsa, suurenmoisessa\nmeritaistelussa voitettiin Norjan kuninkaan laivasto, ja Olavi itse\nheitt\u00e4ytyi mereen v\u00e4ltt\u00e4\u00e4kseen vankeutta. Aaltojen alla sai hautansa\nt\u00e4m\u00e4 \"meriratsun suistaja\", joka ei ollut koskaan k\u00e4\u00e4nt\u00e4nyt purttaan\ntaistelusta muutoin kuin voittajana.\nEdell\u00e4 on jo huomautettu, ett\u00e4 ominaista t\u00e4lle aikakaudelle on my\u00f6skin\nviikinkiel\u00e4m\u00e4; ja koska se esiintyy varsin huomattavana t\u00e4h\u00e4n\nliittyv\u00e4ss\u00e4 kuvauksessa, lienee paikallaan kosketella sit\u00e4\np\u00e4\u00e4piirteiss\u00e4\u00e4n.\nOikeastaan viikinkiretket olivat jonkinlaista jatkoa germaanien\nkansainvaelluksille, joihin olemme huomanneet pohjolankin ottaneen\nmelkoisessa m\u00e4\u00e4rin osaa. Toisaalta ne ovat my\u00f6skin yhdistett\u00e4v\u00e4t\nrauhalliseen kaupank\u00e4yntiin ja siirtolaisuuteen. Olivathan\nSkandinaavian asukkaat jo ennen varsinaista viikinkikautta liikkuneet\nmerill\u00e4 kauppatarkoituksissa, ja viel\u00e4 ry\u00f6st\u00f6retkiinkin antauduttuaan\nhe harjoittivat usein samalla haavaa mainittua rauhallista ammattia.\nEik\u00e4 sotaisain retkikuntain tarkoituksena aina ollut yksinomaan\ntilap\u00e4inen omaisuuden hankinta, vaan monesti koetettiin voittaa\npysyv\u00e4ist\u00e4 hyv\u00e4\u00e4 asettumalla vakinaisesti vieraaseen maahan.\nViikinkijoukot perustivat useita uusia valtakuntia ja asuttivat monta\naluetta, varsinkin Pohjanmeren saarilla ja It\u00e4meren rantamilla.\nSyyn\u00e4 viikinkiretkiin olivat sek\u00e4 sotaisa luonne ja seikkailuhalu,\nmolemmat aito-germaanilaisia ominaisuuksia, ett\u00e4 aineelliset seikat.\nOma maa ei aina tuottanut riitt\u00e4v\u00e4sti elatusta, ja sit\u00e4paitsi oli\nyleisesti tapana luovuttaa perint\u00f6tila jakamattomana vanhimmalle\npojalle, jolloin nuorempien oli hankittava toimeentulonsa sotaisin\nkeinoin. V\u00e4est\u00f6 lienee my\u00f6skin karttunut nopeammin kuin viljelys\nedistyi, sill\u00e4 verraten yleinen monivaimoisuus aiheutti suuren\nlapsilauman. Lis\u00e4ksi viel\u00e4 sis\u00e4iset rauhattomuudet, kuten voimakkaiden\nhallitsijain yksinvalta-pyrkimykset, pakottivat monen l\u00e4htem\u00e4\u00e4n\nvieraisiin maihin, joko pysyv\u00e4isesti tai ry\u00f6st\u00f6retkille.\nEnsimm\u00e4iset viikinkiretket tehtiin 700-luvun alussa, ja niit\u00e4 jatkui\nsitten noin kolme vuosisataa. Mit\u00e4 erikoisesti norjalaisiin tuli,\nliikkuivat he osaksi It\u00e4merell\u00e4, mutta enimm\u00e4kseen Pohjanmerell\u00e4 ja\nAtlantilla kohdistaen hy\u00f6kk\u00e4yksens\u00e4 Skotlantiin, Englantiin ja\nIrlantiin sek\u00e4 n\u00e4it\u00e4 ymp\u00e4r\u00f6iviin saariin. Tarkoituksena oli my\u00f6skin\nperustaa vakinaisia valtakuntia, mik\u00e4 toisinaan onnistuikin. Niinp\u00e4\nperusti norjalainen Torgils noin v. 838 suuren valtion Irlantiin, ja\nv. 853 loivat veljekset Olavi ja Ivar sinne uuden valtakunnan, jonka\np\u00e4\u00e4paikkana oli Dublin ja joka s\u00e4ilyi heid\u00e4n sukunsa alaisena 11:nnelle\nvuosisadalle asti. Sit\u00e4paitsi oli Eirik Verikirveell\u00e4 muutaman vuoden\najan kuningaskunta Englannissa.\nViikinkiretkill\u00e4 eiv\u00e4t pohjan miehet voittaneet ainoastaan kultaa, vaan\nmy\u00f6skin kulttuuria, joka heid\u00e4n kauttaan v\u00e4hitellen levisi kotimaahan\nja vaikutti tehokkaasti olojen kehittymiseen, m.m. yhteiskunnallisessa\nsuhteessa. Ja juuri viikinkiretkien tuloksena oli suuressa m\u00e4\u00e4rin\nkristinusko, joka niihin aikoihin edusti korkeinta sivistystasoa ja\najan mittaan taltutti pohjolan sotaisten kansain mielen saaden ne\nluopumaan hurjista vainomatkoistaan.[1]\nSnorre Sturluson ja h\u00e4nen teoksensa.\nIslannista, jota norjalaiset alkoivat asuttaa kahdeksannen sataluvun\nlopulla, tuli my\u00f6hemmin mit\u00e4 t\u00e4rkein aarreaitta pohjoismaiselle\nmuinaistiedolle. Siell\u00e4 s\u00e4ilyiv\u00e4t kauimmin viikinkiaikain runot ja\ntarinat, ja siell\u00e4 sai jo varhain alkunsa Skandinaavian maiden\nhistoriankirjoitus, viel\u00e4p\u00e4 niin suurenmoisessa muodossa, ett\u00e4 harva\nsamanlaisen sivistystason kansa on sellaista tulosta saavuttanut.\nT\u00e4rkein n\u00e4ist\u00e4 aikakirjoista lienee _Snorre Sturlusonin_ teos\n_Kuningastarinoita_, joka sek\u00e4 historiallisessa suhteessa ett\u00e4\nesitystapaan n\u00e4hden on luettava Pohjoismaiden kirjallisuuden\nmerkkituotteisiin.\nSnorre Sturluson l. Sturlanpoika syntyi Islannissa vuonna 1178.\nMahtavan Sturlunga-suvun j\u00e4senen\u00e4, lahjakkaana, aikaansa n\u00e4hden\noppineena ja varsinkin laink\u00e4ytt\u00f6\u00f6n perehtyneen\u00e4 miehen\u00e4 h\u00e4n saavutti\nhuomattavan aseman silloin viel\u00e4 itsen\u00e4isess\u00e4 saarivaltiossa.\nLaskettuaan rikkaalla avioliitolla perustuksen melkoiselle\nvarallisuudelle, jota h\u00e4n osasi taidolla kartuttaa, h\u00e4nest\u00e4 tuli vuonna\n1215 \"lagsigemand\", lakia s\u00e4\u00e4t\u00e4v\u00e4in k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4in ja korkeimman\ntuomioistuimen johtaja. H\u00e4nen runoilijamaineensa oli t\u00e4ll\u00f6in levinnyt\njo Norjaankin, ja vuonna 1218 Snorre matkusti sinne itse saavuttaakseen\nkunniaa ja arvoa Haakon kuninkaan hovissa. Sek\u00e4 kuningas ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nen\nl\u00e4hin miehens\u00e4 ja appensa Skule herttua[2] koettivat taivuttaa Snorrea\ntoimimaan heid\u00e4n valtiollisten pyrkimystens\u00e4 edist\u00e4miseksi, ja maasta\nl\u00e4htiess\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4n olikin Norjan kuninkaan l\u00e4\u00e4nitysmiehen\u00e4 sitoutunut\ntukemaan Islannissa Haakon kuninkaan valtaa.\nKotiin palattuaan h\u00e4n k\u00e4ytti merkityksellist\u00e4 asemaansa oman\nvallanhimonsa tyydytt\u00e4miseksi ja saattoikin esiinty\u00e4 perin mahtavana,\nm.m. tehostaen k\u00e4r\u00e4jill\u00e4 pyrkimyksi\u00e4\u00e4n l\u00e4hes tuhanteen nousevalla\nsaattueella. Mutta pian h\u00e4nen vaikutuksensa alkoi aleta, osaksi siit\u00e4\nsyyst\u00e4, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n her\u00e4tti ahneudellaan vastustusta omien sukulaistensa\ntaholta. Suuresti heikonsi h\u00e4nen asemaansa my\u00f6skin se, ett\u00e4 Snorren\n(varmaankin tahallisesta) toimettomuudesta harmistuneena Haakon\nkuningas turvautui valtiollisissa aikeissaan h\u00e4nen veljenpoikaansa,\njonka kanssa Snorre oli joutunut ilmiriitaan. Nyt puhkesi Islannissa\nkatkera sukuvaino, joka lopulta aiheutti Snorren kuoleman ja\nvapaavaltion tuhon. Serkkunsa ja voimakkaimman kannattajansa jouduttua\ntaistelussa tappiolle arveli Snorre, joka ei kernaasti antautunut\nmieskohtaisesti aseleikkiin, parhaaksi v\u00e4ist\u00e4\u00e4 ylivoimaa ja l\u00e4hti\nvuonna 1237 toistamiseen Norjaan. Siell\u00e4 olivat olosuhteet kuitenkin\nmuuttuneet h\u00e4nelle ep\u00e4edullisiksi. Kuninkaan suosiota h\u00e4n ei voinut\nen\u00e4\u00e4 saavuttaa, ja ep\u00e4varmana h\u00e4n liittyi silloin l\u00e4heisesti Skule\nherttuaan, joka pyrki hillitsem\u00e4\u00e4n Haakonin yh\u00e4 kasvavaa valtaa. Jonkun\najan kuluttua Islannista saapui tieto, ett\u00e4 Snorren veljenpoika ja\nvaarallisin kilpailija oli saanut surmansa taistelussa, ja silloin h\u00e4n\np\u00e4\u00e4tti palata kotiin koettaakseen uudelleen onneaan. Haakon kuningas,\njoka ep\u00e4ili h\u00e4nt\u00e4 sek\u00e4 entisen toiminnan ett\u00e4 Skule jaarlin yst\u00e4vyyden\nvuoksi, kielsi tosin jyrk\u00e4sti h\u00e4nt\u00e4 poistumasta maasta, mutta siit\u00e4\nhuolimatta Snorre rohkeni uhmata l\u00e4\u00e4niherraansa ja purjehti kev\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4\n1239 takaisin Islantiin.\nKauan ei kest\u00e4nyt, ennenkuin Snorre oli saavuttanut entisen\nmahtiasemansa osassa maata, mutta nyt h\u00e4nt\u00e4 uhkasi vaara Norjan\nkuninkaan taholta. Kukistettuaan lopullisesti Skule jaarlin Haakon\np\u00e4\u00e4tti rangaista islantilaista suurmiest\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4n juonittelujen ja\ntottelemattomuuden vuoksi ja antoi er\u00e4\u00e4lle Snorren kilpailijalle\nteht\u00e4v\u00e4ksi toimittaa t\u00e4m\u00e4n Norjaan joko mielisuosiolla tai vastoin\nh\u00e4nen tahtoaan. Onnettomuudekseen Snorre viel\u00e4 vieroitti ahneudellaan\nvaikutusvaltaisia sukulaisia puoleltaan; h\u00e4nen voimansa hupenivat\nhupenemistaan, lopulta vastustajat yll\u00e4ttiv\u00e4t h\u00e4net Reykjavikissa\nsyksyll\u00e4 1241, ja kellariinsa piiloutunut vanhus sai surmaniskun\npalkkalaisen k\u00e4dest\u00e4.\nEdell\u00e4 viitattiin Snorren runoilijatoimintaan, jonka h\u00e4n oli aloittanut\njo nuoruudessaan; suurenmoinen n\u00e4yte h\u00e4nen perehtyneisyydest\u00e4\u00e4n\nrunouteen on h\u00e4nen _Edda_-teoksensa (n.s. proosa-Edda), jonkinlainen\nj\u00e4rjestelm\u00e4llinen oppikirja runouden perustasta (mytologiasta), sen\nkielest\u00e4 ja runomitoista. Mutta runoilu oli niihin aikoihin\np\u00e4\u00e4asiallisesti historiallista runoilua, ja t\u00e4m\u00e4 johti h\u00e4net helposti\nhistoriankirjoitukseen, jonka tuloksena on laaja kokoelma kuvauksia\npohjoismaiden, etup\u00e4\u00e4ss\u00e4 Norjan vanhimmista kuninkaista sek\u00e4 heid\u00e4n\najoistaan. Luultavasti ne ovat valmistuneet v\u00e4hitellen vuosien 1220 ja\n1241 v\u00e4lill\u00e4.\nSnorre ei suinkaan ole ensimm\u00e4inen islantilainen historiankirjoittaja,\nh\u00e4nell\u00e4 on ollut useita edelt\u00e4ji\u00e4 aina kahdennentoista vuosisadan\nalkupuolelta asti. Kaikki n\u00e4m\u00e4 teokset h\u00e4n on ep\u00e4ilem\u00e4tt\u00e4 tuntenut, ja\nlis\u00e4ksi h\u00e4n on saanut aineistoa runoilijain historiallisista lauluista,\nsuullisista perim\u00e4tarinoista sek\u00e4 muistiin merkityist\u00e4 taruista. Mutta\nSnorre on k\u00e4ytt\u00e4nyt aineksia perin taitavasti, perkaillen pois\nsellaista, mik\u00e4 h\u00e4nest\u00e4 on tuntunut pelk\u00e4lt\u00e4 sadulta tai seikkailulta,\nja kriitillisyytens\u00e4 tueksi h\u00e4n saattoi viel\u00e4 k\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4 mieskohtaista\nNorjan olojen tuntemusta. Omasta puolestaan h\u00e4n luottaa eniten\nlauluihin; niinp\u00e4 h\u00e4n sanoo esipuheessaan: \"Tosin runoilijain tapana on\nylist\u00e4\u00e4 eniten sit\u00e4, jolle he laulavat, mutta kukaan ei sent\u00e4\u00e4n rohkene\nkertoa laulettavalleen sellaisista teoista, jotka kaikki kuulijat ja\nh\u00e4n itsekin tiet\u00e4isi valheeksi ja lorupuheeksi; se olisi pilkkaa eik\u00e4\nylistyst\u00e4.\"\nSnorren esitystapaa kuvaa sattuvasti tri Gustav Storm seuraavin sanoin:\n\"Merkillepantavaa on Snorressa historioitsijana h\u00e4nen historiallinen\ntaiteensa. Historiallinen tarina oli el\u00e4m\u00e4kertakuvausta, ja siin\u00e4 on\nparasta eloisa luonteenkuvaus. Snorren teos on kokoelma el\u00e4m\u00e4kertoja,\njoissa luonteenkuvaus on erinomainen. Ominaista h\u00e4nen teokselleen on\nsen oivallinen rakenne, miss\u00e4 kaikki asiaankuulumaton on j\u00e4tetty pois\nja jokainen yksityiskohta kuuluu l\u00e4heisesti kokonaisuuteen. H\u00e4nen\nkokoelmansa Norjan kuninkaiden el\u00e4m\u00e4kertoja on sen vuoksi tullut\nkokonaisen suvun historiaksi, miss\u00e4 kukin yksityinen j\u00e4sen esiintyy\nerikoispiirteineen. Edelt\u00e4jist\u00e4\u00e4n poiketen h\u00e4n liitt\u00e4\u00e4 p\u00e4\u00e4henkil\u00f6iden\n(kuninkaiden) kuvaukseen melkoisen joukon sivuhenkil\u00f6lt\u00e4, mutta vain\nsik\u00e4li kuin n\u00e4m\u00e4 muodostavat kehyksen p\u00e4\u00e4henkil\u00f6n ymp\u00e4rille\nv\u00e4hent\u00e4m\u00e4tt\u00e4 h\u00e4neen kohdistettavaa huomiota. Erikoisesti on Snorre\npyrkinyt kuvaamaan kuninkaiden luonnetta sellaisena, kuin h\u00e4n sen\nk\u00e4sitti, ja siit\u00e4 kehitt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n heid\u00e4n kohtalonsa. T\u00e4ll\u00f6in h\u00e4nen\nt\u00e4rkeimp\u00e4n\u00e4 keinonaan on esitt\u00e4\u00e4 henkil\u00f6t puhuen ja keskustellen... H\u00e4n\nk\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4 tilaisuutta antaakseen p\u00e4\u00e4henkil\u00f6iden pit\u00e4\u00e4 puheita tai ottaa\nosaa keskusteluihin, kun haluaa saada esiin toiminnan vaikuttimen ja\nvaikutuksen... N\u00e4iss\u00e4 puheissa on jokainen sana sukeutunut henkil\u00f6n\nluonteesta, vaikkakin ne ovat kokonaan Snorren sepitt\u00e4mi\u00e4...\"\nOheenliitetyt tarinat, jotka sis\u00e4lt\u00e4v\u00e4t alkuosan (yli kolmanneksen)\nSnorren kokoelmasta, ovat suomennetut tri _Gustav Stormin_ etev\u00e4ksi\ntunnustetusta norjankielisest\u00e4 k\u00e4\u00e4nn\u00f6ksest\u00e4, joka ilmestyi vuonna 1899.\nSuomentaja on katsonut olevan syyt\u00e4 hiukan lyhennell\u00e4 alkuper\u00e4ist\u00e4\nesityst\u00e4. Snorre aloittaa teoksensa Ynglinge-tarinalla, joka sis\u00e4lt\u00e4\u00e4\nosaksi maantieteellisi\u00e4 kuvauksia, osaksi selontekoa varhaisimmista,\nenimm\u00e4kseen taruper\u00e4isist\u00e4 kuninkaista. Koska t\u00e4m\u00e4 ei ole omansa\nher\u00e4tt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n mielenkiintoa laajemmassa lukijakunnassa, on arveltu\nvoitavan sivuuttaa se. T\u00e4m\u00e4n j\u00e4lkeen seuraa Halvdan Mustan tarina,\njosta kuitenkin on otettu vain loppuosa liitt\u00e4m\u00e4ll\u00e4 se johdatukseksi\nHarald Kaunotukan tarinaan, koska jo siin\u00e4 k\u00e4sitell\u00e4\u00e4n t\u00e4m\u00e4n\nensimm\u00e4isen \"suurkuninkaan\" vaiheita; selvyyden vuoksi on t\u00e4ll\u00f6in\nt\u00e4ytynyt laatia alkuun lyhyt johdanto (alkukappale). My\u00f6hemmin\non j\u00e4tetty pois vain pieni\u00e4 eri\u00e4, joiden puute ei haittaa\nkokonaiskuvausta, ja muutamassa kohdassa on sen vuoksi k\u00e4ynyt\nv\u00e4ltt\u00e4m\u00e4tt\u00f6m\u00e4ksi muuttaa hiukan j\u00e4rjestyst\u00e4 tai liitt\u00e4\u00e4 jokunen\nselitt\u00e4v\u00e4 lause, jolloin tietenkin on koetettu j\u00e4ljitell\u00e4 Snorren\ntyyli\u00e4. Mit\u00e4 Snorren esitt\u00e4miin runo-otteisiin tulee, on t\u00e4ss\u00e4\njulkaistu huomattavimmat ja kuvaavimmat. My\u00f6nnett\u00e4k\u00f6\u00f6n suoraan, ett\u00e4 ne\nk\u00e4\u00e4nnettyin\u00e4 antavat vain kalpean kuvan muinais-skandinaavisesta\nrunoudesta, sill\u00e4 nykyajan kielell\u00e4 on mahdoton ilmaista sit\u00e4\nkuvarikkautta, jota vanhat \"bardit\" k\u00e4yttiv\u00e4t; sen tajuaminen vaatisi\nmuutoin lukijalta laajaa skandinaavisen mytologian tuntemusta. --\nViiteselityksist\u00e4 ovat toiset Stormin julkaisusta per\u00e4isin, toiset\nsuomentajan liitt\u00e4mi\u00e4.\n_Suomentaja_.\nHarald Kaunotukan tarina.\nNiin kertovat tietoisat miehet, ett\u00e4 ammoisina aikoina vaelsivat\naasat[3] Odenin johtamina Aaselannista maailman pohjoiskulmalle ja\nvaltasivat siell\u00e4 kolme maata, Tanskan etel\u00e4ss\u00e4, Sveanmaan id\u00e4ss\u00e4,\nmutta Norjan l\u00e4nsipuolella. Svealaisia hallitsivat kauan Odenin\nj\u00e4lkel\u00e4iset, joita sanottiin Ynglinga-suvuksi; mutta Norjassa oli\nkuninkaita monesta suvusta, ja n\u00e4m\u00e4 taistelivat tuimasti kesken\u00e4\u00e4n.\nEr\u00e4s heist\u00e4 oli Halvdan Musta; h\u00e4n peri yhdeks\u00e4ntoista talven vanhana\nis\u00e4lt\u00e4\u00e4n kuningaskunnan Agderissa;[4] mutta haluten enemm\u00e4n valtaa h\u00e4n\nryhtyi useasti taistelemaan naapurikuninkaita vastaan ja sai aina\nvoiton; ja niin h\u00e4n alisti monta fylke\u00e4[5] itselleen kuuliaiseksi ja\noli pian Norjan mahtavin kuningas.[6]\nSigurd Hjort oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n muuan Ringeriikin kuningas, suurempi ja\nv\u00e4kev\u00e4mpi kuin yksik\u00e4\u00e4n toinen; h\u00e4n oli my\u00f6skin miesten kauneimpia.\nH\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli kaksi lasta: tyt\u00e4r oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n Ragnhild, h\u00e4n oli perin\nreipas nainen ja parhaillaan kahdenkymmenen vuoden ik\u00e4inen; h\u00e4nen\nveljens\u00e4 Guthorm oli puolikasvuinen.\nMutta mainittakoon Sigurdin kuolemasta, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n ratsasti yksin\u00e4\u00e4n\nkorpiseutuihin, kuten h\u00e4nen tapansa oli; h\u00e4n mets\u00e4sti siell\u00e4 isoja,\nvaarallisia petoel\u00e4imi\u00e4. Pitk\u00e4n taipaleen ratsastettuaan h\u00e4n joutui\ner\u00e4\u00e4lle raiviolle l\u00e4helle Hadelantia.[7] Silloin tuli h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan\nHake raivop\u00e4\u00e4[8] kolmenkymmenen miehen kera, ja siell\u00e4 syntyi taistelu.\nSiin\u00e4 sai surmansa Sigurd kuningas, mutta Hakelta kaatui kaksitoista\nmiest\u00e4, ja itse h\u00e4n menetti k\u00e4tens\u00e4 ja sai kolme muuta haavaa.\nSen j\u00e4lkeen Hake ratsasti Sigurdin taloon ja otti siell\u00e4 valtaansa\nh\u00e4nen tytt\u00e4rens\u00e4 Ragnhildin sek\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4n veljen Guthormin. N\u00e4m\u00e4 h\u00e4n vei\nmukanaan ja samalla paljon tavaraa sek\u00e4 kalleuksia ja kuljetti kaikki\nkotiinsa Hadelantiin; siell\u00e4 h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli suuria taloja. Sitten h\u00e4n\nvalmistutti pidot ja aikoi viett\u00e4\u00e4 h\u00e4\u00e4t Ragnhildin kanssa; mutta niit\u00e4\nsaatiin odottaa, sill\u00e4 h\u00e4nen haavansa alkoivat \u00e4rty\u00e4.\nHake raivop\u00e4\u00e4 poti haavojaan koko syksyn ja viel\u00e4 talvenkin tullen;\nmutta joulun tienoissa kuningas Halvdan Musta oleskeli Hademarkissa.[9]\nHalvdan kuningas oli kuullut kaikista n\u00e4ist\u00e4 seikoista, ja tapahtui\ner\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 aamuna, kun kuningas oli pukeutunut, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n kutsutti Haarek\nGandin ja sanoi, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4n oli l\u00e4hdett\u00e4v\u00e4 Hadelantiin ja tuotava h\u00e4nen\nluokseen Sigurd Hjortin tyt\u00e4r Ragnhild. Haarek l\u00e4hti matkalle, ja\nh\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli sata miest\u00e4 mukanaan. H\u00e4n sovitti retkens\u00e4 siten, ett\u00e4 he\nsaapuivat aamulla ani varahin j\u00e4rven poikki Haken taloon; siell\u00e4 he\nasettivat vartijoita sen tuvan oville, miss\u00e4 v\u00e4ki nukkui. Sitten he\nk\u00e4viv\u00e4t siihen makuukammioon, jossa Hake makasi, murtivat oven ja\nveiv\u00e4t mukanaan Ragnhildin ja h\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4 Guthormin ja kaiken\ntavaran, mit\u00e4 sielt\u00e4 l\u00f6ysiv\u00e4t; mutta tuvan he polttivat sek\u00e4 kaikki\nihmiset, jotka olivat sis\u00e4ss\u00e4.\nHe pingoittivat teltan komeiden vaunujen ylle ja istuttivat niihin\nRagnhildin sek\u00e4 Guthormin; sitten he ajoivat j\u00e4\u00e4lle. Hake nousi ja\nkulki kotvan heid\u00e4n per\u00e4ss\u00e4\u00e4n. Mutta j\u00e4\u00e4lle tultuaan h\u00e4n k\u00e4\u00e4nsi\nmiekkansa kahvan alasp\u00e4in ja painautui itse k\u00e4rke\u00e4 vastaan, niin ett\u00e4\nter\u00e4 tunkihe h\u00e4nen l\u00e4vitsens\u00e4; siin\u00e4 h\u00e4n sai surmansa ja haudattiin\nj\u00e4rven partaalle.\nHalvdan kuningas n\u00e4ki ajettavan j\u00e4rven j\u00e4\u00e4t\u00e4. H\u00e4n oli sangen\nter\u00e4v\u00e4silm\u00e4inen; h\u00e4n n\u00e4ki telttakattoiset vaunut ja p\u00e4\u00e4tteli siit\u00e4,\nett\u00e4 miehet olivat suorittaneet teht\u00e4v\u00e4n h\u00e4nen mielt\u00e4ns\u00e4 my\u00f6ten. H\u00e4n\nantoi silloin pystytt\u00e4\u00e4 p\u00f6yti\u00e4, l\u00e4hetti v\u00e4ke\u00e4 laajalti ymp\u00e4rist\u00f6\u00f6n ja\nkutsui luokseen paljon miehi\u00e4. Sin\u00e4 p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 oli suuret vieraspidot, ja\nniiss\u00e4 Halvdan sai Ragnhildin, ja t\u00e4st\u00e4 tuli sitten mahtava kuningatar.\nRagnhild kuningatar n\u00e4ki suuria unia; h\u00e4n oli perin ymm\u00e4rt\u00e4v\u00e4inen.\nSellainen oli er\u00e4s h\u00e4nen unistaan, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli seisovinaan\nyrttitarhassa ja ottavinaan paidastansa okaan. Ja h\u00e4nen pidelless\u00e4\u00e4n se\nkasvoi niin, ett\u00e4 siit\u00e4 tuli suuri puu; tyvi ty\u00f6ntyi alas maahan ja\njuurtui heti, mutta latva ulottui pian korkealle ilmaan. Sitten puu\ntuntui h\u00e4nest\u00e4 niin isolta, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n kykeni vaivoin katsomaan sen\nylitse, ja se oli varsin paksu. Puun tyvipuoli oli verenkarvainen,\nmutta runko kauniin vihre\u00e4 ja oksat lumivalkoiset. Siin\u00e4 puussa oli\npaljon suuria oksia, toisia ylemp\u00e4n\u00e4 ja toisia alempana; ne olivat niin\nisoja, ett\u00e4 tuntuivat levitt\u00e4yv\u00e4n yli koko Norjan, ja viel\u00e4kin\nlaajemmalle.\nHalvdan kuningas ei n\u00e4hnyt koskaan unia. Se tuntui h\u00e4nest\u00e4 omituiselta,\nja h\u00e4n puhui siit\u00e4 er\u00e4\u00e4lle miehelle, jota nimitet\u00e4\u00e4n Torleiv Viisaaksi,\nja tiedusteli, mit\u00e4 sille olisi teht\u00e4v\u00e4. Torleiv kertoi, miten h\u00e4n itse\nmenetteli, kun halusi saada jotakin ennakolta tietoonsa: h\u00e4n meni\nmakuulle sikopahnaan, ja silloin k\u00e4vi aina niin, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n n\u00e4ki unta.\nKuningaskin teki niin, ja nyt h\u00e4n n\u00e4ki t\u00e4m\u00e4n unen: h\u00e4nest\u00e4 tuntui\nsilt\u00e4, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nen tukkansa oli kasvanut kovin tuuheaksi; se oli t\u00e4ynn\u00e4\nkiharoita niin pitki\u00e4, ett\u00e4 toiset ulottuivat maahan asti, toiset\npolviin, toiset lanteille, toiset vy\u00f6t\u00e4isille, toiset kaulaan saakka;\nmutta muutamat olivat vain puhjenneet p\u00e4\u00e4laelle solmuiksi; h\u00e4nen\nkiharansa olivat kaikenv\u00e4risi\u00e4, mutta yksi oli kaikkia muita kauniimpi,\nvaaleampi ja suurempi.\nH\u00e4n kertoi unensa Torleiville, ja t\u00e4m\u00e4 selitti sen niin, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nest\u00e4\npolveutuisi laaja perikunta ja se hallitsisi maita suurella kunnialla,\neiv\u00e4t sent\u00e4\u00e4n kaikki yht\u00e4 suurella, vaan h\u00e4nen suvustaan oli l\u00e4htev\u00e4\nmies, joka oli muita suurempi ja loistavampi. Ja sit\u00e4 pidet\u00e4\u00e4n totena,\nett\u00e4 se kihara tarkoitti Olavi Pyh\u00e4\u00e4.\nRagnhild kuningatar synnytti pojan; h\u00e4net valeltiin vedell\u00e4 ja\nnimitettiin Haraldiksi. H\u00e4n varttui pian suureksi ja kauniiksi, h\u00e4nest\u00e4\ntuli varhain aimo urheilija ja perin \u00e4lyk\u00e4s. \u00c4iti h\u00e4nt\u00e4 rakasti\nsuuresti, is\u00e4 taasen v\u00e4hemm\u00e4n.\nHalvdan kuningas vietti jouluaan Hadelannissa. Jouluiltana, kuu miehet\nolivat istuutuneet p\u00f6yt\u00e4\u00e4n ja saapuvilla oli paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4, sattui\nsellainen omituinen seikka, ett\u00e4 p\u00f6ydilt\u00e4 katosi kaikki ruoka ja olut.\nKuningas j\u00e4i istumaan suutuksissaan, mutta kaikki muut l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t kukin\nkotiinsa. Mutta saadakseen tiet\u00e4\u00e4, kuka t\u00e4m\u00e4n oli tehnyt, otatti\nkuningas kiinni er\u00e4\u00e4n lappalaisen, joka oli taikataitoinen, ja tahtoi\npakottaa h\u00e4net ilmaisemaan totuuden. H\u00e4n kidutti lappalaista, mutta ei\nsittenk\u00e4\u00e4n saanut mit\u00e4\u00e4n tietoa t\u00e4lt\u00e4. Lappalainen anoi apua h\u00e4nen\npojaltaan Haraldilta, ja h\u00e4n pyysi armoa miehelle, mutta ei saanut\nsit\u00e4. Harald auttoi h\u00e4net sitten tiehens\u00e4 vastoin kuninkaan tahtoa ja\nseurasi itse mukana. He saapuivat er\u00e4\u00e4seen paikkaan, miss\u00e4 muuan\np\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6 parhaillaan vietti suuria pitoja, ja siell\u00e4 heid\u00e4t otettiin\nvastaan ilomielin, niinkuin heist\u00e4 n\u00e4ytti. Ja kun he olivat viipyneet\nsiell\u00e4 kev\u00e4\u00e4seen asti, virkkoi p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6 er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 Haraldille:\n\"Sinun is\u00e4si mielest\u00e4 tapahtui kovin suuri vahinko, kun talvella otin\nh\u00e4nelt\u00e4 v\u00e4h\u00e4n ruokaa; mutta min\u00e4 korvaan sen sinulle iloisella\nuutisella. Is\u00e4si on nyt kuollut, ja sinun on l\u00e4hdett\u00e4v\u00e4 kotiin. Sin\u00e4\nsaat kaiken sen maan, mik\u00e4 h\u00e4nell\u00e4 on ollut, ja sill\u00e4 tapaa voitat\nitsellesi koko Norjan.\"\nJa niin olikin k\u00e4ynyt, kuin p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6 ilmoitti; kun Halvdan kuningas\ner\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 suojap\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 ajoi Randsfjordin j\u00e4\u00e4t\u00e4, murtui se h\u00e4nen altaan, ja\nsiihen h\u00e4n hukkui ja h\u00e4nen kerallaan paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4. Mutta niin suosittu\noli Halvdan Musta, ett\u00e4 nelj\u00e4n valtakunnan suurmiehet tahtoivat saada\nh\u00e4nen ruumiinsa haudatakseen sen omalle alueelleen; siit\u00e4 odotettiin\nn\u00e4et hyv\u00e4\u00e4 vuodentuloa sille paikkakunnalle. He sopivat asiasta niin,\nett\u00e4 ruumis jaettiin nelj\u00e4\u00e4n osaan ja kukin haudattiin omaan kumpuunsa\neri tienooseen.[10]\nHarald peri kuningaskunnan is\u00e4lt\u00e4\u00e4n ollessaan kymmenen talven ik\u00e4inen;\nh\u00e4n oli muita suurempi ja v\u00e4kev\u00e4mpi ja kauniimpi, perin viisas ja\ntarmokas. Guthorm, h\u00e4nen enonsa, tuli henkivartion[11] p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6ksi ja\nsotajoukon \"herttuaksi\".\nHalvdan Mustan kuoltua nousi moni p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6 sit\u00e4 valtakuntaa vastaan,\nmink\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli j\u00e4tt\u00e4nyt j\u00e4lkeens\u00e4. Mutta kun Guthorm herttua sai t\u00e4st\u00e4\ntiedon, kokosi h\u00e4n sotajoukon ja l\u00e4hti liikkeelle kuningas Haraldin\nkanssa. Aina he saivat vastustajistaan voiton, ja kahden kuninkaan ja\nnelj\u00e4n p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6n kaaduttua Harald kuningas valtasi sukulaisensa\nGuthormin voiman ja toimekkuuden avulla suuren osan etel\u00e4ist\u00e4 Norjaa.\nHarald kuningas l\u00e4hetti miehens\u00e4 noutamaan er\u00e4st\u00e4 neitoa nimelt\u00e4 Gyda,\nHordalannin[12] Eirik kuninkaan tyt\u00e4rt\u00e4; t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli kasvatettavana er\u00e4\u00e4n\nrikkaan talonpojan luona Valdersissa. H\u00e4net kuningas halusi saada\njalkavaimokseen, sill\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli hyvin kaunis ja ylev\u00e4mielinen nainen.\nPerille saavuttuaan l\u00e4hetit esittiv\u00e4t asian neidolle. T\u00e4m\u00e4 vastasi,\nettei h\u00e4n tahtonut tuhlata impeytt\u00e4\u00e4n siten, ett\u00e4 ottaisi miehekseen\nkuninkaan, jolla ei ollut hallittavanaan suurempaa valtakuntaa kuin\nmuutamia fylkej\u00e4.\n\"Mutta minusta tuntuu kummalliselta\", sanoo h\u00e4n, \"ettei ole sellaista\nkuningasta, joka valtaisi Norjan siten, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n tulisi maassa\nyksinvaltiaaksi niinkuin kuningas Gorm Tanskassa tai Eirik Upsalassa\".\nL\u00e4hettien mielest\u00e4 h\u00e4n vastaa perin kopeasti, ja he tiedustelevat\nh\u00e4nelt\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4n vastauksen tarkoitusta; he sanovat, ett\u00e4 Harald on niin\nmahtava kuningas, ett\u00e4 kyll\u00e4 kelpaa h\u00e4nelle. Mutta vaikka h\u00e4n antaakin\nheid\u00e4n asiaansa toisen vastauksen kuin he tahtovat, ei heill\u00e4 ole\nmielest\u00e4\u00e4n mit\u00e4\u00e4n tilaisuutta saada h\u00e4nt\u00e4 mukaansa vastoin h\u00e4nen omaa\ntahtoaan, ja he varustautuvat senvuoksi l\u00e4htem\u00e4\u00e4n takaisin kotiin. Kun\nhe ovat valmiit, saatetaan heit\u00e4 ulos. Silloin Gyda puhui l\u00e4heteille ja\npyysi heit\u00e4 kertomaan kuningas Haraldille, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n suostuu rupeamaan\nt\u00e4m\u00e4n vaimoksi vasta sitten, kun t\u00e4m\u00e4 ensin tekee h\u00e4nen t\u00e4htens\u00e4 sen,\nett\u00e4 laskee valtansa alaiseksi koko Norjan ja hallitsee sit\u00e4\nvaltakuntaa yht\u00e4 vapaasti kuin Eirik kuningas Sveanmaata tai kuningas\nGorm Tanskaa; \"sill\u00e4 vasta silloin\", sanoo neito, \"h\u00e4nt\u00e4 voi minun\nmielest\u00e4ni nimitt\u00e4\u00e4 suurkuninkaaksi\".\nL\u00e4hetit palaavat nyt Harald kuninkaan luo ja kertovat h\u00e4nelle neidon\nsanat; he sanovat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 perin uhkarohkeaksi ja herjasuiseksi ja\narvelevat luonnolliseksi, ett\u00e4 kuningas l\u00e4hett\u00e4\u00e4 suuren miesjoukon\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4 noutamaan ja saattaa h\u00e4net h\u00e4pe\u00e4\u00e4n. Silloin vastasi kuningas\nHarald, ettei t\u00e4m\u00e4 neito ollut haastanut pahoin tai k\u00e4ytt\u00e4ytynyt niin,\nett\u00e4 ansaitsi siit\u00e4 koston, vaan suuret kiitokset h\u00e4nen tuli saada\nsanoistaan.\n\"H\u00e4n on muistuttanut minua asioista\", sanoo kuningas, \"jotka minua\nkummastuttavat sen vuoksi, etten ole ennen tullut niit\u00e4 ajatelleeksi\".\n-- Ja sitten h\u00e4n lis\u00e4si: \"Ja sen lupauksen teen ja siihen otan\ntodistajaksi Jumalan, joka minut loi ja vallitsee kaikkea, ettei\ntukkaani saa koskaan leikata tai sukia, ennenkuin olen vallannut koko\nNorjan veroineen ja v\u00e4kineen -- tai muussa tapauksessa heit\u00e4n henkeni.\"\nN\u00e4ist\u00e4 sanoista kiitti Guthorm herttua h\u00e4nt\u00e4 suuresti sanoen, ett\u00e4\nlupauksen t\u00e4ytt\u00e4minen on kuninkaallinen teko.\nT\u00e4m\u00e4n j\u00e4lkeen Harald kuningas ja h\u00e4nen sukulaisensa kokosivat suuren\nsotajoukon ja johtivat sen tunturien poikki pohjoista kohti.\nSaavuttuaan asutuille seuduille kuningas surmautti kaikki miehet ja\npoltti talot. Mutta kun kansa sen huomasi, pakeni jokainen, ken kykeni,\ntoiset et\u00e4isempiin laaksoihin, toiset metsiin; mutta toiset anoivat\narmoa, ja sen saivat kaikki, jotka saapuivat kuninkaan luo ja rupesivat\nh\u00e4nen miehikseen. N\u00e4in Harald valloitti valtakunnan toisensa j\u00e4lkeen ja\nsaapui aina Trondhjemiin asti. Siell\u00e4 h\u00e4n taisteli kaikkiaan kahdeksan\nkertaa tai useamminkin; mutta kahdeksan kuninkaan kaaduttua h\u00e4n valtasi\nkoko Trondhjemin.\nPohjoisempana Nauma-laaksossa[13] oli kuninkaina kaksi veljest\u00e4,\nHerlaug ja Rollaug. He olivat kolmena kes\u00e4n\u00e4 rakennuttaneet\nhautakumpua, joka oli tehty kivest\u00e4, kalkista ja hirsist\u00e4. Mutta kun\nkumpu oli valmistunut, saivat veljekset kuulla, ett\u00e4 Harald kuningas\nk\u00e4vi heit\u00e4 vastaan sotajoukkoineen. Silloin kuningas Herlaug kannatti\nsinne runsaasti ruokaa ja juomaa, ja sitten h\u00e4n astui kumpuun kerallaan\nyksitoista miest\u00e4 ja k\u00e4ski luoda sen umpeen. Kuningas Rollaug nousi\nsille kummulle, jolla kuninkaiden oli tapana istua, k\u00e4ski pystytt\u00e4\u00e4\nsille kuninkaan kunniasijan ja istuutui siihen. Sitten h\u00e4n asetutti\npieluksia jalkalaudalle, jolla jaarlien oli tapana istua. H\u00e4n heitt\u00e4ysi\nnyt kunniasijalta alas jaarlinpaikalle ja otti itselleen jaarlinnimen.\nSen j\u00e4lkeen kuningas Rollaug l\u00e4hti Harald kuninkaan luo, luovutti\nh\u00e4nelle koko valtakuntansa, tarjoutui h\u00e4nen miehekseen ja kertoi kaiken\nmenettelyns\u00e4. Harald kuningas otti miekan ja kiinnitti sen h\u00e4nen\nvy\u00f6h\u00f6ns\u00e4, ripusti kilven h\u00e4nen kaulaansa, teki h\u00e4net jaarlikseen ja\njohti kunniasijalle. Sen j\u00e4lkeen h\u00e4n antoi Rollaugille Nauma-laakson\nfylken ja m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si h\u00e4net sen jaarliksi.\nHarald kuningas saapui sotajoukkoineen id\u00e4n puolelle Vikeniin[14] ja\nmajoittui Tunsbergiin, miss\u00e4 silloin oli kauppakaupunki; h\u00e4n oli\nviipynyt nelj\u00e4 talvea Trondhjemissa eik\u00e4 ollut sin\u00e4 aikana k\u00e4ynyt\nVikeniss\u00e4. H\u00e4n sai siell\u00e4 kuulla, ett\u00e4 svealaiskuningas Eirik\nEmundinpoika oli tehnyt Vermelannin valtansa alaiseksi, kantoi siell\u00e4\nveroa kaikista mets\u00e4seuduista sek\u00e4 laski L\u00e4nsi-G\u00f6\u00f6tanmaan ulottuvaksi\npohjoisessa aina Svinesundiin[15] asti, niin ett\u00e4 svealaiskuningas\nsanoi koko l\u00e4ntist\u00e4 maata meren rannikolla omakseen ja otti siit\u00e4\nveroja. Kuningas Haraldille kerrottiin Svean kuninkaan sanoneen, ettei\nh\u00e4n pys\u00e4htyisi, ennenkuin h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli Vikeniss\u00e4 yht\u00e4 suuri valtakunta\nkuin ennen muinoin Sigurd Ringill\u00e4[16] tai t\u00e4m\u00e4n pojalla Ragnar\nLodbrokilla. Kaikissa n\u00e4iss\u00e4 fylkeiss\u00e4 olivat useat p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6t ja monet\nmuut taipuneet Svean kuninkaan alamaisiksi.\nT\u00e4st\u00e4 Harald kuningas pahastui suuresti; h\u00e4n kutsui heti talonpojat\nk\u00e4r\u00e4jille ja syytti heit\u00e4 maankavalluksesta. Muutamat talonpojat\nhankkivat itselleen todistajia, ett\u00e4 he olivat syytt\u00f6mi\u00e4, toiset\nsuorittivat sakkoja, toiset saivat rangaistuksen; kaiken kes\u00e4\u00e4 ja\nsyksy\u00e4 h\u00e4n retkeili sitten t\u00e4ss\u00e4 fylkess\u00e4. Silloin h\u00e4n sai talven\ntullen kuulla, ett\u00e4 svealaiskuningas Eirik ratsasteli Vermelannissa\nvierailemassa henkivartijoineen.\nHarald kuningas l\u00e4hti it\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in Eida-salon[17] halki ja saapui\nVermelantiin; h\u00e4n antoi siell\u00e4 kestit\u00e4 itse\u00e4\u00e4n. Aake oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n\nmuuan mies, h\u00e4n oli Vermelannin mahtavin talonpoika, varsin rikas ja\nniihin aikoihin jo i\u00e4k\u00e4s. H\u00e4n l\u00e4hetti miehi\u00e4 Harald kuninkaan luo ja\npyysi h\u00e4nt\u00e4 pitoihin, ja kuningas lupasi tulla sovittuna p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4. Aake\npyysi my\u00f6skin Eirik kuningasta pitoihin ja sopi h\u00e4nen kanssaan samasta\np\u00e4iv\u00e4st\u00e4.\nAakella oli iso kestitupa, joka oli jo vanha; h\u00e4n teetti silloin toisen\nyht\u00e4 ison uuden tuvan ja koristutti sen kauniiksi. Sen tuvan h\u00e4n k\u00e4ski\nverhota uusilla raanuilla, vanhan taas vanhoilla. Mutta kun kuninkaat\nsaapuivat pitoihin, sai Eirik kuningas miehineen sijansa vanhassa\ntuvassa, Harald kuningas miehineen uudessa; ja niin olivat kaikki\np\u00f6yt\u00e4astiat jaetut, ett\u00e4 Eirikin miehill\u00e4 oli vanhat kipot ja sarvet,\nkuitenkin kullatut ja hyvin koristetut, mutta Haraldin miehill\u00e4 oli\nkaikilla uudet kipot ja sarvet, kauniisti kullalla silatut; kaikki ne\nolivat kiilt\u00e4viksi silotetut, mutta juoma oli molemmilla puolilla perin\nhyv\u00e4\u00e4.\nAake oli ennen ollut Halvdan Mustan miehi\u00e4. Mutta kun se p\u00e4iv\u00e4 koitti,\njolloin pidot p\u00e4\u00e4ttyiv\u00e4t, valmistautuivat kuninkaat l\u00e4htem\u00e4\u00e4n, ja\nhevoset olivat matkakunnossa. Silloin Aake astui Harald kuninkaan luo\nja toi mukanaan kahdentoista talven ik\u00e4isen poikansa, Obbe nimisen.\nAake sanoi:\n\"Herra, jos se hyv\u00e4 tahto, jota olen osoittanut teit\u00e4 kohtaan\npidoissani, on teist\u00e4 yst\u00e4vyyden arvoinen, palkitkaa silloin poikaani\nsiit\u00e4; h\u00e4net luovutan teille palvelijaksi.\"\nKuningas kiitti h\u00e4nt\u00e4 monin kaunein sanoin vastaanotosta ja lupasi\nh\u00e4nelle vastalahjaksi t\u00e4yden yst\u00e4vyytens\u00e4; sitten Aake toi suuria\nlahjoja, jotka h\u00e4n antoi kuninkaalle. Sen j\u00e4lkeen Aake meni\nsvealaiskuninkaan luo; Eirik kuningas oli silloin pukeissa ja l\u00e4ht\u00f6\u00f6n\nvalmiina ja varsin pahalla tuulella. Aake otti muutamia arvokkaita\nesineit\u00e4 ja antoi ne h\u00e4nelle. Kuningas vastasi niukalti ja nousi\nratsaille. Aake seurasi kuningasta tiell\u00e4 ja puheli h\u00e4nelle. L\u00e4hell\u00e4\nheit\u00e4 oli mets\u00e4, ja tie kulki sen kautta. Mutta kun Aake saapui\nmets\u00e4\u00e4n, kysyi kuningas h\u00e4nelt\u00e4:\n\"Miksi j\u00e4rjestit minun ja Harald kuninkaan vastaanoton siten, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n\nsai kaikesta parhaan? Tied\u00e4th\u00e4n, ett\u00e4 olet minun mieheni.\"\n\"Min\u00e4 arvelin\", virkkaa Aake, \"ettei teilt\u00e4, kuningas, eik\u00e4 miehilt\u00e4nne\nole n\u00e4iss\u00e4 pidoissa puuttunut hyv\u00e4\u00e4 vastaanottoa miss\u00e4\u00e4n suhteessa. Jos\nsiell\u00e4, miss\u00e4 te joitte, olikin vanha kalusto, niin se johtuu siit\u00e4,\nett\u00e4 te olette jo vanha; mutta Harald kuningas on nyt kukoistavassa\nnuoruudessaan, sen vuoksi annoin h\u00e4nelle uuden kaluston. Mutta koska\nmuistutit minua siit\u00e4, ett\u00e4 olisin sinun miehesi, niin yht\u00e4 hyvin sin\u00e4\nolet minun mieheni.\" -- Silloin kuningas paljasti miekkansa ja antoi\nh\u00e4nelle surmaniskun.\nKun Harald kuningas aikoi nousta ratsaille, k\u00e4ski h\u00e4n kutsua Aake\ntalonpojan luokseen. Mutta h\u00e4nt\u00e4 etsitt\u00e4ess\u00e4 muutamat riensiv\u00e4t sinne,\nminne Eirik kuningas oli ratsastanut; siell\u00e4 he tapasivat Aaken\nkuolleena ja l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t sitten takaisin ja kertoivat sen kuninkaalle.\nMutta t\u00e4m\u00e4n kuullessaan h\u00e4n huusi miehilleen, ett\u00e4 heid\u00e4n oli\nkostettava Aake talonpojan puolesta. Niin Harald kuningas l\u00e4hti\nratsastamaan sit\u00e4 tiet\u00e4, jota Eirik kuningas oli ennen ratsastanut,\nkunnes molemmat huomasivat toisensa. Silloin kumpikin joukkue ratsastaa\nmink\u00e4 enn\u00e4tt\u00e4\u00e4, kunnes Eirik kuningas p\u00e4\u00e4see siihen mets\u00e4\u00e4n, joka\nerottaa G\u00f6\u00f6tanmaan ja Vermelannin toisistaan. Nyt Harald kuningas\nk\u00e4\u00e4ntyi takaisin Vermelantiin; h\u00e4n valtasi sitten t\u00e4m\u00e4n maan, mutta\nsurmasi Eirik kuninkaan miehi\u00e4, miss\u00e4 vain tapasi heit\u00e4.\nHarald kuningas retkeili laajalti G\u00f6\u00f6tanmaassa vainonkilpe\u00e4 kantaen,\ntaisteli siell\u00e4 monet kerrat Virran[18] molemmilla puolilla ja sai\nuseimmiten voiton. Sitten h\u00e4n laski valtansa alaiseksi kaiken maan\nVirran pohjoispuolella ja Veenerin l\u00e4nsipuolella sek\u00e4 koko Vermelannin.\nSellaisia sanomia saapui maan etel\u00e4osasta, ett\u00e4 Hordalannin,\nRogalannin, Egdafylken ja Telemarkenin miehet ker\u00e4\u00e4ntyiv\u00e4t yhteen ja\nhankkivat sek\u00e4 aseita ett\u00e4 v\u00e4ke\u00e4. Mutta saatuaan t\u00e4m\u00e4n tietoonsa Harald\nkuningas kokosi sotajoukon, ty\u00f6nsi laivat vesille, varusti sitten\nsotajoukkonsa valmiiksi ja l\u00e4hti etel\u00e4\u00e4 kohti; h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli paljon\nmiehi\u00e4 joka fylkest\u00e4. Mutta kun h\u00e4n enn\u00e4tti etel\u00e4\u00e4n Stadin[19] ohitse,\nsai Hordalannin Eirik kuningas tiet\u00e4\u00e4 t\u00e4st\u00e4. H\u00e4n oli my\u00f6skin ker\u00e4nnyt\nsen sotavoiman, mik\u00e4 h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli odotettavissa, ja l\u00e4hti etel\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in\nkohdatakseen ne, joiden h\u00e4n tiesi saapuvan id\u00e4st\u00e4 avukseen. Koko\nlaivasto yhtyi sitten Jaederin pohjoispuolella ja laski\nHafsfjordiin.[20] Siell\u00e4 oli jo Harald kuningas laivastoineen. Nyt\nsukeusi heti suuri taistelu, sek\u00e4 ankara ett\u00e4 pitk\u00e4llinen. Mutta se\np\u00e4\u00e4ttyi siten, ett\u00e4 Harald kuningas sai voiton, ja siin\u00e4 kaatui\nHordalannin Eirik kuningas ja Sulke, Rogalannin kuningas, ja monta\np\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6\u00e4.\nT\u00e4m\u00e4n taistelun j\u00e4lkeen ei Harald kuningas kohdannut en\u00e4\u00e4 mit\u00e4\u00e4n\nvastarintaa Norjassa. Silloin olivat kaikki h\u00e4nen pahimmat vihollisensa\nkaatuneet, mutta toiset olivat paenneet maasta, ja heit\u00e4 oli suuri\nm\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4, sill\u00e4 silloin asutettiin laajoja autiomaita. Silloin asutettiin\nJemtlanti ja Helsingelanti, mutta molemmat olivat sent\u00e4\u00e4n ennenkin\nosaksi Norjan miesten asumia. Siin\u00e4 vainossa, jolloin Harald kuningas\nkoetti laskea koko maan valtansa alaiseksi, l\u00f6ydettiin ja asutettiin\nmaita ulkona meress\u00e4, F\u00e4r-saaret ja Islanti. Silloin siirryttiin\nmy\u00f6skin Hjaltlantiin,[21] ja moni suurmies pakeni turvatonna kuningas\nHaraldia ja l\u00e4hti l\u00e4nteen viikinkiretkille; talvisin he oleskelivat\nOrkn-saarilla tai Sudersaarilla,[22] mutta h\u00e4vitteliv\u00e4t kes\u00e4isin Norjaa\nja tuottivat maalle suurta vauriota. Mutta paljon oli my\u00f6s niit\u00e4\nsuurmiehi\u00e4, jotka liittyiv\u00e4t kuningas Haraldiin ja rupesivat h\u00e4nen\nmiehikseen ja asuttivat maata h\u00e4nen kanssaan.\nHarald kuningas oli nyt tullut koko Norjan yksinvaltiaaksi. Silloin h\u00e4n\nmuisti, mit\u00e4 tuo ylev\u00e4mielinen neito oli h\u00e4nelle lausunut; h\u00e4n l\u00e4hetti\nsiis miehi\u00e4 h\u00e4nt\u00e4 hakemaan ja nai h\u00e4net.\nHarald kuningas oli vierailemassa M\u00f6ress\u00e4[23] Ragnvald jaarlin luona;\nh\u00e4n oli silloin vallannut koko maan. Siell\u00e4 Harald kuningas k\u00e4vi\nkylpem\u00e4ss\u00e4 ja antoi sukia tukkansa, ja silloin Ragnvald jaarli leikkasi\nh\u00e4nen hiuksensa, jotka olivat olleet lyhent\u00e4m\u00e4tt\u00e4 ja sukimatta kymmenen\ntalvea. Siihen aikaan h\u00e4nt\u00e4 sanottiin Harald Paksutukaksi, mutta nyt\nRagnvald jaarli antoi h\u00e4nelle lis\u00e4nimen ja nimitti h\u00e4nt\u00e4 Harald\nKaunotukaksi; ja kaikki sanoivat h\u00e4net n\u00e4hdess\u00e4\u00e4n, ett\u00e4 se oli mit\u00e4\nsattuvin nimi, sill\u00e4 h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli tuuhea ja kaunis tukka.\nRagnvald jaarli oli kuningas Haraldin rakkain yst\u00e4v\u00e4, ja kuningas\nkunnioitti h\u00e4nt\u00e4 suuresti. Ragnvaldilla oli vaimona Hild, Rolv Nevjan\ntyt\u00e4r; heid\u00e4n poikansa olivat Rolv ja Tore. Rolv oli suuri viikinki.\nH\u00e4n oli kasvultaan niin roteva, ettei yksik\u00e4\u00e4n hevonen kyennyt h\u00e4nt\u00e4\nkantamaan, ja sen vuoksi h\u00e4n kulki jalan kaikkialla, miss\u00e4 retkeili;\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4 nimitettiin Gange-Rolviksi.[24] H\u00e4n ry\u00f6steli paljon\nIt\u00e4mailla.[25] Er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 kes\u00e4n\u00e4, palatessaan viikinkiretkelt\u00e4 Vikeniin,\nh\u00e4n k\u00e4vi siell\u00e4 rosvoamassa rannalla. Harald kuningas oli silloin\nVikeniss\u00e4; h\u00e4n vihastui per\u00e4ti kuullessaan t\u00e4st\u00e4, sill\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli\nankarasti kielt\u00e4nyt rosvoamasta omassa maassa. Harald kuningas kuulutti\nsen vuoksi k\u00e4r\u00e4jill\u00e4, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n tuomitsi Rolvin henkipatoksi Norjassa.\nMutta kun Rolvin \u00e4iti sai t\u00e4m\u00e4n tietoonsa, l\u00e4hti h\u00e4n kuninkaan luo ja\nanoi armoa pojalleen. Mutta kuningas oli niin vihoissaan, ettei\nhy\u00f6dytt\u00e4nyt h\u00e4nelt\u00e4 pyyt\u00e4\u00e4. Silloin Hild virkkoi:\n \"Karkuteille kaima\n Nevjan sy\u00f6st\u00e4\u00e4n maasta,\n suvun suuren taimi:\n miks' niin ankara, herra?\n Onneton on riita\n hukan moisen kanssa:\n s\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4 ei laumaa, korpeen\n jos h\u00e4nen t\u00e4ytyy juosta.\"\nGange-Rolv l\u00e4hti sitten meren poikki Suder-saarille, ja sielt\u00e4 h\u00e4n\npurjehti etel\u00e4\u00e4n Vallantiin[26] ja h\u00e4vitteli sit\u00e4 ja valtasi itselleen\nsuuren jaarlikunnan; sinne h\u00e4n asutti paljon Norjan miehi\u00e4, ja sit\u00e4\nnimitet\u00e4\u00e4n sen j\u00e4lkeen Normandiaksi.[27] Gange-Rolvin j\u00e4lkel\u00e4inen\nviidenness\u00e4 polvessa oli Viljalm \u00c4p\u00e4r\u00e4,[28] Englannin kuningas; h\u00e4nest\u00e4\novat sitten kaikki Englannin kuninkaat per\u00e4isin.\nHarald kuningas retkeili er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 talvena Yl\u00e4maiden kestitt\u00e4v\u00e4n\u00e4 ja k\u00e4ski\nlaatia itselleen joulupidot Toftarissa.[29] Jouluiltana saapui Svaase\noven ulkopuolelle kuninkaan istuessa p\u00f6yd\u00e4ss\u00e4 ja l\u00e4hetti kuninkaalle\nsanan, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 tulisi ulos h\u00e4nen luokseen. Mutta kuningas suuttui\nt\u00e4st\u00e4 sanasta, ja h\u00e4nen vihaisen vastauksensa vei ulos sama mies, joka\noli tuonut viestin sis\u00e4\u00e4n. Mutta Svaase pyysi siit\u00e4 huolimatta, ett\u00e4\nmies ilmoittaisi saman asian toisen kerran; h\u00e4n sanoi olevansa sama\nlappalainen, jonka kuningas oli sallinut pystytt\u00e4\u00e4 kotansa m\u00e4en\ntoiselle puolen. Kuningas k\u00e4vi silloin ulos ja lupasi l\u00e4hte\u00e4 h\u00e4nen\nkotiinsa ja astui m\u00e4en yli muutamain miestens\u00e4 kehoittamana, kun taas\ntoiset h\u00e4nt\u00e4 varoittivat. Siell\u00e4 kohosi seisomaan Snefrid, Svaasen\ntyt\u00e4r, naisista kaunein, ja kaatoi kuninkaalle kipon t\u00e4yteen simaa.\nMutta t\u00e4m\u00e4 otti vastaan kaiken ja samalla neidon k\u00e4den, ja heti valtasi\nkuin polttava kuumuus h\u00e4nen ruumiinsa, ja h\u00e4n tahtoi omistaa neidon\nsamana y\u00f6n\u00e4. Mutta Svaase virkkoi, ettei se saisi tapahtua muutoin kuin\nv\u00e4kipakolla, ellei kuningas kihlannut ja omistanut h\u00e4nt\u00e4 lain mukaan.\nKuningas kihlas Snefridin ja sai h\u00e4net omakseen ja rakasti h\u00e4nt\u00e4 niin\nmielett\u00f6m\u00e4sti, ett\u00e4 j\u00e4tti hoitamatta valtakuntansa ja kaiken sen, mik\u00e4\nh\u00e4nelle kuului. Ja he saivat nelj\u00e4 poikaa.\nSitten Snefrid kuoli, mutta h\u00e4nen hipi\u00e4ns\u00e4 ei suinkaan muuttunut, vaan\noli yht\u00e4 kukoistava kuin h\u00e4nen el\u00e4ess\u00e4\u00e4n. Kuningas istui aina h\u00e4nen\nvierell\u00e4\u00e4n ja odotti, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n virkoaisi henkiin. Kolme talvea h\u00e4n\nsill\u00e4 tavoin suri Snefridin kuolemaa, mutta kaikki kansa murehti h\u00e4nen\nmielett\u00f6myytt\u00e4\u00e4n. Mutta tehd\u00e4kseen lopun t\u00e4st\u00e4 mielett\u00f6myydest\u00e4 k\u00e4vi\nTorleiv Viisas h\u00e4nen avukseen. H\u00e4n menetteli siin\u00e4 \u00e4lykk\u00e4\u00e4sti, koska\nensin puhui kuninkaan mielen mukaan seuraavasti:\n\"Ei ole kummallista, kuningas, ett\u00e4 sin\u00e4 muistat niin kaunista ja\nsuurisukuista naista ja kunnioitat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 untuvilla ja korukankailla,\nniinkuin h\u00e4n sinua pyysi. Mutta teid\u00e4n kunnianne on kuitenkin v\u00e4hempi\nkuin on soveliasta, koska h\u00e4n makaa liian kauan samoissa vaatteissa, ja\npaljoa oikeampaa on, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4net siirret\u00e4\u00e4n ja vaatteet vaihdetaan h\u00e4nen\naltaan.\"\nMutta niin pian kuin h\u00e4net siirrettiin vuoteesta, levisi ruumiista m\u00e4t\u00e4\nja iljett\u00e4v\u00e4 haju ja kaikenkaltainen paha l\u00f6yhk\u00e4; silloin kiiruhdettiin\ntekem\u00e4\u00e4n rovio ja h\u00e4net poltettiin. Mutta sit\u00e4 ennen koko ruumis\nmuuttui siniseksi, ja ulos ry\u00f6mi k\u00e4\u00e4rmeit\u00e4 ja sisiliskoja ja konnia ja\nkaikenlaisia inhoittavia matelijoita. Sitten h\u00e4n hajosi tuhaksi. Mutta\nkuningas palasi j\u00e4rkiins\u00e4 ja antoi kaiken mielett\u00f6myyden menn\u00e4,\nhallitsi sitten valtakuntaansa ja sai voimaa ja iloa miehist\u00e4\u00e4n, ja he\npuolestaan h\u00e4nest\u00e4 ja valtakunta molemmista.\nKun Harald kuningas oli huomannut lappalais-naisen petoksen, suuttui\nh\u00e4n niin, ett\u00e4 karkoitti luotaan kaikki pojat, jotka t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli h\u00e4nelle\nsynnytt\u00e4nyt, eik\u00e4 tahtonut en\u00e4\u00e4 n\u00e4hd\u00e4 heit\u00e4. Mutta kolmas heist\u00e4,\nGudr\u00f6d Loistava, l\u00e4hti kasvatusis\u00e4ns\u00e4 Kvinin Tjodolvin puheille ja\npyysi t\u00e4t\u00e4 tulemaan h\u00e4nen kerallaan kuninkaan luo, sill\u00e4 Tjodolv oli\nkuninkaan hyv\u00e4 yst\u00e4v\u00e4. Sitten he l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t, ja saavuttuaan my\u00f6h\u00e4\u00e4n\ner\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 iltana kuninkaan luo he istuutuivat penkin alimpaan p\u00e4\u00e4h\u00e4n ja\npysytteliv\u00e4t piilossa. Kuningas asteli permannolla ja tarkasteli\nlautsoja; mutta h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli parhaillaan kestit ja sima oli sekoitettua.\nSilloin h\u00e4n virkkoi hymisten n\u00e4m\u00e4 sanat:\n \"Monta on nyt simanjuojaa\n urhoa harmaap\u00e4ist\u00e4\n saapunut t\u00e4nne.\n Miksi teit\u00e4 on liian paljon?\"\nT\u00e4h\u00e4n vastasi Tjodolv:\n \"P\u00e4\u00e4ss\u00e4 ol' iskut meill\u00e4,\n kalpain kisoissa saadut\n viisaan valtiaan kanssa.\n Silloin ei liikoja ollut.\"\nTjodolv otti hatun p\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4\u00e4n, ja kuningas tunsi h\u00e4net ja otti hyvin\nvastaan. Silloin Tjodolv pyysi, ettei kuningas halveksisi poikiaan:\n\"mielell\u00e4\u00e4n he olisivat parempaa \u00e4idinsukua, jos sin\u00e4 olisit heille\nsellaisen antanut\". Kuningas lupasi sen ja pyysi h\u00e4nt\u00e4 pit\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n\nGudr\u00f6din luonaan, niinkuin t\u00e4m\u00e4 ennenkin oli ollut; mutta Sigurdin ja\nHalvdanin h\u00e4n k\u00e4ski l\u00e4hte\u00e4 Ringeriikiin ja Ragnvaldin Hadelantiin. He\ntekiv\u00e4t niin kuin kuningas m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si, ja kaikista tuli urheita miehi\u00e4 ja\naseiden k\u00e4yt\u00f6ss\u00e4 hyvin harjaantuneita. Harald kuningas eli nyt levossa\nomassa maassaan, ja siell\u00e4 vallitsi hyv\u00e4 rauha ja vuodentulo oli\nrunsas.\nHarald kuninkaalla oli monta vaimoa ja monta lasta; niinp\u00e4 kerrotaan,\nett\u00e4 naidessaan Ragnhild Mahtavan, Jyllannin Eirik kuninkaan tytt\u00e4ren,\nh\u00e4n erosi yhdeks\u00e4st\u00e4 vaimosta. Kun h\u00e4n oli nelj\u00e4nkymmenen vuoden\nik\u00e4inen, olivat useat h\u00e4nen pojistaan kasvaneet melko suuriksi; he\nolivat kaikki varhain varttuneita. Nyt k\u00e4vi niin, ett\u00e4 he olivat\npahoillaan siit\u00e4, ettei kuningas antanutkaan heille mit\u00e4\u00e4n valtakuntaa,\nvaan asetti jaarlin jokaiseen fylkeen; heid\u00e4n mielest\u00e4\u00e4n jaarlit eiv\u00e4t\nolleet suvultaan heid\u00e4n veroisiaan.\nEr\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 kev\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 Halvdan Pitk\u00e4s\u00e4\u00e4ri ja Gudr\u00f6d Loistava, Harald kuninkaan\nja Snefridin poikia molemmat, l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t liikkeelle mukanaan suuri\nmiesjoukko; he saapuivat yll\u00e4tt\u00e4m\u00e4ll\u00e4 M\u00f6ren jaarlin Ragnvaldin taloon,\nsaartoivat sen ja polttivat h\u00e4net sis\u00e4\u00e4n kuudenkymmenen miehen kera.\nSen j\u00e4lkeen Halvdan otti kolme suuralusta, jotka h\u00e4n varusti\nmatkakuntoon, ja purjehti sitten merelle l\u00e4nteen p\u00e4in. Gudr\u00f6d taas\nasettui pysyv\u00e4isesti sinne, miss\u00e4 Ragnvald jaarli ennen oli vallinnut.\nMutta saatuaan t\u00e4st\u00e4 tiedon Harald kuningas l\u00e4hti heti Gudr\u00f6di\u00e4 vastaan\nsuuri sotajoukko mukanaan, eik\u00e4 Gudr\u00f6dill\u00e4 ollut muuta keinoa kuin\nantautua kuninkaan valtaan, ja kuningas l\u00e4hetti h\u00e4net sitten Agderiin.\nMutta Harald kuningas asetti Ragnvald jaarlin pojan Toren M\u00f6re\u00e4\nhallitsemaan ja naitti h\u00e4nelle tytt\u00e4rens\u00e4 Aalovin.\nHalvdan Pitk\u00e4s\u00e4\u00e4ri tuli varsin odottamatta l\u00e4nteen Orkn-saarille,\nmiss\u00e4 hallitsi Ragnvald jaarlin toinen poika Einar, jota sanottiin\nTurve-Einariksi, sill\u00e4 h\u00e4n k\u00e4ytti polttoaineena turvetta, koska\nsaarilla ei kasvanut mets\u00e4\u00e4. Einar jaarli pakeni heti saarilta, mutta\npalasi samana syksyn\u00e4 ja yll\u00e4tti silloin Halvdanin. He kohtasivat\ntoisensa, ja taistelu oli lyhyt, sill\u00e4 Halvdan pakeni ja se tapahtui\n\u00f6iseen aikaan. Einar ja h\u00e4nen miehens\u00e4 makasivat teltoitta sen y\u00f6n;\nmutta aamun koittaessa he etsiskeliv\u00e4t pakolaisia pitkin saaria, ja\njokainen, ken l\u00f6ydettiin, sai surmansa. Silloin sanoi Einar jaarli:\n\"En tied\u00e4, n\u00e4enk\u00f6 tuolla Rinan-saarella[30] miehen vaiko linnun;\ntoisinaan se kohoaa pystyyn, toisinaan painuu maahan.\"\nSitten he l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t sinne, l\u00f6ysiv\u00e4t Halvdan Pitk\u00e4s\u00e4\u00e4ren ja ottivat h\u00e4net\nvangiksi. Silloin Einar jaarli k\u00e4vi Halvdanin luo; h\u00e4n piirsi\nverikotkan t\u00e4m\u00e4n selk\u00e4\u00e4n siten, ett\u00e4 pisti miekan sel\u00e4st\u00e4 sis\u00e4\u00e4n,\nviilsi kaikki kylkiluut poikki lanteisiin asti ja kiskoi ulos keuhkot.\nSe oli Halvdanin surma, ja n\u00e4in oli Einar kostanut is\u00e4ns\u00e4 Ragnvald\njaarlin kuoleman.\nMutta kun n\u00e4m\u00e4 sanomat saapuivat Norjaan, vihastuivat Halvdanin veljet\nsuuresti ja sanoivat sen ty\u00f6n ansaitsevan kostoa, ja moni muukin\nvakuutti samaa. Harald kuningas kutsui paljon miehi\u00e4 koolle, ker\u00e4si\nsuuren laivaston ja l\u00e4hti sitten Orkn-saarille. Mutta Einar jaarli\nj\u00e4tti koko asian kuninkaan tuomittavaksi. Harald kuningas tuomitsi\nEinar jaarlin ja kaikki saarelaiset maksamaan kuusikymment\u00e4 markkaa[31]\nkullassa. Se oli talonpoikien mielest\u00e4 liian paljon. Silloin jaarli\ntarjoutui maksamaan yksin\u00e4\u00e4n, mutta h\u00e4nen piti sitten saada haltuunsa\nkaikki vapaamaa saarilla. He suostuivat siihen, eniten siit\u00e4 syyst\u00e4,\nett\u00e4 heill\u00e4 oli k\u00f6yhi\u00e4 pikkutiloja; mutta rikkaat arvelivat, ett\u00e4 he\nvoisivat lunastaa maansa, niin pian kuin tahtoivat. Jaarli maksoi\nkaikki sakot kuninkaalle, ja t\u00e4m\u00e4 l\u00e4hti sen j\u00e4lkeen syksyll\u00e4 pois\nsaarilta.\nEirik, Harald kuninkaan ja Ragnhild Mahtavan poika, oli kasvatettavana\n_herse_[32] Tore Roaldinpojan luona Vuonoissa;[33] h\u00e4nt\u00e4 Harald\nkuningas rakasti eniten pojistaan suoden h\u00e4nelle runsaimmin kunniaa.\nKun Eirik oli kahdentoista talven ik\u00e4inen, antoi Harald kuningas\nh\u00e4nelle kaksitoista suuralusta, ja h\u00e4n l\u00e4hti sitten sotaretkelle.\nensinn\u00e4 It\u00e4maihin, sitten etel\u00e4\u00e4n Tanskan kautta ja Friislantiin ja\nSakslantiin,[34] ja h\u00e4n viipyi sill\u00e4 retkell\u00e4 nelj\u00e4 talvea. Sen j\u00e4lkeen\nh\u00e4n purjehti l\u00e4nteen meren poikki ja h\u00e4vitteli Skotlannissa ja\nBretlannissa,[35] Irlannissa ja Vallannissa ja viipyi siell\u00e4 viel\u00e4\nnelj\u00e4 talvea. T\u00e4m\u00e4n j\u00e4lkeen h\u00e4n l\u00e4hti pohjoiseen p\u00e4in Finmarkiin[36] ja\naina bjarmien maahan[37] asti, ryhtyi siell\u00e4 suureen taisteluun ja sai\nvoiton.\nKun h\u00e4n palasi Finmarkiin, tapasivat h\u00e4nen miehens\u00e4 er\u00e4\u00e4ss\u00e4 kodassa\nnaisen, jonka veroista kauneudessa he eiv\u00e4t olleet n\u00e4hneet.\nH\u00e4n nimitti itse\u00e4\u00e4n Gunhildiksi ja sanoi, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nen is\u00e4ns\u00e4 astu\nHaalogalannissa[38] ja oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n \u00c5ssur Tote.\n\"Olen t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4\", h\u00e4n virkkoi, \"oppimassa taikataitoa kahden lappalaisen\nluona, jotka ovat taitavimpia Finmarkissa. Nyt he ovat l\u00e4hteneet\ner\u00e4npyyntiin, mutta molemmat haluavat naida minut, ja molemmat ovat\nniin viisaita, ett\u00e4 seuraavat j\u00e4lki\u00e4 kuin koirat sek\u00e4 suojalla ett\u00e4\nhankiaisella; he ovat niin nopeita hiiht\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n, ettei mik\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4\u00e4se\nheilt\u00e4 pakoon, ei ihminen eik\u00e4 el\u00e4in, ja he osaavat kaikkeen, mit\u00e4\nampuvat. Niinp\u00e4 he ovatkin tuhonneet jokaisen, joka on saapunut t\u00e4nne\nl\u00e4hist\u00f6lle; ja jos he vihastuvat, silloin maa py\u00f6rii heid\u00e4n\nkatseistaan, ja jos el\u00e4v\u00e4 olento sattuu heid\u00e4n katseittensa tielle,\nniin se kaatuu henget\u00f6nn\u00e4 maahan. Nyt teid\u00e4n ei pid\u00e4 mill\u00e4\u00e4n ehdolla\njoutua heid\u00e4n tielleen, mutta min\u00e4 k\u00e4tken teid\u00e4t t\u00e4nne kotaan; teid\u00e4n\non sitten koetettava, saammeko heid\u00e4t surmatuiksi.\"\nHe suostuivat siihen, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n piilotti heid\u00e4t. H\u00e4n otti palttinas\u00e4kin,\nja he arvelivat, ett\u00e4 siin\u00e4 oli tuhkaa; h\u00e4n pisti k\u00e4tens\u00e4 siihen ja\nkylvi siit\u00e4 kodan ymp\u00e4ri sek\u00e4 ulkopuolelle ett\u00e4 sis\u00e4puolelle. V\u00e4h\u00e4\u00e4\nmy\u00f6hemmin lappalaiset palaavat kotiin; he tiedustelevat, mit\u00e4 sinne oli\ntullut, mutta h\u00e4n vastaa, ettei sinne ollut mit\u00e4\u00e4n tullut. Se oli\nlappalaisten mielest\u00e4 omituista, koska he olivat seuranneet j\u00e4lki\u00e4 aina\nkotaan asti, mutta sitten he eiv\u00e4t l\u00f6yd\u00e4k\u00e4\u00e4n mit\u00e4\u00e4n. Nyt he tekev\u00e4t\ntulen ja laittavat ruokaa, mutta kun he ovat ravinneet itsens\u00e4,\nvalmistaa Gunhild vuoteensa. Mutta niin oli k\u00e4ynyt kolmena y\u00f6n\u00e4\nvaremmin, ett\u00e4 Gunhild oli nukkunut, molemmat miehet taas olivat\nmustasukkaisuudesta vartioineet toisiaan. Silloin h\u00e4n sanoi:\n\"K\u00e4yk\u00e4\u00e4 nyt t\u00e4nne ja asettukaa kumpikin eri puolelle minua.\"\nHe tulivat t\u00e4st\u00e4 iloisiksi ja tekiv\u00e4t niin; h\u00e4n kietoi k\u00e4sivartensa\nkummankin kaulaan. He nukkuvat heti, mutta h\u00e4n her\u00e4tt\u00e4\u00e4 heid\u00e4t, ja\nj\u00e4lleen he nukkuvat heti ja niin sike\u00e4\u00e4n, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n saa vaivoin heid\u00e4t\nher\u00e4\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n, ja j\u00e4lleen he nukkuvat, ja nyt h\u00e4n ei saa en\u00e4\u00e4 heit\u00e4\nhereille. Silloin h\u00e4n kohottaa heid\u00e4t pystyyn, mutta he nukkuvat\nedelleen. Sitten h\u00e4n ottaa kaksi isoa hylkeennahkaa ja vet\u00e4\u00e4 ne heid\u00e4n\np\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4 ylitse ja sitoo lujasti kiinni k\u00e4sien alapuolelta. Sen j\u00e4lkeen\nh\u00e4n antaa merkin kuninkaan miehille; he rient\u00e4v\u00e4t silloin esiin ja\nk\u00e4yv\u00e4t asein lappalaisten kimppuun ja saavat heid\u00e4t kaadetuiksi ja\nvet\u00e4v\u00e4t sitten ulos kodasta. Sin\u00e4 y\u00f6n\u00e4 oli niin raju ukonilma, etteiv\u00e4t\nhe voineet l\u00e4hte\u00e4 pois, mutta seuraavana aamuna he meniv\u00e4t laivalle,\nottivat Gunhildin mukaansa ja veiv\u00e4t h\u00e4net Eirikin luo. Eirik purjehti\nsitten h\u00e4nen kanssaan etel\u00e4\u00e4n Haalogalantiin; h\u00e4n kutsutti siell\u00e4 \u00c5ssur\nToten puheilleen ja sanoi haluavansa saada t\u00e4m\u00e4n tytt\u00e4ren. \u00c5ssur\nsuostui siihen, ja niin Eirik sai Gunhildin ja vei h\u00e4net kerallaan\netel\u00e4\u00e4n.\nHarald kuningas oli viidenkymmenen vuoden ik\u00e4inen, kun h\u00e4nen pojistaan\nmuutamat olivat t\u00e4ysikasvuisia ja toiset kuolleet. Moni heist\u00e4 oli\nperin hillit\u00f6n omassa maassa, ja toisilleen he olivat vihamielisi\u00e4; he\nkarkoittivat kuninkaan jaarlit valtakunnista tai surmasivat heid\u00e4t.\nHarald kuningas m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si silloin suuret k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t pidett\u00e4viksi maan\nit\u00e4osassa ja kutsui niihin yl\u00e4maalaiset. Niill\u00e4 h\u00e4n antoi pojilleen\nkuninkaannimen ja m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si laissa, ett\u00e4 jokainen h\u00e4nen miespuolinen\nj\u00e4lkel\u00e4isens\u00e4 perisi kuningaskunnan is\u00e4ns\u00e4 j\u00e4lkeen, mutta se, joka\npolveutui naisen puolelta h\u00e4nen suvustaan, jaarlikunnan. H\u00e4n jakoi maan\nheid\u00e4n kesken. H\u00e4n antoi pojilleen puolet tuloista n\u00e4iss\u00e4 fylkeiss\u00e4 ja\nmy\u00f6skin sen oikeuden, ett\u00e4 he istuisivat kunniasijalla, askelta\nylemp\u00e4n\u00e4 kuin jaarlit, mutta askelta alempana kuin h\u00e4n itse. Sit\u00e4 sijaa\nhalusi jokainen h\u00e4nen pojistaan h\u00e4nen kuolemansa j\u00e4lkeen, mutta h\u00e4n\nitse soi sen Eirikille, joka j\u00e4i is\u00e4ns\u00e4 luo ja jota Harald kuningas\neniten rakasti; tr\u00f6ndit[39] taas soivat sen Halvdan Mustalle, Vikenin\nmiehet ja yl\u00e4maalaiset mieluimmin niille, jotka heit\u00e4 hallitsivat.\nT\u00e4st\u00e4 koitui j\u00e4lleen paljon eripuraisuutta veljesten kesken.\nRagnvald Rettelbeinill\u00e4, Harald kuninkaan ja Snefridin pojalla, oli\nHadelanti; h\u00e4n oppi taikuutta ja rupesi noidaksi. Harald kuningas ei\nsuosinut noitia. Hordalannissa oli muuan velho nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n Vitgeir.\nKuningas l\u00e4hetti h\u00e4nelle sanan ja k\u00e4ski h\u00e4nen lopettaa taikomisensa.\nH\u00e4n vastasi, ett\u00e4 my\u00f6skin Haraldin oma poika harjoitti sit\u00e4. Mutta kun\nkuningas kuuli t\u00e4m\u00e4n, l\u00e4hti h\u00e4nen neuvostaan Eirik Verikirves\nHadelantiin. H\u00e4n poltti veljens\u00e4 Ragnvaldin sis\u00e4\u00e4n kahdeksankymmenen\nnoidan kera, ja sit\u00e4 tekoa ylistettiin suuresti.\nHarald kuninkaan poika Bj\u00f6rn[40] hallitsi silloin Vestfoldia[41] ja\nasusti useimmiten Tunsbergiss\u00e4, mutta liikkui harvoin sotaretkill\u00e4.\nTunsbergiin saapui paljon kauppalaivoja sek\u00e4 Vikenin puolelta ja\npohjoisosista maata ett\u00e4 etel\u00e4npuolelta Tanskasta ja Sakslannista.\nBj\u00f6rn kuninkaalla oli my\u00f6skin kauppalaivoja vierailla vesill\u00e4, ja h\u00e4n\nhankki itselleen siten kalleuksia ja muita tavaroita, joita h\u00e4n arveli\ntarvitsevansa. H\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4 sanoivat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 Kaupiksi; Bj\u00f6rn oli \u00e4lyk\u00e4s\nmies ja tuntui lupaavalta p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6lt\u00e4; h\u00e4n joutui hyviin naimisiin ja\nsai pojan nimelt\u00e4 Gudr\u00f6d. Eirik Verikirves saapui It\u00e4mailta\nsotalaivoineen ja paljon miehi\u00e4 kerallaan; h\u00e4n vaati Bj\u00f6rn veljelt\u00e4\u00e4n\nniit\u00e4 veroja ja maksuja, jotka Harald kuninkaalle tulivat Vestfoldista;\nmutta siihen asti oli ollut tapana, ett\u00e4 Bj\u00f6rn vei itse verot\nkuninkaalle tai l\u00e4hetti miehi\u00e4 niit\u00e4 toimittamaan. Niin h\u00e4n tahtoi\nedelleenkin k\u00e4yv\u00e4n eik\u00e4 suostunut luovuttamaan veroja. Mutta Eirik\nn\u00e4ytti olevan ruokavarojen ja telttojen ja juoman puutteessa. Veljekset\nkinastelivat kiivaasti t\u00e4st\u00e4, mutta Eirik ei p\u00e4\u00e4ssyt tahtonsa perille\nja vet\u00e4ytyi pois kaupungista. Bj\u00f6rn l\u00e4hti my\u00f6skin illalla kaupungista\nS\u00e6imiin. Eirik py\u00f6rsi takaisin, l\u00e4hti y\u00f6ll\u00e4 S\u00e6imiin Bj\u00f6rnin j\u00e4lkeen ja\nsaapui sinne, kun he istuivat juomassa. Eirik saartoi talon, mutta\nBj\u00f6rn meni ulos seurueineen ja he taistelivat. Siin\u00e4 kaatui Bj\u00f6rn ja\nmoni mies h\u00e4nen kerallaan. Eirik otti sielt\u00e4 suuren saaliin ja l\u00e4hti\npohjan puolelle. T\u00e4st\u00e4 teosta Vikenin miehet pahastuivat suuresti, ja\nEiriki\u00e4 vihattiin siell\u00e4 kovin; ja niin arveltiin, ett\u00e4 Olavi\nHaraldinpoika kostaisi veljens\u00e4 Bj\u00f6rnin surman, jos saisi siihen\ntilaisuuden.\nEirik kuningas l\u00e4hti seuraavana talvena M\u00f6reen ja asettui vieraaksi\nS\u00e5lveen.[42] Mutta t\u00e4m\u00e4n kuultuaan Halvdan Musta[43] l\u00e4hti sinne\nsotajoukon kera ja saartoi talon. Eirik makasi er\u00e4\u00e4ss\u00e4 ulommassa\ntuvassa ja pelastui mets\u00e4\u00e4n itse viidenten\u00e4 miehen\u00e4, mutta Halvdanin\nv\u00e4ki poltti talon ja kaikki ne, jotka olivat sis\u00e4ll\u00e4.\nEirik toi Harald kuninkaalle t\u00e4m\u00e4n sanoman. Kuningas vihastui siit\u00e4\nankarasti, ker\u00e4si sotajoukon ja l\u00e4hti tr\u00f6ndej\u00e4 vastaan. Mutta t\u00e4m\u00e4n\nkuultuaan Halvdan Musta kokosi sotajoukon ja aluksia ja l\u00e4hti h\u00e4nt\u00e4\nvastaan. Silloin heid\u00e4n v\u00e4lill\u00e4\u00e4n kulki miehi\u00e4. Muuan \u00e4lyk\u00e4s mies oli\nnimelt\u00e4\u00e4n Guthorm Sindre; h\u00e4n oli silloin Halvdan Mustan seurassa,\nmutta ennen h\u00e4n oli ollut Harald kuninkaan luona ja oli molempien hyv\u00e4\nyst\u00e4v\u00e4. Guthorm oli suuri runoniekka ja oli sepitt\u00e4nyt runon is\u00e4st\u00e4 ja\ntoisen pojasta. He olivat tarjonneet h\u00e4nelle palkan siit\u00e4, mutta h\u00e4n\noli ev\u00e4nnyt sen ja pyyt\u00e4nyt, ett\u00e4 he lupaisivat t\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4 er\u00e4\u00e4n pyynn\u00f6n,\nja he olivat luvanneet. H\u00e4n k\u00e4vi nyt Harald kuninkaan luo ja hieroi\nrauhaa heid\u00e4n kesken ja pyysi kumpaistakin t\u00e4ytt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4nen pyynt\u00f6ns\u00e4,\nnimitt\u00e4in sen, ett\u00e4 he sopisivat kesken\u00e4\u00e4n; mutta kuninkaat osoittivat\nh\u00e4nelle niin suurta kunniaa, ett\u00e4 sopivat h\u00e4nen pyynn\u00f6st\u00e4\u00e4n. Moni muu\nviisas mies kannatti t\u00e4t\u00e4 asiaa h\u00e4nen apunaan. Syntyi sopimus\nsellainen, ett\u00e4 Halvdan saisi pit\u00e4\u00e4 koko sen valtakunnan, mik\u00e4 h\u00e4nell\u00e4\noli ennen ollut, mutta j\u00e4tt\u00e4isi puolestaan Eirik veljens\u00e4 rauhaan.\nOllessaan l\u00e4hes seitsem\u00e4nkymmenen vuoden ik\u00e4inen Harald kuningas sai\npojan er\u00e4\u00e4n naisen kera, jonka nimi oli Tora Moster-stang. H\u00e4n oli\nsuloinen ja kaunis nainen ja h\u00e4nt\u00e4 sanottiin kuninkaan palkkapiiaksi;\nsiihen aikaan olivat useat velvolliset palvelemaan kuningasta, sek\u00e4\nmiehet ett\u00e4 naiset, vaikka olivatkin hyv\u00e4\u00e4 sukua.\nOli tapa sellainen, ett\u00e4 jalojen miesten lapsille valittiin tarkoin\nmies valelemaan heid\u00e4t vedell\u00e4 ja antamaan heille nimen. Mutta kun\nkoitti se aika, jolloin Tora odotti synnytt\u00e4v\u00e4ns\u00e4 lapsen, niin h\u00e4n\nhalusi l\u00e4hte\u00e4 Harald kuninkaan luo. H\u00e4n purjehti silloin pohjoiseen\nSigurd Haakoninpojan,[44] Trondhjemin jaarlin aluksella; he olivat y\u00f6t\u00e4\nrannassa, ja siell\u00e4 Tora synnytti lapsen Hellenin[45] luona\nrantapaadella, ja se oli poikalapsi. Sigurd jaarli valeli poikaa\nvedell\u00e4 ja nimitti h\u00e4net Haakoniksi is\u00e4ns\u00e4 mukaan. Se poika varttui\nvarhain kauniiksi ja rotevaksi ja suuresti is\u00e4ns\u00e4 n\u00e4k\u00f6iseksi.\nHarald kuningas antoi pojan seurata \u00e4iti\u00e4\u00e4n, ja he oleilivat\nkuninkaankartanoissa pojan ollessa pieni.\nAdalstein[46] oli silloin nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n se Englannin kuningas, joka oli\n\u00e4skett\u00e4in ottanut hallittavakseen kuningaskunnan; h\u00e4nt\u00e4 nimitettiin\nvoittoisaksi ja lujauskoiseksi eli kristityksi. H\u00e4n l\u00e4hetti miehi\u00e4\nNorjaan Harald kuninkaan luo sellaiselle asialle, ett\u00e4 l\u00e4hetti astui\nkuninkaan eteen. H\u00e4n ojensi kuninkaalle miekan, jossa oli kullattu\nponsi, ja my\u00f6skin koko huotra oli koristettu kullalla ja hopealla ja\nkallisarvoisilla jalokivill\u00e4. L\u00e4hetti tarjosi miekan kahvaa kuninkaalle\nja sanoi:\n\"T\u00e4ss\u00e4 on miekka, jonka kuningas Adalstein pyysi sinua ottamaan\nvastaan.\"\nKuningas tarttui kahvaan, ja heti virkkoi l\u00e4hetti: \"Nyt otit sen niin,\nkuin kuninkaamme halusi, ja nyt sinun tulee olla h\u00e4nen miehens\u00e4, koska\nkosketit h\u00e4nen miekkaansa.\"\nHarald kuningas ymm\u00e4rsi nyt, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli aiottu pilkaksi, mutta h\u00e4n\nei tahtonut olla toisen mies. Kuitenkin h\u00e4n muisti sen, mik\u00e4 oli h\u00e4nen\ntapansa, ett\u00e4 joka kerta kuin kiivaus tai viha h\u00e4net valtasi, h\u00e4n\nhillitsi itse\u00e4\u00e4n ensin, antoi sitten vihan haihtua ja tarkasti asiaa\nilman suuttumusta. Nyt h\u00e4n teki j\u00e4lleen niin ja esitti asian\nyst\u00e4villeen, ja he katsoivat kaikki parhaaksi p\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4\u00e4 l\u00e4hetit\nvahingotta kotiinsa l\u00e4htem\u00e4\u00e4n.\nSeuraavana kes\u00e4n\u00e4 Harald kuningas l\u00e4hetti aluksen Englantiin ja pani\nHauk Haabrokin per\u00e4mieheksi; t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli suuri soturi ja kuninkaan hyv\u00e4\nyst\u00e4v\u00e4, ja h\u00e4nelle h\u00e4n antoi mukaan poikansa Haakonin. Hauk purjehti\nsitten Englantiin kuningas Adalsteinin luo ja tapasi h\u00e4net Lontoossa;\nsiell\u00e4 oli silloin pidot ja komeat kestit. Hauk ilmoittaa miehilleen,\nmiten heid\u00e4n tulee j\u00e4rjest\u00e4\u00e4 sis\u00e4\u00e4nmeno, kun he saapuvat saliin, h\u00e4n\nsanoo, ett\u00e4 sen on l\u00e4hdett\u00e4v\u00e4 viimeisen\u00e4 ulos, joka ensinn\u00e4 k\u00e4y sis\u00e4\u00e4n,\nja ett\u00e4 heid\u00e4n tulee kaikkien seisoa yht\u00e4 pitk\u00e4ll\u00e4 p\u00f6yd\u00e4n \u00e4\u00e4ress\u00e4 ja\njokaisen pit\u00e4\u00e4 ottaa miekka vasemmalle kupeelle ja kiinnitt\u00e4\u00e4\np\u00e4\u00e4llysviitta niin, ettei miekkaa n\u00e4y.\nSitten he k\u00e4viv\u00e4t saliin; heit\u00e4 oli kolmekymment\u00e4 miest\u00e4. Hauk\nastui kuninkaan eteen ja tervehti h\u00e4nt\u00e4. Kuningas lausui h\u00e4net\ntervetulleeksi. Silloin Hauk otti Haakon pojan ja nosti h\u00e4net kuningas\nAdalsteinin syliin. Kuningas katsoi poikaan ja kysyi Haukilta, miksi\nt\u00e4m\u00e4 niin teki. Hauk vastasi:\n\"Harald kuningas pyysi sinua kasvattamaan h\u00e4nelle palkkapiian lapsen.\"\nKuningas vihastui per\u00e4ti ja tarttui miekkaansa, joka h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli\nvierell\u00e4\u00e4n; ja h\u00e4n paljasti sen, ik\u00e4\u00e4nkuin surmatakseen pojan.\n\"Polvellesi olet h\u00e4net ottanut\", virkkaa Hauk, \"nyt voit h\u00e4net murhata,\njos haluat, mutta sill\u00e4 et tuhoa kaikkia Harald kuninkaan poikia\".\nSitten Hauk ja kaikki h\u00e4nen miehens\u00e4 l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t ulos, ja he meniv\u00e4t\ntiehens\u00e4 laivalle ja purjehtivat merelle ja palasivat Norjaan Harald\nkuninkaan luo. T\u00e4m\u00e4 teko miellytti h\u00e4nt\u00e4 suuresti, sill\u00e4 niin sanotaan,\nett\u00e4 se on arvoltaan v\u00e4hempi, joka kasvattaa toisen lasta. N\u00e4ist\u00e4\nasioista huomattiin, ett\u00e4 kumpikin kuningas tahtoi olla toista\nsuurempi, eik\u00e4 n\u00e4iden asioiden t\u00e4hden kuitenkaan tehty mit\u00e4\u00e4n erotusta\nheid\u00e4n arvossaan; kumpikin oli valtakunnassaan ylikuningas\nkuolinp\u00e4iv\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4 saakka.\nKuningas Adalstein antoi kastaa Haakonin ja opettaa h\u00e4nelle oikean\nuskon ja hyvi\u00e4 tapoja ja kaikenkaltaista sivistyst\u00e4. Kuningas Adalstein\nrakasti h\u00e4nt\u00e4 suuresti, enemm\u00e4n kuin kaikkia sukulaisiaan, ja sit\u00e4\npaitsi h\u00e4nt\u00e4 rakasti jokainen, ken h\u00e4net tunsi. H\u00e4nt\u00e4 nimitettiin\nsitten Adalsteinin-kasvatiksi. H\u00e4n oli mit\u00e4 suurin urheilija, rotevampi\nja v\u00e4kev\u00e4mpi ja kauniimpi kuin yksik\u00e4\u00e4n toinen; h\u00e4n oli viisas ja\n\u00e4lyk\u00e4spuheinen ja hyv\u00e4 kristitty. Kuningas Adalstein antoi Haakonille\nmiekan, jonka ponsi oli kullasta, mutta ter\u00e4 oli kuitenkin parempi;\nsill\u00e4 Haakon halkaisi myllynkiven silm\u00e4\u00e4n asti. Sit\u00e4 sanottiin sitten\nKivenpurijaksi; se on paras miekka, mik\u00e4 konsanaan on tuotu Norjaan, ja\nHaakon omisti sen kuolemaansa asti.\nHarald kuningas oli nyt kahdeksankymmenen vuoden vanha; h\u00e4n k\u00e4vi\nsilloin niin raihnaiseksi, ettei mielest\u00e4\u00e4n en\u00e4\u00e4 kyennyt retkeilem\u00e4\u00e4n\npitkin maata tai hoitamaan kuninkaan teht\u00e4vi\u00e4. Silloin h\u00e4n johti Eirik\npoikansa kunniasijalleen ja antoi h\u00e4nelle vallan koko maassa. Mutta kun\nHarald kuninkaan toiset pojat kuulivat sen, niin useat heist\u00e4 ottivat\nitselleen t\u00e4yden vallan omassa valtakunnassaan; siit\u00e4 syntyi taasen\nuutta ep\u00e4sopua heid\u00e4n v\u00e4lilleen, ja siin\u00e4 riidassa saivat muutamat\nheist\u00e4 surmansa.\nHarald kuningas eli kolme talvea sen j\u00e4lkeen, kuin oli antanut\nEirikille yksinvallan valtakunnassa. H\u00e4n kuoli tautivuoteeseen\nRogalannissa ja on haudattu Haugariin K\u00e5rmtsundin[47] luo. Haugesundin\nluona on kirkko, mutta itse kalmiston luoteispuolella sijaitsee Harald\nKaunotukan hautakumpu; kirkon l\u00e4nsipuolella on Harald kuninkaan\nlepokivi, joka sijaitsi h\u00e4nen lepopaikkansa yll\u00e4 kummussa; se on puoli\nnelj\u00e4tt\u00e4toista jalkaa pitk\u00e4 ja l\u00e4hes kahden kyyn\u00e4r\u00e4n levyinen. Keskell\u00e4\nkumpua oli Harald kuninkaan lepopaikka; h\u00e4nen p\u00e4\u00e4puoleensa oli\nsovitettu kivi ja toinen jalkopuoleen, ja paasi oli asetettu niiden\np\u00e4\u00e4lle, ja molemmin puolin oli laita t\u00e4ytetty kivill\u00e4. Ne kivet ovat\nnyt kalmistossa, jotka silloin sijaitsivat kummussa.\nNiin puhuvat tietoisat miehet, ett\u00e4 Harald Kaunotukka on ollut kaunein\nja v\u00e4kevin ja suurin kaikista miehist\u00e4, vieraanvarainen ja antelias\nv\u00e4ke\u00e4\u00e4n kohtaan. H\u00e4n oli suuri sodank\u00e4vij\u00e4 ensi aikoinaan, ja se suuri\npuu, joka unessa n\u00e4ytt\u00e4ysi h\u00e4nen \u00e4idilleen ennen h\u00e4nen syntym\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4 ja\njonka tyvi oli verenkarvainen, mutta runko kaunis ja vihre\u00e4, selitet\u00e4\u00e4n\nnyt niin, ett\u00e4 se ennusti h\u00e4nen valtakuntansa kukoistusta; mutta kun\npuu latvaltaan oli valkoinen, merkitsi se, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nest\u00e4 oli tuleva\nvanha ja valkohapsinen. Puun oksat ja haarat ennustivat h\u00e4nen\nj\u00e4lkel\u00e4isi\u00e4\u00e4n, jotka levisiv\u00e4t yli koko maan, ja h\u00e4nen suvustaan ovat\nNorjan kuninkaat aina sen koommin olleet.\nKuningas Eirik Verikirves otti Harald kuninkaan kuoleman j\u00e4lkeisen\u00e4\ntalvena valtaansa kaikki ne tulot, jotka kuninkaalla oli Keskimaassa,\nOlavi[48] taas id\u00e4n puolella Vikeniss\u00e4 ja Sigr\u00f6d,[49] heid\u00e4n veljens\u00e4,\npiti kaikki Tr\u00f6ndelagenissa. Eirik oli t\u00e4st\u00e4 per\u00e4ti vihoissaan, ja\nkerrottiin h\u00e4nen aikovan v\u00e4kipakolla yritt\u00e4\u00e4, eik\u00f6 h\u00e4n saisi veljiens\u00e4\nkeskuudessa yksinvaltaa koko maassa, niinkuin h\u00e4nen is\u00e4ns\u00e4 oli sen\nh\u00e4nelle antanut. Mutta kun Olavi ja Sigr\u00f6d saavat kuulla t\u00e4m\u00e4n, k\u00e4y\nheid\u00e4n v\u00e4lill\u00e4\u00e4n l\u00e4hettej\u00e4. Sitten he sopivat kohtauksesta, ja kev\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4\nSigr\u00f6d purjehtii id\u00e4n puolelle Vikeniin; nyt h\u00e4n ja h\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4\nOlavi tapaavat toisensa Tunsbergiss\u00e4 ja viipyv\u00e4t siell\u00e4 jonkun aikaa.\nSamana kev\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 Eirik varusti suuren sotajoukon ja laivaston ja l\u00e4hti\nit\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in Vikeniin. Eirik kuningas sai niin hyv\u00e4n my\u00f6t\u00e4tuulen, ett\u00e4\npurjehti y\u00f6t\u00e4 ja p\u00e4iv\u00e4\u00e4, eik\u00e4 h\u00e4nest\u00e4 joutunut mit\u00e4\u00e4n ennakkotietoa. Ja\nkun h\u00e4n saapui Tunsbergiin, l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t Olavi ja Sigr\u00f6d kaupungin\nit\u00e4puolella olevalle m\u00e4elle ja j\u00e4rjestyiv\u00e4t siell\u00e4 rintamaan. Eirikill\u00e4\noli paljoa suurempi sotajoukko, ja h\u00e4n sai voiton; mutta Olavi ja\nSigr\u00f6d kaatuivat molemmat, ja kummankin hautakummut ovat siell\u00e4 m\u00e4ell\u00e4,\nmiss\u00e4 he saivat surmansa. Eirik l\u00e4hti nyt Vikeniin, laski sen valtansa\nalaiseksi ja viipyi siell\u00e4 pitk\u00e4\u00e4n kes\u00e4ll\u00e4. Trygve ja Gudr\u00f6d[50]\npakenivat Yl\u00e4maihin.\nEirik oli iso ja kaunis mies, v\u00e4kev\u00e4 ja tarmokas, suuri sodank\u00e4vij\u00e4 ja\nvoittoisa, mielelt\u00e4\u00e4n kiivas, julma, tyly ja harvapuheinen. Gunhild\n\u00c5ssurintyt\u00e4r, h\u00e4nen puolisonsa, oli kaunis, \u00e4lyk\u00e4s ja taikataitoinen,\nhilpe\u00e4luonteinen, ovela ja perin julma. H\u00e4nen toimistaan mainittakoon,\nett\u00e4 kun Halvdan Musta, Harald kuninkaan poika, kahta talvea varemmin\nsai \u00e4kkisurman ollessaan Trondhjemissa kesteiss\u00e4, niin yleiseen\nkerrottiin, ett\u00e4 Gunhild oli lahjonut er\u00e4\u00e4n taikataitoisen naisen\nantamaan h\u00e4nelle surmajuoman. N\u00e4m\u00e4 olivat Eirikin ja Gunhildin lapset:\nGamle oli vanhin, Guthorm, Harald, Ragnfr\u00f6d, Ragnhild, Erling, Gudr\u00f6d,\nSigurd Sleva. Kaikki Eirikin lapset olivat kauniita ja lupaavia.\nHaakon Hyv\u00e4n tarina.\nHaakon Adalsteinin-kasvatti oli Englannissa, kun sai kuulla is\u00e4ns\u00e4\nHarald kuninkaan kuolemasta; h\u00e4n valmistautui silloin l\u00e4htem\u00e4\u00e4n heti\nkotiin. Kuningas Adalstein antoi h\u00e4nelle v\u00e4ke\u00e4 sek\u00e4 hyv\u00e4t alukset ja\nvarusti h\u00e4net kunnollisesti matkalle, ja h\u00e4n tuli syksyll\u00e4 Norjaan.\nSiell\u00e4 h\u00e4n kuuli veljiens\u00e4 kaatuneen ja Eirik kuninkaan oleskelevan\nparhaillaan Vikeniss\u00e4. Haakon purjehti nyt pohjan puolelle Trondhjemiin\nja l\u00e4hti Sigurd jaarlin luo, joka oli viisain mies Norjassa, ja t\u00e4m\u00e4\notti h\u00e4net hyvin vastaan, ja he tekiv\u00e4t kesken\u00e4\u00e4n liiton; Haakon lupasi\nh\u00e4nelle suuren vallan, jos tulisi kuninkaaksi.\nSitten he kutsuivat koolle suuret k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t, ja niill\u00e4 Sigurd jaarli\npuhui Haakonin puolesta ja kehoitti talonpoikia ottamaan h\u00e4net\nkuninkaaksi. T\u00e4m\u00e4n j\u00e4lkeen Haakon nousi itse puhumaan; silloin miehet\nvirkkoivat toisilleen, ett\u00e4 siin\u00e4 oli nyt Harald Kaunotukka tullut\ntakaisin ja k\u00e4ynyt uudelleen nuoreksi. Haakonilla oli se ajatus\npuheessaan, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n pyysi talonpoikia antamaan h\u00e4nelle kuninkaannimen\nsek\u00e4 lis\u00e4ksi tukea ja apua pit\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n kuninkaanvallan; mutta\nvastalahjaksi h\u00e4n lupasi tehd\u00e4 kaikki talonpojat vapaatilallisiksi ja\nantaa heille talot, joita he asuivat. Mutta t\u00e4m\u00e4 puhe her\u00e4tti niin\nsuurta suosiota, ett\u00e4 koko k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4rahvas huusi ja sanoi, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4net he\nhalusivat kuninkaaksi; ja niin k\u00e4vi, ett\u00e4 tr\u00f6ndit ottivat Haakonin koko\nmaan kuninkaaksi. Silloin h\u00e4n oli viidentoista talven ik\u00e4inen; niin h\u00e4n\notti itselleen henkivartion[51] ja retkeili pitkin maata.\nYl\u00e4maihin enn\u00e4tti sellainen sanoma, ett\u00e4 tr\u00f6ndit olivat ottaneet\nitselleen kuninkaan, joka oli kaikessa samanlainen kuin Harald\nKaunotukka paitsi siin\u00e4, ett\u00e4 Harald oli orjuuttanut ja masentanut\nkaiken kansan maassa, mutta t\u00e4m\u00e4 Haakon tahtoi jokaisen parasta ja\nlupasi antaa talonpojille takaisin heid\u00e4n vapaatilansa, jotka Harald\nkuningas oli heilt\u00e4 ottanut. T\u00e4st\u00e4 sanomasta tulivat kaikki iloisiksi\nja jokainen kertoi sen toisille, ja se levisi kuin kulovalkea kuivassa\nruohikossa aina maan it\u00e4isimp\u00e4\u00e4n kolkkaan asti. Useat talonpojat\nl\u00e4htiv\u00e4t Yl\u00e4maista Haakon kuningasta tapaamaan, toiset l\u00e4hettiv\u00e4t\nviestej\u00e4, toiset sanan ja tunnusmerkkej\u00e4,[52] kaikki antaakseen tiet\u00e4\u00e4,\nett\u00e4 halusivat ruveta h\u00e4nen miehikseen. Kuningas otti heid\u00e4t\nkiitollisena vastaan.\nTalven tullen Haakon kuningas l\u00e4hti Yl\u00e4maihin ja kutsui koolle k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t;\nkaikki, jotka voivat saapua, kokoontuivat silloin h\u00e4nen luokseen, ja\nniin h\u00e4n otettiin kuninkaaksi kaikilla k\u00e4r\u00e4jill\u00e4. Sitten h\u00e4n l\u00e4hti id\u00e4n\npuolelle Vikeniin; siell\u00e4 tulivat h\u00e4nen luokseen h\u00e4nen veljenpoikansa\nTrygve ja Olavi sek\u00e4 useat muut ja kertoivat, mit\u00e4 pahaa h\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4\nEirik oli heille tehnyt. Eirikin tylyys kasvoi my\u00f6skin, kuta enemm\u00e4n\nkaikki halusivat voittaa Haakonin yst\u00e4vyyden ja saivat rohkeutta puhua\nniinkuin ajattelivat. Haakon kuningas antoi Trygvelle sek\u00e4 Olaville\nkuninkaannimen ja sen valtakunnan, mink\u00e4 Harald kuningas oli my\u00f6nt\u00e4nyt\nheid\u00e4n isilleen; mutta koska he olivat nuoria ja lapsellisia, asetti\nh\u00e4n \u00e4lykk\u00e4it\u00e4 ja taitavia miehi\u00e4 johtamaan maata heid\u00e4n rinnallaan. H\u00e4n\nluovutti heille maan entisill\u00e4 ehdoilla, niin ett\u00e4 he jakaisivat verot\njo maksut puoliksi h\u00e4nen kanssaan.\nKev\u00e4\u00e4n l\u00e4hetess\u00e4 Haakon kuningas ker\u00e4si suuren sotajoukon Trondhjemiin\nja hankki itselleen laivoja; Vikenin miehill\u00e4 oli my\u00f6skin suuri\nsotavoima liikkeell\u00e4, ja he tahtoivat l\u00e4hte\u00e4 Haakonia kohtaamaan.\nMy\u00f6skin Eirik kuningas m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si sotajoukon saapumaan Keskimaasta, mutta\nh\u00e4n sai v\u00e4h\u00e4n v\u00e4ke\u00e4, sill\u00e4 moni suurmies luopui h\u00e4nest\u00e4 ja l\u00e4hti\nHaakonin luo. Kun h\u00e4n huomasi mahdottomaksi ryhty\u00e4 vastustamaan\nHaakonin sotajoukkoa, purjehti h\u00e4n l\u00e4nteen meren poikki niiden miesten\nkera, jotka tahtoivat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 seurata. H\u00e4n l\u00e4hti ensin Orkn-saarille ja\nsai sielt\u00e4 mukaansa paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4, sitten h\u00e4n purjehti etel\u00e4\u00e4n ja\nhavitteli Skotlantia, miss\u00e4 vain p\u00e4\u00e4si maihin; h\u00e4n ry\u00f6steli my\u00f6skin\naina pohjoiseen Englantiin asti.\nAdalstein, Englannin kuningas, l\u00e4hetti Eirikille sanan ja tarjosi\nh\u00e4nelle valtakuntaa Englannissa; h\u00e4n sanoi, ett\u00e4 Harald kuningas oli\nollut kuningas Adalsteinin hyv\u00e4 yst\u00e4v\u00e4, joten h\u00e4n halusi palkita sen\nHaraldin pojalle. Niin kulki miehi\u00e4 kuningasten v\u00e4li\u00e4, ja he tekiv\u00e4t\nsovinnon sellaisin ehdoin, ett\u00e4 Eirik kuningas ottaa kuningas\nAdalsteinilt\u00e4 l\u00e4\u00e4niksi Nordimbralannin[53] ja suojelee maata\ntanskalaisilta sek\u00e4 muilta viikingeilt\u00e4. Eirik antaa kastaa itsens\u00e4\nvaimoineen ja lapsineen ja kaikkine miehineen, jotka olivat seuranneet\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4 sinne. T\u00e4m\u00e4n ehdon Eirik hyv\u00e4ksyi; niin h\u00e4n kastettiin ja otti\nvastaan oikean uskon. Nordimbralanti lasketaan viidenneksi osaksi\nEnglantia; h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli asuntonsa Jorvikissa.[54] Nordimbralanti\noli enimm\u00e4kseen pohjan miesten asuttama, sen j\u00e4lkeen kuin\nLodbrokinpojat[55] olivat vallanneet maan; mutta tanskalaiset ja\nnorjalaiset h\u00e4vitteliv\u00e4t sit\u00e4 usein, kun olivat menett\u00e4neet ylivallan\nmaassa.\nEirik kuninkaalla oli paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4 luonaan; siell\u00e4 oli joukko pohjan\nmiehi\u00e4, jotka olivat l\u00e4hteneet id\u00e4st\u00e4 h\u00e4nen kanssaan, ja sit\u00e4 paitsi\nsaapui my\u00f6hemmin useita h\u00e4nen yst\u00e4vi\u00e4\u00e4n Norjasta. H\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli niukalti\nmaata, sen vuoksi h\u00e4n l\u00e4hti alituiseen kes\u00e4isin vainoretkille, h\u00e4vitti\nSkotlantia ja Suder-saaria, Irlantia sek\u00e4 Bretlantia ja ker\u00e4si\nitselleen siten tavaraa. Kuningas Adalstein kuoli tautiin. Sitten oli\nh\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4 Jatmund[56] Englannin kuninkaana. H\u00e4n ei pit\u00e4nyt pohjan\nmiehist\u00e4, eik\u00e4 Eirik kuningas ollut h\u00e4nen yst\u00e4vi\u00e4\u00e4n; niinp\u00e4 kerrottiin\nkuningas Jatmundista, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n aikoi asettaa toisen p\u00e4\u00e4miehen\nNordimbralantiin. Mutta t\u00e4m\u00e4n kuultuaan Eirik kuningas l\u00e4hti l\u00e4nteen\nviikinkiretkelle, ja moni viikinki ja sotakuningas liittyi h\u00e4nen\nseuraansa. H\u00e4n purjehti joukkoineen ensin Irlantiin ja otti sielt\u00e4\nmukaansa niin paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4, kuin saattoi ker\u00e4t\u00e4; sitten h\u00e4n l\u00e4hti\nBretlantiin ja h\u00e4vitteli sit\u00e4. Sen j\u00e4lkeen h\u00e4n purjehti etel\u00e4\u00e4n\nEnglannin rannikkoa pitkin ja ry\u00f6steli siell\u00e4 niinkuin muissakin\npaikoin, mutta kaikki kansa pakeni h\u00e4nen tielt\u00e4\u00e4n. Ja koska Eirik oli\nrohkea sodank\u00e4vij\u00e4 ja h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli mukanaan paljoa v\u00e4ke\u00e4, luotti h\u00e4n\nniin suuresti voimiinsa, ett\u00e4 samosi kauas sis\u00e4maahan h\u00e4vitellen ja\nkansaa etsien.\nOlavi oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n se kuningas, jonka kuningas Jatmund oli asettanut\nmaata varjelemaan. H\u00e4n ker\u00e4si mahtavan sotajoukon ja l\u00e4hti Eirik\nkuningasta vastaan, ja nyt syntyi suuri taistelu. Paljon kaatui\nEnglannin miehi\u00e4, mutta miss\u00e4 yksi sai surmansa, siin\u00e4 astui kolme\ntilalle; ja my\u00f6hemmin p\u00e4iv\u00e4ll\u00e4 mieshukka k\u00e4\u00e4ntyi pohjan miesten\nvahingoksi ja heit\u00e4 kaatui useita, ja p\u00e4iv\u00e4n p\u00e4\u00e4ttyess\u00e4 sai surmansa\nmy\u00f6skin Eirik sek\u00e4 viisi muuta kuningasta h\u00e4nen kerallaan. Suuri oli\npohjolaisten mieshukka, mutta ne, jotka p\u00e4\u00e4siv\u00e4t hengiss\u00e4 taistelusta,\nl\u00e4htiv\u00e4t Nordimbralantiin ja kertoivat n\u00e4m\u00e4 sanomat Gunhildille ja\nh\u00e4nen pojilleen.\nMutta kun Gunhild ja h\u00e4nen poikansa saivat tiet\u00e4\u00e4, ett\u00e4 Eirik kuningas\noli kaatunut ja sit\u00e4 ennen h\u00e4vitellyt Englannin kuninkaan maata, tuntui\nheist\u00e4 silt\u00e4, ettei siell\u00e4 ollut odotettavissa rauhallisia oloja. He\nvarustautuivat heti l\u00e4htem\u00e4\u00e4n pois Nordimbralannista ja ottivat kaikki\nne laivat, mitk\u00e4 olivat kuuluneet Eirik kuninkaalle; heill\u00e4 oli\nmukanaan my\u00f6skin kaikki se v\u00e4ki, joka tahtoi seurata heit\u00e4, ja paljon\ntavaraa, joka oli ker\u00e4tty Englannista veroina tai vainoretkill\u00e4\nanastettu. He suuntasivat kulkunsa pohjoiseen p\u00e4in Orkn-saarille ja\nsijoittuivat sinne joksikin aikaa. Eirikinpojat valtasivat sitten\nOrkn-saaret sek\u00e4 Hjaltlannin ja kantoivat niist\u00e4 veroa; siell\u00e4 he\noleskelivat talvisin, mutta kes\u00e4isin he l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t viikinkiretkille\nl\u00e4nteen ja h\u00e4vitteliv\u00e4t Skotlantia ja Irlantia.\nKuningas Haakon Adalsteinin-kasvatti laski valtansa alaiseksi koko\nNorjan, kun h\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4 Eirik oli paennut maasta. Ensin h\u00e4n asui\nTrondhjemissa; mutta koska se n\u00e4ytti h\u00e4nest\u00e4 vaaralliselta, jos Eirik\nkuningas saapuisi miehineen meren poikki, asettui h\u00e4n sotavoimineen\nkeskelle maata. Kun Haakon kuningas sitten sai kuulla, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nen\nveljens\u00e4 Eirik kuningas oli kaatunut eiv\u00e4tk\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4n pojat saaneet tukea\nEnglannista, ei h\u00e4nen mielest\u00e4\u00e4n en\u00e4\u00e4 tarvinnut paljoakaan pel\u00e4t\u00e4\nn\u00e4it\u00e4, ja sen vuoksi h\u00e4n l\u00e4hti er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 kes\u00e4n\u00e4 sotajoukkoineen it\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in\nVikeniin. N\u00e4ihin aikoihin tanskalaiset h\u00e4vitteliv\u00e4t pahasti Vikeniss\u00e4\nja tekiv\u00e4t siell\u00e4 usein suurta vahinkoa. Mutta kuullessaan, ett\u00e4 Haakon\nkuningas oli saapunut sinne suuren sotajoukon kera, he pakenivat kaikki\ntiehens\u00e4, toiset etel\u00e4\u00e4 kohti Hallantiin, ne taasen, jotka olivat\nHaakon kuningasta l\u00e4hinn\u00e4, ulos merelle ja sitten Jyllantiin. T\u00e4m\u00e4n\nhavaittuaan Haakon purjehti per\u00e4ss\u00e4 kaikkine v\u00e4kineen. Kun h\u00e4n saapui\nJyllantiin ja sik\u00e4l\u00e4inen rahvas sai tiedon siit\u00e4, ker\u00e4\u00e4ntyi heti\nsotajoukko maata suojelemaan, ja se pyrki taisteluun Haakonin kanssa.\nSiell\u00e4 sukeusikin suuri taistelu, ja Haakon kuningas soti niin\nrohkeasti, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli sotaviirin edess\u00e4, eik\u00e4 h\u00e4nell\u00e4 ollut suojanaan\nkyp\u00e4r\u00e4\u00e4 eik\u00e4 haarniskaakaan. Haakon kuningas sai voiton ja ajoi\npakenevia kauas maihin. N\u00e4in lauloi Guthorm Sindre Haakon-runossaan:\n Sankari tiet\u00e4 siint\u00e4v\u00e4\u00e4\n matkasi loiskivin airoin;\n taistossa ruhtinas ylv\u00e4s\n juutteja kalvoin kaatoi.\n Ruokkija Odinin lintuin\n soturit pakohon sy\u00f6ksi:\n korppi einett\u00e4 etsi\n ja ahmia kyllin sai.\nSitten Haakon kuningas suuntasi laivastonsa it\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in Seelantiin ja\netsiskeli viikinkej\u00e4. H\u00e4n soudatti kaksi purtta Juutinraumaan; siell\u00e4\nh\u00e4n kohtasi yksitoista viikinkipurtta ja antautui heti taisteluun niit\u00e4\nvastaan, ja se p\u00e4\u00e4ttyi siten, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n sai voiton ja raivasi kaikki\nvihollisalukset puhtaiksi.\nT\u00e4m\u00e4n j\u00e4lkeen Haakon kuningas h\u00e4vitteli laajalti Seelantia ja ry\u00f6sti\nuseita paikkoja; toisia h\u00e4n surmasi, mutta otti toisia vangiksi;\nmuutamilta h\u00e4n peri suuria sakkoja eik\u00e4 silloin kohdannut mit\u00e4\u00e4n\nvastarintaa. Sitten h\u00e4n siirtyi it\u00e4\u00e4n Sk\u00e5nen rannikkoa pitkin ja\nsurmasi kaikki viikingit, jotka siell\u00e4 tapasi, sek\u00e4 tanskalaiset ett\u00e4\nvendil\u00e4iset. Niin h\u00e4n retkeili yh\u00e4 it\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in G\u00f6\u00f6tanmaata pitkin ja\nh\u00e4vitteli sit\u00e4 ja kokosi maasta paljon rahaa. Syksyll\u00e4 Haakon kuningas\ntuli takaisin joukkoineen, ja h\u00e4n oli saanut suuret m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4t tavaraa.\nTalven h\u00e4n majaili Vikeniss\u00e4 suojellakseen sit\u00e4, jos tanskalaiset tai\ngootit hy\u00f6kk\u00e4isiv\u00e4t maahan.\nTanskaa hallitsi silloin kuningas Harald Gorminpoika. H\u00e4n oli\nvihoissaan siit\u00e4, ett\u00e4 Haakon kuningas oli h\u00e4vitt\u00e4nyt h\u00e4nen maatansa,\nja arveltiin Tanskan kuninkaan varmaankin koettavan kostaa sen; mutta\nniin ei kuitenkaan tapahtunut aivan pian. Mutta kun Gunhildin pojat\nsaivat kuulla, ett\u00e4 Tanskan ja Norjan v\u00e4lill\u00e4 vallitsi ep\u00e4sopu,\nvalmistautuivat he Gunhildin kera purjehtimaan it\u00e4\u00e4n. Tultuaan\npoikineen Tanskaan Gunhild l\u00e4hti kuningas Haraldin luo, ja siell\u00e4 h\u00e4net\notettiin hyvin vastaan; kuningas antoi heille valtakunnastaan\nmaa-alueita niin suuria, ett\u00e4 he kykeniv\u00e4t hyvin el\u00e4tt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n itsens\u00e4 ja\nmiehens\u00e4, mutta Harald Eirikinpojan h\u00e4n otti kasvatikseen ja istutti\nh\u00e4net polvelleen; poika kasvoi sitten Tanskan kuninkaan seurueessa.\nMuutamat Eirikinpojat l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t vainoretkille, niin pian kuin heill\u00e4 oli\nik\u00e4\u00e4 riitt\u00e4v\u00e4sti, ja hankkivat itselleen siten omaisuutta; he\nh\u00e4vitteliv\u00e4t laajalta It\u00e4maita. He kasvoivat varhain aimo miehiksi ja\nvarttuivat voimiltaan ja taidoltaan nopeammin kuin vuosiltaan.\nEirikinpojat suuntasivat joukkoineen matkansa my\u00f6skin Vikeniin ja\nh\u00e4vitteliv\u00e4t sit\u00e4, mutta Trygve Olavinpojalla, Haakon kuninkaan\nveljenpojalla, joka oli asetettu Vikenin hallitsijaksi, oli sotajoukko\nvalmiina, ja h\u00e4n k\u00e4vi heit\u00e4 vastaan; he taistelivat useasti ja saivat\nvoiton vuorotellen.\nHaakonin ollessa Norjan kuninkaana vallitsi talonpoikien ja\nkauppamiesten keskuudessa hyv\u00e4 rauha, niin ettei kukaan vahingoittanut\ntoisia tai toisten omaisuutta; silloin oli hyv\u00e4 vuosi sek\u00e4 maalla ett\u00e4\nmerell\u00e4. Haakon kuningas oli kaikkia muita iloisempi, kaunopuheisempi\nja vaatimattomampi. Viisaiden miesten neuvomana h\u00e4n s\u00e4\u00e4ti monta\nmaakuntalakia kaiken kansan noudatettavaksi.\nYl\u00e4maalaiskuningas \u00d6istein,[57] jota toiset nimitt\u00e4v\u00e4t Mahtavaksi,\ntoiset taasen Pahaksi, havitteli Trondhjemia ja laski valtansa\nalaiseksi kaksi kihlakuntaa ja asetti poikansa niiden p\u00e4\u00e4mieheksi;\nmutta tr\u00f6ndit surmasivat t\u00e4m\u00e4n. \u00d6istein kuningas l\u00e4hti silloin\ntoistamiseen vainoretkelle Trondhjemiin ja h\u00e4vitteli siell\u00e4 laajalti ja\nalisti koko maan valtaansa. Sitten h\u00e4n k\u00e4ski tr\u00f6ndien valita, kumman he\nmieluummin halusivat kuninkaakseen, h\u00e4nen orjansa, Tore Faxe nimisen,\nvaiko h\u00e4nen koiransa Saurin; mutta he valitsivat koiran, koska luulivat\nsilloin saavansa vallita enemm\u00e4n oman mielens\u00e4 mukaan. He antoivat\nloihtia koiraan kolmen miehen \u00e4lyn, ja niin se haukkui kaksi sanaa,\nmutta puhui aina kolmannen. Sille tehtiin kaulanauha kulta- ja\nhopearenkaista, ja lokaisella s\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 henkivartijat kantoivat sit\u00e4\nolkap\u00e4ill\u00e4\u00e4n. Oli sille pystytetty my\u00f6skin kunniaistuin, ja se piti\nkuninkaiden tavoin k\u00e4r\u00e4ji\u00e4. Kerrotaan sen saaneen surmansa siten, ett\u00e4\nsusia k\u00e4vi sen karjaan, mutta henkivartijat yllyttiv\u00e4t sit\u00e4 suojelemaan\nomaisuuttaan; se hy\u00f6kk\u00e4si sinne, miss\u00e4 sudet olivat, mutta ne repiv\u00e4t\nsen heti kappaleiksi.\nPaljon muutakin merkillist\u00e4 teki \u00d6istein kuningas tr\u00f6ndien kiusaksi.\nT\u00e4m\u00e4n vainon vuoksi pakeni moni p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6 ja suuri joukko rahvasta\ntiloiltaan. Ketel J\u00e6mte, jaarlin poika Sparabusta, siirtyi it\u00e4\u00e4n\nKj\u00f6lenin poikki ja h\u00e4nen kerallaan suuri seurue, ja heill\u00e4 oli karjansa\nmukana. He raivasivat saloa ja asuttivat siell\u00e4 suuria kihlakuntia;\nsit\u00e4 nimitettiin sen j\u00e4lkeen Jemtlanniksi. Ketelin pojanpoika oli Tore\nHelsing; h\u00e4n l\u00e4hti murhan vuoksi it\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in metsien halki ja rupesi\nasuttamaan sit\u00e4 aluetta; sinne pyrki paljon kansaa h\u00e4nen kerallaan, ja\nsit\u00e4 seutua nimitettiin Helsinglanniksi. Mutta kun Harald Kaunotukka\nraivasi itselleen tilaa valtakunnassa, silloin pakeni h\u00e4nenkin tielt\u00e4\u00e4n\njoukko ihmisi\u00e4 maasta; niin syntyi uusia asutuksia Jemtlannissa, ja\nmuutamat siirtyiv\u00e4t aina Helsinglantiin asti. Helsingit k\u00e4viv\u00e4t\nkauppamatkoillaan Svitjodissa ja olivat kaikessa sen alaisia; mutta\njemtit olivat melkein keskiv\u00e4lill\u00e4, eik\u00e4 kukaan pannut siihen huomiota,\nennenkuin Haakon m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si rauhan ja kaupparetki\u00e4 Jemtlantiin ja rupesi\nsik\u00e4l\u00e4isten suurmiesten yst\u00e4v\u00e4ksi. N\u00e4m\u00e4 pyrkiv\u00e4t sitten l\u00e4nteen h\u00e4nen\nluokseen, lupasivat kuuliaisuutta ja verolahjoja ja tulivat h\u00e4nen\nmiehikseen; sill\u00e4 he kuulivat h\u00e4nest\u00e4 kerrottavan hyv\u00e4\u00e4 ja tahtoivat\nennemmin antautua h\u00e4nen valtaansa kuin svealaiskuninkaan alamaisiksi,\nkoska olivat per\u00e4isin norjalais-heimosta. Niin tekiv\u00e4t my\u00f6skin kaikki\nhelsingit, joilla oli sukunsa Kj\u00f6lenin l\u00e4nsipuolella.\nNorjaan tullessaan Haakon kuningas oli hyv\u00e4 kristitty, mutta koska koko\nmaa oli pakanallinen ja siell\u00e4 oli runsaasti uhreja sek\u00e4 paljon\nmahtimiehi\u00e4 ja h\u00e4n oli kovin avun sek\u00e4 rahvaan suosion tarpeessa,\nkatsoi h\u00e4n parhaaksi pit\u00e4\u00e4 kristinuskoaan salassa. H\u00e4n vietti\nsunnuntaita sek\u00e4 perjantaipaastoja ja m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si laissa, ett\u00e4 joulua oli\njuhlittava samaan aikaan kuin kristityt; ja silloin oli jokaisen\nvalmistettava kesteihin mitallinen olutta tai muutoin suoritettava\nsakkoja ja pidett\u00e4v\u00e4 pyh\u00e4\u00e4 niin kauan kuin olutta riitti; mutta ennen\noli ensimm\u00e4inen jouluy\u00f6 ollut keskitalvijuhla, ja joulua vietettiin\nkolmena y\u00f6n\u00e4.\nH\u00e4n ajatteli, ett\u00e4 lujitettuaan asemansa ja laskettuaan maan valtansa\nalaiseksi h\u00e4n esitt\u00e4isi sanoman kristinuskosta; h\u00e4n teki ensin siten,\nett\u00e4 houkutteli kristinuskoon ne miehet, jotka olivat h\u00e4nelle\nrakkaimmat, ja yst\u00e4v\u00e4llisyydell\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4n sai aikaan sen, ett\u00e4 moni antoi\nkastaa itsens\u00e4 ja muutamat herkesiv\u00e4t uhraamasta. H\u00e4n oleskeli pitk\u00e4t\najat Trondhjemissa, koska siell\u00e4 oli maan suurin voima.\nMutta kun Haakon kuningas arveli saaneensa muutamilta suurmiehilt\u00e4\ntukea kristinuskon esitt\u00e4miseksi, l\u00e4hetti h\u00e4n Englantiin sanan pyyt\u00e4en\npiispaa ja muutamia pappeja, ja heid\u00e4n saavuttuaan Norjaan kuningas\nteki tiett\u00e4v\u00e4ksi, ett\u00e4 aikoi m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4t\u00e4 kristinuskon vallitsevaksi kautta\nkoko maan. Mutta m\u00f6rel\u00e4iset ja raumalaaksolaiset j\u00e4ttiv\u00e4t asiansa\ntr\u00f6ndien ratkaistavaksi. Haakon kuningas vihitytti silloin muutamia\nkirkkoja ja asetti niihin pappeja; mutta Trondhjemiin tultuaan h\u00e4n\nkutsui koolle k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t ja tarjosi kristinuskoa. Tr\u00f6ndit vastaavat\nsilloin j\u00e4tt\u00e4v\u00e4ns\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4n asian Frostan k\u00e4r\u00e4jille ja tahtovat, ett\u00e4\nniille saavuttaisiin kaikista niist\u00e4 kihlakunnista, jotka ovat\nTr\u00f6ndelagenissa, ja sanovat siell\u00e4 vastaavansa t\u00e4ss\u00e4 vaikeassa asiassa.\nLaden jaarli Sigurd oli suuri uhripappi ja samaten Haakon, h\u00e4nen\nis\u00e4ns\u00e4. Sigurd jaarli piti kuninkaan puolesta kaikki uhripidot\nTr\u00f6ndelagenissa. Oli vanha tapa sellainen, ett\u00e4 uhraamaan k\u00e4yt\u00e4ess\u00e4\nkaikki talonpojat saapuivat sinne, miss\u00e4 temppeli oli, ja toivat\nmukanaan ruokavaroja, joiden tuli riitt\u00e4\u00e4 uhripitojen ajaksi. N\u00e4iss\u00e4\npidoissa tuli kaikkien miesten saada olutta, niiss\u00e4 teurastettiin\nmy\u00f6skin kaikenkaltaista pikkukarjaa sek\u00e4 hevosia, mutta kaikella\nverell\u00e4, mik\u00e4 niist\u00e4 vuoti, oli nimen\u00e4 _laut_, ja viel\u00e4 oli niiss\u00e4\n_laut_-kulhoja, joissa verta s\u00e4ilytettiin, ja _laut_-vihtoja; kaikella\nsill\u00e4 oli v\u00e4rj\u00e4tt\u00e4v\u00e4 korokkeet punaisiksi ja samaten temppelin sein\u00e4t\nsis\u00e4lt\u00e4 ja ulkoa, ja my\u00f6skin oli sit\u00e4 vihmottava miehiin; mutta liha\noli keitett\u00e4v\u00e4 pitoruoaksi. Tulia oli sytytett\u00e4v\u00e4 keskelle temppelin\npermantoa, ja niiden yll\u00e4 riippui patoja; tulen ymp\u00e4ri oli kannettava\npikareita, mutta sen, joka j\u00e4rjesti pidot ja oli p\u00e4\u00e4mies, tuli ensin\nsiunata Odenin malja -- se oli juotava kuninkaan voiton ja mahdin\nhyv\u00e4ksi -- ja sitten Nj\u00e5rdin[58] ja Fr\u00f6in[59] malja vuodentulon ja\nrauhan hyv\u00e4ksi. Oli perin tavallista, ett\u00e4 sen j\u00e4lkeen juotiin\nBragen[60] malja; my\u00f6skin juotiin haudattujen sukulaisten malja, ja\nsill\u00e4 oli nimen\u00e4 muistopikari.\nHaakon kuningas saapui Frostan k\u00e4r\u00e4jille, ja niille oli tullut suuri\njoukko talonpoikia. Mutta kun k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t aloitettiin, ryhtyi kuningas\npuhumaan. H\u00e4n sanoi ensinn\u00e4, ett\u00e4 sellainen oli h\u00e4nen k\u00e4skyns\u00e4 ja\npyynt\u00f6ns\u00e4 talonpojille ja torppareille, mahtaville ja halvoille ja\nsiten koko kansalle, nuorille ja vanhoille, rikkaille ja k\u00f6yhille,\nnaisille ja miehille, ett\u00e4 kaikkien oli annettava kastaa itsens\u00e4 ja\nuskottava yhteen Jumalaan Kristukseen, Marian poikaan, mutta luovuttava\nkaikista uhreista ja pakanallisista jumalista, pidett\u00e4v\u00e4 pyh\u00e4n\u00e4 joka\nseitsem\u00e4s p\u00e4iv\u00e4 tekem\u00e4tt\u00e4 silloin ty\u00f6t\u00e4 ja paastottava joka seitsem\u00e4s\np\u00e4iv\u00e4.\nMutta heti kun kuningas oli esitt\u00e4nyt t\u00e4m\u00e4n rahvaalle, syntyi suuri\nlevottomuus. Talonpojat nurisivat, ett\u00e4 kuningas aikoi riist\u00e4\u00e4 heilt\u00e4\nty\u00f6n, ja sanoivat, etteiv\u00e4t he voineet sill\u00e4 tavalla asua maata; mutta\nty\u00f6v\u00e4ki ja orjat arvelivat, etteiv\u00e4t voineet tehd\u00e4 ty\u00f6t\u00e4, kun eiv\u00e4t\nsaisi ruokaa -- he sanoivat my\u00f6skin, ett\u00e4 Haakon kuninkaalla sek\u00e4 h\u00e4nen\nis\u00e4ll\u00e4\u00e4n ja n\u00e4iden suvulla oli sellainen perim\u00e4vika, ett\u00e4 he antoivat\nruokaa niukalti, joskin kultaa runsaasti. Asbj\u00f6rn Guldalin Medalhusista\nnousi seisomaan, vastasi h\u00e4nen sanoihinsa ja virkkoi:\n\"Niin me talonpojat ajattelimme\", h\u00e4n sanoo, \"kun sinulla oli ollut\nensimm\u00e4iset k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 Trondhjemissa ja me olimme ottaneet sinut\nkuninkaaksi ja saaneet sinulta perint\u00f6tilamme, ett\u00e4 olimme tavoittaneet\nk\u00e4sill\u00e4mme itse taivaan. Mutta nyt emme tied\u00e4, olemmeko todella saaneet\nvapauden vai tahdotko nyt orjuuttaa meid\u00e4t uudestaan niin kummallisella\ntavalla, ett\u00e4 meid\u00e4n tulee hyl\u00e4t\u00e4 uskomme, joka vanhemmillamme ja\nkaikilla esi-isill\u00e4mme on ollut ennen meit\u00e4, ensinn\u00e4 polttokaudella ja\nnyt kumpukaudella;[61] he ovat olleet paljoa viisaampia kuin me, ja\nkuitenkin on t\u00e4m\u00e4 usko kelvannut meille. Olemme osoittaneet sinulle\nniin suurta rakkautta, ett\u00e4 olemme antaneet sinun s\u00e4\u00e4t\u00e4\u00e4 meille kaiken\nlain ja oikeuden. Nyt on meid\u00e4n tahtomme ja talonpoikien yhteinen\nsuostumus, ett\u00e4 pid\u00e4mme sen lain, jonka s\u00e4\u00e4sit meille t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 Frostan\nk\u00e4r\u00e4jill\u00e4 ja itse hyv\u00e4ksyimme; me seuraamme sinua kaikki ja pid\u00e4mme\nsinut kuninkaana, niin kauan kuin yksikin meist\u00e4 talonpojista on\nelossa, jos sin\u00e4, kuningas, pysyt kohtuullisena ja pyyd\u00e4t meilt\u00e4 vain\nsit\u00e4, mik\u00e4 sinulle voidaan my\u00f6nt\u00e4\u00e4 eik\u00e4 ole mahdotonta. Mutta jos\nantaudut t\u00e4h\u00e4n asiaan niin suurella kiihkolla, ett\u00e4 rupeat k\u00e4ytt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n\nv\u00e4kivaltaa meit\u00e4 kohtaan, silloin me talonpojat olemme p\u00e4\u00e4tt\u00e4neet, ett\u00e4\neroamme sinusta kaikki ja otamme toisen p\u00e4\u00e4miehen, joka voi auttaa\nmeit\u00e4 siin\u00e4, ett\u00e4 saamme pit\u00e4\u00e4 rauhassa haluamamme uskon. Nyt on sinun,\nkuningas, valittava toinen n\u00e4ist\u00e4 kahdesta ehdosta, ennenkuin k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t\novat p\u00e4\u00e4ttyneet.\" -- T\u00e4lle puheelle huusivat talonpojat voimakkaasti ja\nsanoivat, ett\u00e4 juuri sellainen oli heid\u00e4n ajatuksensa.\nKun k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4rahvas vaikeni, vastasi Sigurd jaarli ja sanoi, ett\u00e4\n\"kuningas Haakonin tahto on p\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4 yksimieliseksi teid\u00e4n kanssanne,\ntalonpojat, eik\u00e4 h\u00e4n aio milloinkaan luopua yst\u00e4vyydest\u00e4nne\".\nTalonpojat sanoivat tahtovansa, ett\u00e4 kuninkaan tulee uhrata heid\u00e4n\npuolestaan vuodentulon ja rauhan hyv\u00e4ksi, niinkuin h\u00e4nen is\u00e4ns\u00e4 oli\ntehnyt. Niin levottomuus talttuu ja k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t p\u00e4\u00e4ttyv\u00e4t. Sitten Sigurd\njaarli puhui kuninkaalle, ettei h\u00e4n j\u00e4tt\u00e4isi kokonaan tekem\u00e4tt\u00e4, mit\u00e4\ntalonpojat halusivat, ja sanoi, ettei ole muuta neuvoa: \"T\u00e4m\u00e4 on,\nkuningas, niinkuin itse voitte kuulla, p\u00e4\u00e4miesten tahto ja kiivas\nvaatimus ja samalla koko kansan. T\u00e4h\u00e4n me, kuningas, kyll\u00e4 keksimme\njonkin hyv\u00e4n neuvon.\" -- Ja kuningas ja jaarli sopivat nyt asiasta.\nSyksyll\u00e4 talvip\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 oli uhrijuhla Ladessa, ja sinne l\u00e4hti nyt\nkuningas. Ennen, milloin h\u00e4n oli saapuvilla uhrijuhlassa, h\u00e4n oli aina\ntottunut aterioimaan pieness\u00e4 tuvassa muutaman miehen kera; mutta\ntalonpojat nurisivat nyt sit\u00e4, ettei h\u00e4n asettunut kunniasijalleen, kun\nilo oli kansan keskuudessa ylimmill\u00e4\u00e4n. Jaarli sanoi silloin, ettei h\u00e4n\ntekisi t\u00e4ll\u00e4 kertaa niin, ja n\u00e4in kuningas joutui kunniaistuimelle.\nMutta kun ensimm\u00e4inen malja t\u00e4ytettiin, puhui Sigurd jaarli sen\njohdosta ja siunasi sen Odenille ja joi kuninkaan terveydeksi sarvesta.\nKuningas otti sen vastaan, mutta teki sen ylle ristinmerkin. Silloin\nvirkkoi Grytingin Kaar.\n\"Miksi kuningas niin tekee? Eik\u00f6 h\u00e4n halua viel\u00e4k\u00e4\u00e4n uhrata?\"\nSigurd jaarli vastasi:\n\"Kuningas menettelee niinkuin kaikki tekev\u00e4t, jotka uskovat voimaansa\nja v\u00e4keens\u00e4 ja siunaavat maljansa Torille. H\u00e4n teki vasaran merkin,\nennenkuin joi\".[62] Sin\u00e4 iltana pysyttiin rauhallisina. Mutta kun\nseuraavana p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 k\u00e4ytiin p\u00f6yt\u00e4\u00e4n, tungeksivat talonpojat kuninkaan\nymp\u00e4rille ja sanoivat, ett\u00e4 nyt h\u00e4nen oli sy\u00f6t\u00e4v\u00e4 hevosenlihaa. Siihen\nei kuningas suostunut mill\u00e4\u00e4n ehdolla. Silloin he pyysiv\u00e4t h\u00e4nt\u00e4\njuomaan lient\u00e4, mutta sit\u00e4 h\u00e4n ei tahtonut tehd\u00e4. Sitten he pyysiv\u00e4t\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4 sy\u00f6m\u00e4\u00e4n kuuta; ei h\u00e4n suostunut siihenk\u00e4\u00e4n, ja silloin he olivat\njo k\u00e4ym\u00e4isill\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan. Sigurd jaarli sanoi tahtovansa sovittaa\nja k\u00e4ski heid\u00e4n tyynty\u00e4, mutta kuninkaan h\u00e4n k\u00e4ski kumartua avosuin\npadan sangan ylitse, johon oli laskeutunut lihakeiton h\u00f6yry\u00e4, niin ett\u00e4\nse oli rasvainen. Silloin kuningas k\u00e4\u00e4ri liinavaatteen padan sankaan ja\npiti suutaan auki, ja sen j\u00e4lkeen h\u00e4n astui kunniasijalleen. Mutta\nkukaan heist\u00e4 ei ollut tyytyv\u00e4inen.\nSeuraavana talvena varustettiin kuninkaalle joulunviettoa M\u00e6reniss\u00e4.\nJoulun l\u00e4hetess\u00e4 ne kahdeksan p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6\u00e4, jotka enimm\u00e4n huolehtivat\nuhreista Tr\u00f6ndelagenissa, pitiv\u00e4t kesken\u00e4\u00e4n kokouksen. N\u00e4m\u00e4 kahdeksan\nmiest\u00e4 sopivat siit\u00e4, ett\u00e4 nelj\u00e4 suupuolen-tr\u00f6ndi\u00e4 h\u00e4vitt\u00e4isi\nkristinuskon, mutta nelj\u00e4 sis\u00e4maan-tr\u00f6ndi\u00e4 pakottaisi kuninkaan\nuhraamaan. Suupuolen-tr\u00f6ndit purjehtivat nelj\u00e4ll\u00e4 aluksella etel\u00e4\u00e4n\np\u00e4in M\u00f6reen, surmasivat siell\u00e4 kolme pappia ja polttivat kolme kirkkoa;\nsitten he palasivat kotiin. Mutta kun Haakon kuningas ja Sigurd jaarli\nsaapuivat sotajoukkoineen M\u00e6reniin, oli siell\u00e4 rahvasta suuret m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4t.\nEnsimm\u00e4isen\u00e4 p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 talonpojat tunkeutuivat pidoissa kuninkaan luo ja\nvaativat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 uhraamaan, uhaten muutoin k\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4 v\u00e4kivaltaa. Sigurd\njaarli ryhtyi silloin sovittelemaan, ja niin tapahtui, ett\u00e4 Haakon\nkuningas s\u00f6i muutaman palan hevosenmaksaa ja joi ristinmerkki\u00e4\ntekem\u00e4tt\u00e4 kaikki muistomaljat, jotka talonpojat kaatoivat h\u00e4nelle.\nMutta pitojen p\u00e4\u00e4tytty\u00e4 kuningas ja jaarli l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t Ladeen. Kuningas\noli perin vihoissaan ja tahtoi heti poistua Trondhjemist\u00e4 kaikkine\nmiehineen; h\u00e4n sanoi toisella kertaa saapuvansa sinne suurempi joukko\nmukanaan ja kostavansa silloin tr\u00f6ndeille sen vihamielisyyden, jota\nn\u00e4m\u00e4 olivat h\u00e4nelle osoittaneet. Sigurd jaarli pyysi, ettei kuningas\nsyytt\u00e4isi tr\u00f6ndej\u00e4 t\u00e4st\u00e4, ja sanoi, ettei kuninkaan olisi hyv\u00e4 uhata\ntai vainota oman maan kansaa, kaikkein v\u00e4himmin siell\u00e4, miss\u00e4 maan\nsuurin voima oli, Trondhjemissa. Kuningas oli niin suuttunut, ettei\nh\u00e4nen kanssaan voinut puhua. Niin h\u00e4n l\u00e4hti Trondhjemista etel\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in\nM\u00f6reen ja viipyi siell\u00e4 talven ja kev\u00e4\u00e4n, mutta kes\u00e4n koittaessa h\u00e4n\nkokosi v\u00e4ke\u00e4 luokseen; kerrottiin, ett\u00e4 sen sotajoukon h\u00e4n aikoi johtaa\ntr\u00f6ndej\u00e4 vastaan.\nHaakon kuningas oli k\u00e4ynyt laivoihinsa, ja h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4.\nSilloin h\u00e4nelle enn\u00e4tti maan etel\u00e4osasta sanomia, ett\u00e4 Eirik kuninkaan\npojat olivat tulleet Tanskasta Vikeniin, ja pian saatiin kuulla, ett\u00e4\nhe olivat karkoittaneet kuningas Trygve Olavinpojan t\u00e4m\u00e4n aluksilta; he\nolivat sitten h\u00e4vitelleet laajalti Vikeni\u00e4, ja moni mies oli liittynyt\nheihin. Mutta kuullessaan n\u00e4m\u00e4 viestit arveli kuningas tarvitsevansa\napua; niin h\u00e4n l\u00e4hetti sanan Sigurd jaarlille sek\u00e4 toisille\np\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6ille, joilta odotti tukea, ett\u00e4 heid\u00e4n oli tultava h\u00e4nen\nluokseen. Sigurd jaarli saapui Haakon kuninkaan luo, ja h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli\nsuuri sotajoukko kerallaan; siin\u00e4 olivat nyt kaikki ne tr\u00f6ndit, jotka\ntalvella olivat olleet kiihkeimm\u00e4t pakottamaan h\u00e4nt\u00e4 uhreihin. Sigurd\njaarlin pyynn\u00f6st\u00e4 kuningas teki sovinnon kaikkien kanssa.\nSitten Haakon kuningas purjehti etel\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in ja tapasi siell\u00e4\nEirikinpojat K\u00e5rmtin[63] luona. Nousivat nyt molemmat sotajoukot\naluksista maihin ja siell\u00e4 syntyi ankara ottelu, sill\u00e4 kummallakin\npuolen oli paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4. Haakon kuningas tunkeutui tuimasti eteenp\u00e4in,\nja h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan k\u00e4vi kuningas Guthorm Eirikinpoika seurueineen, ja he\nvaihtoivat iskuja kesken\u00e4\u00e4n. Siin\u00e4 kaatui Guthorm kuningas, ja h\u00e4nen\nviirins\u00e4 iskettiin maahan, ja moni mies sai surmansa h\u00e4nen ymp\u00e4rill\u00e4\u00e4n.\nSitten Eirikinpoikien sotajoukossa syntyi pako, ja he per\u00e4ytyiv\u00e4t\nlaivoilleen ja soutivat pois ja olivat menett\u00e4neet paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4. Haakon\nkuningas ajoi heit\u00e4 takaa aluksillaan, mutta he purjehtivat etel\u00e4\u00e4n\np\u00e4in Jyllantiin saakka. H\u00e4n palasi nyt Norjaan, mutta Eirikinpojat\nviipyiv\u00e4t taasen pitk\u00e4t ajat Tanskassa.\nT\u00e4m\u00e4n taistelun j\u00e4lkeen Haakon kuningas m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si laissa kautta koko maan\npitkin rannikkoa ja niin kauas sis\u00e4maahan, kuin lohi nousee, ett\u00e4\nkaikki seudut jaettiin laivakuntiin, mutta laivakunnat taas fylkeihin.\nKussakin fylkess\u00e4 sovittiin sitten siit\u00e4, kuinka monta ja kuinka suurta\nlaivaa oli varustettava kustakin, kun joka miehen oli l\u00e4hdett\u00e4v\u00e4\nliikkeelle; ja joka miehen oli l\u00e4hdett\u00e4v\u00e4 liikkeelle, milloin\nmuukalainen sotajoukko tunkeutui maahan. My\u00f6skin oli t\u00e4ll\u00f6in laadittava\nmerkkitulia korkeille tuntureille niin likitysten, ett\u00e4 toisen voi\nn\u00e4hd\u00e4 toisen luota. Niin kerrotaan, ett\u00e4 seitsem\u00e4ss\u00e4 y\u00f6ss\u00e4 levisi\nsotaviesti etel\u00e4isimm\u00e4st\u00e4 merkkitulesta aina Haalogalannin\npohjoisimpaan kihlakuntaan saakka.\nKun Haakon oli ollut Norjan kuninkaana kaksikymment\u00e4 talvea, saapuivat\nEirikinpojat Tanskasta mukanaan suuri sotajoukko. Paljon oli niit\u00e4,\njotka olivat seuranneet heit\u00e4 vainoretkille, mutta viel\u00e4 suurempi oli\nkuitenkin se tanskalaisjoukko, mink\u00e4 Harald Gorminpoika oli heille\nantanut. He saivat hyv\u00e4n tuulen, purjehtivat merelle Vendelist\u00e4 ja\nsaapuivat Agderiin,[64] ohjasivat sitten laivansa pohjoista kohti\nrannikkoa pitkin ja purjehtivat y\u00f6t\u00e4 ja p\u00e4iv\u00e4\u00e4. Mutta merkkitulia ei\nlaadittu siit\u00e4 syyst\u00e4, ett\u00e4 tavallisesti ne sytytettiin pitkin maata\nid\u00e4st\u00e4 k\u00e4sin, mutta id\u00e4ss\u00e4 ei heid\u00e4n tuloaan oltukaan havaittu. Lis\u00e4ksi\ntuli viel\u00e4 se, ett\u00e4 kuningas oli m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4nnyt kovat sakot, jos merkkitulet\ntehtiin aiheetta; ja t\u00e4m\u00e4 tapahtui sent\u00e4hden, ett\u00e4 sotalaivoja ja\nviikinkej\u00e4 purjehti usein ulkosaaristoa h\u00e4vittelem\u00e4ss\u00e4, ja silloin\nluulivat ihmiset, ett\u00e4 siell\u00e4 retkeiliv\u00e4t Eirikinpojat, ja niin\nsytytettiin merkkitulet ja sotav\u00e4ke\u00e4 tulvi kokoon kautta kaiken maan.\nMutta Eirikinpojat palasivat Tanskaan, eik\u00e4 heill\u00e4 ollutkaan mit\u00e4\u00e4n\ntanskalaisjoukkoa, vaan pelk\u00e4st\u00e4\u00e4n omaa v\u00e4ke\u00e4\u00e4n; ja toisinaan ne olivat\nmuita viikinkej\u00e4. Haakon kuningas vihastui silloin suuresti, koska\nsiit\u00e4 koitui vaivaa ja kustannuksia, mutta ei mit\u00e4\u00e4n hy\u00f6ty\u00e4; talonpojat\nvalittivat my\u00f6skin osaltaan, kun niin k\u00e4vi, ja t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli syyn\u00e4 siihen,\nettei saatu mit\u00e4\u00e4n vihi\u00e4 Eirikinpoikain retkest\u00e4, ennenkuin he\nsaapuivat pohjan puolelle Ulvesundiin[65] asti. Siell\u00e4 he viipyiv\u00e4t\nseitsem\u00e4n y\u00f6t\u00e4. Mutta Haakon kuningas oleskeli silloin talossaan\nEtel\u00e4-M\u00f6ren Fr\u00e6de-saarella, eik\u00e4 h\u00e4nell\u00e4 ollut luonaan muuta v\u00e4ke\u00e4 kuin\nhenkivartijansa ja ne talonpojat, jotka olivat siell\u00e4 h\u00e4nen kestein\u00e4\u00e4n.\nVakoojia saapui Haakon kuninkaan luo tuoden sen sanan, ett\u00e4\nEirikinpojat oleilivat suuri sotajoukko mukanaan Stadin etel\u00e4puolella.\nSilloin h\u00e4n kutsutti luokseen ne miehet, jotka olivat siell\u00e4\nviisaimpia, ja pyysi heit\u00e4 neuvomaan, ryhtyisik\u00f6 h\u00e4n taistelemaan\nEirikinpoikia vastaan, vaikka n\u00e4ill\u00e4 olikin suuri ylivoima, vai\nv\u00e4istyisik\u00f6 tielt\u00e4 pohjoiseen hankkiakseen itselleen suuremman\nsotajoukon. Egil Villapaita oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n muuan talonpoika, joka\nsilloin oleili siell\u00e4; h\u00e4n oli jo verraten vanha, mutta oli ollut\nrotevampi ja v\u00e4kev\u00e4mpi kuin yksik\u00e4\u00e4n toinen ja suuri sodank\u00e4vij\u00e4. H\u00e4n\noli kauan kantanut Haakon kuninkaan sotaviiri\u00e4. Egil vastasi kuninkaan\npuheeseen:\n\"Olin mukana muutamissa kuningas Haraldin, teid\u00e4n is\u00e4nne taisteluissa;\ntoisinaan h\u00e4n taisteli suurin sotajoukoin, toisinaan pienin, mutta\nvoiton h\u00e4n sai aina; en kuullut h\u00e4nen koskaan pyyt\u00e4v\u00e4n sellaista\nneuvoa, ett\u00e4 yst\u00e4v\u00e4t opettaisivat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 pakenemaan. Emme tahdo mek\u00e4\u00e4n,\nkuningas, opettaa teille moista neuvoa, sill\u00e4 me tahdomme, ett\u00e4\np\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6mme on reipas; te saatte my\u00f6skin voimakkaan avun meist\u00e4.\"\nMoni muukin kannatti t\u00e4t\u00e4 puhetta. Kuningas sanoi my\u00f6skin, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nt\u00e4\nhalutti eniten taistella niiden avulla, jotka h\u00e4n voi saada kokoon.\nNiin p\u00e4\u00e4tettiin tehd\u00e4. Nyt kuningas antoi vuolla vainovasamia ja\nl\u00e4hetti niit\u00e4 joka taholle ja k\u00e4ski ker\u00e4t\u00e4 niin paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4 kuin k\u00e4vi\nmahdolliseksi. Silloin virkkoi Egil Villapaita:\n\"Pelk\u00e4sin jo, kun rauhaa riitti n\u00e4in pitk\u00e4lt\u00e4, ett\u00e4 kuolisin\nvanhuuttani vuoteen oljille, mutta ennemmin tahtoisin kaatua\ntaistelussa ja seurata p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6\u00e4ni; silt\u00e4 n\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4, ett\u00e4 niin voikin\nk\u00e4yd\u00e4.\"\nHeti hyv\u00e4n tuulen saatuaan Eirikinpojat pyrkiv\u00e4t Stadin\npohjoispuolelle. Mutta matkalla he saivat kuulla, miss\u00e4 Haakon kuningas\noli, ja suuntasivat kulkunsa h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan. Haakon kuninkaalla oli\nyhdeks\u00e4n laivaa; h\u00e4n asettui Fr\u00e6de-vuoren pohjoisrinteen alle F\u00e6\u00f6n\nsalmeen, mutta Eirikinpojat sijoittuivat etel\u00e4iselle puolelle. Heill\u00e4\noli kolmattakymment\u00e4 alusta. Haakon kuningas l\u00e4hetti heille sanan ja\npyysi heit\u00e4 k\u00e4ym\u00e4\u00e4n maihin, sanoen valinneensa taistelukent\u00e4n\nRastarkalvilla; siell\u00e4 on tasaisia ja suuria lakeuksia, mutta\nyl\u00e4puolella kohoaa pitk\u00e4, verraten loiva m\u00e4ki. Eirikinpojat nousivat\nsiell\u00e4 laivoistaan ja k\u00e4viv\u00e4t Rastarkalville. Egil puhui silloin Haakon\nkuninkaalle ja pyysi saada kymmenen miest\u00e4 sek\u00e4 kymmenen sotaviiri\u00e4;\nkuningas antoi luvan. Nyt Egil l\u00e4hti miehineen m\u00e4en alle, mutta Haakon\nlaskeutui v\u00e4kineen kent\u00e4lle, pystytti viirins\u00e4 ja j\u00e4rjesti joukkonsa\nsanoen sitten:\n\"Me laadimme pitk\u00e4n taistelurintaman, jotta eiv\u00e4t saa meit\u00e4\nsaarretuiksi, vaikka heill\u00e4 onkin enemm\u00e4n miehi\u00e4.\"\nNiin he tekiv\u00e4t, ja siit\u00e4 sukeusi suuri ja ankara taistelu. Egil antoi\nkohottaa ne kymmenen viiri\u00e4, mitk\u00e4 h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli mukanaan, ja sovitti\nmiehet, jotka niit\u00e4 kantoivat, siten, ett\u00e4 heid\u00e4n tuli kulkea niin\nl\u00e4helt\u00e4 m\u00e4ke\u00e4 kuin mahdollista ja j\u00e4tt\u00e4\u00e4 pitk\u00e4 matka v\u00e4lilleen. He\ntekiv\u00e4t niin ja kulkivat eteenp\u00e4in l\u00e4helt\u00e4 m\u00e4ke\u00e4, ik\u00e4\u00e4nkuin aikoisivat\np\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4 Eirikinpoikain taakse. Silloin n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t ne, jotka seisoivat\nylinn\u00e4 Eirikinpoikain rintamassa, ett\u00e4 joukko viirej\u00e4 l\u00e4heni liehuen\nm\u00e4en takana; he luulivat, ett\u00e4 niit\u00e4 seurasi paljon miehi\u00e4, jotka\nyrittiv\u00e4t p\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4 taakse heid\u00e4n ja alusten v\u00e4liin. T\u00e4st\u00e4 syntyi ankara\nhuuto, ja mies kertoi toiselle, mit\u00e4 oli tekeill\u00e4. Sitten he\nheitt\u00e4ytyiv\u00e4t pakoon, mutta sen n\u00e4hdess\u00e4\u00e4n kuninkaatkin per\u00e4ytyiv\u00e4t.\nHaakon kuningas tunkeutui tuimasti eteenp\u00e4in, ahdisti pakenevia ja\nsurmasi monta.\nP\u00e4\u00e4sty\u00e4\u00e4n kannakselle vuoren yl\u00e4puolelle k\u00e4\u00e4ntyi Gamle Eirikinpoika\np\u00e4in ja huomasi, ettei per\u00e4ss\u00e4 ollut muita kuin ne, joita vastaan he\nolivat ensinn\u00e4 taistelleet, ja ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli petosta. Silloin Gamle\nkuningas antoi puhaltaa sotatorvea ja pystytti viirins\u00e4 ja j\u00e4rjesti\nrintaman; kaikki norjalaiset palasivat heid\u00e4n luokseen, mutta\ntanskalaiset pakenivat laivoihin. Mutta kun Haakon kuningas enn\u00e4tti\nmiehineen paikalle, sukeusi toistamiseen perin ankara taistelu; siin\u00e4\nh\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli enemm\u00e4n v\u00e4ke\u00e4. Se p\u00e4\u00e4ttyi niin, ett\u00e4 Eirikinpojat\npakenivat. He pyrkiv\u00e4t etel\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in kannaksen poikki, mutta muutamat\nheid\u00e4n miehist\u00e4\u00e4n v\u00e4istyiv\u00e4t vuorelle, ja Haakon kuningas seurasi\nheit\u00e4. Kannaksen it\u00e4puolella on lakea kentt\u00e4, mutta l\u00e4nsipuolella vuori\non jyrkk\u00e4rinteinen. Nyt per\u00e4ytyiv\u00e4t Gamlen miehet vuorelle, mutta\nHaakon kuningas tunkihe heit\u00e4 kohti niin rohkeasti, ett\u00e4 surmasi\nmuutamia; mutta toiset hypp\u00e4siv\u00e4t l\u00e4nnen puolella alas vuorelta ja\nsaivat kaikki surmansa, ja kuningas erosi heist\u00e4 vasta sitten, kun\njok'ikinen oli heitt\u00e4nyt henkens\u00e4.\nGamle Eirikinpoika pakeni my\u00f6skin kannakselta alas kent\u00e4lle vuoren\netel\u00e4puolelle. Siell\u00e4 Gamle kuningas k\u00e4\u00e4ntyi j\u00e4lleen p\u00e4in ja jatkoi\ntaistelua; v\u00e4ke\u00e4 tuli h\u00e4nen luokseen, ja my\u00f6skin kaikki h\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4\nsaapuivat suuri joukko kerallaan. Egil Villapaita oli silloin\netumaisena Haakonin miehist\u00e4 ja ty\u00f6ntyi tuimasti kohti, ja h\u00e4n ja Gamle\nkuningas jakelivat toisilleen iskuja. Gamle kuningas sai pahoja\nhaavoja, mutta Egil kaatui ja moni mies h\u00e4nen kerallaan. Silloin\nenn\u00e4tti Haakon kuningas perille sen joukon kera, joka oli seurannut\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4; ja nyt syntyi j\u00e4lleen taistelu. Haakon kuningas rynnisti\nvoimakkaasti eteenp\u00e4in ja iski molemmin puolin ja kaatoi toisen\ntoisensa j\u00e4lkeen.\nEirikinpojat n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t miestens\u00e4 kaatuvan joka taholla. Silloin he\nk\u00e4\u00e4ntyiv\u00e4t pakosalle laivoihinsa, mutta ne, jotka olivat varemmin\nv\u00e4istyneet aluksiin, olivat ty\u00f6nt\u00e4neet ne ulos rannasta, ja muutamat\nniist\u00e4 makasivat matalikolla. Kaikki Eirikinpojat ja ne, jotka heit\u00e4\nseurasivat, sy\u00f6ksyiv\u00e4t nyt mereen; siin\u00e4 kaatui Gamle Eirikinpoika,\nmutta toiset veljet p\u00e4\u00e4siv\u00e4t aluksiinsa ja purjehtivat sitten pois\nniiden miesten kanssa, jotka olivat j\u00e4\u00e4neet henkiin, ja l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t\netel\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in Tanskaan.\nHaakon kuningas otti ne alukset, mitk\u00e4 Eirikinpojilta olivat j\u00e4\u00e4neet,\nja ved\u00e4tti ne maalle. Siell\u00e4 h\u00e4n panetti Egil Villapaidan er\u00e4\u00e4seen\npurteen ja h\u00e4nen mukanaan kaikki ne miehet, jotka olivat kaatuneet\nsiit\u00e4 joukosta; h\u00e4n antoi kantaa sinne multaa ja kivi\u00e4. Korkeita\nmuistokivi\u00e4 kohoaa Egil Villapaidan hautakummulla.\nKun Haakon Adalsteinin-kasvatti oli ollut Norjan kuninkaana\nkuusikolmatta talvea, tapahtui, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli Hordalannissa ja vieraili\nsiell\u00e4 Stordin Fitjarissa; h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli mukanaan henkivartionsa\nja paljon talonpoikia kestein\u00e4\u00e4n. Mutta kuninkaan istuessa\np\u00e4iv\u00e4llisp\u00f6yd\u00e4ss\u00e4 n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t vahtimiehet, jotka seisoivat kartanolla, ett\u00e4\netel\u00e4st\u00e4 purjehti monta laivaa, jotka olivat jo l\u00e4hell\u00e4 saarta. Silloin\nhe virkkoivat toisilleen, ett\u00e4 olisi ilmoitettava kuninkaalle\nvainolaisia olevan varmaankin tulossa. Mutta kenest\u00e4k\u00e4\u00e4n ei ollut\nhelppoa vied\u00e4 kuninkaalle sotaviesti\u00e4, sill\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4nnyt sakon\njokaiselle, ken turhaan h\u00e4lyytt\u00e4isi; mutta my\u00f6skin tuntui mahdottomalta\nj\u00e4tt\u00e4\u00e4 se ilmoittamatta. Silloin muuan heist\u00e4 k\u00e4vi tupaan ja pyysi\n\u00d6ivind Finninpoikaa heti saapumaan ulos; h\u00e4n sanoi, ett\u00e4 se oli aivan,\nv\u00e4ltt\u00e4m\u00e4t\u00f6nt\u00e4. Heti ulos tultuaan \u00d6ivind astui sinne, mist\u00e4 saattoi\nn\u00e4hd\u00e4 laivat. Silloin h\u00e4n huomasi silm\u00e4nr\u00e4p\u00e4yksess\u00e4, ett\u00e4 siell\u00e4\npurjehti suuri laivasto, palasi heti tupaan kuninkaan eteen ja puhui:\n \"Ei anna aika maata,\n vaara leikill\u00e4 lev\u00e4t\u00e4.\"\nKuningas katsahti h\u00e4neen ja virkkoi: \"Mit\u00e4 on tekeill\u00e4?\" -- \u00d6ivind\nlausui:\n \"Verikirveen kostajat (kerrotaan)\n kutsuvat meit\u00e4 tuimaan\n kalpojen leikkiin; istua\n meid\u00e4n ei suoda t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4.\n Vaikea vainoviesti\n (kunnia, kuningas, sulle!)\n tuoda on: tarttua miekkaan\n joutuin meid\u00e4n on pakko.\"\nKuningas sanoi: \"Sin\u00e4 olet niin reima mies, \u00d6ivind, ettet tuo\nsotaviesti\u00e4, ellei se ole totta.\"\nKuningas antoi sitten korjata p\u00f6yd\u00e4n pois, l\u00e4hti ulos ja katseli\nlaivoja. H\u00e4n huomasi silloin, ett\u00e4 ne olivat sota-aluksia, ja puhui\nmiehilleen, mihin keinoon oli ryhdytt\u00e4v\u00e4, taistelisivatko sill\u00e4 v\u00e4ell\u00e4,\nmik\u00e4 saapuvilla oli, vai k\u00e4visiv\u00e4tk\u00f6 pursiin ja purjehtisivat tiehens\u00e4\npohjaa kohti.\n\"Helppoa meid\u00e4n on n\u00e4hd\u00e4\", h\u00e4n sanoo, \"ett\u00e4 saamme nyt taistella paljoa\nsuurempaa ylivoimaa vastaan kuin ennen; ja kuitenkin meist\u00e4 on useasti\nn\u00e4ytt\u00e4nyt, ett\u00e4 miesluvussa on ollut suuri erotus, kun olemme sotineet\nGunhildin poikia vastaan.\"\nT\u00e4h\u00e4n ei \u00e4kisti vastattu. Silloin virkkaa \u00d6ivind:\n \"Kuningas! Ei pid\u00e4 purttaan\n merisankarin ohjata\n pohjaa p\u00e4in; sen tien\n t\u00e4h\u00e4n p\u00e4\u00e4tty\u00e4 t\u00e4ytyy.\n Leve\u00e4n laivastonsa\n p\u00e4in p\u00e4iv\u00e4\u00e4 Harald[66] viek\u00f6\u00f6n\n merisankarin laineteit\u00e4:\n joutuin kilpihin k\u00e4ymme.\"\nKuningas vastasi: \"Voimakkaasti puhuit ja minun mieleni mukaan, mutta\nkuitenkin haluan kuulla useampien miesten ajatuksen t\u00e4st\u00e4 asiasta.\"\nMutta kun miehet luulivat tajuavansa, mik\u00e4 kuninkaan halu oli,\nvastasivat useat ja sanoivat, ett\u00e4 mieluummin he tahtoivat kaatua\nmiehuullisessa taistelussa kuin paeta tanskalaisia mittelem\u00e4tt\u00e4 voimia;\nhe sanoivat, ett\u00e4 usein oli saatu voitto, vaikka olikin taisteltu\nv\u00e4h\u00e4isemmin voimin. Kuningas kiitti n\u00e4ist\u00e4 sanoista ja k\u00e4ski heid\u00e4n\nvarustautua, ja niin he tekiv\u00e4tkin. Kuningas vet\u00e4\u00e4 haarniskan ylleen ja\nsitoo vy\u00f6lleen Kivenpurija-miekkansa, asettaa p\u00e4\u00e4h\u00e4ns\u00e4 kullalla silatun\nkyp\u00e4r\u00e4n, ottaa keih\u00e4\u00e4n k\u00e4teen ja kilven sivulleen. Sitten h\u00e4n j\u00e4rjest\u00e4\u00e4\nhenkivartionsa taistelurintamaan ja talonpojat sen kera ja kohottaa\nsotaviirins\u00e4.\nHarald Eirikinpoika oli sill\u00e4 kertaa veljien johtaja Gamlen kaaduttua;\nhe olivat tuoneet Tanskasta mukanaan suuren sotajoukon. Heill\u00e4 oli\nseurassaan my\u00f6skin kaksi enoaan, \u00d6ivind Skr\u00f6ia ja Alv Askmand; n\u00e4m\u00e4\nolivat v\u00e4kevi\u00e4 urhoja ja monen miehen surma. Eirikinpojat ohjasivat\nlaivansa saaren luo, k\u00e4viv\u00e4t maihin ja j\u00e4rjestyiv\u00e4t rintamaan, ja niin\non kerrottu, ettei heid\u00e4n ylivoimansa ollut v\u00e4hempi kuin ett\u00e4 heill\u00e4\noli kuusi miest\u00e4 yht\u00e4 vastaan.\nHaakon kuningas oli j\u00e4rjest\u00e4nyt sotajoukkonsa, ja sanotaan, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n\nheitti haarniskan ylt\u00e4\u00e4n, ennenkuin taistelu alkoi. Haakon kuningas\nvalitsi henkivartioonsa miehet enimm\u00e4kseen v\u00e4kevyyden ja rohkeuden\nmukaan. Toralv V\u00e4kev\u00e4 Skolminpoika oli siin\u00e4 ja astui kuninkaan\nrinnalla; h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli kyp\u00e4r\u00e4, kilpi, keih\u00e4s sek\u00e4 miekka, jolla oli\nnimen\u00e4 Fetbreid; kerrottiin, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n ja kuningas olivat yht\u00e4\nvoimakkaat.\nMutta kun joukot iskiv\u00e4t yhteen, sukeusi kiivas ja verinen ottelu;\nkeih\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4 lenn\u00e4tetty\u00e4\u00e4n miehet paljastivat miekkansa, ja silloin Haakon\nkuningas ja Toralv h\u00e4nen kerallaan tunkeutuivat eteenp\u00e4in sotaviirin\nohitse ja iskiv\u00e4t molemmin puolin. Haakon kuninkaan saattoi helposti\ntuntea, paremmin kuin muut miehet; my\u00f6skin kyp\u00e4r\u00e4 kimmelsi auringon\npaistaessa siihen, ja moni kohdisti h\u00e4neen aseensa. Silloin \u00d6ivind\nFinninpoika otti hatun ja laski sen kuninkaan kyp\u00e4r\u00e4lle. \u00d6ivind Skr\u00f6ia.\nhuusi nyt kuuluvasti:\n\"lymy\u00e4\u00e4k\u00f6 norjalaisten kuningas vai onko h\u00e4n paennut, vai miss\u00e4 on nyt\nkultakyp\u00e4r\u00e4?\"\nSitten \u00d6ivind tunkeutui eteenp\u00e4in Alv-veljens\u00e4 kera, ja he iskiv\u00e4t\nkahden puolen ja k\u00e4ytt\u00e4ytyiv\u00e4t, ik\u00e4\u00e4nkuin olisivat raivoissaan tai\nhulluja. Haakon kuningas huusi \u00d6ivindille:\n\"Jatka vain samaa tiet\u00e4, jos haluat tavata norjalaisten kuninkaan!\"\nKauaa ei tarvinnutkaan odottaa, ennenkuin \u00d6ivind p\u00e4\u00e4si perille; h\u00e4n\nkohotti miekkansa ja tavoitteli kuningasta. Toralv ty\u00f6nsi kilven\nv\u00e4liin, ja t\u00e4ll\u00f6in \u00d6ivind horjahti, mutta kuningas tarttui\nKivenpurija-miekkaan kahden k\u00e4den ja iski \u00d6ivindi\u00e4 kyp\u00e4r\u00e4\u00e4n, halkaisten\nsen ja p\u00e4\u00e4n aina hartioihin asti. Sen j\u00e4lkeen Toralv surmasi Alv\nAskmandin.\nMolempien veljesten kaaduttua kuningas Haakon tunkeutui niin rajusti\neteenp\u00e4in, ett\u00e4 kaikki v\u00e4istyiv\u00e4t h\u00e4nen tielt\u00e4\u00e4n. Silloin valtasi kauhu\nEirikinpoikain sotajoukon, ja se alkoi paeta; mutta Haakon kuningas oli\nensi miehen\u00e4 rintamassaan ja ajoi pakenevia takaa iskien tihe\u00e4\u00e4n ja\ntuimasti. Silloin lensi nuoli sit\u00e4 lajia, jota sanotaan v\u00e4k\u00e4vasamaksi,\nja osui Haakon kuninkaan k\u00e4sivarsilihakseen olkap\u00e4\u00e4n alapuolelle. Ja\nmoni mies kertoo, ett\u00e4 Gunhildin kenk\u00e4poika, Kisping nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n, juoksi\nesiin tungoksesta ja huusi: \"Tiet\u00e4 kuninkaan surmalle!\" ja ampui\nv\u00e4k\u00e4vasaman kuningasta kohti; mutta toiset sanovat, ettei kukaan tied\u00e4,\nken sen ampui; saattaa olla niinkin, sill\u00e4 nuolia ja keih\u00e4it\u00e4 ja\nkaikenkaltaisia heittoaseita lensi niin tihe\u00e4\u00e4n kuin lunta pyrys\u00e4\u00e4li\u00e4.\nPaljon miehi\u00e4 kaatui Eirikinpojilta sek\u00e4 taistelukent\u00e4ll\u00e4 ett\u00e4 matkalla\naluksiin ja laivoilla, ja moni sy\u00f6ksyi mereen. Useat enn\u00e4ttiv\u00e4t\nlaivoihin, niinp\u00e4 my\u00f6skin kaikki Eirikinpojat, ja he soutivat heti\ntiehens\u00e4; mutta Haakonin miehet ajoivat heit\u00e4 takaa.\nHaakon kuningas k\u00e4vi purteensa ja antoi sitoa haavan, mutta verta vuoti\nniin ankarasti, ettei sit\u00e4 saatu tyrehtym\u00e4\u00e4n, ja p\u00e4iv\u00e4n kuluessa h\u00e4nen\nvoimansa alkoivat v\u00e4het\u00e4. H\u00e4n sanoi silloin haluavansa l\u00e4hte\u00e4 taloonsa\nAalrekstaderiin; mutta kun saavuttiin pohjoisemmaksi Haakoninpaadelle,\nlaskettiin alukset rantaan. Kuningas oli silloin kuolemaisillaan ja\nkutsui luokseen yst\u00e4v\u00e4ns\u00e4 ja mainitsi heille, kuinka h\u00e4n tahtoi\nvaltakunnan asiat j\u00e4rjestett\u00e4viksi. H\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli vain yksi tyt\u00e4r, Tora,\neik\u00e4 yht\u00e4\u00e4n poikaa; h\u00e4n k\u00e4ski heid\u00e4n l\u00e4hett\u00e4\u00e4 sanan Eirikinpojille,\nett\u00e4 he olisivat maan kuninkaina, mutta pyysi heit\u00e4 osoittamaan\nhyvyytt\u00e4 h\u00e4nen yst\u00e4vi\u00e4\u00e4n ja sukulaisiaan kohtaan.\n\"Ja vaikka minun suotaisiinkin el\u00e4\u00e4\", h\u00e4n virkkoi, \"niin l\u00e4hden\nkuitenkin maasta kristittyjen luo sovittamaan sit\u00e4, mink\u00e4 olen rikkonut\nJumalaa vastaan; mutta jos kuolen pakanain keskelle, niin antakaa\nminulle sellainen hauta, mink\u00e4 parhaaksi n\u00e4ette\".\nV\u00e4h\u00e4\u00e4 my\u00f6hemmin Haakon kuningas kuoli siin\u00e4 samalla paadella, mill\u00e4 oli\nsyntynyt. H\u00e4nt\u00e4 surtiin niin suuresti, ett\u00e4 niin hyvin yst\u00e4v\u00e4t kuin\nvihamiehetkin itkiv\u00e4t h\u00e4nen kuolemaansa ja sanoivat, ettei sen koommin\nsaataisi niin hyv\u00e4\u00e4 kuningasta Norjaan. H\u00e4nen yst\u00e4v\u00e4ns\u00e4 kuljettivat\nruumiin Pohjois-Hordalannin S\u00e6imiin, loivat suuren kummun ja laskivat\nsiihen kuninkaan t\u00e4ysiss\u00e4 aseissa ja parhaissa pukimissa, mutta muuta\ntavaraa ei siihen pantu. He puhuivat sitten h\u00e4nen haudallaan, niinkuin\npakanamiesten tapana oli, ja korottivat h\u00e4net Valhallaan. \u00d6ivind\nSkaldespilder sepitti runon Haakon kuninkaan surmasta ja siit\u00e4, miten\nh\u00e4net otettiin vastaan. Sill\u00e4 oli nimen\u00e4 Haakonarmaal, ja alku kuuluu\nseuraavasti:\n Korkean k\u00e4skyn sai\n G\u00e5ndul ja Sk\u00e5gul\n kuninkaista katsoa,\n ken heimosta Yngven\n vaeltaisi Valhallaan\n Odenin luokse.[67]\n N\u00e4kiv\u00e4t Bj\u00f6rnin veljen\n rautapaidassa k\u00e4yv\u00e4n;\n kuningas korskana\n viirin alla astui:\n joikui jouset,\n kalskui keih\u00e4\u00e4t,\n taistelu tuimana riehui.\n Kannusti ryygej\u00e4,[68]\n pohjolan miehi\u00e4;\n jaarlien surmat\n taistohon ty\u00f6ntyi:\n rinnalle ruhtinaan\n riensi norjan miehet,\n tappajat taanain\n malmikyp\u00e4ri-p\u00e4iset\n Sotisovan riisui,\n haarniskansa heitti\n urhojen herra,\n sitten iskuja antoi:\n astui kuin karkeloon\n maatansa varjelemaan,\n ilomielin seisoi\n kultakyp\u00e4r\u00e4n alla.\n Niin puri s\u00e4il\u00e4\n k\u00e4dess\u00e4 Siklingin[69]\n vaatteita Taivaisen\n kuin vett\u00e4 viilt\u00e4in;\n keih\u00e4\u00e4t taittui,\n kilvet murtui,\n s\u00e4il\u00e4t suihki\n hurmep\u00e4it\u00e4 kohti.\n Kiipii halkoi\n ja kalloja kovia\n Norjan miesten herran\n murtava miekka.\n Taistelu riehui:\n hurmeesta urhojen\n kilpilinnat kiilt\u00e4v\u00e4t\n punaisina puunsi.\n Tulen lailla polttivat\n hurmeiset haavat,\n kallistui tapparat\n henke\u00e4 pyyt\u00e4in.\n Haavameri kuohui\n k\u00e4rjitse kalpain,\n viruivat vasamat\n rannalla Stord\u00f6n.\n Sk\u00e5gulin myrsky\n alla kilpitaivaan\n punaisena riehui\n s\u00e4iliss\u00e4 suhisten.\n Kalpakoski kuohui\n rajus\u00e4\u00e4ss\u00e4 Odenin:\n vaipui virtahan\n miekkain moni mies.\n D\u00e5glingeja[70] istui\n k\u00e4dess\u00e4 kalpa,\n kolhituin kilvin\n ja rikki rautapaita.\n Sen joukon rinta\n ei riemuinnut:\n k\u00e4vi Valhallaan sen matka.\n Virkkoi G\u00e5ndul\n keih\u00e4\u00e4n varteen tarttuin:\n \"Karttuvi aasain seura,\n kun Haakon on\n niin suurin joukoin\n kutsuttu jumalten linnaan.\"\n Kuningas kuuli,\n min ratsailta virkkoi\n sotaneidot sorjat;\n ylv\u00e4ilt\u00e4 n\u00e4yttiv\u00e4t\n kyp\u00e4r\u00e4p\u00e4iset,\n kilpe\u00e4 kyljell\u00e4 kantain.\n \"Min vuoksi, Sk\u00e5gul,\n sotaonnen muutit?\n Lienemme arvoiset voiton?\"\n \"Meid\u00e4n voimasta\n valtasit kent\u00e4n,\n v\u00e4istyi vainolainen silt\u00e4!\"\n \"Ratsastamme kahden\",\n rikas Sk\u00e5gul lauloi,\n \"jumalkotiin vihre\u00e4\u00e4n\n sinne sanan viemme:\n ruhtinas nyt saapuvi\n Odenin luokse.\"\n \"Hermod ja Brage\",[71]\n virkkoi is\u00e4 urhoin,\n \"vastahan k\u00e4yk\u00e4\u00e4,\n kun kuningas,\n sankareista suurin,\n seuraamme saapuu\".\n Kuningas virkkoi --\n taistelusta tullen\n kalvaana seisoi: --\n \"Nurjamieli\n lie Oden meille;\n tahtonsa tunnen.\"\n \"Sankarit sulle\n tervehdyksen lausuu,\n k\u00e4y aasain maljoja juomaan!\n Jaarlien voittaja,\n velji\u00e4si t\u00e4\u00e4ll' on\n kahdeksan\", kertoi Brage.\n \"Me aseitamme\",\n virkkoi valtias viisas,\n \"vartioimme itse.\n Talletamme tarkoin\n kyp\u00e4r\u00e4n ja haarniskan:\n ne tarpehen ovat viel\u00e4.\"\n Nytp\u00e4 n\u00e4htiin,\n ett\u00e4 temppeleit\u00e4 tarkoin\n kuningas oli kainnut,\n kun jumalat suopeat\n Haakonin halulla\n ottivat vastaan.\n Onnen hetken\u00e4\n syntyvi moinen\n kuningas korkeamieli;\n ainiaan\n h\u00e4nen aikaansa t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4\n kiitoksin kerrotaan.\n K\u00e4y kahleitta\n koko maailmaa vastaan\n Fenre-hukka,[72]\n ennenkuin sen\n tuhokulkua kuningas\n samanarvoinen seuraa.\n Kuolee karja,\n sortuu suku,\n tuho kohtaa maan.\n Kun luo jumalain\n k\u00e4vi Haakon,\n niin sijansa t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4\n v\u00e4kivalta ja orjuus sai.\nEirikinpoikain tarina.\nEirikinpojat anastivat nyt Norjan kuninkuuden, kun Haakon kuningas oli\nkaatunut. Harald oli heist\u00e4 eniten kunnioitettu, ja h\u00e4n oli vanhin\nniist\u00e4, jotka silloin eliv\u00e4t. Heid\u00e4n \u00e4itins\u00e4 Gunhild otti monesti osaa\nhallitukseen heid\u00e4n kerallaan; h\u00e4nt\u00e4 nimitettiin kuninkaan\u00e4idiksi.\nMaassa oli silloin p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6in\u00e4: Trygve Olavinpoika it\u00e4osassa ja Gudr\u00f6d\nBj\u00f6rninpoika Vestfoldissa, Sigurd Laden-jaarli Trondhjemiss\u00e4, mutta\nEirikinpojilla oli keskiosa hallussaan. Ensimm\u00e4isen\u00e4 talvena\nl\u00e4hettiv\u00e4t Gunhildin pojat ja kuninkaat Trygve sek\u00e4 Gudr\u00f6d viestej\u00e4 ja\nsanansaattajia toisilleen, ja tehtiin sovinto sellaisin ehdoin, ett\u00e4 he\nsaisivat Gunhildin pojilta yht\u00e4 ison alan valtakuntaa kuin ennen Haakon\nkuninkaalta.\nGunhildin pojat oleskelivat enimm\u00e4kseen keskiosassa maata, sill\u00e4 heist\u00e4\nei tuntunut turvalliselta asustaa tr\u00f6ndien tai Vikenin miesten\nkeskuudessa, n\u00e4m\u00e4 kun olivat olleet Haakon kuninkaan parhaita yst\u00e4vi\u00e4\nja kummassakin seudussa oli paljon mahtimiehi\u00e4. Silloin kulki miehi\u00e4\nv\u00e4litt\u00e4en sovintosanoja Gunhildin poikien ja Sigurd jaarlin kesken,\nsill\u00e4 he eiv\u00e4t saaneet mit\u00e4\u00e4n veroa Trondhjemist\u00e4; ja lopulta k\u00e4vi\nniin, ett\u00e4 kuninkaat ja jaarli tekiv\u00e4t sovinnon ja vahvistivat sen\nvannomillaan valoilla. Sigurd jaarlin oli m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4 saada heilt\u00e4 yht\u00e4 suuri\nvaltakunta Trondhjemiss\u00e4 kuin h\u00e4nell\u00e4 ennen oli ollut Haakon kuninkaan\naikana; nyt heid\u00e4n katsottiin sopineen kesken\u00e4\u00e4n.\nGunhildin pojat olivat omaksuneet kristinuskon Englannissa, niinkuin\nennen on kirjoitettu. Saatuaan vallan Norjassa he eiv\u00e4t kyenneet\ntaivuttamaan maan miehi\u00e4 kristinuskoon; mutta kaikkialla, miss\u00e4 suinkin\nvoivat, he h\u00e4vittiv\u00e4t temppeleit\u00e4 ja tuhosivat uhreja, ja siit\u00e4 he\nsaivat paljon vihamiehi\u00e4. Heid\u00e4n p\u00e4ivin\u00e4\u00e4n tapahtui, ett\u00e4 maassa tuli\nhuonoja vuosia, sill\u00e4 kuninkaita oli monta ja kullakin oli mukanaan\nsaattueensa, niin ett\u00e4 he tuottivat suuria kustannuksia; ja lis\u00e4ksi he\nolivat tavaranhimoisia, mutta paljoa he eiv\u00e4t v\u00e4litt\u00e4neet laeista,\njotka Haakon kuningas oli laatinut, paitsi sellaisista, jotka olivat\nheid\u00e4n mielens\u00e4 mukaisia. He olivat kaikki perin kauniita miehi\u00e4,\nv\u00e4kevi\u00e4 ja rotevia ja mainioita aseenk\u00e4ytt\u00e4ji\u00e4.\nGunhild kuninkaan\u00e4iti ja h\u00e4nen poikansa tapasivat toisensa useasti,\nkeskustellen ja neuvotellen maan hallinnosta, ja kerran Gunhild kysyi\npojiltaan:\n\"Mihin aiotte j\u00e4tt\u00e4\u00e4 Trondhjemin \u00e4\u00e4ren? Teill\u00e4 on kuninkaan nimi,\nniinkuin ennen esi-isill\u00e4nne; mutta teill\u00e4 on v\u00e4h\u00e4n miehi\u00e4 ja niukalti\nmaata, ja teit\u00e4 on monta jakamassa. Viken kuuluu Trygvelle ja\nGudr\u00f6dille, ja n\u00e4ill\u00e4 on hiukan oikeutta siihen syntyper\u00e4ns\u00e4 vuoksi.\nMutta Sigurd jaarli vallitsee vapaasti Trondhjemissa, enk\u00e4 min\u00e4 tied\u00e4,\nmik\u00e4 pakko teid\u00e4n on antaa jaarlin hallita yksin\u00e4\u00e4n niin suurta\nvaltakuntaa, saamatta itse sanoa mit\u00e4\u00e4n. Minusta tuntuu kummalliselta,\nett\u00e4 l\u00e4hdette joka kes\u00e4 viikinkiretkille toisiin maihin, mutta sallitte\nomassa maassa jaarlin anastaa is\u00e4nperint\u00f6nne. Helpolta olisi\nHaraldista, sinun isois\u00e4st\u00e4si, jonka mukaan olet nimesi saanut,\ntuntunut riist\u00e4\u00e4 jaarlilta maa ja henki; h\u00e4n voitti koko Norjan\nomakseen ja vallitsi sit\u00e4 vanhuuteensa asti.\"\n\"Sigurd jaarlia\", vastaa Harald, \"ei oteta hengilt\u00e4 yht\u00e4 helposti kuin\nteurastetaan vohla tai vasikka. Sigurd jaarlilla on suuri suku ja\npaljon heimolaisia, h\u00e4n on yst\u00e4v\u00e4llinen ja viisas; jos h\u00e4n kuulee\nmeid\u00e4n ryhtyv\u00e4n h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vainoamaan, niin luulen kaikkien tr\u00f6ndien\nliittyv\u00e4n h\u00e4neen; silloin emme ole saaneet aikaan muuta kuin\nonnettomuutta. Minusta tuntuu silt\u00e4, ettei yhdenk\u00e4\u00e4n meist\u00e4 veljeksist\u00e4\nolisi turvallista oleskella tr\u00f6ndien keskuudessa.\"\nSiihen virkkaa Gunhild:\n\"Laatikaamme sitten tuumamme toisin p\u00e4in, niin ett\u00e4 n\u00e4emme v\u00e4hemm\u00e4n\nvaivaa. Haraldin ja Erlingin on m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4 asustaa syksyll\u00e4 Pohjois-M\u00f6ress\u00e4,\nja min\u00e4 aion l\u00e4hte\u00e4 teid\u00e4n mukaanne; koetamme sitten kaikin, mit\u00e4\nvoimme tehd\u00e4.\" -- Niin he nyt menettelev\u00e4tkin.\nSigurd jaarlin veljen nimi oli Grjotgard; h\u00e4n oli paljoa nuorempi ja\nv\u00e4hemmin kunnioitettu, h\u00e4nell\u00e4 ei my\u00f6sk\u00e4\u00e4n ollut jaarlin nime\u00e4, mutta\nh\u00e4n piti kuitenkin luonaan saattuetta ja k\u00e4vi kes\u00e4isin viikinkiretkill\u00e4\nja hankki itselleen omaisuutta. Harald kuningas l\u00e4hetti miehi\u00e4\nTrondhjemiin Sigurd jaarlin luo viem\u00e4\u00e4n lahjoja ja yst\u00e4v\u00e4llisi\u00e4\nviestej\u00e4; he sanovat, ett\u00e4 Harald kuningas haluaa solmia h\u00e4nen kanssaan\nsellaisen yst\u00e4vyyden, joka ennen oli vallinnut Sigurd jaarlin ja Haakon\nkuninkaan v\u00e4lill\u00e4; niin mainitsi my\u00f6skin viesti, ett\u00e4 jaarlin pit\u00e4isi\nsaapua Harald kuninkaan luo, ja silloin he solmisivat yst\u00e4vyytens\u00e4\nlujaksi. Sigurd jaarli otti hyvin vastaan sanansaattajat ja kuninkaan\nyst\u00e4vyyden; h\u00e4n sanoi, ettei saattanut monilta toimiltaan l\u00e4hte\u00e4\nkuninkaan luo, mutta l\u00e4hetti lahjoja sek\u00e4 hyvi\u00e4 ja suopeita sanoja\nkiitokseksi kuninkaan yst\u00e4vyydest\u00e4. L\u00e4hetit matkustivat pois; he\nk\u00e4viv\u00e4t Grjotgardin luo ja esittiv\u00e4t h\u00e4nelle saman asian: Harald\nkuninkaan yst\u00e4vyyden ja kutsun, sek\u00e4 toivat samalla oivia lahjoja.\nMutta kun l\u00e4hetit palasivat kotiin, lupasi Grjotgard tulla.\nSovittuna p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 Grjotgard saapui Harald kuninkaan ja Gunhildin luo;\nn\u00e4m\u00e4 ottivat h\u00e4net ilomielin vastaan, h\u00e4nelle osoitettiin my\u00f6skin\nsuurta suosiota, niin ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n p\u00e4\u00e4si osalliseksi t\u00e4rkeihin\nneuvotteluihin ja salatuumiin. Niin tapahtui, ett\u00e4 nyt otettiin\npuheeksi se asia, mink\u00e4 kuningas ja kuningatar ennen olivat sopineet\nSigurd jaarlista. He mainitsivat Grjotgardille, kuinka jaarli oli\ntehnyt h\u00e4nest\u00e4 v\u00e4h\u00e4p\u00e4t\u00f6isen miehen; mutta jos h\u00e4n halusi olla heid\u00e4n\nmukanaan t\u00e4ss\u00e4 tuumassa, sanoo kuningas, niin Grjotgard p\u00e4\u00e4sisi h\u00e4nen\njaarlikseen ja saisi kaiken sen maan, mik\u00e4 ennen oli kuulunut Sigurd\njaarlille. Lopulta he sopivat siit\u00e4, ett\u00e4 Grjotgard v\u00e4ijyisi, milloin\nolisi sopivinta k\u00e4yd\u00e4 Sigurd jaarlin kimppuun, ja l\u00e4hett\u00e4isi siit\u00e4\nsanan Harald kuninkaalle. T\u00e4m\u00e4n j\u00e4lkeen Grjotgard l\u00e4hti kotiin ja sai\noivia lahjoja kuninkaalta.\nSyksyll\u00e4 Sigurd jaarli l\u00e4hti Stjor-laaksoon kestitt\u00e4v\u00e4ksi. Jaarlilla\noli aina paljon miehi\u00e4 ymp\u00e4rill\u00e4\u00e4n, niin kauan kuin h\u00e4n ep\u00e4ili\nkuninkaiden aikovan pahaa; mutta koska h\u00e4n ja Harald kuningas olivat\nvaihtaneet yst\u00e4v\u00e4llisi\u00e4 viestej\u00e4, ei h\u00e4nell\u00e4 nyt ollut suurta\nseuruetta. Grjotgard l\u00e4hetti siis Harald kuninkaalle sanan, ettei\ntoista kertaa olisi niin helppoa k\u00e4yd\u00e4 jaarlia vastaan. Ja heti samana\ny\u00f6n\u00e4 kuninkaat Harald ja Erling l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t purjehtimaan Trondhjemin\nvesille; heill\u00e4 oli nelj\u00e4 alusta ja paljon miehi\u00e4, ja he purjehtivat\n\u00f6isin t\u00e4htien valossa. Grjotgard saapui heit\u00e4 vastaan, ja my\u00f6h\u00e4\u00e4n y\u00f6ll\u00e4\nhe enn\u00e4ttiv\u00e4t \u00c5gloon, miss\u00e4 Sigurd jaarli majaili kestivieraana; siell\u00e4\nhe sytyttiv\u00e4t rakennukset palamaan ja polttivat taloon jaarlin kaikkine\nv\u00e4kineen. Aamulla varhain he purjehtivat pois vuonoa pitkin ja sen\nj\u00e4lkeen etel\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in M\u00f6reen ja viipyiv\u00e4t siell\u00e4 pitk\u00e4n ajan.\nHaakon jaarlin tarina.\nSigurd jaarlin poika Haakon oli silloin Trondhjemissa ja sai kuulla\nt\u00e4m\u00e4n sanoman. Heti alettiin varustautua sotaan kautta koko\nTrondhjemin; jokainen alus, joka voitiin vied\u00e4 taisteluun, ty\u00f6nnettiin\nvesille. Ja kun se sotajoukko oli kokoontunut, otettiin jaarliksi ja\nsotajoukon p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6ksi Haakon, Sigurd jaarlin poika. H\u00e4n johdatti\nlaivaston ulos Trondhjemin vuonoa pitkin. Mutta t\u00e4m\u00e4n kuultuaan\nGunhildin pojat purjehtivat etel\u00e4\u00e4n k\u00e4sin Rauma-laaksoon ja\nEtel\u00e4-M\u00f6reen; molemmat joukot pitiv\u00e4t toinen toistaan silm\u00e4ll\u00e4.\nHaakon jaarli piti yst\u00e4viens\u00e4 avulla kolme talvea Trondhjemia\nvallassaan, niin etteiv\u00e4t Gunhildin pojat saaneet sielt\u00e4 mit\u00e4\u00e4n veroa.\nH\u00e4n joutui muutamia kertoja taisteluun n\u00e4iden kanssa, ja molemmin\npuolin surmattiin useita miehi\u00e4. Nain kertoo Einar Skaaleglam siit\u00e4,\nkuinka Haakon jaarli kosti is\u00e4ns\u00e4 surman:\n Taaton kuoleman kosti\n aaltohevon herra --\n h\u00e4lle kiitos; miehet\n totutti kalpain k\u00e4ytt\u00f6\u00f6n.\n Ry\u00f6ppysi asevirta\n hersein henke\u00e4 vastaan.\n Nostaja kalpatuiskun\n kartutti Odenin seuraa.\n Turmaksi h\u00e5ldien[73] hengen\n meriratsujen[74] suistaja\n miekkamyrskyn kalmankylm\u00e4n\n ylty\u00e4 antoi.\nT\u00e4m\u00e4n j\u00e4lkeen rupesivat kummankin yst\u00e4v\u00e4t v\u00e4litt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n ja kuljettivat\nsovintosanoja; sill\u00e4 talonpojat kyll\u00e4styiv\u00e4t sotaretkiin ja vainoon\nomassa maassa. Ja mahtavien miesten avulla saatiin heid\u00e4n v\u00e4lill\u00e4\u00e4n\nsovinto sellainen, ett\u00e4 Haakon jaarli pit\u00e4\u00e4 samanlaisen valtakunnan\nTrondhjemissa kuin h\u00e4nen is\u00e4ll\u00e4\u00e4n Sigurd jaarlilla oli ollut, mutta\nkuninkailla on sellainen valtakunta kuin Haakon kuninkaalla oli ollut\nennen heit\u00e4; ja t\u00e4m\u00e4 taattiin lujin lupauksin. Silloin syntyi suuri\nyst\u00e4vyys Haakon jaarlin ja Gunhildin v\u00e4lille, mutta joskus he punoivat\nsalajuonia toisiaan vastaan. Niin kului taasen kolme talvea, ja Haakon\nhallitsi rauhassa valtakuntaansa.\nHarald kuningas oleskeli useimmiten Hordalannissa ja Rogalannissa ja\nsamaten moni h\u00e4nen veljist\u00e4\u00e4n; he asuivat useasti Hardangerissa.\nTapahtui er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 kes\u00e4n\u00e4, ett\u00e4 Islannista saapui muuan merialus, jonka\nislantilaiset miehet omistivat. Sill\u00e4 oli lastina turkiksia, ja he\nohjasivat laivan Hardangeriin, sill\u00e4 he saivat kuulla, ett\u00e4 sinne oli\nkokoontunut paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4. Mutta kun saavuttiin hieromaan kauppaa heid\u00e4n\nkanssaan, ei kukaan tahtonut ostaa turkiksia. Silloin per\u00e4mies k\u00e4y\nHarald kuninkaan luo, sill\u00e4 h\u00e4n tunsi t\u00e4m\u00e4n ennest\u00e4\u00e4n, ja kertoo\nkuninkaalle t\u00e4st\u00e4 tukalasta tilasta. Kuningas sanoo haluavansa k\u00e4yd\u00e4\nheid\u00e4n luonaan, ja h\u00e4n tekeekin niin. Harald kuningas oli\nsuopeamielinen ja eritt\u00e4in hilpe\u00e4 mies. H\u00e4n oli tullut sinne t\u00e4ysin\nvarustetulla purrella. H\u00e4n katseli heid\u00e4n tavaroitaan ja virkkoi\nper\u00e4miehelle:\n\"Annatko minulle yhden noista harmaista turkiksista?\"\n\"Kernaasti\", vastasi per\u00e4mies, \"vaikka enemm\u00e4nkin.\"\nSilloin kuningas otti nahan ja kietoi sen ymp\u00e4rilleen; sitten h\u00e4n astui\npurteensa. Mutta ennenkuin he soutivat tiehens\u00e4, oli jokainen h\u00e4nen\nmiehist\u00e4\u00e4n ostanut itselleen nahan. Muutamia p\u00e4ivi\u00e4 my\u00f6hemmin sinne\nsaapui niin monta miest\u00e4, jotka kaikki tahtoivat ostaa turkiksia, ettei\nniit\u00e4 riitt\u00e4nyt puolillekaan. Siit\u00e4 pit\u00e4en h\u00e4nt\u00e4 sanottiin Harald\nHarmaaturkiksi.\nHaakon jaarli k\u00e4vi er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 talvena Yl\u00e4maissa ja oli pidoissa; siell\u00e4 h\u00e4n\nnukkui er\u00e4\u00e4n alhaissukuisen naisen luona. Mutta kun aika kului, tuli se\nnainen raskaaksi, ja kun lapsi syntyi, oli se poika; h\u00e4net valeltiin\nvedell\u00e4 ja nimitettiin Eirikiksi. \u00c4iti vei pojan Haakon jaarlin luo\nsanoen, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli is\u00e4. Jaarli j\u00e4tti pojan kasvatettavaksi er\u00e4\u00e4lle\nmiehelle, jonka nimi oli Torleiv Viisas; h\u00e4n oli mahtava ja rikas mies\nja jaarlin hyv\u00e4 yst\u00e4v\u00e4. Eirik varttui pian lupaavaksi, oli perin\nkaunis, varhain kookas ja v\u00e4kev\u00e4. Jaarli ei juuri pit\u00e4nyt h\u00e4nest\u00e4.\nHaakon jaarli oli my\u00f6skin sangen kaunismuotoinen, tosin ei kookas,\nmutta v\u00e4kev\u00e4 ja taitava aseenk\u00e4ytt\u00e4j\u00e4, viisas ja suuri soturi.\nTapahtui er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 syksyn\u00e4, ett\u00e4 Haakon jaarli l\u00e4hti Yl\u00e4maihin. Mutta kun\nh\u00e4n saapui Hedemarkiin, tulivat siell\u00e4 kuningas Trygve Olavinpoika ja\nkuningas Gudr\u00f6d Bj\u00f6rninpoika h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan; sinne saapui my\u00f6skin\nDale-Gudbrand. He ryhtyiv\u00e4t neuvottelemaan kesken\u00e4\u00e4n ja istuivat kauan\nsalaisesti haastellen; ja nyt k\u00e4vi ilmi, ett\u00e4 jokainen tahtoi olla\ntoisen yst\u00e4v\u00e4. Sen j\u00e4lkeen he erosivat, ja kukin palasi valtakuntaansa.\nT\u00e4m\u00e4n saivat kuulla Gunhild ja h\u00e4nen poikansa, ja he alkoivat ep\u00e4ill\u00e4,\nett\u00e4 n\u00e4m\u00e4 miehet olivat tehneet liiton kuninkaita vastaan; he\njuttelivat usein kesken\u00e4\u00e4n t\u00e4st\u00e4.\nMutta kev\u00e4\u00e4n l\u00e4hetess\u00e4 Harald kuningas ja h\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4 Gudr\u00f6d\nkuningas tekev\u00e4t tiett\u00e4v\u00e4ksi, ett\u00e4 he kes\u00e4ll\u00e4 aikovat l\u00e4hte\u00e4\nviikinkiretkelle l\u00e4nteen p\u00e4in meren poikki tai It\u00e4maille, niinkuin\nheid\u00e4n tapansa oli. Sitten he ker\u00e4\u00e4v\u00e4t v\u00e4ke\u00e4, laskevat laivat vesille\nja varustautuvat. Mutta kun he joivat l\u00e4ht\u00f6oluttaan, syntyi suuret\njuomingit, ja paljon juteltiin maljain \u00e4\u00e4ress\u00e4. Ruvettiin siin\u00e4\nvertailemaan miehi\u00e4 toisiinsa, ja silloin puhuttiin kuninkaista\nitsest\u00e4\u00e4n. Muuan mies virkkoi, ett\u00e4 Harald kuningas oli joka suhteessa\nensimm\u00e4inen veljeksist\u00e4. Siit\u00e4 Gudr\u00f6d pahastui suuresti ja sanoi, ettei\nh\u00e4n ollut miss\u00e4\u00e4n huonompi Haraldia, ja oli valmis k\u00e4ym\u00e4\u00e4n paikalla\nkilpasille; molemmat vihastuivat heti niin ankarasti, ett\u00e4 haastoivat\ntoisensa otteluun ja rynt\u00e4siv\u00e4t k\u00e4siksi aseisiin. Mutta ne, jotka\nolivat ymm\u00e4rt\u00e4v\u00e4isi\u00e4 ja v\u00e4himm\u00e4n humalassa, ehk\u00e4isiv\u00e4t heit\u00e4 ja\nriensiv\u00e4t v\u00e4liin; meni sitten kumpikin laivoilleen, mutta nyt ei ollut\nodotettavissa, ett\u00e4 he l\u00e4htisiv\u00e4t retkelle yhdess\u00e4. Gudr\u00f6d purjehti\nit\u00e4\u00e4n rannikkoa pitkin, Harald taasen suuntasi kulkunsa ulos merelle ja\nsanoi aikovansa purjehtia l\u00e4nteen p\u00e4in meren poikki; mutta jouduttuaan\nsaariston ulkopuolelle h\u00e4n pyrki sen editse it\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4nkin.\nKuningas Gudr\u00f6d purjehti saariston suojassa it\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in Vikeniin ja\nsitten Foldenin[75] poikki. Sielt\u00e4 h\u00e4n l\u00e4hetti Trygve kuninkaalle\nsanan, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 tulisi h\u00e4nt\u00e4 tapaamaan ja ett\u00e4 he l\u00e4htisiv\u00e4t kes\u00e4ll\u00e4\nyhdess\u00e4 It\u00e4maita ry\u00f6st\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n. Trygve kuningas otti suopeasti ja halulla\nvastaan t\u00e4m\u00e4n sanoman. H\u00e4n kuuli, ett\u00e4 Gudr\u00f6dill\u00e4 oli v\u00e4h\u00e4n v\u00e4ke\u00e4, ja\nTrygve l\u00e4hti h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan yhdell\u00e4 ainoalla purrella. Mutta kun he\nryhtyiv\u00e4t puheisiin, hy\u00f6kk\u00e4siv\u00e4t Gudr\u00f6din miehet kohti ja surmasivat\nTrygve kuninkaan ja kaksitoista miest\u00e4 h\u00e4nen kerallaan.\nHarald kuningas purjehti enimm\u00e4kseen ulointa v\u00e4yl\u00e4\u00e4; h\u00e4n suuntasi\nkulkunsa Vikeniin ja saapui y\u00f6ll\u00e4 Tunsbergiin. Siell\u00e4 h\u00e4n sai kuulla,\nett\u00e4 kuningas Gudr\u00f6d vieraili lyhyen matkan p\u00e4\u00e4ss\u00e4 sis\u00e4maassa. Harald\nkuningas ja h\u00e4nen miehens\u00e4 l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t sinne, saapuivat perille y\u00f6ll\u00e4 ja\nsaartoivat talon. Gudr\u00f6d kuningas ja h\u00e4nen miehens\u00e4 k\u00e4viv\u00e4t ulos, ja\nsiin\u00e4 sukeusi lyhyt taistelu, ennenkuin Gudr\u00f6d Bj\u00f6rninpoika kaatui ja\nmoni mies h\u00e4nen kerallaan. Sitten Harald kuningas purjehti pois\nkohtaamaan velje\u00e4ns\u00e4 Gudr\u00f6d kuningasta; he alistivat nyt koko Vikenin\nvaltaansa.\nGunhildin pojat m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4\u00e4v\u00e4t suuren sotajoukon ker\u00e4\u00e4ntym\u00e4\u00e4n Vikenist\u00e4,\nkulkevat sitten pohjoiseen p\u00e4in ja ottavat paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4 ja aluksia joka\nfylkest\u00e4; he tekev\u00e4t tiett\u00e4v\u00e4ksi, ett\u00e4 aikovat vied\u00e4 sen sotajoukon\nTrondhjemiin Haakon jaarlia vastaan. T\u00e4m\u00e4n saa jaarli kuulla, h\u00e4n\nkokoaa sotajoukon ja varustaa laivoja. Mutta kuultuaan, kuinka suuri\nsotajoukko Gunhildin pojilla on, h\u00e4n suuntaa kulkunsa etel\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in\nM\u00f6reen, h\u00e4vittelee kaikkialla, minne saapuu, ja surmaa paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4.\nSitten h\u00e4n l\u00e4hetti tr\u00f6ndien sotajoukon ja talonpojat takaisin, mutta\nmatkasi vainonkilpe\u00e4 kantaen kautta kummankin M\u00f6ren ja Rauma-laakson ja\nasetti v\u00e4ke\u00e4 vakoilemaan Gunhildin poikien sotajoukkoa. Ja kun h\u00e4n sai\nkuulla, ett\u00e4 he olivat saapuneet Vuonoihin ja odottelivat siell\u00e4\nsuotuisaa tuulta purjehtiakseen pohjoisemmaksi, laski h\u00e4n ohitse\netel\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in ulkov\u00e4yl\u00e4\u00e4 pitkin, niin ettei h\u00e4nen purjeitaan n\u00e4hty\nmaalta, jatkoi sitten matkaansa saariston ulkopuolitse it\u00e4\u00e4n ja saapui\nTanskaan, purjehti sielt\u00e4 It\u00e4maille ja ry\u00f6steli niit\u00e4 kaiken kes\u00e4\u00e4.\nGunhildin pojat johtivat sotajoukkonsa Trondhjemiin, viipyiv\u00e4t siell\u00e4\nvarsin kauan ja kantoivat kaikki verot ja maksut. Mutta kes\u00e4n kuluessa\npitemm\u00e4lle Sigurd Sleva ja Gudr\u00f6d j\u00e4iv\u00e4t sinne, Harald ja toiset veljet\ntaasen l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t it\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in ja heid\u00e4n kerallaan se nostov\u00e4ki, joka oli\nseurannut heit\u00e4 kes\u00e4ll\u00e4.\nHaakon jaarli saapui syksyll\u00e4 Helsinglantiin ja veti siell\u00e4 aluksensa\nrannalle. Sitten h\u00e4n matkasi maitse Helsinglannin ja Jemtlannin kautta\nl\u00e4nteen Kj\u00f6lenin poikki ja saapui niin Trondhjemiin; heti ker\u00e4\u00e4ntyi\nh\u00e4nen luokseen paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4 hankkien h\u00e4nelle laivoja. Mutta t\u00e4m\u00e4n\nkuullessaan Gunhildin pojat nousivat aluksiinsa ja purjehtivat ulosp\u00e4in\nvuonoa pitkin. Haakon jaarli l\u00e4hti sitten Ladeen ja asui siell\u00e4\ntalvella; mutta Gunhildin pojat oleskelivat M\u00f6ress\u00e4, ja molemmilta\npuolin tehtiin \u00e4kkihy\u00f6kk\u00e4yksi\u00e4 ja surmattiin miehi\u00e4. Haakon jaarli piti\nhallussaan valtakuntaansa Trondhjemiss\u00e4 ja oleskeli siell\u00e4 useimmiten\ntalvella. Mutta kes\u00e4isin h\u00e4n l\u00e4hti toisinaan id\u00e4n puolelle\nHelsinglantiin, otti sielt\u00e4 aluksensa ja purjehti It\u00e4mailla ja ry\u00f6steli\nniit\u00e4; toisinaan h\u00e4n viipyi Trondhjemissa ja piti sotajoukkoa koolla,\neiv\u00e4tk\u00e4 Gunhildin pojat kyenneet silloin pysyttelem\u00e4\u00e4n Stadin\npohjoispuolella.\nHarald Harmaaturkki l\u00e4hti er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 kes\u00e4n\u00e4 sotajoukkoineen Bjarmelantiin,\nry\u00f6steli sit\u00e4 ja k\u00e4vi kovan taistelun bjarmeja vastaan Vienajoen\npartaalla. Siin\u00e4 Harald kuningas sai voiton ja surmasi paljon miehi\u00e4,\nh\u00e4vitteli sitten laajalti maata ja anasti suunnattoman m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4n tavaraa.\nSiit\u00e4 kertoo Glum Geirenpoika:\n Vainooja valtiaiden\n s\u00e4ihkytti tulis\u00e4il\u00e4\u00e4\n kaupungin \u00e4\u00e4rell\u00e4; siell\u00e4\n bjarmien juoksevan n\u00e4in.\n My\u00f6t\u00e4isen keih\u00e4smyrskyn\n sai ruhtinas rannalla Vienan;\n kauas vieriv\u00e4t viestit\n ylimyksest\u00e4 nuoresta.\nKuningas Sigurd Sleva saapui Klypp hersen taloon; Klypp oli mahtava ja\nsuurisukuinen mies. H\u00e4n ei ollut silloin kotosalla, mutta h\u00e4nen\nvaimonsa Aalov otti kuninkaan hyvin vastaan, ja siell\u00e4 oli oivat pidot\nja suuret juomingit. Kuningas k\u00e4vi y\u00f6ll\u00e4 Aalovin vuoteeseen ja makasi\nsiell\u00e4 vastoin t\u00e4m\u00e4n tahtoa; sitten kuningas matkusti pois.\nSeuraavana syksyn\u00e4 Harald kuningas ja h\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4 Sigurd saapuivat\nVossiin ja kutsuivat siell\u00e4 talonpojat k\u00e4r\u00e4jille. K\u00e4r\u00e4jill\u00e4 talonpojat\nk\u00e4viv\u00e4t heit\u00e4 vastaan asevoimin ja aikoivat surmata heid\u00e4t, mutta he\np\u00e4\u00e4siv\u00e4t pakenemaan ja l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t sitten pois. Harald kuningas l\u00e4hti\nHardangeriin, mutta Sigurd kuningas Alrekstaderiin. Mutta kun Klypp\nherse saa kuulla t\u00e4m\u00e4n, niin h\u00e4n ja h\u00e4nen yst\u00e4v\u00e4ns\u00e4 l\u00e4htev\u00e4t kuningasta\nvastaan. Taloon saavuttuaan he k\u00e4yv\u00e4t asein h\u00e4nen kimppuunsa, Klypp\nherse l\u00e4visti kuninkaan miekallaan, ja niin t\u00e4m\u00e4 sai surmansa; mutta\nErling Gamle tappoi Klypp hersen samaan paikkaan.\nKuningas Harald Harrnaaturkki ja h\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4 Gudr\u00f6d kuningas\nkokosivat suuren sotajoukon maan it\u00e4osasta ja pyrkiv\u00e4t sen kera\npohjoista kohti Trondhjemiin. Mutta kun Haakon jaarli kuuli sen, niin\nh\u00e4nkin ker\u00e4si luokseen v\u00e4ke\u00e4, suuntasi kulkunsa etel\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in M\u00f6reen ja\nh\u00e4vitteli sit\u00e4. Silloin oli h\u00e4nen set\u00e4ns\u00e4 Grjotgard siell\u00e4, ja h\u00e4nen\noli m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4 puolustaa maata Gunhildin poikien hyv\u00e4ksi. H\u00e4n k\u00e4ski\nsotav\u00e4ke\u00e4 kokoontumaan, niinkuin kuninkaat olivat l\u00e4hett\u00e4neet sanan.\nHaakon jaarli k\u00e4vi h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan ja ryhtyi taisteluun; siin\u00e4 kaatui\nGrjotgard ja kaksi jaarlia h\u00e4nen kanssaan ja paljon muita miehi\u00e4.\nSitten Haakon jaarli purjehti ulos merelle ja sen j\u00e4lkeen ulkov\u00e4yl\u00e4\u00e4\npitkin etel\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in. H\u00e4n saapui Tanskaan ja l\u00e4hti kuningas Harald\nGorminpojan luo; siell\u00e4 h\u00e4net otettiin hyvin vastaan ja h\u00e4n viipyi\nkaiken talvea. Tanskan kuninkaan luona oli my\u00f6skin mies nimelt\u00e4 Harald;\nh\u00e4n oli Knut Gorminpojan poika ja kuningas Haraldin veljenpoika.\nH\u00e4n oli palannut viikinkiretkelt\u00e4, oli ry\u00f6stellyt kauan ja\nkoonnut itselleen siten suunnattomasti tavaraa; h\u00e4nt\u00e4 sanottiin\nKulta-Haraldiksi. H\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli mielest\u00e4\u00e4n suuri oikeus p\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4 Tanskan\nkuninkaaksi.\nKuningas Harald ja h\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4 johtivat sotajoukkonsa pohjoiseen\np\u00e4in Trondhjemiin eiv\u00e4tk\u00e4 kohdanneet siell\u00e4 mit\u00e4\u00e4n vastarintaa. He\nkantoivat siell\u00e4 veroa ja kaikki kuninkaan saatavat ja pakottivat\ntalonpojat maksamaan suuria rahasummia; sill\u00e4 kuninkaat olivat pitk\u00e4n\naikaa saaneet varsin v\u00e4h\u00e4n veroa Trondhjemist\u00e4, koska Haakon jaarli oli\nvallinnut siell\u00e4 hyvin voimakkaana ja ollut riidassa kuninkaiden\nkanssa. Syksyll\u00e4 Harald kuningas l\u00e4hti etel\u00e4n puolelle mukanaan suurin\nosa sit\u00e4 sotajoukkoa, joka oli kotoisin sielt\u00e4, mutta Erling kuningas\nj\u00e4i j\u00e4lkeen miehineen. H\u00e4n esitti yh\u00e4 suuria vaatimuksia talonpojille\nja teki heid\u00e4n el\u00e4m\u00e4ns\u00e4 kovin vaikeaksi, mutta talonpojat nurisivat\neiv\u00e4tk\u00e4 siet\u00e4neet t\u00e4t\u00e4 vahinkoa. Ja talvella talonpojat kokoontuivat ja\nsaivat suuren joukon, l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t sitten Erlingi\u00e4 vastaan sinne, miss\u00e4 h\u00e4n\nvieraili, ja ryhtyiv\u00e4t taisteluun; siin\u00e4 kaatui kuningas Erling ja\nsuuri m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4 miehi\u00e4 h\u00e4nen kerallaan.\nKun Gunhildin pojat hallitsivat Norjaa, tuli kova katovuosi, ja h\u00e4t\u00e4\nkasvoi, kuta kauemmin he vallitsivat maata. Mutta talonpojat syyttiv\u00e4t\nsiit\u00e4 kuninkaita, ja n\u00e4in he tekiv\u00e4t sit\u00e4 enemm\u00e4n, kun kuninkaat olivat\nahnaita ja tylyj\u00e4 talonpoikia kohtaan. Niin kurjaksi k\u00e4vi el\u00e4m\u00e4, ett\u00e4\nmelkein kaikkialla maalaisilta puuttui ohraa ja kalaa. Haalogalannissa\nvallitsi niin suuri n\u00e4l\u00e4nh\u00e4t\u00e4 ja puute, ettei siell\u00e4 kasvanut juuri\nlaisinkaan ohraa, vaan lumi peitti koko maan keskell\u00e4 kes\u00e4\u00e4. N\u00e4in\nlauloi \u00d6ivind Skaldespilder -- h\u00e4n sattui astumaan ulos kovan pyryn\naikana --:\n Lumi peitt\u00e4\u00e4 Odenin vaimon[76]\n (Lapin miesten lailla karjaa\n ruokimme varvuilla koivun\n sis\u00e4ll\u00e4) keskell\u00e4 kes\u00e4\u00e4.\nOlavi Trygvenpojan tarina.\nAstrid oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n se nainen, jonka kanssa kuningas Trygve\nOlavinpoika oli ollut naimisissa; h\u00e4nen is\u00e4ns\u00e4 oli Eirik Bjodaskalle,\nmuuan mahtava mies, joka asui Oprostaderissa. Mutta Trygven kaaduttua\nAstrid pakeni ja l\u00e4hti salaisesti tiehens\u00e4 mukanaan sen verran\nirtaimistoa kuin h\u00e4n voi ottaa matkaansa. H\u00e4nt\u00e4 seurasi h\u00e4nen\nkasvatusis\u00e4ns\u00e4, jonka nimi oli Torolv T\u00e4iparta; t\u00e4m\u00e4 ei eronnut h\u00e4nest\u00e4\nkoskaan, mutta h\u00e4nen toiset uskottunsa kulkivat vakoilemassa, mit\u00e4\nh\u00e4nen vihamiehist\u00e4\u00e4n kerrottiin tai miss\u00e4 he oleilivat.\nAstrid kantoi kohdussaan Trygve kuninkaan lasta. H\u00e4n kuljetutti itsens\u00e4\ner\u00e4\u00e4n j\u00e4rven saarelle ja piiloutui sinne muutamien seuralaisten kera;\nsiell\u00e4 h\u00e4n synnytti lapsen, se oli poika. Mutta kun lapsi oli valeltu\nvedell\u00e4, nimitettiin se Olaviksi isois\u00e4ns\u00e4 mukaan. Siell\u00e4 Astrid oli\npiilossa kes\u00e4n, mutta kun y\u00f6t pimeniv\u00e4t ja p\u00e4iv\u00e4t alkoivat lyhet\u00e4 ja\nilma k\u00e4yd\u00e4 koleaksi, l\u00e4hti h\u00e4n liikkeelle ja h\u00e4nen kerallaan Torolv ja\nmuutamia muita; he kulkivat salaisesti, vain \u00f6isin, eiv\u00e4tk\u00e4 kohdanneet\nihmisi\u00e4. N\u00e4in he saapuivat er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 iltana Astridin is\u00e4n, Oprostaderin\nEirikin luo. He kulkivat kenenk\u00e4\u00e4n tiet\u00e4m\u00e4tt\u00e4, ja Astrid l\u00e4hetti taloon\nsanan ilmoittaakseen siit\u00e4 Eirikille; t\u00e4m\u00e4 k\u00e4ski v\u00e4kens\u00e4 johdattaa\nheid\u00e4t pieneen rakennukseen ja panna heid\u00e4n eteens\u00e4 parhainta ruokaa.\nKun Astrid oli viipynyt siell\u00e4 lyhyen ajan, palasi h\u00e4nen saattueensa\nkotiin, mutta h\u00e4n j\u00e4i sinne ja h\u00e4nen kerallaan kaksi palvelijatarta,\nh\u00e4nen poikansa Olavi, Torolv T\u00e4iparta sek\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4n poika Torgils, kuuden\ntalven ik\u00e4inen; n\u00e4m\u00e4 j\u00e4iv\u00e4t sinne talveksi.\nHarald Harmaaturkki ja h\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4 Gudr\u00f6d l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t Trygve\nOlavinpojan surman j\u00e4lkeen niihin taloihin, jotka Trygve oli omistanut;\nmutta silloin Astrid oli poissa, eiv\u00e4tk\u00e4 he saaneet mit\u00e4\u00e4n tietoa\nh\u00e4nest\u00e4. Sellainen huhu osui heid\u00e4n kuuluviinsa, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n kantoi\nkohdussaan Trygve kuninkaan lasta. Syksyll\u00e4 he l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t pohjan\npuolelle, niinkuin ennen on kirjoitettu. Mutta kohdattuaan \u00e4itins\u00e4\nGunhildin he kertoivat h\u00e4nelle kaikesta, mit\u00e4 matkalla oli tapahtunut.\nH\u00e4n tiedusteli tarkoin Astridista; he kertoivat huhun, mink\u00e4 olivat\nkuulleet h\u00e4nest\u00e4. Mutta siit\u00e4 syyst\u00e4, ett\u00e4 Gunhildin pojat samana\nsyksyn\u00e4 ja seuraavana talvena joutuivat sotaan Haakon jaarlin kanssa,\nniinkuin ennen on kirjoitettu, ei sin\u00e4 talvena etsitty Astridia ja\nh\u00e4nen poikaansa.\nSeuraavana kev\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 Gunhild l\u00e4hetti vakoojia Yl\u00e4maihin ja aina Vikeniin\nasti tiedustelemaan, miten Astridin laita oli. Mutta palatessaan\nl\u00e4hetit saattoivat ilmoittaa, ett\u00e4 Astrid oli is\u00e4ns\u00e4 Eirikin luona; he\nsanoivat my\u00f6s, ett\u00e4 varmaankin h\u00e4n siell\u00e4 kasvatti Trygve kuninkaan\npoikaa. Silloin Gunhild valitsi heti l\u00e4hetit ja varusti heid\u00e4t hyvin\nvaatteilla ja aseilla; heit\u00e4 oli kolmekymment\u00e4 miest\u00e4, ja johtajana\nheill\u00e4 oli muuan mahtava mies ja Gunhildin hyv\u00e4 yst\u00e4v\u00e4, nimelt\u00e4 Haakon.\nGunhild k\u00e4ski heid\u00e4n nyt l\u00e4hte\u00e4 Oprostaderiin Eirikin luo ja ottaa\nsielt\u00e4 Trygve kuninkaan pojan ja tuoda t\u00e4m\u00e4n h\u00e4nen luokseen.\nSitten l\u00e4hetit suoriutuivat matkalle. Mutta kun he olivat p\u00e4\u00e4sseet\nl\u00e4helle Oprostaderia, saivat Eirikin yst\u00e4v\u00e4t vihi\u00e4 heid\u00e4n matkastaan ja\ntoimittivat h\u00e4nelle er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 iltana tiedon l\u00e4hettien tulosta. Heti samana\niltana Eirik antoi Astridin valmistautua l\u00e4htem\u00e4\u00e4n tiehens\u00e4, hankki\nhyvi\u00e4 oppaita ja l\u00e4hetti h\u00e4net it\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in Svitjodiin yst\u00e4v\u00e4ns\u00e4 Haakon\nVanhan, er\u00e4\u00e4n mahtavan miehen luo. He l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t tiehens\u00e4, kun y\u00f6t\u00e4 oli\nviel\u00e4 pitk\u00e4lti j\u00e4ljell\u00e4. Seuraavana p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 illansuussa he saapuivat\nSkaun nimiseen kihlakuntaan, n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t siell\u00e4 ison talon, meniv\u00e4t sinne\nja pyysiv\u00e4t y\u00f6sijaa, he salasivat nimens\u00e4 ja olivat halvoissa\npukimissa. Se talonpoika, Bj\u00f6rn Eiterkveisa nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n, oli rikas mies,\nmutta h\u00e4ijy; h\u00e4n ajoi heid\u00e4t pois, mutta he saapuivat samana iltana\ntoiseen taloon v\u00e4h\u00e4n matkan p\u00e4\u00e4h\u00e4n sielt\u00e4. Torstein oli sen talonpojan\nnimi, h\u00e4n soi heille y\u00f6sijan ja suojaa y\u00f6ksi; siell\u00e4 he nukkuivat\nhyviss\u00e4 vuoteissa.\nHaakon saapui Gunhildin miesten kera varhain aamulla Oprostaderiin ja\ntiedusteli Astridia ja t\u00e4m\u00e4n poikaa. Eirik sanoi, ettei h\u00e4n ollut\nsiell\u00e4. Haakon ja h\u00e4nen miehens\u00e4 tutkivat talon ja viipyiv\u00e4t pitk\u00e4lle\np\u00e4iv\u00e4n selk\u00e4\u00e4n ja saivat hiukan vihi\u00e4 Astridin matkasta. He ratsastavat\nsitten samaa tiet\u00e4, tulevat my\u00f6h\u00e4\u00e4n illalla Skauniin Bj\u00f6rn Eiterkveisan\nluo ja y\u00f6pyv\u00e4t sinne. Haakon kysyy Bj\u00f6rnilt\u00e4, voiko t\u00e4m\u00e4 ilmoittaa\nh\u00e4nelle jotakin Astridista. Talonpoika kertoo, ett\u00e4 p\u00e4iv\u00e4ll\u00e4 sinne oli\ntullut muutamia ihmisi\u00e4 pyyt\u00e4en y\u00f6sijaa, \"mutta min\u00e4 ajoin ne pois, ja\nnyt ne kai ovat y\u00f6pyneet t\u00e4nne l\u00e4hist\u00f6lle.\"\nTorsteinin renki tuli illalla kotiin mets\u00e4st\u00e4 ja saapui Bj\u00f6rnin taloon,\nsill\u00e4 se oli matkan varrella. H\u00e4n huomasi, ett\u00e4 sinne oli tullut\nvieraita ja mit\u00e4 asiaa n\u00e4ill\u00e4 oli; h\u00e4n ilmoitti sen Torstein\ntalonpojalle. Kun viel\u00e4 oli j\u00e4ljell\u00e4 kolmas osa y\u00f6t\u00e4, her\u00e4tti Torstein\nvieraansa, k\u00e4ski heid\u00e4n l\u00e4hte\u00e4 tiehens\u00e4 ja puhui heille tylysti. Mutta\nkun oli p\u00e4\u00e4sty kappaleen matkaa talosta, ilmoitti Torstein heille, ett\u00e4\nGunhildin l\u00e4hetit olivat Bj\u00f6rnin luona heit\u00e4 etsim\u00e4ss\u00e4. He pyysiv\u00e4t\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4 auttamaan, h\u00e4n antoi heille oppaan ja v\u00e4h\u00e4n ruokaa. Opas saattoi\nheid\u00e4t saloon, miss\u00e4 oli j\u00e4rvi ja siin\u00e4 kaislaa kasvava saari. He\np\u00e4\u00e4siv\u00e4t kahlaten saareen ja piiloutuivat kaislikkoon. Varhain\nseuraavana p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 Haakon ratsasti Bj\u00f6rnin talosta ymp\u00e4rist\u00f6\u00f6n, ja\nkaikkialla h\u00e4n tiedusteli Astridia. Ja Torsteinin luo saavuttuaan h\u00e4n\nkysyi, olivatko he tulleet sinne. T\u00e4m\u00e4 sanoi, ett\u00e4 sinne oli tullut\nmuutamia ihmisi\u00e4, ja n\u00e4m\u00e4 olivat p\u00e4iv\u00e4n sarastaessa l\u00e4hteneet it\u00e4\u00e4n\np\u00e4in salolle. Haakon pyysi Torsteinia l\u00e4htem\u00e4\u00e4n heid\u00e4n kerallaan, koska\nh\u00e4n tunsi tiet ja piilopaikat. Torstein l\u00e4hti heid\u00e4n mukaansa, mutta\nkun oli p\u00e4\u00e4sty mets\u00e4\u00e4n, niin h\u00e4n neuvoi heid\u00e4t pois sielt\u00e4, miss\u00e4\nAstrid oli. He kulkivat koko sen p\u00e4iv\u00e4n etsien eiv\u00e4tk\u00e4 l\u00f6yt\u00e4neet heit\u00e4,\nl\u00e4htiv\u00e4t sitten takaisin ja kertoivat Gunhildille, miten oli k\u00e4ynyt.\nAstrid ja h\u00e4nen saattueensa jatkoivat matkaansa ja saapuivat Svitjodiin\nHaakon Vanhan luo. Siell\u00e4 Astrid ja h\u00e4nen poikansa Olavi viipyiv\u00e4t\npitk\u00e4n ajan ja heid\u00e4n oli hyv\u00e4 olla.\nGunhild kuninkaan\u00e4iti sai kuulla, ett\u00e4 Astrid ja t\u00e4m\u00e4n poika Olavi\nolivat Ruotsissa; silloin h\u00e4n l\u00e4hetti j\u00e4lleen Haakonin hyv\u00e4 saattue\nmukanaan it\u00e4\u00e4n Eirik svealaiskuninkaan luo oivia lahjoja ja\nyst\u00e4v\u00e4llisi\u00e4 sanoja viem\u00e4\u00e4n. L\u00e4hetit otettiin siell\u00e4 hyvin vastaan.\nSitten Haakon esitt\u00e4\u00e4 asiansa ja sanoo, ett\u00e4 Gunhild pyysi kuningasta\nsuomaan apuaan, niin ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n voisi saada Olavi Trygvenpojan kanssaan\nNorjaan: \"Gunhild haluaa kasvattaa h\u00e4net.\" Kuningas antaa h\u00e4nelle\nseuraksi miehi\u00e4, ja he ratsastavat Haakon Vanhan luo; siell\u00e4 Haakon\nkehoittaa monin yst\u00e4v\u00e4llisin sanoin Olavia l\u00e4htem\u00e4\u00e4n mukaansa. Haakon\nVanha vastaa suopeasti ja sanoo, ett\u00e4 \u00e4iti saa p\u00e4\u00e4tt\u00e4\u00e4 h\u00e4nen\nmatkastaan. Mutta Astrid ei tahdo mill\u00e4\u00e4n muotoa, ett\u00e4 poika l\u00e4htisi.\nL\u00e4hetit menev\u00e4t nyt pois ja kertovat vastauksen Eirik kuninkaalle;\nsitten he varustautuvat matkaamaan kotiin, mutta pyyt\u00e4v\u00e4t taas\nkuningasta auttamaan, ett\u00e4 he saisivat pojan mukaansa, joko Haakon\nVanhan mielisuosiolla tai h\u00e4nen tahtomattaan. Kuningas antaa heille\nj\u00e4lleen joukon miehi\u00e4. L\u00e4hetit tulevat nyt Haakon Vanhan luo ja\nvaativat, ett\u00e4 pojan on l\u00e4hdett\u00e4v\u00e4 heid\u00e4n mukaansa; mutta kun siihen ei\noltu suostuvaisia, puhuivat he suuria sanoja, uhkasivat turvautua\nv\u00e4kivaltaan ja k\u00e4ytt\u00e4ytyiv\u00e4t vihaisesti. Silloin rynt\u00e4\u00e4 esiin muuan\norja, Burtse niminen, ja aikoo ly\u00f6d\u00e4 Haakonia, niin ett\u00e4 heid\u00e4n t\u00e4ytyy\njoutuin v\u00e4isty\u00e4 pois, jotta eiv\u00e4t saisi kuritusta orjan k\u00e4dest\u00e4. Sitten\nhe palaavat Norjaan ja kertovat Gunhildille matkastaan sek\u00e4 ett\u00e4 ovat\nn\u00e4hneet Olavi Trygvenpojan.\nSigurd oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n Astridin veli, Eirik Bjodaskallen poika. H\u00e4n oli\nkauan ollut poissa maasta ja oleskellut id\u00e4ss\u00e4 Gardariikin[77] Valdemar\nkuninkaan luona; Sigurd nautti siell\u00e4 suurta kunnioitusta. Astrid sai\nhalun l\u00e4hte\u00e4 sinne veljens\u00e4 luo. Haakon Vanha antoi h\u00e4nelle hyv\u00e4n\nsaattueen ja oivat varusteet; h\u00e4n l\u00e4hti muutamien kauppien kera.\nSilloin h\u00e4n oli ollut kaksi talvea Haakon Vanhan luona, ja Olavi oli\nnyt kolmen talven ik\u00e4inen.\nMutta kun he purjehtivat it\u00e4\u00e4n meren poikki, tuli heit\u00e4 vastaan\nviikinkej\u00e4, ne olivat virolaisia; n\u00e4m\u00e4 valtasivat sek\u00e4 v\u00e4en ett\u00e4\ntavaran, muutamia he surmasivat, toiset jakoivat kesken\u00e4\u00e4n orjiksi.\nSiell\u00e4 Olavi erotettiin \u00e4idist\u00e4\u00e4n, ja er\u00e4s virolainen nimelt\u00e4 Klerkon\notti huostaansa h\u00e4net, Torolvin ja Torgilsin. Klerkon arveli, ett\u00e4\nTorolv oli liian vanha orjaksi, niin ettei h\u00e4nest\u00e4 ollut mit\u00e4\u00e4n hy\u00f6ty\u00e4,\nja surmasi h\u00e4net; mutta pojat h\u00e4n otti mukaansa ja m\u00f6i heid\u00e4t er\u00e4\u00e4lle\nKlerk nimiselle miehelle kelpo pukista. Er\u00e4s kolmas mies osti sitten\nOlavin ja antoi h\u00e4nest\u00e4 hyv\u00e4n viitan; miehen nimi oli Reas, h\u00e4nen\nvaimonsa Rekon ja heid\u00e4n poikansa Rekone. Siell\u00e4 Olavi eli kauan, h\u00e4nen\noli hyv\u00e4 olla, ja mies piti h\u00e4nest\u00e4 paljon. Olavi viipyi kuusi talvea\nVironmaassa t\u00e4llaisissa oloissa.\nSigurd Eirikinpoika saapui Viroon Holmgaardin[78] Valdemar kuninkaan\nl\u00e4hettil\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4, ja h\u00e4nen oli m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4 noutaa siit\u00e4 maasta veroa kuninkaalle.\nSigurd retkeili mahtavana mukanaan paljon miehi\u00e4 ja tavaraa. H\u00e4n n\u00e4ki\nturulla kauniin pojan, jonka h\u00e4n havaitsi muukalaiseksi, ja tiedusteli\nt\u00e4m\u00e4n nime\u00e4 ja syntyper\u00e4\u00e4. H\u00e4n sanoi itse\u00e4\u00e4n Olaviksi, is\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4 Trygve\nOlavinpojaksi ja \u00e4iti\u00e4\u00e4n Astridiksi, Eirik Bjodaskallen tytt\u00e4reksi;\nsilloin Sigurd huomasi, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli h\u00e4nen sisarenpoikansa. Sitten\nSigurd kysyi, kuinka h\u00e4n oli sinne tullut. Olavi kertoi kaiken sen,\nmit\u00e4 h\u00e4nelle oli tapahtunut. Sigurd pyysi h\u00e4nt\u00e4 seuraamaan Reas\ntalonpojan luo; mutta sinne p\u00e4\u00e4sty\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4n osti molemmat pojat ja vei\nheid\u00e4t mukanaan Holmgaardiin. H\u00e4n ei antanut mit\u00e4\u00e4n tietoa Olavin\nsyntyper\u00e4st\u00e4, mutta kohteli h\u00e4nt\u00e4 hyvin.\nOlavi Trygvenpoika seisoi er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 turulla; siell\u00e4 oli paljon\nv\u00e4ke\u00e4 saapuvilla. Silloin h\u00e4n tunsi Klerkonin, joka oli surmannut h\u00e4nen\nkasvatusis\u00e4ns\u00e4 Torolv T\u00e4iparran. Olavilla oli pieni kirves k\u00e4dess\u00e4\u00e4n,\nja h\u00e4n iski sen Klerkonin p\u00e4\u00e4h\u00e4n, niin ett\u00e4 se painui aivoihin, ja\njuoksi viipym\u00e4tt\u00e4 kotiin ja kertoi sen sukulaiselleen Sigurdille; mutta\nSigurd vei heti Olavin kuningattaren asuntoon ja ilmoitti asian\nh\u00e4nelle. H\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4 oli Allogia; Sigurd pyysi h\u00e4nt\u00e4 auttamaan poikaa\nH\u00e4n katseli t\u00e4t\u00e4, sanoi, ettei niin kaunista poikaa saanut surmata, ja\nk\u00e4ski kutsua miehi\u00e4 luokseen t\u00e4ysiss\u00e4 aseissa.\nHolmgaardissa pidettiin rauhaa niin pyh\u00e4n\u00e4, ett\u00e4 laki m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si\nsurmattavaksi jokaisen, ken tappoi miehen tuomiotta. Niin virtasi\nheid\u00e4n tapansa mukaan kaikki kansa kokoon ja rupesi etsim\u00e4\u00e4n, minne\npoika oli joutunut. Silloin sanottiin, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli kuningattaren\ntalossa aseellisen joukon turvissa; t\u00e4m\u00e4 ilmoitettiin kuninkaalle. H\u00e4n\nl\u00e4hti sinne miehineen, sill\u00e4 h\u00e4n ei tahtonut, ett\u00e4 syntyisi taistelu.\nKuningas m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si sakon ja kuningatar maksoi sen. Sitten Olavi j\u00e4i\nkuningattaren luo, ja t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli suuresti ihastunut h\u00e4neen. Gardariikissa\noli laki sellainen, etteiv\u00e4t kuninkaalliset lapset saaneet olla siell\u00e4\nmuutoin kuin kuninkaan suostumuksella. Silloin Sigurd kertoo\nkuningattarelle, mit\u00e4 sukua Olavi on sek\u00e4 ettei t\u00e4m\u00e4 voinut vainon\nvuoksi olla omassa maassaan, ja pyysi h\u00e4nt\u00e4 puhumaan kuninkaalle siit\u00e4.\nH\u00e4n teki niin pyyt\u00e4en kuningasta auttamaan t\u00e4t\u00e4 kuninkaanpoikaa, jolle\nkohtalo oli ollut niin kova; ja esirukouksillaan h\u00e4n sai aikaan sen,\nett\u00e4 kuningas lupasi tehd\u00e4 niin, otti sitten Olavin hoivaansa ja\nkohteli h\u00e4nt\u00e4 kunniallisesti, niinkuin kuninkaanpoikaa sopii. Olavi oli\nyhdeks\u00e4n talven ik\u00e4inen saapuessaan Gardariikiin, mutta viipyi viel\u00e4\nyhdeks\u00e4n talvea Valdemar kuninkaan luona. Olavi oli hyvin kaunis, suuri\nja v\u00e4kev\u00e4 ja aseiden k\u00e4yt\u00f6ss\u00e4 etev\u00e4mpi kaikkia norjalaisia, joista\nkerrotaan.\nJaarli Haakon Sigurdinpoika oli Tanskan kuninkaan Harald Gorminpojan\nluona talvea paettuaan Norjasta Gunhildin poikia. Haakonilla oli niin\npaljon mietitt\u00e4v\u00e4\u00e4 talvella, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n k\u00e4vi vuoteeseen; h\u00e4n makasi usein\nhereill\u00e4 ja s\u00f6i ja joi vain sen verran, ett\u00e4 s\u00e4ilytti ruumiinvoimansa.\nSilloin h\u00e4n l\u00e4hetti salaisesti miehi\u00e4\u00e4n Trondhjemiin yst\u00e4viens\u00e4 luo ja\nsuunnitteli heid\u00e4n kanssaan, ett\u00e4 he surmaisivat kuningas Erlingin, jos\nsaisivat siihen tilaisuuden; h\u00e4n sanoi aikovansa palata valtakuntaansa\nkes\u00e4n tullen. Sin\u00e4 talvena tr\u00f6ndit surmasivat Erlingin, niinkuin ennen\non kirjoitettu.\nHaakonin ja Kulta-Haraldin v\u00e4lill\u00e4 vallitsi luja yst\u00e4vyys. Harald\nesitti Haakonille ajatuksensa; h\u00e4n sanoi aikovansa asettua maahan ja\nj\u00e4tt\u00e4v\u00e4ns\u00e4 sotalaivansa ja kysyi Haakonilta, arveliko t\u00e4m\u00e4, ett\u00e4\nkuningas Harald suostuisi jakamaan valtakunnan h\u00e4nen kanssaan, jos h\u00e4n\nsit\u00e4 vaati.\n\"Sit\u00e4 min\u00e4 arvelen\", virkkaa Haakon, \"ettei kuningas sinulta kiell\u00e4\nmit\u00e4\u00e4n oikeutta; mutta parempaa tietoa saat t\u00e4st\u00e4 asiasta, jos puhut\nsiit\u00e4 kuninkaalle. En luule, ett\u00e4 saat valtakuntaa, ellet sit\u00e4 vaadi.\"\nV\u00e4h\u00e4n ajan kuluttua t\u00e4st\u00e4 keskustelusta Kulta-Harald puhui Harald\nkuninkaalle, kun saapuvilla oli paljon suurmiehi\u00e4, molempain yst\u00e4vi\u00e4.\nSilloin Kulta-Harald vaati Harald kuninkaalta, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 jakaisi\nvaltakunnan puoliksi h\u00e4nen kanssaan, niinkuin arvonsa ja syntyper\u00e4ns\u00e4\nantoivat h\u00e4nelle oikeuden Tanskanmaassa. T\u00e4st\u00e4 vaatimuksesta Harald\nsuuttui suuresti ja sanoi, ettei yksik\u00e4\u00e4n mies ollut vaatinut h\u00e4nen\nis\u00e4lt\u00e4\u00e4n kuningas Gormilta sit\u00e4, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 rupeaisi Tanskassa\npuolkuninkaaksi, ei my\u00f6sk\u00e4\u00e4n t\u00e4m\u00e4n is\u00e4lt\u00e4 H\u00e5rde-Knutilta tai Sigurd\nK\u00e4\u00e4rmesilm\u00e4lt\u00e4 tai Ragnar Lodbrokilta -- h\u00e4n raivostui niin, ettei\nh\u00e4nen kanssaan voinut puhua.\nKulta-Harald tyytyi nyt asemaansa viel\u00e4 v\u00e4hemm\u00e4n kuin varemmin; h\u00e4nell\u00e4\nei ollut valtakuntaa sen enemp\u00e4\u00e4 kuin ennenk\u00e4\u00e4n, mutta lis\u00e4ksi\nkuninkaan viha kestett\u00e4v\u00e4n\u00e4. Niin h\u00e4n saapui yst\u00e4v\u00e4ns\u00e4 Haakonin luo,\nvalitti pulaansa ja pyysi hyv\u00e4\u00e4 neuvoa, niin ett\u00e4 voisi saada\nvaltakunnan; h\u00e4n sanoi l\u00e4hinn\u00e4 aikoneensa tavoitella valtakuntaa\nvoimalla ja aseilla. Haakon pyysi, ettei h\u00e4n puhuisi t\u00e4st\u00e4 kenellek\u00e4\u00e4n,\njotta se asia ei levi\u00e4isi.\n\"Henkesi se voi sinulle maksaa\", h\u00e4n sanoo; \"ajattele itse, mihin\nsinulla on kyky\u00e4. Moiset suuret tuumat vaativat, ett\u00e4 mies on rohkea ja\nluja, ettei s\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4 hyv\u00e4\u00e4 eik\u00e4 pahaa, jotta se asia voisi edisty\u00e4, mihin\nh\u00e4n on ryhtynyt. Mutta onnetonta on k\u00e4yd\u00e4 k\u00e4siksi suuriin aikeisiin ja\nsitten luopua niist\u00e4 h\u00e4pe\u00e4ll\u00e4.\"\nKulta-Harald vastaa: \"Niin aion ryhty\u00e4 t\u00e4h\u00e4n vaatimukseen, etten edes\ns\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4 k\u00e4si\u00e4ni itse kuninkaan surmasta, jos siihen joudutaan, kun h\u00e4n\nep\u00e4\u00e4 minulta valtakunnan, joka minulle oikeuden mukaan kuuluu.\" Siihen\np\u00e4\u00e4ttyy heid\u00e4n keskustelunsa.\nHarald kuningas k\u00e4vi sitten Haakonin luo, ja he ryhtyiv\u00e4t yhdess\u00e4\nkeskustelemaan. Kuningas kertoo jaarlille, mink\u00e4 vaatimuksen\nKulta-Harald on tuonut valtakunnasta ja mink\u00e4 vastauksen h\u00e4n antoi; h\u00e4n\nsanoo, ettei h\u00e4n mill\u00e4\u00e4n ehdolla tahdo v\u00e4hent\u00e4\u00e4 valtakuntaansa: \"Mutta\njos Kulta-Harald pit\u00e4\u00e4 kiinni t\u00e4st\u00e4 vaatimuksesta, silloin ei minulla\nole paljoa sit\u00e4 vastaan, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4net surmataan, sill\u00e4 luotan h\u00e4neen\nv\u00e4h\u00e4n, ellei h\u00e4n luovu t\u00e4st\u00e4.\"\nJaarli vastaa: \"Minun luuloni mukaan Harald on ajanut t\u00e4t\u00e4 niin\nkiihke\u00e4sti, ettei h\u00e4n anna sen en\u00e4\u00e4 raueta. Odotan, ett\u00e4 jos h\u00e4n nostaa\nsodan t\u00e4ss\u00e4 maassa, niin h\u00e4n saa runsaasti apua ja eniten is\u00e4ns\u00e4\nyst\u00e4v\u00e4llisyyden t\u00e4hden. Mutta onnettominta on teille surmauttaa\nsukulaisenne, sill\u00e4 kaikki miehet sanovat t\u00e4ss\u00e4 tapauksessa h\u00e4nt\u00e4\nsyytt\u00f6m\u00e4ksi. En my\u00f6sk\u00e4\u00e4n tahdo antaa sinulle sit\u00e4 neuvoa, ett\u00e4 teet\nitsest\u00e4si pienemm\u00e4n kuninkaan kuin is\u00e4si Gorm oli; h\u00e4n suurensi\nvaltakuntaansa paljon eik\u00e4 suinkaan sit\u00e4 v\u00e4hent\u00e4nyt.\"\nSilloin kuningas sanoo: \"Mink\u00e4 neuvon siis annat, Haakon? Eik\u00f6 minun\npid\u00e4 jakaa valtakuntaa ja vapautua t\u00e4st\u00e4 rauhattomuudesta?\"\n\"Tavatkaamme toisemme muutaman p\u00e4iv\u00e4n per\u00e4st\u00e4\", sanoo Haakon jaarli;\n\"ensin tahdon pohtia t\u00e4t\u00e4 pulmallista asiaa ja sitten vastata\".\nSitten kuningas poistui v\u00e4kineen.\nHaakon jaarli antautui nyt uudelleen vakaviin mietteisiin ja salli vain\nharvojen miesten oleskella talossaan. Muutaman p\u00e4iv\u00e4n kuluttua Harald\ntuli jaarlin luo, ja he puhelivat kesken\u00e4\u00e4n. Kuningas kysyy, onko\njaarli nyt harkinnut sit\u00e4 keskustelua, mik\u00e4 heill\u00e4 tuonoin oli.\n\"Sen vuoksi olen valvonut y\u00f6t\u00e4 ja p\u00e4iv\u00e4\u00e4\", sanoo jaarli, \"ja minun\nmielest\u00e4ni on se neuvo paras, ett\u00e4 sin\u00e4 pid\u00e4t hallittavanasi kaiken sen\nmaan, mink\u00e4 is\u00e4si omisti ja sin\u00e4 perit h\u00e4nen j\u00e4lkeens\u00e4, mutta hankit\nsukulaisellesi Haraldille toisen valtakunnan, josta h\u00e4n voi saada\nkunniaa\".\n\"Mik\u00e4 valtakunta se olisi\", kysyy kuningas, \"jonka voin luovuttaa\nHaraldille, jos pid\u00e4n Tanskanmaan jakamattomana?\"\n\"Se on Norja\", vastaa jaarli. \"Sik\u00e4l\u00e4isi\u00e4 kuninkaita vihaa koko kansa,\nja joka mies toivoo heille turmaa, niinkuin luonnollista onkin.\"\nKuningas virkkaa: \"Norja on suuri maa ja sen kansa lujaa, ja vaikea on\nsit\u00e4 tavoitella muukalaisella sotajoukolla. Niin k\u00e4vi meid\u00e4n, kun\nHaakon suojeli maata, ett\u00e4 menetimme paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4, mutta emme\nsaavuttaneet voittoa. Ja Harald Eirikinpoika on minun kasvattini ja\npolvipoikani.\"\nSilloin jaarli sanoo: \"Kauan olen tiet\u00e4nyt, ett\u00e4 te olette usein\nantanut apua Gunhildin pojille, mutta he ovat kuitenkin palkinneet\nteit\u00e4 vain pahalla. Me saamme Norjan paljoa helpommin kuin h\u00e4vitt\u00e4m\u00e4ll\u00e4\nsit\u00e4 koko tanskalais-sotajoukolla. L\u00e4het\u00e4 sin\u00e4 sana kasvatillesi\nHaraldille ja pyyd\u00e4 h\u00e4nt\u00e4 ottamaan sinulta se maa ja l\u00e4\u00e4nitys, mik\u00e4\nheill\u00e4 ennen oli t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 Tanskassa. Kutsu h\u00e4net luoksesi; silloin\nKulta-Harald voi lyhyess\u00e4 ajassa voittaa Norjassa valtakunnan Harald\nHarmaaturkilta.\"\nKuningas vastaa, ett\u00e4 huonona ty\u00f6n\u00e4 pidet\u00e4\u00e4n kasvattinsa pett\u00e4mist\u00e4.\n\"Niin kai tanskalaiset sanovat\", virkkaa jaarli, \"ett\u00e4 parempi on\nsurmata norjalainen viikinki kuin tanskalainen kasvatusveli\". -- He\nkeskustelevat nyt kauan t\u00e4st\u00e4, kunnes sopivat asiasta.\nKulta-Harald saapuu j\u00e4lleen puhumaan Haakonin kanssa. Jaarli sanoo\nedist\u00e4neens\u00e4 h\u00e4nen asiaansa siten, ett\u00e4 nyt on hyvi\u00e4 toiveita siit\u00e4,\nett\u00e4 mahdollisesti h\u00e4nt\u00e4 varten on valmiina kuningaskunta Norjassa.\n\"Silloin me kaksi\", h\u00e4n lausuu, \"pid\u00e4mme lujana liittomme. Min\u00e4 voin\nsilloin antaa sinulle vankkaa tukea Norjassa.\"\nJaarli puhuu t\u00e4st\u00e4 Kulta-Haraldille, kunnes t\u00e4m\u00e4 pit\u00e4\u00e4 sit\u00e4 sopivana.\nSitten he keskustelevat usein kolmisin, kuningas, jaarli ja\nKulta-Harald. Sen j\u00e4lkeen kuningas l\u00e4hetti miehi\u00e4\u00e4n Norjaan Harald\nHarmaaturkin luo. Heid\u00e4n matkansa varustettiin hyvin, he saivat siell\u00e4\nsuopean vastaanoton ja tapasivat Harald kuninkaan; he toivat sen\nviestin, ett\u00e4 Haakon jaarli oli Tanskassa ja makasi kuolemansairaana ja\nmelkein mielipuolena, ja toisen sanan, ett\u00e4 Tanskan kuningas Harald\nkutsui kasvattinsa Harald Harmaaturkin luokseen antaakseen h\u00e4nelle\nl\u00e4\u00e4nityksen, niinkuin h\u00e4nell\u00e4 ja h\u00e4nen veljill\u00e4\u00e4n oli ennen ollut\nTanskassa, ja pyysi Haraldia saapumaan Jyllantiin.\nHarald Harmaaturkki esitti t\u00e4m\u00e4n asian Gunhildille ja yst\u00e4villens\u00e4;\nsiit\u00e4 lausuttiin erilaisia arveluita, muutamien mielest\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 retki ei\nollut turvallinen, niinkuin se nyt oli j\u00e4rjestetty, mutta useat\ntoivoivat, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n l\u00e4htisi, sill\u00e4 Norjassa oli niin suuri n\u00e4l\u00e4nh\u00e4t\u00e4,\nett\u00e4 kuninkaat t\u00f6in tuskin kykeniv\u00e4t el\u00e4tt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n miehi\u00e4\u00e4n. Mutta\nTanskassa vuodentulo oli jotensakin hyv\u00e4, ja ajateltiin sielt\u00e4 saatavan\nmit\u00e4 tarvittiin, jos Harald kuningas saisi sielt\u00e4 l\u00e4\u00e4nityksen. Niin\np\u00e4\u00e4tettiin ennen l\u00e4hettien l\u00e4ht\u00f6\u00e4, ett\u00e4 Harald kuningas saapuisi\nkes\u00e4ll\u00e4 Tanskan kuninkaan luo ottamaan vastaan kuningas Haraldin\ntarjouksen.\nHarald Harmaaturkki l\u00e4hti kes\u00e4ll\u00e4 Tanskaan, ja h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli kolme\nsuuralusta. H\u00e4n purjehti Vikenist\u00e4 Limfjordiin ja laski maihin\nHalsin[79] luona. H\u00e4nelle sanottiin, ett\u00e4 Tanskan kuningas saapuu pian.\nMutta saatuaan siit\u00e4 tiedon Kulta-Harald purjehti sinne yhdeks\u00e4ll\u00e4\nlaivalla; ne h\u00e4n oli varemmin varustanut viikinkiretke\u00e4 varten. Haakon\njaarli oli my\u00f6skin varustanut laivastonsa ja aikoi samaten l\u00e4hte\u00e4\nviikinkiretkelle; h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli kaksitoista alusta, kaikki isoja. Mutta\nkun Kulta-Harald oli l\u00e4htenyt pois, puhui Haakon jaarli kuninkaalle:\n\"Nyt en tied\u00e4, emmek\u00f6 joudu soutamaan vainotiet\u00e4 ja kuitenkin maksamaan\nsakkoja.[80] Nyt Kulta-Harald aikoo surmata Harald Harmaaturkin ja\nsitten anastaa kuningaskunnan Norjassa. Luuletko sin\u00e4, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n pysyy\nsinulle uskollisena, kun annat h\u00e4nelle niin suuren vallan? Niin h\u00e4n\nsanoi talvella minun l\u00e4sn\u00e4ollessani, ett\u00e4 surmaa sinut, jos saa\ntilaisuuden. Mutta min\u00e4 voitan Norjan sinun alaiseksesi ja surmaan\nKulta-Haraldin, jos lupaat minulle, ett\u00e4 helposti voimme sopia sen\nasian; min\u00e4 rupean silloin sinun jaarliksesi ja vahvistan sen valalla\nja valloitan Norjan sinun avullasi ja pid\u00e4n sitten maata valtakuntasi\nalaisena ja maksan sinulle veroa, ja silloin sin\u00e4 olet suurempi\nkuningas kuin is\u00e4si, jos hallitset kahta suurvaltakuntaa.\" -- T\u00e4st\u00e4\nsopivat kuningas ja jaarli; ja niin Haakon l\u00e4htee miehineen etsim\u00e4\u00e4n\nKulta-Haraldia.\nKulta-Harald saapui Limfjordin Halsiin ja vaati heti Harald\nHarmaaturkin taisteluun; vaikka t\u00e4ll\u00e4 oli v\u00e4hemm\u00e4n v\u00e4ke\u00e4, nousi h\u00e4n\nkuitenkin maihin, valmistausi taisteluun ja j\u00e4rjesti sotajoukkonsa.\nMutta ennenkuin rintamat k\u00e4viv\u00e4t toisiaan vastaan, kannusti Harald\nHarmaaturkki voimakkaasti miehi\u00e4\u00e4n ja kehoitti heit\u00e4 vet\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n\nmiekkansa; h\u00e4n riensi heti eteenp\u00e4in rintaman ensimm\u00e4isen\u00e4 ja iski\nkahden puolen. N\u00e4in laulaa Glum Geirenpoika:\n Sankarin sanoja virkkoi\n kantaja kalvan, mi kastoi\n verell\u00e4 vihollisten\n taistelukent\u00e4n tuon.\n Harald miehens\u00e4 miekan\n k\u00e4ytt\u00f6\u00f6n nyt k\u00e4ski;\n miehev\u00e4lt\u00e4 tuntui\n kutsu kuninkaan.\nSiin\u00e4 taistelussa kaatuivat Harald Harmaaturkki ja useimmat h\u00e4nen\nmiehist\u00e4\u00e4n.\nHaakon jaarli ja Kulta-Harald kohtasivat toisensa v\u00e4h\u00e4n sen j\u00e4lkeen\nkuin Harald Harmaaturkki oli kaatunut; silloin Haakon jaarli antautui\ntaisteluun Kulta-Haraldia vastaan, ja siin\u00e4 Haakon sai voiton, mutta\nHarald joutui vangiksi ja Haakon antoi ripustaa h\u00e4net hirteen. Sitten\nHaakon l\u00e4hti Tanskan kuninkaan luo ja sopi helposti h\u00e4nen kanssaan\nsukulaisensa surman.\nSen j\u00e4lkeen Harald kuningas m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si sotajoukon kokoontumaan koko\nvaltakunnastaan ja l\u00e4hti liikkeelle kuudellasadalla aluksella. H\u00e4nen\nmukanaan oli Haakon jaarli sek\u00e4 Harald Grenske, Gudr\u00f6d kuninkaanpoika,\nja useita muita suurmiehi\u00e4, jotka olivat paenneet tiluksiltaan\nGunhildin poikien t\u00e4hden. Tanskan kuningas purjehti laivastollaan\nVikeniin, ja siell\u00e4 kaikki kansa rupesi h\u00e4nen alamaisekseen. Mutta kun\nh\u00e4n saapui Tunsbergiin, pyrki suuri joukko miehi\u00e4 h\u00e4nen luokseen, ja\nkuningas Harald antoi koko sen sotajoukon, mik\u00e4 oli Norjassa\nker\u00e4\u00e4ntynyt h\u00e4nen avukseen, Haakon jaarlin johdettavaksi ja luovutti\nh\u00e4nelle hallittaviksi seitsem\u00e4n fylke\u00e4 samoilla ehdoilla kuin Harald\nKaunotukka asetti pojilleen, paitsi ett\u00e4 Haakon saisi ottaa siell\u00e4\nsamaten kuin Trondhjemissakin kaikki kuninkaankartanot ja kaiken\nmaaveron. Harald kuningas antoi Harald Grenskelle kuninkaannimen ja\nsuuren alueen samoilla ehdoilla, mitk\u00e4 h\u00e4nen sukulaisillaan oli ennen\nollut ja Harald Kaunotukka oli asettanut pojilleen. Harald Grenske oli\nsilloin kahdeksantoista talven ik\u00e4inen ja tuli sitten kuuluisaksi\nmieheksi. Sen j\u00e4lkeen Tanskan kuningas Harald l\u00e4hti kotiin koko\ntanskalaisjoukko mukanaan.\nHaakon jaarli matkasi miehineen pohjoista kohti. Mutta kun Gunhild ja\nh\u00e4nen poikansa saivat kuulla t\u00e4m\u00e4n sanoman, ryhtyiv\u00e4t he ker\u00e4\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n\nsotajoukkoa, mutta heid\u00e4n oli vaikea saada v\u00e4ke\u00e4. He turvautuivat\nj\u00e4lleen samaan neuvoon kuin ennenkin: p\u00e4\u00e4ttiv\u00e4t purjehtia l\u00e4nteen meren\npoikki niiden kera, jotka tahtoivat heit\u00e4 seurata; he l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t ensin\nOrkn-saarille ja viipyiv\u00e4t siell\u00e4 jonkun aikaa. Mutta Haakon jaarli\nalisti koko maan itselleen kuuliaiseksi ja asui sen talven\nTrondhjemissa.\nKuningas Ragnfr\u00f6d ja Gudr\u00f6d, n\u00e4m\u00e4 kaksi olivat nyt en\u00e4\u00e4 elossa Eirikin\nja Gunhildin pojista. Ragnfr\u00f6d varustausi matkaan kev\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 oltuaan\ntalven Orkn-saarilla. H\u00e4n purjehti it\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in Norjaan, ja h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli\nkomea sotajoukko ja suuria laivoja. Mutta Norjaan saavuttuaan h\u00e4n sai\nkuulla, ett\u00e4 Haakon jaarli oli Trondhjemissa. Ragnfr\u00f6d suuntasi silloin\nkulkunsa Stadin pohjoispuolelle ja h\u00e4vitti Etel\u00e4-M\u00f6re\u00e4; ja hiukan v\u00e4ke\u00e4\nliittyi h\u00e4neen, niinkuin usein tapahtuu sotajoukon kulkiessa kautta\nmaan, ett\u00e4 ne, jotka joutuvat sen valtaan, etsiv\u00e4t apua kukin sielt\u00e4,\nmiss\u00e4 se tuntuu sopivimmalta. Haakon jaarli sai kuulla, ett\u00e4 M\u00f6ress\u00e4\nvallitsi vainonajat. Jaarli kokosi silloin aluksia, antoi vuolla\nsotavasamia, varustausi joutuisasti ja purjehti merelle p\u00e4in vuonoa\npitkin. H\u00e4nen oli helppo saada v\u00e4ke\u00e4 mukaansa. Haakon jaarli ja\nRagnfr\u00f6d kohtasivat toisensa Etel\u00e4-M\u00f6ren pohjoisimmassa osassa. Jaarli\nryhtyi heti taisteluun; h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli enemm\u00e4n v\u00e4ke\u00e4, mutta pienemm\u00e4t\nlaivat. Taistelu oli ankara, ja Haakonin k\u00e4vi onnettomasti; taisteltiin\nkeulapuolella, niinkuin siihen aikaan oli tapana. Salmessa k\u00e4vi virta,\nja kaikki alukset ajautuivat yhdess\u00e4 maata kohti. Jaarli antoi my\u00f6skin\nsuunnata rantaa kohti sinnep\u00e4in, miss\u00e4 h\u00e4nest\u00e4 tuntui parhaalta nousta\nmaihin. Mutta kun alukset p\u00e4\u00e4siv\u00e4t matalalle, k\u00e4viv\u00e4t jaarli ja kaikki\nh\u00e4nen miehens\u00e4 laivoista ja vetiv\u00e4t ne ylemm\u00e4ksi, jotta viholliset\neiv\u00e4t saisi niit\u00e4 ulos vesille. Sitten jaarli j\u00e4rjesti joukkonsa\npartaalle ja yllytti Ragnfr\u00f6di\u00e4 nousemaan maihin. Ragnfr\u00f6din miehet\nasettuivat hiukan ulommaksi, ja nyt ammuskeltiin toisiaan jonkin aikaa;\nmutta Ragnfr\u00f6d ei tahtonut k\u00e4yd\u00e4 maihin, ja niin he erkanivat t\u00e4m\u00e4n\nj\u00e4lkeen. Ragnfr\u00f6d ohjasi laivastonsa Stadin etel\u00e4puolelle, sill\u00e4 h\u00e4n\npelk\u00e4si maasotajoukon ker\u00e4\u00e4ntyv\u00e4n Haakon jaarlin avuksi. Mutta jaarli\nei antautunut en\u00e4\u00e4 taisteluun, koska h\u00e4nen mielest\u00e4\u00e4n oli aluksissa\nliian suuri ero. Niin h\u00e4n palasi syksyll\u00e4 Trondhjemiin ja viipyi siell\u00e4\ntalven; mutta kuningas Ragnfr\u00f6dill\u00e4 oli hallussaan koko alue Stadin\netel\u00e4puolella. H\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli talvella luonaan suuri sotavoima, ja kev\u00e4\u00e4n\ntullessa h\u00e4n l\u00e4hetti sotakutsun ja sai paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4; h\u00e4n retkeili\nkaikissa n\u00e4iss\u00e4 fylkeiss\u00e4 ker\u00e4t\u00e4kseen miehi\u00e4 ja laivoja sek\u00e4 muita\nvarastoja, joita tarvitsi.\nKev\u00e4\u00e4n tullessa Haakon jaarli m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si v\u00e4ke\u00e4 ker\u00e4\u00e4ntym\u00e4\u00e4n aina maan\npohjoisosista asti. Niin on kerrottu, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli sotajoukkoa\nnelj\u00e4n heimokunnan alueelta; h\u00e4nt\u00e4 seurasi seitsem\u00e4n jaarlia, ja n\u00e4ill\u00e4\noli yhteens\u00e4 suuri m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4 miehi\u00e4.\nHaakon jaarli purjehti t\u00e4m\u00e4n sotajoukon kera etel\u00e4\u00e4n Stadin ohi.\nSilloin h\u00e4n sai kuulla, ett\u00e4 kuningas Ragnfr\u00f6d oli v\u00e4kineen l\u00e4htenyt\nsisemm\u00e4ksi Sogniin; h\u00e4n johti nyt miehens\u00e4 sinne ja kohtasi Ragnfr\u00f6din.\nJaarli laski laivansa maihin ja valitsi taistelukent\u00e4n; siell\u00e4 sukeusi\nankara taistelu. Haakon jaarlilla oli paljoa suurempi sotajoukko, ja\nh\u00e4n sai voiton. Kuningas Ragnfr\u00f6d pakeni aluksiinsa, mutta h\u00e4nen\njoukostaan kaatui kolmeasataa miest\u00e4. T\u00e4m\u00e4n taistelun j\u00e4lkeen kuningas\nRagnfr\u00f6d pakeni Norjasta, mutta Haakon jaarli palautti maahan rauhan ja\nantoi sen suuren sotajoukon, joka kes\u00e4ll\u00e4 oli h\u00e4nt\u00e4 seurannut, l\u00e4hte\u00e4\ntakaisin pohjoiseen.\nHaakon jaarli otti vaimokseen er\u00e4\u00e4n naisen nimelt\u00e4 Tora, Skage\nSkoftenpojan, er\u00e4\u00e4n mahtavan miehen tytt\u00e4ren. Tora oli hyvin kaunis.\nHaakon jaarli oli suuri naistensuosija, ja h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli monta lasta.\nEr\u00e4s tyt\u00e4r oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n Ragnhild; t\u00e4m\u00e4n h\u00e4n naitti Skofte\nSkagenpojalle, Toran veljelle. Jaarli rakasti Toraa niin suuresti, ett\u00e4\nt\u00e4m\u00e4n sukulaiset k\u00e4viv\u00e4t h\u00e4nelle rakkaammiksi kuin kaikki muut miehet;\nmutta Skoftella, h\u00e4nen v\u00e4vyll\u00e4\u00e4n, oli kuitenkin eniten sanottavaa\nkaikista sukulaisista. Jaarli antoi h\u00e4nelle suuria maatuloja M\u00f6rest\u00e4.\nMutta joka kerta, kun he olivat sotav\u00e4en kera liikkeell\u00e4, oli Skoften\nsijoitettava aluksensa l\u00e4himm\u00e4ksi jaarlin laivaa, eik\u00e4 kenell\u00e4k\u00e4\u00e4n\nollut lupaa ty\u00f6nty\u00e4 heid\u00e4n alustensa v\u00e4liin.\nTapahtui er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 kes\u00e4n\u00e4, ett\u00e4 jaarli oli liikkeell\u00e4 sotav\u00e4kineen;\nsilloin ohjasi Torleiv Viisas er\u00e4st\u00e4 purtta. Eirik oli my\u00f6skin mukana,\nh\u00e4n oli silloin kymmenen tai yhdentoista talven ik\u00e4inen. Kun illoin\nk\u00e4ytiin satamaan, ei Eirik sallinut purttansa laskettavan muualle kuin\nl\u00e4himm\u00e4ksi jaarlin laivaa. Mutta kun jouduttiin etel\u00e4\u00e4n M\u00f6ren vesille,\nsaapui jaarlin v\u00e4vy Skofte hyvin varustetulla sotapurrella. Ja kun he\nsoutivat laivastoa kohti, huusi Skofte, ett\u00e4 Torleiv luovuttaisi\npaikkansa h\u00e4nelle ja sijoittuisi ulommaksi. Eirik vastasi joutuisasti\nja kehoitti Skoftea asettumaan toiseen valkamaan. T\u00e4st\u00e4 kuuli Haakon\njaarli, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nen poikansa Eirik piti itse\u00e4\u00e4n nyt niin mahtavana,\nettei taipuisi Skoften tielt\u00e4. Jaarli huusi heti, ett\u00e4 heid\u00e4n oli\nsiirrytt\u00e4v\u00e4 valkamasta, muutoin heid\u00e4n k\u00e4visi pahemmin; h\u00e4n sanoi, ett\u00e4\nhe saisivat silloin selk\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4. Mutta kun Torleiv kuuli t\u00e4m\u00e4n, kutsui\nh\u00e4n miehi\u00e4\u00e4n ja k\u00e4ski heid\u00e4n siirt\u00e4\u00e4 purren, ja niin tehtiin. Sitten\nSkofte asettui sille paikalle, mink\u00e4 oli tottunut saamaan l\u00e4hinn\u00e4\njaarlin alusta. H\u00e4nen oli m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4 kertoa jaarlille kaikki uutiset, kun he\nolivat yhdess\u00e4, mutta jaarli kertoi Skoftelle uutisia, jos h\u00e4n kuuli ne\nensinn\u00e4; h\u00e4n sai nimen Uutis-Skofte.\nSeuraavan talven Eirik oli kasvatusis\u00e4ns\u00e4 Torleivin luona, mutta\nvarhain kev\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 h\u00e4n sai itselleen seurueen. Torleiv antoi h\u00e4nelle\nviisitoistatuhtoisen aluksen kaikkine varusteineen, veneteltan sek\u00e4\nruokavaroja. Sitten Eirik purjehti vuonoa pitkin etel\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in M\u00f6reen.\nUutis-Skofte purjehti t\u00e4ysin varustetulla viisitoistatuhtoisella\npurrella talojensa v\u00e4li\u00e4, mutta Eirik antautui heti taisteluun h\u00e4nt\u00e4\nvastaan. Siin\u00e4 kaatui Skofte, mutta Eirik armahti ne miehet, jotka\nolivat j\u00e4\u00e4neet henkiin. Sitten Eirik purjehti etel\u00e4\u00e4 kohti ja saapui\nTanskaan, l\u00e4hti kuningas Harald Gorminpojan luo ja oleskeli siell\u00e4\ntalven. Mutta seuraavana kev\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 Tanskan kuningas l\u00e4hetti Eirikin\nNorjaan ja antoi h\u00e4nelle jaarlinnimen ja sen ohella maata hallittavaksi\nsill\u00e4 ehdolla kuin verokuninkaille ennen oli ollut. Eirik jaarlista\ntuli sitten suuri p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6.\nOlavi Trygvenpoika oleskeli koko t\u00e4m\u00e4n ajan Gardariikissa, ja siell\u00e4\nkuningas Valdemar kunnioitti h\u00e4nt\u00e4 suuresti ja kuningatar h\u00e4nt\u00e4\nrakasti. Valdemar kuningas teki h\u00e4nest\u00e4 sen sotajoukon p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6n, jonka\nh\u00e4n l\u00e4hetti maata suojelemaan. Olavi oli muutamissa taisteluissa ja\nosoittautui oivalliseksi p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6ksi. H\u00e4n el\u00e4tti itse suuren joukon\nomia sotureita niill\u00e4 varoilla, joita kuningas h\u00e4nelle antoi. Olavi oli\nantelias miehi\u00e4\u00e4n kohtaan ja sai siit\u00e4 paljon yst\u00e4vi\u00e4.\nMutta niinkuin usein voi tapahtua, kun muukalainen korotetaan valtaan\ntai niin suureen kunniaan, ett\u00e4 joutuu kotimaisten miesten edelle, niin\nk\u00e4vi nytkin, ett\u00e4 useat alkoivat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 kadehtia, koska h\u00e4n oli\nkuninkaalle ja kuningattarellekin rakas. Moni puhui siit\u00e4 kuninkaalle,\nett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 varoisi tekem\u00e4st\u00e4 Olavia liian mahtavaksi; \"sill\u00e4 sellainen\nmies on teille vaarallisin, jos h\u00e4n haluaa ryhty\u00e4 tuottamaan teille ja\nvaltakunnallenne vahinkoa, kun on niin mainio ja suosittu kuin h\u00e4n;\nemme my\u00f6sk\u00e4\u00e4n tied\u00e4, mit\u00e4 h\u00e4n ja kuningatar alituiseen puhelevat\nkesken\u00e4\u00e4n\".\nMahtavien kuninkaiden luona oli yleiseen tapana, ett\u00e4 kuningattarella\noli puoli henkivartiota ja h\u00e4n el\u00e4tti sit\u00e4 omalla kustannuksellaan ja\nsai lis\u00e4ksi veroja ja maksuja, mik\u00e4li oli tarpeen. Niin oli my\u00f6skin\nkuningas Valdemarin luona, ettei kuningattarella ollut pienemp\u00e4\u00e4\nhenkivartiota kuin kuninkaalla, ja he kilpailivat suuresti voittaakseen\nmainioita miehi\u00e4 puolelleen. Nyt k\u00e4vi niin, ett\u00e4 kuningas alkoi uskoa\nmoisia puheita, ja h\u00e4n muuttui harvasanaiseksi ja t\u00f6yke\u00e4ksi Olavia\nkohtaan. Mutta t\u00e4m\u00e4n huomatessaan Olavi puhui siit\u00e4 kuningattarelle ja\nsanoi my\u00f6skin, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nt\u00e4 halutti l\u00e4hte\u00e4 takaisin pohjan maihin; h\u00e4n\nkertoi, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nen sukulaisillaan oli ennen ollut siell\u00e4 valtakunta, ja\nh\u00e4nest\u00e4 tuntui luultavalta, ett\u00e4 siell\u00e4 h\u00e4n saavuttaisi eniten\nmenestyst\u00e4. Kuningatar toivotti h\u00e4nelle onnellista matkaa ja sanoi,\nett\u00e4 h\u00e4n on pysyv\u00e4 mainiona miehen\u00e4, miss\u00e4 el\u00e4neekin. Sitten Olavi\nvarustausi matkalle, astui alukseensa ja suuntasi kulkunsa ulos\nIt\u00e4merelle. Mutta l\u00e4nteen p\u00e4in purjehtiessaan h\u00e4n saapui\nBorgundarholmiin,[81] nousi siell\u00e4 maihin ja h\u00e4vitteli; sen maan miehet\ntulivat rantaan ja ryhtyiv\u00e4t taisteluun, mutta Olavi sai voiton ja\npaljon sotasaalista.\nOlavin laivat olivat Borgundarholmin luona; silloin nousi rajus\u00e4\u00e4 ja\nmeri k\u00e4vi myrskyiseksi, niin etteiv\u00e4t he voineet pysytell\u00e4 siell\u00e4, vaan\npurjehtivat etel\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in Vendinmaan[82] rantaan ja saivat siell\u00e4 hyv\u00e4n\nsataman. He k\u00e4ytt\u00e4ytyiv\u00e4t rauhallisesti ja viipyiv\u00e4t siell\u00e4 jonkin\naikaa.\nBurislav[83] oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n Vendinmaan kuningas; h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli tytt\u00e4ri\u00e4\nGeira, Gunhild ja Astrid. Kuninkaantytt\u00e4rell\u00e4 Geiralla oli valtakunta\nsiell\u00e4, miss\u00e4 Olavi miehineen nousi maihin. Dixen oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n se\nmies, jolla oli eniten m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4\u00e4misvaltaa Geira kuningattaren hovissa.\nMutta kun he saivat kuulla, ett\u00e4 maihin oli saapunut tuntemattomia\nmiehi\u00e4, jotka k\u00e4ytt\u00e4ytyiv\u00e4t sopivasti ja rauhallisesti, silloin l\u00e4hti\nDixen heid\u00e4n luokseen viem\u00e4\u00e4n Geira kuningattarelta sellaisen sanoman,\nett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 halusi tarjota tulijoille talvimajan, koska kes\u00e4 oli kulunut\npitk\u00e4lle ja s\u00e4\u00e4 k\u00e4ynyt myrskyiseksi.\nSinne saavuttuaan Dixen huomasi heti, ett\u00e4 heid\u00e4n johtajansa oli\nerinomainen mies sek\u00e4 suvultaan ett\u00e4 ulkomuodoltaan. Dixen sanoi, ett\u00e4\nkuningatar kutsui heid\u00e4t luokseen yst\u00e4vyytt\u00e4\u00e4n vakuuttaen. Olavi otti\nkutsun vastaan ja l\u00e4hti talvella kuningatar Geiran luo; he mieltyiv\u00e4t\nmolemmat toisiinsa, niin ett\u00e4 Olavi kosi kuningatarta, ja niin\ntapahtui, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n sai sin\u00e4 talvena Geiran. Nyt h\u00e4n ryhtyi hallitsemaan\nsit\u00e4 valtakuntaa kuningattaren kanssa.\nTalvella Olavi l\u00e4hti niihin Vendinmaan kihlakuntiin, jotka olivat\nkuuluneet kuningatar Geiran valtaan, mutta vapauttaneet itsens\u00e4\nkuuliaisuudesta ja veroista. Siell\u00e4 Olavi h\u00e4vitteli, surmasi monta\nmiest\u00e4 ja poltti muutamilta talot, otti paljon tavaraa ja alisti\nvaltaansa ne maat; sitten h\u00e4n palasi linnaansa. Varhain kev\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 Olavi\nlaati laivansa kuntoon ja purjehti ulos merelle. H\u00e4n laski Sk\u00e5nen\nrannikolle ja nousi siell\u00e4 maihin; maan miehet kokoontuivat ja\ntaistelivat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan, mutta Olavi sai voiton ja suuren saaliin.\nSitten h\u00e4n purjehti it\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in Gotlantiin; siell\u00e4 h\u00e4n valtasi\nkauppalaivan, jonka jemtit omistivat. He puolustautuivat urhoollisesti,\nmutta lopulta Olavi raivasi laivan puhtaaksi, surmasi monta miest\u00e4 ja\notti kaiken tavaran. Kolmannen taistelun h\u00e4n suoritti Gotlannissa;\nsiell\u00e4 Olavi sai voiton ja paljon saalista.\nOlavi Trygvenpoika oli ollut kolme talvea Vendinmaassa, kun h\u00e4nen\nvaimonsa Geira sai taudin, joka tuotti h\u00e4nelle kuoleman. T\u00e4m\u00e4 suru\ntuntui Olavista niin raskaalta kantaa, ettei h\u00e4n sen koommin viihtynyt\nsiell\u00e4. H\u00e4n hankki siis itselleen sotalaivoja ja l\u00e4hti j\u00e4lleen\nvainoretkille, h\u00e4vitteli ensinn\u00e4 Friislantia, sitten Sakslantia ja\ntunkeutui aina Flemingelantiin[84] asti. N\u00e4in kertoo Halfr\u00f6d\nJuonikko-runoilija:[85]\n Paljon poika Trygven\n surmata sakseja antoi,\n ruumiit runnellut\n j\u00e4i susille sy\u00f6t\u00e4viksi.\n Ruhtinas, suosija urhoin,\n kyll\u00e4lt\u00e4 kukkain antoi\n juoda hurmetta ruskeaa\n friisein m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4tt\u00f6m\u00e4sti.\n Meriruhtinas mahtava silpoi\n ruumiita rannalla Valkeren.\n Korpeille kuningas j\u00e4tti\n flemingein lihaa sy\u00f6d\u00e4.[86]\nSen j\u00e4lkeen Olavi Trygvenpoika suuntasi matkansa Englantiin ja ry\u00f6steli\nsit\u00e4 laajalti; h\u00e4n k\u00e4vi my\u00f6skin Skotlannissa ja saarilla, sitten\nIrlannissa ja Bretlannissa ja monessa muussa maassa. Oltuaan nelj\u00e4\ntalvea sotaretkill\u00e4 h\u00e4n saapui saarille, joita nimitet\u00e4\u00e4n\nSyllingeiksi,[87] ne sijaitsevat meress\u00e4 l\u00e4nteen Englannista.\nSyllingeill\u00e4 Olavi Trygvenpoika sai kuulla, ett\u00e4 saarella oli\nennustaja, joka ilmaisi tulevaisia tapahtumia, ja moni uskoi, ett\u00e4\nusein k\u00e4vi h\u00e4nen sanainsa mukaan. Olavissa her\u00e4si halu koetella sen\nmiehen taitoa. H\u00e4n l\u00e4hetti kauneimman ja rotevimman miehens\u00e4, puettuna\nniin komeasti kuin mahdollista, ja k\u00e4ski t\u00e4m\u00e4n sanoa olevansa kuningas,\nsill\u00e4 Olavi oli tullut kuuluisaksi kautta kaikkien maiden siit\u00e4, ett\u00e4\noli muita miehi\u00e4 komeampi ja rotevampi, mutta Gardariikista l\u00e4hdetty\u00e4\u00e4n\nh\u00e4n nimitti itse\u00e4\u00e4n vain Oleksi ja sanoi olevansa gerdil\u00e4inen.[88]\nMutta kun l\u00e4hetti saapui ennustajan luo ja sanoi olevansa kuningas, sai\nh\u00e4n t\u00e4m\u00e4n vastauksen:\n\"Et ole sin\u00e4 kuningas; mutta se on neuvoni, ett\u00e4 olet kuninkaalle\nuskollinen.\"\nEik\u00e4 h\u00e4n sanonut enemp\u00e4\u00e4 t\u00e4lle miehelle. L\u00e4hetti palasi takaisin ja\nkertoi t\u00e4m\u00e4n Olaville, ja h\u00e4ness\u00e4 her\u00e4si nyt sit\u00e4 suurempi halu tavata\nt\u00e4m\u00e4 mies, kun sai kuulla sellaisen vastauksen, ja h\u00e4nest\u00e4 katosi\nep\u00e4ilys, ettei t\u00e4m\u00e4 ollut oikea ennustaja. Niin Olavi l\u00e4hti h\u00e4nen\nluokseen ja puheli h\u00e4nen kanssaan ja kysyi, mink\u00e4laiseksi h\u00e4n ennusti\nOlavin tulevaisuuden, voittaisiko h\u00e4n valtakunnan tai muuta onnea.\nErakko vastasi pyh\u00e4sti ennustaen:\n\"Sinusta tulee suuri kuningas, ja suuria t\u00f6it\u00e4 suoritat: sin\u00e4 saatat\npaljon ihmisi\u00e4 uskoon ja kasteeseen; sen kautta autat sek\u00e4 itse\u00e4si ett\u00e4\nuseita muita. Ja jotta et t\u00e4t\u00e4 ep\u00e4ilisi, niin saat t\u00e4m\u00e4n merkiksi:\naluksillasi kohtaat petosta ja vainolaisia ja joudut taisteluun,\nmenet\u00e4t muutamia miehi\u00e4 ja haavoitut itse. Siit\u00e4 haavasta joudut\nkuoleman kieliin, ja kilvell\u00e4 sinut kannetaan purteesi; mutta t\u00e4st\u00e4\nhaavasta paranet ennen seitsem\u00e4n y\u00f6n kuluttua, ja pian sen j\u00e4lkeen otat\nvastaan kasteen.\"\nSitten Olavi l\u00e4hti laivoilleen, ja siell\u00e4 h\u00e4n kohtasi vainolaisia,\njotka tahtoivat surmata h\u00e4net miehineen. Mutta ottelu p\u00e4\u00e4ttyi siten,\nkuin erakko oli h\u00e4nelle sanonut, ett\u00e4 Olavi kannettiin haavoittuneena\npurteensa, ja my\u00f6skin oli h\u00e4n terve seitsem\u00e4n y\u00f6n kuluttua. Nyt\nOlavista tuntui, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 mies oli puhunut h\u00e4nelle totta ja ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n\noli oikea ennustaja, mist\u00e4 h\u00e4n sitten lieneekin saanut t\u00e4m\u00e4n\nennustuksen. Silloin Olavi l\u00e4hti toisen kerran miest\u00e4 tapaamaan, puheli\nkauan h\u00e4nen kanssaan ja tiedusteli tarkoin, mist\u00e4 h\u00e4n sai sen\nviisauden, ett\u00e4 osasi tulevaisia ennustaa. Erakko sanoi, ett\u00e4\nkristittyjen jumala itse salli h\u00e4nen tiet\u00e4\u00e4 kaiken, mit\u00e4 h\u00e4n halusi, ja\nkertoi Olaville paljon Jumalan suurt\u00f6ist\u00e4. Ja n\u00e4iden puheiden j\u00e4lkeen\nOlavi suostui ottamaan vastaan kasteen, ja niin tapahtui, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n\nkastettiin kaikkine seuralaisineen. Varsin kauan h\u00e4n viipyi siell\u00e4\noppien oikeata uskoa, ja l\u00e4htiess\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4n otti mukaansa pappeja ja muita\nhengellisi\u00e4.\nSyllingeilt\u00e4 Olavi purjehti syksyll\u00e4 Englantiin; h\u00e4n viipyi siell\u00e4\nsatamassa ja k\u00e4ytt\u00e4ytyi nyt rauhallisesti, sill\u00e4 Englanti oli kristitty\nmaa ja h\u00e4nkin oli nyt kristitty. Siell\u00e4 levisi kautta maan\nk\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4viesti, ett\u00e4 kaikkien miesten oli saavuttava k\u00e4r\u00e4jille. Mutta\nniiden kokoonnuttua saapui kuningatar nimelt\u00e4 Gyda, jonka veli Olavi\nKvaran (\"kenk\u00e4\") oli kuninkaana Irlannin Dublinissa.[89] Gyda oli ollut\nnaimisissa Englannissa er\u00e4\u00e4n mahtavan jaarlin kanssa; t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli silloin\nkuollut, mutta h\u00e4n hallitsi valtakuntaa miehens\u00e4 kuoleman j\u00e4lkeen.\nMutta h\u00e4nen valtakunnassaan oli mies nimelt\u00e4 Alvine, suuri sankari ja\nsodank\u00e4vij\u00e4. H\u00e4n oli kosinut Gydaa, mutta t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli vastannut, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n\nhalusi valita, kenet tahtoisi ottaa valtakuntansa miehist\u00e4, ja nyt\nolivat k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t koolla sit\u00e4 varten, ett\u00e4 Gyda valitsisi itselleen\nmiehen. Niille oli Alvine saapunut parhaisiin vaatteisiinsa\nkoristautuneena, ja paljon muitakin oli siell\u00e4 hyvin puettuina. Olavi\noli tullut sinne, ja h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli yll\u00e4\u00e4n myrskyasunsa ja p\u00e4\u00e4llimm\u00e4isen\u00e4\nkarvainen viitta; h\u00e4n seisoi seurueineen muita ulompaua.\nGyda k\u00e4yskenteli tarkastaen jokaista miest\u00e4, joka n\u00e4ytti h\u00e4nest\u00e4\nmiehev\u00e4lt\u00e4. Mutta saavuttuaan sinne, miss\u00e4 Olavi seisoi, h\u00e4n katsoi\nt\u00e4t\u00e4 kasvoihin ja kysyi, mik\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli miehi\u00e4\u00e4n. H\u00e4n nimitti itse\u00e4\u00e4n\nOleksi: \"olen t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 muukalainen\", h\u00e4n sanoi. Gyda virkkoi:\n\"Jos huolit minusta, niin valitsen sinut.\"\n\"Sit\u00e4 tarjousta en tahdo ev\u00e4t\u00e4\", sanoi Olavi ja kysyi h\u00e4nen nime\u00e4\u00e4n,\nsyntyper\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4 ja sukuaan.\n\"Min\u00e4 olen\", h\u00e4n virkkoi, \"kuninkaantyt\u00e4r Irlannista. Olin t\u00e4ss\u00e4 maassa\nnaimisissa er\u00e4\u00e4n jaarlin kanssa, joka hallitsi t\u00e4t\u00e4 valtakuntaa. H\u00e4nen\nkuoltuaan olen itse hallinnut maata. Moni mies on kosinut minua, mutta\nei yksik\u00e4\u00e4n sellainen, jonka kanssa olisin tahtonut menn\u00e4 naimisiin, ja\nnimeni on Gyda.\"\nH\u00e4n oli nuori ja kaunis; Olavi ja h\u00e4n puhelevat nyt asiasta ja tulevat\nyksimielisiksi, ja Olavi kihlaa Gydan.\nAlvine on t\u00e4st\u00e4 varsin pahoillaan; mutta Englannissa oli tapa\nsellainen, ett\u00e4 kahden kilpaillessa jostakin oli ryhdytt\u00e4v\u00e4 taisteluun.\nNiin Alvine haastaa Olavin ottelemaan t\u00e4st\u00e4 asiasta. He sopivat\ntaistelupaikasta, ja siin\u00e4 tulee olla kaksitoista miest\u00e4 kummallakin\npuolella. Mutta kun he kohtaavat toisensa, sanoo Olavi miehilleen, ett\u00e4\nheid\u00e4n tulee tehd\u00e4 h\u00e4nen laillaan; h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli iso sotakirves. Kun\nAlvine tavoitteli h\u00e4nt\u00e4 miekallaan, iski Olavi sen h\u00e4nen k\u00e4dest\u00e4\u00e4n ja\nosasi toisella ly\u00f6nnill\u00e4 niin, ett\u00e4 Alvine kaatui. Sitten Olavi sitoi\nAlvinen. Niin k\u00e4vi Alvinen kaikkien miesten, ett\u00e4 he joutuivat\ntappiolle ja sidottiin ja kuljetettiin Olavin majapaikkaan. Sitten h\u00e4n\nk\u00e4ski Alvinen l\u00e4hte\u00e4 pois maasta ikip\u00e4iviksi, mutta Olavi anasti koko\nh\u00e4nen omaisuutensa. Olavi sai sitten Gydan ja asusti Englannissa,\ntoisinaan Irlannissa.\nKerran, kun Olavi oli Irlannissa sotaretkell\u00e4 ja he kulkivat aluksilla\nja oli pakko turvautua rantary\u00f6st\u00f6\u00f6n, k\u00e4viv\u00e4t miehet maihin ja ajoivat\nrantaan joukon karjaa. Silloin tuli muuan talonpoika j\u00e4ljess\u00e4 ja pyysi\nOlavilta takaisin lehmi\u00e4, jotka h\u00e4n omisti. Olavi kehoitti h\u00e4nt\u00e4\nottamaan lehm\u00e4ns\u00e4, jos voi ne l\u00f6yt\u00e4\u00e4: \"mutta \u00e4l\u00e4 hidastuta meid\u00e4n\nmatkaamme\". Talonpojalla oli mukanaan iso koira; h\u00e4n usutti sen\nkarjalaumaan, ja siin\u00e4 ajettiin satoja lehmi\u00e4. Mutta koira juoksenteli\nlaumassa ja ajoi esiin niin monta lehm\u00e4\u00e4, kuin talonpoika sanoi\nomistavansa, ja ne olivat kaikki merkityt samalla lailla. He arvelivat\nt\u00e4st\u00e4, ett\u00e4 koira oli valinnut oikein, ja se oli heist\u00e4 merkillisen\nviisas el\u00e4in. Silloin Olavi kysyi, tahtoiko talonpoika antaa koiran\nh\u00e4nelle; \"kernaasti\", sanoi talonpoika. Olavi antoi h\u00e4nelle heti\nvastalahjaksi kultarenkaan ja lupasi h\u00e4nelle yst\u00e4vyytens\u00e4. Sit\u00e4 koiraa\nnimitettiin Vigeniksi, ja se oli paras kaikista koirista; se oli\nOlavilla kauan sen j\u00e4lkeen.\nHaakon jaarli hallitsi Norjaa eik\u00e4 suorittanut mit\u00e4\u00e4n veroa siit\u00e4\nsyyst\u00e4, ett\u00e4 Tanskan kuningas lahjoitti h\u00e4nelle kaiken sen, mit\u00e4\nkuninkaalle tuli Norjasta, koska jaarlilla oli vaivaa ja kustannuksia\npuolustaessaan maata Gunhildin poikia vastaan. Mutta koska Harald\nkuningas oli ottanut vastaan kristinuskon, tahtoi h\u00e4n, ett\u00e4 my\u00f6skin\nHaakon jaarli antaisi kastaa itsens\u00e4. H\u00e4n kutsui jaarlin luokseen, ja\nh\u00e4nen vaatimuksestaan t\u00e4m\u00e4 kastettiin kaikkine seuralaisineen. Kuningas\nantoi h\u00e4nelle sitten pappeja ja muita hengellisi\u00e4 ja sanoi, ett\u00e4 jaarli\nkastattaisi kaiken kansan Norjassa. Niin he erosivat, ja Haakon jaarli\nl\u00e4hti ulos merelle odottaen siell\u00e4 my\u00f6t\u00e4ist\u00e4 tuulta.\nMutta kun nousi sellainen tuuli, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n arveli p\u00e4\u00e4sev\u00e4ns\u00e4 ulapalle,\najoi h\u00e4n maihin kaikki hengelliset, mutta purjehti itse merelle. Jaarli\nlaski it\u00e4\u00e4n Juutinrauman kautta h\u00e4vitellen maata molemmin puolin. Mutta\nsaavuttuaan It\u00e4-G\u00f6\u00f6tanmaan kohdalle h\u00e4n laski maihin ja valmisti siell\u00e4\nsuuren uhrin; silloin saapui lent\u00e4en kaksi korppia, jotka koikkuivat\n\u00e4\u00e4nekk\u00e4\u00e4sti. Jaarli p\u00e4\u00e4tteli t\u00e4st\u00e4, ett\u00e4 Oden oli ottanut vastaan uhrin\nja h\u00e4n saisi nyt hyv\u00e4n sotaonnen. Jaarli poltti kaikki laivansa, k\u00e4vi\nmaihin miehineen ja retkeili kaikkialla vainonkilpe\u00e4 kantaen, kunnes\nsaapui Norjaan. Siell\u00e4 h\u00e4n kulki maitse aina Trondhjemiin asti.\nTanskan kuningas Harald Gorminpoika sai kuulla, ett\u00e4 Haakon jaarli oli\nluopunut kristinuskosta ja h\u00e4vitellyt laajalti h\u00e4nen maataan. Silloin\nHarald kuningas kutsui sotajoukon koolle ja l\u00e4hti sitten Norjaan. Ja\nsaavuttuaan siihen valtakuntaan, joka Haakon jaarlilla oli\nhallittavana, h\u00e4n h\u00e4vitti koko maan, mutta kaikki kansa pakeni\ntuntureille vieden mukanaan mink\u00e4 voi kuljettaa.\nSitten Tanskan kuningas aikoi purjehtia sotajoukkoineen Islantiin\nkostaakseen sen h\u00e4pe\u00e4n, ett\u00e4 kaikki islantilaiset olivat sepitt\u00e4neet\nh\u00e4nest\u00e4 pilkkarunoja. Islannissa oli s\u00e4\u00e4detty laki, ett\u00e4 laadittaisiin\nTanskan kuninkaasta herjauslaulu jokaista ihmist\u00e4 kohti, mik\u00e4 maassa\nasusti. Syyn\u00e4 oli se, ett\u00e4 muuan alus, jonka islantilaiset omistivat,\noli tehnyt haaksirikon Tanskan rannikolla, mutta tanskalaiset anastivat\nkaiken tavaran ja sanoivat sit\u00e4 hylkytavaraksi; ja se, joka t\u00e4m\u00e4n asian\nratkaisi, oli kuninkaan kartanonhoitaja.\nKuningas Harald k\u00e4ski er\u00e4\u00e4n taikataitoisen miehen menn\u00e4 salaa Islantiin\ntutkimaan, mit\u00e4 saisi tietoonsa; mies l\u00e4hti valaan hahmossa. Mutta\nperille saavuttuaan h\u00e4n liikkui l\u00e4nteen p\u00e4in maan pohjanpuolta. H\u00e4n\nn\u00e4ki, ett\u00e4 kaikki tunturit ja kummut olivat t\u00e4ynn\u00e4 maahisia, toiset\nisoja, toiset pieni\u00e4. Mutta enn\u00e4tetty\u00e4\u00e4n Vaapnafjordin edustalle h\u00e4n\ntunkeutui vuonoon ja aikoi nousta maihin. Silloin saapui iso\nlouhik\u00e4\u00e4rme alas laaksosta, ja sit\u00e4 seurasi joukko k\u00e4\u00e4rmeit\u00e4, konnia ja\nsisiliskoja, ja ne puhalsivat sappea h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan. Mutta h\u00e4n l\u00e4hti\npois luodetta kohti aina Eyjafjordiin asti; h\u00e4n tunkeutui siihen\nvuonoon, mutta siell\u00e4 h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan tuli lintu niin iso, ett\u00e4 siivet\ntapailivat tuntureita molemmin puolin, ja sen kera joukko muita\nlintuja, toiset isoja, toiset pieni\u00e4. Pois l\u00e4hti h\u00e4n sielt\u00e4 l\u00e4nteen\np\u00e4in ja sitten etel\u00e4\u00e4n Breidefjordiin asti ja suuntasi kulkunsa\nvuonoon. Siell\u00e4 h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan tuli iso h\u00e4rk\u00e4, se kahlasi mereen ja\nalkoi mylvi\u00e4 kamalasti; joukko maahisia seurasi sit\u00e4. Pois l\u00e4hti h\u00e4n\nsielt\u00e4 ja aikoi nyt nousta maihin Reykjanesin etel\u00e4puolella. Siell\u00e4\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan k\u00e4vi j\u00e4ttil\u00e4inen, jolla oli k\u00e4dess\u00e4\u00e4n rautasauva ja joka\npiti p\u00e4\u00e4t\u00e4\u00e4n tuntureita korkeammalla, ja joukko muita j\u00e4ttej\u00e4 oli sen\nseurassa. Sielt\u00e4 h\u00e4n l\u00e4hti it\u00e4\u00e4n: \"siell\u00e4 ei ollut mit\u00e4\u00e4n muuta\", h\u00e4n\nsanoi, \"kuin hiekkaa ja er\u00e4maita ja rajuja rantahyrskyj\u00e4 ulkopuolella,\nmutta meri niin avara maiden v\u00e4lill\u00e4, ettei siell\u00e4 voi purjehtia\nsuurpursillakaan\". -- Sitten Tanskan kuningas palasi sotajoukkoineen\netel\u00e4\u00e4n ja poistui Tanskaan; mutta Haakon jaarli antoi asuttaa maan\nuudelleen eik\u00e4 sen koommin maksanut mit\u00e4\u00e4n veroa kuninkaalle.\nKuningas Haraldin poika Svein -- h\u00e4n jota sitten sanottiin\nKaksiparraksi -- vaati valtakuntaa is\u00e4lt\u00e4\u00e4n; mutta nyt oli asian laita\nedelleen niinkuin ennenkin, ettei Harald kuningas halunnut jakaa\nTanskaa kahtia antaakseen h\u00e4nelle valtakunnan. Silloin Svein ker\u00e4\u00e4\nsotalaivansa ja sanoo aikovansa viikinkiretkelle. Mutta laivaston\nkokoonnuttua Svein suuntasi kulkunsa Seelantiin ja siell\u00e4 Isefjordiin.\nVuonossa oli h\u00e4nen is\u00e4ns\u00e4 Harald kuningas aluksineen, ja he\nvarustausivat vainoretkelle l\u00e4htem\u00e4\u00e4n. Svein ryhtyi taistelemaan h\u00e4nt\u00e4\nvastaan, ja siin\u00e4 sukeusi suuri taistelu; silloin riensi v\u00e4ke\u00e4 Harald\nkuninkaan luo, joten Sveinin t\u00e4ytyi v\u00e4isty\u00e4 ylivoimaa ja h\u00e4n pakeni.\nSiin\u00e4 Harald kuningas sai sellaisia haavoja, ett\u00e4 kuoli. Sitten\notettiin Svein Tanskan kuninkaaksi.\nSilloin vallitsi Sigvalde jaarli Vendinmaan Jomsborgia.[90] H\u00e4n oli\nottanut Svein kuninkaan vangiksi ja vienyt h\u00e4net linnaansa ja pakotti\nh\u00e4net tekem\u00e4\u00e4n sovinnon vendil\u00e4iskuninkaan Burislavin kanssa; h\u00e4nell\u00e4\nitsell\u00e4\u00e4n oli silloin puolisona Burislavin tyt\u00e4r Astrid. Sigvalde\njaarli m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si my\u00f6skin sovintoehdot; muussa tapauksessa sanoi jaarli\naikovansa luovuttaa Sveinin vendien valtaan. Mutta kuningas tiesi, ett\u00e4\nn\u00e4m\u00e4 kiduttaisivat h\u00e4net hengilt\u00e4; h\u00e4n suostui siis siihen, ett\u00e4 jaarli\nsaisi v\u00e4litt\u00e4\u00e4 sovinnon. Jaarli tuomitsi niin, ett\u00e4 Svein kuningas\nsaisi kuningas Burislavin tytt\u00e4ren Gunhildin, kuningas Burislav taasen\nsaisi Tyra Haraldintytt\u00e4ren, Svein kuninkaan sisaren, mutta molemmat\npit\u00e4isiv\u00e4t valtakuntansa ja heid\u00e4n v\u00e4lill\u00e4\u00e4n vallitsisi rauha. Sen\nj\u00e4lkeen Svein kuningas palasi Tanskaan puolisonsa Gunhildin kera;\nheid\u00e4n poikiaan olivat Harald ja Knut Suuri. Niihin aikoihin\ntanskalaiset uhkasivat ankarasti l\u00e4hte\u00e4 Norjaan Haakon jaarlia vastaan.\nSvein kuningas laati suuret pidot ja kutsui niihin kaikki p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6t\nvaltakunnastaan; h\u00e4nen oli m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4 ottaa haltuunsa perint\u00f6 is\u00e4ns\u00e4\nHaraldin j\u00e4lkeen. Kuningas l\u00e4hetti silloin my\u00f6skin jomsviikingeille\nsanan, ett\u00e4 Sigvalde jaarli ja Borgundarholmin Bue Digre ja heid\u00e4n\nveljens\u00e4 saapuivat sinne. Jomsviikingit l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t kesteihin mukanaan\nurheimmat miehens\u00e4; heill\u00e4 oli nelj\u00e4kymment\u00e4 alusta Vendinmaasta ja\nkaksikymment\u00e4 Sk\u00e5nesta.\nEnsimm\u00e4isen\u00e4 kestip\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4, ennenkuin Svein kuningas nousi is\u00e4ns\u00e4\nkunniasijalle, h\u00e4n joi t\u00e4m\u00e4n muistomaljan ja teki sellaisen lupauksen,\nett\u00e4 ennenkuin kolme talvea oli kulunut, h\u00e4n olisi sotajoukkoineen\nEnglannissa ja surmaisi kuningas Adalraadin[91] tai karkoittaisi h\u00e4net\nmaasta. T\u00e4m\u00e4 muistomalja oli kaikkien juotava, jotka olivat mukana\nperint\u00f6pidoissa. Jomsviikinkien p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6ille kaadettiin v\u00e4kevint\u00e4\njuomaa suurimpiin sarviin. Mutta kun malja oli tyhjennetty, oli\nkaikkien miesten juotava Kristuksen muistomalja, ja jomsviikingeille\nkannettiin aina t\u00e4ysimm\u00e4t maljat ja v\u00e4kevint\u00e4 juomaa. Kolmas oli\nMikalin muistomalja, ja sen joivat kaikki. T\u00e4m\u00e4n j\u00e4lkeen Sigvalde\njaarli joi is\u00e4ns\u00e4 muistomaljan ja teki sitten sen lupauksen, ett\u00e4\nennenkuin kolme talvea oli kulunut, h\u00e4n l\u00e4htisi Norjaan ja surmaisi\nHaakon jaarlin tai karkoittaisi t\u00e4m\u00e4n maasta. Sitten lupasi Torkel\nKorkea, h\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n seuraisi Sigvalde jaarlia Norjaan eik\u00e4\npakenisi taistelusta, niin kauan kuin Sigvalde pysyi paikallaan. Nyt\nlupasi Bue Digre, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n l\u00e4htisi heid\u00e4n kerallaan Norjaan eik\u00e4\npakenisi Haakon jaarlia taistelussa. Sitten lupasi h\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4\nSigurd, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n l\u00e4htisi Norjaan eik\u00e4 pakenisi, niin kauan kuin suurin\nosa jomsviikinkej\u00e4 taisteli. Sitten lupasi Vagn Aakenpoika, Buen\nsisarenpoika, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n l\u00e4htisi heid\u00e4n kerallaan Norjaan eik\u00e4 palaisi\ntakaisin, ennenkuin oli surmannut Torkel Leiran ja k\u00e4ynyt vuoteeseen\nt\u00e4m\u00e4n tytt\u00e4ren Ingebj\u00e5rgin viereen. Moni muukin p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6 teki\nlupauksia. Sin\u00e4 p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 miehet joivat perint\u00f6olutta; mutta seuraavana\naamuna, nukuttuaan kyllikseen, jomsviikingeist\u00e4 tuntui, ett\u00e4 he olivat\npuhuneet liikoja, ja he kokoontuivat nyt neuvottelemaan, miten\nmenettelisiv\u00e4t retkeens\u00e4 n\u00e4hden. He sopivat siit\u00e4, ett\u00e4 varustautuvat\nniin joutuin kuin mahdollista, ja j\u00e4rjest\u00e4v\u00e4t nyt aluksensa ja\nsotajoukkonsa kuntoon. Siit\u00e4 levisi huhu laajalle kautta maiden.\nEirik jaarli Haakoninpoika sai kuulla t\u00e4m\u00e4n sanoman. H\u00e4n ker\u00e4si heti\nv\u00e4ke\u00e4 ymp\u00e4rilleen ja matkasi sitten tunturien poikki Trondhjemiin\nis\u00e4ns\u00e4 luo. Molemmat jaarlit veist\u00e4ttiv\u00e4t vainovasamia ja l\u00e4hettiv\u00e4t\nsanan kautta maiden aina Haalogalantiin asti kutsuen kokoon v\u00e4ke\u00e4 ja\naluksia. Haakon jaarli l\u00e4hti heti etel\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in M\u00f6reen vakoilemaan ja\nv\u00e4ke\u00e4 kokoamaan, mutta Eirik ker\u00e4si sotajoukon ja johdatti sen etel\u00e4n\npuolelle.\nJomsviikingit suuntasivat laivastonsa Limfjordiin ja purjehtivat sielt\u00e4\nulos merelle. Haakon jaarlin valtakuntaan saavuttuaan he k\u00e4yv\u00e4t heti\nry\u00f6st\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n ja matkaavat pohjoiseen p\u00e4in kaikkialla vainokilpe\u00e4 kantaen.\nGeirmundiksi nimitet\u00e4\u00e4n muuatta miest\u00e4, joka purjehti nopealla purrella\nmukanaan muutamia miehi\u00e4. H\u00e4n saapui M\u00f6reen ja tapasi siell\u00e4 Haakon\njaarlin, astui p\u00f6yd\u00e4n \u00e4\u00e4reen ja kertoi uutisen, ett\u00e4 etel\u00e4puolella oli\nsotajoukko, Tanskasta tullut. Jaarli kysyi, tiesik\u00f6 h\u00e4n sen varmasti.\nGeirmund kohotti toista k\u00e4sivarttaan, ja siit\u00e4 oli k\u00e4si ly\u00f6ty poikki,\nja sanoi, ett\u00e4 siin\u00e4 oli merkki sotajoukon saapumisesta. Sitten jaarli\ntiedusteli tarkoin t\u00e4st\u00e4 sotajoukosta. Geirmund sanoo, ett\u00e4\njomsviikingit olivat tulleet ja surmanneet monta miest\u00e4 ja rosvoilleet\nlaajalti. \"He kulkevat\", h\u00e4n virkkaa, \"joutuin ja hurjasti. Enp\u00e4 luule\nkauan kest\u00e4v\u00e4n, ennenkuin he saapuvat n\u00e4ille maille.\" Sitten jaarli\nsouti kaikkien vuonojen kautta, sis\u00e4\u00e4n toisesta v\u00e4yl\u00e4st\u00e4 ja ulos\ntoisesta; h\u00e4n kulki y\u00f6t\u00e4 ja p\u00e4iv\u00e4\u00e4 ja piti vakoojia liikkeell\u00e4, sek\u00e4\netel\u00e4n puolella vuonoissa ett\u00e4 pohjan puolella, miss\u00e4 Eirik liikkui\nsotajoukon kanssa. Mutta Eirik jaarli kulki etel\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in niin nopeasti\nkuin taisi.\nSigvalde jaarli suuntasi laivastonsa pohjoista kohti. Mutta vaikka\nviikingit tapasivatkin maan asukkaita, eiv\u00e4t n\u00e4m\u00e4 koskaan ilmoittaneet\ntotuuden mukaisesti, mit\u00e4 jaarleilla oli tekeill\u00e4. Viikingit\nh\u00e4vitteliv\u00e4t kaikkialla, minne saapuivat. He laskivat H\u00e5d-saaren[92]\nrantaan, nousivat siell\u00e4 maihin ja rosvosivat, kuljettivat aluksille\nsek\u00e4 v\u00e4ke\u00e4 ett\u00e4 karjaa, mutta surmasivat kaikki asekuntoiset miehet.\nMutta heid\u00e4n k\u00e4ydess\u00e4\u00e4n alas laivoilleen saapui heid\u00e4n luokseen vanha\ntalonpoika. H\u00e4n sanoi:\n\"Ette te liiku sodank\u00e4vij\u00e4in lailla, ajatte vain rantaan lehmi\u00e4 ja\nvasikoita; suuremman saaliin te saisitte, jos valtaisitte karhun, joka\nnyt on joutumaisillaan karhunkuoppaan.\"\n\"Mit\u00e4 mies haastelee?\" he huutavat; \"voitko kertoa meille jotain Haakon\njaarlista?\"\nTalonpoika vastaa:\n\"H\u00e4n purjehti eilen Hj\u00e5runda-vuonoon; h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli laiva tai pari, ei\nniit\u00e4 ollut ainakaan kolmea enemp\u00e4\u00e4, eik\u00e4 h\u00e4n ollut siihen menness\u00e4\nkuullut mit\u00e4\u00e4n teist\u00e4.\"\nBue ja h\u00e4nen miehens\u00e4 rynt\u00e4siv\u00e4t heti aluksilleen ja j\u00e4ttiv\u00e4t kaiken\nsaaliin j\u00e4lkeens\u00e4. Bue virkkoi:\n\"K\u00e4ytt\u00e4k\u00e4\u00e4mme nyt hyv\u00e4ksemme sit\u00e4, ett\u00e4 olemme saaneet uutisia, niin\nett\u00e4 voimme olla l\u00e4himp\u00e4n\u00e4 voittoa.\"\nMutta aluksiinsa p\u00e4\u00e4sty\u00e4\u00e4n he soutivat heti ulos rannasta. Sigvalde\njaarli huusi heille tiedustellen kuulumisia. He sanoivat, ett\u00e4 Haakon\njaarli oli siell\u00e4 vuonossa. Sitten jaarli p\u00e4\u00e4sti laivastonsa irti, ja\nhe l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t soutaen kiert\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n saarta.\nHaakon jaarli ja h\u00e4nen poikansa Eirik jaarli olivat koonneet\nlaivastonsa siihen l\u00e4hitienoille; heill\u00e4 oli puolitoista sataa[93]\nalusta, ja he olivat kuulleet jomsviikinkien saapuneen H\u00e5diin. Jaarlit\nsoutivat nyt pohjoista kohti n\u00e4it\u00e4 etsi\u00e4kseen, ja Hj\u00e5rungavaagiin\nsaavuttuaan he tapasivat vihollisensa. Molemmin puolin j\u00e4rjestet\u00e4\u00e4n\nlaivastot taisteluun. Keskell\u00e4 laivastoa oli Sigvalde jaarlin viiri,\nsit\u00e4 vastaan asettui Haakon jaarli; Sigvaldella oli kaksikymment\u00e4\nalusta, mutta Haakonilla kuusikymment\u00e4. Toisella sivustalla olivat Bue\nDigre ja h\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4 Sigurd kahdenkymmenen laivan kera; n\u00e4it\u00e4\nvastaan johti Eirik jaarli Haakoninpoika kuuttakymment\u00e4 laivaa.\nToisella sivustalla ohjasi Vagn Aakenpoika kahtakymment\u00e4 alusta, mutta\nn\u00e4it\u00e4 vastassa oli kuusikymment\u00e4 laivaa.\nSitten laivastot iskiv\u00e4t yhteen, ja nyt sukeusi mit\u00e4 hurjin taistelu,\nja paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4 kaatui molemmin puolin, mutta enemm\u00e4n kuitenkin\nHaakonin joukosta, sill\u00e4 jomsviikingit taistelivat voimakkaasti ja\nrohkeasti ja tuimasti ja ampuivat suoraan kilpien puhki. Niin monta\nasetta suunnattiin kohti Haakon jaarlia, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nen panssarinsa k\u00e4vi\naivan kuluneeksi ja hy\u00f6dytt\u00f6m\u00e4ksi, joten h\u00e4n heitti sen ylt\u00e4\u00e4n. Siit\u00e4\npuhuu Tind Halkelinpoika:\n Vaatetta, min valmisti\n kultakoru-nainen\n (kasvoi kalpain kalske)\n k\u00e4ynyt ei k\u00e4ytt\u00e4minen,\n kun panssariurhon\n uhrata t\u00e4ytyi\n merikuninkaan paita\n (raivattiin meriratsut);\n kun rannalla rikki\n rengaspaita S\u00e5rlen\n jaarlilta murtui\n (merkkej\u00e4 siit\u00e4 h\u00e4n sai).\nJomsviikingeill\u00e4 oli isommat ja korkealaitaisemmat laivat, mutta\nmolemmin puolin ty\u00f6nnyttiin rohkeasti eteenp\u00e4in. Vagn Aakenpoika\ntunkeutui niin rajusti p\u00e4in Svein Haakoninpojan laivaa, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4\nv\u00e4istyi siit\u00e4 ja oli l\u00e4htem\u00e4isill\u00e4\u00e4n pakoon. Silloin Eirik jaarli\nsiirtyi sinne ja asettui rintamaan Vagnia vastaan. Vagn per\u00e4ytyi\nvuorostaan, ja laivat olivat nyt entisell\u00e4\u00e4n. Eirik jaarli k\u00e4\u00e4ntyi\ntakaisin omalle puolelleen, mutta siell\u00e4 olivat h\u00e4nen miehens\u00e4\nv\u00e4istyneet taaksep\u00e4in ja Bue oli irroittanut aluksensa rintamastaan\naikoen seurata pakenevia. Silloin Eirik jaarli asettui Buen aluksen\nrinnalle, ja siin\u00e4 syntyi tuima iskuottelu, ja kaksi tai kolme Eirikin\naluksista ty\u00f6ntyi Buen laivan ymp\u00e4rille. Silloin puhkesi rajus\u00e4\u00e4 ja\nsatoi rakeita niin suuria, ett\u00e4 yksi rae painoi yhden \u00e4yrin.[94] Nyt\nSigvalde katkaisi pid\u00e4kek\u00f6ydet ja k\u00e4\u00e4nsi purtensa aikoen paeta. Vagn\nAakenpoika huusi h\u00e4nelle pyyt\u00e4en h\u00e4nt\u00e4 luopumaan paosta, mutta Sigvalde\nei tahtonut kuulla, mit\u00e4 h\u00e4n sanoi; silloin Vagn singahutti keih\u00e4\u00e4n\nh\u00e4nen j\u00e4lkeens\u00e4 ja osasi siihen mieheen, joka istui per\u00e4simen \u00e4\u00e4ress\u00e4.\nSigvalde jaarli soudatti pois viisinelj\u00e4tt\u00e4 laivaa, mutta j\u00e4ljelle j\u00e4i\nviisikolmatta.\nSilloin Haakon jaarli siirsi aluksensa Buen purren toiselle puolen;\nsiin\u00e4 j\u00e4i Buen miehille lyhyelti aikaa iskujen v\u00e4lille. Vigfus,\nVigaglumin poika, tarttui sarvi-alasimeen, joka oli tuhdolla ja jota\nmuuan mies vast'ik\u00e4\u00e4n oli k\u00e4ytt\u00e4nyt korjatessaan miekkansa kahvaa.\nVigfus oli perin v\u00e4kev\u00e4 mies; h\u00e4n heitti alasimen kaksin k\u00e4sin ja\nlenn\u00e4tti sen Aslak Holmskallen p\u00e4\u00e4h\u00e4n, niin ett\u00e4 sarvi ty\u00f6ntyi\naivoihin. Aseet eiv\u00e4t olleet varemmin pystyneet Aslakiin, mutta h\u00e4n oli\niskenyt kahden puolen; h\u00e4n oli Buen kasvatti ja keulavartija.\nT\u00e4m\u00e4n taistelun kest\u00e4ess\u00e4 Eirikin miehet nousivat Buen alukseen ja\ntunkeutuivat per\u00e4puoleen Buea kohti. Silloin Torstein Midlang iski Buea\nnen\u00e4n poikki ja katkaisi nen\u00e4nsuojuksen; siit\u00e4 tuli iso haava. Bue\nsivalsi Torsteinia kylkeen, niin ett\u00e4 leikkasi miehen keskelt\u00e4 kahtia.\nSilloin Bue nosti kaksi arkkua t\u00e4ynn\u00e4 kultaa ja huusi \u00e4\u00e4nekk\u00e4\u00e4sti:\n\"Laidan yli, kaikki Buen miehet!\" H\u00e4n heitt\u00e4ytyi mereen arkkuineen, ja\nmoni h\u00e4nen miehist\u00e4\u00e4n sy\u00f6ksyi sitten laidan yli, mutta toisia kaatui\nalukseen, sill\u00e4 armonpyynt\u00f6ihin ei ollut aikaa. Niin raivattiin Buen\nalus puhtaaksi keulasta per\u00e4\u00e4n asti ja sitten laiva toisensa j\u00e4lkeen.\nSen j\u00e4lkeen Eirik jaarli siirtyi Vagnin aluksen viereen ja kohtasi\nsiell\u00e4 kovaa vastarintaa. Lopulta kuitenkin h\u00e4nen laivansa raivattiin\npuhtaaksi, mutta Vagn joutui vangiksi itse kolmantenakymmenenten\u00e4;\nheid\u00e4t vietiin sidottuina maihin.\nSilloin Torkel Leira astui luo ja sanoi n\u00e4in:\n\"Sen lupauksen sin\u00e4 teit, Vagn, ett\u00e4 surmaisit minut, mutta minusta\nn\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4 nyt luultavammalta, ett\u00e4 min\u00e4 surmaan sinut.\"\nTorkelilla oli iso sotakirves k\u00e4dess\u00e4\u00e4n; h\u00e4n iski sit\u00e4, joka istui\n\u00e4\u00e4rimm\u00e4isen\u00e4 hirrell\u00e4. Vagn ja h\u00e4nen miehens\u00e4 olivat sidotut siten,\nett\u00e4 k\u00f6ysi oli kiedottu heid\u00e4n jalkoihinsa, mutta k\u00e4det olivat vapaina.\nSilloin muuan heist\u00e4 virkkoi:\n\"Minulla on k\u00e4dess\u00e4ni solki, ja sen min\u00e4 pist\u00e4n maahan, jos tunnen\njotain, kun p\u00e4\u00e4ni on katkaistu.\"\nH\u00e4nen kaulansa katkaistiin, ja solki putosi silloin maahan h\u00e4nen\nk\u00e4dest\u00e4\u00e4n. Siin\u00e4 istui kaunis pitk\u00e4tukkainen mies; h\u00e4n kietoi hiukset\np\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4 ymp\u00e4ri, kurotti kaulaansa ja sanoi:\n\"\u00c4l\u00e4 tahraa tukkaa vereen.\"\nMuuan mies tarttui tukkaan k\u00e4sin ja piteli sit\u00e4. Torkel heilautti\nkirvest\u00e4 iske\u00e4kseen; viikinki nyk\u00e4isi kiivaasti p\u00e4\u00e4t\u00e4\u00e4n ja se, joka\npiteli kiinni, antoi my\u00f6ten; kirves osui h\u00e4nen molempiin k\u00e4siins\u00e4 ja\nkatkaisi ne, niin ett\u00e4 ter\u00e4 ty\u00f6ntyi maahan. Silloin saapui paikalle\nEirik jaarli tiedustellen:\n\"Kuka tuo komea mies on?\"\n\"Sigurdiksi minua mainitaan\", h\u00e4n vastasi, \"ja minua pidet\u00e4\u00e4n Buen\npoikana; viel\u00e4 eiv\u00e4t kaikki jomsviikingit ole hengilt\u00e4\".\nEirik sanoo: \"Kaikesta p\u00e4\u00e4tt\u00e4en sin\u00e4 olet Buen oikea poika; haluatko\narmoa?\"\n\"Riippuu siit\u00e4, kuka tarjoaa\", virkkaa Sigurd.\n\"Se tarjoaa, jolla on valta tehd\u00e4 se, Eirik jaarli.\"\n\"Silloin haluan\", h\u00e4n sanoo; h\u00e4net irroitettiin k\u00f6ydest\u00e4. Silloin\nvirkkoi Torkel Leira:\n\"Jos sin\u00e4 haluat antaa armoa kaikille n\u00e4ille miehille, jaarli, niin ei\nainakaan Vagn Aakenpoika milloinkaan p\u00e4\u00e4se t\u00e4st\u00e4 hengiss\u00e4.\"\nJa h\u00e4n rynt\u00e4si kohti kirves koholla; mutta Skarde viikinki heitt\u00e4ytyi\nkumoon k\u00f6ydest\u00e4 ja kaatui Torkelin jalkoihin. Torkel suistui pitk\u00e4lleen\nh\u00e4nen p\u00e4\u00e4lleen; silloin Vagn tempasi kirveen, heilautti sit\u00e4 ja iski\nTorkeliin surmaniskun. Mutta jaarli sanoi:\n\"Vagn, haluatko armoa?\"\n\"Haluan\", t\u00e4m\u00e4 vastasi, \"jos sit\u00e4 saamme kaikki\".\n\"Irroittakaa heid\u00e4t k\u00f6ydest\u00e4\", sanoi jaarli; ja niin tehtiin.\nKahdeksantoista oli surmattu, mutta kaksitoista sai armon.\nHaakon jaarli ja joukko muita istui puunrungolla. Silloin hel\u00e4hti\njousenj\u00e4nne Buen aluksella, mutta vasama osui Valdersin Gissuriin, joka\nistui jaarlia l\u00e4hinn\u00e4 ja oli komeassa puvussa. Muutamat miehet k\u00e4viv\u00e4t\nlaivaan ja l\u00f6ysiv\u00e4t siell\u00e4 Haavard Rauhantuojan; h\u00e4n seisoi aluksen\npartaalla polvillaan, sill\u00e4 h\u00e4nelt\u00e4 oli katkaistu jalat, ja k\u00e4dess\u00e4\u00e4n\nh\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli kaari. Mutta heid\u00e4n p\u00e4\u00e4sty\u00e4\u00e4n laivaan kysyi Haavard:\n\"Kuka kaatui puunrungolta?\"\nMiehet sanoivat, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4 oli Gissur.\n\"Silloin minulla oli huonompi onni kuin odotin.\"\n\"Onnettomuus oli kyllin suuri\", he sanovat, \"eik\u00e4 sinua pid\u00e4 enemp\u00e4\u00e4\ntuottaman\". -- Ja he surmasivat h\u00e4net. Sitten tutkittiin taistelukentt\u00e4\nja tavarat kannettiin jaettaviksi; viisikolmatta jomsviikinkien laivaa\noli raivattu puhtaiksi.\nSen j\u00e4lkeen sotajoukko hajaantui. Haakon jaarli l\u00e4hti Trondhjemiin ja\noli perin pahoillaan siit\u00e4, ett\u00e4 Eirik oli antanut Vagn Aakenpojalle\narmon. Niin kerrotaan, ett\u00e4 Haakon jaarli oli t\u00e4ss\u00e4 taistelussa\nuhrannut Erling poikansa saadakseen voiton ja ett\u00e4 sitten syntyi\nraemyrsky ja mieshukka k\u00e4vi jomsviikinkien puolella tuntuvammaksi.\nEirik jaarli l\u00e4hti sitten Yl\u00e4maihin ja sielt\u00e4 id\u00e4n puolelle\nvaltakuntaansa, ja Vagn Aakenpoika matkasi h\u00e4nen kerallaan. Silloin\nEirik naitti Torkel Leiran tytt\u00e4ren Ingebj\u00e5rgin Vagnille, antoi h\u00e4nelle\noivan purren kaikkine varusteineen ja hankki h\u00e4nelle siihen v\u00e4ke\u00e4; he\nerosivat parhaina yst\u00e4vin\u00e4. Vagn palasi sitten kotiinsa Tanskaan ja\ntuli mainehikkaaksi mieheksi; h\u00e4nen suvustaan on moni suurmies\nl\u00e4htenyt.\nHarald Grenske oli kuninkaana Vestfoldissa, jonka Tanskan kuningas\nHarald Gorminpoika oli h\u00e4nelle antanut; h\u00e4n sai vaimokseen Aastan,\nGudbrand Kulan tytt\u00e4ren. Er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 kes\u00e4n\u00e4, ollessaan sotaretkell\u00e4\nIt\u00e4mailla omaisuutta hankkimassa, Harald Grenske saapui Svitjodiin.\nSiell\u00e4 oli kuninkaana Olavi Ruotsalainen, Eirik Voitokkaan ja Sigridin\npoika. Sigrid oli silloin leski, ja h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli monta suurta kartanoa\nSvitjodissa. Mutta kuultuaan, ett\u00e4 kasvatusveljens\u00e4 Harald Grenske oli\nsaapunut maihin niille tienoin, h\u00e4n l\u00e4hetti heti miehi\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4n luokse ja\nkutsui h\u00e4net kesteihin; Harald oli heti valmis siihen ja l\u00e4hti sinne\nsuuren seurueen kera.\nSiit\u00e4 tuli oivat pidot; kuningas ja kuningatar istuivat kunniasijalla\nja joivat yhdess\u00e4 iltasella, ja kaikille h\u00e4nen miehilleen kaadettiin\nrunsaasti juomaa. Kun kuningas illalla k\u00e4vi makuulle, oli h\u00e4nen\nvuoteessaan teltta kalliista kankaasta; siin\u00e4 rakennuksessa oli vain\nharvoja miehi\u00e4. Mutta kun kuningas oli riisuutunut ja k\u00e4ynyt\nvuoteeseen, saapui kuningatar h\u00e4nen luokseen, kaatoi h\u00e4nelle omin k\u00e4sin\nja houkutteli h\u00e4nt\u00e4 juomaan, ja Sigrid oli perin suopea. Kuningas oli\nvarsin juovuksissa ja samaten h\u00e4nkin. Sitten kuningas nukkui, ja\nkuningatarkin k\u00e4vi levolle.\nSigrid oli eritt\u00e4in viisas nainen ja aavisti ennalta paljon asioita.\nSeuraavana aamuna tarjoiltiin hyvin uutteraan; mutta tapahtui, niinkuin\nusein k\u00e4y, kun ihmiset tulevat pahasti humalaan, ett\u00e4 seuraavana\np\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 useimmat varovat juomasta; mutta kuningatar oli hilpe\u00e4, ja h\u00e4n\nja Harald juttelivat kesken\u00e4\u00e4n. H\u00e4n sanoi silloin arvostavansa ne tilat\nja sen valtakunnan, mitk\u00e4 h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli Svitjodissa, yht\u00e4 suuriksi kuin\nHaraldin kuningaskunnan ja omaisuuden Norjassa. T\u00e4m\u00e4 puhe teki\nkuninkaan alakuloiseksi, eik\u00e4 mik\u00e4\u00e4n ilahduttanut h\u00e4nt\u00e4; h\u00e4n halusi\nl\u00e4hte\u00e4 pois ja oli mielelt\u00e4\u00e4n sairas, mutta kuningatar oli varsin\niloinen ja saattoi h\u00e4net suurin lahjoin matkaan.\nNiin Harald l\u00e4hti syksyll\u00e4 takaisin Norjaan, vietti kotona talven ja\noli jotensakin nyrpe\u00e4ll\u00e4 mielell\u00e4. Seuraavana kes\u00e4n\u00e4 h\u00e4n l\u00e4hti\nIt\u00e4maille sotalaivastoineen ja suuntasi silloin kulkunsa Svitjodiin;\nh\u00e4n l\u00e4hetti Sigridille sanan, ett\u00e4 halusi tavata t\u00e4m\u00e4n. Sigrid ratsasti\nh\u00e4nen luokseen, ja he puhelivat kesken\u00e4\u00e4n. H\u00e4n esitti heti kysymyksen,\ntahtoiko Sigrid menn\u00e4 naimisiin h\u00e4nen kanssaan. Sigrid vastasi, ett\u00e4\nh\u00e4n menetteli mielett\u00f6m\u00e4sti ja ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli ennest\u00e4\u00e4n niin hyviss\u00e4\nnaimisissa, ett\u00e4 se kyll\u00e4 riitti h\u00e4nelle. Harald sanoo, ett\u00e4 Aasta on\nhyv\u00e4 ja oiva nainen, \"mutta h\u00e4n ei ole niin hyv\u00e4\u00e4 sukua kuin min\u00e4\nitse\". Sigrid vastaa:\n\"Saattaa olla niin, ett\u00e4 sin\u00e4 olet suurempaa sukua kuin h\u00e4n; luulisin\nkuitenkin, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nen rinnallaan viihtyy teid\u00e4n molempain onni.\"\nHarvoja sanoja he vaihtoivat, ennenkuin kuningatar ratsasti pois.\nKuningas Harald oli silloin perin raskasmielinen; h\u00e4n valmistausi\nratsastamaan takaisin sis\u00e4maahan Sigrid kuningattaren luo; useat miehet\nvaroittivat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 siit\u00e4, mutta t\u00e4st\u00e4 huolimatta h\u00e4n l\u00e4hti suuren\nseurueen kera ja saapui siihen taloon, jota kuningatar hallitsi. Samana\niltana sinne tuli er\u00e4s toinen kuningas; h\u00e4n oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n\nVissavald,[95] id\u00e4n puolelta Gardariikista, ja h\u00e4n saapui kosimaan.\nKuninkaat ja kaikki heid\u00e4n miehens\u00e4 saivat sijansa suuressa ja vanhassa\ntuvassa; sellainen oli my\u00f6skin koko sisustus, mutta ylenm\u00e4\u00e4rin\ntarjottiin sin\u00e4 iltana juomaa niin v\u00e4kev\u00e4\u00e4, ett\u00e4 kaikki tulivat\nhumalaan, ja sek\u00e4 p\u00e4\u00e4vahti ett\u00e4 ulkovahti nukkuivat. Silloin Sigrid\nkuningatar k\u00e4ski k\u00e4yd\u00e4 y\u00f6ll\u00e4 heid\u00e4n kimppuunsa sek\u00e4 asein ett\u00e4 tulen\navulla; siin\u00e4 paloi tupa ja sis\u00e4ll\u00e4 olevat miehet, mutta ne\nsurmattiin, jotka p\u00e4\u00e4siv\u00e4t ulos. Sigrid sanoi, ett\u00e4 siten h\u00e4n riist\u00e4\u00e4\npikkukuninkailta halun saapua vieraista maista h\u00e4nt\u00e4 kosimaan; siit\u00e4\npit\u00e4en h\u00e4nt\u00e4 nimitettiin \"Sigrid Ylpe\u00e4ksi\".\nKun ne miehet, jotka Harald oli j\u00e4tt\u00e4nyt aluksia vartioimaan, saivat\nkuulla kuninkaan surmasta, he palasivat heti Norjaan ja kertoivat t\u00e4m\u00e4n\nsanoman sek\u00e4 syyn, miksi Harald oli l\u00e4htenyt Sigrid kuningattaren luo.\nAasta l\u00e4hti silloin Yl\u00e4maihin is\u00e4ns\u00e4 luo, ja t\u00e4m\u00e4 otti h\u00e4net hyvin\nvastaan; mutta molemmat olivat perin suuttuneita siit\u00e4, mit\u00e4\nSvitjodissa oli tapahtunut ja ett\u00e4 Harald oli aikonut hylj\u00e4t\u00e4 h\u00e4net.\nAasta Gudbrandintyt\u00e4r synnytti kes\u00e4ll\u00e4 pojan; se poika sai nimen Olavi\nja kastettiin vedell\u00e4.[96]\nHaakon jaarli hallitsi Norjassa kaikkialla meren partaalla. Silloin\nmaassa oli hyvi\u00e4 vuosia ja rauha talonpoikien kesken. Jaarli oli\ntalonpoikain suosiossa suurimman osan el\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4. Mutta ajan mittaan\ntapahtui asein, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n kohteli naisia sopimattomasti. T\u00e4ss\u00e4 h\u00e4n meni\nniin pitk\u00e4lle, ett\u00e4 otatti mahtavien miesten tytt\u00e4ri\u00e4 ja kuljetutti\nheid\u00e4t kotiinsa, makasi heid\u00e4n luonaan viikon tai kaksi ja l\u00e4hetti\nheid\u00e4t sitten takaisin. T\u00e4st\u00e4 koitui h\u00e4nelle paljon vihamielisyytt\u00e4\nnaisten sukulaisten taholta, ja talonpojat alkoivat nurista, niinkuin\ntr\u00f6ndien tapana on, milloin vain jokin k\u00e4y heid\u00e4n mielt\u00e4ns\u00e4 vastaan.\nHaakon jaarli sai kuulla puhuttavan, ett\u00e4 l\u00e4nnen puolella meren takana\noli mies, joka nimitti itse\u00e4\u00e4n Oleksi ja jota pidettiin kuninkaana;\nmutta jaarli aavisti muutamain miesten kertomuksesta, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n saattoi\nolla norjalaista kuningassukua. H\u00e4nelle oli kerrottu, ett\u00e4 Ole sanoi\nitse\u00e4\u00e4n gerdil\u00e4iseksi, mutta jaarli oli kuullut, ett\u00e4 Trygve\nOlavinpojalla oli ollut poika, joka oli l\u00e4htenyt it\u00e4\u00e4n Gardariikiin ja\nsiell\u00e4 varttunut Valdemar kuninkaan luona, ja h\u00e4nen nimens\u00e4 oli Olavi.\nJaarli oli my\u00f6skin tiedustellut ahkerasti t\u00e4st\u00e4 miehest\u00e4, ja h\u00e4n\naavisti, ett\u00e4 sama mies oli nyt saapunut sinne L\u00e4nsimaihin.\nOli muuan mies nimelt\u00e4 Tore Klakka, Haakon jaarlin hyv\u00e4 yst\u00e4v\u00e4;\nh\u00e4n oleskeli pitki\u00e4 aikoja sotaretkill\u00e4, mutta usein my\u00f6skin\nkauppamatkoilla ja tunsi maailmaa laajalti. T\u00e4m\u00e4n miehen jaarli l\u00e4hetti\nl\u00e4nteen meren poikki, pyysi h\u00e4nt\u00e4 l\u00e4htem\u00e4\u00e4n kauppamatkalle Dubliniin,\nniinkuin monen tapana oli niihin aikoihin, ja kuulustelemaan, mik\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4\nOle oli miehi\u00e4\u00e4n; mutta jos h\u00e4n havaitsisi todeksi, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli Olavi\nTrygvenpoika tai joku toinen Norjan kuningassukujen j\u00e4lkel\u00e4inen, niin\nToren oli punottava salajuonia h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan, jos se k\u00e4vi p\u00e4ins\u00e4.\nSen j\u00e4lkeen Tore l\u00e4hti Irlannin Dubliniin ja tiedusteli Olea; t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli\nsiell\u00e4 sukulaisensa kuningas Olavi Kvaranin luona. Sitten Tore toimitti\nniin, ett\u00e4 p\u00e4\u00e4si puheisiin Olen kanssa; Tore oli perin taitavasanainen.\nMutta kun he olivat kauan puhelleet kesken\u00e4\u00e4n, ryhtyi Ole kyselem\u00e4\u00e4n\nNorjasta, ensinn\u00e4 Yl\u00e4maiden kuninkaista ja kuka heist\u00e4 viel\u00e4 oli\nhengiss\u00e4 tai mit\u00e4 valtakuntia heill\u00e4 nyky\u00e4\u00e4n oli; h\u00e4n tiedusteli\nmy\u00f6skin, kuinka suosittu Haakon jaarli oli maassaan. Tore vastasi:\n\"Jaarli on niin mahtava mies, ettei yksik\u00e4\u00e4n uskalla puhua h\u00e4nen\nmielt\u00e4ns\u00e4 vastaan, mutta syyn\u00e4 on se, ettei ole toista, kenen puoleen\nk\u00e4\u00e4nnytt\u00e4isiin. Mutta sanoakseni teille totuuden, niin tunnen monen\nkelpo miehen mielen ja samaten rahvaankin, ja he olisivat varsin\nhalukkaat ja valmiit, jos maahan saapuisi kuningas Harald Kaunotukan\nsukua. Mutta siihen emme keksi mit\u00e4\u00e4n neuvoa ja eniten siit\u00e4 syyst\u00e4,\nett\u00e4 nyt on saatu kokea, ett\u00e4 huonosti kannattaa taistella Haakon\njaarlia vastaan.\"\nKun he olivat usein keskustelleet t\u00e4st\u00e4, ilmaisee Ole Torelle nimens\u00e4\nja syntyper\u00e4ns\u00e4 ja tiedustelee h\u00e4nen mielt\u00e4\u00e4n, arvelisiko h\u00e4n\ntalonpoikien ottavan Olavin kuninkaaksi, jos h\u00e4n l\u00e4htisi Norjaan. Tore\nkannusti h\u00e4nt\u00e4 innokkaasti t\u00e4lle matkalle ja ylisti h\u00e4nt\u00e4 ja h\u00e4nen\nkuntoaan ylenm\u00e4\u00e4rin. Niin Olavissa her\u00e4si voimakas halu palata\nperint\u00f6valtakuntaansa, ja h\u00e4n l\u00e4hti purjehtimaan Norjaa kohti, mukanaan\nTore. Mosterin[97] luona h\u00e4n astui ensiksi maihin Norjassa ja antoi\nsiell\u00e4 pit\u00e4\u00e4 messun teltassa; samalle paikalle rakennettiin my\u00f6hemmin\nkirkko. Tore Klakka sanoi kuninkaalle, ettei ollut neuvokasta ilmaista,\nkuka h\u00e4n oli, eik\u00e4 h\u00e4nen pit\u00e4nyt antaa mit\u00e4\u00e4n vihi\u00e4 tulostaan, vaan oli\nkuljettava niin joutuisasti kuin suinkin jaarlia vastaan ja yll\u00e4tett\u00e4v\u00e4\nh\u00e4net \u00e4kkiarvaamatta. Olavi kuningas teki niin; h\u00e4n matkasi pohjoista\nkohti y\u00f6t\u00e4 ja p\u00e4iv\u00e4\u00e4, milloin tuuli oli suotuisa, eik\u00e4 antanut v\u00e4est\u00f6n\nsaada mit\u00e4\u00e4n tietoa siit\u00e4, kuka oli purjehtimassa. Mutta Agdenesiin[98]\nsaavuttuaan h\u00e4n sai kuulla, ett\u00e4 Haakon jaarli oli vuonossa ja oli\njoutunut riitaan talonpoikien kanssa. Mutta kun Tore kuuli n\u00e4in\npuhuttavan, niin asian laita olikin aivan toinen, kuin h\u00e4n oli\nodottanut; sill\u00e4 jomsviikinki-taistelun j\u00e4lkeen olivat kaikki Norjan\nmiehet Haakon jaarlin parhaita yst\u00e4vi\u00e4 h\u00e4nen saavuttamansa voiton\nvuoksi, jolla h\u00e4n oli pelastanut koko maan vainosta; mutta nyt oli\nk\u00e4ynyt niin huonosti, ett\u00e4 maahan oli saapunut suuri p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6, mutta\ntalonpojat olivatkin suuttuneet jaarliin.\nHaakon jaarli oli vierailemassa Guldalin Medalhusissa. Orm Lyrgja oli\nnimelt\u00e4\u00e4n muuan mies, mahtava talonpoika; h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli vaimo nimelt\u00e4\nGudrun, Lundarin Bergtorin tyt\u00e4r, jota sanottiin Lunden auringoksi,\nsill\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli eritt\u00e4in kaunis nainen. Jaarli l\u00e4hetti orjansa Ormin luo\nsellaiselle asialle, ett\u00e4 heid\u00e4n oli tuotava t\u00e4m\u00e4n vaimo h\u00e4nen\nluokseen. Orjat esittiv\u00e4t asiansa; Orm pyysi heit\u00e4 ensinn\u00e4 k\u00e4ym\u00e4\u00e4n\niltaselle. Mutta ennenkuin he olivat sen p\u00e4\u00e4tt\u00e4neet, oli Ormin luo\nsaapunut naapuristosta useita miehi\u00e4, joille t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli l\u00e4hett\u00e4nyt sanan.\nOrm sanoi silloin, ettei Gudrun mill\u00e4\u00e4n ehdolla l\u00e4hde orjien mukaan. Ja\nGudrun pyysi heit\u00e4 sanomaan jaarlille, ettei h\u00e4n saapuisi t\u00e4m\u00e4n luo,\nellei Remulin Toraa l\u00e4hetett\u00e4isi h\u00e4nt\u00e4 noutamaan; t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli mahtava\nem\u00e4nt\u00e4 ja jaarlin rakastajattaria. Orjat sanovat tulevansa sinne toisen\nkerran sellaisin keinoin, ett\u00e4 talonpoika ja em\u00e4nt\u00e4 pian saavat katua\nt\u00e4t\u00e4, ja he uhkailevat ankarasti, ennenkuin l\u00e4htev\u00e4t tiehens\u00e4.\nMutta Orm antoi vainovasaman kiert\u00e4\u00e4 laajalti ymp\u00e4rist\u00f6ss\u00e4 ja l\u00e4hetti\nsen mukana sellaisen sanoman, ett\u00e4 kaikkien miesten oli tartuttava\naseisiin Haakon jaarlia vastaan ja surmattava h\u00e4net. V\u00e4h\u00e4\u00e4 varemmin\njaarli oli ottanut Brynjulv nimisen miehen vaimon, ja se teko oli\nher\u00e4tt\u00e4nyt suurta suuttumusta, ja jo silloin olivat miehet tuumineet\ntarttua aseisiin.\nViestin saatuaan koko rahvas k\u00e4vi aseisiin ja l\u00e4hti marssimaan\nMedalhusia kohti. Mutta jaarli sai siit\u00e4 vihi\u00e4 ja poistui talosta\nmiehineen; h\u00e4n piiloutui syv\u00e4\u00e4n laaksoon, jota siit\u00e4 pit\u00e4en sanotaan\nJaarlinlaaksoksi. Seuraavan p\u00e4iv\u00e4n jaarli piti silm\u00e4ll\u00e4 talonpoikain\nsotajoukkoa. N\u00e4m\u00e4 asettivat miehi\u00e4 kaikille teille ja arvelivat, ett\u00e4\njaarli oli poistunut laivoilleen; mutta laivastoa johti h\u00e4nen poikansa\nErlend, toivehikas nuorukainen. Mutta y\u00f6n tullen jaarli l\u00e4hetti v\u00e4kens\u00e4\npois ja k\u00e4ski sen matkata mets\u00e4teitse Orkedaleniin:\n\"Teille ei kukaan tee mit\u00e4\u00e4n vahinkoa, ellen min\u00e4 ole l\u00e4hist\u00f6ll\u00e4;\nl\u00e4hett\u00e4k\u00e4\u00e4 sana Erlendille, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n purjehtii vuonoa my\u00f6ten, jotta\nvoimme tavata toisemme M\u00f6ress\u00e4. Min\u00e4 p\u00e4\u00e4sen kyll\u00e4 piiloon\ntalonpojilta.\"\nSen j\u00e4lkeen jaarli l\u00e4hti matkaan mukanaan Kark niminen orja. Gul-joki\noli j\u00e4\u00e4n peitossa, ja siihen h\u00e4n antoi hevosensa upota ja j\u00e4tti\nj\u00e4lkeens\u00e4 viittansa; mutta he l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t itse er\u00e4\u00e4seen luolaan, jolla\nsiit\u00e4 pit\u00e4en on ollut nimen\u00e4 Jarlsheller. Sitten he nukkuivat, mutta\nher\u00e4tty\u00e4\u00e4n Kark kertoo n\u00e4hneens\u00e4 sellaisen unen, ett\u00e4 luolan ohi kulki\nmusta ja ruma mies, jonka h\u00e4n pelk\u00e4si k\u00e4yv\u00e4n sis\u00e4\u00e4n; mutta se mies\nsanoi h\u00e4nelle, ett\u00e4 \"Ulle\" oli kuollut. Jaarli virkkoi, ett\u00e4 varmaankin\nErlend oli saanut surmansa. J\u00e4lleen nukahti Tormod Kark toistamiseen ja\nparahti unessa. Mutta her\u00e4tty\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4n kertoi unessa n\u00e4hneens\u00e4, ett\u00e4 sama\nmies astui samaa tiet\u00e4 takaisin, ja t\u00e4m\u00e4 pyysi h\u00e4nt\u00e4 sanomaan\njaarlille, ett\u00e4 nyt olivat kaikki salmet suljetut. Kark kertoi\njaarlille unensa; t\u00e4m\u00e4 arveli, ett\u00e4 moinen seikka varmaankin ennusti\nh\u00e4nelle lyhytt\u00e4 el\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4.\nSitten he nousivat ja k\u00e4viv\u00e4t Remulin taloon. Jaarli l\u00e4hetti Karkin\nToran luo pyyt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 saapuisi salaa h\u00e4nen luokseen; h\u00e4n teki\nniin ja otti jaarlin hyvin vastaan. Jaarli pyysi Toraa piilottamaan\nh\u00e4net muutamaksi y\u00f6ksi, kunnes talonpojat enn\u00e4tt\u00e4isiv\u00e4t hajaantua.\n\"T\u00e4\u00e4lt\u00e4 sinua etsit\u00e4\u00e4n\", sanoi Tora, \"kautta koko taloni, sek\u00e4 sis\u00e4lt\u00e4\nett\u00e4 ulkoa, sill\u00e4 moni tiet\u00e4\u00e4, ett\u00e4 min\u00e4 autan sinua kernaasti kykyni\nmukaan. Mutta onpa talossani muuan paikka, mist\u00e4 min\u00e4 en rupeaisi\nmoista miest\u00e4 etsim\u00e4\u00e4n; se on sikopahna.\"\nHe saapuivat sinne; jaarli virkkoi: \"T\u00e4nne meid\u00e4n on nyt asettuminen;\nhenki on ensinn\u00e4 pelastettava.\"\nOrja kaivoi siihen avaran haudan ja kantoi mullan syrj\u00e4\u00e4n; sitten h\u00e4n\nsovitti lautoja ylitse. Tora kertoi jaarlille, ett\u00e4 Olavi Trygvenpoika\noli saapunut vuonoon ja surmannut h\u00e4nen poikansa Erlendin. Sitten\njaarli k\u00e4vi hautaan Karkin kera; mutta Tora levitti lautoja ylitse,\nlakaisi multaa ja lantaa p\u00e4\u00e4lle ja ajoi siat siihen rypem\u00e4\u00e4n; se\nsikopahna oli ison kiven juurella.\nOlavi Trygvenpoika saapui vuonoon viidell\u00e4 suurpurrella, mutta siell\u00e4\nHaakon jaarlin poika Erlend souti h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan kolmella aluksella.\nLaivojen l\u00e4hetess\u00e4 toisiaan Erlend ja h\u00e4nen miehens\u00e4 aavistivat vaaran\nuhkaavan ja suuntasivat kulkunsa maihin p\u00e4in. Mutta kun Olavi n\u00e4ki\nsuurpurjeisen laskevan vuonoa my\u00f6ten ulosp\u00e4in, h\u00e4n ajatteli, ett\u00e4\nsiell\u00e4 mahtoi liikkua Haakon jaarli, ja k\u00e4ski nyt soutaa niiden j\u00e4lkeen\nniin voimakkaasti kuin miehet jaksoivat. Kun Erlendin miehet olivat\np\u00e4\u00e4sseet melkein rantaan asti, he soutivat aluksensa karille,\nheitt\u00e4ytyiv\u00e4t heti mereen ja pyrkiv\u00e4t maihin. Silloin saapuivat Olavin\nlaivat perille. Olavi n\u00e4ki perin komean miehen uivan; h\u00e4n tarttui\nper\u00e4simen varteen ja lenn\u00e4tti sen tuota miest\u00e4 kohti, ja isku osui\nErlend jaarlinpojan p\u00e4\u00e4h\u00e4n, niin ett\u00e4 p\u00e4\u00e4koppa halkesi aivoihin asti;\nsiihen Erlend heitti henkens\u00e4. Olavin miehet surmasivat monta miest\u00e4,\nmutta toisia p\u00e4\u00e4si pakoon; muutamia he ottivat vangiksi, antoivat\nn\u00e4ille armon ja saivat kuulla uutisia.\nOlaville kerrottiin silloin, ett\u00e4 talonpojat olivat ajaneet Haakon\njaarlin pois ja t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli heit\u00e4 paossa ja koko h\u00e4nen joukkonsa oli\nhajallaan. Sitten talonpojat tulevat Olavin luo, ja molemmin puolin he\nmielistyv\u00e4t toisiinsa ja ryhtyv\u00e4t heti yksiin tuumiin. Talonpojat\nottavat h\u00e4net kuninkaakseen, ja yhdess\u00e4 he p\u00e4\u00e4tt\u00e4v\u00e4t k\u00e4yd\u00e4 Haakon\njaarlia etsim\u00e4\u00e4n. He l\u00e4htev\u00e4t Gul-laaksoon, ja heist\u00e4 tuntuu\nluultavimmalta, ett\u00e4 jaarli on Remulissa, jos miss\u00e4\u00e4n, koska Tora oli\nh\u00e4nen rakkain yst\u00e4v\u00e4ns\u00e4 niill\u00e4 tienoin. He matkaavat nyt sinne ja\netsiv\u00e4t jaarlia sek\u00e4 sis\u00e4lt\u00e4 ett\u00e4 ulkoa, mutta eiv\u00e4t l\u00f6yd\u00e4 h\u00e4nt\u00e4. Ja\nsilloin Olavi piti kotik\u00e4r\u00e4ji\u00e4 ulkona tanhualla; h\u00e4n seisoi sill\u00e4\nisolla kivell\u00e4, joka sijaitsi sikopahnan luona. Sielt\u00e4 Olavi puhui, ja\nniin h\u00e4n virkkoi puheessaan, ett\u00e4 palkitsisi sek\u00e4 tavaralla ett\u00e4\nkunnialla sit\u00e4 miest\u00e4, joka tuottaisi tuhon Haakon jaarlille.\nT\u00e4m\u00e4n puheen kuulivat jaarli ja Kark; heill\u00e4 oli valoa kuopassaan.\nJaarli virkkoi:\n\"Miksi olet niin kalpea, mutta toisin ajoin taas musta kuin multa? Eik\u00f6\nsyyn\u00e4 ole se, ett\u00e4 aiot pett\u00e4\u00e4 minut?\"\n\"Ei\", vastaa Kark.\n\"Me kaksi olemme syntyneet samana y\u00f6n\u00e4\", sanoo jaarli; \"lyhyelti on\nv\u00e4li\u00e4 meid\u00e4n kuolemallammekin\".\nIltapuoleen Olavi l\u00e4hti pois. Mutta kun tuli y\u00f6, niin jaarli pysytteli\nvalveilla, mutta Kark nukkui ja k\u00e4ytt\u00e4ytyi omituisesti. Silloin jaarli\nher\u00e4tti h\u00e4net ja kysyi, mit\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli uneksinut. H\u00e4n sanoo:\n\"Olin nyt Ladessa, ja Olavi Trygvenpoika pani kultakoristeen kaulaani.\"\nJaarli vastaa: \"Silloin Olavi Trygvenpoika koristaa kaulasi\nverenkarvaisella renkaalla, jos h\u00e4net tapaat. Varo nyt itse\u00e4si siit\u00e4,\nmutta minulta saat hyv\u00e4\u00e4 niinkuin ennenkin, \u00e4l\u00e4k\u00e4 pet\u00e4 minua.\"\nSitten molemmat pysyiv\u00e4t valveilla, ik\u00e4\u00e4nkuin kumpikin olisi vartioinut\ntoista; mutta aamupuoleen jaarli nukkui ja k\u00e4ytt\u00e4ytyi heti omituisesti;\nh\u00e4n j\u00e4nnitti s\u00e4\u00e4ri\u00e4\u00e4n ja niskaansa ik\u00e4\u00e4nkuin aikoen nousta ja huusi\n\u00e4\u00e4nekk\u00e4\u00e4sti ja rumasti. Mutta Kark s\u00e4ik\u00e4htyi pahasti, veti ison veitsen\nvy\u00f6st\u00e4\u00e4n, pisti jaarlia kurkkuun ja viilsi sen poikki. Se oli Haakon\njaarlin surma. Sitten Kark leikkasi jaarlin p\u00e4\u00e4n irti, juoksi tiehens\u00e4\nja saapui seuraavana p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 Ladeen ja vei jaarlin p\u00e4\u00e4n Olavi\nkuninkaalle; h\u00e4n kertoi my\u00f6skin kaikki tapaukset Haakon jaarlin\nretkist\u00e4, niinkuin ne nyt on kirjoitettu. Mutta Olavi kuningas k\u00e4ski\nvied\u00e4 h\u00e4net pois ja katkaista h\u00e4nen kaulansa.\nSen j\u00e4lkeen Olavi kuningas ja joukko talonpoikia h\u00e4nen kerallaan\nl\u00e4htiv\u00e4t Nidar-saarelle[99] ottaen mukaansa Haakon jaarlin ja Karkin\np\u00e4\u00e4t. Sit\u00e4 saarta k\u00e4ytettiin siihen aikaan varkaiden ja pahantekij\u00e4in\nteloituspaikaksi ja siell\u00e4 oli hirsipuu, ja siihen h\u00e4n ripustutti\nHaakon jaarlin ja Karkin p\u00e4\u00e4t. Koko sotajoukko astui esille ja huusi ja\nheitteli niit\u00e4 kivill\u00e4 sanoen, ett\u00e4 siin\u00e4 sai ilkimys olla toisten\nilkimysten matkassa. Sitten l\u00e4hetettiin v\u00e4ke\u00e4 Gul-laaksoon, noudettiin\nsielt\u00e4 jaarlin ruumis ja poltettiin se. Niin suureksi kasvoi nyt se\nvihamielisyys, jota tr\u00f6ndit osoittivat Haakon jaarlia kohtaan, ettei\nkukaan uskaltanut nimitt\u00e4\u00e4 h\u00e4nt\u00e4 toisin kuin \"ilkimys-jaarliksi\"; t\u00e4t\u00e4\nherjanime\u00e4 k\u00e4ytettiin kauan sen j\u00e4lkeen. Mutta totta puhuen on\nkuitenkin sanottava Haakon jaarlista, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli paljon kyky\u00e4\nolla p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6n\u00e4; ensinn\u00e4kin h\u00e4n oli suurta sukua, sitten viisas ja\ntaitava k\u00e4ytt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n herruuttaan, rohkea taistelussa ja lis\u00e4ksi onnekas\nsaavuttamaan voittoja ja kaatamaan vihollisensa. N\u00e4in lausuu Torleiv\nRaudfeldinpoika:\n Haakon! ei ole meill\u00e4\n jalompaa jaarlia alla\n kuun; on kunniaa\n sankari taistossa saanut.\n Ylimyksi\u00e4 saatoit yhdeks\u00e4n\n (korpit ruumiita raastaa)\n luo Odenin; laajalti voit\n nyt vallita valtiaana.\nMiesten anteliaimpia oli Haakon jaarli, mutta mit\u00e4 suurin onnettomuus\nkohtasi moista p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6\u00e4 kuolinhetken\u00e4. Mutta p\u00e4\u00e4syyn\u00e4 siihen oli,\nett\u00e4 nyt oli koittanut aika, jolloin uhraaminen ja uhraajat olivat\ntuomittavat, mutta sijaan tuli pyh\u00e4 usko ja oikeat tavat.\nOlavi Trygvenpoika otettiin yleisill\u00e4 k\u00e4r\u00e4jill\u00e4 Trondhjemissa koko maan\nkuninkaaksi, niinkuin Harald Kaunotukka oli ollut. Olavi retkeili\nsitten kautta koko maan ja alisti sen valtaansa; kaikki Norjan miehet\nrupesivat h\u00e4nelle kuuliaisiksi; samaten tuli niist\u00e4 Yl\u00e4maiden ja\nVikenin p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6ist\u00e4, jotka ennen olivat saaneet alueensa Tanskan\nkuninkaalta, nyt Olavi kuninkaan miehi\u00e4 ja he ottivat maansa vastaan\nh\u00e4nelt\u00e4. Eirik jaarli Haakoninpoika ja h\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4 Svein sek\u00e4 muut\nheid\u00e4n sukulaisensa ja yst\u00e4v\u00e4ns\u00e4 pakenivat maasta, pyrkiv\u00e4t it\u00e4\u00e4n\nSveanmaahan Olavi kuninkaan luo, ja heid\u00e4t otettiin siell\u00e4 hyvin\nvastaan.\nLoden oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n muuan Vikenin mies, rikas ja suurisukuinen; h\u00e4n oli\nusein kauppamatkoilla, mutta v\u00e4liin sotaretkill\u00e4. Tapahtui er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4\nkes\u00e4n\u00e4, ett\u00e4 Loden l\u00e4hti kauppamatkalle It\u00e4maihin; h\u00e4n omisti koko\naluksen, ja siin\u00e4 oli suuri lasti. H\u00e4n suuntasi kulkunsa Vironmaahan ja\nviipyi kauppapaikoissa kaiken kes\u00e4\u00e4. Sinne tuotiin markkinoille\nmonenlaista tavaraa; siell\u00e4 oli my\u00f6skin paljon orjia myyt\u00e4vin\u00e4. Siell\u00e4\nLoden n\u00e4ki naisen, joka oli myyty orjaksi, ja naista katsellessaan h\u00e4n\ntunsi, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli Astrid Eirikintyt\u00e4r, joka oli ollut Trygve\nkuninkaan puolisona; mutta nyt h\u00e4n oli kovin muuttunut siit\u00e4, kuin\nLoden viimeksi oli n\u00e4hnyt h\u00e4net, sill\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli kalpea ja riutunut ja\nhuonoissa vaatteissa. Loden k\u00e4vi h\u00e4nen luokseen ja tiedusteli,\nmink\u00e4lainen h\u00e4nen tilansa oli. H\u00e4n vastaa:\n\"Raskasta on siit\u00e4 haastaa; minut on myyty orjaksi ja nyt olen t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4\nkaupan.\"\nSitten he ilmaisivat itsens\u00e4 toisilleen ja Astrid muisti h\u00e4net hyvin.\nH\u00e4n pyysi silloin Lodenia ostamaan h\u00e4net vapaaksi ja viem\u00e4\u00e4n kotiin\nsukulaisten luo.\n\"Min\u00e4 mainitsen sinulle ehdon\", sanoi Loden, \"min\u00e4 muutan sinut\nNorjaan, jos tahdot menn\u00e4 naimisiin kanssani\".\nMutta koska Astrid oli nyt joutunut h\u00e4t\u00e4\u00e4n ja sit\u00e4 paitsi tiesi, ett\u00e4\nLoden oli suurisukuinen, urhea ja rikas mies, suostui h\u00e4n t\u00e4h\u00e4n\np\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4kseen vapaaksi. Sitten Loden osti Astridin, vei h\u00e4net mukanaan\nNorjaan ja sai h\u00e4net siell\u00e4 sukulaisten suostumuksella.\nKun Tanskan kuningas Harald Gorminpoika oli ottanut vastaan\nkristinuskon, l\u00e4hetti h\u00e4n kautta koko valtakuntansa k\u00e4skyn, ett\u00e4 kaikki\nmiehet antaisivat kastaa itsens\u00e4 ja k\u00e4\u00e4ntyisiv\u00e4t oikeaan uskoon. H\u00e4n\ntuki itse t\u00e4t\u00e4 k\u00e4sky\u00e4 ja k\u00e4ytti siin\u00e4 valtaa ja rangaistuksia, kun ei\nmuu auttanut. H\u00e4n l\u00e4hetti miesjoukon kera kaksi jaarlia Norjaan; n\u00e4iden\noli m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4tt\u00e4v\u00e4 kansa kastettavaksi; niin k\u00e4vikin Vikeniss\u00e4, miss\u00e4\nHarald kuninkaan valta vaikutti, ja silloin kastettiin moni maan\nmiehist\u00e4.\nMutta Harald kuninkaan kuoltua h\u00e4nen poikansa Svein Kaksiparta l\u00e4hti\npian sotaretkille Sakslantiin ja Friislantiin ja lopulta Englantiin.\nSilloin ne Norjan miehet, jotka olivat ottaneet vastaan kristinuskon,\neksyiv\u00e4t taasen uhraamaan pakanajumalille, niinkuin ennenkin tehtiin\nmaan pohjoisosassa. Mutta tultuaan Norjan kuninkaaksi viipyi Olavi\nTrygvenpoika kes\u00e4ll\u00e4 kauan Vikeniss\u00e4. Siell\u00e4 h\u00e4nen luokseen tuli useita\nh\u00e4nen sukulaisiaan, muutamia lankoja ja paljon sellaisia, jotka olivat\nolleet h\u00e4nen is\u00e4ns\u00e4 hyvi\u00e4 yst\u00e4vi\u00e4, ja h\u00e4net otettiin vastaan suurella\nrakkaudella. Silloin Olavi kutsui neuvotteluun enonsa, is\u00e4puolensa\nLodenin, lankonsa Torgeirin ja Hyrningin ja esitti sitten mit\u00e4\nsuurimmalla innolla heille sen asian, ett\u00e4 he tukisivat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 t\u00e4ysin\nvoimin, kun h\u00e4n ryhtyisi levitt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n kristinuskoa kautta koko\nvaltakunnan; h\u00e4n sanoo aikovansa panna t\u00e4yt\u00e4nt\u00f6\u00f6n sen, ett\u00e4 saisi\nkristityksi kaiken kansan Norjassa tai muussa tapauksessa heitt\u00e4isi\nhenkens\u00e4: \"min\u00e4 teen teist\u00e4 kaikista suuria ja mahtavia miehi\u00e4, sill\u00e4\nmin\u00e4 luotan teihin parhaiten sukulaisuuden ja lankouden vuoksi\".\nKaikki n\u00e4m\u00e4 suostuivat tekem\u00e4\u00e4n mit\u00e4 h\u00e4n m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si ja tukemaan h\u00e4nt\u00e4\nkaikessa, mit\u00e4 h\u00e4n halusi, yhdess\u00e4 kaikkien niiden kanssa, jotka\ntahtoivat seurata heid\u00e4n neuvoaan. Olavi kuningas teki silloin\ntiett\u00e4v\u00e4ksi rahvaalle, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n aikoi k\u00e4ske\u00e4 kaikkia valtakuntansa\nmiehi\u00e4 rupeamaan kristityiksi. Ne, jotka ennenkin olivat suostuneet\nt\u00e4h\u00e4n, tottelivat nyt heti k\u00e4sky\u00e4; he olivat my\u00f6skin mahtavimpia\nsaapuvilla olevista, ja kaikki muut seurasivat heit\u00e4. Sen j\u00e4lkeen\nkastettiin kaikki id\u00e4n puolella Vikeniss\u00e4. Nyt kuningas l\u00e4hti Vikenin\nl\u00e4nsiosiin ja k\u00e4ski kaikkien miesten ottaa vastaan kristinuskon; mutta\nniit\u00e4, jotka puhuivat vastaan, h\u00e4n rankaisi ankarasti, toisia h\u00e4n\nsurmautti, toisia silvotti, toisia karkoitti maasta. P\u00e4\u00e4stiin niin\npitk\u00e4lle, ett\u00e4 koko siin\u00e4 valtakunnassa, jota h\u00e4nen is\u00e4ns\u00e4 Trygve\nkuningas ennen oli hallinnut, ja samaten siin\u00e4, mik\u00e4 oli kuulunut h\u00e4nen\nsukulaiselleen Harald Grenskelle, kaikki kansa rupesi kristinuskoon,\nniinkuin Olavi m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si; ja sin\u00e4 kes\u00e4n\u00e4 ja seuraavana talvena koko Viken\ntuli t\u00e4ysin kristityksi.\nOlavi kuningas l\u00e4hti varhain kev\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 liikkeelle Vikenist\u00e4, ja h\u00e4nell\u00e4\noli paljon miehi\u00e4 mukanaan. H\u00e4n kulki l\u00e4nnen puolelle Agderiin; mutta\nkaikkialla, miss\u00e4 h\u00e4n piti k\u00e4r\u00e4ji\u00e4 talonpoikain kanssa, h\u00e4n k\u00e4ski\nkansan kastettavaksi, ja siell\u00e4 alistuttiin kristinuskoon, sill\u00e4 ei\nkukaan talonpojista uskaltanut nousta kuningasta vastaan.\nHordalannissa oli monta ja uljasta miest\u00e4, jotka polveutuivat\nHorda-Kaaren suvusta; t\u00e4m\u00e4 suku oli suurin ja mahtavin siin\u00e4 osassa.\nMutta kun n\u00e4m\u00e4 sukulaiset saivat kuulla siit\u00e4 pulmallisesta asiasta,\nett\u00e4 kuningas tuli id\u00e4st\u00e4 p\u00e4in kautta maan suurin sotajoukoin ja rikkoi\nvanhoja lakeja ja ett\u00e4 kaikki ne, jotka puhuivat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan, saivat\nk\u00e4rsi\u00e4 rangaistuksia ja vainoa, p\u00e4\u00e4ttiv\u00e4t sukulaiset kokoontua\nneuvottelemaan, sill\u00e4 sen he saattoivat arvata, ett\u00e4 kuningas saapuisi\npian niille maille; he sopivat siit\u00e4, ett\u00e4 k\u00e4visiv\u00e4t miehiss\u00e4\nGula-k\u00e4r\u00e4jille ja kohtaisivat siell\u00e4 kuningas Olavi Trygvenpojan.\nHeti Rogalantiin saavuttuaan Olavi kutsui k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t koolle. Mutta kun\nk\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4viesti saapui talonpojille, he kokoontuivat miehiss\u00e4 ja t\u00e4ysin\naseistettuina; ja yhteen tultuaan he neuvottelivat ja valitsivat kolme\nmiest\u00e4, jotka olivat heid\u00e4n joukostaan taitavasanaisimpia, vastaamaan\nOlavi kuninkaalle k\u00e4r\u00e4jill\u00e4 ja puhumaan h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan sek\u00e4 tekem\u00e4\u00e4n\ntiett\u00e4v\u00e4ksi, etteiv\u00e4t he aikoneet taipua laittomuuksiin, vaikka\nkuningas sellaisia m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4sikin. Mutta kun talonpojat olivat saapuneet\nk\u00e4r\u00e4jille ja ne olivat kokoontuneet, nousi Olavi kuningas seisomaan ja\npuhui leppyis\u00e4sti heille. Kuitenkin selvisi h\u00e4nen sanoistaan, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n\ntahtoi heid\u00e4n ottavan vastaan kristinuskon; h\u00e4n pyysi sit\u00e4 ensin\nkaunein sanoin, mutta lopulta h\u00e4n lupasi niille, jotka puhuivat vastaan\neiv\u00e4tk\u00e4 tahtoneet taipua h\u00e4nen k\u00e4skyyns\u00e4, ett\u00e4 heid\u00e4n osakseen tulisi\nh\u00e4nen puoleltaan vihaa ja rangaistusta ja kovaa kohtelua, miss\u00e4 h\u00e4n\nvain tapaisi heid\u00e4t.\nKun kuningas oli lopettanut puheensa, nousi muuan talonpojista, joka\noli kaunopuheisin ja oli valittu ensiksi vastaamaan Olavi kuninkaalle.\nMutta kun h\u00e4n aikoi puhua, valtasi h\u00e4net sellainen ysk\u00e4 ja\nrinnanahdistus, ettei h\u00e4n saanut lausutuksi sanaakaan, vaan istuutui.\nSilloin nousi seisomaan toinen talonpoika, koska h\u00e4n ei tahtonut j\u00e4tt\u00e4\u00e4\nvastausta sikseen, vaikka ensimm\u00e4isen olikin k\u00e4ynyt huonosti. Mutta\npuhumaan ryhtyess\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4n alkoi niin kangertaa, ettei saanut sanaakaan\nesille; silloin rupesivat kaikki nauramaan ja talonpoika istuutui\nj\u00e4lleen. Sitten nousi kolmas pystyyn ja aikoi puhua Olavi kuningasta\nvastaan; mutta h\u00e4n oli k\u00e4ynyt niin k\u00e4he\u00e4ksi ja samea\u00e4\u00e4niseksi, ettei\nkukaan voinut kuulla, mit\u00e4 h\u00e4n sanoi, ja h\u00e4nenkin t\u00e4ytyi istuutua.\nSilloin ei kukaan talonpojista tullut puhuneeksi Olavi kuningasta\nvastaan. Mutta kun he eiv\u00e4t saaneet ket\u00e4\u00e4n vastaamaan kuninkaalle, ei\nvastarinnasta tullut mit\u00e4\u00e4n. Ja niin k\u00e4vi, ett\u00e4 kaikki suostuivat\nsiihen, mit\u00e4 kuningas m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si; silloin kastettiin siell\u00e4 kaikki\nk\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4rahvas, ennenkuin kuningas erosi heist\u00e4.\nOlavi kuningas l\u00e4hti miehineen Gula-k\u00e4r\u00e4jille, sill\u00e4 talonpojat olivat\nl\u00e4hett\u00e4neet h\u00e4nelle sanan, ett\u00e4 vastaisivat siell\u00e4 h\u00e4nen esitykseens\u00e4.\nMutta kun molemmat joukot olivat saapuneet k\u00e4r\u00e4jille, tahtoi kuningas\nensin keskustella p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6jen kanssa. Heid\u00e4n kokoonnuttuaan h\u00e4n esitti\nasiansa ja pyysi heit\u00e4 ottamaan vastaan kasteen h\u00e4nen k\u00e4skyns\u00e4 mukaan.\nSilloin sanoi \u00c5lmod vanhus:\n\"Me sukulaiset olemme puhelleet t\u00e4st\u00e4 asiasta kesken\u00e4mme ja suostuneet\nkaikki samaan tuumaan. Jos sin\u00e4, kuningas, aiot pakottaa meit\u00e4\nsellaisiin, ett\u00e4 rikot lakimme ja v\u00e4kipakolla koetat alistaa meid\u00e4t\nvaltaasi, silloin k\u00e4ymme sinua vastaan kaikin voimin, ja sitten saa\nkohtalo p\u00e4\u00e4tt\u00e4\u00e4 voitosta. Mutta jos sin\u00e4, kuningas, tahdot antaa meille\nhy\u00f6dyllisi\u00e4 lahjoja, voit toimia niin hyvin, ett\u00e4 me kaikki liitymme\nsinuun t\u00e4ysin kuuliaisina.\"\nKuningas virkkoi: \"Mit\u00e4 vaaditte minulta, jotta meid\u00e4n sovintomme tulee\nparhaimmaksi?\"\nSilloin sanoo \u00c5lmod: \"Ensinn\u00e4kin sit\u00e4, ett\u00e4 naitat Astrid sisaresi\nsukulaisellemme Erling Skjalginpojalle, jota me nyt sanomme\nlupaavimmaksi kaikista nuorista Norjan miehist\u00e4.\"\nKuningas arvelee, ett\u00e4 se tuntuu h\u00e4nest\u00e4 sopivalta naimiskaupalta,\nkoska Erling on hyv\u00e4\u00e4 sukua ja ulkomuodoltaan lupaava; mutta kuitenkin\nsanoo h\u00e4n, ett\u00e4 Astrid saa itse vastata t\u00e4ss\u00e4 asiassa. Sitten kuningas\npuhui sisarelleen t\u00e4st\u00e4.\n\"V\u00e4h\u00e4n hy\u00f6ty\u00e4 on minulla nyt siit\u00e4\", sanoo t\u00e4m\u00e4, \"ett\u00e4 olen kuninkaan\ntyt\u00e4r ja kuninkaan sisar, jos minut naitetaan miehelle, jolla ei ole\nruhtinaan nime\u00e4; mieluummin odotan muutamia talvia toista avioliittoa\".\n-- Ja siihen p\u00e4\u00e4ttyi keskustelu sill\u00e4 kertaa.\nOlavi otatti nyt kiinni haukan, jonka Astrid omisti, k\u00e4ski kyni\u00e4 siit\u00e4\nkaikki h\u00f6yhenet ja l\u00e4hetti sen sitten h\u00e4nelle. Silloin Astrid sanoi:\n\"Vihainen on veljeni nyt!\"\nSitten h\u00e4n nousi ja k\u00e4vi kuninkaan luo; t\u00e4m\u00e4 tervehti h\u00e4nt\u00e4\nyst\u00e4v\u00e4llisesti. Astrid sanoi silloin, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n toivoi kuninkaan\nj\u00e4rjest\u00e4v\u00e4n h\u00e4nen avioliittonsa mielens\u00e4 mukaan.\n\"Niin min\u00e4 ajattelin\", virkkoi kuningas, \"ett\u00e4 saisin kyllin valtaa\nt\u00e4ss\u00e4 maassa tehd\u00e4kseni jaarliksi kenen tahdon\".\nKuningas kutsutti sitten \u00c5lmodin ja Erlingin ja kaikki heid\u00e4n\nsukulaisensa neuvotteluun. Siin\u00e4 puhuttiin t\u00e4st\u00e4 avioliitosta, ja\nlopulta k\u00e4vi niin, ett\u00e4 Astrid kihlattiin Erlingille. Sitten kuningas\nantoi k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4in kokoontua ja tarjosi talonpojille kristinuskoa. Nyt\nolivat \u00c5lmod ja Erling ensimm\u00e4isi\u00e4 ajamaan kuninkaan asiaa, ja heid\u00e4n\npuolelleen liittyiv\u00e4t kaikki heid\u00e4n sukulaisensa. Kenell\u00e4k\u00e4\u00e4n ei ollut\nsilloin rohkeutta puhua vastaan, ja niin kaikki kansa kastettiin ja\ntuli kristityksi. Erling Skjalginpoika vietti kes\u00e4ll\u00e4 h\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4, ja\nsaapuvilla oli paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4; siell\u00e4 oli my\u00f6skin Olavi kuningas. Silloin\nh\u00e4n tarjosi Erlingille jaarlikuntaa. Erling sanoi n\u00e4in:\n\"Hersej\u00e4 ovat sukulaiseni olleet, en halua saada suurempaa nime\u00e4 kuin\nhe. Mutta sen otan kernaasti vastaan teilt\u00e4, kuningas, ett\u00e4 annatte\nminun olla suurin senniminen t\u00e4ss\u00e4 maassa.\"\nKuningas lupasi h\u00e4nelle sen. Ja erotessaan Olavi kuningas antoi h\u00e4nelle\nsuuren alueen samoilla ehdoilla, kuin Harald Kaunotukka oli luovuttanut\npojilleen.\nSamana syksyn\u00e4 Olavi kuningas kutsui nelj\u00e4n fylken k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t\nStadin pohjoispuolelle; niille oli sognelaisten, vuonolaisten,\netel\u00e4m\u00f6rel\u00e4isten sek\u00e4 raumalaaksolaisten m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4 saapua. Olavi kuningas\nl\u00e4hti sinne mukanaan suuri seurue miehi\u00e4, jotka h\u00e4n oli tuonut\nid\u00e4npuolelta tai jotka olivat tulleet h\u00e4nen luokseen Rogalannissa ja\nHordalannissa. Mutta saavuttuaan sinne k\u00e4r\u00e4jille h\u00e4n m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si\nkristinuskon siell\u00e4 kuten muuallakin vallitsevaksi. Koska kuninkaalla\noli perin suuri joukko, pelk\u00e4siv\u00e4t he sit\u00e4; ja lopulta kuningas tarjosi\nheille kaksi ehtoa: joko heid\u00e4n oli otettava vastaan kristinusko ja\nannettava kastaa itsens\u00e4 tai muussa tapauksessa k\u00e4yt\u00e4v\u00e4 taisteluun\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan. Mutta kun talonpojilla ei ollut mit\u00e4\u00e4n toiveita\ntaistelusta, suostuttiin siihen ehtoon, ett\u00e4 kaikki kansa tehtiin\nkristityksi.\nMutta Olavi kuningas l\u00e4hti miehineen Pohjois-M\u00f6reen ja alisti sen\nfylken kristinuskoon. Sitten h\u00e4n purjehti Ladeen ja k\u00e4ski repi\u00e4 maahan\njumalain temppelin ja ottaa kaiken kullan ja komeuden jumalalta; h\u00e4n\notti p\u00e4\u00e4ovesta ison kultarenkaan, jonka Haakon jaarli oli teett\u00e4nyt,\nsitten Olavi poltatti sen temppelin. Mutta kun talonpojat saavat sen\ntiet\u00e4\u00e4, antavat he vainovasaman kiert\u00e4\u00e4 kaikissa fylkeiss\u00e4, kokoontuvat\nsotajoukoksi ja aikovat k\u00e4yd\u00e4 kuningasta vastaan. Olavi kuningas\npurjehtii nyt laivastoineen vuonoa my\u00f6ten ja aikoo l\u00e4hte\u00e4 pohjan\npuolelle Haalogalantiin tehd\u00e4kseen sen kristityksi; mutta matkalla h\u00e4n\nsaa kuulla, ett\u00e4 siell\u00e4 on liikkeell\u00e4 sotajoukko, joka aikoo suojella\nmaataan kuningasta vastaan. Sen kuultuaan Olavi py\u00f6rt\u00e4\u00e4 takaisin ja\npurjehtii etel\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in ja saapuu alkutalvesta id\u00e4n puolelle Vikeniin.\nSvitjodin Sigrid kuningatar, jota nimitettiin Ylpe\u00e4ksi, asui talojaan.\nSin\u00e4 talvena kulki l\u00e4hettej\u00e4 Olavi kuninkaan ja Sigrid kuningattaren\nv\u00e4li\u00e4, ja he pyysiv\u00e4t Olavi kuninkaalle kuningatarta puolisoksi; t\u00e4m\u00e4\notti tarjouksen yst\u00e4v\u00e4llisesti vastaan, ja se asia joutui puheeksi.\nSilloin Olavi l\u00e4hetti Sigrid kuningattarelle sen ison kultarenkaan,\njonka h\u00e4n oli ottanut Laden temppelin ovesta, ja se n\u00e4ytti\nkallisarvoiselta lahjalta. T\u00e4st\u00e4 asiasta oli m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4 pit\u00e4\u00e4 seuraavana\nkev\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 kokous Virralla rajamerkin luona. Kun t\u00e4t\u00e4 rengasta, jonka\nOlavi kuningas oli l\u00e4hett\u00e4nyt Sigrid kuningattarelle, kaikki niin\nkehuivat, oli kuningattaren luona kaksi h\u00e4nen sepp\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4, jotka olivat\nveljeksi\u00e4. Mutta kun he ottivat renkaan ja punnitsivat sit\u00e4 k\u00e4siss\u00e4\u00e4n\nja puhelivat kahden kesken, kutsutti kuningatar heid\u00e4t luokseen ja\nkysyi, miksi he sit\u00e4 rengasta pilkkasivat. He kielt\u00e4ytyiv\u00e4t sanomasta;\nh\u00e4n virkkaa, ett\u00e4 heid\u00e4n on ilmoitettava h\u00e4nelle, mit\u00e4 he ovat siit\u00e4\nhuomanneet. He sanovat, ett\u00e4 renkaassa piilee petosta. Silloin h\u00e4n\nantoi murtaa renkaan, ja sen sis\u00e4st\u00e4 l\u00f6ydettiin kuparia. Siit\u00e4\nkuningatar vihastui suuresti ja sanoi, ett\u00e4 Olavi kyll\u00e4 saattoi pett\u00e4\u00e4\nh\u00e4net muussakin.\nVarhain kev\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 Olavi kuningas l\u00e4hti it\u00e4\u00e4n Konungahellaan[100] Sigrid\nkuningatarta tapaamaan. Mutta toisensa kohdatessaan he puhuivat siit\u00e4\nasiasta, jota oli pohdittu talven kuluessa, ett\u00e4 he menisiv\u00e4t kesken\u00e4\u00e4n\nnaimisiin, ja se asia edistyi hyvin. Silloin Olavi kuningas sanoi, ett\u00e4\nSigridin oli otettava vastaan kaste ja oikea usko. H\u00e4n vastasi t\u00e4h\u00e4n:\n\"En tahdo luopua siit\u00e4 uskosta, mik\u00e4 minulla ennen on ollut ja\nsukulaisillani ennen minua. En min\u00e4k\u00e4\u00e4n pane sit\u00e4 vastaan, ett\u00e4 sin\u00e4\nuskot siihen jumalaan, josta eniten pid\u00e4t.\"\nSilloin Olavi kuningas suuttui silmitt\u00f6m\u00e4sti ja vastasi kiivaasti:\n\"Miksi ottaisin sinut, joka olet pakanakoira?\" -- Ja h\u00e4n l\u00f6i\nkuningatarta kasvoihin hansikkaalla, jota h\u00e4n piti k\u00e4dess\u00e4\u00e4n. Sitten\nh\u00e4n nousi ja kuningatar samaten. Sigrid sanoi:\n\"T\u00e4m\u00e4 voi koitua sinulle surmaksi!\" Sen j\u00e4lkeen he erkanivat; kuningas\nl\u00e4hti Vikeniin, mutta kuningatar it\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in Sveanmaahan.\nOlavi kuningas l\u00e4hti sitten Tunsbergiin ja piti siell\u00e4 j\u00e4lleen k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t\nja m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si, ett\u00e4 kaikkien niiden miesten, jotka todistettiin taikuutta\nharjoittaviksi tai olivat velhoja, oli l\u00e4hdett\u00e4v\u00e4 maasta pois. Sitten\nkuningas antoi tiedustella sellaisia miehi\u00e4 l\u00e4hiseuduilta ja k\u00e4ski\nheid\u00e4t kaikki luokseen. Mutta kun he saapuivat sinne, oli heid\u00e4n\njoukossaan mies nimelt\u00e4 \u00d6ivind Kelda, Harald Kaunotukan pojan Ragnvald\nRettelbeinen pojanpoika. \u00d6ivind oli noita ja perin taikataitoinen.\nOlavi kuningas k\u00e4ski ker\u00e4t\u00e4 kaikki n\u00e4m\u00e4 miehet er\u00e4\u00e4seen tupaan,\ntoimitti heille pidot ja tarjosi v\u00e4kev\u00e4\u00e4 juomaa; ja kun he olivat\ntulleet humalaan, h\u00e4n k\u00e4ski sytytt\u00e4\u00e4 tuvan tuleen, ja niin se tupa\npaloi, ja kaikki v\u00e4ki, mik\u00e4 oli sis\u00e4ss\u00e4, paitsi \u00d6ivind Kelda, joka\npelastui lakeisesta. Mutta kauaksi p\u00e4\u00e4sty\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4n tapasi matkallaan\nmiehi\u00e4, jotka aikoivat kuninkaan luo, ja pyysi heit\u00e4 sanomaan t\u00e4lle,\nett\u00e4 \u00d6ivind Kelda oli suoriutunut tulesta eik\u00e4 aikonut sen koommin\njoutua Olavi kuninkaan k\u00e4siin; mutta h\u00e4n tahtoi edelleenkin menetell\u00e4\ntaidollaan samaan tapaan kuin ennenkin. Kun n\u00e4m\u00e4 miehet saapuivat\nkuninkaan luo, kertoivat he \u00d6ivindist\u00e4, kuten t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli pyyt\u00e4nyt.\nKuningas oli vihoissaan siit\u00e4, ettei \u00d6ivind ollutkaan kuollut.\nKev\u00e4\u00e4n l\u00e4hetess\u00e4 Olavi kuningas retkeili pitkin Vikeni\u00e4 ja asusti\nsuurkartanoissaan ja l\u00e4hetti kautta koko Vikenin sanan, ett\u00e4 halusi\nkes\u00e4ll\u00e4 saada v\u00e4ke\u00e4 ja laivoja l\u00e4hte\u00e4kseen sotaretkelle pohjan\npuolelle. Matkalla h\u00e4n saapui p\u00e4\u00e4si\u00e4isiltana K\u00e5rmtiin, miss\u00e4 oli\nvalmistettu h\u00e4nelle p\u00e4\u00e4si\u00e4ispidot; h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli l\u00e4hes kolmesataa miest\u00e4\nmukanaan. Samana y\u00f6n\u00e4 tuli sinne saarelle \u00d6ivind Kelda; h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli\nt\u00e4ysin miehitetty sota-alus; kaikki olivat velhoja ja muuta\ntaikauskoista v\u00e4ke\u00e4. \u00d6ivind ja h\u00e4nen miehens\u00e4 k\u00e4viv\u00e4t maihin laivasta\nja harjoittivat taikuuttaan. \u00d6ivind loihti niin sakean sumun, etteiv\u00e4t\nkuningas ja h\u00e4nen v\u00e4kens\u00e4 voineet n\u00e4hd\u00e4 heit\u00e4. Mutta kun he saapuivat\nl\u00e4helle taloa, silloin tuli kirkas p\u00e4iv\u00e4, ja nyt k\u00e4vi aivan toisin,\nkuin \u00d6ivind oli toivonut: se pimeys, mink\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli saanut aikaan\ntaioillaan, valtasi h\u00e4net ja h\u00e4nen v\u00e4kens\u00e4, niin etteiv\u00e4t he n\u00e4hneet\nsilmill\u00e4\u00e4n enemp\u00e4\u00e4 kuin niskallaan, vaan kulkivat keh\u00e4\u00e4. Mutta\nkuninkaan vartijat huomasivat heid\u00e4n kulkevan eiv\u00e4tk\u00e4 tiet\u00e4neet, mit\u00e4\nhe olivat miehi\u00e4\u00e4n. Se kerrottiin kuninkaalle, ja h\u00e4n nousi silloin\nv\u00e4kineen pukeutumaan. Mutta kun kuningas n\u00e4ki, miss\u00e4 \u00d6ivind ja h\u00e4nen\nmiehens\u00e4 kulkivat, k\u00e4ski h\u00e4n v\u00e4kens\u00e4 aseistautua ja k\u00e4yd\u00e4 katsomaan,\nmit\u00e4 he olivat miehi\u00e4\u00e4n. Mutta tuntiessaan \u00d6ivindin ottivat kuninkaan\nmiehet h\u00e4net ja toisetkin vangiksi ja toivat kuninkaan eteen. Nyt\n\u00d6ivind kertoi kaiken retkest\u00e4\u00e4n. Sitten kuningas k\u00e4ski vied\u00e4 kaikki\ner\u00e4\u00e4lle luodolle, jonka vesi peitti vuoksen aikana, ja sidotti heid\u00e4t\nsinne. Niin \u00d6ivind ja h\u00e4nen miehens\u00e4 heittiv\u00e4t henkens\u00e4. Sit\u00e4 luotoa\nsanottiin sitten Velholuodoksi.\nNiin kerrotaan, ett\u00e4 Olavi kuninkaan ollessa kesteiss\u00e4 K\u00e5rmtin\n\u00c5gvaldsnesissa sinne saapui er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 iltana vanha ja perin viisaspuheinen\nmies, jolla oli leve\u00e4lierinen hattu ja vain yksi silm\u00e4; se mies osasi\ntarinoida kaikista maista. H\u00e4n joutui puheisiin kuninkaan kanssa.\nKuningas mieltyi suuresti h\u00e4nen tarinoihinsa ja kyseli h\u00e4nelt\u00e4\nmonenlaisia asioita, mutta vieras vastasi kaikkiin kysymyksiin, ja\nkuningas istui h\u00e4nen seurassaan kauan iltasella. Sitten kuningas kysyi,\ntiesik\u00f6 h\u00e4n, kuka \u00c5gvald oli ollut, josta kannas ja talo olivat saaneet\nnimens\u00e4. Vieras sanoo, ett\u00e4 \u00c5gvald oli kuningas ja suuri sodank\u00e4vij\u00e4 ja\nuhrasi enimm\u00e4kseen er\u00e4\u00e4lle lehm\u00e4lle kuljettaen sit\u00e4 retkill\u00e4 mukanaan,\nja h\u00e4nest\u00e4 oli terveellist\u00e4 juoda aina sen maitoa: \"Kuningas \u00c5gvald\ntaisteli er\u00e4st\u00e4 Varen nimist\u00e4 kuningasta vastaan, ja siin\u00e4 taistelussa\nkaatui \u00c5gvald kuningas. Sitten h\u00e4net haudattiin v\u00e4h\u00e4n matkan p\u00e4\u00e4h\u00e4n\nt\u00e4st\u00e4 talosta ja haudalle pystytettiin ne muistokivet, jotka viel\u00e4kin\novat t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4. Mutta v\u00e4h\u00e4isen matkan p\u00e4\u00e4h\u00e4n siit\u00e4 haudattiin lehm\u00e4.\"\nSellaista ja paljon muutakin h\u00e4n kertoi kuninkaista ja muista vanhoista\nasioista. Mutta kun oli istuttu pitk\u00e4lle y\u00f6h\u00f6n, muistutti piispa\nkuninkaalle, ett\u00e4 oli aika k\u00e4yd\u00e4 levolle; kuningas teki niin. Mutta\nkun h\u00e4n oli riisuutunut ja mennyt vuoteeseen, istuutui vieras\nporraslaudalle ja puheli j\u00e4lleen kuninkaan kanssa; ja kun he olivat\ntarinoineet jostakin, halusi kuningas aina kuulla lis\u00e4\u00e4. Silloin piispa\npuhui kuninkaalle ja sanoi, ett\u00e4 nyt oli aika nukkua. Kuningas teki\nniin, ja vieras l\u00e4hti ulos. V\u00e4h\u00e4\u00e4 my\u00f6hemmin kuningas her\u00e4si ja\ntiedusteli vierasta ja k\u00e4ski kutsua t\u00e4m\u00e4n luokseen; mutta silloin ei\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4 tavattu mist\u00e4\u00e4n. Seuraavana aamuna kuningas kutsutti puheilleen\nkokkinsa ja juomanpanijan ja kyseli, oliko heid\u00e4n luokseen tullut\nket\u00e4\u00e4n tuntematonta. He sanoivat, ett\u00e4 kun he olivat valmistamassa\nruokaa, sinne saapui muuan mies sanoen, ett\u00e4 he keittiv\u00e4t kehnoa lihaa\nkuninkaan p\u00f6yt\u00e4\u00e4n, ja sitten h\u00e4n antoi heille kaksi isoa ja lihavaa\nteuraan kylkipaistia, ja n\u00e4m\u00e4 he keittiv\u00e4t muun lihan mukana. Silloin\nkuningas sanoo, ett\u00e4 se ruoka oli h\u00e4vitett\u00e4v\u00e4 ja ettei t\u00e4m\u00e4 mies ollut\nmik\u00e4\u00e4n ihminen, vaan varmaankin Oden, johon pakanat olivat kauan\nuskoneet; h\u00e4n sanoi, ettei Oden kuitenkaan saisi heit\u00e4 petetyksi.[101]\nKes\u00e4ll\u00e4 Olavi kuningas kokosi suuren sotajoukon id\u00e4n puolelta ja\npurjehti sen kera pohjoiseen p\u00e4in Trondhjemiin ja laski ensinn\u00e4\nNid-joen suulle. Sitten h\u00e4n pani k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4viestin kiert\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n ymp\u00e4ri vuonoa\nja m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si kahdeksan fylken k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t Frostaan;[102] mutta talonpojat\nmuuttivat k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4viestin vainovasamaksi[103] ja kokoontuivat miehiss\u00e4\nkautta koko Trondhjemin. Kun kuningas saapui k\u00e4r\u00e4jille, oli\ntalonpoikaisrahvas tullut sinne t\u00e4ysiss\u00e4 aseissa. Kuningas puhui\nkansalle ja kehoitti sit\u00e4 ottamaan vastaan kristinuskon. Mutta kun h\u00e4n\noli puhunut jonkun aikaa, huusivat talonpojat ja k\u00e4skiv\u00e4t h\u00e4nen vaieta,\nsanoen, ett\u00e4 muutoin he k\u00e4yv\u00e4t h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan ja karkoittavat h\u00e4net.\n\"Niin me teimme\", he sanoivat, \"kuningas Haakon Adalsteinin-kasvatille,\nkun h\u00e4n m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si meille sellaisia, emmek\u00e4 me pelk\u00e4\u00e4 sinua enemp\u00e4\u00e4 kuin\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4k\u00e4\u00e4n\".\nMutta kun Olavi havaitsi talonpoikien kiivauden ja n\u00e4ki heill\u00e4 olevan\nniin suuren sotajoukon, ettei h\u00e4n kykenisi heit\u00e4 vastustamaan, muutti\nh\u00e4n puheensa ja osoitti olevansa samaa mielt\u00e4 kuin talonpojat; h\u00e4n\npuhui n\u00e4in:\n\"Haluan, ett\u00e4 tulemme j\u00e4lleen yst\u00e4viksi, niinkuin ennen olemme\nsopineet. L\u00e4hden sinne, miss\u00e4 teill\u00e4 on suurimmat uhrinne, n\u00e4kem\u00e4\u00e4n\ntapojanne. Sitten neuvottelemme kaikin, mink\u00e4laisiin menoihin\nsuostumme, ja silloin rupeamme kaikki yksimielisiksi siit\u00e4.\"\nMutta koska kuningas puhui leppe\u00e4sti talonpojille, k\u00e4viv\u00e4t n\u00e4m\u00e4\ntaipuisiksi mielelt\u00e4\u00e4n, ja sitten keskusteltiin maltilla ja\nrauhallisesti ja lopuksi sovittiin siit\u00e4, ett\u00e4 pidet\u00e4\u00e4n keskikes\u00e4-uhrit\nM\u00e6reniss\u00e4, ja sinne saapuvat kaikki p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6t ja mahtimiehet, niinkuin\ntapana oli, ja sinne tulee my\u00f6skin Olavi kuningas. Siell\u00e4 oli muuan\nmahtava talonpoika nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n Skjegge; h\u00e4nt\u00e4 sanottiin Rautaparraksi.\nSkjegge puhui ensimm\u00e4isen\u00e4 k\u00e4r\u00e4jill\u00e4 Olavi kuningasta vastaan ja oli\ntalonpoikain johtajana kristinuskoa vastustettaessa. Niin l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t\ntalonpojat kotiinsa, mutta kuningas siirtyi Ladeen.\nOlavi kuninkaalla oli aluksensa Nid-joessa, ja h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli\nkolmekymment\u00e4 purtta ja paljon urheata v\u00e4ke\u00e4; mutta kuningas itse\noleskeli usein Ladessa seurueineen. Mutta kun se aika l\u00e4heni, jolloin\nM\u00e6reniss\u00e4 oli toimitettava uhrit, piti kuningas suuret kestit Ladessa;\nh\u00e4n oli kutsunut luokseen p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6it\u00e4 ja muita suurtalonpoikia. Kun\npidot olivat valmiit ja kutsutut saapuneet, oli ensimm\u00e4isen\u00e4 iltana\nsuuret kestit; juomaa tarjoiltiin runsaasti, ja vieraat humaltuivat\nper\u00e4ti. Mutta y\u00f6ns\u00e4 nukkuivat kaikki miehet rauhassa. Seuraavana aamuna\nkuningas toimitutti messun, ja kun se oli p\u00e4\u00e4ttynyt, kuulutti h\u00e4n\nkotik\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t; silloin kaikki h\u00e4nen miehens\u00e4 k\u00e4viv\u00e4t maihin laivoista ja\nsaapuivat k\u00e4r\u00e4jille. Mutta kuningas nousi ja puhui n\u00e4in:\n\"Meill\u00e4 oli k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t Frostassa, ja min\u00e4 kehoitin silloin talonpoikia\nsuostumaan kastettaviksi, mutta he taasen vaativat, ett\u00e4 min\u00e4\ntaipuisin uhraamaan heid\u00e4n kanssaan, niinkuin kuningas Haakon\nAdalsteinin-kasvatti oli tehnyt. Me sovimme silloin siit\u00e4, ett\u00e4\ntapaamme toisemme M\u00e6reniss\u00e4 ja toimitamme suuret uhrit. Mutta jos minun\npit\u00e4\u00e4 suostua uhraamaan teid\u00e4n kanssanne, silloin tahdon toimittaa\nsuurimman uhrin, mik\u00e4 on tapana, ja uhrata ihmisi\u00e4. En tahdo siihen\nvalita orjia tai pahantekij\u00f6it\u00e4, vaan lahjaksi jumalille on valittava\nmiesten parhaita.\"\nJa nyt kuningas nimitt\u00e4\u00e4 yksitoista miest\u00e4, jotka olivat kaikkein\nmainioimpia; h\u00e4n sanoo, ett\u00e4 n\u00e4m\u00e4 h\u00e4n haluaa uhrata sadon ja rauhan\nhyv\u00e4ksi, ja k\u00e4skee heti k\u00e4ym\u00e4\u00e4n k\u00e4siksi heihin. Mutta kun talonpojat\nn\u00e4kiv\u00e4t, ettei heill\u00e4 ollut kylliksi voimia kuningasta vastustaakseen,\npyysiv\u00e4t he armoa ja j\u00e4ttiv\u00e4t koko asian kuninkaan ratkaistavaksi.\nSovittiin silloin, ett\u00e4 kaikkien talonpoikain, jotka olivat sinne\nsaapuneet, oli annettava kastaa itsens\u00e4 ja vannottava kuninkaalle vala,\nett\u00e4 he pit\u00e4v\u00e4t oikean uskon ja luopuvat pakanallisista uhreistaan.\nKuningas piti kaikki n\u00e4m\u00e4 miehet luonaan, kunnes he antoivat\npanttivangiksi poikansa tai veljens\u00e4 tai muita l\u00e4heisi\u00e4 sukulaisiaan.\nOlavi kuningas l\u00e4hti sotajoukkoineen Trondhjemiin, Mutta M\u00e6reniin\np\u00e4\u00e4sty\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4n tapasi siell\u00e4 koolla kaikki tr\u00f6ndien p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6t, jotka\neniten vastustivat kristinuskoa, ja heill\u00e4 oli mukanaan kaikki\nsuurtalonpojat, jotka ennen olivat yll\u00e4pit\u00e4neet uhreja n\u00e4ill\u00e4 tienoin.\nNyt kuningas antoi kuuluttaa k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t, ja molemmin puolin k\u00e4ytiin niihin\nt\u00e4ysiss\u00e4 aseissa. Mutta kun k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t oli aloitettu, puhui kuningas ja\ntarjosi talonpojille kristinuskoa. Rautaparta vastasi kuninkaan\npuheeseen talonpoikien puolesta ja sanoi heid\u00e4n tahtovan edelleenkin,\nettei kuningas rikkoisi lakia: \"Me haluamme, kuningas\", h\u00e4n sanoo,\n\"ett\u00e4 sin\u00e4 uhraat niinkuin muut kuninkaat ovat t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 tehneet ennen\nsinua\". -- H\u00e4nen puheelleen huusivat talonpojat voimakkaasti sanoen\ntahtovansa, ett\u00e4 kaiken tulee olla niinkuin Rautaparta oli puhunut.\nSilloin kuningas sanoo, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n haluaa k\u00e4yd\u00e4 jumalain temppeliin\nkatsomaan heid\u00e4n tapojaan, kun he uhraavat. T\u00e4m\u00e4 oli talonpoikien\nmieleen, ja molemmat joukot l\u00e4htev\u00e4t nyt temppeliin.\nNyt Olavi kuningas k\u00e4vi temppeliin mukanaan muutamia miehi\u00e4\u00e4n ja er\u00e4it\u00e4\ntalonpoikia. Mutta kun kuningas enn\u00e4tti sinne, miss\u00e4 jumalat olivat,\nistui siell\u00e4 Tor, ja h\u00e4n oli eniten kunnioitettu kaikista jumalista,\nkullalla ja hopealla koristettu. Olavi kuningas kohotti silloin\nkullalla silattua kirvest\u00e4, joka h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli k\u00e4dess\u00e4\u00e4n, ja iski Toria,\nniin ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 putosi alustaltaan; sitten kuninkaan miehet riensiv\u00e4t\nesiin ja kaatoivat kaikki jumalat. Mutta kuninkaan ollessa temppeliss\u00e4\nsurmattiin Rautaparta oven edustalla, ja sen tekiv\u00e4t kuninkaan miehet.\nKuu kuningas astui ulos miestens\u00e4 luo, k\u00e4ski h\u00e4n talonpoikain valita\njommankumman ehdon: joko heid\u00e4n oli kaikkien alistuttava nyt\nkristinuskoon tai k\u00e4yt\u00e4v\u00e4 taistelemaan h\u00e4nen kanssaan. Mutta\nRautaparran kaaduttua ei talonpoikien sotajoukossa ollut ket\u00e4\u00e4n\njohtajaa nostamassa sotaviiri\u00e4 kuningasta vastaan. Niin valittiin se\nehto, ett\u00e4 k\u00e4yd\u00e4\u00e4n kuninkaan luo ja alistutaan siihen, mit\u00e4 h\u00e4n m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4\u00e4.\nSilloin Olavi kuningas kastatti kaiken kansan, mik\u00e4 siell\u00e4 oli, ja otti\ntalonpojilta panttivankeja sen vakuudeksi, ett\u00e4 he pit\u00e4v\u00e4t\nkristinuskon. Sitten Olavi kuningas pani miehens\u00e4 kiert\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n kaikissa\nTrondhjemin fylkeiss\u00e4, ja niin kastettiin kaikki kansa Tr\u00f6ndelagenissa.\nOlavi kuningas l\u00e4hti miehineen Nidarosiin; siell\u00e4 h\u00e4n rakennutti taloja\nNid-joen partaalle ja m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4si, ett\u00e4 siit\u00e4 oli tuleva kauppakaupunki;\nh\u00e4n antoi miehille maata taloja varten, mutta rakennutti itse\nkuninkaankartanon. Sinne h\u00e4n siirr\u00e4tti syksyll\u00e4 kaikki varastot, mitk\u00e4\nolivat tarpeen talvimajaa varten, ja h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli siell\u00e4 suuri m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4\nv\u00e4ke\u00e4.\nKuningas kutsui koolle Rautaparran sukulaiset ja tarjosi heille\nsovintosakkoja; mutta siell\u00e4 oli monta uljasta miest\u00e4 vastaamassa.\nRautaparralla oli tyt\u00e4r, Gudrun niminen; sovittiin viimein, ett\u00e4 Olavi\nkuningas nai Gudrunin. H\u00e4iden tultua molemmat k\u00e4viv\u00e4t samaan\nvuoteeseen, Olavi kuningas ja Gudrun. Mutta ensimm\u00e4isen\u00e4 y\u00f6n\u00e4, kun he\nmakasivat yhdess\u00e4, veti Gudrun esiin veitsen, niin pian kuin kuningas\noli nukkunut, ja aikoi ty\u00f6nt\u00e4\u00e4 sen h\u00e4neen. T\u00e4m\u00e4n huomatessaan kuningas\notti veitsen h\u00e4nelt\u00e4, nousi vuoteestaan ja meni miestens\u00e4 luo kertoen,\nmit\u00e4 oli tapahtunut. Gudrun ja kaikki ne miehet, jotka olivat\nseuranneet h\u00e4nt\u00e4 sinne, ottivat silloin vaatteensa ja l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t pois,\neik\u00e4 Gudrun sen koommin joutunut samaan vuoteeseen Olavi kuninkaan\nkanssa.\nSigurd oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n muuan mies ja Hauk oli toinen; he olivat\nHaalogalannista ja k\u00e4viv\u00e4t usein kaupparetkill\u00e4. He olivat er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4\nkes\u00e4n\u00e4 l\u00e4hteneet l\u00e4nnen puolelle Englantiin. Mutta Norjaan palattuaan\nhe purjehtivat pohjoista kohti rannikkoa pitkin, ja Pohjois-M\u00f6ress\u00e4 he\njoutuivat Olavi kuninkaan miesten seuraan. Kun kuninkaalle kerrottiin,\nett\u00e4 sinne oli tullut Haalogalannin miehi\u00e4, jotka olivat pakanoita,\nkutsutti kuningas per\u00e4miehet luokseen; h\u00e4n kysyi, antaisivatko he\nkastaa itsens\u00e4, mutta he vastasivat siihen kielt\u00e4v\u00e4sti. Sitten kuningas\npuhui heille monella tavalla, mutta siit\u00e4 ei ollut mit\u00e4\u00e4n hy\u00f6ty\u00e4;\nsilloin h\u00e4n uhkasi surmauttaa tai teloittaa heid\u00e4t, mutta he eiv\u00e4t\ntaipuneet siit\u00e4k\u00e4\u00e4n. H\u00e4n k\u00e4ski nyt panna heid\u00e4t rautoihin ja piti heit\u00e4\nluonaan jonkun aikaa, ja he saivat olla kahleissa. Kuningas puheli\nheille usein, mutta se ei auttanut. Er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 y\u00f6n\u00e4 he olivat kadonneet,\nniin ettei kukaan saanut tietoa heist\u00e4 tai siit\u00e4, miten he olivat\np\u00e4\u00e4sseet tiehens\u00e4. Mutta syksyll\u00e4 he saapuivat pohjan puolelle\nTjottan[104] Haarekin luo; t\u00e4m\u00e4 otti heid\u00e4t suopeasti vastaan, ja\nsiell\u00e4 he viipyiv\u00e4t h\u00e4nen luonaan hyv\u00e4ss\u00e4 hoivassa.\nTapahtui kev\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 kauniina p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4, ett\u00e4 Haarek oli kotosalla\ntalossaan ja muutamia miehi\u00e4 h\u00e4nen kanssaan, ja aika tuntui h\u00e4nest\u00e4\npitk\u00e4lt\u00e4. Sigurd puhui h\u00e4nelle kysyen, haluttiko h\u00e4nt\u00e4 l\u00e4hte\u00e4 hiukan\nvesille ajan ratoksi. Se tuntui Haarekista sopivalta. He k\u00e4viv\u00e4t sitten\nrantaan ja vetiv\u00e4t vesille kolmihangan; Sigurd otti talaasta purjeita\nja varusteita, jotka kuuluivat purteen, niinkuin heid\u00e4n tapansa usein\noli ottaa purjeet mukaansa, kun l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t huvittelemaan. Haarek astui\npurteen ja sovitti per\u00e4simen kohdalleen. Sigurd ja h\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4\nl\u00e4htiv\u00e4t t\u00e4ysiss\u00e4 aseissa, niinkuin olivat tottuneet k\u00e4ym\u00e4\u00e4n kotona\ntalonpojan luona. He olivat molemmat v\u00e4kevi\u00e4 miehi\u00e4; mutta ennenkuin\nastuivat purteen, he heittiv\u00e4t siihen muutaman voipytyn ja leip\u00e4korin\nja kantoivat ison olutsangon veneeseen. P\u00e4\u00e4sty\u00e4\u00e4n ulommaksi saaresta\nveljekset kohottivat purjeen, mutta Haarek piti per\u00e4\u00e4; niin jouduttiin\nnopeasti saaren l\u00e4hettyvilt\u00e4. Silloin veljekset k\u00e4viv\u00e4t per\u00e4puolelle,\nmiss\u00e4 Haarek istui. Sigurd haastoi Haarek talonpojalle:\n\"Nyt sinun on valittava t\u00e4ss\u00e4 muutamista ehdoista: ensimm\u00e4inen on se,\nett\u00e4 sallit meid\u00e4n veljesten p\u00e4\u00e4tt\u00e4\u00e4 matkastamme ja kulustamme, toinen\non se, ett\u00e4 sallit meid\u00e4n sitoa sinut, ja kolmas se, ett\u00e4 me voimme\nsurmata sinut.\"\nHaarek huomasi, mink\u00e4lainen h\u00e4nen tilansa oli. H\u00e4n ei voinut vet\u00e4\u00e4\nvertoja, muuta kuin toiselle veljeksist\u00e4, jos he olivat samaten\nvarustetut; sen vuoksi h\u00e4n valitsi sen, mik\u00e4 tuntui h\u00e4nest\u00e4\nsopivimmalta, ett\u00e4 salli heid\u00e4n p\u00e4\u00e4tt\u00e4\u00e4 matkasta. H\u00e4n vannoi heille\nvaloja siit\u00e4 ja antoi sanansa vakuudeksi. Sitten Sigurd siirtyi\nper\u00e4simeen ja ohjasi etel\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in rannikkoa my\u00f6ten; sit\u00e4 veljekset\ntarkoin karttoivat, etteiv\u00e4t kohtaisi ihmisi\u00e4, mutta he saivat eritt\u00e4in\nhyv\u00e4n tuulen.\nHe eiv\u00e4t keskeytt\u00e4neet matkaa, ennenkuin saapuivat Trondhjemiin ja\nNidarosiin asti ja l\u00f6ysiv\u00e4t siell\u00e4 Olavi kuninkaan. Sitten kuningas\nkutsutti Haarekin puheilleen ja kehoitti h\u00e4nt\u00e4 kastattamaan itsens\u00e4,\nmutta h\u00e4n puhui vastaan. T\u00e4st\u00e4 kuningas ja Haarek keskustelivat useana\np\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4, toisinaan monen miehen kuullen, toisinaan kahden kesken; mutta\nhe eiv\u00e4t p\u00e4\u00e4sseet yksimielisiksi. Mutta lopulta kuningas virkkoi\nHaarekille:\n\"Nyt saat l\u00e4hte\u00e4 kotiin, enk\u00e4 min\u00e4 tahdo ensity\u00f6kseni tehd\u00e4 sinulle\nmit\u00e4\u00e4n pahaa. Yhten\u00e4 syyn\u00e4 on se, ett\u00e4 olemme l\u00e4heisi\u00e4 sukulaisia, ja\ntoisena se, ett\u00e4 voisit sanoa minun vanginneen sinut kavaluudella.\nMutta tied\u00e4 se varmasti, ett\u00e4 aion kes\u00e4ll\u00e4 saapua sinne pohjan puoleen\nvainoamaan teit\u00e4 haal\u00f6igej\u00e4. Saatte silloin tuta, kykenenk\u00f6\nrankaisemaan niit\u00e4, jotka nousevat kristinuskoa vastaan.\"\nHaarek sanoi olevansa tyytyv\u00e4inen, ett\u00e4 p\u00e4\u00e4si sielt\u00e4 pois niin pian\nkuin mahdollista. Olavi kuningas antoi h\u00e4nelle hyv\u00e4n purren, jota\nkymmenen tai kaksitoista miest\u00e4 souti kummallakin laidalla, ja varusti\nsen aluksen mit\u00e4 parhaiten kaikenlaisilla tarpeilla. Olavi kuningas\nantoi Haarekille mukaan kolmekymment\u00e4 miest\u00e4, ripeit\u00e4 ja hyvin\nvarustettuja urhoja.\nTjottan Haarek l\u00e4hti pois kaupungista niin pian kuin saattoi; mutta\nHauk ja Sigurd j\u00e4iv\u00e4t kuninkaan luo ja antoivat molemmat kastaa\nitsens\u00e4. Haarek jatkoi matkaansa, kunnes saapui kotiinsa Tjottaan. H\u00e4n\nl\u00e4hetti sanan yst\u00e4v\u00e4lleen \u00d6ivind Kinnrivalle ja pyysi sanomaan t\u00e4lle,\nett\u00e4 Tjottan Haarek oli tavannut Olavi kuninkaan, mutta ei ollut\nalistunut ottamaan vastaan kristinuskoa; sen Haarek my\u00f6skin pyysi\nkertomaan h\u00e4nelle, ett\u00e4 Olavi kuningas aikoi kes\u00e4ll\u00e4 l\u00e4hte\u00e4\nsotajoukkoineen heit\u00e4 vastaan ja ett\u00e4 heid\u00e4n silloin oli menetelt\u00e4v\u00e4\nvarovaisesti, ja h\u00e4n kehoitti \u00d6ivindi\u00e4 niin pian kuin suinkin saapumaan\nh\u00e4nen luokseen.\nMutta kun n\u00e4m\u00e4 sanomat tuotiin \u00d6ivindille, sanoi h\u00e4n olevan varsin\nv\u00e4ltt\u00e4m\u00e4t\u00f6nt\u00e4 ryhty\u00e4 sellaisiin tuumiin, ettei kuningas p\u00e4\u00e4sisi\nvoitolle. Niin \u00d6ivind l\u00e4hti niin pian kuin suinkin liikkeelle keve\u00e4ll\u00e4\npurrella ja muutamia miehi\u00e4 h\u00e4nen kanssaan. Mutta kun h\u00e4n saapui\nTjottaan, otti Haarek h\u00e4net hyvin vastaan, ja heti k\u00e4viv\u00e4t molemmat\nhaastelemaan pihan toiselle puolen. Mutta kun he ovat keskustelleet\ntuokion, saapuvat sinne Olavi kuninkaan miehet, jotka olivat saattaneet\nHaarekin pohjan puolelle, ottavat \u00d6ivindin vangiksi, kuljettavat h\u00e4net\nkerallaan alukseensa ja l\u00e4htev\u00e4t sitten pois. He eiv\u00e4t keskeyt\u00e4 matkaa,\nennenkuin tulevat Trondhjemiin ja tapaavat Olavi kuninkaan Nidarosissa.\n\u00d6ivind vietiin sitten Olavi kuninkaan puheille. Kuningas kehoitti h\u00e4nt\u00e4\nottamaan vastaan kasteen toisten lailla. \u00d6ivind vastasi siihen\nkielt\u00e4v\u00e4sti. Kuningas pyysi leppein sanoin h\u00e4nt\u00e4 ottamaan vastaan\nkristinuskon ja sanoi h\u00e4nelle monta hyv\u00e4\u00e4 syyt\u00e4, samaten piispakin.\n\u00d6ivind ei antanut taivuttaa itse\u00e4\u00e4n. Silloin kuningas tarjosi h\u00e4nelle\nlahjoja ja suuria maatuloja, mutta \u00d6ivind torjui kaikki. Sitten\nkuningas k\u00e4ski kantaa sis\u00e4\u00e4n astian t\u00e4ynn\u00e4 hehkuvia hiili\u00e4 ja panna sen\n\u00d6ivindin vatsalle, ja pian repesi h\u00e4nelt\u00e4 vatsa. Silloin \u00d6ivind puhui:\n\"Ottakaa astia p\u00e4\u00e4lt\u00e4ni; tahdon sanoa muutaman sanan, ennenkuin\nkuolen.\"\nNiin tehtiin. Silloin kuningas kysyi:\n\"Tahdotko nyt, \u00d6ivind, uskoa Kristukseen?\"\n\"En\", virkkoi t\u00e4m\u00e4, \"min\u00e4 en voi saada kastetta; olen henki, jonka\nlappalaisten taiat ovat luoneet ihmishahmoon, kun is\u00e4ni ja \u00e4itini eiv\u00e4t\nmuutoin saaneet lasta\".\nSitten \u00d6ivind kuoli, ja h\u00e4n oli ollut mit\u00e4 taikataitoisin mies.\nSeuraavana kev\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 Olavi kuningas antoi varustaa laivansa ja miehens\u00e4.\nSilloin kuninkaalla oli itsell\u00e4\u00e4n Kurki, jonka h\u00e4n oli v\u00e4h\u00e4\u00e4 ennen\nrakennuttanut Nid-joen partaalla, ja h\u00e4nen laivastonsa oli suuri ja\nkomea. Mutta valmiiksi p\u00e4\u00e4sty\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4n ohjasi laivastonsa ulosp\u00e4in vuonoa\npitkin pohjoiseen Haalogalantia kohti, ja kaikkialla, miss\u00e4 noustiin\nmaihin, h\u00e4n piti k\u00e4r\u00e4ji\u00e4 ja k\u00e4ski kansan ottaa vastaan kasteen ja\noikean uskon. Ei ollut kell\u00e4\u00e4n voimaa puhua h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan, ja niin\ntehtiin kaikki maa kristityksi siell\u00e4, miss\u00e4 h\u00e4n retkeili. Olavi\nkuningas asettui Tjottan Haarekin luo; silloin t\u00e4m\u00e4 kastettiin kaikkine\nmiehineen. Erottaessa Haarek antoi kuninkaalle suuria lahjoja ja rupesi\nh\u00e4nen miehekseen, ja h\u00e4n sai kuninkaalta maita ja l\u00e4\u00e4nitysmiehen arvon.\nRaud V\u00e4kev\u00e4ksi nimitettiin er\u00e4st\u00e4 talonpoikaa, joka asui God\u00f6ss\u00e4 siin\u00e4\nvuonossa, joka on Salpte[105] nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n. Raud oli perin rikas mies, ja\nh\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli monta alustalaista; h\u00e4n oli mahtava mies, h\u00e4nt\u00e4 seurasi\nsuuri joukko lappalaisia, niin pian kuin h\u00e4n tarvitsi heid\u00e4n apuaan.\nRaud oli innokas uhraaja ja eritt\u00e4in taikataitoinen. H\u00e4n oli\nVaagarin[106] Tore Peuran hyv\u00e4 yst\u00e4v\u00e4, molemmat olivat mahtavia\np\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6it\u00e4.\nMutta kun he saivat kuulla, ett\u00e4 Olavi kuningas liikkui laivastolla\npohjan puolella Haalogalannissa, kokosivat he luokseen suuren\nsotajoukon, m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4siv\u00e4t laivoja l\u00e4hetett\u00e4viksi ja saivat paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4.\nRaudilla oli iso alus, jossa oli kullatut p\u00e4\u00e4t; siin\u00e4 laivassa oli\nkolmekymment\u00e4 v\u00e4liruumaa,[107] ja se oli suuri samassa suhteessa;\nmy\u00f6skin Torella oli iso alus. He suuntasivat laivastonsa etel\u00e4\u00e4n Olavi\nkuningasta vastaan. Mutta h\u00e4net kohdatessaan he ryhtyiv\u00e4t taisteluun;\nsiit\u00e4 sukeusi ankara ottelu, ja siin\u00e4 syntyi pian suuri mieshukka ja se\nk\u00e4\u00e4ntyi haal\u00f6igeille tappioksi; heid\u00e4n aluksensa raivattiin puhtaiksi,\nja sitten heid\u00e4t valtasi pelko ja kauhu. Silloin Raud soudatti purtensa\nulapalle ja k\u00e4ski nostaa purjeen. Raudilla oli aina my\u00f6t\u00e4tuuli, minne\nhyv\u00e4ns\u00e4 h\u00e4n halusi purjehtia, ja se johtui h\u00e4nen loitsutaidostaan.\nLyhint\u00e4 on sanoa Raudin matkasta, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n purjehti kotiinsa God\u00f6h\u00f6n.\nTore pakeni maihin, ja siell\u00e4 he riensiv\u00e4t pois aluksista. Mutta Olavi\nkuningas seurasi heit\u00e4, ja my\u00f6skin h\u00e4nen miehens\u00e4 riensiv\u00e4t laivoista\nja ajoivat heit\u00e4 takaa ja surmasivat heid\u00e4t; olipa taasen kuningas\nensimm\u00e4isen\u00e4, niinkuin aina, milloin sellaista toimitettiin. H\u00e4n n\u00e4ki,\nmiss\u00e4 Tore juoksi, ja t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli perin nopeajalkainen. Kuningas riensi\nh\u00e4nen j\u00e4lkeens\u00e4 Vige koiransa seuraamana. Silloin kuningas sanoi:\n\"Vige, ota kiinni Peura!\" -- Vige juoksi Toren j\u00e4lkeen ja karkasi\nh\u00e4neen kiinni. Toren t\u00e4ytyi pys\u00e4hty\u00e4. Silloin kuningas lenn\u00e4tti\nkeih\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4 Torea kohti, ja Tore tapaili koiraa miekallaan ja iski siihen\nison haavan; mutta samassa tuokiossa lensi kuninkaan keih\u00e4s Toren k\u00e4den\nalitse tunkeutuen h\u00e4nen l\u00e4vitseen ja ty\u00f6ntyen ulos toiselta puolen.\nSiihen Tore heitti henkens\u00e4, mutta Vige kannettiin laivoille. Olavi\nkuningas antoi armon kaikille miehille, jotka sit\u00e4 pyysiv\u00e4t ja\nsuostuivat ottamaan vastaan kristinuskon.\nOlavi kuningas suuntasi laivastonsa pohjoista kohti rannikkoa pitkin ja\nkastoi kaiken kansan siell\u00e4, miss\u00e4 retkeili. Salpteen saavuttuaan h\u00e4n\naikoi l\u00e4hte\u00e4 vuonoon Raudia etsim\u00e4\u00e4n, mutta vuonoa pitkin pyyh\u00e4lti\nulosp\u00e4in myrskys\u00e4\u00e4 ja kova tuuli, ja kuningas odotti siell\u00e4 viikon\nverran, ja sama myrsky k\u00e4vi vuonosta p\u00e4in, mutta ulkopuolella oli\nnavakka tuuli purjehtia pohjoiseen pitkin rannikkoa. Niin kuningas\npurjehti aina \u00c5mdiin asti, ja siell\u00e4 kaikki kansa alistui\nkristinuskoon. Sitten h\u00e4n py\u00f6rsi j\u00e4lleen etel\u00e4\u00e4 kohti. Mutta kun\nsaavuttiin Salpteen, raivosi myrskys\u00e4\u00e4 ja ankara hyrsky pitkin vuonoa.\nKuningas odotti siell\u00e4 muutamia \u00f6it\u00e4, mutta s\u00e4\u00e4 pysyi samanlaisena.\nSilloin h\u00e4n puhui Sigurd piispalle ja kysyi, saattoiko t\u00e4m\u00e4 keksi\u00e4\nmit\u00e4\u00e4n keinoa sit\u00e4 vastaan. Piispa sanoi tahtovansa koettaa, antaisiko\nJumala apuaan paholaisen vallan voittamiseksi.\nSigurd piispa otti nyt messupukunsa, k\u00e4vi kuninkaanlaivan keulaan,\nk\u00e4ski sytytt\u00e4\u00e4 kynttil\u00f6it\u00e4 ja kantoi esiin tuohuksia, asetti\nristiinnaulitun kuvan keulaan, luki siell\u00e4 evankelioita ja monta muuta\nrukousta ja pirskoitti vihkivett\u00e4 yli koko laivan. Sitten h\u00e4n kehoitti\nirroittamaan k\u00f6ydet ja soutamaan vuonoon. Kuningas k\u00e4ski silloin huutaa\ntoisille laivoille, ett\u00e4 kaikki soutaisivat h\u00e4nen j\u00e4lkeens\u00e4. Mutta kun\nairot alkoivat liikkua Kurjella, niin se eteni vuonoon, eiv\u00e4tk\u00e4 ne,\njotka soutivat, tunteneet vastassaan mit\u00e4\u00e4n tuulta; ja sellaiseksi j\u00e4i\nvanaveden ala, ett\u00e4 siin\u00e4 oli aivan tyynt\u00e4, mutta hyrsky vihmoi niin\ntihe\u00e4n\u00e4 molemmin puolin, ettei n\u00e4kynyt tuntureita vuonon kummallakaan\nsivulla. Niin souti alus toisensa j\u00e4lkeen tyveness\u00e4, ja he kulkivat\nsiten kaiken p\u00e4iv\u00e4\u00e4 ja seuraavan y\u00f6n ja saapuivat hiukan ennen\np\u00e4iv\u00e4nkoittoa God\u00f6h\u00f6n. Mutta kun he joutuivat Raudin talon edustalle,\nkellui h\u00e4nen suuri aluksensa rannassa. Olavi kuningas k\u00e4vi heti taloon\nmiehineen, rynt\u00e4si siihen tupaan, miss\u00e4 Raud nukkui, ja h\u00e4nen miehens\u00e4\nmurtivat sen auki ja hy\u00f6kk\u00e4siv\u00e4t sis\u00e4\u00e4n. Silloin Raud joutui vangiksi\nja sidottiin, mutta muista miehist\u00e4, jotka olivat sis\u00e4ll\u00e4, surmattiin\nmuutamia ja toisia vangittiin. Sitten kuninkaan miehet k\u00e4viv\u00e4t siihen\ntupaan, miss\u00e4 Raudin alustalaiset nukkuivat; siell\u00e4 muutamia\nsurmattiin, toisia sidottiin, toisia piestiin.\nKuningas k\u00e4ski sitten tuoda Raudin eteens\u00e4 ja kehoitti h\u00e4nt\u00e4 alistumaan\nkasteeseen. \"Silloin\", sanoi kuningas, \"en tahdo riist\u00e4\u00e4 sinulta\nomaisuuttasi, vaan rupean kernaammin yst\u00e4v\u00e4ksesi, jos taidat siivolla\nk\u00e4ytt\u00e4yty\u00e4\".\nRaud huusi vastaan sanoen, ettei h\u00e4n koskaan usko Kristukseen, ja\nhaastoi herjasanoja Jumalasta. Kuningas suuttui silloin ja sanoi, ett\u00e4\nRaud on saava surkean lopun. Sitten kuningas k\u00e4ski ottaa h\u00e4net ja sitoa\nselin salkoon, pist\u00e4\u00e4 puupalan h\u00e4nen hampaittensa v\u00e4liin ja siten avata\nsuun. Sitten kuningas otatti kyyk\u00e4\u00e4rmeen ja pist\u00e4tti sen h\u00e4nen\nsuuhunsa; mutta k\u00e4\u00e4rme ei tahtonut k\u00e4yd\u00e4 suuhun, vaan kiemurteli pois,\nsill\u00e4 Raud henki vastaan. Silloin kuningas k\u00e4ski ottaa v\u00e4in\u00f6nputken ja\npist\u00e4\u00e4 sen Raudin suuhun, mutta toiset kertovat, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n otti torvensa\nja ty\u00f6nsi sen h\u00e4nen suuhunsa; siihen tungettiin k\u00e4\u00e4rme ja hehkuva\nrautatanko pistettiin per\u00e4\u00e4n. Silloin k\u00e4\u00e4rme meni Raudin suuhun ja\nsitten kaulaan ja kaivoi itselleen tien siit\u00e4 puhki; niin Raud heitti\nhenkens\u00e4.\nOlavi kuningas otti sitten ylett\u00f6m\u00e4n paljon kulta- ja hopeatavaraa ja\nmuuta irtaimistoa, aseita ja kaikenlaisia kalleuksia; kuningas kastatti\nkaikki miehet, jotka olivat seuranneet Raudia, mutta ne, jotka eiv\u00e4t\nsuostuneet, h\u00e4n surmautti tai kidutti heit\u00e4. Sitten Olavi kuningas otti\nsen laivan, joka oli ollut Raudin, ja ohjasi sit\u00e4 itse, sill\u00e4 se oli\npaljoa suurempi ja komeampi alus kuin Kurki; keulassa oli louhik\u00e4\u00e4rmeen\np\u00e4\u00e4, mutta per\u00e4ss\u00e4 koukero ja pyrst\u00f6, ja se oli runsaasti silattu. Sit\u00e4\npurtta kuningas nimitti K\u00e4\u00e4rmeeksi, sill\u00e4 kun purje oli nostettu, niin\nse n\u00e4ytti louhik\u00e4\u00e4rmeen siivilt\u00e4; t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli Norjan kaunein alus. Olavi\nkuningas teki koko sen vuonon kristityksi ja l\u00e4hti sitten tiehens\u00e4\netel\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in, ja sill\u00e4 matkalla tapahtui paljon, niinkuin on\nkirjoitettu muistiin tarinain mukaan, ett\u00e4 peikot ja maahiset ryhtyiv\u00e4t\nottelemaan h\u00e4nen miestens\u00e4 ja toisinaan h\u00e4nen itsens\u00e4kin kanssa. Mutta\nme tahdomme ennemmin kirjoittaa niist\u00e4 tapahtumista, ett\u00e4 Olavi\nkuningas saattoi Norjan kristityksi, tai niist\u00e4 muista maista, jotka\nh\u00e4n johdatti kristinuskoon. Olavi kuningas saapui samana syksyn\u00e4\nsotajoukkoineen Trondhjemiin, ohjasi laivastonsa Nidarosiin ja asettui\nsinne talvimajoihin.\nNyt tahdon l\u00e4hinn\u00e4 kirjoituttaa tarinan Islannin miehist\u00e4.\nKun Olavi Trygvenpoika oli ollut kaksi talvea Norjan kuninkaana,\noleskeli h\u00e4nen luonaan muuan saksilainen pappi, nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n Tangbrand.\nH\u00e4n oli luonteeltaan v\u00e4kivaltainen ja murhamies, mutta hyv\u00e4 hengellinen\nja ripe\u00e4 toimissaan; h\u00e4nen hillitt\u00f6myytens\u00e4 vuoksi ei kuningas\nkuitenkaan halunnut pit\u00e4\u00e4 h\u00e4nt\u00e4 luonaan, vaan antoi h\u00e4nelle toimeksi\nl\u00e4hte\u00e4 Islantiin k\u00e4\u00e4nt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n sit\u00e4 maata kristinuskoon. H\u00e4n sai\nkauppalaivan ja saapui sill\u00e4 Islantiin. Tangbrand julisti siell\u00e4\nkristinuskoa, ja h\u00e4nen sanojaan seuraten moni p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6 ja heid\u00e4n\nv\u00e4kens\u00e4 antoivat kastaa itsens\u00e4, mutta siell\u00e4 oli useita, jotka\npuhuivat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan. Torvald Veile ja Veterlide runoilija sepittiv\u00e4t\nherjauslauluja Tangbrandista, mutta h\u00e4n tappoi molemmat. Tangbrand\nviipyi Islannissa kolme talvea ja koitui kolmen miehen surmaksi,\nennenkuin l\u00e4hti pois.\nSamana syksyn\u00e4, jolloin Olavi kuningas palasi pohjan puolesta, niinkuin\nennen on kirjoitettu, saapui Islannista Nidarosiin Kjartan; h\u00e4nen\n\u00e4itins\u00e4 is\u00e4 oli Egil Skallagriminpoika, jota on sanottu lupaavimmaksi\nniist\u00e4 miehist\u00e4, jotka ovat syntyneet Islannissa. H\u00e4nen kerallaan oli\nmonta muutakin p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6\u00e4, ja n\u00e4m\u00e4 olivat kaikki pakanoita, niinkuin\nuseat muutkin, toiset mahtavia, toiset eiv\u00e4t. Silloin saapui Islannista\nmy\u00f6skin kelpo miehi\u00e4, jotka olivat saaneet kasteen Tangbrandilta. Olavi\nkuningas otti ilolla vastaan Gissur Valkean sek\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4n v\u00e4vyn Hjalte\nSkjeggenpojan, jotka olivat kristittyj\u00e4, ja he viipyiv\u00e4t h\u00e4nen luonaan.\nMutta ne Islannin miehet, jotka omistivat laivoja ja olivat pakanoita,\nkoettivat p\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4 purjehtimaan pois, niin pian kuin kuningas saapui\nkaupunkiin, sill\u00e4 heille oli kerrottu, ett\u00e4 kuningas pakotti kaikki\nmiehet kristinuskoon; mutta s\u00e4\u00e4 oli ep\u00e4suotuisa ja ajoi heid\u00e4t takaisin\nNidar-saarelle. Nyt kerrottiin Olavi kuninkaalle, ett\u00e4 siell\u00e4 oli\nislantilaisia muutamilla aluksilla, kaikki pakanoita, ja he aikoivat\nkarttaa kuningasta. Silloin h\u00e4n l\u00e4hetti heid\u00e4n luokseen miehi\u00e4 kielt\u00e4en\nheit\u00e4 l\u00e4htem\u00e4st\u00e4 pois, mutta k\u00e4ski heit\u00e4 asettumaan kaupungin rantaan;\nhe tekiv\u00e4t niin, mutta eiv\u00e4t kantaneet mit\u00e4\u00e4n maihin laivoistaan.\nSitten tuli mikonmessu; sit\u00e4 kuningas antoi viett\u00e4\u00e4 suurellisesti ja\nlaulatti messun juhlallisesti. Islantilaiset tulivat saapuville ja\nkuuntelivat kaunista laulua ja kellonsoittoa. Mutta kun he palasivat\nlaivoilleen, kertoi kukin, mit\u00e4 h\u00e4n ajatteli kristittyjen menoista.\nKjartan ylisti niit\u00e4, mutta useimmat muut moittivat. Mutta totta on,\nniinkuin sanotaan, ett\u00e4 \"monta on kuninkaalla korvaa\": se kerrottiin\nkuninkaalle. Silloin h\u00e4n l\u00e4hetti heti samana p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 er\u00e4\u00e4n miehen\nKjartania noutamaan ja kutsutti h\u00e4net luokseen. Kjartan l\u00e4hti muutamain\nmiesten kera kuninkaan puheille; t\u00e4m\u00e4 otti h\u00e4net suopeasti vastaan.\nKjartan oli miesten rotevimpia ja komeimpia ja taitava puheissaan.\nMutta kun kuningas ja h\u00e4n olivat haastelleet muutamia sanoja kesken\u00e4\u00e4n,\nkehoitti kuningas Kjartania ottamaan vastaan kristinuskon. Kjartan\nsanoo, ettei tahdo ev\u00e4t\u00e4 sit\u00e4, jos saa kuninkaan yst\u00e4vyyden. Kuningas\nlupaa h\u00e4nelle t\u00e4yden yst\u00e4vyytens\u00e4, ja t\u00e4st\u00e4 he nyt sopivat kesken\u00e4\u00e4n.\nSeuraavana p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 Kjartan kastettiin ja Bolle Torlakinpoika, h\u00e4nen\nsukulaisensa, ja koko heid\u00e4n seurueensa; Kjartan ja Bolle olivat\nkuninkaan kestein\u00e4, niin kauan kuin kantoivat valkoisia vaatteita,[108]\nja kuningas oli perin suopea heit\u00e4 kohtaan.\nOlavi kuningas asteli er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 rantakujalla, mutta muutamia\nmiehi\u00e4 tuli h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan, ja se, joka etumaisena kulki, tervehti\nkuningasta. Kuningas tiedusteli t\u00e4lt\u00e4 miehelt\u00e4 h\u00e4nen nime\u00e4\u00e4n; h\u00e4n\nnimitti itse\u00e4\u00e4n Halfr\u00f6diksi. Silloin kuningas virkkoi:\n\"Oletko runoilija?\"\n\"Osaan runoja sepitt\u00e4\u00e4\", t\u00e4m\u00e4 sanoo.\nSitten kuningas puhui: \"Varmaankin otat vastaan kristinuskon ja rupeat\nsitten minun miehekseni?\"\nH\u00e4n vastaa: \"Ehdon tahdon panna sille, ett\u00e4 annan kastaa itseni, -- jos\nsin\u00e4, kuningas, itse viet minut kastettavaksi; yhdelt\u00e4k\u00e4\u00e4n toiselta\nmiehelt\u00e4 en ota sit\u00e4 vastaan.\"\n\"Sen teen\", vastaa kuningas. Sitten Halfr\u00f6d kastettiin, ja kuningas vei\nh\u00e4net kasteelle. Nyt kuningas kysyi Halfr\u00f6dilt\u00e4:\n\"Tahdotko nyt ruveta minun miehekseni?\"\nHalfr\u00f6d vastaa: \"Olin ennen Haakon jaarlin miehi\u00e4; nyt en tahdo ruveta\navuksi sinulle enk\u00e4 kenellek\u00e4\u00e4n toiselle p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6lle, ellet lupaa,\nettei minulle tapahdu sellaista, ett\u00e4 karkoitat minut luotasi.\"\n\"Niin on minulle kerrottu, Halfr\u00f6d\", sanoo kuningas, \"ett\u00e4 sin\u00e4 et ole\nniin viisas ja \u00e4lyk\u00e4s, ettei voi odottaa sinun tekev\u00e4n sellaista, jota\nen mill\u00e4\u00e4n muotoa sied\u00e4\".\n\"Surmaa minut sitten\", virkkaa Halfr\u00f6d.\nKuningas haastoi: \"Sin\u00e4 olet juonikko-runoilija,[109] mutta minun\nmieheni sinun pit\u00e4\u00e4 nyt olla.\"\nHalfr\u00f6d vastaa: \"Mit\u00e4 annat, kuningas, minulle ristilahjaksi, jos minun\npit\u00e4\u00e4 k\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4 Juonikko-runoilijan nime\u00e4?\"\nKuningas antoi h\u00e4nelle miekan, mutta se oli ilman huotraa. Kuningas\nsanoi: \"Sepit\u00e4 nyt runo miekasta ja anna 'miekan' soida joka s\u00e4keess\u00e4.\"\nHalfr\u00f6d lauloi:\n Yksi on miekka, mi miehen\n miekkarikkaaksi muutti;\n miekkain mittelij\u00e4lle\n miekkoja kosolta karttuu.\n Ei miekan puutetta synny\n -- vastaan ma kolmea miekkaa\n miekkain herra, jos huotran\n miekalleni ma saisin.\nSilloin kuningas antoi h\u00e4nelle huotran. Halfr\u00f6din runoista otamme\ntietoja ja todisteita siihen, mit\u00e4 on kerrottu kuningas Olavi\nTrygvenpojasta.\nT\u00e4n\u00e4 samana syksyn\u00e4 saapui Tangbrand pappi Islannista Olavi kuninkaan\nluo ja kertoi, ettei h\u00e4nen retkens\u00e4 ollut onnistunut; h\u00e4n sanoi, ett\u00e4\nislantilaiset olivat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 herjanneet ja muutamat tahtoivat h\u00e4net\nsurmata, ja arveli, ettei ollut odotettavissa sen maan rupeavan\nkristityksi. Olavi kuningas kiivastui ja vihastui niin silmitt\u00f6m\u00e4sti,\nett\u00e4 kutsutti koolle kaikki islantilaiset, jotka olivat kaupungissa, ja\nsanoi sitten, ett\u00e4 heid\u00e4t surmattaisiin kaikki. Mutta Kjartan ja Gissur\nja Hjalte sek\u00e4 toiset, jotka olivat silloin ottaneet vastaan\nkristinuskon, k\u00e4viv\u00e4t h\u00e4nen luokseen ja sanoivat:\n\"Et suinkaan sin\u00e4, kuningas, aio sy\u00f6d\u00e4 sanaasi, sill\u00e4 sin\u00e4 sanot, ettei\nyksik\u00e4\u00e4n mies ole voinut tehd\u00e4 niin paljoa saattaakseen sinut\nsuuttumaan, ettet antaisi heille anteeksi, kun he suostuvat\nkastettaviksi ja luopuvat pakanuudesta. Nyt tahtovat kaikki Islannin\nmiehet, jotka ovat t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4, kastattaa itsens\u00e4, mutta kyll\u00e4 kai me\nkeksimme keinon siihen, ett\u00e4 kristinusko voittaa alaa Islannissa;\nt\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 on monta mahtimiesten poikaa Islannista, ja heid\u00e4n is\u00e4ns\u00e4\ntukevat varmaankin hyvin sit\u00e4 asiaa. Mutta Tangbrand k\u00e4ytt\u00e4ytyi siell\u00e4,\nniinkuin t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 teid\u00e4nkin luonanne, ylimielisesti ja surmasi miehi\u00e4,\neik\u00e4 sik\u00e4l\u00e4inen kansa siet\u00e4nyt sellaista.\"\nSilloin kuningas kallisti korvansa n\u00e4ille puheille; nyt kastettiin\nkaikki islantilaiset, jotka olivat siell\u00e4. Sittemmin Olavi kuningas\nl\u00e4hetti Islantiin Gissur Valkean ja Hjalte Skjeggenpojan saattamaan sen\nmaan kristityksi ja antoi heille mukaan er\u00e4\u00e4n papin nimelt\u00e4 Tormod ja\nmuita hengellisi\u00e4, mutta pid\u00e4tti luonaan panttivankeina nelj\u00e4 Islannin\nmiest\u00e4, jotka olivat h\u00e4nen mielest\u00e4\u00e4n mainioimpia. Ja niin kerrotaan\nGissurin ja Hjalten matkasta, ett\u00e4 he saapuivat Islantiin ennen\naltingia ja l\u00e4htiv\u00e4t k\u00e4r\u00e4jille, ja niill\u00e4 k\u00e4r\u00e4jill\u00e4 m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4ttiin\nkristinusko laiksi Islannissa, ja sin\u00e4 kes\u00e4n\u00e4 kastettiin kaikki kansa.\nLeiv, Puna-Eirikin poika, h\u00e4nen joka ensimm\u00e4isen\u00e4 asutti Gr\u00f6nlannin,\noli er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 kes\u00e4n\u00e4 saapunut Norjaan. H\u00e4n l\u00e4hti Olavi kuninkaan luo ja\notti vastaan kristinuskon. Sitten Olavi kuningas l\u00e4hetti Leiv\nEirikinpojan Gr\u00f6nlantiin levitt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n oikeata oppia. H\u00e4n otti merell\u00e4\nlaivamiehist\u00f6n, joka ajelehti avutonna hylyll\u00e4, ja sitten h\u00e4n l\u00f6ysi\nViinimaan[110] ja saapui samana kes\u00e4n\u00e4 Gr\u00f6nlantiin asettuen\nBrattalidiin is\u00e4ns\u00e4 Eirikin luo. Sen j\u00e4lkeen Leivi\u00e4 sanottiin\n\"onnekkaaksi\", mutta h\u00e4nen is\u00e4ns\u00e4 Eirik arveli, ett\u00e4 ne kaksi seikkaa\ntasoittivat toisensa, ett\u00e4 Leiv oli pelastanut laivamiehist\u00f6n ja ett\u00e4\nh\u00e4n oli toimittanut Gr\u00f6nlantiin \"tuhontuojan\", nimitt\u00e4in papin.\nOlavi kuningas oli joka suhteessa Norjan suurin urheilija niist\u00e4,\njoista on olemassa kertomuksia; h\u00e4n oli v\u00e4kev\u00e4mpi ja k\u00e4tev\u00e4mpi kuin\nyksik\u00e4\u00e4n toinen, ja siit\u00e4 on monta tarinaa kirjoitettu. Yksi on se,\nett\u00e4 h\u00e4n nousi Smalsarhornille[111] ja kiinnitti kilpens\u00e4 vuoren\nhuipulle, ja toinen se, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n auttoi henkivartijaansa, joka oli\nedell\u00e4 kiivennyt vuorelle, niin ettei voinut p\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4 yl\u00f6s eik\u00e4 alas;\nmutta kuningas k\u00e4vi h\u00e4nen luokseen ja kantoi h\u00e4net kainalossaan alas\ntasangolle. Olavi kuningas astui airoja pitkin laidan ulkopuolitse, kun\nh\u00e4nen miehens\u00e4 soutivat K\u00e4\u00e4rmett\u00e4, ja h\u00e4n kisaili kolmella miekalla,\nniin ett\u00e4 yksi oli aina ilmassa, ja h\u00e4n sai aina kiinni k\u00e4densijasta.\nH\u00e4n iski yht\u00e4 voimakkaasti kummallakin k\u00e4dell\u00e4 ja lenn\u00e4tti kaksi\nkeih\u00e4st\u00e4 samalla haavaa. Olavi kuningas oli miesten iloisimpia ja perin\nhilpe\u00e4, leppe\u00e4 ja alentuvainen, eritt\u00e4in kiivas kaikissa asioissa,\nhyvin antelias ja huomattava ymp\u00e4rist\u00f6ss\u00e4\u00e4n, muita urhoollisempi\ntaistelussa, mutta sangen julma, kun oli vihoissaan, ja vihollisiaan\nh\u00e4n kidutti kovin: muutamia h\u00e4n poltatti tulessa, toisia j\u00e4tti hurjien\nkoirien revitt\u00e4viksi, toisia k\u00e4ski silpoa tai heit\u00e4tti alas korkeilta\nvuorilta. N\u00e4ist\u00e4 syist\u00e4 h\u00e4nen yst\u00e4v\u00e4ns\u00e4 olivat h\u00e4nelle hartaasti\nuskolliset, mutta viholliset h\u00e4nt\u00e4 pelk\u00e4siv\u00e4t; h\u00e4nen menestyksens\u00e4 oli\nsuuri siit\u00e4 syyst\u00e4, ett\u00e4 toiset noudattivat h\u00e4nen tahtoaan rakkaudesta\nja yst\u00e4vyydest\u00e4, mutta toiset pelosta.\nHaalogalannista palattuaan Olavi kuningas rakennutti Laden luona suuren\nlaivan, joka oli paljoa isompi kuin toiset alukset, joita silloin oli\nmaassa; ja siell\u00e4 on viel\u00e4 alustahirret, joten sen voi n\u00e4hd\u00e4. Torberg\nLovenly\u00f6j\u00e4 oli nimelt\u00e4\u00e4n se mies, joka oli laivan runkosepp\u00e4n\u00e4; mutta\nsiell\u00e4 oli ty\u00f6ss\u00e4 my\u00f6skin monta muuta miest\u00e4, muutamat puita\nkaatamassa, toiset niit\u00e4 veist\u00e4m\u00e4ss\u00e4, toiset nauloja iskem\u00e4ss\u00e4, toiset\nhirsi\u00e4 kuljettamassa. Kaikki tarpeet olivat tarkoin valitut. Laiva oli\nsek\u00e4 pitk\u00e4 ett\u00e4 leve\u00e4 ja suurista hirsist\u00e4, ja siin\u00e4 oli korkeat\nlaidat.\nMutta kun alukseen laadittiin ulkolaudoitusta, sai Torberg\nv\u00e4ltt\u00e4m\u00e4tt\u00f6m\u00e4n asian l\u00e4hte\u00e4 kotitaloonsa, ja siell\u00e4 h\u00e4n viipyi varsin\nkauan. Ja kun h\u00e4n palasi, oli laiva jo valmiiksi veistetty. Kuningas\nl\u00e4hti heti illalla ja Torberg h\u00e4nen kerallaan katsomaan, kuinka alus\noli tehty, ja silloin sanoi jokainen, ettei konsanaan ollut n\u00e4hty niin\nsuurta tai niin kaunista sotapurtta. Kuningas palasi sitten kaupunkiin.\nMutta varhain seuraavana aamuna h\u00e4n saapui j\u00e4lleen laivalle ja Torberg\nh\u00e4nen mukanaan; sinne olivat sep\u00e4t tulleet aiemmin, ja kaikki seisoivat\ntoimettomina. Kuningas kysyi, miksi he niin menetteliv\u00e4t. He\nvastasivat, ett\u00e4 laiva oli hakattu pilalle, ja joku lienee k\u00e4ynyt\nkeulasta takasillalle asti iskien partaaseen loven toisensa j\u00e4lkeen.\nKuningas astui silloin luo ja n\u00e4ki sen todeksi ja sanoi heti valalla\nvannoen, ett\u00e4 se mies oli kuoleman oma, jos kuningas saisi tiet\u00e4\u00e4, kuka\nkateudesta oli vahingoittanut purtta; \"mutta se, joka t\u00e4m\u00e4n voi minulle\nsanoa, saa suuren palkan\". Silloin virkkaa Torberg:\n\"Min\u00e4 saatan sanoa teille, kuningas, kuka on tehnyt t\u00e4m\u00e4n ty\u00f6n.\"\n\"En voikaan odottaa kenelt\u00e4k\u00e4\u00e4n paremmin kuin sinulta\", sanoo kuningas,\n\"ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nen onnistuisi p\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4 selville siit\u00e4 ja sanoa se minulle\".\n\"Min\u00e4 tahdon sanoa teille, kuningas\", h\u00e4n virkkaa, \"kuka t\u00e4m\u00e4n on\ntehnyt -- sen olen min\u00e4 tehnyt\".\nSilloin kuningas lausuu: \"Sitten sinun on sovitettava se niin, ett\u00e4 se\non yht\u00e4 hyv\u00e4 kuin ennenkin; siit\u00e4 riippuu sinun henkesi.\"\nT\u00e4m\u00e4n j\u00e4lkeen Torberg k\u00e4vi k\u00e4siksi ja hakkasi partaan niin, ett\u00e4 kaikki\nlovet h\u00e4visiv\u00e4t. Kuningas sanoi silloin -- ja kaikki muutkin -- ett\u00e4\nlaiva oli paljoa kauniimpi silt\u00e4 laidalta, mist\u00e4 Torberg oli hakannut;\npyysip\u00e4 nyt kuningas h\u00e4nt\u00e4 tekem\u00e4\u00e4n niin molemmilla laidoilla ja kiitti\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4 suuresti siit\u00e4. Niin Torbergista tuli laivan p\u00e4\u00e4sepp\u00e4, kunnes se\noli t\u00e4ysin valmiina. Se oli sotapursi ja laadittu samantapaiseksi kuin\nK\u00e4\u00e4rme, jonka kuningas oli tuonut mukanaan Haalogalannista; mutta uusi\nalus oli paljoa isompi ja kaikissa suhteissa huolellisemmin rakennettu.\nT\u00e4t\u00e4 h\u00e4n nimitti Suur-K\u00e4\u00e4rmeeksi, mutta toista Pikku-K\u00e4\u00e4rmeeksi.\nSuur-K\u00e4\u00e4rmeess\u00e4 oli nelj\u00e4nelj\u00e4tt\u00e4 osastoa. P\u00e4\u00e4 ja koukku olivat\nkauttaaltaan kullatut, ja partaat olivat yht\u00e4 korkeat kuin\nmerialuksissa. T\u00e4m\u00e4 on Norjan laivoista se, joka on ollut rakennettu\nparhaiten ja suurimmilla kustannuksilla.\nTanskan kuninkaalla Svein Kaksiparralla oli puolisona Gunhild,\nvendil\u00e4iskuninkaan Burislavin tyt\u00e4r. Mutta niin\u00e4 vuosina, joista nyt on\nkerrottu, tapahtui, ett\u00e4 kuningatar Gunhild sairastui ja kuoli,[112] ja\nv\u00e4h\u00e4\u00e4 my\u00f6hemmin Svein kuningas sai puolisokseen Sigrid Ylpe\u00e4n, Ruotsin\nkuninkaan Olavin \u00e4idin. Mutta Eirik jaarli Haakoninpoika ja h\u00e4nen\nveljens\u00e4 ja moni muu sukulainen olivat l\u00e4hteneet Norjasta Olavi\nkuningasta pakoon, ja heid\u00e4t oli otettu hyvin vastaan sek\u00e4 Svitjodissa\nett\u00e4 Tanskassa. Eirik jaarli sai sitten vaimokseen Gydan, Svein\nkuninkaan tytt\u00e4ren, ja t\u00e4m\u00e4n sukulaisuuden vuoksi syntyi nyt suuri\nyst\u00e4vyys Ruotsin ja Tanskan kuninkaiden sek\u00e4 Eirik jaarlin kesken.\nVendil\u00e4iskuningas Burislav[113] valitti v\u00e4vylleen Sigvalde jaarlille,\nett\u00e4 se sopimus oli rikottu, mink\u00e4 jaarli oli laatinut kuningas\nBurislavin ja Svein kuninkaan kesken. Kuningas Burislavin oli m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4\nsaada Tyre Haraldintyt\u00e4r, Svein kuninkaan sisar; mutta se avioliitto ei\nollut edistynyt, sill\u00e4 Tyre kielt\u00e4ysi jyrk\u00e4sti menem\u00e4st\u00e4 naimisiin\npakanallisen ja vanhan miehen kanssa. Nyt kuningas Burislav sanoo\njaarlille, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n aikoo vaatia sopimusta t\u00e4ytett\u00e4v\u00e4ksi, ja pyyt\u00e4\u00e4\njaarlia l\u00e4htem\u00e4\u00e4n Tanskaan ja tuomaan Tyre-kuningattaren h\u00e4nen\nluokseen. Sigvalde jaarli ei kielt\u00e4ytynyt siit\u00e4 matkasta, vaan l\u00e4hti\nSvein kuninkaan luo ja esitti t\u00e4m\u00e4n asian h\u00e4nelle; puheillaan Sigvalde\njaarli p\u00e4\u00e4si niin pitk\u00e4lle, ett\u00e4 Svein kuningas j\u00e4tti sisarensa Tyren\nh\u00e4nen haltuunsa; Tyren mukana seurasi muutamia naisia sek\u00e4 h\u00e4nen\nkasvatusis\u00e4ns\u00e4, jonka nimi oli \u00c5ssur Agenpoika, mahtava mies, sek\u00e4\nmuutamia muita miehi\u00e4. Kuningas ja jaarli sopivat siit\u00e4, ett\u00e4 ne\nmaatilat Vendinmaassa, mitk\u00e4 kuningatar Gunhild oli omistanut, ne saisi\nnyt Tyre sek\u00e4 sit\u00e4 paitsi muita suuria maita huomenlahjaksi.\nTyre itki katkerasti ja l\u00e4hti vastahakoisesti matkalle. Mutta kun h\u00e4n\nja jaarli olivat tulleet Vendinmaahan, valmisti kuningas Burislav h\u00e4\u00e4t\nja sai kuningatar Tyren. Mutta niin kauan kuin t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli pakanain\nparissa, ei h\u00e4n tahtonut ottaa vastaan ruokaa eik\u00e4 juomaa heilt\u00e4, ja\nn\u00e4in k\u00e4vi seitsem\u00e4n\u00e4 y\u00f6n\u00e4. Sitten tapahtui er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 y\u00f6n\u00e4, ett\u00e4 kuningatar\nTyre ja \u00c5ssur pakenivat pime\u00e4ss\u00e4 mets\u00e4\u00e4n. Lyhint\u00e4 on sanoa heid\u00e4n\nmatkastaan, ett\u00e4 he saapuivat Tanskaan; mutta Tyre ei uskalla mill\u00e4\u00e4n\nmuotoa j\u00e4\u00e4d\u00e4 sinne, koska tiet\u00e4\u00e4, ett\u00e4 jos h\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4 Svein\nkuningas saa kuulla h\u00e4nen olevan siell\u00e4, niin t\u00e4m\u00e4 l\u00e4hett\u00e4\u00e4 h\u00e4net heti\ntakaisin Vendinmaahan. Niin he kulkevat kaikkialla salassa, kunnes\np\u00e4\u00e4sev\u00e4t Norjaan. Tyre ei keskeytt\u00e4nyt matkaansa, ennenkuin he tulivat\nOlavi kuninkaan luo; t\u00e4m\u00e4 otti heid\u00e4t suopeasti vastaan, ja heit\u00e4\nkohdeltiin siell\u00e4 hyvin.\nTyre kertoo kuninkaalle kaiken tukalasta asemastaan ja pyyt\u00e4\u00e4 h\u00e4nelt\u00e4\nneuvoa ja turvaa h\u00e4nen valtakunnassaan. Tyre oli taitavasanainen\nnainen, ja kuningas mielistyi suuresti h\u00e4nen puheeseensa; h\u00e4n n\u00e4ki,\nett\u00e4 Tyre oli kaunis, ja h\u00e4nen mieleens\u00e4 johtuu, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 saattaa olla\nhyv\u00e4 avioliitto; h\u00e4n suuntaa puheen t\u00e4h\u00e4n ja kysyy, tahtooko Tyre menn\u00e4\nnaimisiin h\u00e4nen kanssaan. Mutta sellainen kuin t\u00e4m\u00e4n asema nyt oli,\nn\u00e4ytti h\u00e4nest\u00e4 vaikealta suoriutua siit\u00e4; ja toisaalta h\u00e4n huomasi,\nkuinka edullinen avioliitto t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli, kun h\u00e4n saisi niin kuuluisan\nkuninkaan, ja niin h\u00e4n pyysi Olavia p\u00e4\u00e4tt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n h\u00e4nen puolestaan. Ja kun\nt\u00e4st\u00e4 oli puhuttu, sai Olavi kuningas Tyren. N\u00e4m\u00e4 h\u00e4\u00e4t vietettiin\nsyksyll\u00e4, kun kuningas oli palannut Haalogalannista. Olavi kuningas ja\nTyre oleskelivat talven Nidarosissa.\nMutta kev\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 Tyre kuningatar valitti usein Olavi kuninkaalle ja itki\nkatkerasti sit\u00e4, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli niin suuria maatiloja Vendinmaassa,\nmutta ei omaisuutta siin\u00e4 maassa, niinkuin kuningattarille oli sopivaa.\nV\u00e4liin h\u00e4n pyysi kaunein sanoin kuningasta hankkimaan h\u00e4nen\nomaisuutensa ja sanoi kuningas Burislavin ja Olavi kuninkaan olevan\nniin hyvi\u00e4 yst\u00e4vi\u00e4, ett\u00e4 heti kun he toisensa tapaisivat, kuningas\nantaisi kyll\u00e4 Olaville kaiken, mit\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 pyyt\u00e4isi. Mutta kun Olavi\nkuninkaan yst\u00e4v\u00e4t saivat kuulla t\u00e4m\u00e4n puheen, varoittivat kaikki h\u00e4nt\u00e4\nsiit\u00e4 matkasta.\nNiin kerrotaan, ett\u00e4 er\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 p\u00e4iv\u00e4n\u00e4 varhain kev\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 kuningas asteli\nrantakujaa pitkin; mutta turulla h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan tuli muuan mies kantaen\nv\u00e4in\u00f6nputkia, jotka olivat merkillisen suuria siihen vuodenaikaan.\nKuningas otti ison v\u00e4in\u00f6nputken k\u00e4teens\u00e4 ja k\u00e4vi Tyre kuningattaren\nasuntoon. Tyre istui tuvassa itkien, kun h\u00e4n astui sis\u00e4\u00e4n. Kuningas\nsanoi:\n\"Kas t\u00e4ss\u00e4 tuon sinulle ison v\u00e4in\u00f6nputken.\"\nTyre l\u00f6i sen luotaan k\u00e4dell\u00e4\u00e4n ja virkkoi:\n\"Suurempia lahjoja antoi Harald Gorminpoika, mutta v\u00e4hemm\u00e4n h\u00e4n\npelk\u00e4sikin l\u00e4hte\u00e4 maasta omaisuuttaan hakemaan, ja se osoittautui\ntodeksi, kun h\u00e4n saapui t\u00e4nne Norjaan ja h\u00e4vitti suurimman osan t\u00e4t\u00e4\nmaata ja valtasi kaiken veroineen ja maksuineen; mutta sin\u00e4 et uskalla\nkulkea Tanskan kautta minun veljeni, Svein kuninkaan t\u00e4hden.\"\nOlavi kuningas hyp\u00e4hti pystyyn n\u00e4ist\u00e4 sanoista ja huusi kuuluvasti ja\nvannoi valalla:\n\"Min\u00e4 en milloinkaan pelk\u00e4\u00e4 sinun velje\u00e4si, Svein kuningasta, ja jos me\ntoisemme tapaamme, silloin h\u00e4nen on v\u00e4istyminen.\"\nOlavi kuningas kuulutti v\u00e4h\u00e4\u00e4 my\u00f6hemmin k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t kaupunkiin. H\u00e4n teki\nsilloin tiett\u00e4v\u00e4ksi rahvaalle, ett\u00e4 halusi saada kes\u00e4ksi sotav\u00e4ke\u00e4 ja\nm\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4tyn luvun sek\u00e4 laivoja ett\u00e4 miehi\u00e4 joka fylkest\u00e4; h\u00e4n sanoi,\nkuinka monta alusta halusi siit\u00e4 vuonosta. Sitten h\u00e4n l\u00e4hett\u00e4\u00e4 viestej\u00e4\nsek\u00e4 etel\u00e4\u00e4n ett\u00e4 pohjaan ja kutsuttaa miehi\u00e4 koolle. Olavi kuningas\nantaa nyt laskea vesille Suur-K\u00e4\u00e4rmeen ja kaikki toiset laivat, sek\u00e4\nisot ett\u00e4 pienet; itse h\u00e4n ohjasi Suur-K\u00e4\u00e4rmett\u00e4. Ja kun miehi\u00e4\notettiin miehist\u00f6ksi, toimitettiin valinta niin tarkoin, ettei\nSuur-K\u00e4\u00e4rmeell\u00e4 saanut olla ainoatakaan kuuttakymment\u00e4 vuotta vanhempaa\ntai kahtakymment\u00e4 nuorempaa; kaikki olivat erikoisesti valitut\nv\u00e4kevyyden ja rohkeuden perusteella. Siihen otettiin ensinn\u00e4 Olavi\nkuninkaan henkivartijat, sill\u00e4 sellaisiksi valittiin sek\u00e4 oman maan\nett\u00e4 ulkolaisista miehist\u00e4 kaikki ne, jotka olivat voimakkaimpia ja\nurheimpia. Niin miehet puhuivat, ett\u00e4 ne, jotka Suur-K\u00e4\u00e4rmeeseen\nvalittiin, olivat yht\u00e4 paljon yl\u00e4puolella kaikkia muita miehi\u00e4\nkomeudessa, v\u00e4kevyydess\u00e4 ja uljuudessa, kuin Suur-K\u00e4\u00e4rme kohosi\ntoisia aluksia korkeammalle. Torkel Nevja, kuninkaan veli, ohjasi\nPikku-K\u00e4\u00e4rmett\u00e4, Torkel Dyrdel ja Jostein, kuninkaan veljet, saivat\nKurjen, ja molemmilla aluksilla oli perin hyv\u00e4 miehist\u00f6. Yksitoista\nsuurpurtta Olavi kuningas vei Trondhjemist\u00e4 ja sen lis\u00e4ksi\nkaksikymmentuhtoisia sek\u00e4 pienempi\u00e4 aluksia.\nOlavi kuningas purjehti laivastoineen etel\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in rannikkoa pitkin;\nsilloin pyrki h\u00e4nen luokseen useita yst\u00e4vi\u00e4, niit\u00e4 suurmiehi\u00e4, jotka\nolivat valmiit l\u00e4htem\u00e4\u00e4n retkelle kuninkaan kanssa. Ensimm\u00e4inen heist\u00e4\noli h\u00e4nen lankonsa Erling Skjalginpoika, ja h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli suuri\nskeidins\u00e4;[114] siin\u00e4 oli kolmekymment\u00e4 osastoa, ja se oli hyvin\nvarustettu. Tulivat kuninkaan luo my\u00f6skin h\u00e4nen v\u00e4vyns\u00e4 Hyrning ja\nTorgeir, ja kumpikin ohjasi isoa laivaa. Moni muu mahtimies seurasi\nh\u00e4nt\u00e4; h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli maasta l\u00e4htiess\u00e4\u00e4n kuusikymment\u00e4 suuralusta. Olavi\nkuningas purjehti etel\u00e4\u00e4n Tanskan ohi Juutinrauman kautta, ja t\u00e4ll\u00e4\nmatkalla h\u00e4n saapui Vendinmaahan, haluten tavata kuningas Burislavin,\nja he kohtasivat toisensa. He puhuivat siit\u00e4 omaisuudesta, jota Olavi\nvaati itselleen, ja kaikki keskustelut k\u00e4viv\u00e4t rauhallisesti, ja nyt\nj\u00e4rjestettiin t\u00e4ysin ne vaatimukset, mitk\u00e4 Olavi kuningas arveli\nitsell\u00e4\u00e4n olevan siell\u00e4. H\u00e4n viipyi siell\u00e4 kauan sin\u00e4 kes\u00e4n\u00e4 ja tapasi\nuseita yst\u00e4vi\u00e4\u00e4n.\nKuningas Svein Kaksiparta oli silloin naimisissa Sigrid Ylpe\u00e4n kanssa,\nniinkuin ennen on kirjoitettu. Sigrid oli Olavi kuninkaan suurin\nvihollinen ja piti syyn\u00e4 sit\u00e4, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli rikkonut sopimuksensa ja\nly\u00f6nyt h\u00e4nt\u00e4 kasvoihin. H\u00e4n yllytti kovin Svein kuningasta ryhtym\u00e4\u00e4n\ntaisteluun kuningas Olavi Trygvenpoikaa vastaan ja sanoi siin\u00e4 olevan\nkyllin syyt\u00e4 Olavi kuningasta vastaan, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4 oli nainut h\u00e4nen\nsisarensa Tyren \"ilman sinun suostumustasi, eiv\u00e4tk\u00e4 sinun esi-is\u00e4si\nolisi sellaista siet\u00e4neet\". Moisia sanoja Sigrid kuningatar k\u00e4ytti\nusein ja p\u00e4\u00e4si puheillaan niin pitk\u00e4lle, ett\u00e4 Svein kuningas oli t\u00e4ysin\nhalukas neuvottelemaan t\u00e4st\u00e4. Ja varhain kev\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 kuningas Svein\nl\u00e4hetti miehi\u00e4 Svitjodiin svealaisten Olavi kuninkaan, v\u00e4vyns\u00e4, sek\u00e4\nEirik jaarlin luo ja k\u00e4ski sanoa heille, ett\u00e4 Norjan Olavi kuningas oli\nliikkeell\u00e4 sotajoukkoineen aikoen kes\u00e4ll\u00e4 l\u00e4hte\u00e4 Vendinmaahan.\nSellainen viesti seurasi mukana, ett\u00e4 svealaisten kuninkaan ja jaarlin\npit\u00e4isi ker\u00e4t\u00e4 laivastonsa ja l\u00e4hte\u00e4 Svein kuningasta tapaamaan, ja\nsitten he ryhtyisiv\u00e4t kaikki yhdess\u00e4 taistelemaan Olavi kuningasta\nvastaan. Mutta Svean kuningas ja Eirik jaarli olivat t\u00e4ysin valmiit\nt\u00e4h\u00e4n retkeen ja kokosivat suuren laivaston Sveanmaahan; sill\u00e4 he\nl\u00e4htiv\u00e4t Tanskaan ja saapuivat sinne niihin aikoihin, jolloin kuningas\nOlavi Trygvenpoika oli purjehtinut it\u00e4\u00e4n. Svean kuningas ja Eirik\njaarli k\u00e4viv\u00e4t Tanskan kuningasta kohtaamaan, ja heill\u00e4 oli nyt\nyhteens\u00e4 m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4t\u00f6n laivasto.\nAnnettuaan sotajoukolle k\u00e4skyn kokoontua Svein kuningas l\u00e4hetti\nSigvalde jaarlin Vendinmaahan vakoilemaan kuningas Olavi Trygvenpojan\nretke\u00e4 ja sommittelemaan siten, ett\u00e4 Svein kuningas ja toiset\np\u00e4\u00e4sisiv\u00e4t tapaamaan Olavi kuninkaan. L\u00e4hti nyt Sigvalde matkalle ja\nsaapui Vendinmaahan, purjehti Jomsborgiin ja sitten kuningas Olavi\nTrygvenpojan luo. He olivat usein yst\u00e4v\u00e4llisiss\u00e4 puheissa kesken\u00e4\u00e4n, ja\njaarli saavutti kuninkaan suosion mit\u00e4 suurimmassa m\u00e4\u00e4rin; jaarlin\npuoliso Astrid, Burislav kuninkaan tyt\u00e4r, oli Olavi kuninkaan hyv\u00e4\nyst\u00e4v\u00e4, enimm\u00e4kseen heid\u00e4n entisen lankoutensa vuoksi, koska Olavi\nkuninkaalla oli ollut puolisona h\u00e4nen sisarensa Geira. Sigvalde jaarli\noli viisas ja neuvokas mies, ja jouduttuaan keskustelemaan Olavi\nkuninkaan kanssa h\u00e4n viiv\u00e4stytti suuresti t\u00e4m\u00e4n paluuta It\u00e4mailta ja\nkeksi siihen monta erilaista keinoa. Mutta Olavi kuninkaan miehet\nilmaisivat olevansa varsin tyytym\u00e4tt\u00f6mi\u00e4 siihen ja halusivat suuresti\np\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4 kotiin, koska he olivat l\u00e4ht\u00f6kunnossa ja tuuli puhalsi\nsuotuisasti. Sigvalde jaarli sai Tanskasta salaviestin, ett\u00e4 nyt olivat\nTanskan ja Svean kuninkaat sek\u00e4 Eirik jaarli saapuneet yhteen sek\u00e4\naikoivat purjehtia it\u00e4\u00e4n p\u00e4in Vendinmaan rannikolle ja olivat sopineet,\nett\u00e4 odottavat Olavi kuningasta sen saaren luona, jonka nimi on\nSv\u00e5ld,[115] sek\u00e4 ett\u00e4 jaarli toimittaa niin, ett\u00e4 he siell\u00e4 tapaavat\nOlavi kuninkaan.\nSilloin enn\u00e4tti Vendinmaahan ep\u00e4varma huhu, ett\u00e4 Tanskan Svein\nkuninkaalla oli sotajoukko liikkeell\u00e4, ja pian alettiin puhua, ett\u00e4\nvarmaankin h\u00e4n aikoi kohdata Olavi kuninkaan. Mutta Sigvalde jaarli\nvirkkaa kuninkaalle:\n\"Ei Svein kuninkaalla liene aikomusta antautua taistelemaan teit\u00e4\nvastaan pelk\u00e4st\u00e4\u00e4n tanskalaisten sotajoukolla, teill\u00e4 kun on niin suuri\nlaivasto. Mutta jos teit\u00e4 ep\u00e4ilytt\u00e4\u00e4, ett\u00e4 matkalla on vainoa\nodotettavissa, niin saatan teit\u00e4 miehineni, ja ennen sit\u00e4 kyll\u00e4\npidettiin hyv\u00e4n\u00e4 tukena, kun jomsviikingit seurasivat p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6it\u00e4; min\u00e4\nsaatan sinua yhdell\u00e4toista hyvin varustetulla aluksella.\"\nKuningas otti t\u00e4m\u00e4n tarjouksen vastaan. Tuuli oli silloin liev\u00e4, mutta\nsuotuisa; kuningas antoi irroittaa laivaston ja puhaltaa l\u00e4ht\u00f6merkin.\nKohottivat nyt miehet purjeensa, ja kaikki pikkualukset kulkivat\nnopeammin, ja he laskivat ulos merelle. Mutta jaarli purjehti l\u00e4hell\u00e4\nkuninkaanlaivaa ja huusi sinne kehoittaen kuningasta seuraamaan h\u00e4nen\nj\u00e4lki\u00e4\u00e4n: \"Min\u00e4 tied\u00e4n tarkoin\", h\u00e4n sanoo, \"miss\u00e4 v\u00e4yl\u00e4 on syvin\nsaarten salmissa\".\nNiin jaarli purjehti edell\u00e4 aluksineen -- h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli yksitoista laivaa\n-- ja kuningas purjehti l\u00e4hell\u00e4 suuraluksineen -- niit\u00e4 oli my\u00f6skin\nyksitoista -- mutta koko muu laivasto laski ulos merelle. Mutta\nSigvalde jaarlin purjehtiessa Sv\u00e5ldiin souti muuan pursi h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan.\nSiit\u00e4 ilmoitettiin jaarlille, ett\u00e4 Tanskan kuninkaan laivasto oli\nsatamassa aivan heid\u00e4n edess\u00e4\u00e4n. Silloin jaarli antoi laskea purjeet,\nja he soutivat saaren suojaan.\nTanskan Svein kuningas, Olavi svealaisten kuningas ja Eirik jaarli\nolivat siell\u00e4 laivastoineen; silloin oli kaunis s\u00e4\u00e4 ja kirkas\nauringonpaiste. Kaikki p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6t k\u00e4viv\u00e4t nyt saarelle suuren seurueen\nkera ja n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t, ett\u00e4 merell\u00e4 purjehti yhdess\u00e4 paljon laivoja. Ja nyt\nhe huomaavat perin suuren ja komean aluksen purjehtivan; silloin\nvirkkoivat molemmat kuninkaat: \"T\u00e4m\u00e4 on suuri ja harvinaisen kaunis\nlaiva, t\u00e4m\u00e4 voi olla Suur-K\u00e4\u00e4rme.\"\nEirik jaarli vastaa sanoen: \"Ei ole t\u00e4m\u00e4 Suur-K\u00e4\u00e4rme.\"\nJa niin oli, kuin h\u00e4n sanoi. Sen purren omisti Gimsarin Eindride.\nV\u00e4h\u00e4ist\u00e4 my\u00f6hemmin he n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t toisen laivan purjehtivan, ja se oli\nedellist\u00e4 paljoa suurempi. Silloin puhui Svein kuningas: \"Arkapa onkin\nOlavi Trygvenpoika; ei h\u00e4n uskalla purjehtia p\u00e4\u00e4-keulaisella\npurrella\".[116]\nSilloin sanoo Eirik jaarli: \"Ei t\u00e4m\u00e4 ole kuninkaan laiva; t\u00e4m\u00e4n aluksen\nja purjeen tunnen, sill\u00e4 purje on juomuinen; sit\u00e4 alusta ohjaa Erling\nSkjalginpoika. Antaa heid\u00e4n purjehtia; parempi on meille, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4m\u00e4\nalus puuttuu Olavin laivastosta, kuin ett\u00e4 se on siin\u00e4 niin hyvin\nvarustettuna.\"\nHetkist\u00e4 my\u00f6hemmin he n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t ja tunsivat Sigvalde jaarlin laivat,\njotka k\u00e4\u00e4ntyiv\u00e4t sinne saarta kohti. Sitten he huomasivat kolmen\naluksen purjehtivan, ja niist\u00e4 yksi oli suuri. Silloin Svein kuningas\npuhui k\u00e4skien heit\u00e4 k\u00e4ym\u00e4\u00e4n aluksiinsa; h\u00e4n sanoo, ett\u00e4 siell\u00e4\npurjehtii Suuri-K\u00e4\u00e4rme. Eirik jaarli lausuu:\n\"Heill\u00e4 on monta muutakin suurta ja komeata alusta paitsi Suur-K\u00e4\u00e4rme;\nodottakaamme viel\u00e4.\"\nSilloin sanoivat useat miehet: \"Ei tahdo Eirik jaarli nyt taistella ja\nkostaa is\u00e4ns\u00e4 surmaa. T\u00e4m\u00e4 on suuri h\u00e4pe\u00e4, niin ett\u00e4 siit\u00e4 puhutaan\nkautta kaikkien maiden, jos me odotamme t\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4 niin suurella\nlaivastolla ja Olavi kuningas purjehtii merelle aivan meid\u00e4n\nohitsemme.\"\nMutta puheltuaan t\u00e4st\u00e4 tuokion he n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t nelj\u00e4n aluksen purjehtivan,\nja yksi niist\u00e4 oli perin suuri ja kullalla koristettu. Nyt Svein\nkuningas nousi ja sanoi:\n\"Korkealla on K\u00e4\u00e4rme kantava minua t\u00e4n\u00e4 iltana; sit\u00e4 min\u00e4 ohjaan itse.\"\nSilloin huusi moni, ett\u00e4 K\u00e4\u00e4rme oli mahtavan suuri ja kaunis laiva, ja\nihana ty\u00f6 oli teett\u00e4\u00e4 sellainen alus. Mutta Eirik jaarli virkkoi niin\nkovaa, ett\u00e4 muutamat sen kuulivat:\n\"Vaikk'ei Olavi kuninkaalla olisikaan suurempaa alusta, niin ei Svein\nkuningas sittenk\u00e4\u00e4n saisi konsanaan sit\u00e4 h\u00e4nelt\u00e4 pelk\u00e4st\u00e4\u00e4n Tanskan\nlaivaston avulla.\"\nNyt v\u00e4ki k\u00e4vi aluksiin ja irroitti k\u00f6ydet. Mutta p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6jen puhuessa\nkesken\u00e4\u00e4n siit\u00e4, mit\u00e4 nyt on kerrottu, he n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t kolmen perin suuren\nlaivan purjehtivan ja viimeisen\u00e4 nelj\u00e4nnen, ja se oli Suur-K\u00e4\u00e4rme.\nMutta niist\u00e4 suurista aluksista, jotka olivat edell\u00e4 purjehtineet ja\njoita he olivat luulleet Suur-K\u00e4\u00e4rmeeksi, oli ensimm\u00e4inen Kurki ja\nviimeinen Pikku-K\u00e4\u00e4rme. Suur-K\u00e4\u00e4rmeen n\u00e4hdess\u00e4\u00e4n kaikki arvasivat --\neik\u00e4 kukaan v\u00e4itt\u00e4nyt vastaan -- ett\u00e4 siell\u00e4 taisi Olavi Trygvenpoika\npurjehtia. He astuivat nyt laivoihin ja valmistausivat soutamaan\nvastaan. Sellainen oli sopimus p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6iden, Svein kuninkaan, Olavi\nkuninkaan ja Eirik jaarlin kesken, ett\u00e4 kukin heist\u00e4 valtaisi\nkolmanneksen Norjaa, jos surmaisivat Olavi kuninkaan; mutta se\np\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6ist\u00e4, joka ensimm\u00e4isen\u00e4 nousisi K\u00e4\u00e4rmeeseen, saisi kaiken sen\nsaaliin, mik\u00e4 sielt\u00e4 otettiin, ja jokainen saisi ne alukset, mitk\u00e4\nh\u00e4n itse raivaisi puhtaiksi. Eirik jaarlilla oli varsin suuri\npartaniekka,[117] jota h\u00e4n oli tottunut k\u00e4ytt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n viikinkiretkill\u00e4;\nsiin\u00e4 oli \"partaa\" ylinn\u00e4 kummassakin keulassa, mutta alapuolella paksu\nrautalevy, joka oli yht\u00e4 leve\u00e4 kuin \"parta\" ja ulottui aina vesirajaan\nasti.\nSigvalde Jaarlin ja h\u00e4nen miehiens\u00e4 soutaessa n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t Torkel Dyrdel\nKurjesta ja my\u00f6skin h\u00e4nt\u00e4 seuraavien alusten per\u00e4miehet, ett\u00e4 jaarli\nohjasi laivansa saarta kohti. Silloin hekin laskivat purjeensa,\nsontivat heid\u00e4n j\u00e4lkeens\u00e4 ja huusivat tiedustellen, miksi he niin\ntekiv\u00e4t. Jaarli sanoi tahtovansa odottaa Olavi kuningasta: \"N\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4\nsilt\u00e4, ett\u00e4 t\u00e4ss\u00e4 on tappelu tulossa.\" He antoivat silloin alusten\nlipua, kunnes Torkel Nevja tuli Pikku-K\u00e4\u00e4rmeelle ja h\u00e4nen kerallaan\nkolme muuta purtta, ja sama uutinen kerrottiin heillekin. Nyt hekin\nlaskivat purjeensa, antoivat laivainsa pys\u00e4hty\u00e4 ja odottivat Olavi\nkuningasta.\nJa kun kuningas purjehti saarta kohti, souti koko vainolaislaivasto\nulos salmeen heid\u00e4n tielleen. Mutta sen n\u00e4hdess\u00e4\u00e4n miehet pyysiv\u00e4t\nkuningasta purjehtimaan pois ja karttamaan taistelua niin suuren joukon\nkanssa. Olavi kuningas vastasi kaikuvasti seisoessaan per\u00e4sillalla:\n\"Laskekaa purje; eiv\u00e4t minun mieheni saa ajatella pakoa; taistelua en\nole koskaan karttanut. Jumala p\u00e4\u00e4tt\u00e4k\u00f6\u00f6n hengest\u00e4ni, mutta pakoon en\nmilloinkaan l\u00e4hde.\" Ja niin tehtiin kuin kuningas k\u00e4ski.\nOlavi kuningas toitotutti kaikki aluksensa kokoon. Kuninkaan pursi oli\nkeskell\u00e4 laivastoa, ja sen toisella puolella oli Pikku-K\u00e4\u00e4rme, toisella\nKurki. Mutta ryhtyess\u00e4\u00e4n liitt\u00e4m\u00e4\u00e4n laivoja toisiinsa miehet sitoivat\nyhteen Suur-K\u00e4\u00e4rmeen ja Pikku-K\u00e4\u00e4rmeen keulat. Kuningas huomasi t\u00e4m\u00e4n,\nh\u00e4n huusi kuuluvasti ja k\u00e4ski asettaa ison aluksen kauemmaksi\neteenp\u00e4in, ettei se j\u00e4isi takimmaiseksi kaikista laivoista. Silloin\nvastaa Puna-Hukka:\n\"Jos meid\u00e4n on sovitettava K\u00e4\u00e4rme niin paljoa edemm\u00e4ksi kuin se on\ntoisia aluksia pitempi, niin k\u00e4y ty\u00f6 t\u00e4n\u00e4\u00e4n ylen ankaraksi\nkeulapartailla.\"\nKuningas virkkaa: \"Enp\u00e4 tiet\u00e4nyt, ett\u00e4 minulla on keulamiesten joukossa\nhukka, jota j\u00e4nist\u00e4\u00e4\".[118]\nHukka vastaa: \"\u00c4l\u00e4 k\u00e4\u00e4nn\u00e4 siell\u00e4 sillalla selk\u00e4\u00e4si sen enemp\u00e4\u00e4 kuin\nmin\u00e4 keulaa puolustaessani.\"\nKuninkaalla oli k\u00e4dess\u00e4\u00e4n jousi, h\u00e4n sovitti vasaman j\u00e4nteeseen ja\nt\u00e4ht\u00e4si sen Hukkaa kohti. T\u00e4m\u00e4 huusi silloin:\n\"Ammu toisaanne, kuningas, miss\u00e4 nuoliasi paremmin tarvitaan; mink\u00e4\nteen, sen teen sinun t\u00e4htesi.\"\nOlavi kuningas seisoi K\u00e4\u00e4rmeen sillalla ylemp\u00e4n\u00e4 muita. H\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli\nkultainen kilpi ja kullalla silattu kyp\u00e4r\u00e4, ja h\u00e4net erotti helposti\nmuista miehist\u00e4; h\u00e4nell\u00e4 oli lyhyt punainen nuttu rautapaidan p\u00e4\u00e4ll\u00e4.\nMutta n\u00e4hdess\u00e4\u00e4n, ett\u00e4 vihollisjoukot jakaantuivat ja p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6iden\nkohdalle kohotettiin viirej\u00e4, h\u00e4n kysyi: \"Kuka on sen joukon johtaja,\njoka on juuri meit\u00e4 vastap\u00e4\u00e4t\u00e4?\"\nH\u00e4nelle sanottiin, ett\u00e4 siell\u00e4 oli kuningas Svein Kaksiparta\ntanskalaisineen. Kuningas vastaa:\n\"Niit\u00e4 raukkoja emme pelk\u00e4\u00e4, ei ole tanskalaisissa miehuutta. Mutta\nket\u00e4 p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6\u00e4 seuraavat ne viirit, jotka liehuvat oikealla\nsivustalla?\"\nH\u00e4nelle sanottiin, ett\u00e4 siell\u00e4 on kuningas Olavi svealaisineen. Olavi\nkuningas virkkaa:\n\"Parempi olisi svealaisten istua kotosalla uhrikuppejaan nuolemassa\nkuin nousta K\u00e4\u00e4rmeeseen teid\u00e4n aseittenne tutkaimitse. Mutta ken\nomistaa nuo isot alukset, jotka ovat tuolla tanskalaisten alahangan\npuolella?\"\n\"Ne omistaa jaarli Eirik Haakoninpoika\", h\u00e4nelle ilmoitetaan. Silloin\nvastaa Olavi kuningas:\n\"H\u00e4nell\u00e4 saattaa kyll\u00e4 olla omasta mielest\u00e4\u00e4n hyv\u00e4t syyt k\u00e4yd\u00e4 meit\u00e4\nvastaan, ja silt\u00e4 joukolta meill\u00e4 on odotettavissa tuima taistelu; ne\novat Norjan miehi\u00e4 niinkuin mekin.\"\nSitten kuninkaat jakautuivat soutamaan vastustajainsa kimppuun. Svein\nkuningas suuntasi laivansa Suur-K\u00e4\u00e4rmett\u00e4 kohti, mutta Ruotsin Olavi\nkuningas siirtyi ulommaksi ja k\u00e4\u00e4nsi keulansa Olavi Trygvenpojan\nlaidimmaisia laivoja p\u00e4in; ja toisella sivustalla oli Eirik jaarli. Nyt\nsyttyi ankara ottelu. Sigvalde jaarli soudatti aluksensa toisten taakse\neik\u00e4 antautunut taisteluun.\nT\u00e4m\u00e4 taistelu oli tuiki tuima ja verinen. Suur-K\u00e4\u00e4rmeen, Pikku-K\u00e4\u00e4rmeen\nja Kurjen keulamiehet heittiv\u00e4t ankkureita ja iskuhakoja Svein\nkuninkaan aluksiin ja voivat n\u00e4in ahdistella niit\u00e4 ylh\u00e4\u00e4lt\u00e4 p\u00e4in. He\npuhdistivat miehist\u00e4 kaikki purret, jotka saivat pid\u00e4tetyiksi\nl\u00e4hettyvill\u00e4\u00e4n, mutta Svein kuningas ja ne, joiden henki s\u00e4ilyi,\npakenivat toisiin laivoihin, ja sitten he siirtyiv\u00e4t aseiden ulottuman\nulkopuolelle. T\u00e4m\u00e4n joukon k\u00e4vi, niinkuin kuningas Olavi Trygvenpoika\noli arvannut.\nSilloin svealaisten Olavi kuningas siirtyi tilalle, mutta niin pian\nkuin he saapuivat suuralusten l\u00e4helle, heid\u00e4n k\u00e4vi edellisten tavoin:\nhe menettiv\u00e4t paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4 ja muutamia laivoja ja poistuivat sitten\nloitommalle. Mutta Eirik jaarli laski purtensa Olavi kuninkaan\n\u00e4\u00e4rimm\u00e4isen aluksen laitaan, puhdisti sen miehist\u00e4 ja katkoi heti\nsiteet; sitten h\u00e4n siirtyi sen viereen, joka oli l\u00e4hinn\u00e4, ja taisteli,\nkunnes sekin oli tyhjennetty. Nyt miehet alkoivat juosta pienemmist\u00e4\npursista suuraluksiin, mutta jaarli katkoi jokaisen laivan siteet, kun\nse oli raivattu puhtaaksi, ja tanskalaiset sek\u00e4 svealaiset siirtyiv\u00e4t\nsilloin lentoaseiden ulottumiin ja ty\u00f6ntyiv\u00e4t joka taholta Olavi\nkuninkaan aluksia kohti. Eirik jaarli sovitti aina purtensa pitkin\nlaivaa ja taisteli ly\u00f6m\u00e4asein, mutta koska h\u00e4nen aluksellaan kaatui\nmiehi\u00e4, nousi tilalle toisia, tanskalaisia ja svealaisia. N\u00e4in laulaa\nHaldor:\n Miekkain tuimien kulku\n K\u00e4\u00e4rmett\u00e4 kohti siirtyi;\n helskyvin kultakeih\u00e4in\n urhot taisteli kauan.\n Taiston tuoksinassa\n ty\u00f6ntyi h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan\n miehi\u00e4 Ruotsin ja Tanska\n kalvankantajoita.\nEirik jaarli oli aluksensa eturuumassa, ja sinne oli pystytetty\nkilpilinna. Siell\u00e4 taisteltiin ly\u00f6m\u00e4asein ja pistettiin keih\u00e4in ja\nsinkautettiin kaikkea, mik\u00e4 aseeksi kelpasi; mutta muutamat ampuivat\njousilla tai lenn\u00e4ttiv\u00e4t aseita k\u00e4sin. Niin ankara asery\u00f6ppy k\u00e4vi\nK\u00e4\u00e4rmeen yli, ett\u00e4 tuskin saattoi suojella itse\u00e4\u00e4n kilvell\u00e4; niin\ntihe\u00e4\u00e4n lensi vasamia ja keih\u00e4it\u00e4, sill\u00e4 joka taholta ty\u00f6ntyi\nsotapursia K\u00e4\u00e4rmeen ymp\u00e4rille. Olavi kuninkaan miehet olivat nyt niin\nraivoissaan, ett\u00e4 hypp\u00e4siv\u00e4t laivan partaalle ylt\u00e4\u00e4kseen vihollisiin\nmiekaniskuin ja surmatakseen heid\u00e4t, sill\u00e4 useat eiv\u00e4t olleet laskeneet\nniin l\u00e4helle K\u00e4\u00e4rmett\u00e4, ett\u00e4 olisivat joutuneet mukaan ly\u00f6m\u00e4leikkiin.\nMutta moni Olavin miehist\u00e4 vier\u00e4hti silloin mereen, he kun luulivat\ntaistelevansa tasaisella tantereella, ja niin he vaipuivat\nvarusteissaan syvyyteen. N\u00e4in kertoo Halfr\u00f6d:\n K\u00e4\u00e4rmehelt\u00e4 hautaan\n haavoittuneet vaipui;\n v\u00e4isty\u00e4 mieli ei tehnyt,\n iskiv\u00e4t viime hetkeen.\n Vaikka kuningas kallis\n purttaan ohjaisi viel\u00e4,\n urhoja moisia K\u00e4\u00e4rme\n kaipaisi kulkiessaan.\nEinar Tambeskjelve oli K\u00e4\u00e4rmeen per\u00e4puolella; h\u00e4n k\u00e4ytteli jousta ja\nampui purevampia vasamia kuin yksik\u00e4\u00e4n toinen. Einar tavoitteli Eirik\njaarlia ja osasi per\u00e4simen varteen jaarlin p\u00e4\u00e4n kohdalle ja nuoli\ntunkeutui puuhun aina liitossiteeseen asti. Jaarli katsahti siihen ja\nkysyi, tiesiv\u00e4tk\u00f6 miehet, kuka sen ampui. Mutta samassa tuli toinen\nnuoli niin l\u00e4helle jaarlia, ett\u00e4 se lensi h\u00e4nen k\u00e4sivartensa ja kyljen\nlomitse, ja painui niin syv\u00e4lle p\u00e4\u00e4lautaan,[119] ett\u00e4 k\u00e4rki ty\u00f6ntyi\npitk\u00e4lle ulos. Silloin jaarli virkkoi er\u00e4\u00e4lle miehelle, jota toiset\nnimitt\u00e4v\u00e4t Finniksi, mutta toiset sanovat lappalaiseksi -- h\u00e4n oli\nmaanmainio jousenk\u00e4ytt\u00e4j\u00e4 --:\n\"Ammuppas tuo kookas mies tuolta per\u00e4puolelta!\" Finn ampui, ja vasama\nosui keskelle Einarin kaarta samassa tuokiossa, kuin h\u00e4n j\u00e4nnitti sit\u00e4\nkolmatta kertaa. Silloin jousi karahti kahdeksi kappaleeksi. Olavi\nkuningas kysyi:\n\"Mik\u00e4 siell\u00e4 niin hel\u00e4ht\u00e4en murtui?\" \"Norja sinun k\u00e4dest\u00e4si, kuningas!\"\nvastaa Einar. \"Niin suuri ei tappio viel\u00e4 liene\", sanoo kuningas; \"ota\nminun jouseni ja ammu sill\u00e4\". -- Ja h\u00e4n heitti aseen Einarille. Einar\notti jousen ja j\u00e4nnitti sen heti niin, ett\u00e4 nuoli k\u00e4vi liian lyhyeksi\nkaarelle, ja huudahti: \"Liian hento, liian hento -- on ruhtinaan\nkaari!\" H\u00e4n heitti jousen takaisin, mutta tarttui kilpeen ja miekkaan\nja taisteli edelleen.\nKuningas Olavi Trygvenpoika seisoi K\u00e4\u00e4rmeen sillalla ja ampui tihe\u00e4\u00e4n,\ntoisinaan jousta, toisinaan keih\u00e4st\u00e4 k\u00e4ytellen, ja n\u00e4it\u00e4 h\u00e4n lenn\u00e4tti\naina kaksi samalla haavaa. H\u00e4n katsahti purteensa ja havaitsi miestens\u00e4\nheiluttavan kalpojaan ja iskev\u00e4n tihe\u00e4\u00e4n ja siten, ett\u00e4 ne purivat\nhuonosti. Silloin h\u00e4n huusi kaikuvasti:\n\"Heilutatteko miekkojanne veltosti, koska ne eiv\u00e4t n\u00e4y purevan teid\u00e4n\nk\u00e4siss\u00e4nne?\"\nMuuan mies vastasi: \"Miekkamme ovat k\u00e4yneet tylsiksi ja pahasti\nloville.\"\nSilloin kuningas astui keularuumaan ja avasi is\u00e4nt\u00e4penkin arkun; h\u00e4n\notti sielt\u00e4 joukon ter\u00e4vi\u00e4 miekkoja ja antoi ne miehille. Mutta kun h\u00e4n\nty\u00f6nsi arkkuun oikean k\u00e4tens\u00e4, n\u00e4kiv\u00e4t miehet, ett\u00e4 haarniskan hihasta\nvuoti verta; kukaan ei tied\u00e4, milt\u00e4 kohtaa h\u00e4n oli haavoittunut.\nParhaiten ja tuhoisimmin taistelivat K\u00e4\u00e4rmeell\u00e4 eturuuman miehet ja\nkeulanvartijat; sill\u00e4 siell\u00e4 oli valiojoukko ja korkeimmat laidat.\nMutta kun v\u00e4ke\u00e4 ensin kaatui keskilaivalla ja miehi\u00e4 seisoi harvassa\nmaston ymp\u00e4rill\u00e4, koetti Eirik jaarli nousta alukseen ja p\u00e4\u00e4sikin\nK\u00e4\u00e4rmeeseen itse viidenten\u00e4toista. Silloin Hyrning, Olavi kuninkaan\nv\u00e4vy, k\u00e4vi h\u00e4nt\u00e4 vastaan seurueineen, ja siell\u00e4 sukeusi mit\u00e4 tuimin\nottelu ja se p\u00e4\u00e4ttyi siten, ett\u00e4 jaarli per\u00e4ytyi takaisin laivaansa.\nMutta niist\u00e4 miehist\u00e4, jotka olivat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 seuranneet, kaatui muutamia\nja toiset olivat haavoittuneet. Siit\u00e4 kertoo Tord Kolbeininpoika:\n Taisteli kyp\u00e4r\u00e4p\u00e4iset\n teljoilla hurmeisilla.\n Kauniin maineen sai, ken\n herraansa suojasi miekoin;\n tunturin kaartuva katto[120]\n murtua saakoon ennen\n kuin Hyrning unhoon joutuu.\nNyt sukeusi taas mit\u00e4 tuimin taistelu, ja siin\u00e4 kaatui paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4\nK\u00e4\u00e4rmeell\u00e4. Mutta kun miehist\u00f6, jonka oli m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4 puolustaa K\u00e4\u00e4rmett\u00e4,\nhupeni hupenemistaan, koetti Eirik jaarli toistamiseen nousta alukseen,\nja j\u00e4lleen h\u00e4n kohtasi kovaa vastarintaa. Kun K\u00e4\u00e4rmeen keulavartijat\nn\u00e4kiv\u00e4t t\u00e4m\u00e4n, siirtyiv\u00e4t he per\u00e4puolelle, k\u00e4\u00e4ntyiv\u00e4t jaarlia vastaan\nja ahdistivat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 voimakkaasti. Mutta kun K\u00e4\u00e4rmeell\u00e4 oli nyt kaatunut\nniin paljon v\u00e4ke\u00e4, ett\u00e4 partaat olivat monin paikoin tyhjin\u00e4, ryhtyiv\u00e4t\njaarlin miehet kapuamaan usealta taholta. Silloin kaikki ne, jotka\nviel\u00e4 olivat K\u00e4\u00e4rmeen turvana, pyrkiv\u00e4t aluksen per\u00e4puolelle, miss\u00e4\nkuningas oleskeli.\nKolbj\u00f6rn tallimestari nousi sillalle kuninkaan viereen; he olivat\nvarsin samanlaisissa puvuissa ja varusteissa. Kolbj\u00f6rn oli hyvin roteva\nja kaunis mies. Nyt syntyi taas mit\u00e4 kiivain ottelu eturuumassa. Mutta\nsiit\u00e4 syyst\u00e4, ett\u00e4 niin moni jaarlin miehist\u00e4, kuin alukseen mahtui,\noli noussut K\u00e4\u00e4rmeeseen ja h\u00e4nen purtensa saartivat sen joka taholta ja\nv\u00e4ke\u00e4 oli niukalti vastustamassa niin suurta joukkoa, kaatuivat\nuseimmat ennenpitk\u00e4\u00e4, vaikka olivatkin sek\u00e4 voimakkaita ett\u00e4\nurhoollisia miehi\u00e4. Mutta Olavi kuningas ja Kolbj\u00f6rn hypp\u00e4siv\u00e4t silloin\nmereen, kumpikin omalle puolelleen. Jaarlin miehet olivat soutaneet\npikkuveneit\u00e4 ymp\u00e4rille ja surmasivat ne, jotka sy\u00f6ksyiv\u00e4t mereen, ja\nkun itse kuningas heitt\u00e4ytyi alas sillalta, niin he halusivat saada\nh\u00e4net vangiksi vied\u00e4kseen Eirik jaarlin luo. Mutta Olavi kuningas\nkohotti kilven suojakseen ja sukelsi alas syvyyteen. Kolbj\u00f6rn\nsit\u00e4vastoin ty\u00f6nsi kilven alleen ja suojeli itse\u00e4\u00e4n siten keih\u00e4ilt\u00e4,\njoita lenn\u00e4tettiin alempana olevista aluksista; ja h\u00e4n putosi mereen\nsiten, ett\u00e4 kilpi j\u00e4i h\u00e4nen alleen, eik\u00e4 h\u00e4n niin ollen vaipunut\nsyvyyteen kyllin nopeasti, vaan joutui vangiksi ja nostettiin er\u00e4\u00e4seen\npurteen. Miehet luulivat h\u00e4nt\u00e4 kuninkaaksi ja veiv\u00e4t h\u00e4net Eirik\njaarlin luo; mutta kun jaarli huomasi, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4n oli Kolbj\u00f6rn eik\u00e4 Olavi\nkuningas, sai Kolbj\u00f6rn armon. Mutta t\u00e4ll\u00f6in kaikki ne, jotka viel\u00e4\nolivat hengiss\u00e4 Olavi kuninkaan miehist\u00e4, heitt\u00e4ytyiv\u00e4t mereen\nK\u00e4\u00e4rmeest\u00e4, ja Halfr\u00f6d kertoo, ett\u00e4 Torkel Nevja, kuninkaan veli,\nhypp\u00e4si viimeisen\u00e4 mereen:\n Sai urhea Torketel n\u00e4hd\u00e4\n Kurjen ja kummankin\n K\u00e4\u00e4rmeen kelluvan tyhjin\u00e4 (pelkoa\n ei taistossa tuntenut h\u00e4n);\n kantaja k\u00e4sirengasten,\n taiston kest\u00e4j\u00e4, silloin\n merehen sy\u00f6ksyi, uiden\n turvaan pyrki h\u00e4n my\u00f6s.\nEnnen on kerrottu, ett\u00e4 Sigvalde jaarli saapui Olavi kuninkaan seurassa\nVendinmaahan; jaarlilla oli kymmenen alusta sek\u00e4 lis\u00e4ksi yhdestoista,\njossa Astrid ruhtinattarella, Sigvalde jaarlin puolisolla, oli v\u00e4kens\u00e4.\nKun Olavi kuningas oli heitt\u00e4ytynyt mereen, kohotti koko sotajoukko\nvoitonhuudon, ja silloin jaarli antoi miestens\u00e4 ty\u00f6nt\u00e4\u00e4 airot veteen ja\nsouti taisteluun. Mutta se vendil\u00e4ispursi, jossa Astridin miehet\nolivat, souti takaisin Vendinmaata kohti, ja siit\u00e4 sai heti moni aiheen\nkertoa, ett\u00e4 Olavi kuningas oli veden alla riisunut ylt\u00e4\u00e4n rautapaidan\nja sukeltanut pois suuralusten l\u00e4hettyvilt\u00e4 ja sitten uinut\nvendil\u00e4ispurteen, ja Astridin miehet olivat vieneet h\u00e4net maihin. Ja\nsiit\u00e4 ovat muutamat sitten sepitt\u00e4neet monta tarinaa Olavi kuninkaan\nretkist\u00e4. Mutta olipa t\u00e4m\u00e4n asian laita mik\u00e4 hyv\u00e4ns\u00e4, sen koommin ei\nOlavi kuningas en\u00e4\u00e4 saanut valtakuntaa Norjassa.\nEirik jaarli Haakoninpoika sai voitossa Suur-K\u00e4\u00e4rmeen ja paljon\nsaalista ja ohjasi Suur-K\u00e4\u00e4rmeen taistelusta. Sitten Tanskan Svein\nkuningas ja Olavi svealaisten kuningas sek\u00e4 Eirik jaarli jakoivat\nNorjan valtakunnan kesken\u00e4\u00e4n. Mutta Eirik jaarlin veli Svein\nHaakoninpoika, joka oli kihlannut Holmfridin, Svean kuninkaan tytt\u00e4ren,\nsai jaarlikunnan Olavi Svealaiselta. Svein jaarli oli komein mies, mit\u00e4\nmilloinkaan on n\u00e4hty. Eirik jaarli ja Svein jaarli antoivat kumpikin\nkastaa itsens\u00e4 ja ottivat oikean uskon; mutta niin kauan kuin he\nhallitsivat Norjaa, antoivat he jokaisen tehd\u00e4 uskonasioissa niinkuin\nhalusi, mutta vanhat lait he pitiv\u00e4t tarkoin voimassa ja samaten kaikki\nmaan tavat, ja he olivat suosittuja miehi\u00e4 ja hyvi\u00e4 hallitsijoita.\nEirik jaarlilla oli veljeksist\u00e4 eniten sananvaltaa kaikessa\nhallinnossa.\nViiteselitykset:\n[1] L\u00e4htein\u00e4 _Maailmanhistoria_; P.A. Munch, _Det norske Folks\nHistorie_, I osa; Salmonsens, _Konversationslexikon_.\n[2] Haakon kuningas ja Skule herttua lienev\u00e4t useille lukijoille tutut\nIbsenin \"Kuninkaanalut\" n\u00e4ytelm\u00e4st\u00e4.\n[3] Aasat olivat muinais-skandinaavilaisten mahtavin jumalsuku, joka\ntarujen mukaan oli per\u00e4isin Tanais- l. Don-joen it\u00e4puolella olevasta\nmaasta, Aaselannista. Heid\u00e4n p\u00e4\u00e4miehens\u00e4 oli Oden, sittemmin\npohjoismaisen mytologian p\u00e4\u00e4jumala.\n[4] Norjan etel\u00e4isimm\u00e4n osan keskinen alue.\n[5] Fylke: oikeastaan maakunta, joka muodosti sotilaallisessa ja\nhallinnollisessa suhteessa valtakunnan alaosaston; t\u00e4ss\u00e4 se tarkoittaa\nusein pikkukuninkaan hallitsemaa aluetta.\n[6] T\u00e4ss\u00e4 kappaleessa esiintyv\u00e4t tiedot ovat saadut osittain\nYnglinge-tarinasta, osittain Halvdan Mustan tarinasta.\n[7] Drammen-joen varsilla Randsfjord-j\u00e4rven etel\u00e4puolella (nyk.\nKristiansamtissa).\n[8] Raivop\u00e4\u00e4 = berserk. N\u00e4ist\u00e4 annetaan seuraava selitys\nYnglinge-tarinassa: \"Oden saattoi tehd\u00e4 niin, ett\u00e4 taistelussa h\u00e4nen\nvihollisensa tulivat sokeiksi tai kuuroiksi tai aroiksi, mutta heid\u00e4n\naseensa eiv\u00e4t purreet sen paremmin kuin sauvat; mutta h\u00e4nen omat\nmiehens\u00e4 rynt\u00e4siv\u00e4t haarniskoitta ja olivat hulluja kuin koirat tai\nsudet, purivat kilpiins\u00e4 ja olivat v\u00e4kevi\u00e4 kuin karhut tai h\u00e4r\u00e4t; he\nsurmasivat ihmisi\u00e4, mutta heihin ei pystynyt rauta eik\u00e4 tuli.\"\n[9] Mj\u00f6sen-j\u00e4rven it\u00e4puolella.\n[10] T\u00e4h\u00e4n p\u00e4\u00e4ttyv\u00e4 osa on Halvdan Mustan tarinasta; seuraava muodostaa\np\u00e4\u00e4osan Snorren Harald Kaunotukan tarinaa.\n[11] Henkivartio vastaa t\u00e4ss\u00e4 useimmiten _hird_-nimityst\u00e4; t\u00e4m\u00e4n\nj\u00e4senet olivat l\u00e4heisess\u00e4 persoonallisessa suhteessa p\u00e4\u00e4llikk\u00f6\u00f6ns\u00e4.\n[12] Hardangerin ja Bergenin seudut.\n[13] Nyk. Folden-vuonon ymp\u00e4rist\u00f6.\n[14] Nyk. Kristianian-vuonon seudut sek\u00e4 l\u00e4hin rannikko Skagerrakin\nit\u00e4puolella.\n[15] Kattegatin lahti Norjan ja Ruotsin rajalla.\n[16] Sigurd Ring oli mahtava pohjoismainen kuningas 8:nnen vuosisadan\npuoliv\u00e4liss\u00e4.\n[17] Norjan ja Ruotsin v\u00e4linen mets\u00e4seutu, nyk. Kongsvingerin\ntienoilla.\n[18] G\u00f6\u00f6ta-joki.\n[19] Nyk. Eidsfjordin ja Storfjordin v\u00e4lill\u00e4.\n[20] Hafsfjord, l\u00e4hell\u00e4 nykyist\u00e4 Stavangeria.\n[21] Hjaltland, nykyiset Shetlannin saaret.\n[22] Orkn-saaret = Orkney-saaret; Suder-saaret = nykyiset Hebridit.\n[23] M\u00f6re, Trondhjemin-vuonon suupuolelta etel\u00e4\u00e4n.\n[24] Gange-Rolv = Rolv Jalkamies.\n[25] It\u00e4mailla tarkoitetaan Ven\u00e4j\u00e4\u00e4, varsinkin nykyisi\u00e4\nIt\u00e4merenmaakuntia.\n[26] Valland, Ranska, varsinkin sen pohjoisosa.\n[27] Snorren mukaan oli Gange-Rolv siis norjalainen, mutta my\u00f6hempi\nhistoriantutkimus on huomannut t\u00e4m\u00e4n ep\u00e4ilt\u00e4v\u00e4ksi ja arvellut\nNormandian valloittajat pikemmin tanskalaisiksi. Vrt. Henrik Sch\u00fcck\ny.m.: \"Svenska folkets historia\", edellinen osa, siv. 179.\n[28] Vilhelm Valloittaja.\n[29] Nykyinen Tofte Gudbrandin-laaksossa.\n[30] Nykyinen North-Ronaldsey, koillisin Orkney-saarista.\n[31] T\u00e4ss\u00e4 markalla tarkoitetaan painoa.\n[32] Alkujaan kihlakuntansa talonpoikien perinn\u00f6llinen johtaja; Harald\nKaunotukan ajoista kuninkaan henkivartion (hirdin) j\u00e4sen ja kuninkaan\njaarlin alainen.\n[33] Nykyinen S\u00f6nd- ja Nordfjord Keski-Norjassa.\n[34] Sakslanti = Pohjois-Saksa.\n[35] Bretlanti = Wales ja muut Englannin l\u00e4nsiosat.\n[36] Norjan pohjoisin rannikko, alkaen jotensakin Troms\u00f6n kaupungin\ntienoilta.\n[37] Vienanmeren rantamaat ja Vienanjoen suupuoli.\n[38] Haalogalanti eli Helgeland, Norjan rannikko pohjoisen napapiirin\nvaiheilta Finmarkiin asti.\n[39] Tr\u00f6ndit, Trondhjemin tienoon l. Tr\u00f6ndelagenin asukkaita.\n[40] Bj\u00f6rn oli Harald Kaunotukan ja \u00d6istein jaarlin tytt\u00e4ren Svanhildin\npoika; h\u00e4nen veljens\u00e4 oli Olav.\n[41] Kristianian-vuonon l\u00e4nsipuolinen alue; siin\u00e4 sijaitsi Norjan\nvanhin kaupunki Tunsberg, nykyinen T\u00f6nsberg.\n[42] Nykyinen Selven, Trondhjemin-vuonon etel\u00e4puolella.\n[43] Halvdan Musta oli Harald Kaunotukan ja Trondhjemin jaarlin Haakon\nGrjotgardinpojan tytt\u00e4ren Aasan poikia.\n[44] Sigurd oli is\u00e4ns\u00e4 Haakon Grjotgardinpojan kuoltua saanut t\u00e4m\u00e4n\njaarlinarvon; h\u00e4n oli Harald kuninkaan lanko.\n[45] Nykyinen Helleren, lounaaseen Bergenist\u00e4.\n[46] Muinaisengl. Aethelstan, Englannin kuninkaana 924-940.\n[47] Molemmat paikat nykyisen Haugasundin l\u00e4hell\u00e4 pohjoiseen\nStavangerista. Paikalle on 1872 pystytetty Harald Kaunotukan\nmuistopatsas, johon on liitetty yll\u00e4mainittu paasi, 3,54 m:n pituinen\nja 1,25 m:n levyinen.\n[48] Harald kuninkaan ja \u00d6istein jaarlin tytt\u00e4ren Svanhildin poika.\n[49] Harald Kaunotukan ja Aasa Haakonintytt\u00e4ren poika.\n[50] Trygve oli edell\u00e4mainitun Olavi Haraldinpojan poika. Gudr\u00f6din is\u00e4\noli Bj\u00f6rn Kauppi, Harald kuninkaan poika, joka oli saanut surmansa\ntaistellessaan Eirik Verikirvest\u00e4 vastaan.\n[51] _Hird_, jonka j\u00e4senet olivat l\u00e4heisess\u00e4 persoonallisessa suhteessa\njohtajaansa.\n[52] Sellainen l\u00e4hetettiin sanansaattajan mukana todisteeksi\nluotettavuudesta (kuten my\u00f6hemmin kirje).\n[53] Northumberland,\n[54] Nykyinen York.\n[55] Lodbrokinpojat olivat sen tanskalaisjoukon p\u00e4\u00e4llik\u00f6it\u00e4, joka\nsaapui Englantiin 865 ja valloitti Yorkin. N\u00e4ist\u00e4 Halvdan tuli kymment\u00e4\nvuotta my\u00f6hemmin Northumberlandin kuninkaaksi, mutta 880 omat miehet\nkarkoittivat h\u00e4net. Northumberlandin valloittivat englantilaiset\ntakaisin 926.\n[56] Eadmund, Englannin kuninkaana 940-946.\n[57] T\u00e4m\u00e4 kuningas hallitsi 9:nnen vuosisadan alkupuolella.\n[58] Nj\u00e5rd oli tuulen valtias sek\u00e4 aaltojen ja tulen hillitsij\u00e4,\nlis\u00e4ksi perin rikas ja antelias.\n[59] Fr\u00f6i oli sateen ja p\u00e4iv\u00e4npaisteen sek\u00e4 vuodentulon herra.\n[60] Runotaidon jumala; Bragen malja = vainajain muistomalja.\n[61] N\u00e4ist\u00e4 molemmista kausista kertoo Snorre esipuheessaan seuraavaa:\n\"Ensimm\u00e4ist\u00e4 kautta sanotaan polttokaudeksi; silloin oli poltettava\nkaikki kuolleet miehet ja pystytett\u00e4v\u00e4 heille muistokivi\u00e4... Mutta sen\nj\u00e4lkeen kuin Dan Ylpe\u00e4, Tanskan kuningas, oli teett\u00e4nyt itselleen\nhautakummun ja m\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4nnyt, ett\u00e4 h\u00e4net oli kuoltuaan kannettava siihen\nkuninkaanpuvussa ja sotisovassa ratsuineen ja satuloineen ja muine\ntavaroineen, tekiv\u00e4t useat h\u00e4nen miehist\u00e4\u00e4n samoin, ja siit\u00e4 sai\nalkunsa kumpukausi Tanskassa.\"\n[62] Tor oli sodanjumala, jolla oli aseena m.m. vasara.\n[63] Nykyinen Karm\u00f6 Stavangerin pohjoispuolella.\n[64] Vendel, nykyinen Vendsyssel Jyllannissa; Agder, Norjan\netel\u00e4rannikolla.\n[65] Nordfjordin luona.\n[66] Edellisen s\u00e4keist\u00f6n \"merisankari\" ja Harald tarkoittavat Harald\nEirikinpoikaa.\n[67] G\u00e5ndul ja Sk\u00e5gul, kaksi valkyyriaa l. sodan henget\u00e4rt\u00e4.\n-- Yngven suku sai nimens\u00e4 Yngvest\u00e4 l. Fr\u00f6ist\u00e4, jonka is\u00e4 Nj\u00e5rd oli\nOdenin kuoltua saanut vallan svealaisten keskuudessa; my\u00f6skin\nk\u00e4ytettiin Ynglinga-nime\u00e4.\n[68] Ryygit, Rogalannin asukkaat; pohjolan miehet t\u00e4ss\u00e4 Haalogalannin\nmiehet; taanat, tanskalaiset.\n[69] Sikling, taruhistoriallinen tanskalainen kuningassuku, t\u00e4ss\u00e4\nkuningas. -- Taivaisen vaatteet = haarniskat.\n[70] D\u00e5glingit = kuninkaat.\n[71] Hermod, Odenin poika, sotaisan sankariuden olennoima;\nBrage, runouden jumala.\n[72] Fenre- l. Fenris-hukka, h\u00e4ijyn Lokin poika, jonka jumalat\nviekkaudella saivat kahleisiin; p\u00e4\u00e4see maailman lopussa vapaaksi ja\nkoituu turmioksi Odenillekin.\n[73] H\u00e5ld = vapaatilallinen.\n[74] Meriratsu = laiva.\n[75] Oslo-vuono l. nykyinen Kristianian-vuono.\n[76] Odenin vaimo = maa.\n[77] Ven\u00e4j\u00e4; nimitys johtui maan lukuisista kaupungeista.\n[78] Novgorodin kaupunki.\n[79] Limfjordin suulla.\n[80] Ne, jotka j\u00e4iv\u00e4t noudattamatta sotakutsua tai saapuivat v\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4lle\npaikalle tai v\u00e4\u00e4r\u00e4\u00e4n aikaan, saivat suorittaa sakkoja.\n[81] Bornholm.\n[82] Nykyinen Pohjois-Saksa it\u00e4isest\u00e4 Holsteinista It\u00e4-Preussiin.\n[83] Burislav = Boleslaw. Burislavilla ei t\u00e4ss\u00e4 ole ymm\u00e4rrett\u00e4v\u00e4 Puolan\nBoleslaw I:t\u00e4 (992-1025), vaan h\u00e4nen is\u00e4\u00e4ns\u00e4 Miescoa eli Mieczyslawia\n[84] Flanderi.\n[85] _Vandr\u00e6de-skald_.\n[86] Valkeren = Walcheren-saari; flemingit = flaamilaiset.\n[87] Scilly-saaret.\n[88] Gardariikin asukas.\n[89] Gyda oli Olavi Kvaranin tyt\u00e4r, ei sisar; Olavi Kvara kuoli\ni\u00e4kk\u00e4\u00e4n\u00e4 miehen\u00e4 980.\n[90] Jomsborg eli Jom (_Jumne_) oli linnoitettu kaupunki Wollinsaaren\nit\u00e4rannalla Oder-joen suulla; tarun mukaan sen perusti Harald\nSinihammas 960:n vaiheilla.\n[91] Edelred, Englannin kuningas 978-1016.\n[92] Nykyinen Hareidland S\u00f6ndm\u00f6ress\u00e4.\n[93] Puolitoista sataa = 180.\n[94] Vastaa t\u00e4ss\u00e4 26,7 grammaa.\n[95] Ven\u00e4l\u00e4inen nimi -- Vsevolod.\n[96] T\u00e4st\u00e4 pojasta tuli my\u00f6hemmin Norjan kuningas Olavi Pyh\u00e4.\nJ\u00e4ljemp\u00e4n\u00e4 Snorre kertoo, ett\u00e4 Olavi kastettiin kristityksi Olavi\nTrygvenpojan toimesta, mutta siin\u00e4 h\u00e4n erehtyy, sill\u00e4 Olavi k\u00e4\u00e4ntyi\nkristinuskoon vasta varttuneena, Normandiassa ollessaan.\n[97] Etel\u00e4isess\u00e4 Hordalannissa.\n[98] Trondhjemin-vuonon suulla.\n[99] Nyk. Munkkisaari Kid-joen suun edustalla, Trondhjemin kaupungin\nulkopuolella.\n[100] Nykyinen Kastelg\u00e5rden G\u00f6ta-joen pohjoisen haaran varrella.\n[101] Olavi piti silloisten kristittyjen tavoin Odenia pahana haltiana.\n[102] Frostan k\u00e4r\u00e4j\u00e4t pidettiin samannimisell\u00e4 niemell\u00e4\nTrondhjemin-vuonon varrella.\n[103] Vainovasamassa oli k\u00f6ysi tai vitsasrengas riippumassa toisesta\np\u00e4\u00e4st\u00e4, ja se kutsui kaikki miehet aseistettuina k\u00e4r\u00e4jille.\n[104] Nyk. Tj\u00f6tt\u00f6 Helgelannin Alstahaugin etel\u00e4puolella (65\u00b0 50').\n[105] Salten-vuono.\n[106] Nyk. Vaagan Lofotein Vaag\u00f6ss\u00e4.\n[107] Viikinkialuksessa eli draakissa oli kappaleen p\u00e4\u00e4ss\u00e4 keulasta\nn.s. krapperummet, jonka soututuhdot jakoivat useihin osiin.\n[108] Valkoisia l. kastevaatteita k\u00e4ytettiin viikon p\u00e4iv\u00e4t kasteen\nj\u00e4lkeen.\n[109] Norjan kielell\u00e4 vandr\u00e6de-skald, s.o. runoilija, jonka kanssa on\nvaikea tulla toimeen.\n[110] Pohjois-Amerikassa, mahdollisesti Nova Scotia.\n[111] Bremangerlandin Hornelenissa Nordfjordin edustalla\n[112] T\u00e4m\u00e4 ei pid\u00e4 paikkaansa; Svein kuningas hylk\u00e4si Gunhildin ja\nl\u00e4hetti h\u00e4net kotiinsa Vendinmaahan, mist\u00e4 h\u00e4nen poikansa toivat h\u00e4net\nSveinin kuoleman j\u00e4lkeen takaisin Tanskaan.\n[113] Puolan Boleslaw I (992-1025). Vrt. viite 83.\n[114] Jonkinlainen iso meripursi, jossa ei ollut \"p\u00e4\u00e4t\u00e4\" keulassa.\n[115] Sv\u00e5ld ei ole saari, vaan satama ja joensuulahti hiukan l\u00e4nteen\nR\u00fcgenist\u00e4.\n[116] Katso \"skeidin\" selityst\u00e4 114.\n[117] Partaniekaksi (barde) sanottiin laivaa sen vuoksi, ett\u00e4 niit\u00e4\nem\u00e4puun osia, jotka ty\u00f6ntyiv\u00e4t etu- ja per\u00e4keulan yl\u00e4puolelle,\nnimitettiin sen parraksi.\n[118] Norjan kieless\u00e4 sanaleikki \"baade r\u00f6d og r\u00e6d\" = sek\u00e4 punainen\nett\u00e4 arka.\n[119] Lauta, joka sijaitsee per\u00e4miehen p\u00e4\u00e4n takana h\u00e4nen istuessaan\nohjaamassa.\n[120] Taivaan laki.", "source_dataset": "gutenberg", "source_dataset_detailed": "gutenberg - Kuningastarinoita\n"}, +{"source_document": "", "creation_year": 1221, "culture": " English\n", "content": "Produced by Louise Hope, R. Cedron and the Online\n THE YOUNGER EDDA:\n SNORRE\u2019S EDDA, OR THE PROSE EDDA.\n An English Version of the Foreword;\n The Fooling of Gylfe, The Afterword;\n Brage\u2019s Talk, The Afterword to Brage\u2019s Talk,\n and the Important Passages in the\n Poetical Diction (Skaldskaparmal).\n By RASMUS B. ANDERSON, LL.D.,\nFormerly Professor of the Scandinavian Languages\n in the University of Wisconsin,\n Ex-U.S. Minister to Denmark,\n Author of \u201cAmerica Not Discovered By Columbus,\u201d\n\u201cNorse Mythology,\u201d \u201cViking Tales Of The North,\u201d etc.\n Scott, Foresman and Company\n By S. C. Griggs and Company.\n The Henry O. Shepard Co.\n HON. THOS. F. BAYARD,\n Ambassador to the Court of St. James,\n in Grateful Recollection\n of Pleasant Official Relations.\nPREFACE.\nIn the beginning, before the heaven and the earth and the sea were\ncreated, the great abyss Ginungagap was without form and void, and the\nspirit of Fimbultyr moved upon the face of the deep, until the ice-cold\nrivers, the Elivogs, flowing from Niflheim, came in contact with the\ndazzling flames from Muspelheim. This was before Chaos.\nAnd Fimbultyr said: Let the melted drops of vapor quicken into life, and\nthe giant Ymer was born in the midst of Ginungagap. He was not a god,\nbut the father of all the race of evil giants. This was Chaos.\nAnd Fimbultyr said: Let Ymer be slain and let order be established. And\nstraightway Odin and his brothers--the bright sons of Bure--gave Ymer a\nmortal wound, and from his body made they the universe; from his flesh,\nthe earth; from his blood, the sea; from his bones, the rocks; from\nhis hair, the trees; from his skull, the vaulted heavens; from his\neye-brows, the bulwark called Midgard. And the gods formed man and woman\nin their own image of two trees, and breathed into them the breath of\nlife. Ask and Embla became living souls, and they received a garden in\nMidgard as a dwelling-place for themselves and their children until the\nend of time. This was Cosmos.\nThe world\u2019s last day approaches. All bonds and fetters that bound the\nforces of heaven and earth together are severed, and the powers of good\nand of evil are brought together in an internecine feud. Loke advances\nwith the Fenris-wolf and the Midgard-serpent, his own children, with\nall the hosts of the giants, and with Surt, who flings fire and flame\nover the world. Odin advances with all the asas and all the blessed\neinherjes. They meet, contend, and fall. The wolf swallows Odin but\nVidar, the Silent, sets his foot upon the monster\u2019s lower jaw, he\nseizes the other with his hand, and thus rends him till he dies. Frey\nencounters Surt, and terrible blows are given ere Frey falls. Heimdal\nand Loke fight and kill each other, and so do Tyr and the dog Garm from\nthe Gnipa Cave. Asa-Thor fells the Midgard-serpent with his Mjolner, but\nhe retreats only nine paces when he himself falls dead, suffocated by\nthe serpent\u2019s venom. Then smoke wreathes up around the ash Ygdrasil,\nthe high flames play against the heavens, the graves of the gods, of\nthe giants and of men are swallowed up by the sea, and the end has come.\nThis is Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods.\nBut the radiant dawn follows the night. The earth, completely green,\nrises again from the sea, and where the mews have but just been rocking\non restless waves, rich fields unplowed and unsown, now wave their\ngolden harvests before the gentle breezes. The asas awake to a new life,\nBalder is with them again. Then comes the mighty Fimbultyr, the god who\nis from everlasting to everlasting; the god whom the Edda skald dared\nnot name. The god of gods comes to the asas. He comes to the great\njudgment and gathers all the good into Gimle to dwell there forever, and\nevermore delights enjoy; but the perjurers and murderers and adulterers\nhe sends to Nastrand, that terrible hall, to be torn by Nidhug until\nthey are purged from their wickedness. This is Regeneration.\nThese are the outlines of the Teutonic religion. Such were the doctrines\nestablished by Odin among our ancestors. Thus do we find it recorded in\nthe Eddas of Iceland.\nThe present volume contains all of the Younger Edda that can possibly be\nof any importance to English readers. In fact, it gives more than has\never before been presented in any translation into English, German or\nany of the modern Scandinavian tongues.\nWe would recommend our readers to omit the Forewords and Afterwords\nuntil they have perused the Fooling of Gylfe and Brage\u2019s Speech. The\nForewords and Afterwords, it will readily be seen, are written by a\nlater and less skillful hand, and we should be sorry to have anyone lay\nthe book aside and lose the pleasure of reading Snorre\u2019s and Olaf\u2019s\ncharming work, because he became disgusted with what seemed to him mere\nsilly twaddle. And yet these Forewords and Afterwords become interesting\nenough when taken up in connection with a study of the historical\nanthropomorphized Odin. With a view of giving a pretty complete outline\nof the founder of the Teutonic race we have in our notes given all the\nHeimskringla sketch of the Black Sea Odin. We have done this, not only\non account of the material it furnishes as the groundwork of a Teutonic\nepic, which we trust the muses will ere long direct some one to write,\nbut also on account of the vivid picture it gives of Teutonic life as\nshaped and controlled by the Odinic faith.\nAll the poems quoted in the Younger Edda have in this edition been\ntraced back to their sources in the Elder Edda and elsewhere.\nWhere the notes seem to the reader insufficient, we must refer him to\nour Norse Mythology, where he will, we trust, find much of the\nadditional information he may desire.\nWell aware that our work has many imperfections, and begging our readers\nto deal generously with our shortcomings, we send the book out into the\nworld with the hope that it may aid some young son or daughter of Odin\nto find his way to the fountains of Urd and Mimer and to Idun\u2019s\nrejuvenating apples. The son must not squander, but husband wisely, what\nhis father has accumulated. The race must cherish and hold fast and add\nto the thought that the past has bequeathed to it. Thus does it grow\ngreater and richer with each new generation. The past is the mirror that\nreflects the future.\n R. B. ANDERSON.\n University of Wisconsin,\n Madison, Wis., _September, 1879_.\nCONTENTS.\nTHE FOOLING OF GYLFE.\nCHAPTER I.\nCHAPTER II.\nGylfe\u2019s Journey to Asgard 51\nCHAPTER III.\nCHAPTER IV.\nThe Creation of the World 56\nCHAPTER V.\nThe Creation (continued) 64\nCHAPTER VI.\nThe First Works of the Asas--The Golden Age 69\nCHAPTER VII.\nOn the Wonderful Things in Heaven 72\nCHAPTER VIII.\nCHAPTER IX.\nCHAPTER X.\nCHAPTER XI.\nThe Giantess Gerd and Skirner\u2019s Journey 101\nCHAPTER XII.\nCHAPTER XIII.\nOdin\u2019s Horse and Frey\u2019s Ship 109\nCHAPTER XIV.\nCHAPTER XV.\nCHAPTER XVI.\nCHAPTER XVII.\nAfterword to the Fooling of Gylfe 151\nBRAGE\u2019S TALK.\nCHAPTER I.\n\u00c6ger\u2019s Journey to Asgard 152\nCHAPTER II.\nCHAPTER III.\nHow Njord got Skade to Wife 158\nCHAPTER IV.\nAfterword to Brage\u2019s Talk 166\nEXTRACTS FROM THE POETICAL DICTION.\nThor\u2019s Journey to Geirrod\u2019s 176\nLoke\u2019s Wager with the Dwarfs 189\nThe Niflungs and Gjukungs 193\nNOTES.\nFornjot and the Settlement of Norway 239\nNotes to the Fooling of Gylfe 242\nNote on the Niflungs and Gjukungs 266\n THE YOUNGER EDDA.\nINTRODUCTION.\nThe records of our Teutonic past have hitherto received but slight\nattention from the English-speaking branch of the great world-ash\nYgdrasil. This indifference is the more deplorable, since a knowledge of\nour heroic forefathers would naturally operate as a most powerful means\nof keeping alive among us, and our posterity, that spirit of courage,\nenterprise and independence for which the old Teutons were so\ndistinguished.\nThe religion of our ancestors forms an important chapter in the history\nof the childhood of our race, and this fact has induced us to offer the\npublic an English translation of the Eddas. The purely mythological\nportion of the Elder Edda was translated and published by A. S. Cottle,\nin Bristol, in 1797, and the whole work was translated by Benjamin\nThorpe, and published in London in 1866. Both these works are now out of\nprint. Of the Younger Edda we have likewise had two translations into\nEnglish,--the first by Dasent in 1842, the second by Blackwell, in his\nedition of Mallet\u2019s Northern Antiquities, in 1847. The former has long\nbeen out of print, the latter is a poor imitation of Dasent\u2019s. Both of\nthem are very incomplete. These four books constitute all the Edda\nliterature we have had in the English language, excepting, of course,\nsingle lays and chapters translated by Gray, Henderson, W. Taylor,\nHerbert, Jamieson, Pigott, William and Mary Howitt, and others.\nThe Younger Edda (also called Snorre\u2019s Edda, or the Prose Edda), of\nwhich we now have the pleasure of presenting our readers an English\nversion, contains, as usually published in the original, the following\ndivisions:\n1. The Foreword.\n2. Gylfaginning (The Fooling of Gylfe).\n3. The Afterword to Gylfaginning.\n4. Brage\u2019s Speech.\n5. The Afterword.\n6. Skaldskaparmal (a collection of poetic paraphrases, and denominations\nin Skaldic language without paraphrases).\n7. Hattatal (an enumeration of metres; a sort of Clavis Metrica).\nIn some editions there are also found six additional chapters on the\nalphabet, grammar, figures of speech, etc.\nThere are three important parchment manuscripts of the Younger Edda,\nviz:\n1. _Codex Regius_, the so-called King\u2019s Book. This was presented to the\nRoyal Library in Copenhagen, by Bishop Brynjulf Sveinsson, in the year\n1640, where it is still kept.\n2. _Codex Wormianus_. This is found in the University Library in\nCopenhagen, in the Arne Magn\u00e6an collection. It takes its name from\nProfessor Ole Worm [died 1654], to whom it was presented by the learned\nArngrim Jonsson. Christian Worm, the grandson of Ole Worm, and Bishop of\nSeeland [died 1737], afterward presented it to Arne Magnusson.\n3. _Codex Upsaliensis_. This is preserved in the Upsala University\nLibrary. Like the other two, it was found in Iceland, where it was given\nto Jon Rugmann. Later it fell into the hands of Count Magnus Gabriel de\nla Gardie, who in the year 1669 presented it to the Upsala University.\nBesides these three chief documents, there exist four fragmentary\nparchments, and a large number of paper manuscripts.\nThe first printed edition of the Younger Edda, in the original, is the\ncelebrated \u201cEdda Islandorum,\u201d published by Peter Johannes Resen, in\nCopenhagen, in the year 1665. It contains a translation into Latin, made\npartly by Resen himself, and partly also by Magnus Olafsson, Stephan\nOlafsson and Thormod Torfason.\nNot until eighty years later, that is in 1746, did the second edition of\nthe Younger Edda appear in Upsala under the auspices of Johannes\nGoransson. This was printed from the Codex Upsaliensis.\nIn the present century we find a third edition by Rasmus Rask, published\nin Stockholm in 1818. This is very complete and critical. The fourth\nedition was issued by Sveinbjorn Egilsson, in Reykjavik, 1849; the fifth\nby the Arne-Magn\u00e6an Commission in Copenhagen, 1852.[1] All these five\neditions have long been out of print, and in place of them we have a\nsixth edition by Thorleif Jonsson (Copenhagen, 1875), and a seventh by\nErnst Wilkin (Paderborn, 1877). Both of these, and especially the\nlatter, are thoroughly critical and reliable.\n [Footnote 1: The third volume of this work has not yet appeared.]\nOf translations, we must mention in addition to those into English by\nDasent and Blackwell, R. Nyerup\u2019s translation into Danish (Copenhagen,\n1808); Karl Simrock\u2019s into German (Stuttgart and T\u00fcbingen, 1851); and\nFr. Bergmann\u2019s into French (Paris, 1871). Among the chief authorities to\nbe consulted in the study of the Younger Edda may be named, in addition\nto those already mentioned, Fr. Dietrich, Th. Mobius, Fr. Pfeiffer,\nLudw. Ettmuller, K. Hildebrand, Ludw. Uhland, P. E. Muller, Adolf\nHolzmann, Sophus Bugge, P. A. Munch and Rudolph Keyser. For the material\nin our introduction and notes, we are chiefly indebted to Simrock,\nWilkin and Keyser. While we have had no opportunity of making original\nresearches, the published works have been carefully studied, and all we\nclaim for our work is, that it shall contain the results of the latest\nand most thorough investigations by scholars who live nearer the\nfountains of Urd and Mimer than do we. Our translations are made from\nEgilsson\u2019s, Jonsson\u2019s and Wilkins\u2019 editions of the original. We have not\ntranslated any of the Hattatal, and only the narrative part of\nSkaldskaparmal, and yet our version contains more of the Younger Edda\nthan any English, German, French or Danish translation that has hitherto\nbeen published. The parts omitted cannot possibly be of any interest to\nany one who cannot read them in the original. All the paraphrases of the\nasas and asynjes, of the world, the earth, the sea, the sun, the wind,\nfire, summer, man, woman, gold, of war, arms, of a ship, emperor, king,\nruler, etc., are of interest only as they help to explain passages of\nOld Norse poems. The same is true of the enumeration of metres, which\ncontains a number of epithets and metaphors used by the scalds,\nillustrated by specimens of their poetry, and also by a poem of Snorre\nSturleson, written in one hundred different metres.\nThere has been a great deal of learned discussion in regard to the\nauthorship of the Younger Edda. Readers specially interested in this\nknotty subject we must refer to Wilkins\u2019 elaborate treatise,\nUntersuchungen zur Snorra Edda (Paderborn, 1878), and to P. E. Muller\u2019s,\nDie \u00c6chtheit der Asalehre (Copenhagen, 1811).\nTwo celebrated names that without doubt are intimately connected with\nthe work are Snorre Sturleson and Olaf Thordsson Hvitaskald. Both of\nthese are conspicuous, not only in the literary, but also in the\npolitical history of Iceland.\n [Footnote 2: Keyser.]\nSnorre Sturleson[2] was born in Iceland in the year 1178. Three years\nold, he came to the house of the distinguished chief, Jon Loptsson, at\nOdde, a grandson of S\u00e6mund the Wise, the reputed collector of the Elder\nEdda, where he appears to have remained until Jon Loptsson\u2019s death, in\nthe year 1197. Soon afterward Snorre married into a wealthy family, and\nin a short time he became one of the most distinguished leaders in\nIceland, He was several times elected chief magistrate, and no man in\nthe land was his equal in riches and prominence. He and his two elder\nbrothers, Thord and Sighvat, who were but little inferior to him in\nwealth and power, were at one time well-nigh supreme in Iceland, and\nSnorre sometimes appeared at the Althing at Thingvols accompanied by\nfrom eight hundred to nine hundred armed men.\nSnorre and his brothers did not only have bitter feuds with other\nfamilies, but a deadly hatred also arose between themselves, making\ntheir lives a perpetual warfare. Snorre was shrewd as a politician and\nmagistrate, and eminent as an orator and skald, but his passions were\nmean, and many of his ways were crooked. He was both ambitious and\navaricious. He is said to have been the first Icelander who laid plans\nto subjugate his fatherland to Norway, and in this connection is\nsupposed to have expected to become a jarl under the king of Norway.\nIn this effort he found himself outwitted by his brother\u2019s son, Sturle\nThordsson, and thus he came into hostile relations with the latter. In\nthis feud Snorre was defeated, but when Sturle shortly after fell in a\nbattle against his foes, Snorre\u2019s star of hope rose again, and he began\nto occupy himself with far-reaching, ambitious plans. He had been for\nthe first time in Norway during the years 1218-1220, and had been well\nreceived by King Hakon, and especially by Jarl Skule, who was then the\nmost influential man in the country. In the year 1237 Snorre visited\nNorway again, and entered, as it is believed, into treasonable\nconspiracies with Jarl Skule. In 1239 he left Norway against the wishes\nof King Hakon, whom he owed obedience, and thereby incurred the king\u2019s\ngreatest displeasure. When King Hakon, in 1240, had crushed Skule\u2019s\nrebellion and annihilated this dangerous opponent, it became Snorre\u2019s\nturn to feel the effects of the king\u2019s wrath. At the instigation of King\nHakon, several chiefs of Iceland united themselves against Snorre and\nmurdered him at Reykholt, where ruins of his splendid mansion are still\nto be seen. This event took place on the 22d of September, 1241, and\nSnorre Sturleson was then sixty-three years old. Snorre was Iceland\u2019s\nmost distinguished skald and sagaman. As a writer of history he deserves\nto be compared with Herodotos or Thukydides. His Heimskringla, embracing\nan elaborate history of the kings of Norway, is famous throughout the\ncivilized world, and Emerson calls it the Iliad and Odyssey of our race.\nAn English translation of this work was published by Samuel Laing, in\nLondon, in 1844. Carlyle\u2019s Early Kings of Norway (London, 1875) was\ninspired by the Heimskringla.\nOlaf Thordsson, surnamed Hvitaskald,[3] to distinguish him from his\ncontemporary, Olaf Svartaskald,[4] was a son of Snorre\u2019s brother. Though\nnot as prominent and influential as his uncle, he took an active part in\nall the troubles of his native island during the first half of the\nthirteenth century. He visited Norway in 1236, whence he went to\nDenmark, where he was a guest at the court of King Valdemar, and is said\nto have enjoyed great esteem. In 1240 we find him again in Norway, where\nhe espoused the cause of King Hakon against Skule. On his return to\nIceland he served four years as chief magistrate of the island. His\ndeath occurred in the year 1259, and he is numbered among the great\nskalds of Iceland.\n [Footnote 3: White Skald.]\n [Footnote 4: Black Skald.]\nSnorre Sturleson and Olaf Hvitaskald are the two names to whom the\nauthorship of the Younger Edda has generally been attributed, and the\nwork is by many, even to this day, called Snorra Edda--that is, Snorre\u2019s\nEdda. We do not propose to enter into any elaborate discussion of this\ncomplicated subject, but we will state briefly the reasons given by\nKeyser and others for believing that these men had a hand in preparing\nthe Prose Edda. In the first place, we find that the writer of the\ngrammatical and rhetorical part of the Younger Edda distinctly mentions\nSnorre as author of Hattatal (the Clavis Metrica), and not only of the\npoem itself, but also of the treatise in prose. In the second place, the\nArne Magn\u00e6an parchment manuscript, which dates back to the close of the\nthirteenth or beginning of the fourteenth century, has the following\nnote prefaced to the Skaldskaparmal. \u201cHere ends that part of the book\nwhich Olaf Thordsson put together, and now begins Skaldskaparmal and the\nKenningar, according to that which has been found in the lays of the\nchief skalds, and which Snorre afterward suffered to be brought\ntogether.\u201d In the third place, the Upsala manuscript of the Younger\nEdda, which is known with certainty to have been written in the\nbeginning of the fourteenth century, contains this preface, written with\nthe same hand as the body of the work: \u201cThis book hight Edda. Snorre has\ncompiled it in the manner in which it is arranged: first, in regard to\nthe asas and Ymer, then Skaldskaparmal and the denominations of many\nthings, and finally that Hattatal, which Snorre composed about King\nHakon and Duke Skule.\u201d In the fourth place, there is a passage in the\nso-called Annales Breviores, supposed to have been written about the\nyear 1400. The passage relates to the year 1241, and reads thus: \u201cSnorre\nSturleson died at Reykholt. He was a wise and very learned man, a great\nchief and shrewd. He was the first man in this land who brought property\ninto the hands of the king (the king of Norway). He compiled Edda and\nmany other learned historical works and Icelandic sagas. He was murdered\nat Reykholt by Jarl Gissur\u2019s men.\u201d\nIt seems, then, that there is no room for any doubt that these two men\nhave had a share in the authorship of the Younger Edda. How great a\nshare each has had is another and more difficult problem to solve.\nRudolf Keyser\u2019s opinion is (and we know no higher authority on the\nsubject), that Snorre is the author, though not in so strict a sense as\nwe now use the word, of Gylfaginning, Brage\u2019s Speech, Skaldskaparmal and\nHattatal. This part of the Younger Edda may thus be said to date back to\nthe year 1230, though the material out of which the mythological system\nis constructed is of course much older. We find it in the ancient Vala\u2019s\nProphecy, of the Elder Edda, a poem that breathes in every line the\npurest asa-faith, and is, without the least doubt, much older than the\nintroduction of christianity in the north, or the discovery and\nsettlement of Iceland. It is not improbable that the religious system of\nthe Odinic religion had assumed a permanent prose form in the memories\nof the people long before the time of Snorre, and that he merely was the\nmeans of having it committed to writing almost without verbal change.\nOlaf Thordsson is unmistakably the author of the grammatical and\nrhetorical portion of the Younger Edda, and its date can therefore\nsafely be put at about 1250. The author of the treatise on the alphabet\nis not known, but Professor Keyser thinks it must have been written, its\nfirst chapter, about the year 1150, and its second chapter about the\nyear 1200. The forewords and afterwords are evidently also from another\npen. Their author is unknown, but they are thought to have been written\nabout the year 1300. To sum up, then, we arrive at this conclusion: The\nmythological material of the Younger Edda is as old as the Teutonic\nrace. Parts of it are written by authors unknown to fame. A small\nportion is the work of Olaf Thordsson. The most important portion is\nwritten, or perhaps better, compiled, by Snorre Sturleson, and the whole\nis finally edited and furnished with forewords and afterwords, early in\nthe fourteenth century,--according to Keyser, about 1320-1330.\nAbout the name Edda there has also been much learned discussion. Some\nhave suggested that it may be a mutilated form of the word Odde, the\nhome of S\u00e6mund the Wise, who was long supposed to be the compiler of the\nElder Edda. In this connection, it has been argued that possibly S\u00e6mund\nhad begun the writing of the Younger Edda, too. Others derive the word\nfrom _\u00f3\u00f0r_ (mind, soul), which in poetical usage also means song,\npoetry. Others, again, connect Edda with the Sanscrit word Veda, which\nis supposed to mean knowledge. Finally, others adopt the meaning which\nthe word has where it is actually used in the Elder Edda, and where it\nmeans great-grandmother. Vigfusson adopts this definition, and it is\ncertainly both scientific and poetical. What can be more beautiful than\nthe idea that our great ancestress teaches her descendants the sacred\ntraditions, the concentrated wisdom, of the race? To sum up, then,\nwe say the Younger, or Prose, or Snorre\u2019s Edda has been produced at\ndifferent times by various hands, and the object of its authors has been\nto produce a manual for the skalds. In addition to the forewords and\nafterwords, it contains two books, one greater (Gylfaginning) and one\nlesser (Brage\u2019s Speech), giving a tolerably full account of Norse\nmythology. Then follows Skaldskaparmal, wherein is an analysis of the\nvarious circumlocutions practiced by the skalds, all illustrated by\ncopious quotations from the poets. How much of these three parts is\nwritten by Snorre is not certain, but on the other hand, there is no\ndoubt that he is the author of Hattatal (Clavis Metrica), which gives an\nenumeration of metres. To these four treatises are added four chapters\non grammar and rhetoric. The writer of the oldest grammatical treatise\nis thought to be one Thorodd Runemaster, who lived in the middle of the\ntwelfth century; and the third treatise is evidently written by Olaf\nThordsson Hvitaskald, the nephew of Snorre, a scholar who spent some\ntime at the court of the Danish king, Valdemar the Victorious.\nThe Younger Edda contains the systematized theogony and cosmogony of our\nforefathers, while the Elder Edda presents the Odinic faith in a series\nof lays or rhapsodies. The Elder Edda is poetry, while the Younger Edda\nis mainly prose. The Younger Edda may in one sense be regarded as the\nsequel or commentary of the Elder Edda. Both complement each other, and\nboth must be studied in connection with the sagas and all the Teutonic\ntraditions and folk-lore in order to get a comprehensive idea of the\nasa-faith. The two Eddas constitute, as it were, the Odinic Bible. The\nElder Edda is the Old Testament, the Younger Edda the New. Like the Old\nTestament, the Elder Edda is in poetry. It is prophetic and enigmatical.\nLike the New Testament, the Younger Edda is in prose; it is lucid, and\ngives a clue to the obscure passages in the Elder Edda. Nay, in many\nrespects do the two Eddas correspond with the two Testaments of the\nChristian Bible.\nIt is a deplorable fact that the religion of our forefathers seems to be\nbut little cared for in this country. The mythologies of other nations\nevery student manifests an interest for. He reads with the greatest zeal\nall the legends of Rome and Greece, of India and China. He is familiar\nwith every room in the labyrinth of Crete, while when he is introduced\nto the shining halls of Valhal and Gladsheim he gropes his way like a\nblind man. He does not know that Idun, with her beautiful apples, might,\nif applied to, render even greater services than Ariadne with her\nwonderful thread. When we inquire whom Tuesday and Wednesday and\nThursday and Friday are named after, and press questions in reference to\nTyr, Odin, Thor and Freyja, we get at best but a wise and knowing look.\nAre we, then, as a nation, like the ancient Jews, and do we bend the\nknee before the gods of foreign nations and forsake the altars of our\nown gods? What if we then should suffer the fate of that unhappy\npeople--be scattered over all the world and lose our fatherland? In\nthese Eddas our fathers have bequeathed unto us all their profoundest,\nall their sublimest, all their best thought. They are the concentrated\nresult of their greatest intellectual and spiritual effort, and it\nbehooves us to cherish this treasure and make it the fountain at which\nthe whole American branch of the Ygdrasil ash may imbibe a united\nnational sentiment. It is not enough to brush the dust off these gods\nand goddesses of our ancestors and put them up on pedestals as ornaments\nin our museums and libraries. These coins of the past are not to be laid\naway in numismatic collections. The grandson must use what he has\ninherited from his grandfather. If the coin is not intelligible, then it\nwill have to be sent to the mint and stamped anew, in order that it may\ncirculate freely. Our ancestral deities want a place in our hearts and\nin our songs.\nOn the European continent and in England the zeal of the priests in\npropagating Christianity was so great that they sought to root out every\ntrace of the asa-faith. They left but unintelligible fragments of the\nheathen religious structure. Our gods and goddesses and heroes were\nconsigned to oblivion, and all knowledge of the Odinic religion and of\nthe Niblung-story would have been well nigh totally obliterated had not\na more lucky star hovered over the destinies of Iceland. In this\nremotest corner of the world the ancestral spirit was preserved like the\nglowing embers of Hekla beneath the snow and ice of the glacier. From\nthe farthest Thule the spirit of our fathers rises and shines like an\naurora over all Teutondom. It was in the year 860 that Iceland was\ndiscovered. In 874 the Teutonic spirit fled thither for refuge from\ntyranny. Here a government based on the principles of old Teutonic\nliberty was established. From here went forth daring vikings, who\ndiscovered Greenland and Vinland, and showed Columbus the way to\nAmerica. From here the courts of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, England and\nGermany were supplied with skalds to sing their praises. Here was put in\nwriting the laws and sagas that give us a clue to the form of old\nTeutonic institutions. Here was preserved the Old Norse language, and in\nit a record of the customs, the institutions and the religion of our\nfathers. Its literature does not belong to that island alone,--it\nbelongs to the whole Teutonic race! Iceland is for the Teutons what\nGreece and Rome are for the south of Europe, and she accomplished her\nmission with no less efficiency and success. Cato the Elder used to end\nall his speeches with these words: _\u201cPr\u00e6terea censeo Carthaginem esse\ndelendam.\u201d_ In these days, when so many worship at the shrine of\nRomanism, we think it perfectly just to adopt Cato\u2019s sentence in this\nform: _Pr\u00e6terea censeo Romam esse delendam_.\nFOREWORD.\n1. In the beginning Almighty God created heaven and earth, and all\nthings that belong to them, and last he made two human beings, from whom\nthe races are descended (Adam and Eve), and their children multiplied\nand spread over all the world. But in the course of time men became\nunequal; some were good and right-believing, but many more turned them\nafter the lusts of the world and heeded not God\u2019s laws; and for this\nreason God drowned the world in the flood, and all that was quick in the\nworld, except those who were in the ark with Noah. After the flood of\nNoah there lived eight men, who inhabited the world, and from them the\nraces are descended; and now, as before, they increased and filled the\nworld, and there were very many men who loved to covet wealth and power,\nbut turned away from obedience to God, and so much did they do this that\nthey would not name God. And who could then tell their sons of the\nwonderful works of God? So it came to pass that they lost God\u2019s name;\nand in the wide world the man was not to be found who could tell of his\nMaker. But, nevertheless, God gave them earthly-gifts, wealth and\nhappiness, that should be with them in the world; he also shared wisdom\namong them, so that they understood all earthly things, and all kinds\nthat might be seen in the air and on the earth. This they thought upon,\nand wondered at, how it could come to pass that the earth and the beasts\nand the birds had the same nature in some things but still were unlike\nin manners.\nOne evidence of this nature was that the earth might be dug into upon\nhigh mountain-peaks and water would spring up there, and it was not\nnecessary to dig deeper for water there than in deep dales; thus, also,\nin beasts and birds it is no farther to the blood in the head than in\nthe feet. Another proof of this nature is, that every year there grow on\nthe earth grass and flowers, and the same year it falls and withers;\nthus, also, on beasts and birds do hair and feathers grow and fall off\neach year. The third nature of the earth is, that when it is opened and\ndug into, then grass grows on the mould which is uppermost on the earth.\nRocks and stones they explained to correspond to the teeth and bones of\nliving things. From these things they judged that the earth must be\nquick and must have life in some way, and they knew that it was of a\nwonderfully great age and of a mighty nature. It nourished all that was\nquick and took to itself all that died. On this account they gave it a\nname, and numbered their ancestors back to it This they also learned\nfrom their old kinsmen, that when many hundred winters were numbered,\nthe course of the heavenly bodies was uneven; some had a longer course\nthan others. From such things they suspected that some one must be the\nruler of the heavenly bodies who could stay their course at his own\nwill, and he must be strong and mighty; and of him they thought that, if\nhe ruled the prime elements, he must also have been before the heavenly\nbodies, and they saw that, if he ruled the course of the heavenly\nbodies, he must rule the sunshine, and the dew of the heavens, and the\nproducts of the earth that follow them; and thus, also, the winds of the\nair and therewith the storms of the sea. They knew not where his realm\nwas, but they believed that he ruled over all things on the earth and in\nthe air, over the heavens and the heavenly bodies, the seas and the\nweather. But in order that these things might be better told and\nremembered, they gave him the same name with themselves, and this belief\nhas been changed in many ways, as the peoples have been separated and\nthe tongues have been divided.\n2. In his old age Noah shared the world with his sons: for Ham he\nintended the western region, for Japheth the northern region, but for\nShem the southern region, with those parts which will hereafter be\nmarked out in the division of the earth into three parts. In the time\nthat the sons of these men were in the world, then increased forthwith\nthe desire for riches and power, from the fact that they knew many\ncrafts that had not been discovered before, and each one was exalted\nwith his own handiwork; and so far did they carry their pride, that the\nAfricans, descended from Ham, harried in that part of the world which\nthe offspring of Shem, their kinsman, inhabited. And when they had\nconquered them, the world seemed to them too small, and they smithied a\ntower with tile and stone, which they meant should reach to heaven, on\nthe plain called Sennar. And when this building was so far advanced that\nit extended above the air, and they were no less eager to continue the\nwork, and when God saw how their pride waxed high, then he sees that he\nwill have to strike it down in some way. And the same God, who is\nalmighty, and who might have struck down all their work in the twinkling\nof an eye, and made themselves turn into dust, still preferred to\nfrustrate their purpose by making them realize their own littleness, in\nthat none of them should understand what the other talked; and thus no\none knew what the other commanded, and one broke what the other wished\nto build up, until they came to strife among themselves, and therewith\nwas frustrated, in the beginning, their purpose of building a tower. And\nhe who was foremost, hight Zoroaster, he laughed before he wept when he\ncame into the world; but the master-smiths were seventy-two, and so many\ntongues have spread over the world since the giants were dispersed over\nthe land, and the nations became numerous. In this same place was built\nthe most famous city, which took its name from the tower, and was called\nBabylon. And when the confusion of tongues had taken place, then\nincreased the names of men and of other things, and this same Zoroaster\nhad many names; and although he understood that his pride was laid low\nby the said building, still he worked his way unto worldly power, and\nhad himself chosen king over many peoples of the Assyrians. From him\narose the error of idolatry; and when he was worshiped he was called\nBaal; we call him Bel; he also had many other names. But as the names\nincreased in number, so was truth lost; and from this first error every\nfollowing man worshiped his head-master, beasts or birds, the air and\nthe heavenly bodies, and various lifeless things, until the error at\nlength spread over the whole world; and so carefully did they lose the\ntruth that no one knew his maker, excepting those men alone who spoke\nthe Hebrew tongue,--that which flourished before the building of the\ntower,--and still they did not lose the bodily endowments that were\ngiven them, and therefore they judged of all things with earthly\nunderstanding, for spiritual wisdom was not given unto them. They deemed\nthat all things were smithied of some one material.\n3. The world was divided into three parts, one from the south, westward\nto the Mediterranean Sea, which part was called Africa; but the southern\nportion of this part is hot and scorched by the sun. The second part,\nfrom the west and to the north and to the sea, is that called Europe, or\nEnea. The northern portion of this is cold, so that grass grows not, nor\ncan anyone dwell there. From the north around the east region, and all\nto the south, that is called Asia. In that part of the world is all\nbeauty and pomp, and wealth of the earth\u2019s products, gold and precious\nstones. There is also the mid-world, and as the earth there is fairer\nand of a better quality than elsewhere, so are also the people there\nmost richly endowed with all gifts, with wisdom and strength, with\nbeauty and with all knowledge.\n4. Near the middle of the world was built the house and inn, the most\nfamous that has been made, which was called Troy, in the land which we\ncall Turkey. This city was built much larger than others, with more\nskill in many ways, at great expense, and with such means as were at\nhand. There were twelve kingdoms and one over-king, and many lands and\nnations belonged to each kingdom; there were in the city twelve chief\nlanguages.[5] Their chiefs have surpassed all men who have been in the\nworld in all heroic things. No scholar who has ever told of these things\nhas ever disputed this fact, and for this reason, that all rulers of the\nnorth region trace their ancestors back thither, and place in the number\nof the gods all who were rulers of the city. Especially do they place\nPriamos himself in the stead of Odin; nor must that be called wonderful,\nfor Priamos was sprung from Saturn, him whom the north region for a long\ntime believed to be God himself.\n [Footnote 5: Dasent translates \u201ch\u00f6vu\u00f0tungur\u201d (chief or head\n tongues) with \u201clords,\u201d which is certainly an error.]\n5. This Saturn grew up in that island in Greece which hight Crete. He\nwas greater and stronger and fairer than other men. As in other natural\nendowments, so he excelled all men in wisdom. He invented many crafts\nwhich had not before been discovered. He was also so great in the art of\nmagic that he was certain about things that had not yet come to pass. He\nfound, too, that red thing in the earth from which he smelted gold, and\nfrom such things he soon became very mighty. He also foretold harvests\nand many other secret things, and for such, and many other deeds, he was\nchosen chief of the island. And when he had ruled it a short time, then\nthere speedily enough became a great abundance of all things. No money\ncirculated excepting gold coins, so plentiful was this metal; and though\nthere was famine in other lands, the crops never failed in Crete, so\nthat people might seek there all the things which they needed to have.\nAnd from this and many other secret gifts of power that he had, men\nbelieved him to be God, and from him arose another error among the\nCretans and Macedonians like the one before mentioned among the\nAssyrians and Chaldeans from Zoroaster. And when Saturn finds how great\nstrength the people think they have in him, he calls himself God, and\nsays that he rules heaven and earth and all things.\n6. Once he went to Greece in a ship, for there was a king\u2019s daughter on\nwhom he had set his heart. He won her love in this way, that one day\nwhen she was out with her maid-servants, he took upon himself the\nlikeness of a bull, and lay before her in the wood, and so fair was he\nthat the hue of gold was on every hair; and when the king\u2019s daughter saw\nhim she patted his lips. He sprang up and threw off the bull\u2019s likeness\nand took her into his arms and bore her to the ship and took her to\nCrete. But his wife, Juno, found this out, so he turned her (the king\u2019s\ndaughter) into the likeness of a heifer and sent her east to the arms of\nthe great river (that is, of the Nile, to the Nile country), and let the\nthrall, who hight Argulos, take care of her. She was there twelve months\nbefore he changed her shape again. Many things did he do like this,\nor even more wonderful He had three sons: one hight Jupiter, another\nNeptune, the third Pluto. They were all men of the greatest\naccomplishments, and Jupiter was by far the greatest; he was a warrior\nand won many kingdoms; he was also crafty like his father, and took upon\nhimself the likeness of many animals, and thus he accomplished many\nthings which are impossible for mankind; and on account of this, and\nother things, he was held in awe by all nations. Therefore Jupiter is\nput in the place of Thor, since all evil wights fear him.\n7. Saturn had built in Crete seventy-two burgs, and when he thought\nhimself firmly established in his kingdom, he shared it with his sons,\nwhom he set up with himself as gods; and to Jupiter he gave the realm of\nheaven; to Neptune, the realm of the earth, and to Pluto, hell; and this\nlast seemed to him the worst to manage, and therefore he gave to him his\ndog, the one whom he called Cerberos, to guard hell. This Cerberos, the\nGreeks say, Herakles dragged out of hell and upon earth. And although\nSaturn had given the realm of heaven to Jupiter, the latter nevertheless\ndesired to possess the realm of the earth, and so he harried his\nfather\u2019s kingdom, and it is said that he had him taken and emasculated,\nand for such great achievements he declared himself to be god, and the\nMacedonians say that he had the members taken and cast into the sea, and\ntherefore they believed for ages that therefrom had come a woman; her\nthey called Venus, and numbered among the gods, and she has in all ages\nsince been called goddess of love, for they believed she was able to\nturn the hearts of all men and women to love. When Saturn was\nemasculated by Jupiter, his son, he fled from the east out of Crete and\nwest into Italy. There dwelt at that time such people as did not work,\nand lived on acorns and grass, and lay in caves or holes in the earth.\nAnd when Saturn came there he changed his name and called himself Njord,\nfor the reason that he thought that Jupiter, his son, might afterward\nseek him out. He was the first there to teach men to plow and plant\nvineyards. There the soil was good and fresh, and it soon produced heavy\ncrops. He was made chief and thus he got possession of all the realms\nthere and built many burgs.\n8. Jupiter, his son, had many sons, from whom races have descended; his\nson was Dardanos, his son Herikon, his son Tros, his son Ilos, his son\nLaomedon, the father of the chief king Priamos. Priamos had many sons;\none of them was Hektor, who was the most famous of all men in the world\nfor strength, and stature and accomplishments, and for all manly deeds\nof a knightly kind; and it is found written that when the Greeks and all\nthe strength of the north and east regions fought with the Trojans, they\nwould never have become victors had not the Greeks invoked the gods; and\nit is also stated that no human strength would conquer them unless they\nwere betrayed by their own men, which afterward was done. And from their\nfame men that came after gave themselves titles, and especially was this\ndone by the Romans, who were the most famous in many things after their\ndays; and it is said that, when Rome was built, the Romans adapted their\ncustoms and laws as nearly as possible to those of the Trojans, their\nforefathers. And so much power accompanied these men for many ages\nafter, that when Pompey, a Roman chieftain, harried in the east region,\nOdin fled out of Asia and hither to the north country, and then he gave\nto himself and his men their names, and said that Priamos had hight Odin\nand his queen Frigg, and from this the realm afterward took its name and\nwas called Frigia where the burg stood. And whether Odin said this of\nhimself out of pride, or that it was wrought by the changing of tongues;\nnevertheless many wise men have regarded it a true saying, and for a\nlong time after every man who was a great chieftain followed his\nexample.\n9. A king in Troy hight Munon or Mennon, his wife was a daughter of the\nhead-king Priamos and hight Troan; they had a son who hight Tror, him we\ncall Thor. He was fostered in Thrace by the duke, who is called Loricos.\nBut when he was ten winters old he took his father\u2019s weapons. So fair of\nface was he, when he stood by other men, as when ivory is set in oak;\nhis hair was fairer than gold. When he was twelve winters old he had\nfull strength; then he lifted from the ground ten bear skins all at\nonce, and then he slew Loricos, the duke, his foster-father and his\nwife, Lora or Glora, and took possession of Thrace; this we call\nThrudheim. Then he visited many lands and knew the countries of the\nworld, and conquered single-handed all the berserks and all the giants,\nand one very big dragon and many beasts. In the north region he found\nthat prophetess who hight Sibyl, whom we call Sif, and married her. None\ncan tell the genealogy of Sif; she was the fairest of all women, her\nhair was like gold. Their son was Loride (Hloride), who was like his\nfather; his son was Henrede; his son Vingethor (Vingthor); his son\nVingener (Vingner); his son Moda (Mode); his son Magi (Magne); his son\nKesfet; his son Bedvig; his son Atra, whom we call Annan; his son\nItrman; his son Heremod (Hermod); his son Skjaldun, whom we call Skjold;\nhis son Bjaf, whom we call Bjar; his son Jat; his son Gudolf, his son\nFjarlaf, whom we call Fridleif; he had the son who is called Vodin, whom\nwe call Odin; he was a famous man for wisdom and all accomplishments.\nHis wife hight Frigida, whom we call Frigg.\n10. Odin had the power of divination, and so had his wife, and from this\nknowledge he found out that his name would be held high in the north\npart of the world, and honored beyond that of all kings. For this reason\nhe was eager to begin his journey from Turkey, and he had with him very\nmany people, young and old, men and women, and he had with him many\ncostly things. But wherever they fared over the lands great fame was\nspoken of them, and they were said to be more like gods than men. And\nthey stopped not on their journey before they came north into that land\nwhich is now called Saxland; there Odin remained a long time, and\nsubjugated the country far and wide. There Odin established his three\nsons as a defense of the land. One is named Veggdegg; he was a strong\nking and ruled over East Saxland. His son was Vitrgils, and his sons\nwere Ritta, the father of Heingest (Hengist), and Sigar, the father of\nSvebdegg, whom we call Svipdag. Another son of Odin hight Beldegg, whom\nwe call Balder; he possessed the land which now hight Vestfal; his son\nwas Brander, and his son Frjodigar, whom we call Froda (Frode). His son\nwas Freovit, his son Yvigg, his son Gevis, whom we call Gave. The third\nson of Odin is named Sigge, his son Verer. These forefathers ruled the\nland which is now called Frankland, and from them is come the race that\nis called the Volsungs. From all of these many and great races are\ndescended.\n11. Then Odin continued his journey northward and came into the country\nwhich was called Reidgotaland, and in that land he conquered all that he\ndesired. He established there his son, who hight Skjold; his son hight\nFridleif; from him is descended the race which hight Skjoldungs; these\nare the Dane kings, and that land hight now Jutland, which then was\ncalled Reidgotaland.\n12. Thereupon he fared north to what is now called Svithjod (Sweden),\nthere was the king who is called Gylfe. But when he heard of the coming\nof those Asiamen, who were called asas, he went to meet them, and\noffered Odin such things in his kingdom as he himself might desire. And\nsuch good luck followed their path, that wherever they stopped in the\nlands, there were bountiful crops and good peace; and all believed that\nthey were the cause thereof. The mighty men of the kingdom saw that they\nwere unlike other men whom they had seen, both in respect to beauty and\nunderstanding. The land there seemed good to Odin, and he chose there\nfor himself a place for a burg, which is now called Sigtuna.[6] He there\nestablished chiefs, like unto what had formerly existed in Troy; he\nappointed twelve men in the burg to be judges of the law of the land,\nand made all rights to correspond with what had before been in Troy, and\nto what the Turks had been accustomed.\n [Footnote 6: Near Upsala.]\n13. Thereupon he fared north until he reached the sea, which they\nthought surrounded all lands, and there he established his son in the\nkingdom, which is now called Norway; he is hight Saming, and the kings\nof Norway count their ancestors back to him, and so do the jarls and\nother mighty men, as it is stated in the Haleygjatal.[7] But Odin had\nwith him that son who is called Yngve, who was king in Sweden, and from\nhim is descended the families called Ynglings (Yngvelings). The asas\ntook to themselves wives there within the land. But some took wives for\ntheir sons, and these families became so numerous that they spread over\nSaxland, and thence over the whole north region, and the tongue of these\nAsiamen became the native tongue of all these lands. And men think they\ncan understand from the way in which the names of their forefathers is\nwritten, that these names have belonged to this tongue, and that the\nasas have brought this tongue hither to the north, to Norway, to Sweden\nand to Saxland. But in England are old names of places and towns which\ncan be seen to have been given in another tongue than this.\n [Footnote 7: A heroic poem, giving the pedigree (tal) of Norse\n kings.]\nTHE FOOLING OF GYLFE.\nCHAPTER I.\nGEFJUN\u2019S PLOWING.\n1. King Gylfe ruled the lands that are now called Svithjod (Sweden). Of\nhim it is said that he gave to a wayfaring woman, as a reward for the\nentertainment she had afforded him by her story-telling, a plow-land in\nhis realm, as large as four oxen could plow it in a day and a night But\nthis woman was of the asa-race; her name was Gefjun. She took from the\nnorth, from Jotunheim, four oxen, which were the sons of a giant and\nher, and set them before the plow. Then went the plow so hard and deep\nthat it tore up the land, and the oxen drew it westward into the sea,\nuntil it stood still in a sound. There Gefjun set the land, gave it a\nname and called it Seeland. And where the land had been taken away\nbecame afterward a sea, which in Sweden is now called Logrinn (the Lake,\nthe Malar Lake in Sweden). And in the Malar Lake the bays correspond to\nthe capes in Seeland. Thus Brage, the old skald:\n Gefjun glad\n Drew from Gylfe\n The excellent land,\n Denmark\u2019s increase,\n So that it reeked\n From the running beasts.\n Four heads and eight eyes\n Bore the oxen\n As they went before the wide\n Robbed land of the grassy isle.[8]\n [Footnote 8: Heimskringla: Ynglinga Saga, ch. v.]\nCHAPTER II.\nGYLFE\u2019S JOURNEY TO ASGARD.\n2. King Gylfe was a wise man and skilled in the black art. He wondered\nmuch that the asa-folk was so mighty in knowledge, that all things went\nafter their will. He thought to himself whether this could come from\ntheir own nature, or whether the cause must be sought for among the gods\nwhom they worshiped. He therefore undertook a journey to Asgard. He went\nsecretly, having assumed the likeness of an old man, and striving thus\nto disguise himself. But the asas were wiser, for they see into the\nfuture, and, foreseeing his journey before he came, they received him\nwith an eye-deceit. So when he came into the burg he saw there a hall so\nhigh that he could hardly look over it. Its roof was thatched with\ngolden shields as with shingles. Thus says Thjodolf of Hvin, that Valhal\nwas thatched with shields:\n Thinking thatchers\n Thatched the roof;\n The beams of the burg\n Beamed with gold.[9]\n [Footnote 9: Heimskringla: Harald Harfager\u2019s Saga, ch. xix.]\nIn the door of the hall Gylfe saw a man who played with swords so\ndexterously that seven were in the air at one time. That man asked him\nwhat his name was. Gylfe answered that his name was Ganglere;[10] that\nhe had come a long way, and that he sought lodgings for the night. He\nalso asked who owned the burg. The other answered that it belonged to\ntheir king: I will go with you to see him and then you may ask him for\nhis name yourself. Then the man turned and led the way into the hall.\nGanglere followed, and suddenly the doors closed behind him. There he\nsaw many rooms and a large number of people, of whom some were playing,\nothers were drinking, and some were fighting with weapons. He looked\naround him, and much of what he saw seemed to him incredible. Then\nquoth he:\n Gates all,\n Before in you go,\n You must examine well;\n For you cannot know\n Where enemies sit\n In the house before you.[11]\n [Footnote 10: The walker.]\n [Footnote 11: Elder Edda: Havamal.]\nHe saw three high-seats, one above the other, and in each sat a man. He\nasked what the names of these chiefs were. He, who had conducted him in,\nanswered that the one who sat in the lowest high-seat was king, and\nhight Har; the one next above him, Jafnhar; but the one who sat on the\nhighest throne, Thride. Har asked the comer what more his errand was,\nand added that food and drink was there at his service, as for all in\nHar\u2019s hall. Ganglere answered that he first would like to ask whether\nthere was any wise man. Answered Har: You will not come out from here\nhale unless you are wiser.\n And stand now forth\n While you ask;\n He who answers shall sit.\nCHAPTER III.\nOF THE HIGHEST GOD.\n3. Ganglere then made the following question: Who is the highest and\noldest of all the gods? Made answer Har: Alfather he is called in our\ntongue, but in Asgard of old he had twelve names. The first is Alfather,\nthe second is Herran or Herjan, the third Nikar or Hnikar, the fourth\nNikuz or Hnikud, the fifth Fjolner, the sixth Oske, the seventh Ome, the\neighth Biflide or Biflinde, the ninth Svidar, the tenth Svidrer, the\neleventh Vidrer, the twelfth Jalg or Jalk. Ganglere asks again: Where is\nthis god? What can he do? What mighty works has he accomplished?\nAnswered Har: He lives from everlasting to everlasting, rules over all\nhis realm, and governs all things, great and small. Then remarked\nJafnhar: He made heaven and earth, the air and all things in them.\nThride added: What is most important, he made man and gave him a spirit,\nwhich shall live, and never perish, though the body may turn to dust or\nburn to ashes. All who live a life of virtue shall dwell with him in\nGimle or Vingolf. The wicked, on the other hand, go to Hel, and from her\nto Niflhel, that is, down into the ninth world. Then asked Ganglere:\nWhat was he doing before heaven and earth were made? Har gave answer:\nThen was he with the frost-giants.\nCHAPTER IV.\nTHE CREATION OF THE WORLD.\n4. Said Ganglere: How came the world into existence, or how did it rise?\nWhat was before? Made answer to him Har: Thus is it said in the Vala\u2019s\nProphecy:\n It was Time\u2019s morning,\n When there nothing was;\n Nor sand, nor sea,\n Nor cooling billows.\n Earth there was not,\n Nor heaven above.\n The Ginungagap was,\n But grass nowhere.[12]\n [Footnote 12: Elder Edda: The Vala\u2019s Prophecy, 6.]\nJafnhar remarked: Many ages before the earth was made, Niflheim had\nexisted, in the midst of which is the well called Hvergelmer, whence\nflow the following streams: Svol, Gunnthro, Form, Fimbul, Thul, Slid and\nHrid, Sylg and Ylg, Vid, Leipt and Gjoll, the last of which is nearest\nthe gate of Hel. Then added Thride: Still there was before a world to\nthe south which hight Muspelheim. It is light and hot, and so bright\nand dazzling that no stranger, who is not a native there, can stand it.\nSurt is the name of him who stands on its border guarding it. He has a\nflaming sword in his hand, and at the end of the world he will come and\nharry, conquer all the gods, and burn up the whole world with fire. Thus\nit is said in the Vala\u2019s Prophecy:\n Surt from the south fares\n With blazing flames;\n From the sword shines\n The sun of the war-god.\n Rocks dash together\n And witches collapse,\n Men go the way to Hel\n And the heavens are cleft.[13]\n [Footnote 13: Elder Edda: The Vala\u2019s Prophecy, 56.]\n5. Said Ganglere: What took place before the races came into existence,\nand men increased and multiplied? Replied Har, explaining, that as soon\nas the streams, that are called the Elivogs, had come so far from their\nsource that the venomous yeast which flowed with them hardened, as does\ndross that runs from the fire, then it turned into ice. And when this\nice stopped and flowed no more, then gathered over it the drizzling rain\nthat arose from the venom and froze into rime, and one layer of ice was\nlaid upon the other clear into Ginungagap. Then said Jafnhar: All that\npart of Ginungagap that turns toward the north was filled with thick\nand heavy ice and rime, and everywhere within were drizzling rains and\ngusts. But the south part of Ginungagap was lighted up by the glowing\nsparks that flew out of Muspelheim. Added Thride: As cold and all things\ngrim proceeded from Niflheim, so that which bordered on Muspelheim was\nhot and bright, and Ginungagap was as warm and mild as windless air. And\nwhen the heated blasts from Muspelheim met the rime, so that it melted\ninto drops, then, by the might of him who sent the heat, the drops\nquickened into life and took the likeness of a man, who got the name\nYmer. But the Frost giants call him Aurgelmer. Thus it is said in the\nshort Prophecy of the Vala (the Lay of Hyndla):\n All the valas are\n From Vidolf descended;\n All wizards are\n Of Vilmeide\u2019s race;\n All enchanters\n Are sons of Svarthofde;\n All giants have\n Come from Ymer.[14]\n [Footnote 14: Elder Edda: Hyndla\u2019a Lay, 34.]\nAnd on this point, when Vafthrudner, the giant, was asked by Gangrad:\n Whence came Aurgelmer\n Originally to the sons\n Of the giants?--thou wise giant![15]\nhe said\n From the Elivogs\n Sprang drops of venom,\n And grew till a giant was made.\n Thence our race\n Are all descended,\n Therefore are we all so fierce.[16]\n [Footnote 15: Elder Edda: Vafthrudner\u2019s Lay, 30.]\n [Footnote 16: Elder Edda: Vafthrudner\u2019s Lay, 31.]\nThen asked Ganglere: How were the races developed from him? Or what was\ndone so that more men were made? Or do you believe him to be god of whom\nyou now spake? Made answer Har: By no means do we believe him to be god;\nevil was he and all his offspring, them we call frost-giants. It is said\nthat when he slept he fell into a sweat, and then there grew under his\nleft arm a man and a woman, and one of his feet begat with the other a\nson. From these come the races that are called frost-giants. The old\nfrost-giant we call Ymer.\n6. Then said Ganglere: Where did Ymer dwell, and on what did he live?\nAnswered Har: The next thing was that when the rime melted into drops,\nthere was made thereof a cow, which hight Audhumbla. Four milk-streams\nran from her teats, and she fed Ymer. Thereupon asked Ganglere: On what\ndid the cow subsist? Answered Har: She licked the salt-stones that were\ncovered with rime, and the first day that she licked the stones there\ncame out of them in the evening a man\u2019s hair, the second day a man\u2019s\nhead, and the third day the whole man was there. This man\u2019s name was\nBure; he was fair of face, great and mighty, and he begat a son whose\nname was Bor. This Bor married a woman whose name was Bestla, the\ndaughter of the giant Bolthorn; they had three sons,--the one hight\nOdin, the other Vile, and the third Ve. And it is my belief that this\nOdin and his brothers are the rulers of heaven and earth. We think that\nhe must be so called. That is the name of the man whom we know to be the\ngreatest and most famous, and well may men call him by that name.\n7. Ganglere asked: How could these keep peace with Ymer, or who was the\nstronger? Then answered Har: The sons of Bor slew the giant Ymer, but\nwhen he fell, there flowed so much blood from his wounds that they\ndrowned therein the whole race of frost giants; excepting one, who\nescaped with his household. Him the giants call Bergelmer. He and his\nwife went on board his ark and saved themselves in it. From them are\ncome new races of frost-giants, as is here said:\n Countless winters\n Ere the earth was made,\n Was born Bergelmer.\n This first I call to mind\n How that crafty giant\n Safe in his ark lay.[17]\n [Footnote 17: Elder Edda: Vafthrudner\u2019s Lay, 35.]\n8. Then said Ganglere: What was done then by the sons of Bor, since you\nbelieve that they were gods? Answered Har: About that there is not a\nlittle to be said. They took the body of Ymer, carried it into the midst\nof Ginungagap and made of him the earth. Of his blood they made the seas\nand lakes; of his flesh the earth was made, but of his bones the rocks;\nof his teeth and jaws, and of the bones that were broken, they made\nstones and pebbles. Jafnhar remarked: Of the blood that flowed from the\nwounds, and was free, they made the ocean; they fastened the earth\ntogether and around it they laid this ocean in a ring without, and it\nmust seem to most men impossible to cross it. Thride added: They took\nhis skull and made thereof the sky, and raised it over the earth with\nfour sides. Under each corner they set a dwarf, and the four dwarfs were\ncalled Austre (east), Vestre (West), Nordre (North), Sudre (South). Then\nthey took glowing sparks, that were loose and had been cast out from\nMuspelheim, and placed them in the midst of the boundless heaven, both\nabove and below, to light up heaven and earth. They gave resting-places\nto all fires, and set some in heaven; some were made to go free under\nheaven, but they gave them a place and shaped their course. In old songs\nit is said that from that time days and years were reckoned. Thus in the\nProphecy of the Vala:\n The sun knew not\n Where her hall she had;\n The moon knew not\n What might he had;\n The stars knew not\n Their resting-places.[18]\n [Footnote 18: Elder Edda: The Vala\u2019s Prophecy, 8. In Old Norse the\n sun is feminine, and the moon masculine. See below, sections 11\nThus it was before these things were made. Then said Ganglere: Wonderful\ntidings are these I now hear; a wondrous great building is this, and\ndeftly constructed. How was the earth fashioned? Made answer Har: The\nearth is round, and without it round about lies the deep ocean, and\nalong the outer strand of that sea they gave lands for the giant races\nto dwell in; and against the attack of restless giants they built a burg\nwithin the sea and around the earth. For this purpose they used the\ngiant Ymer\u2019s eyebrows, and they called the burg Midgard. They also took\nhis brains and cast them into the air, and made therefrom the clouds,\nas is here said:\n Of Ymer\u2019s flesh\n The earth was made,\n And of his sweat the seas;\n Rocks of his bones,\n Trees of his hair,\n And the sky of his skull;\n But of his eyebrows\n The blithe powers\n Made Midgard for the sons of men.\n Of his brains\n All the melancholy\n Clouds were made.[19]\n [Footnote 19: Elder Edda: Grimner\u2019s Lay, 40, 41. Comp.\n Vafthrudner\u2019s Lay, 21.]\nCHAPTER V.\nTHE CREATION--(CONTINUED.)\n9. Then said Ganglere: Much had been done, it seemed to me, when heaven\nand earth were made, when sun and moon were set in their places, and\nwhen days were marked out; but whence came the people who inhabit the\nworld? Har answered as follows: As Bor\u2019s sons went along the sea-strand,\nthey found two trees. These trees they took up and made men of them. The\nfirst gave them spirit and life; the second endowed them with reason and\npower of motion; and the third gave them form, speech, hearing and\neyesight. They gave them clothes and names; the man they called Ask, and\nthe woman Embla. From them all mankind is descended, and a\ndwelling-place was given them under Midgard. In the next place, the sons\nof Bor made for themselves in the middle of the world a burg, which is\ncalled Asgard, and which we call Troy. There dwelt the gods and their\nrace, and thence were wrought many tidings and adventures, both on earth\nand in the sky. In Asgard is a place called Hlidskjalf, and when Odin\nseated himself there in the high-seat, he saw over the whole world, and\nwhat every man was doing, and he knew all things that he saw. His wife\nhight Frigg, and she was the daughter of Fjorgvin, and from their\noffspring are descended the race that we call asas, who inhabited Asgard\nthe old and the realms that lie about it, and all that race are known to\nbe gods. And for this reason Odin is called Alfather, that he is the\nfather of all gods and men, and of all things that were made by him and\nby his might. Jord (earth) was his daughter and his wife; with her he\nbegat his first son, and that is Asa-Thor. To him was given force and\nstrength, whereby he conquers all things quick.\n10. Norfe, or Narfe, hight a giant, who dwelt in Jotunheim. He had a\ndaughter by name Night. She was swarthy and dark like the race she\nbelonged to. She was first married to a man who hight Naglfare. Their\nson was Aud. Afterward she was married to Annar. Jord hight their\ndaughter. Her last husband was Delling (Daybreak), who was of asa-race.\nTheir son was Day, who was light and fair after his father. Then took\nAlfather Night and her son Day, gave them two horses and two cars, and\nset them up in heaven to drive around the earth, each in twelve hours by\nturns. Night rides first on the horse which is called Hrimfaxe, and\nevery morning he bedews the earth with the foam from his bit. The horse\non which Day rides is called Skinfaxe, and with his mane he lights up\nall the sky and the earth.\n11. Then said Ganglere: How does he steer the course of the sun and the\nmoon? Answered Har: Mundilfare hight the man who had two children. They\nwere so fair and beautiful that he called his son Moon, and his\ndaughter, whom he gave in marriage to a man by name Glener, he called\nSun. But the gods became wroth at this arrogance, took both the brother\nand the sister, set them up in heaven, and made Sun drive the horses\nthat draw the car of the sun, which the gods had made to light up the\nworld from sparks that flew out of Muspelheim. These horses hight Arvak\nand Alsvid. Under their withers the gods placed two wind-bags to cool\nthem, but in some songs it is called ironcold (\u00edsarnkol). Moon guides\nthe course of the moon, and rules its waxing and waning. He took from\nthe earth two children, who hight Bil and Hjuke, as they were going from\nthe well called Byrger, and were carrying on their shoulders the bucket\ncalled Sager and the pole Simul. Their father\u2019s name is Vidfin. These\nchildren always accompany Moon, as can be seen from the earth.\n12. Then said Ganglere: Swift fares Sun, almost as if she were afraid,\nand she could make no more haste in her course if she feared her\ndestroyer. Then answered Har: Nor is it wonderful that she speeds with\nall her might. Near is he who pursues her, and there is no escape for\nher but to run before him. Then asked Ganglere: Who causes her this\ntoil? Answered Har: It is two wolves. The one hight Skol, he runs after\nher; she fears him and he will one day overtake her. The other hight\nHate, Hrodvitner\u2019s son; he bounds before her and wants to catch the\nmoon, and so he will at last.[20] Then asked Ganglere: Whose offspring\nare these wolves? Said Har; A hag dwells east of Midgard, in the forest\ncalled Jarnved (Ironwood), where reside the witches called Jarnvidjes.\nThe old hag gives birth to many giant sons, and all in wolf\u2019s likeness.\nThence come these two wolves. It is said that of this wolf-race one is\nthe mightiest, and is called Moongarm. He is filled with the life-blood\nof all dead men. He will devour the moon, and stain the heavens and all\nthe sky with blood. Thereby the sun will be darkened, the winds will\ngrow wild, and roar hither and thither, as it is said in the Prophecy of\nthe Vala:\n In the east dwells the old hag,\n In the Jarnved forest;\n And brings forth there\n Fenrer\u2019s offspring.\n There comes of them all\n One the worst,\n The moon\u2019s devourer\n In a troll\u2019s disguise.\n He is filled with the life-blood\n Of men doomed to die;\n The seats of the gods\n He stains with red gore;\n Sunshine grows black\n The summer thereafter,\n All weather gets fickle.\n Know you yet or not?[21]\n [Footnote 20: That wolves follow the sun and moon, is a\n wide-spread popular superstition. In Sweden, a parhelion is\n called Solvarg (sun-wolf).]\n [Footnote 21: Elder Edda: The Vala\u2019s Prophecy, 43, 44.]\n13. Then asked Ganglere: What is the path from earth to heaven? Har\nanswered, laughing: Foolishly do you now ask. Have you not been told\nthat the gods made a bridge from earth to heaven, which is called\nBifrost? You must have seen it. It may be that you call it the rainbow.\nIt has three colors, is very strong, and is made with more craft and\nskill than other structures. Still, however strong it is, it will break\nwhen the sons of Muspel come to ride over it, and then they will have to\nswim their horses over great rivers in order to get on. Then said\nGanglere: The gods did not, it seems to me, build that bridge honestly,\nif it shall be able to break to pieces, since they could have done so,\nhad they desired. Then made answer Har: The gods are worthy of no blame\nfor this structure. Bifrost is indeed a good bridge, but there is no\nthing in the world that is able to stand when the sons of Muspel come to\nthe fight.\nCHAPTER VI.\nTHE FIRST WORKS OF THE ASAS. THE GOLDEN AGE.\n14. Then said Ganglere: What did Alfather do when Asgard had been built?\nSaid Har: In the beginning he appointed rulers in a place in the middle\nof the burg which is called Idavold, who were to judge with him the\ndisputes of men and decide the affairs of the burg. Their first work was\nto erect a court, where there were seats for all the twelve, and,\nbesides, a high-seat for Alfather. That is the best and largest house\never built on earth, and is within and without like solid gold. This\nplace is called Gladsheim. Then they built another hall as a home for\nthe goddesses, which also is a very beautiful mansion, and is called\nVingolf. Thereupon they built a forge; made hammer, tongs, anvil, and\nwith these all other tools. Afterward they worked in iron, stone and\nwood, and especially in that metal which is called gold. All their\nhousehold wares were of gold. That age was called the golden age, until\nit was lost by the coming of those women from Jotunheim. Then the gods\nset themselves in their high-seats and held counsel. They remembered how\nthe dwarfs had quickened in the mould of the earth like maggots in\nflesh. The dwarfs had first been created and had quickened in Ymer\u2019s\nflesh, and were then maggots; but now, by the decision of the gods, they\ngot the understanding and likeness of men, but still had to dwell in the\nearth and in rocks. Modsogner was one dwarf and Durin another. So it is\nsaid in the Vala\u2019s Prophecy:\n Then went all the gods,\n The all-holy gods,\n On their judgment seats,\n And thereon took counsel\n Who should the race\n Of dwarfs create\n From the bloody sea\n And from Blain\u2019s bones.\n In the likeness of men\n Made they many\n Dwarfs in the earth,\n As Durin said.\nAnd these, says the Vala, are the names of the dwarfs:\n Nye, Nide,\n Nordre, Sudre,\n Austre, Vestre,\n Althjof, Dvalin,\n Na, Nain,\n Niping, Dain,\n Bifur, Bafur,\n Bombor, Nore,\n Ore, Onar,\n Oin, Mjodvitner,\n Vig, Gandalf,\n Vindalf, Thorin,\n File, Kile,\n Fundin, Vale,\n Thro, Throin,\n Thek, Lit, Vit,\n Ny, Nyrad,\n Rek, Radsvid.\nBut the following are also dwarfs and dwell in the rocks, while the\nabove-named dwell in the mould:\n Draupner, Dolgthvare,\n Hor, Hugstare,\n Hledjolf, Gloin,\n Dore, Ore,\n Duf, Andvare,\n Hepte, File,\n Har, Siar.\nBut the following come from Svarin\u2019s How to Aurvang on Joruvold, and\nfrom them is sprung Lovar. Their names are:\n Skirfer, Virfir,\n Skafid, Ae,\n Alf, Inge,\n Eikinslgalde,\n Fal, Froste,\n Fid, Ginnar.[22]\n [Footnote 22: Elder Edda: The Vala\u2019s Prophecy, 12, 14-16, 18, 19.]\nCHAPTER VII.\nON THE WONDERFUL THINGS IN HEAVEN.\n15. Then said Ganglere: Where is the chief or most holy place of the\ngods? Har answered: That is by the ash Ygdrasil. There the gods meet in\ncouncil every day. Said Ganglere: What is said about this place?\nAnswered Jafnhar: This ash is the best and greatest of all trees; its\nbranches spread over all the world, and reach up above heaven. Three\nroots sustain the tree and stand wide apart; one root is with the asas\nand another with the frost-giants, where Ginungagap formerly was; the\nthird reaches into Niflheim; under it is Hvergelmer, where Nidhug gnaws\nthe root from below. But under the second root, which extends to the\nfrost-giants, is the well of Mimer, wherein knowledge and wisdom are\nconcealed. The owner of the well hight Mimer. He is full of wisdom, for\nhe drinks from the well with the Gjallar-horn. Alfather once came there\nand asked for a drink from the well, but he did not get it before he\nleft one of his eyes as a pledge. So it is said in the Vala\u2019s Prophecy:\n Well know I, Odin,\n Where you hid your eye:\n In the crystal-clear\n Well of Mimer.\n Mead drinks Mimer\n Every morning\n From Valfather\u2019s pledge.\n Know you yet or not?[23]\n [Footnote 23: Elder Edda: The Vala\u2019s Prophecy, 24.]\nThe third root of the ash is in heaven, and beneath it is the most\nsacred fountain of Urd. Here the gods have their doomstead. The asas\nride hither every day over Bifrost, which is also called Asa-bridge. The\nfollowing are the names of the horses of the gods: Sleipner is the best\none; he belongs to Odin, and he has eight feet. The second is Glad, the\nthird Gyller, the fourth Gler, the fifth Skeidbrimer, the sixth\nSilfertop, the seventh Siner, the eighth Gisl, the ninth Falhofner, the\ntenth Gulltop, the eleventh Letfet. Balder\u2019s horse was burned with him.\nThor goes on foot to the doomstead, and wades the following rivers:\n Kormt and Ormt\n And the two Kerlaugs;\n These shall Thor wade\n Every day\n When he goes to judge\n Near the Ygdrasil ash;\n For the Asa-bridge\n Burns all ablaze,--\n The holy waters roar.[24]\n [Footnote 24: Elder Edda: Grimner\u2019s Lay, 29.]\nThen asked Ganglere: Does fire burn over Bifrost? Har answered: The red\nwhich you see in the rainbow is burning fire. The frost-giants and the\nmountain-giants would go up to heaven if Bifrost were passable for all\nwho desired to go there. Many fair places there are in heaven, and they\nare all protected by a divine defense. There stands a beautiful hall\nnear the fountain beneath the ash. Out of it come three maids, whose\nnames are Urd, Verdande and Skuld. These maids shape the lives of men,\nand we call them norns. There are yet more norns, namely those who come\nto every man when he is born, to shape his life, and these are known to\nbe of the race of gods; others, on the other hand, are of the race of\nelves, and yet others are of the race of dwarfs. As is here said:\n Far asunder, I think,\n The norns are born,\n They are not of the same race.\n Some are of the asas,\n Some are of the elves,\n Some are daughters of Dvalin.[25]\n [Footnote 25: Elder Edda: Fafner\u2019s Lay, 13.]\nThen said Ganglere: If the norns rule the fortunes of men, then they\ndeal them out exceedingly unevenly. Some live a good life and are rich;\nsome get neither wealth nor praise. Some have a long, others a short\nlife. Har answered: Good norns and of good descent shape good lives, and\nwhen some men are weighed down with misfortune, the evil norns are the\ncause of it.\n16. Then said Ganglere: What other remarkable things are there to be\nsaid about the ash? Har answered: Much is to be said about it. On one of\nthe boughs of the ash sits an eagle, who knows many things. Between his\neyes sits a hawk that is called Vedfolner. A squirrel, by name Ratatosk,\nsprings up and down the tree, and carries words of envy between the\neagle and Nidhug. Four stags leap about in the branches of the ash and\nbite the leaves.[26] Their names are: Dain, Dvalin, Duney and Durathro.\nIn Hvergelmer with Nidhug are more serpents than tongue can tell. As is\nhere said:\n The ash Ygdrasil\n Bears distress\n Greater than men know.\n Stags bite it above,\n At the side it rots,\n Nidhug gnaws it below.\n [Footnote 26: The Icelandic barr. See Vigfusson, _sub voce_.]\nAnd so again it is said:\n More serpents lie\n \u2019Neath the Ygdrasil ash\n Than is thought of\n By every foolish ape.\n Goin and Moin\n (They are sons of Grafvitner),\n Grabak and Grafvollud,\n Ofner and Svafner\n Must for aye, methinks,\n Gnaw the roots of that tree.[27]\n [Footnote 27: Elder Edda: Grimner\u2019s Lay, 35, 34.]\nAgain, it is said that the norns, that dwell in the fountain of Urd,\nevery day take water from the fountain and take the clay that lies\naround the fountain and sprinkle therewith the ash, in order that its\nbranches may not wither or decay. This water is so holy that all things\nthat are put into the fountain become as white as the film of an\negg-shell As is here said:\n An ash I know\n Hight Ygdrasil;\n A high, holy tree\n With white clay sprinkled.\n Thence come the dews\n That fall in the dales.\n Green forever it stands\n Over Urd\u2019s fountain.[28]\n [Footnote 28: Elder Edda: The Vala\u2019s Prophecy, 22.]\nThe dew which falls on the earth from this tree men call honey-fall, and\nit is the food of bees. Two birds are fed in Urd\u2019s fountain; they are\ncalled swans, and they are the parents of the race of swans.\n17. Then said Ganglere: Great tidings you are able to tell of the\nheavens. Are there other remarkable places than the one by Urd\u2019s\nfountain? Answered Har: There are many magnificent dwellings. One is\nthere called Alfheim. There dwell the folk that are called light-elves;\nbut the dark-elves dwell down in the earth, and they are unlike the\nlight-elves in appearance, but much more so in deeds. The light-elves\nare fairer than the sun to look upon, but the dark-elves are blacker\nthan pitch. Another place is called Breidablik, and no place is fairer.\nThere is also a mansion called Glitner, of which the walls and pillars\nand posts are of red gold, and the roof is of silver. Furthermore, there\nis a dwelling, by name Himinbjorg, which stands at the end of heaven,\nwhere the Bifrost-bridge is united with heaven. And there is a great\ndwelling called Valaskjalf, which belongs to Odin. The gods made it and\nthatched it with, sheer silver. In this hall is the high-seat, which is\ncalled Hlidskjalf, and when Alfather sits in this seat, he sees over all\nthe world. In the southern end of the world is the palace, which is the\nfairest of all, and brighter than the sun; its name is Gimle. It shall\nstand when both heaven and earth shall have passed away. In this hall\nthe good and the righteous shall dwell through all ages. Thus says the\nProphecy of the Vala:\n A hall I know, standing\n Than the sun fairer,\n Than gold better,\n Gimle by name.\n There shall good\n People dwell,\n And forever\n Delights enjoy.[29]\nThen said Ganglere: Who guards this palace when Surt\u2019s fire burns up\nheaven and earth? Har answered: It is said that to the south and above\nthis heaven is another heaven, which is called Andlang. But there is a\nthird, which is above these, and is called Vidblain, and in this heaven\nwe believe this mansion (Gimle) to be situated; but we deem that the\nlight-elves alone dwell in it now.\n [Footnote 29: Elder Edda: The Vala\u2019s Prophecy, 70.]\nCHAPTER VIII.\nTHE ASAS.\n18. Then said Ganglere: Whence comes the wind? It is so strong that it\nmoves great seas, and fans fires to flame, and yet, strong as it is,\nit cannot be seen. Therefore it is wonderfully made. Then answered Har:\nThat I can tell you well. At the northern end of heaven sits a giant,\nwho hight Hrasvelg. He is clad in eagles\u2019 plumes, and when he spreads\nhis wings for flight, the winds arise from under them. Thus is it here\nsaid:\n Hrasvelg hight he\n Who sits at the end of heaven,\n A giant in eagle\u2019s disguise.\n From his wings, they say,\n The wind does come\n Over all mankind.[30]\n [Footnote 30: Elder Edda: Vafthrudner\u2019s Lay, 37.]\n19. Then said Ganglere: How comes it that summer is so hot, but the\nwinter so cold? Har answered: A wise man would not ask such a question,\nfor all are able to tell this; but if you alone have become so stupid\nthat you have not heard of it, then I would rather forgive you for\nasking unwisely once than that you should go any longer in ignorance of\nwhat you ought to know. Svasud is the name of him who is father of\nsummer, and he lives such a life of enjoyment, that everything that is\nmild is from him called sweet (svasligt). But the father of winter has\ntwo names, Vindlone and Vindsval. He is the son of Vasad, and all that\nrace are grim and of icy breath, and winter is like them.\n20. Then asked Ganglere: Which are the asas, in whom men are bound to\nbelieve? Har answered him: Twelve are the divine asas. Jafnhar said:\nNo less holy are the asynjes (goddesses), nor is their power less. Then\nadded Thride: Odin is the highest and oldest of the asas. He rules all\nthings, but the other gods, each according to his might, serve him as\nchildren a father. Frigg is his wife, and she knows the fate of men,\nalthough she tells not thereof, as it is related that Odin himself said\nto Asa-Loke:\n Mad are you, Loke!\n And out of your senses;\n Why do you not stop?\n Fortunes all,\n Methinks, Frigg knows,\n Though she tells them not herself.[31]\n [Footnote 31: Elder Edda. Loke\u2019s Quarrel, 29, 47.]\nOdin is called Alfather, for he is the father of all the gods; he is\nalso called Valfather, for all who fall in fight are his chosen sons.\nFor them he prepares Valhal and Vingolf, where they are called einherjes\n(heroes). He is also called Hangagod, Haptagod, Farmagod; and he gave\nhimself still more names when he came to King Geirrod:\n Grim is my name,\n And Ganglare,\n Herjan, Hjalmbore,\n Thek, Thride,\n Thud, Ud,\n Helblinde, Har,\n Sad, Svipal,\n Sangetal,\n Herteit, Hnikar,\n Bileyg, Baleyg,\n Bolverk, Fjolner,\n Grimner, Glapsvid, Fjolsvid,\n Sidhot, Sidskeg,\n Sigfather, Hnikud,\n Alfather, Atrid, Farmatyr,\n Oske, Ome,\n Jafnhar, Biflinde,\n Gondler, Harbard,\n Svidur, Svidrir,\n Jalk, Kjalar, Vidur,\n Thro, Yg, Thund,\n Vak, Skilfing,\n Vafud, Hroptatyr,\n Gaut, Veratyr.[32]\n [Footnote 32: Elder Edda: Grimner\u2019s Lay, 46-50.]\nThen said Ganglere: A very great number of names you have given him; and\nthis I know, forsooth, that he must be a very wise man who is able to\nunderstand and decide what chances are the causes of all these names.\nHar answered: Much knowledge is needed to explain it all rightly, but\nstill it is shortest to tell you that most of these names have been\ngiven him for the reason that, as there are many tongues in the world,\nso all peoples thought they ought to turn his name into their tongue, in\norder that they might be able to worship him and pray to him each in its\nown language. Other causes of these names must be sought in his\njourneys, which are told of in old sagas; and you can lay no claim to\nbeing called a wise man if you are not able to tell of these wonderful\nadventures.\n21. Then said Ganglere: What are the names of the other asas? What is\ntheir occupation, and what works have they wrought? Har answered: Thor\nis the foremost of them. He is called Asa-Thor, or Oku-Thor.[33] He is\nthe strongest of all gods and men, and rules over the realm which is\ncalled Thrudvang. His hall is called Bilskirner. Therein are five\nhundred and forty floors, and it is the largest house that men have\nmade. Thus it is said in Grimner\u2019s Lay:\n Five hundred floors\n And forty more,\n Methinks, has bowed Bilskirner.\n Of houses all\n That I know roofed\n I know my son\u2019s is the largest.[34]\n [Footnote 33: Oku is derived from the Finnish thunder-god, Ukko.]\n [Footnote 34: Elder Edda: Grimner\u2019s Lay, 24.]\nThor has two goats, by name Tangnjost and Tangrisner, and a chariot,\nwherein he drives. The goats draw the chariot; wherefore he is called\nOku-Thor.[35] He possesses three valuable treasures. One of them is the\nhammer Mjolner, which the frost-giants and mountain-giants well know\nwhen it is raised; and this is not to be wondered at, for with it he has\nsplit many a skull of their fathers or friends. The second treasure he\npossesses is Megingjarder (belt of strength); when he girds himself with\nit his strength is doubled. His third treasure that is of so great value\nis his iron gloves; these he cannot do without when he lays hold of the\nhammer\u2019s haft. No one is so wise that he can tell all his great works;\nbut I can tell you so many tidings of him that it will grow late before\nall is told that I know.\n [Footnote 35: The author of the Younger Edda is here mistaken. See\n note on page 82 {Footnote 33}.]\n22. Thereupon said Ganglere: I wish to ask tidings of more of the asas.\nHar gave him answer: Odin\u2019s second son is Balder, and of him good things\nare to be told. He is the best, and all praise him. He is so fair of\nface and so bright that rays of light issue from him; and there is a\nplant so white that it is likened unto Balder\u2019s brow, and it is the\nwhitest of all plants. From this you can judge of the beauty both of his\nhair and of his body. He is the wisest, mildest and most eloquent of all\nthe asas; and such is his nature that none can alter the judgment he has\npronounced. He inhabits the place in heaven called Breidablik, and there\nnothing unclean can enter. As is here said:\n Breidablik it is called,\n Where Balder has\n Built for himself a hall\n In the land\n Where I know is found\n The least of evil.[36]\n [Footnote 36: Elder Edda: Grimner\u2019s Lay, 12.]\n23. The third asa is he who is called Njord. He dwells in Noatun, which\nis in heaven. He rules the course of the wind and checks the fury of the\nsea and of fire. He is invoked by seafarers and by fishermen. He is so\nrich and wealthy that he can give broad lands and abundance to those who\ncall on him for them. He was fostered in Vanaheim, but the vans[37] gave\nhim as a hostage to the gods, and received in his stead as an\nasa-hostage the god whose name is Honer. He established peace between\nthe gods and vans. Njord took to wife Skade, a daughter of the giant\nThjasse. She wished to live where her father had dwelt, that is, on the\nmountains in Thrymheim; Njord, on the other hand, preferred to be near\nthe sea. They therefore agreed to pass nine nights in Thrymheim and\nthree in Noatun. But when Njord came back from the mountains to Noatun\nhe sang this:\n [Footnote 37: Compare Vainamoinen, the son of Ukko, in the Finnish\n epic Kalevala.]\n Weary am I of the mountains,\n Not long was I there,\n Only nine nights.\n The howl of the wolves\n Methought sounded ill\n To the song of the swans.\nSkade then sang this:\n Sleep I could not\n On my sea-strand couch,\n For the scream of the sea-fowl.\n _There_ wakes me,\n As he comes from the sea,\n Every morning the mew.\nThen went Skade up on the mountain, and dwelt in Thrymheim. She often\ngoes on skees (snow-shoes), with her bow, and shoots wild beasts. She is\ncalled skee-goddess or skee-dis. Thus it is said:\n Thrymheim it is called\n Where Thjasse dwelt,\n That mightiest giant.\n But now dwells Skade,\n Pure bride of the gods,\n In her father\u2019s old homestead.[38]\n [Footnote 38: Elder Edda: Grimner\u2019s Lay, 11.]\n24. Njord, in Noatun, afterward begat two children: a son, by name Frey,\nand a daughter, by name Freyja. They were fair of face, and mighty. Frey\nis the most famous of the asas. He rules over rain and sunshine, and\nover the fruits of the earth. It is good to call on him for harvests and\npeace. He also sways the wealth of men. Freyja is the most famous of the\ngoddesses. She has in heaven a dwelling which is called Folkvang, and\nwhen she rides to the battle, one half of the slain belong to her, and\nthe other half to Odin. As is here said:\n Folkvang it is called,\n And there rules Freyja.\n For the seats in the hall\n Half of the slain\n She chooses each day;\n The other half is Odin\u2019s.[39]\n [Footnote 39: Elder Edda: Grimner\u2019s Lay, 14.]\nHer hall is Sesrynmer, and it is large and beautiful. When she goes\nabroad, she drives in a car drawn by two cats. She lends a favorable ear\nto men who call upon her, and it is from her name the title has come\nthat women of birth and wealth are called frur.[40] She is fond of love\nditties, and it is good to call on her in love affairs.\n [Footnote 40: Icel. _fr\u00fa_ (Ger. _frau_; Dan. _frue_), pl. _fr\u00far_,\n means a lady. It is used of the wives of men of rank or title.\n It is derived from Freyja.]\n25. Then said Ganglere: Of great importance these asas seem to me to be,\nand it is not wonderful that you have great power, since you have such\nexcellent knowledge of the gods, and know to which of them to address\nyour prayers on each occasion. But what other gods are there? Har\nanswered: There is yet an asa, whose name is Tyr. He is very daring and\nstout-hearted. He sways victory in war, wherefore warriors should call\non him. There is a saw, that he who surpasses others in bravery, and\nnever yields, is Tyr-strong. He is also so wise, that it is said of\nanyone who is specially intelligent, that he is Tyr-learned. A proof of\nhis daring is, that when the asas induced the wolf Fenrer to let himself\nbe bound with the chain Gleipner, he would not believe that they would\nloose him again until Tyr put his hand in his mouth as a pledge. But\nwhen the asas would not loose the Fenris-wolf, he bit Tyr\u2019s hand off at\nthe place of the wolf\u2019s joint (the wrist; Icel. _\u00falfli\u00f0r_[41]). From\nthat time Tyr is one-handed, and he is now called a peacemaker among\nmen.\n [Footnote 41: This etymology is, however, erroneous, for the word\n is derived from _oln_ or _\u00f6ln_, and the true form of the word is\n _\u00f6lnli\u00f0r_ = the ell-joint (wrist); thus we have _\u00f6lnboge_--the\n elbow; _\u00f6ln_ = _alin_ (Gr. \u1f60\u03b4\u1f77\u03bd\u03b7; Lat. _ulna_; cp. A.-S.\n _el-boga_; Eng. _elbow_) is the arm from the elbow to the end of\n the middle finger, hence an ell in long measure.]\n26. Brage is the name of another of the asas. He is famous for his\nwisdom, eloquence and flowing speech. He is a master-skald, and from him\nsong-craft is called brag (poetry), and such men or women as distinguish\nthemselves by their eloquence are called brag-men[42] and brag-women.\nHis wife is Idun. She keeps in a box those apples of which the gods eat\nwhen they grow old, and then they become young again, and so it will be\nuntil Ragnarok (the twilight of the gods). Then said Ganglere: Of great\nimportance to the gods it must be, it seems to me, that Idun preserves\nthese apples with care and honesty. Har answered, and laughed: They ran\na great risk on one occasion, whereof I might tell you more, but you\nshall first hear the names of more asas.\n [Footnote 42: Compare the Anglo-Saxon _brego_ = princeps, chief.]\n27. Heimdal is the name of one. He is also called the white-asa. He is\ngreat and holy; born of nine maidens, all of whom were sisters. He hight\nalso Hallinskide and Gullintanne, for his teeth were of gold. His horse\nhight Gulltop (Gold-top). He dwells in a place called Himinbjorg, near\nBifrost. He is the ward of the gods, and sits at the end of heaven,\nguarding the bridge against the mountain-giants. He needs less sleep\nthan a bird; sees an hundred miles around him, and as well by night as\nby day. He hears the grass grow and the wool on the backs of the sheep,\nand of course all things that sound louder than these. He has a trumpet\ncalled the Gjallarhorn, and when he blows it it can be heard in all the\nworlds. The head is called Heimdal\u2019s sword. Thus it is here said:\n Himinbjorg it is called,\n Where Heimdal rules\n Over his holy halls;\n There drinks the ward of the gods\n In his delightful dwelling\n Glad the good mead.[43]\n [Footnote 43: Elder Edda: Grimner\u2019s Lay, 13.]\nAnd again, in Heimdal\u2019s Song, he says himself:\n Son I am of maidens nine,\n Born I am of sisters nine.\n28. Hoder hight one of the asas, who is blind, but exceedingly strong;\nand the gods would wish that this asa never needed to be named, for the\nwork of his hand will long be kept in memory both by gods and men.\n29. Vidar is the name of the silent asa. He has a very thick shoe, and\nhe is the strongest next after Thor. From him the gods have much help in\nall hard tasks.\n30. Ale, or Vale, is the son of Odin and Rind. He is daring in combat,\nand a good shot.\n31. Uller is the name of one, who is a son of Sif, and a step-son of\nThor. He is so good an archer, and so fast on his skees, that no one can\ncontend with him. He is fair of face, and possesses every quality of a\nwarrior. Men should invoke him in single combat.\n32. Forsete is a son of Balder and Nanna, Nep\u2019s daughter. He has in\nheaven the hall which hight Glitner. All who come to him with disputes\ngo away perfectly reconciled. No better tribunal is to be found among\ngods and men. Thus it is here said:\n Glitner hight the hall,\n On gold pillars standing,\n And roofed with silver.\n There dwells Forsete\n Throughout all time,\n And settles all disputes.[44]\n [Footnote 44: Elder Edda: Grimner\u2019s Lay, 15.]\nCHAPTER IX.\nLOKE AND HIS OFFSPRING.\n33. There is yet one who is numbered among the asas, but whom some call\nthe backbiter of the asas. He is the originator of deceit, and the\ndisgrace of all gods and men. His name is Loke, or Lopt. His father is\nthe giant Farbaute, but his mother\u2019s name is Laufey, or Nal. His\nbrothers are Byleist and Helblinde. Loke is fair and beautiful of face,\nbut evil in disposition, and very fickle-minded. He surpasses other men\nin the craft called cunning, and cheats in all things. He has often\nbrought the asas into great trouble, and often helped them out again,\nwith his cunning contrivances. His wife hight Sygin, and their son,\nNare, or Narfe.\n34. Loke had yet more children. A giantess in Jotunheim, hight\nAngerboda. With her he begat three children. The first was the\nFenris-wolf; the second, Jormungand, that is, the Midgard-serpent, and\nthe third, Hel. When the gods knew that these three children were being\nfostered in Jotunheim, and were aware of the prophecies that much woe\nand misfortune would thence come to them, and considering that much evil\nmight be looked for from them on their mother\u2019s side, and still more on\ntheir father\u2019s, Alfather sent some of the gods to take the children and\nbring them to him. When they came to him he threw the serpent into the\ndeep sea which surrounds all lands. There waxed the serpent so that he\nlies in the midst of the ocean, surrounds all the earth, and bites his\nown tail. Hel he cast into Niflheim, and gave her power over nine\nworlds,[45] that she should appoint abodes to them that are sent to her,\nnamely, those who die from sickness or old age. She has there a great\nmansion, and the walls around it are of strange height, and the gates\nare huge. Eljudner is the name of her hall. Her table hight famine; her\nknife, starvation. Her man-servant\u2019s name is Ganglate; her\nmaid-servant\u2019s, Ganglot.[46] Her threshold is called stumbling-block;\nher bed, care; the precious hangings of her bed, gleaming bale. One-half\nof her is blue, and the other half is of the hue of flesh; hence she is\neasily known. Her looks are very stern and grim.\n [Footnote 45: Possibly this ought to read the ninth world, which\n would correspond with what we read on page 72, and in the Vala\u2019s\n Prophecy. See also notes. It may be a mistake of the transcriber.]\n [Footnote 46: Both these words mean sloth.]\n35. The wolf was fostered by the asas at home, and Tyr was the only one\nwho had the courage to go to him and give him food. When the gods saw\nhow much he grew every day, and all prophecies declared that he was\npredestined to become fatal to them, they resolved to make a very strong\nfetter, which they called Lading. They brought it to the wolf, and bade\nhim try his strength on the fetter. The wolf, who did not think it would\nbe too strong for him, let them do therewith as they pleased. But as\nsoon as he spurned against it the fetter burst asunder, and he was free\nfrom Lading. Then the asas made another fetter, by one-half stronger,\nand this they called Drome. They wanted the wolf to try this also,\nsaying to him that he would become very famous for his strength, if so\nstrong a chain was not able to hold him. The wolf thought that this\nfetter was indeed very strong, but also that his strength had increased\nsince he broke Lading. He also took into consideration that it was\nnecessary to expose one\u2019s self to some danger if he desired to become\nfamous; so he let them put the fetter on him. When the asas said they\nwere ready, the wolf shook himself, spurned against and dashed the\nfetter on the ground, so that the broken pieces flew a long distance.\nThus he broke loose out of Drome. Since then it has been held as a\nproverb, \u201cto get loose out of Lading\u201d or \u201cto dash out of Drome,\u201d\nwhenever anything is extraordinarily hard. The asas now began to fear\nthat they would not get the wolf bound. So Alfather sent the youth, who\nis called Skirner, and is Frey\u2019s messenger, to some dwarfs in\nSvartalfaheim, and had them make the fetter which is called Gleipner. It\nwas made of six things: of the footfall of cats, of the beard of woman,\nof the roots of the mountain, of the sinews of the bear, of the breath\nof the fish, and of the spittle of the birds. If you have not known this\nbefore, you can easily find out that it is true and that there is no lie\nabout it, since you must have observed that a woman has no beard, that a\ncat\u2019s footfall cannot be heard, and that mountains have no roots; and I\nknow, forsooth, that what I have told you is perfectly true, although\nthere are some things that you do not understand. Then said Ganglere:\nThis I must surely understand to be true. I can see these things which\nyou have taken as proof. But how was the fetter smithied? Answered Har:\nThat I can well explain to you. It was smooth and soft as a silken\nstring. How strong and trusty it was you shall now hear. When the fetter\nwas brought to the asas, they thanked the messenger for doing his errand\nso well. Then they went out into the lake called Amsvartner, to the holm\n(rocky island) called Lyngve, and called the wolf to go with them. They\nshowed him the silken band and bade him break it, saying that it was\nsomewhat stronger than its thinness would lead one to suppose. Then they\nhanded it from one to the other and tried its strength with their hands,\nbut it did not break. Still they said the wolf would be able to snap it.\nThe wolf answered: It seems to me that I will get no fame though I break\nasunder so slender a thread as this is. But if it is made with craft and\nguile, then, little though it may look, that band will never come on my\nfeet. Then said the asas that he would easily be able to break a slim\nsilken band, since he had already burst large iron fetters asunder. But\neven if you are unable to break this band, you have nothing to fear from\nthe gods, for we will immediately loose you again. The wolf answered: If\nyou get me bound so fast that I am not able to loose myself again, you\nwill skulk away, and it will be long before I get any help from you,\nwherefore I am loth to let this band be laid on me; but in order that\nyou may not accuse me of cowardice, let some one of you lay his hand in\nmy mouth as a pledge that this is done without deceit. The one asa\nlooked at the other, and thought there now was a choice of two evils,\nand no one would offer his hand, before Tyr held out his right hand and\nlaid it in the wolf\u2019s mouth. But when the wolf now began to spurn\nagainst it the band grew stiffer, and the more he strained the tighter\nit got. They all laughed except Tyr; he lost his hand. When the asas saw\nthat the wolf was sufficiently well bound, they took the chain which was\nfixed to the fetter, and which was called Gelgja, and drew it through a\nlarge rock which is called Gjol, and fastened this rock deep down in the\nearth. Then they took a large stone, which is called Tvite, and drove it\nstill deeper into the ground, and used this stone for a fastening-pin.\nThe wolf opened his mouth terribly wide, raged and twisted himself with\nall his might, and wanted to bite them; but they put a sword in his\nmouth, in such a manner that the hilt stood in his lower jaw and the\npoint in the upper, that is his gag. He howls terribly, and the saliva\nwhich runs from his mouth forms a river called Von. There he will lie\nuntil Ragnarok. Then said Ganglere: Very bad are these children of Loke,\nbut they are strong and mighty. But why did not the asas kill the wolf\nwhen they have evil to expect from him? Har answered: So great respect\nhave the gods for their holiness and peace-stead, that they would not\nstain them with the blood of the wolf, though prophecies foretell that\nhe must become the bane of Odin.\nCHAPTER X.\nTHE GODDESSES (ASYNJES).\n36. Ganglere asked: Which are the goddesses? Har answered: Frigg is the\nfirst; she possesses the right lordly dwelling which is called Fensaler.\nThe second is Saga, who dwells in Sokvabek, and this is a large\ndwelling. The third is Eir, who is the best leech. The fourth is Gefjun,\nwho is a may, and those who die maids become her hand-maidens. The fifth\nis Fulla, who is also a may, she wears her hair flowing and has a golden\nribbon about her head; she carries Frigg\u2019s chest, takes care of her\nshoes and knows her secrets. The sixth is Freyja, who is ranked with\nFrigg. She is wedded to the man whose name is Oder; their daughter\u2019s\nname is Hnos, and she is so fair that all things fair and precious are\ncalled, from her name, Hnos. Oder went far away. Freyja weeps for him,\nbut her tears are red gold. Freyja has many names, and the reason\ntherefor is that she changed her name among the various nations to which\nshe came in search of Oder. She is called Mardol, Horn, Gefn, and Syr.\nShe has the necklace Brising, and she is called Vanadis. The seventh is\nSjofn, who is fond of turning men\u2019s and women\u2019s hearts to love, and it\nis from her name that love is called Sjafne. The eighth is Lofn, who is\nkind and good to those who call upon her, and she has permission from\nAlfather or Frigg to bring together men and women, no matter what\ndifficulties may stand in the way; therefore \u201clove\u201d is so called from\nher name, and also that which is much loved by men. The ninth is Var.\nShe hears the oaths and troths that men and women plight to each other.\nHence such vows are called vars, and she takes vengeance on those who\nbreak their promises. The tenth is Vor, who is so wise and searching\nthat nothing can be concealed from her. It is a saying that a woman\nbecomes vor (ware) of what she becomes wise. The eleventh is Syn, who\nguards the door of the hall, and closes it against those who are not to\nenter. In trials she guards those suits in which anyone tries to make\nuse of falsehood. Hence is the saying that \u201csyn is set against it,\u201d when\nanyone tries to deny ought. The twelfth is Hlin, who guards those men\nwhom Frigg wants to protect from any danger. Hence is the saying that he\nhlins who is forewarned. The thirteenth is Snotra, who is wise and\ncourtly. After her, men and women who are wise are called Snotras. The\nfourteenth is Gna, whom Frigg sends on her errands into various worlds.\nShe rides upon a horse called Hofvarpner, that runs through the air and\nover the sea. Once, when she was riding, some vans saw her faring\nthrough the air. Then said one of them:\n What flies there?\n What fares there?\n What glides in the air?\nShe answered\n I fly not,\n Though I fare\n And glide through the air\n On Hofvarpner,\n That Hamskerper,\n Begat with Gardrofa.[47]\nFrom Gna\u2019s name it is said that anything that fares high in the air\ngnas. Sol and Bil are numbered among the goddesses, but their nature has\nalready been described.[48]\n [Footnote 47: Elder Edda: Grimner\u2019s Lay, 36]\n [Footnote 48: See page 66.]\n37. There are still others who are to serve in Valhal, bear the drink\naround, wait upon the table and pass the ale-horns. Thus they are named\nin Grimner\u2019s Lay:\n Hrist and Mist\n I want my horn to bring to me;\n Skeggold and Skogul,\n Hild and Thrud,\n Hlok and Heifjoter,\n Gol and Geirahod,\n Randgrid and Radgrid,\n And Reginleif;\n These bear ale to the einherjes.[49]\n [Footnote 49: Elder Edda: Grimner\u2019s Lay, 36.]\nThese are called valkyries. Odin sends them to all battles, where they\nchoose those who are to be slain, and rule over the victory. Gud and\nRosta, and the youngest norn, Skuld, always ride to sway the battle and\nchoose the slain. Jord, the mother of Thor, and Rind, Vale\u2019s mother, are\nnumbered among the goddesses.\nCHAPTER XI.\nTHE GIANTESS GERD AND SKIRNER\u2019S JOURNEY.[50]\n38. Gymer hight a man whose wife was Orboda, of the race of the mountain\ngiants. Their daughter was Gerd, the fairest of all women. One day when\nFrey had gone into Hlidskjalf, and was looking out upon all the worlds,\nhe saw toward the north a hamlet wherein was a large and beautiful\nhouse. To this house went a woman, and when she raised her hands to open\nthe door, both the sky and the sea glistened therefrom, and she made all\nthe world bright. As a punishment for his audacity in seating himself in\nthat holy seat, Frey went away full of grief. When he came home, he\nneither spake, slept, nor drank, and no one dared speak to him. Then\nNjord sent for Skirner, Frey\u2019s servant, bade him go to Frey and ask him\nwith whom he was so angry, since he would speak to nobody. Skirner said\nthat he would go, though he was loth to do so, as it was probable that\nhe would get evil words in reply. When he came to Frey and asked him why\nhe was so sad that he would not talk, Frey answered that he had seen a\nbeautiful woman, and for her sake he had become so filled with grief,\nthat he could not live any longer if he could not get her. And now you\nmust go, he added, and ask her hand for me and bring her home to me,\nwhether it be with or without the consent of her father. I will reward\nyou well for your trouble. Skirner answered saying that he would go on\nthis errand, but Frey must give him his sword, that was so excellent\nthat it wielded itself in fight. Frey made no objection to this and gave\nhim the sword. Skirner went on his journey, courted Gerd for him, and\ngot the promise of her that she nine nights thereafter should come to\nBar-Isle and there have her wedding with Frey. When Skirner came back\nand gave an account of his journey, Frey said:\n Long is one night,\n Long are two nights,\n How can I hold out three?\n Oft to me one month\n Seemed less\n Than this half night of love.[51]\n [Footnote 50: This is the Niblung story in a nut-shell.]\n [Footnote 51: Elder Edda: Skirner\u2019s Journey, 42.]\nThis is the reason why Frey was unarmed when he fought with Bele, and\nslew him with a hart\u2019s horn. Then said Ganglere: It is a great wonder\nthat such a lord as Frey would give away his sword, when he did not have\nanother as good. A great loss it was to him when he fought with Bele;\nand this I know, forsooth, that he must have repented of that gift. Har\nanswered: Of no great account was his meeting with Bele. Frey could have\nslain him with his hand. But the time will come when he will find\nhimself in a worse plight for not having his sword, and that will be\nwhen the sons of Muspel sally forth to the fight.\nCHAPTER XII.\nLIFE IN VALHAL.\n39. Then said Ganglere: You say that all men who since the beginning of\nthe world have fallen in battle have come to Odin in Valhal. What does\nhe have to give them to eat? It seems to me there must be a great throng\nof people. Har answered: It is true, as you remark, that there is a\ngreat throng; many more are yet to come there, and still they will be\nthought too few when the wolf[52] comes. But however great may be the\nthrong in Valhal, they will get plenty of flesh of the boar Sahrimner.\nHe is boiled every day and is whole again in the evening. But as to the\nquestion you just asked, it seems to me there are but few men so wise\nthat they are able to answer it correctly. The cook\u2019s name is\nAndhrimner, and the kettle is called Eldhrimner as is here said:\n Andhrimner cooks\n In Eldhrimner\n Sahrimner.\n \u2019Tis the best of flesh.\n There are few who know\n What the einherjes eat.[53]\n [Footnote 52: The Fenris-wolf in Ragnarok.]\n [Footnote 53: Elder Edda: Grimner\u2019s Lay, 18.]\nGanglere asked: Does Odin have the same kind of food as the einherjes?\nHar answered: The food that is placed on his table he gives to his two\nwolves, which hight Gere and Freke. He needs no food himself. Wine is to\nhim both food and drink, as is here said:\n Gere and Freke\n Sates the warfaring,\n Famous father of hosts;\n But on wine alone\n Odin in arms renowned\n Forever lives.[54]\n [Footnote 54: Elder Edda: Grimner\u2019s Lay, 19.]\nTwo ravens sit on Odin\u2019s shoulders, and bring to his ears all that they\nhear and see. Their names are Hugin and Munin. At dawn he sends them out\nto fly over the whole world, and they come back at breakfast time. Thus\nhe gets information about many things, and hence he is called Rafnagud\n(raven-god). As is here said:\n Hugin and Munin\n Fly every day\n Over the great earth.\n I fear for Hugin\n That he may not return,\n Yet more am I anxious for Munin.[55]\n [Footnote 55: Elder Edda: Grimner\u2019s Lay, 20.]\n40. Then asked Ganglere: What do the einherjes have to drink that is\nfurnished them as bountifully as the food? Or do they drink water? Har\nanswered: That is a wonderful question. Do you suppose that Alfather\ninvites kings, jarls, or other great men, and gives them water to drink?\nThis I know, forsooth, that many a one comes to Valhal who would think\nhe was paying a big price for his water-drink, if there were no better\nreception to be found there,--persons, namely, who have died from wounds\nand pain. But I can tell you other tidings. A she-goat, by name Heidrun,\nstands up in Valhal and bites the leaves off the branches of that famous\ntree called Lerad. From her teats runs so much mead that she fills every\nday a vessel in the hall from which the horns are filled, and which is\nso large that all the einherjes get all the drink they want out of it.\nThen said Ganglere: That is a most useful goat, and a right excellent\ntree that must be that she feeds upon. Then said Har: Still more\nremarkable is the hart Eikthyrner, which stands over Valhal and bites\nthe branches of the same tree. From his horns fall so many drops down\ninto Hvergelmer, that thence flow the rivers that are called Sid, Vid,\nSekin, Ekin, Svol, Gunthro, Fjorm, Fimbulthul, Gipul, Gopul, Gomul and\nGeirvimul, all of which fall about the abodes of the asas. The following\nare also named: Thyn, Vin, Thol, Bol, Grad, Gunthrain, Nyt, Not, Non,\nHron, Vina, Vegsvin, Thjodnuma.\n41. Then said Ganglere: That was a wonderful tiding that you now told\nme. A mighty house must Valhal be, and a great crowd there must often be\nat the door. Then answered Har: Why do you not ask how many doors there\nare in Valhal, and how large they are? When you find that out, you will\nconfess that it would rather be wonderful if everybody could not easily\ngo in and out. It is also a fact that it is no more difficult to find\nroom within than to get in. Of this you may hear what the Lay of Grimner\nsays:\n Five hundred doors\n And forty more,\n I trow, there are in Valhal.\n Eight hundred einherjes\n Go at a time through one door\n When they fare to fight with the wolf.[56]\n [Footnote 56: Elder Edda: Grimner\u2019s Lay, 23.]\n42. Then said Ganglere: A mighty band of men there is in Valhal, and,\nforsooth, I know that Odin is a very great chief, since he commands so\nmighty a host. But what is the pastime of the einherjes when they do not\ndrink? Har answered: Every morning, when they have dressed themselves,\nthey take their weapons and go out into the court and fight and slay\neach other. That is their play. Toward breakfast-time they ride home to\nValhal and sit down to drink. As is here said:\n All the einherjes\n In Odin\u2019s court\n Hew daily each other.\n They choose the slain\n And ride from the battle-field,\n Then sit they in peace together.[57]\nBut true it is, as you said, that Odin is a great chief. There are many\nproofs of that. Thus it is said in the very words of the asas\nthemselves:\n The Ygdrasil ash\n Is the foremost of trees,\n But Skidbladner of ships,\n Odin of asas,\n Sleipner of steeds,\n Bifrost of bridges,\n Brage of Skalds,\n Habrok of hows,\n But Garm of dogs.[58]\n [Footnote 57: Elder Edda: Vafthrudner\u2019s Lay, 41.]\n [Footnote 58: Elder Edda: Grimner\u2019s Lay, 44.]\nCHAPTER XIII.\nODIN\u2019S HORSE AND FREY\u2019S SHIP.\n43. Ganglere asked: Whose is that horse Sleipner, and what is there to\nsay about it? Har answered: You have no knowledge of Sleipner, nor do\nyou know the circumstances attending his birth; but it must seem to you\nworth the telling. In the beginning, when the town of the gods was\nbuilding, when the gods had established Midgard and made Valhal, there\ncame a certain builder and offered to make them a burg, in three half\nyears, so excellent that it should be perfectly safe against the\nmountain-giants and frost-giants, even though they should get within\nMidgard. But he demanded as his reward, that he should have Freyja, and\nhe wanted the sun and moon besides. Then the asas came together and held\ncounsel, and the bargain was made with the builder that he should get\nwhat he demanded if he could get the burg done in one winter; but if on\nthe first day of summer any part of the burg was unfinished, then the\ncontract should be void. It was also agreed that no man should help him\nwith the work. When they told him these terms, he requested that they\nshould allow him to have the help of his horse, called Svadilfare, and\nat the suggestion of Loke this was granted him.\nOn the first day of winter he began to build the burg, but by night he\nhauled stone for it with his horse. But it seemed a great wonder to the\nasas what great rocks that horse drew, and the horse did one half more\nof the mighty task than the builder. The bargain was firmly established\nwith witnesses and oaths, for the giant did not deem it safe to be among\nthe asas without truce if Thor should come home, who now was on a\njourney to the east fighting trolls. Toward the end of winter the burg\nwas far built, and it was so high and strong that it could in nowise be\ntaken. When there were three days left before summer, the work was all\ncompleted excepting the burg gate. Then went the gods to their\njudgment-seats and held counsel, and asked each other who could have\nadvised to give Freyja in marriage in Jotunheim, or to plunge the air\nand the heavens in darkness by taking away the sun and the moon and\ngiving them to the giant; and all agreed that this must have been\nadvised by him who gives the most bad counsels, namely, Loke, son of\nLaufey, and they threatened him with a cruel death if he could not\ncontrive some way of preventing the builder from fulfilling his part of\nthe bargain, and they proceeded to lay hands on Loke. He in his fright\nthen promised with an oath that he should so manage that the builder\nshould lose his wages, let it cost him what it would. And the same\nevening, when the builder drove out after stone with his horse\nSvadilfare, a mare suddenly ran out of the woods to the horse and began\nto neigh at him. The steed, knowing what sort of horse this was, grew\nexcited, burst the reins asunder and ran after the mare, but she ran\nfrom him into the woods. The builder hurried after them with all his\nmight, and wanted to catch the steed, but these horses kept running all\nnight, and thus the time was lost, and at dawn the work had not made the\nusual progress. When the builder saw that his work was not going to be\ncompleted, he resumed his giant form. When the asas thus became sure\nthat it was really a mountain-giant that had come among them, they did\nnot heed their oaths, but called on Thor. He came straightway, swung his\nhammer, Mjolner, and paid the workman his wages,--not with the sun and\nmoon, but rather by preventing him from dwelling in Jotunheim; and this\nwas easily done with the first blow of the hammer, which broke his skull\ninto small pieces and sent him down to Niflhel. But Loke had run such a\nrace with Svadilfare that he some time after bore a foal. It was gray,\nand had eight feet, and this is the best horse among gods and men. Thus\nit is said in the Vala\u2019s Prophecy:\n Then went the gods.\n The most holy gods,\n Onto their judgment-seats,\n And counseled together\n Who all the air\n With guile had blended\n Or to the giant race\n Oder\u2019s may had given.\n Broken were oaths,\n And words and promises,--\n All mighty speech\n That had passed between them.\n Thor alone did this,\n Swollen with anger.\n Seldom sits he still\n When such things he hears.[59]\n44. Then asked Ganglere: What is there to be said of Skidbladner, which\nyou say is the best of ships? Is there no ship equally good, or equally\ngreat? Made answer Har: Skidbladner is the best of ships, and is made\nwith the finest workmanship; but Naglfare, which is in Muspel, is the\nlargest. Some dwarfs, the sons of Ivalde, made Skidbladner and gave it\nto Frey. It is so large that all the asas, with their weapons and\nwar-gear, can find room on board it, and as soon as the sails are\nhoisted it has fair wind, no matter whither it is going. When it is not\nwanted for a voyage, it is made of so many pieces and with so much\nskill, that Frey can fold it together like a napkin and carry it in his\npocket.\n [Footnote 59: Elder Edda: The Vala\u2019s Prophecy, 29, 30.]\nCHAPTER XIV.\nTHOR\u2019S ADVENTURES.\nThen said Ganglere: A good ship is Skidbladner, but much black art must\nhave been resorted to ere it was so fashioned. Has Thor never come where\nhe has found anything so strong and mighty that it has been superior to\nhim either in strength or in the black art? Har answered: Few men, I\nknow, are able to tell thereof, but still he has often been in difficult\nstraits. But though there have been things so mighty and strong that\nThor has not been able to gain the victory, they are such as ought not\nto be spoken of; for there are many proofs which all must accept that\nThor is the mightiest. Then said Ganglere: It seems to me that I have\nnow asked about something that no one can answer. Said Jafnhar: We have\nheard tell of adventures that seem to us incredible, but here sits one\nnear who is able to tell true tidings thereof, and you may believe that\nhe will not lie for the first time now, who never told a lie before.\nThen said Ganglere: I will stand here and listen, to see if any answer\nis to be had to this question. But if you cannot answer my question I\ndeclare you to be defeated. Then answered Thride: It is evident that he\nnow is bound to know, though it does not seem proper for us to speak\nthereof. The beginning of this adventure is that Oku-Thor went on a\njourney with his goats and chariot, and with him went the asa who is\ncalled Loke. In the evening they came to a bonde[60] and got there\nlodgings for the night. In the evening Thor took his goats and killed\nthem both, whereupon he had them flayed and borne into a kettle. When\nthe flesh was boiled, Thor and his companion sat down to supper. Thor\ninvited the bonde, his wife and their children, a son by name Thjalfe,\nand a daughter by name Roskva, to eat with them. Then Thor laid the\ngoat-skins away from the fire-place, and requested the bonde and his\nhousehold to cast the bones onto the skins. Thjalfe, the bonde\u2019s son,\nhad the thigh of one of the goats, which he broke asunder with his\nknife, in order to get at the marrow, Thor remained there over night. In\nthe morning, just before daybreak, he arose, dressed himself, took the\nhammer Mjolner, lifted it and hallowed the goat-skins. Then the goats\narose, but one of them limped on one of its hind legs. When Thor saw\nthis he said that either the bonde or one of his folk had not dealt\nskillfully with the goat\u2019s bones, for he noticed that the thigh was\nbroken. It is not necessary to dwell on this part of the story. All can\nunderstand how frightened the bonde became when he saw that Thor let his\nbrows sink down over his eyes. When he saw his eyes he thought he must\nfall down at the sight of them alone. Thor took hold of the handle of\nhis hammer so hard that his knuckles grew white. As might be expected,\nthe bonde and all his household cried aloud and sued for peace, offering\nhim as an atonement all that they possessed. When he saw their fear, his\nwrath left him. He was appeased, and took as a ransom the bonders\nchildren, Thjalfe and Roskva. They became his servants, and have always\naccompanied him since that time.\n [Footnote 60: Bonde = peasant.]\n46. He left his goats there and went on his way east into Jotunheim,\nclear to the sea, and then he went on across the deep ocean, and went\nashore on the other side, together with Loke and Thjalfe and Roskva.\nWhen they had proceeded a short distance, there stood before them a\ngreat wood, through which they kept going the whole day until dark.\nThjalfe, who was of all men the fleetest of foot, bore Thor\u2019s bag, but\nthe wood was no good place for provisions. When it had become dark, they\nsought a place for their night lodging, and found a very large hall. At\nthe end of it was a door as wide as the hall. Here they remained through\nthe night. About midnight there was a great earthquake; the ground\ntrembled beneath them, and the house shook. Then Thor stood up and\ncalled his companions. They looked about them and found an adjoining\nroom to the right, in the midst of the hall, and there they went in.\nThor seated himself in the door; the others went farther in and were\nvery much frightened. Thor held his hammer by the handle, ready to\ndefend himself. Then they heard a great groaning and roaring. When it\nbegan to dawn, Thor went out and saw a man lying not far from him in the\nwood. He was very large, lay sleeping, and snored loudly. Then Thor\nthought he had found out what noise it was that they had heard in the\nnight. He girded himself with his Megingjarder, whereby his asa-might\nincreased. Meanwhile the man woke, and immediately arose. It is said\nthat Thor this once forbore to strike him with the hammer, and asked him\nfor his name. He called himself Skrymer; but, said he, I do not need to\nask you what your name is,--I know that you are Asa-Thor. But what have\nyou done with my glove? He stretched out his hand and picked up his\nglove. Then Thor saw that the glove was the hall in which he had spent\nthe night, and that the adjoining room was the thumb of the glove.\nSkrymer asked whether they would accept of his company. Thor said yes.\nSkrymer took and loosed his provision-sack and began to eat his\nbreakfast; but Thor and his fellows did the same in another place.\nSkrymer proposed that they should lay their store of provisions\ntogether, to which Thor consented. Then Skrymer bound all their\nprovisions into one bag, laid it on his back, and led the way all the\nday, taking gigantic strides. Late in the evening he sought out a place\nfor their night quarters under a large oak. Then Skrymer said to Thor\nthat he wanted to lie down to sleep; they might take the provision-sack\nand make ready their supper. Then Skrymer fell asleep and snored\ntremendously. When Thor took the provision-sack and was to open it, then\nhappened what seems incredible, but still it must be told,--that he\ncould not get one knot loosened, nor could he stir a single end of the\nstrings so that it was looser than before. When he saw that all his\nefforts were in vain he became wroth, seized his hammer Mjolner with\nboth his hands, stepped with one foot forward to where Skrymer was lying\nand dashed the hammer at his head. Skrymer awoke and asked whether some\nleaf had fallen upon his head; whether they had taken their supper, and\nwere ready to go to sleep. Thor answered that they were just going to\nsleep. Then they went under another oak. But the truth must be told,\nthat there was no fearless sleeping. About midnight Thor heard that\nSkrymer was snoring and sleeping so fast that it thundered in the wood.\nHe arose and went over to him, clutched the hammer tight and hard, and\ngave him a blow in the middle of the crown, so that he knew that the\nhead of the hammer sank deep into his head. But just then Skrymer awoke\nand asked: What is that? Did an acorn fall onto my head? How is it with\nyou, Thor? Thor hastened back, answered that he had just waked up, and\nsaid that it was midnight and still time to sleep. Then Thor made up his\nmind that if he could get a chance to give him the third blow, he should\nnever see him again, and he now lay watching for Skrymer to sleep fast.\nShortly before daybreak he heard that Skrymer had fallen asleep. So he\narose and ran over to him. He clutched the hammer with all his might and\ndashed it at his temples, which he saw uppermost. The hammer sank up to\nthe handle. Skrymer sat up, stroked his temples, and said: Are there any\nbirds sitting in the tree above me? Methought, as I awoke, that some\nmoss from the branches fell on my head. What! are you awake, Thor? It is\nnow time to get up and dress; but you have not far left to the burg that\nis called Utgard. I have heard that you have been whispering among\nyourselves that I am not small of stature, but you will see greater men\nwhen you come to Utgard. Now I will give you wholesome advice. Do not\nbrag too much of yourselves, for Utgard-Loke\u2019s thanes will not brook the\nboasting of such insignificant little fellows as you are; otherwise turn\nback, and that is, in fact, the best thing for you to do. But if you are\nbound to continue your journey, then keep straight on eastward; my way\nlies to the north, to those mountains that you there see. Skrymer then\ntook the provision-sack and threw it on his back, and, leaving them,\nturned into the wood, and it has not been learned whether the asas\nwished to meet him again in health.\n47. Thor and his companions went their way and continued their journey\nuntil noon. Then they saw a burg standing on a plain, and it was so high\nthat they had to bend their necks clear back before they could look over\nit. They drew nearer and came to the burg-gate, which was closed. Thor\nfinding himself unable to open it, and being anxious to get within the\nburg, they crept between the bars and so came in. They discovered a\nlarge hall and went to it. Finding the door open they entered, and saw\nthere many men, the most of whom were immensely large, sitting on two\nbenches. Thereupon they approached the king, Utgard-Loke, and greeted\nhim. He scarcely deigned to look at them, smiled scornfully and showed\nhis teeth, saying: It is late to ask for tidings of a long journey, but\nif I am not mistaken this stripling is Oku-Thor, is it not? It may be,\nhowever, that you are really bigger than you look For what feats are you\nand your companions prepared? No one can stay with us here, unless he is\nskilled in some craft or accomplishment beyond the most of men. Then\nanswered he who came in last, namely Loke: I know the feat of which I am\nprepared to give proof, that there is no one present who can eat his\nfood faster than I. Then said Utgard-Loke: That is a feat, indeed,\nif you can keep your word, and you shall try it immediately. He then\nsummoned from the bench a man by name Loge, and requested him to come\nout on the floor and try his strength against Loke. They took a trough\nfull of meat and set it on the floor, whereupon Loke seated himself at\none end and Loge at the other. Both ate as fast as they could, and met\nat the middle of the trough. Loke had eaten all the flesh off from the\nbones, but Loge had consumed both the flesh and the bones, and the\ntrough too. All agreed that Loke had lost the wager. Then Utgard-Loke\nasked what game that young man knew? Thjalfe answered that he would try\nto run a race with anyone that Utgard-Loke might designate. Utgard-Loke\nsaid this was a good feat, and added that it was to be hoped that he\nexcelled in swiftness if he expected to win in this game, but he would\nsoon have the matter decided. He arose and went out. There was an\nexcellent race-course along the flat plain. Utgard-Loke then summoned a\nyoung man, whose name was Huge, and bade him run a race with Thjalfe.\nThen they took the first heat, and Huge was so much ahead that when he\nturned at the goal he met Thjalfe. Said Utgard-Loke: You must lay\nyourself more forward, Thjalfe, if you want to win the race; but this I\nconfess, that there has never before come anyone hither who was swifter\nof foot than you. Then they took a second heat, and when Huge came to\nthe goal and turned, there was a long bolt-shot to Thjalfe. Then said\nUtgard-Loke: Thjalfe seems to me to run well; still I scarcely think he\nwill win the race, but this will be proven when they run the third heat.\nThen they took one more heat. Huge ran to the goal and turned back, but\nThjalfe had not yet gotten to the middle of the course. Then all said\nthat this game had been tried sufficiently. Utgard-Loke now asked Thor\nwhat feats there were that he would be willing to exhibit before them,\ncorresponding to the tales that men tell of his great works. Thor\nreplied that he preferred to compete with someone in drinking.\nUtgard-Loke said there would be no objection to this. He went into the\nhall, called his cup-bearer, and requested him to take the sconce-horn\nthat his thanes were wont to drink from. The cup-bearer immediately\nbrought forward the horn and handed it to Thor. Said Utgard-Loke: From\nthis horn it is thought to be well drunk if it is emptied in one\ndraught, some men empty it in two draughts, but there is no drinker so\nwretched that he cannot exhaust it in three. Thor looked at the horn and\ndid not think it was very large, though it seemed pretty long, but he\nwas very thirsty. He put it to his lips and swallowed with all his\nmight, thinking that he should not have to bend over the horn a second\ntime. But when his breath gave out, and he looked into the horn to see\nhow it had gone with his drinking, it seemed to him difficult to\ndetermine whether there was less in it than before. Then said\nUtgard-Loke: That is well drunk, still it is not very much. I could\nnever have believed it, if anyone had told me, that Asa-Thor could not\ndrink more, but I know you will be able to empty it in a second draught.\nThor did not answer, but set the horn to his lips, thinking that he\nwould now take a larger draught. He drank as long as he could and drank\ndeep, as he was wont, but still he could not make the tip of the horn\ncome up as much as he would like. And when he set the horn away and\nlooked into it, it seemed to him that he had drunk less than the first\ntime; but the horn could now be borne without spilling. Then said\nUtgard-Loke: How now, Thor! Are you not leaving more for the third\ndraught than befits your skill? It seems to me that if you are to empty\nthe horn with the third draught, then this will be the greatest. You\nwill not be deemed so great a man here among us as the asas call you, if\nyou do not distinguish yourself more in other feats than you seem to me\nto have done in this. Then Thor became wroth, set the horn to his mouth\nand drank with all his might and kept on as long as he could, and when\nhe looked into it its contents had indeed visibly diminished, but he\ngave back the horn and would not drink any more. Said Utgard-Loke: It is\nclear that your might is not so great as we thought. Would you like to\ntry other games? It is evident that you gained nothing by the first.\nAnswered Thor: I should like to try other games, but I should be\nsurprised if such a drink at home among the asas would be called small.\nWhat game will you now offer me? Answered Utgard-Loke: Young lads here\nthink it nothing but play to lift my cat up from the ground, and I\nshould never have dared to offer such a thing to Asa-Thor had I not\nalready seen that you are much less of a man than I thought. Then there\nsprang forth on the floor a gray cat, and it was rather large. Thor went\nover to it, put his hand under the middle of its body and tried to lift\nit up, but the cat bent its back in the same degree as Thor raised his\nhands; and when he had stretched them up as far as he was able the cat\nlifted one foot, and Thor did not carry the game any further. Then said\nUtgard-Loke: This game ended as I expected. The cat is rather large, and\nThor is small, and little compared with the great men that are here with\nus. Said Thor: Little as you call me, let anyone who likes come hither\nand wrestle with me, for now I am wroth. Answered Utgard-Loke, looking\nabout him on the benches: I do not see anyone here who would not think\nit a trifle to wrestle with you. And again he said: Let me see first!\nCall hither that old woman, Elle, my foster-mother, and let Thor wrestle\nwith her if he wants to. She has thrown to the ground men who have\nseemed to me no less strong than Thor. Then there came into the hall an\nold woman. Utgard-Loke bade her take a wrestle with Asa-Thor. The tale\nis not long. The result of the grapple was, that the more Thor tightened\nhis grasp, the firmer she stood. Then the woman began to bestir herself,\nand Thor lost his footing. They had some very hard tussles, and before\nlong Thor was brought down on one knee. Then Utgard-Loke stepped\nforward, bade them cease the wrestling, and added that Thor did not need\nto challenge anybody else to wrestle with him in his hall, besides it\nwas now getting late. He showed Thor and his companions to seats, and\nthey spent the night there enjoying the best of hospitality.\n48. At daybreak the next day Thor and his companions arose, dressed\nthemselves and were ready to depart. Then came Utgard-Loke and had the\ntable spread for them, and there was no lack of feasting both in food\nand in drink. When they had breakfasted, they immediately departed from\nthe burg. Utgard-Loke went with them out of the burg, but at parting he\nspoke to Thor and asked him how he thought his journey had turned out,\nor whether he had ever met a mightier man than himself. Thor answered\nthat he could not deny that he had been greatly disgraced in this\nmeeting; and this I know, he added, that you will call me a man of\nlittle account, whereat I am much mortified. Then said Utgard-Loke: Now\nI will tell you the truth, since you have come out of the burg, that if\nI live, and may have my way, you shall never enter it again; and this I\nknow, forsooth, that you should never have come into it had I before\nknown that you were so strong, and that you had come so near bringing us\ninto great misfortune. Know, then, that I have deceived you with\nillusions. When I first found you in the woods I came to meet you, and\nwhen you were to loose the provision-sack I had bound it with iron\nthreads, but you did not find where it was to be untied. In the next\nplace, you struck me three times with the hammer. The first blow was the\nleast, and still it was so severe that it would have been my death if it\nhad hit me. You saw near my burg a mountain cloven at the top into three\nsquare dales, of which one was the deepest,--these were the dints made\nby your hammer. The mountain I brought before the blows without your\nseeing it. In like manner I deceived you in your contests with my\ncourtiers. In regard to the first, in which Loke took part, the facts\nwere as follows: He was very hungry and ate fast; but he whose name was\nLoge was wildfire, and he burned the trough no less rapidly than the\nmeat. When Thjalfe ran a race with him whose name was Huge, that was my\nthought, and it was impossible for him to keep pace with its swiftness.\nWhen you drank from the horn, and thought that it diminished so little,\nthen, by my troth, it was a great wonder, which I never could have\ndeemed possible.. One end of the horn stood in the sea, but that you did\nnot see. When you come to the sea-shore you will discover how much the\nsea has sunk by your drinking; that is now called the ebb. Furthermore\nhe said: Nor did it seem less wonderful to me that you lifted up the\ncat; and, to tell you the truth, all who saw it were frightened when\nthey saw that you raised one of its feet from the ground, for it was not\nsuch a cat as you thought. It was in reality the Midgard-serpent, which\nsurrounds all lands. It was scarcely long enough to touch the earth with\nits tail and head, and you raised it so high that your hand nearly\nreached to heaven. It was also a most astonishing feat when you wrestled\nwith Elle, for none has ever been, and none shall ever be, that Elle\n(eld, old age) will not get the better of him, though he gets to be old\nenough to abide her coming. And now the truth is that we must part; and\nit will be better for us both that you do not visit me again. I will\nagain defend my burg with similar or other delusions, so that you will\nget no power over me. When Thor heard this tale he seized his hammer and\nlifted it into the air, but when he was about to strike he saw\nUtgard-Loke nowhere; and when he turned back to the burg and was going\nto dash that to pieces, he saw a beautiful and large plain, but no burg.\nSo he turned and went his way back to Thrudvang. But it is truthfully\nasserted that he then resolved in his own mind to seek that meeting with\nthe Midgard-serpent, which afterward took place. And now I think that no\none can tell you truer tidings of this journey of Thor.\n49. Then said Ganglere: A most powerful man is Utgard-Loke, though he\ndeals much with delusions and sorcery. His power is also proven by the\nfact that he had thanes who were so mighty. But has not Thor avenged\nhimself for this? Made answer Har: It is not unknown, though no wise men\ntell thereof, how Thor made amends for the journey that has now been\nspoken of. He did not remain long at home, before he busked himself so\nsuddenly for a new journey, that he took neither chariot, nor goats nor\nany companions with him. He went out of Midgard in the guise of a young\nman, and came in the evening to a giant by name Hymer.[61] Thor tarried\nthere as a guest through the night. In the morning Hymer arose, dressed\nhimself, and busked himself to row out upon the sea to fish. Thor also\nsprang up, got ready in a hurry and asked Hymer whether he might row out\nwith him. Hymer answered that he would get but little help from Thor, as\nhe was so small and young; and he added, you will get cold if I row as\nfar out and remain as long as I am wont. Thor said that he might row as\nfar from shore as he pleased, for all that, and it was yet to be seen\nwho would be the first to ask to row back to land. And Thor grew so\nwroth at the giant that he came near letting the hammer ring on his head\nstraightway, but he restrained himself, for he intended to try his\nstrength elsewhere. He asked Hymer what they were to have for bait, but\nHymer replied that he would have to find his own bait. Then Thor turned\naway to where he saw a herd of oxen, that belonged to Hymer. He took the\nlargest ox, which was called Himinbrjot, twisted his head off and\nbrought it down to the sea-strand. Hymer had then shoved the boat off.\nThor went on board and seated himself in the stern; he took two oars and\nrowed so that Hymer had to confess that the boat sped fast from his\nrowing. Hymer plied the oars in the bow, and thus the rowing soon ended.\nThen said Hymer that they had come to the place where he was wont to sit\nand catch flat-fish, but Thor said he would like to row much farther\nout, and so they made another swift pull. Then said Hymer that they had\ncome so far out that it was dangerous to stay there, for the\nMidgard-serpent. Thor said he wished to row a while longer, and so he\ndid; but Hymer was by no means in a happy mood. Thor took in the oars,\ngot ready a very strong line, and the hook was neither less nor weaker.\nWhen he had put on the ox-head for bait, he cast it overboard and it\nsank to the bottom. It must be admitted that Thor now beguiled the\nMidgard-serpent not a whit less than Utgard-Loke mocked him when he was\nto lift the serpent with his hand. The Midgard-serpent took the ox-head\ninto his mouth, whereby the hook entered his palate, but when the\nserpent perceived this he tugged so hard that both Thor\u2019s hands were\ndashed against the gunwale. Now Thor became angry, assumed his asa-might\nand spurned so hard that both his feet went through the boat and he\nstood on the bottom of the sea. He pulled the serpent up to the gunwale;\nand in truth no one has ever seen a more terrible sight than when Thor\nwhet his eyes on the serpent, and the latter stared at him and spouted\nvenom. It is said that the giant Hymer changed hue and grew pale from\nfear when he saw the serpent and beheld the water flowing into the boat;\nbut just at the moment when Thor grasped the hammer and lifted it in the\nair, the giant fumbled for his fishing-knife and cut off Thor\u2019s line at\nthe gunwale, whereby the serpent sank back into the sea. Thor threw the\nhammer after it, and it is even said that he struck off his head at the\nbottom, but I think the truth is that the Midgard-serpent still lives\nand lies in the ocean. Thor clenched his fist and gave the giant a box\non the ear so that he fell backward into the sea, and he saw his heels\nlast, but Thor waded ashore.\n [Footnote 61: Called Ymer in the Younger Edda, but the Elder Edda\n calls him Hymer.]\nCHAPTER XV.\nTHE DEATH OF BALDER.\n50. Then asked Ganglere: Have there happened any other remarkable things\namong the asas? A great deed it was, forsooth, that Thor wrought on this\njourney. Har answered: Yes, indeed, there are tidings to be told that\nseemed of far greater importance to the asas. The beginning of this tale\nis, that Balder dreamed dreams great and dangerous to his life. When he\ntold these dreams to the asas they took counsel together, and it was\ndecided that they should seek peace for Balder against all kinds of\nharm. So Frigg exacted an oath from fire, water, iron and all kinds of\nmetal, stones, earth, trees, sicknesses, beasts, birds and creeping\nthings, that they should not hurt Balder. When this was done and made\nknown, it became the pastime of Balder and the asas that he should stand\nup at their meetings while some of them should shoot at him, others\nshould hew at him, while others should throw stones at him; but no\nmatter what they did, no harm came to him, and this seemed to all a\ngreat honor. When Loke, Laufey\u2019s son, saw this, it displeased him very\nmuch that Balder was not scathed. So he went to Frigg, in Fensal, having\ntaken on himself the likeness of a woman. Frigg asked this woman whether\nshe knew what the asas were doing at their meeting. She answered that\nall were shooting at Balder, but that he was not scathed thereby. Then\nsaid Frigg: Neither weapon nor tree can hurt Balder, I have taken an\noath from them all. Then asked the woman: Have all things taken an oath\nto spare Balder? Frigg answered: West of Valhal there grows a little\nshrub that is called the mistletoe, that seemed to me too young to exact\nan oath from. Then the woman suddenly disappeared. Loke went and pulled\nup the mistletoe and proceeded to the meeting. Hoder stood far to one\nside in the ring of men, because he was blind. Loke addressed himself to\nhim, and asked: Why do you not shoot at Balder? He answered: Because I\ndo not see where he is, and furthermore I have no weapons. Then said\nLoke: Do like the others and show honor to Balder; I will show you where\nhe stands; shoot at him with this wand. Hoder took the mistletoe and\nshot at Balder under the guidance of Loke. The dart pierced him and he\nfell dead to the ground. This is the greatest misfortune that has ever\nhappened to gods and men. When Balder had fallen, the asas were struck\nspeechless with horror, and their hands failed them to lay hold of the\ncorpse. One looked at the other, and all were of one mind toward him who\nhad done the deed, but being assembled in a holy peace-stead, no one\ncould take vengeance. When the asas at length tried to speak, the\nwailing so choked their voices that one could not describe to the other\nhis sorrow. Odin took this misfortune most to heart, since he best\ncomprehended how great a loss and injury the fall of Balder was to the\nasas. When the gods came to their senses, Frigg spoke and asked who\nthere might be among the asas who desired to win all her love and good\nwill by riding the way to Hel and trying to find Balder, and offering\nHel a ransom if she would allow Balder to return home again to Asgard.\nBut he is called Hermod, the Nimble, Odin\u2019s swain, who undertook this\njourney. Odin\u2019s steed, Sleipner, was led forth. Hermod mounted him and\ngalloped away.\n51. The asas took the corpse of Balder and brought it to the sea-shore.\nHringhorn was the name of Balder\u2019s ship, and it was the largest of all\nships. The gods wanted to launch it and make Balder\u2019s bale-fire thereon,\nbut they could not move it. Then they sent to Jotunheim after the\ngiantess whose name is Hyrrokken. She came riding on a wolf, and had\ntwisted serpents for reins. When she alighted, Odin appointed four\nberserks to take care of her steed, but they were unable to hold him\nexcept by throwing him down on the ground. Hyrrokken went to the prow\nand launched the ship with one single push, but the motion was so\nviolent that fire sprang from the underlaid rollers and all the earth\nshook. Then Thor became wroth, grasped his hammer, and would forthwith\nhave crushed her skull, had not all the gods asked peace for her.\nBalder\u2019s corpse was borne out on the ship; and when his wife, Nanna,\ndaughter of Nep, saw this, her heart was broken with grief and she died.\nShe was borne to the funeral-pile and cast on the fire. Thor stood by\nand hallowed the pile with Mjolner. Before his feet ran a dwarf, whose\nname is Lit. Him Thor kicked with his foot and dashed him into the fire,\nand he, too, was burned. But this funeral-pile was attended by many\nkinds of folk. First of all came Odin, accompanied by Frigg and the\nvalkyries and his ravens. Frey came riding in his chariot drawn by the\nboar called Gullinburste or Slidrugtanne. Heimdal rode his steed\nGulltop, and Freyja drove her cats. There was a large number of\nfrost-giants and mountain-giants. Odin laid on the funeral-pile his gold\nring, Draupner, which had the property of producing, every ninth night,\neight gold rings of equal weight. Balder\u2019s horse, fully caparisoned, was\nled to his master\u2019s pile.\n52. But of Hermod it is to be told that he rode nine nights through deep\nand dark valleys, and did not see light until he came to the\nGjallar-river and rode on the Gjallar-bridge, which is thatched with\nshining gold. Modgud is the name of the may who guards the bridge. She\nasked him for his name, and of what kin he was, saying that the day\nbefore there rode five fylkes (kingdoms, bands) of dead men over the\nbridge; but she added, it does not shake less under you alone, and you\ndo not have the hue of dead men. Why do you ride the way to Hel? He\nanswered: I am to ride to Hel to find Balder. Have you seen him pass\nthis way? She answered that Balder had ridden over the Gjallar-bridge;\nadding: But downward and northward lies the way to Hel. Then Hermod rode\non till he came to Hel\u2019s gate. He alighted from his horse, drew the\ngirths tighter, remounted him, clapped the spurs into him, and the horse\nleaped over the gate with so much force that he never touched it.\nThereupon Hermod proceeded to the hall and alighted from his steed. He\nwent in, and saw there sitting on the foremost seat his brother Balder.\nHe tarried there over night. In the morning he asked Hel whether Balder\nmight ride home with him, and told how great weeping there was among the\nasas. But Hel replied that it should now be tried whether Balder was so\nmuch beloved as was said. If all things, said she, both quick and dead,\nwill weep for him, then he shall go back to the asas, but if anything\nrefuses to shed tears, then he shall remain with Hel. Hermod arose, and\nBalder accompanied him out of the hall. He took the ring Draupner and\nsent it as a keepsake to Odin. Nanna sent Frigg a kerchief and other\ngifts, and to Fulla she sent a ring. Thereupon Hermod rode back and came\nto Asgard, where he reported the tidings he had seen and heard.\n53. Then the asas sent messengers over all the world, praying that\nBalder might be wept out of Hel\u2019s power. All things did so,--men and\nbeasts, the earth, stones, trees and all metals, just as you must have\nseen that these things weep when they come out of frost and into heat.\nWhen the messengers returned home and had done their errand well, they\nfound a certain cave wherein sat a giantess (gygr = ogress) whose name\nwas Thok. They requested her to weep Balder from Hel; but she answered:\n Thok will weep\n With dry tears\n For Balder\u2019s burial;\n Neither in life nor in death\n Gave he me gladness.\n Let Hel keep what she has!\nIt is generally believed that this Thok was Loke, Laufey\u2019s son, who has\nwrought most evil among the asas.\n54. Then said Ganglere: A very great wrong did Loke perpetrate; first of\nall in causing Balder\u2019s death, and next in standing in the way of his\nbeing loosed from Hel. Did he get no punishment for this misdeed? Har\nanswered: Yes, he was repaid for this in a way that he will long\nremember. The gods became exceedingly wroth, as might be expected. So he\nran away and hid himself in a rock. Here he built a house with four\ndoors, so that he might keep an outlook on all sides. Oftentimes in the\ndaytime he took on him the likeness of a salmon and concealed himself in\nFrananger Force. Then he thought to himself what stratagems the asas\nmight have recourse to in order to catch him. Now, as he was sitting in\nhis house, he took flax and yarn and worked them into meshes, in the\nmanner that nets have since been made; but a fire was burning before\nhim. Then he saw that the asas were not far distant. Odin had seen from\nHlidskjalf where Loke kept himself. Loke immediately sprang up, cast the\nnet on the fire and leaped into the river. When the asas came to the\nhouse, he entered first who was wisest of them all, and whose name was\nKvaser; and when he saw in the fire the ashes of the net that had been\nburned, he understood that this must be a contrivance for catching fish,\nand this he told to the asas. Thereupon they took flax and made\nthemselves a net after the pattern of that which they saw in the ashes\nand which Loke had made. When the net was made, the asas went to the\nriver and cast it into the force. Thor held one end of the net, and all\nthe other asas laid hold on the other, thus jointly drawing it along the\nstream. Loke went before it and laid himself down between two stones,\nso that they drew the net over him, although they perceived that some\nliving thing touched the meshes. They went up to the force again and\ncast out the net a second time. This time they hung a great weight to\nit, making it so heavy that nothing could possibly pass under it. Loke\nswam before the net, but when he saw that he was near the sea he sprang\nover the top of the net and hastened back to the force. When the asas\nsaw whither he went they proceeded up to the force, dividing themselves\ninto two bands, but Thor waded in the middle of the stream, and so they\ndragged the net along to the sea. Loke saw that he now had only two\nchances of escape,--either to risk his life and swim out to sea, or to\nleap again over the net. He chose the latter, and made a tremendous leap\nover the top line of the net. Thor grasped after him and caught him, but\nhe slipped in his hand so that Thor did not get a firm hold before he\ngot to the tail, and this is the reason why the salmon has so slim a\ntail. Now Loke was taken without truce and was brought to a cave. The\ngods took three rocks and set them up on edge, and bored a hole through\neach rock. Then they took Loke\u2019s sons, Vale and Nare or Narfe. Vale they\nchanged into the likeness of a wolf, whereupon he tore his brother Narfe\nto pieces, with whose intestines the asas bound Loke over the three\nrocks. One stood under his shoulders, another under his loins, and the\nthird under his hams, and the fetters became iron. Skade took a serpent\nand fastened up over him, so that the venom should drop from the serpent\ninto his face. But Sigyn, his wife, stands by him, and holds a dish\nunder the venom-drops. Whenever the dish becomes full, she goes and\npours away the venom, and meanwhile the venom drops onto Loke\u2019s face.\nThen he twists his body so violently that the whole earth shakes, and\nthis you call earthquakes. There he will lie bound until Ragnarok.\nCHAPTER XVI.\nRAGNAROK.\n55. Then said Ganglere: What tidings are to be told of Ragnarok? Of this\nI have never heard before. Har answered: Great things are to be said\nthereof. First, there is a winter called the Fimbul-winter, when snow\ndrives from all quarters, the frosts are so severe, the winds so keen\nand piercing, that there is no joy in the sun. There are three such\nwinters in succession, without any intervening summer. But before these\nthere are three other winters, during which great wars rage over all the\nworld. Brothers slay each other for the sake of gain, and no one spares\nhis father or mother in that manslaughter and adultery. Thus says the\nVala\u2019s Prophecy:\n Brothers will fight together\n And become each other\u2019s bane;\n Sisters\u2019 children\n Their sib shall spoil.[62]\n Hard is the world,\n Sensual sins grow huge.\n There are ax-ages, sword-ages--\n Shields are cleft in twain,--\n There are wind-ages, wolf-ages,\n Ere the world falls dead.[63]\n [Footnote 62: Commit adultery.]\n [Footnote 63: Elder Edda: The Vala\u2019s Prophecy, 48, 49.]\nThen happens what will seem a great miracle, that the wolf[64] devours\nthe sun, and this will seem a great loss. The other wolf will devour the\nmoon, and this too will cause great mischief. The stars shall be Hurled\nfrom heaven. Then it shall come to pass that the earth and the mountains\nwill shake so violently that trees will be torn up by the roots, the\nmountains will topple down, and all bonds and fetters will be broken and\nsnapped. The Fenris-wolf gets loose. The sea rushes over the earth, for\nthe Midgard-serpent writhes in giant rage and seeks to gain the land.\nThe ship that is called Naglfar also becomes loose. It is made of the\nnails of dead men; wherefore it is worth warning that, when a man dies\nwith unpared nails, he supplies a large amount of materials for the\nbuilding of this ship, which both gods and men wish may be finished as\nlate as possible. But in this flood Naglfar gets afloat. The giant Hrym\nis its steersman. The Fenris-wolf advances with wide open mouth; the\nupper jaw reaches to heaven and the lower jaw is on the earth. He would\nopen it still wider had he room. Fire flashes from his eyes and\nnostrils. The Midgard-serpent vomits forth venom, defiling all the air\nand the sea; he is very terrible, and places himself by the side of the\nwolf. In the midst of this clash and din the heavens are rent in twain,\nand the sons of Muspel come riding through the opening. Surt rides\nfirst, and before him and after him flames burning fire. He has a very\ngood sword, which shines brighter than the sun. As they ride over\nBifrost it breaks to pieces, as has before been stated. The sons of\nMuspel direct their course to the plain which is called Vigrid. Thither\nrepair also the Fenris-wolf and the Midgard-serpent. To this place have\nalso come Loke and Hrym, and with him all the frost-giants. In Loke\u2019s\ncompany are all the friends of Hel. The sons of Muspel have there\neffulgent bands alone by themselves. The plain Vigrid is one hundred\nmiles (rasts) on each side.\n [Footnote 64: Fenris-wolf.]\n56. While these things are happening, Heimdal stands up, blows with all\nhis might in the Gjallar-horn and awakens all the gods, who thereupon\nhold counsel. Odin rides to Mimer\u2019s well to ask advice of Mimer for\nhimself and his folk. Then quivers the ash Ygdrasil, and all things in\nheaven and earth fear and tremble. The asas and the einherjes arm\nthemselves and speed forth to the battle-field. Odin rides first; with\nhis golden helmet, resplendent byrnie, and his spear Gungner, he\nadvances against the Fenris-wolf. Thor stands by his side, but can give\nhim no assistance, for he has his hands full in his struggle with the\nMidgard-serpent. Frey encounters Surt, and heavy blows are exchanged ere\nFrey falls. The cause of his death is that he has not that good sword\nwhich he gave to Skirner. Even the dog Garm, that was bound before the\nGnipa-cave, gets loose. He is the greatest plague. He contends with Tyr,\nand they kill each other. Thor gets great renown by slaying the\nMidgard-serpent, but retreats only nine paces when he falls to the earth\ndead, poisoned by the venom that the serpent blows on him. The wolf\nswallows Odin, and thus causes his death; but Vidar immediately turns\nand rushes at the wolf, placing one foot on his nether jaw. On this foot\nhe has the shoe for which materials have been gathering through all\nages, namely, the strips of leather which men cut off for the toes and\nheels of shoes; wherefore he who wishes to render assistance to the asas\nmust cast these strips away. With one hand Vidar seizes the upper jaw of\nthe wolf, and thus rends asunder his mouth. Thus the wolf perishes. Loke\nfights with Heimdal, and they kill each other. Thereupon Surt flings\nfire over the earth and burns up all the world. Thus it is said in the\nVala\u2019s Prophecy:\n Loud blows Heimdal\n His uplifted horn.\n Odin speaks\n With Mimer\u2019s head.\n The straight-standing ash\n Ygdrasil quivers,\n The old tree groans,\n And the giant gets loose.\n How fare the asas?\n How fare the elves?\n All Jotunheim roars.\n The asas hold counsel;\n Before their stone-doors\n Groan the dwarfs,\n The guides of the wedge-rock.\n Know you now more or not?\n From the east drives Hrym,\n Bears his shield before him.\n Jormungand welters\n In giant rage\n And smites the waves.\n The eagle screams,\n And with pale beak tears corpses,\n Naglfar gets loose.\n A ship comes from the east,\n The hosts of Muspel\n Come o\u2019er the main,\n And Loke is steersman.\n All the fell powers\n Are with the wolf;\n Along with them\n Is Byleist\u2019s brother.[65]\n From the south comes Surt\n With blazing fire-brand,--\n The sun of the war-god\n Shines from his sword.\n Mountains dash together,\n Giant maids are frightened,\n Heroes go the way to Hel,\n And heaven is rent in twain.\n Then comes to Hlin\n Another woe,\n When Odin goes\n With the wolf to fight,\n And Bele\u2019s bright slayer[66]\n To contend with Surt.\n There will fall\n Frigg\u2019s beloved.\n Odin\u2019s son goes\n To fight with the wolf,\n And Vidar goes on his way\n To the wild beast.[67]\n With his hand he thrusts\n His sword to the heart\n Of the giant\u2019s child,\n And avenges his father.\n Then goes the famous\n Son[68] of Hlodyn\n To fight with the serpent.\n Though about to die,\n He fears not the contest;\n All men\n Abandon their homesteads\n When the warder of Midgard\n In wrath slays the serpent.\n The sun grows dark,\n The earth sinks into the sea,\n The bright stars\n From heaven vanish;\n Fire rages,\n Heat blazes,\n And high flames play\n \u2019Gainst heaven itself.[69]\n [Footnote 65: Loke.]\n [Footnote 66: Frey.]\n [Footnote 67: The Fenris-wolf.]\n [Footnote 68: Thor.]\n [Footnote 69: Elder Edda: The Vala\u2019s Prophecy, 50-52, 54-57, 59,\nAnd again it is said as follows:\n Vigrid is the name of the plain\n Where in fight shall meet\n Surt and the gentle god.\n A hundred miles\n It is every way.\n This field is marked out for them.[70]\n [Footnote 70: Elder Edda: Vafthrudner\u2019s Lay, 18.]\nCHAPTER XVII.\nREGENERATION.\n57. Then asked Ganglere: What happens when heaven and earth and all the\nworld are consumed in flames, and when all the gods and all the\neinherjes and all men are dead? You have already said that all men shall\nlive in some world through all ages. Har answered: There are many good\nand many bad abodes. Best it is to be in Gimle, in heaven. Plenty is\nthere of good drink for those who deem this a joy in the hall called\nBrimer. That is also in heaven. There is also an excellent hall which\nstands on the Nida mountains. It is built of red gold, and is called\nSindre. In this hall good and well-minded men shall dwell. Nastrand is a\nlarge and terrible hall, and its doors open to the north. It is built of\nserpents wattled together, and all the heads of the serpents turn into\nthe hall and vomit forth venom that flows in streams along the hall, and\nin these streams wade perjurers and murderers. So it is here said:\n A hall I know standing\n Far from the sun\n On the strand of dead bodies.\n Drops of venom\n Fall through the loop-holes.\n Of serpents\u2019 backs\n The hall is made.\n There shall wade\n Through heavy streams\n Perjurers\n And murderers.\nBut in Hvergelmer it is worst.\n There tortures Nidhug\n The bodies of the dead.[71]\n [Footnote 71: Elder Edda: The Vala\u2019s Prophecy, 40, 41.]\n58. Then said Ganglere: Do any gods live then? Is there any earth or\nheaven? Har answered: The earth rises again from the sea, and is green\nand fair. The fields unsown produce their harvests. Vidar and Vale live.\nNeither the sea nor Surfs fire has harmed them, and they dwell on the\nplains of Ida, where Asgard was before. Thither come also the sons of\nThor, Mode and Magne, and they have Mjolner. Then come Balder and Hoder\nfrom Hel. They all sit together and talk about the things that happened\naforetime,--about the Midgard-serpent and the Fenris-wolf. They find in\nthe grass those golden tables which the asas once had. Thus it is said:\n Vidar and Vale\n Dwell in the house of the gods,\n When quenched is the fire of Surt.\n Mode and Magne\n Vingner\u2019s Mjolner shall have\n When the fight is ended.[72]\n [Footnote 72: Elder Edda: Vafthrudner\u2019s Lay, 51.]\nIn a place called Hodmimer\u2019s-holt[73] are concealed two persons during\nSurt\u2019s fire, called Lif and Lifthraser. They feed on the morning dew.\nFrom these so numerous a race is descended that they fill the whole\nworld with people, as is here said:\n Lif and Lifthraser\n Will lie hid\n In Hodmimer\u2019s-holt.\n The morning dew\n They have for food.\n From them are the races descended.[74]\n [Footnote 73: Holt = grove.]\n [Footnote 74: Elder Edda: Vafthrudner\u2019s Lay, 45.]\nBut what will seem wonderful to you is that the sun has brought forth a\ndaughter not less fair than herself, and she rides in the heavenly\ncourse of her mother, as is here said:\n A daughter\n Is born of the sun\n Ere Fenrer takes her.\n In her mother\u2019s course\n When the gods are dead\n This maid shall ride.[75]\n [Footnote 75: Elder Edda: Vafthrudner\u2019s Lay, 47.]\nAnd if you now can ask more questions, said Har to Ganglere, I know not\nwhence that power came to you. I have never heard any one tell further\nthe fate of the world. Make now the best use you can of what has been\ntold you.\n59. Then Ganglere heard a terrible noise on all sides, and when he\nlooked about him he stood out-doors on a level plain. He saw neither\nhall nor burg. He went his way and came back to his kingdom, and told\nthe tidings which he had seen and heard, and ever since those tidings\nhave been handed down from man to man.\nAFTERWORD\nTO THE FOOLING OF GYLFE.\nThe asas now sat down to talk, and held their counsel, and remembered\nall the tales that were told to Gylfe. They gave the very same names\nthat had been named before to the men and places that were there. This\nthey did for the reason that, when a long time has elapsed, men should\nnot doubt that those asas of whom these tales were now told and those to\nwhom the same names were given were all identical. There was one who is\ncalled Thor, and he is Asa-Thor, the old. He is Oku-Thor, and to him are\nascribed the great deeds done by Hektor in Troy. But men think that the\nTurks have told of Ulysses, and have called him Loke, for the Turks were\nhis greatest enemies.\nBRAGE\u2019S TALK.\nCHAPTER I.\n\u00c6GER\u2019S JOURNEY TO ASGARD.\n1. A man by name \u00c6ger, or Hler, who dwelt on the island called Hler\u2019s\nIsle, was well skilled in the black art. He made a journey to Asgard.\nBut the asas knew of his coming and gave him a friendly reception; but\nthey also made use of many sorts of delusions. In the evening, when the\nfeast began, Odin had swords brought into the hall, and they were so\nbright that it glistened from them so that there was no need of any\nother light while they sat drinking. Then went the asas to their feast,\nand the twelve asas who were appointed judges seated themselves in their\nhigh-seats. These are their names: Thor, Njord, Frey, Tyr, Heimdal,\nBrage, Vidar, Vale, Uller, Honer, Forsete, Loke. The asynjes (goddesses)\nalso were with them: Frigg, Freyja, Gefjun, Idun, Gerd, Sigyn, Fulla,\nNanna. \u00c6ger thought all that he saw looked very grand. The panels of the\nwalls were all covered with beautiful shields. The mead was very strong,\nand they drank deep. Next to \u00c6ger sat Brage, and they talked much\ntogether over their drink. Brage spoke to \u00c6ger of many things that had\nhappened to the asas.\nCHAPTER II.\nIDUN AND HER APPLES.\n2. Brage began his tale by telling how three asas, Odin, Loke and Honer,\nwent on a journey over mountains and heaths, where they could get\nnothing to eat. But when they came down into a valley they saw a herd of\ncattle. From this herd they took an ox and went to work to boil it. When\nthey deemed that it must be boiled enough they uncovered the broth, but\nit was not yet done. After a little while they lifted the cover off\nagain, but it was not yet boiled. They talked among themselves about how\nthis could happen. Then they heard a voice in the oak above them, and he\nwho sat there said that he was the cause that the broth did not get\nboiled. They looked up and saw an eagle, and it was not a small one.\nThen said the eagle: If you will give me my fill of the ox, then the\nbroth will be boiled. They agreed to this. So he flew down from the\ntree, seated himself beside the boiling broth, and immediately snatched\nup first the two thighs of the ox and then both the shoulders. This made\nLoke wroth: he grasped a large pole, raised it with all his might and\ndashed it at the body of the eagle. The eagle shook himself after the\nblow and flew up. One end of the pole fastened itself to the body of the\neagle, and the other end stuck to Loke\u2019s hands. The eagle flew just high\nenough so that Loke\u2019s feet were dragged over stones and rocks and trees,\nand it seemed to him that his arms would be torn from his\nshoulder-blades. He calls and prays the eagle most earnestly for peace,\nbut the latter declares that Loke shall never get free unless he will\npledge himself to bring Idun and her apples out of Asgard. When Loke had\npromised this, he was set free and went to his companions again; and no\nmore is related of this journey, except that they returned home. But at\nthe time agreed upon, Loke coaxed Idun out of Asgard into a forest,\nsaying that he had found apples that she would think very nice, and he\nrequested her to take with her her own apples in order to compare them.\nThen came the giant Thjasse in the guise of an eagle, seized Idun and\nflew away with her to his home in Thrymheim. The asas were ill at ease\non account of the disappearance of Idun,--they became gray-haired and\nold. They met in council and asked each other who last had seen Idun.\nThe last that had been seen of her was that she had gone out of Asgard\nin company with Loke. Then Loke was seized and brought into the council,\nand he was threatened with death or torture. But he became frightened,\nand promised to bring Idun back from Jotunheim if Freyja would lend him\nthe falcon-guise that she had. He got the falcon-guise, flew north into\nJotunheim, and came one day to the giant Thjasse. The giant had rowed\nout to sea, and Idun was at home alone. Loke turned her into the\nlikeness of a nut, held her in his claws and flew with all his might.\nBut when Thjasse returned home and missed Idun, he took on his\neagle-guise, flew after Loke, gaining on the latter with his eagle\nwings. When the asas saw the falcon coming flying with the nut, and how\nthe eagle flew, they went to the walls of Asgard and brought with them\nbundles of plane-shavings. When the falcon flew within the burg, he let\nhimself drop down beside the burg-wall. Then the asas kindled a fire in\nthe shavings; and the eagle, being unable to stop himself when he missed\nthe falcon, caught fire in his feathers, so that he could not fly any\nfarther. The asas were on hand and slew the giant Thjasse within the\ngates of Asgard, and that slaughter is most famous.\nCHAPTER III.\nHOW NJORD GOT SKADE TO WIFE.\nSkade, the daughter of the giant Thjasse, donned her helmet, and byrnie,\nand all her war-gear, and betook herself to Asgard to avenge her\nfather\u2019s death. The asas offered her ransom and atonement; and it was\nagreed to, in the first place, that she should choose herself a husband\namong the asas, but she was to make her choice by the feet, which was\nall she was to see of their persons. She saw one man\u2019s feet that were\nwonderfully beautiful, and exclaimed: This one I choose! On Balder there\nare few blemishes. But it was Njord, from Noatun. In the second place,\nit was stipulated that the asas were to do what she did not deem them\ncapable of, and that was to make her laugh. Then Loke tied one end of a\nstring fast to the beard of a goat and the other around his own body,\nand one pulled this way and the other that, and both of them shrieked\nout loud. Then Loke let himself fall on Skade\u2019s knees, and this made her\nlaugh. It is said that Odin did even more than was asked, in that he\ntook Thjasse\u2019s eyes and cast them up into heaven, and made two stars of\nthem. Then said \u00c6ger: This Thjasse seems to me to have been considerable\nof a man; of what kin was he? Brage answered: His father\u2019s name was\nOlvalde, and if I told you of him, you would deem it very remarkable.\nHe was very rich in gold, and when he died and his sons were to divide\ntheir heritage, they had this way of measuring the gold, that each\nshould take his mouthful of gold, and they should all take the same\nnumber of mouthfuls. One of them was Thjasse, another Ide, and the third\nGang. But we now have it as a saw among us, that we call gold the\nmouth-number of these giants. In runes and songs we wrap the gold up by\ncalling it the measure, or word, or tale, of these giants. Then said\n\u00c6ger: It seems to me that it will be well hidden in the runes.\nCHAPTER IV.\nTHE ORIGIN OF POETRY.\n3. And again said \u00c6ger: Whence originated the art that is called\nskaldship? Made answer Brage: The beginning of this was, that the gods\nhad a war with the people that are called vans. They agreed to hold a\nmeeting for the purpose of making peace, and settled their dispute in\nthis wise, that they both went to a jar and spit into it. But at parting\nthe gods, being unwilling to let this mark of peace perish, shaped it\ninto a man whose name was Kvaser, and who was so wise that no one could\nask him any question that he could not answer. He traveled much about in\nthe world to teach men wisdom. Once he came to the home of the dwarfs\nFjalar and Galar. They called him aside, saying they wished to speak\nwith him alone, slew him and let his blood run into two jars called Son\nand Bodn, and into a kettle called Odrarer. They mixed honey with the\nblood, and thus was produced such mead that whoever drinks from it\nbecomes a skald and sage. The dwarfs told the asas that Kvaser had\nchoked in his wisdom, because no one was so wise that he could ask him\nenough about learning.\n4. Then the dwarfs invited to themselves the giant whose name is\nGilling, and his wife; and when he came they asked him to row out to sea\nwith them. When they had gotten a short distance from shore, the dwarfs\nrowed onto a blind rock and capsized the boat. Gilling, who was unable\nto swim, was drowned, but the dwarfs righted the boat again and rowed\nashore. When they told of this mishap to his wife she took it much to\nheart, and began to cry aloud. Then Fjalar asked her whether it would\nnot lighten her sorrow if she could look out upon the sea where her\nhusband had perished, and she said it would. He then said to his brother\nGalar that he should go up over the doorway, and as she passed out he\nshould let a mill-stone drop onto her head, for he said he was tired of\nher bawling, Galar did so. When the giant Suttung, the son of Gilling,\nfound this out he came and seized the dwarfs, took them out to sea and\nleft them on a rocky island, which was flooded at high tide. They prayed\nSuttung to spare their lives, and offered him in atonement for their\nfather\u2019s blood the precious mead, which he accepted. Suttung brought the\nmead home with him, and hid it in a place called Hnitbjorg. He set his\ndaughter Gunlad to guard it. For these reasons we call songship Kvaser\u2019s\nblood; the drink of the dwarfs; the dwarfs\u2019 fill; some kind of liquor of\nOdrarer, or Bodn or Son; the ship of the dwarfs (because this mead\nransomed their lives from the rocky isle); the mead of Suttung, or the\nliquor of Hnitbjorg.\n5. Then remarked \u00c6ger: It seems dark to me to call songship by these\nnames; but how came the asas by Suttung\u2019s mead? Answered Brage: The saga\nabout this is, that Odin set out from home and came to a place where\nnine thralls were mowing hay. He asked them whether they would like to\nhave him whet their scythes. To this they said yes. Then he took a\nwhet-stone from his belt and whetted the scythes. They thought their\nscythes were much improved, and asked whether the whet-stone was for\nsale. He answered that he who would buy it must pay a fair price for it.\nAll said they were willing to give the sum demanded, and each wanted\nOdin to sell it to him. But he threw the whet-stone up in the air, and\nwhen all wished to catch it they scrambled about it in such a manner\nthat each brought his scythe onto the other\u2019s neck. Odin sought lodgings\nfor the night at the house of the giant Bauge, who was a brother of\nSuttung. Bauge complained of what had happened to his household, saying\nthat his nine thralls had slain each other, and that he did not know\nwhere he should get other workmen. Odin called himself Bolverk. He\noffered to undertake the work of the nine men for Bauge, but asked in\npayment therefor a drink of Suttung\u2019s mead. Bauge answered that he had\nno control over the mead, saying that Suttung was bound to keep that for\nhimself alone. But he agreed to go with Bolverk and try whether they\ncould get the mead. During the summer Bolverk did the work of the nine\nmen for Bauge, but when winter came he asked for his pay. Then they both\nwent to Suttung. Bauge explained to Suttung his bargain with Bolverk,\nbut Suttung stoutly refused to give even a drop of the mead. Bolverk\nthen proposed to Bauge that they should try whether they could not get\nat the mead by the aid of some trick, and Bauge agreed to this. Then\nBolverk drew forth the auger which is called Rate, and requested Bauge\nto bore a hole through the rock, if the auger was sharp enough. He did\nso. Then said Bauge that there was a hole through the rock; but Bolverk\nblowed into the hole that the auger had made, and the chips flew back\ninto his face. Thus he saw that Bauge intended to deceive him, and\ncommanded him to bore through. Bauge bored again, and when Bolverk blew\na second time the chips flew inward. Now Bolverk changed himself into\nthe likeness of a serpent and crept into the auger-hole. Bauge thrust\nafter him with the auger, but missed him. Bolverk went to where Gunlad\nwas, and shared her couch for three nights. She then promised to give\nhim three draughts from the mead. With the first draught he emptied\nOdrarer, in the second Bodn, and in the third Son, and thus he had all\nthe mead. Then he took on the guise of an eagle, and flew off as fast as\nhe could. When Suttung saw the flight of the eagle, he also took on the\nshape of an eagle and flew after him. When the asas saw Odin coming,\nthey set their jars out in the yard. When Odin reached Asgard, he spewed\nthe mead up into the jars. He was, however, so near being caught by\nSuttung, that he sent some of the mead after him backward, and as no\ncare was taken of this, anybody that wished might have it. This we call\nthe share of poetasters. But Suttung\u2019s mead Odin gave to the asas and to\nthose men who are able to make verses. Hence we call songship Odin\u2019s\nprey, Odin\u2019s find, Odin\u2019s drink, Odin\u2019s gift, and the drink of the asas.\n6. Then said \u00c6ger: In how many ways do you vary the poetical\nexpressions, or how many kinds of poetry are there? Answered Brage:\nThere are two kinds, and all poetry falls into one or the other of these\nclasses. \u00c6ger asks: Which two? Brage answers: Diction and meter. What\ndiction is used in poetry? There are three sorts of poetic diction.\nWhich? One is to name everything by its own name; another is to name it\nwith a pronoun, but the third sort of diction is called _kenning_ (a\npoetical periphrasis or descriptive name); and this sort is so managed\nthat when we name Odin, or Thor or Tyr, or any other of the asas or\nelves, we add to their name a reference to some other asa, or we make\nmention of some of his works. Then the appellation belongs to him who\ncorresponds to the whole phrase, and not to him who was actually named.\nThus we speak of Odin as Sigtyr, Hangatyr or Farmatyr, and such names we\ncall simple appellatives. In the same manner he is called Reidartyr.\nAFTERWORD\nTO BRAGE\u2019S TALK.\nNow it is to be said to young skalds who are desirous of acquiring the\ndiction of poetry, or of increasing their store of words with old names,\nor, on the other hand, are eager to understand what is obscurely sung,\nthat they must master this book for their instruction and pastime. These\nsagas are not to be so forgotten or disproved as to take away from\npoetry old periphrases which great skalds have been pleased with. But\nchristian men should not believe in heathen gods, nor in the truth of\nthese sagas, otherwise than is explained in the beginning of this book,\nwhere the events are explained which led men away from the true faith,\nand where it, in the next place, is told of the Turks how the men from\nAsia, who are called asas, falsified the tales of the things that\nhappened in Troy, in order that the people should believe them to be\ngods.\nKing Priam in Troy was a great chief over all the Turkish host, and his\nsons were the most distinguished men in his whole army. That excellent\nhall, which the asas called Brime\u2019s Hall, or beer-hall, was King Priam\u2019s\npalace. As for the long tale that they tell of Ragnarok, that is the\nwars of the Trojans. When it is said that Oku-Thor angled with an\nox-head and drew on board the Midgard-serpent, but that the serpent kept\nhis life and sank back into the sea, then this is another version of the\nstory that Hektor slew Volukrontes, a famous hero, in the presence of\nAchilleus, and so drew the latter onto him with the head of the slain,\nwhich they likened unto the head of an ox, which Oku-Thor had torn off.\nWhen Achilleus was drawn into this danger, on account of his daring,\nit was the salvation of his life that he fled from the fatal blows of\nHektor, although he was wounded. It is also said that Hektor waged the\nwar so mightily, and that his rage was so great when he caught sight of\nAchilleus, that nothing was so strong that it could stand before him.\nWhen he missed Achilleus, who had fled, he soothed his wrath by slaying\nthe champion called Roddros. But the asas say that when Oku-Thor missed\nthe serpent, he slew the giant Hymer. In Ragnarok the Midgard serpent\ncame suddenly upon Thor and blew venom onto him, and thus struck him\ndead. But the asas could not make up their minds to say that this had\nbeen the fate of Oku-Thor, that anyone stood over him dead, though this\nhad so happened. They rushed headlong over old sagas more than was true\nwhen they said that the Midgard-serpent there got his death; and they\nadded this to the story, that Achilleus reaped the fame of Hektor\u2019s\ndeath, though he lay dead on the same battle-field on that account. This\nwas the work of Elenus and Alexander, and Elenus the asas call Ale. They\nsay that he avenged his brother, and that he lived when all the gods\nwere dead, and after the fire was quenched that burned up Asgard and all\nthe possessions of the gods. Pyrrhos they compared with the Fenris-wolf.\nHe slew Odin, and Pyrrhos might be called a wolf according to their\nbelief, for he did not spare the peace-steads, when he slew the king in\nthe temple before the altar of Thor. The burning of Troy they call the\nflame of Surt. Mode and Magne, the sons of Oku-Thor, came to crave the\nland of Ale or Vidar. He is \u00c6neas. He came away from Troy, and wrought\nthereupon great works. It is said that the sons of Hektor came to\nFrigialand and established themselves in that kingdom, but banished\nElenus.\nEXTRACTS FROM\nTHE POETICAL DICTION.\n(SKALDSKAPARMAL.)[76]\n [Footnote 76: This part of the Younger Edda corresponds to the\n Latin Ars Poetica, and contains the rules and laws of ancient\n poetry.]\nTHOR AND HRUNGNER.\nBrage told \u00c6ger that Thor had gone eastward to crush trolls. Odin rode\non his horse Sleipner to Jotunheim, and came to the giant whose name is\nHrungner. Then asked Hrungner what man that was who with a golden helmet\nrode both through the air and over the sea, and added that he had a\nremarkably good horse. Odin said that he would wager his head that so\ngood a horse could not be found in Jotunheim. Hrungner admitted that it\nwas indeed an excellent horse, but he had one, called Goldfax, that\ncould take much longer paces; and in his wrath he immediately sprang\nupon his horse and galloped after Odin, intending to pay him for his\ninsolence. Odin rode so fast that he was a good distance ahead, but\nHrungner had worked himself into such a giant rage that, before he was\naware of it, he had come within the gates of Asgard. When he came to the\nhall door, the asas invited him to drink with them. He entered the hall\nand requested a drink. They then took the bowls that Thor was accustomed\nto drink from, and Hrungner emptied them all. When he became drunk, he\ngave the freest vent to his loud boastings. He said he was going to take\nValhal and move it to Jotunheim, demolish Asgard and kill all the gods\nexcept Freyja and Sif, whom he was going to take home with him. When\nFreyja went forward to refill the bowls for him, he boasted that he was\ngoing to drink up all the ale of the asas. But when the asas grew weary\nof his arrogance, they named Thor\u2019s name. At once Thor was in the hall,\nswung his hammer in the air, and, being exceedingly wroth, asked who was\nto blame that dog-wise giants were permitted to drink there, who had\ngiven Hrungner permission to be in Valhal, and why Freyja should pour\nale for him as she did in the feasts of the asas. Then answered\nHrungner, looking with anything but friendly eyes at Thor, and said that\nOdin had invited him to drink, and that he was there under his\nprotection. Thor replied that he should come to rue that invitation\nbefore he came out. Hrungner again answered that it would be but little\ncredit to Asa-Thor to kill him, unarmed as he was. It would be a greater\nproof of his valor if he dared fight a duel with him at the boundaries\nof his territory, at Grjottungard. It was very foolish of me, he said,\nthat I left my shield and my flint-stone at home; had I my weapons here,\nyou and I would try a holmgang (duel on a rocky island); but as this is\nnot the case, I declare you a coward if you kill me unarmed. Thor was by\nno means the man to refuse to fight a duel when he was challenged, an\nhonor which never had been shown him before. Then Hrungner went his way,\nand hastened with all his might back to Jotunheim. His journey became\nfamous among the giants, and the proposed meeting with Thor was much\ntalked of. They regarded it very important who should gain the victory,\nand they feared the worst from Thor if Hrungner should be defeated, for\nhe was the strongest among them. Thereupon the giants made at\nGrjottungard a man of clay, who was nine rasts tall and three rasts\nbroad under the arms, but being unable to find a heart large enough to\nbe suitable for him, they took the heart from a mare, but even this\nfluttered and trembled when Thor came. Hrungner had, as is well known,\na heart of stone, sharp and three-sided; just as the rune has since been\nristed that is called Hrungner\u2019s heart. Even his head was of stone. His\nshield was of stone, and was broad and thick, and he was holding this\nshield before him as he stood at Grjottungard waiting for Thor. His\nweapon was a flint-stone, which he swung over his shoulders, and\naltogether he presented a most formidable aspect. On one side of him\nstood the giant of clay, who was named Mokkerkalfe. He was so\nexceedingly terrified, that it is said that he wet himself when he saw\nThor. Thor proceeded to the duel, and Thjalfe was with him. Thjalfe ran\nforward to where Hrungner was standing, and said to him: You stand illy\nguarded, giant; you hold the shield before you, but Thor has seen you;\nhe goes down into the earth and will attack you from below. Then\nHrungner thrust the shield under his feet and stood on it, but the\nflint-stone he seized with both his hands. The next that he saw were\nflashes of lightning, and he heard loud crashings; and then he saw Thor\nin his asa-might advancing with impetuous speed, swinging his hammer and\nhurling it from afar at Hrungner. Hrungner seized the flint-stone with\nboth his hands and threw it against the hammer. They met in the air, and\nthe flint-stone broke. One part fell to the earth, and from it have come\nthe flint-mountains; the other part hit Thor\u2019s head with such force that\nhe fell forward to the ground. But the hammer Mjolner hit Hrungner right\nin the head, and crushed his skull in small pieces. He himself fell\nforward over Thor, so that his foot lay upon Thor\u2019s neck. Meanwhile\nThjalfe attacked Mokkerkalfe, who fell with but little honor. Then\nThjalfe went to Thor and was to take Hrungner\u2019s foot off from him, but\nhe had not the strength to do it. When the asas learned that Thor had\nfallen, they all came to take the giant\u2019s foot off, but none of them was\nable to move it. Then came Magne, the son of Thor and Jarnsaxa. He was\nonly three nights of age. He threw Hrungner\u2019s foot off Thor, and said It\nwas a great mishap, father, that I came so late. I think I could have\nslain this giant with my fist, had I met him. Then Thor arose, greeted\nhis son lovingly, saying that he would become great and powerful; and,\nadded he, I will give you the horse Goldfax, that belonged to Hrungner.\nOdin said that Thor did wrong in giving so fine a horse to the son of a\ngiantess, instead of to his father. Thor went home to Thrudvang, but the\nflint-stone still stuck fast in his head. Then came the vala whose name\nis Groa, the wife of Orvandel the Bold. She sang her magic songs over\nThor until the flint-stone became loose. But when Thor perceived this,\nand was just expecting that the flint-stone would disappear, he desired\nto reward Groa for her healing, and make her heart glad. So he related\nto her how he had waded from the north over the Elivogs rivers, and had\nborne in a basket on his back Orvandel from Jotunheim; and in evidence\nof this he told her how that one toe of his had protruded from the\nbasket and had frozen, wherefore Thor had broken it off and had cast it\nup into the sky, and made of it the star which is called Orvandel\u2019s toe.\nFinally he added that it would not be long before Orvandel would come\nhome. But Groa became so glad that she forgot her magic songs, and so\nthe flint-stone became no looser than it was, and it sticks fast in\nThor\u2019s head yet. For this reason it is forbidden to throw a flint-stone\nacross the floor, for then the stone in Thor\u2019s head is moved. Out of\nthis saga Thjodolf of Hvin has made a song:\n We have ample evidence\n Of the giant-terrifier\u2019s[77] journey\n To Grjottungard, to the giant Hrungner,\n In the midst of encircling flames.\n The courage waxed high in Meile\u2019s brother;[78]\n The moon-way trembled\n When Jord\u2019s son[79] went\n To the steel-gloved contest.\n The heavens stood all in flames\n For Uller\u2019s step-father,[80]\n And the earth rocked.\n Svolne\u2019s[81] widow[82] burst asunder\n When the span of goats\n Drew the sublime chariot\n And its divine master\n To the meeting with Hrungner.\n Balder\u2019s brother[83] did not tremble\n Before the greedy fiend of men;\n Mountains quaked and rocks broke;\n The heavens were wrapped in flames.\n Much did the giant\n Get frightened, I learn,\n When his bane man he saw\n Ready to slay him.\n Swiftly the gray shield flew\n \u2019Neath the heels of the giant.\n So the gods willed it,\n So willed it the valkyries.\n Hrungner the giant,\n Eager for slaughter,\n Needed not long to wait for blows\n From the valiant friend of the hammer.\n The slayer[84] of Bele\u2019s evil race\n Made fall the bear of the loud-roaring mountain;[85]\n On his shield\n Bite the dust\n Must the giant\n Before the sharp-edged hammer,\n When the giant-crusher\n Stood against the mighty Hrungner,\n And the flint-stone\n (So hard to break)\n Of the friend of the troll-women\n Into the skull did whiz\n Of Jord\u2019s son,[86]\n And this flinty piece\n Fast did stick\n In Eindride\u2019s[87] blood;\n Until Orvandel\u2019s wife,\n Magic songs singing,\n From the head of Thor\n Removed the giant\u2019s\n Excellent flint-stone.\n All do I know\n About that shield-journey.\n A shield adorned\n With hues most splendid\n I received from Thorleif.\n [Footnote 77: Thor\u2019s.]\n [Footnote 78: Thor.]\n [Footnote 79: Jord\u2019s (= earth\u2019s) son = Thor.]\n [Footnote 80: Thor.]\n [Footnote 81: Odin\u2019s.]\n [Footnote 82: The earth.]\n [Footnote 83: Thor.]\n [Footnote 84: Thor.]\n [Footnote 85: The giant Hrungner.]\n [Footnote 86: Thor.]\n [Footnote 87: Thor\u2019s.]\nTHOR\u2019S JOURNEY TO GEIRROD\u2019S.\nThen said \u00c6ger: Much of a man, it seems to me, was that Hrungner. Has\nThor accomplished any other great deeds in his intercourse with trolls\n(giants)? Then answered Brage: It is worth giving a full account of how\nThor made a journey to Geirrodsgard. He had with him neither the hammer\nMjolner, nor his belt of strength, Megingjard, nor his steel gloves; and\nthat was Loke\u2019s fault,--he was with him. For it had happened to Loke,\nwhen he once flew out to amuse himself in Frigg\u2019s falcon-guise, that he,\nout of curiosity, flew into Geirrodsgard, where he saw a large hall. He\nsat down and looked in through the window, but Geirrod discovered him,\nand ordered the bird to be caught and brought to him. The servant had\nhard work to climb up the wall of the hall, so high was it. It amused\nLoke that it gave the servant so much trouble to get at him, and he\nthought it would be time enough to fly away when he had gotten over the\nworst. When the latter now caught at him, Loke spread his wings and\nspurned with his feet, but these were fast, and so Loke was caught and\nbrought to the giant. When the latter saw his eyes he suspected that it\nwas a man. He put questions to him and bade him answer, but Loke refused\nto speak. Then Geirrod locked him down in a chest, and starved him for\nthree months; and when Geirrod finally took him up again, and asked him\nto speak, Loke confessed who he was, and to save his life he swore an\noath to Geirrod that he would get Thor to come to Geirrodsgard without\nhis hammer or his belt of strength.\nOn his way Thor visited the giantess whose name is Grid. She was the\nmother of Vidar the Silent. She told Thor the truth concerning Geirrod,\nthat he was a dog-wise and dangerous giant; and she lent him her own\nbelt of strength and steel gloves, and her staff, which is called\nGridarvol. Then went Thor to the river which is called Vimer, and which\nis the largest of all rivers. He buckled on the belt of strength and\nstemmed the wild torrent with Gridarvol, but Loke held himself fast in\nMegingjard. When Thor had come into the middle of the stream, the river\nwaxed so greatly that the waves dashed over his shoulders. Then quoth\nThor:\n Wax not Vimer,\n Since I intend to wade\n To the gards of giants.\n Know, if you wax,\n Then waxes my asa-might\n As high, as the heavens.\nThen Thor looked up and saw in a cleft Gjalp, the daughter of Geirrod,\nstanding on both sides of the stream, and causing its growth. Then took\nhe up out of the river a huge stone and threw at her, saying: At its\nsource the stream must be stemmed.[88] He was not wont to miss his mark.\nAt the same time he reached the river bank and got hold of a shrub, and\nso he got out of the river. Hence comes the adage that _a shrub saved\nThor_.[89] When Thor came to Geirrod, he and his companion were shown to\nthe guest-room, where lodgings were given them, but there was but one\nseat, and on that Thor sat down. Then he became aware that the seat was\nraised under him toward the roof. He put the Gridarvol against the\nrafters, and pressed himself down against the seat. Then was heard a\ngreat crash, which was followed by a loud screaming. Under the seat were\nGeirrod\u2019s daughters, Gjalp and Greip, and he had broken the backs of\nboth of them. Then quoth Thor:\n Once I employed\n My asa-might\n In the gards of the giants.\n When Gjalp and Greip,\n Geirrod\u2019s daughters,\n Wanted to lift me to heaven.\n [Footnote 88: Icelandic proverb.]\n [Footnote 89: Icelandic proverb.]\nThen Geirrod had Thor invited into the hall to the games. Large fires\nburned along the whole length of the hall. When Thor came into the hall,\nand stood opposite Geirrod, the latter seized with a pair of tongs a\nred-hot iron wedge and threw it at Thor. But he caught it with his steel\ngloves, and lifted it up in the air. Geirrod sprang behind an iron post\nto guard himself. But Thor threw the wedge with so great force that it\nstruck through the post, through Geirrod, through the wall, and then\nwent out and into the ground. From this saga, Eilif, son of Gudrun, made\nthe following song, called Thor\u2019s Drapa:\n The Midgard-serpent\u2019s father exhorted\n Thor, the victor of giants,\n To set out from home.\n A great liar was Loke.\n Not quite confident,\n The companion of the war-god\n Declared green paths to lie\n To the gard of Geirrod.\n Thor did not long let Loke\n Invite him to the arduous journey.\n They were eager to crush\n Thorn\u2019s descendants.\n When he, who is wont to swing Megingjard,\n Once set out from Odin\u2019s home\n To visit Ymer\u2019s children in Gandvik,\n The giantess Gjalp,\n Perjured Geirrod\u2019s daughter,\n Sooner got ready magic to use\n Than the god of war and Loke.\n A song I recite.\n Those gods noxious to the giants\n Planted their feet\n In Endil\u2019s land,\n And the men wont to battle\n Went forth.\n The message of death\n Came of the moon-devourer\u2019s women,\n When the cunning and wrathful\n Conqueror of Loke\n Challenged to a contest\n The giantess.\n And the troll-woman\u2019s disgracer\n Waded across the roaring stream,--\n Rolling full of drenched snow over its banks.\n He who puts giants to flight\n Rapidly advanced\n O\u2019er the broad watery way,\n Where the noisy stream\u2019s\n Venom belched forth.\n Thor and his companions\n Put before him the staff;\n Thereon he rested\n Whilst over they waded:\n Nor sleep did the stones,--\n The sonorous staff striking the rapid wave\n Made the river-bed ring,--\n The mountain-torrent rang with stones.\n The wearer of Megingjard\n Saw the flood fall\n On his hard-waxed shoulders:\n He could do no better.\n The destroyer of troll-children\n Let his neck-strength\n Wax heaven high,\n Till the mighty stream should diminish.\n But the warriors,\n The oath-bound protectors of Asgard,--\n The experienced vikings,--\n Waded fast and the stream sped on.\n Thou god of the bow!\n The billows\n Blown by the mountain-storm\n Powerfully rushed\n Over Thor\u2019s shoulders.\n Thjalfe and his companion,\n With their heads above water,\n Got over the river,--\n To Thor\u2019s belt they clung.\n Their strength was tested,--\n Geirrod\u2019s daughters made hard the stream\n For the iron rod.\n Angry fared Thor with the Gridarvol.\n Nor did courage fail\n Those foes of the giant\n In the seething vortex.\n Those sworn companions\n Regarded a brave heart\n Better than gold.\n Neither Thor\u2019s nor Thjalfe\u2019s heart\n From fear did tremble.\n And the war companions--\n Weapons despising--\n \u2019Mong the giants made havoc,\n Until, O woman!\n The giant destroyers\n The conflict of helmets\n With the warlike race\n Did commence.\n The giants of Iva\u2019s[90] capes\n Made a rush with Geirrod;\n The foes of the cold Svithiod\n Took to flight.\n Geirrod\u2019s giants\n Had to succumb\n When the lightning wielder\u2019s[91] kinsmen\n Closely pursued them.\n Wailing was \u2019mongst the cave-dwellers\n When the giants,\n With warlike spirit endowed,\n Went forward.\n There was war.\n The slayer of troll-women,\n By foes surrounded,\n The giant\u2019s hard head hit.\n With violent pressure\n Were pressed the vast eyes\n Of Gjalp and Greip\n Against the high roof.\n The fire-chariot\u2019s driver\n The old backs broke\n Of both these maids\n For the cave-woman.\n The man of the rocky way\n But scanty knowledge got;\n Nor able were the giants\n To enjoy perfect gladness.\n Thou man of the bow-string!\n The dwarf\u2019s kinsman\n An iron beam, in the forge heated,\n Threw against Odin\u2019s dear son.\n But the battle-hastener,\n Freyja\u2019s old friend,\n With swift hands caught\n In the air the beam\n As it flew from the hands\n Of the father of Greip,--\n His breast with anger swollen\n Against Thruda\u2019s[92] father.\n Geirrod\u2019s hall trembled\n When he struck,\n With his broad head,\n \u2019Gainst the old column of the house-wall.\n Uller\u2019s splendid flatterer\n Swung the iron beam\n Straight \u2019gainst the head\n Of the knavish giant.\n The crusher of the hall-wont troll-women\n A splendid victory won\n Over Glam\u2019s descendants;\n With gory hammer fared Thor.\n Gridarvol-staff,\n Which made disaster\n \u2019Mong Geirrod\u2019s companion,\n Was not used \u2019gainst that giant himself.\n The much worshiped thunderer,\n With all his might, slew\n The dwellers in Alfheim\n With that little willow-twig,\n And no shield\n Was able to resist\n The strong age-diminisher\n Of the mountain-king.\n [Footnote 90: A river in Jotunheim.]\n [Footnote 91: Thor\u2019s kinsmen = the asas.]\n [Footnote 92: Thruda was a daughter of Thor and Sif.]\nIDUN.\nHow shall Idun be named? She is called the wife of Brage, the keeper of\nthe apples; but the apples are called the medicine to bar old age\n(ellilyf, elixir vit\u00e6). She is also called the booty of the giant\nThjasse, according to what has before been said concerning how he took\nher away from the asas. From this saga Thjodolf, of Hvin, composed the\nfollowing song in his Haustlong:\n How shall the tongue\n Pay an ample reward\n For the sonorous shield\n Which I received from Thorleif,\n Foremost \u2019mong soldiers?\n On the splendidly made shield\n I see the unsafe journey\n Of three gods and Thjasse.\n Idun\u2019s robber flew long ago\n The asas to meet\n In the giant\u2019s old eagle-guise.\n The eagle perched\n Where the asas bore\n Their food to be cooked.\n Ye women! The mountain-giant\n Was not wont to be timid.\n Suspected of malice\n Was the giant toward the gods.\n Who causes this?\n Said the chief of the gods.\n The wise-worded giant-eagle\n From the old tree began to speak.\n The friend of Honer\n Was not friendly to him.\n The mountain-wolf from Honer\n Asked for his fill\n From the holy table:\n It fell to Honer to blow the fire.\n The giant, eager to kill,\n Glided down\n Where the unsuspecting gods,\n Odin, Loke and Honer, were sitting.\n The fair lord of the earth\n Bade Farbaute\u2019s son\n Quickly to share\n The ox with the giant;\n But the cunning foe of the asas\n Thereupon laid\n The four parts of the ox\n Upon the broad table.\n And the huge father of Morn[93]\n Afterward greedily ate\n The ox at the tree-root.\n That was long ago,\n Until the profound\n Loke the hard rod laid\n \u2019Twixt the shoulders\n Of the giant Thjasse.\n Then clung with his hands\n The husband of Sigyn\n To Skade\u2019s foster-son,\n In the presence of all the gods.\n The pole stuck fast\n To Jotunheim\u2019s strong fascinator,\n But the hands of Honer\u2019s dear friend\n Stuck to the other end.\n Flew then with the wise god\n The voracious bird of prey\n Far away; so the wolf\u2019s father\n To pieces must be torn.\n Odin\u2019s friend got exhausted.\n Heavy grew Lopt.\n Odin\u2019s companion\n Must sue for peace.\n Hymer\u2019s kinsman demanded\n That the leader of hosts\n The sorrow-healing maid,\n Who the asas\u2019 youth-preserving apples keeps,\n Should bring to him.\n Brisingamen\u2019s thief\n Afterward brought Idun\n To the gard of the giant.\n Sorry were not the giants\n After this had taken place,\n Since from the south\n Idun had come to the giants.\n All the race\n Of Yngve-Frey, at the Thing,\n Grew old and gray,--\n Ugly-looking were the gods.\n Until the gods found the blood-dog,\n Idun\u2019s decoying thrall,\n And bound the maid\u2019s deceiver,\n You shall, cunning Loke,\n Spake Thor, die;\n Unless back you lead,\n With your tricks, that\n Good joy-increasing maid.\n Heard have I that thereupon\n The friend of Honer flew\n In the guise of a falcon\n (He often deceived the asas with his cunning);\n And the strong fraudulent giant,\n The father of Morn,\n With the wings of the eagle\n Sped after the hawk\u2019s child.\n The holy gods soon built a fire--\n They shaved off kindlings--\n And the giant was scorched.\n This is said in memory\n Of the dwarf\u2019s heel-bridge.[94]\n A shield adorned with splendid lines\n From Thorleif I received.\n [Footnote 93: A troll-woman.]\n [Footnote 94: Shield.]\n\u00c6GER\u2019S FEAST.\nHow shall gold be named? It may be called fire; the needles of Glaser;\nSif\u2019s hair; Fulla\u2019s head-gear; Freyja\u2019s tears; the chatter, talk or word\nof the giants; Draupner\u2019s drop; Draupner\u2019s rain or shower; Freyja\u2019s\neyes; the otter-ransom, or stroke-ransom, of the asas; the seed of\nFyrisvold; Holge\u2019s how-roof; the fire of all waters and of the hand;\nor the stone, rock or gleam of the hand.\nWhy is gold called \u00c6ger\u2019s fire? The saga relating to this is, as has\nbefore been told, that \u00c6ger made a visit to Asgard, but when he was\nready to return home he invited Odin and all the asas to come and pay\nhim a visit after the lapse of three months. On this journey went Odin,\nNjord, Frey, Tyr, Brage, Vidar, Loke; and also the asynjes, Frigg,\nFreyja, Gefjun, Skade, Idun, Sif. Thor was not there, for he had gone\neastward to fight trolls. When the gods had taken their seats, \u00c6ger let\nhis servants bring in on the hall floor bright gold, which shone and\nlighted up the whole hall like fire, just as the swords in Valhal are\nused instead of fire. Then Loke bandied hasty words with all the gods,\nand slew \u00c6ger\u2019s thrall who was called Fimafeng. The name of his other\nthrall is Elder. The name of \u00c6ger\u2019s wife is Ran, and they have nine\ndaughters, as has before been written. At this feast all things passed\naround spontaneously, both food and ale and all the utensils needed for\nthe feasting. Then the asas became aware that Ran had a net in which she\ncaught all men who perish at sea. Then the saga goes on telling how it\nhappens that gold is called the fire, or light or brightness of \u00c6ger, of\nRan, or of \u00c6ger\u2019s daughters; and from these periphrases it is allowed to\ncall gold the fire of the sea, or of any of the periphrases of the sea,\nsince \u00c6ger and Ran are found in periphrases of the sea; and thus gold is\nnow called the fire of waters, of rivers, or of all the periphrases of\nrivers. But these names have fared like other periphrases. The younger\nskald has composed poetry after the pattern of the old skalds, imitating\ntheir songs; but afterward they have expanded the metaphors whenever\nthey thought they could improve upon what was sung before; and thus the\nwater is the sea, the river is the lakes, the brook is the river. Hence\nall the figures that are expanded more than what has before been found\nare called new tropes, and all seem good that contain likelihood and are\nnatural. Thus sang the skald Brage:\n From the king I received\n The fire of the brook.\n This the king gave to me\n And a head with song.\nWhy is gold called the needles or leaves of Glaser? In Asgard, before\nthe doors of Valhal, stands a grove which is called Glaser, and all its\nleaves are of red gold, as is here sung:\n Glaser stands\n With golden leaves\n Before Sigtyr\u2019s halls.\nThis is the fairest forest among gods and men.\nLOKE\u2019S WAGER WITH THE DWARFS.\nWhy is gold called Sif\u2019s hair? Loke Laufey\u2019s son had once craftily cut\nall the hair off Sif; but when Thor found it out he seized Loke, and\nwould have broken every bone in him, had he not pledged himself with an\noath to get the swarthy elves to make for Sif a hair of gold that should\ngrow like other hair. Then went Loke to the dwarfs that are called\nIvald\u2019s sons, and they made the hair and Skidbladner, and the spear that\nOdin owned and is called Gungner. Thereupon Loke wagered his head with\nthe dwarf, who hight Brok, that his brother Sindre would not be able to\nmake three other treasures equally as good as these were. But when they\ncame to the smithy, Sindre laid a pig-skin in the furnace and requested\nBrok to blow the bellows, and not to stop blowing before he (Sindre) had\ntaken out of the furnace what he had put into it. As soon, however, as\nSindre had gone out of the smithy and Brok was blowing, a fly lighted on\nhis hand and stung him; but he kept on blowing as before until the smith\nhad taken the work out of the furnace. That was now a boar, and its\nbristles were of gold. Thereupon he laid gold in the furnace, and\nrequested Brok to blow, and not to stop plying the bellows before he\ncame back. He went out; but then came the fly and lighted on his neck\nand stung him still worse; but he continued to work the bellows until\nthe smith took out of the furnace the gold ring called Draupner. Then\nSindre placed iron in the furnace, and requested Brok to work the\nbellows, adding that otherwise all would be worthless. Now the fly\nlighted between his eyes and stung his eye-lids, and as the blood ran\ndown into his eyes so that he could not see, he let go of the bellows\njust for a moment and drove the fly away with his hands. Then the smith\ncame back and said that all that lay in the furnace came near being\nentirely spoiled. Thereupon he took a hammer out of the furnace. All\nthese treasures he then placed in the hands of his brother Brok, and\nbade him go with Loke to Asgard to fetch the wager. When Loke and Brok\nbrought forth the treasures, the gods seated themselves upon their\ndoom-steads. It was agreed to abide by the decision which should be\npronounced by Odin, Thor and Frey. Loke gave to Odin the spear Gungner,\nto Thor the hair, which Sif was to have, and to Frey, Skidbladner; and\nhe described the qualities of all these treasures, stating that the\nspear never would miss its mark, that the hair would grow as soon as it\nwas placed on Sif s head, and that Skidbladner would always have fair\nwind as soon as the sails were hoisted, no matter where its owner\ndesired to go; besides, the ship could be folded together like a napkin\nand be carried in his pocket if he desired. Then Brok produced his\ntreasures. He gave to Odin the ring, saying that every ninth night eight\nother rings as heavy as it would drop from it; to Frey he gave the boar,\nstating that it would run through the air and over seas, by night or by\nday, faster than any horse; and never could it become so dark in the\nnight, or in the worlds of darkness, but that it would be light where\nthis boar was present, so bright shone his bristles. Then he gave to\nThor the hammer, and said that he might strike with it as hard as he\npleased; no matter what was before him, the hammer would take no scathe,\nand wherever he might throw it he would never lose it; it would never\nfly so far that it did not return to his hand; and if he desired, it\nwould become so small that he might conceal it in his bosom; but it had\none fault, which was, that the handle was rather short. The decision of\nthe gods was, that the hammer was the best of all these treasures and\nthe greatest protection against the frost-giants, and they declared that\nthe dwarf had fairly won the wager. Then Loke offered to ransom his\nhead. The dwarf answered saying there was no hope for him on that score.\nTake me, then! said Loke; but when the dwarf was to seize him Loke was\nfar away, for he had the shoes with which he could run through the air\nand over the sea. Then the dwarf requested Thor to seize him, and he did\nso. Now the dwarf wanted to cut the head off Loke, but Loke said that\nthe head was his, but not the neck. Then the dwarf took thread and a\nknife and wanted to pierce holes in Loke\u2019s lips, so as to sew his mouth\ntogether, but the knife would not cut. Then said he, it would be better\nif he had his brother\u2019s awl, and as soon as he named it the awl was\nthere and it pierced Loke\u2019s lips. Now Brok sewed Loke\u2019s mouth together,\nand broke off the thread at the end of the sewing. The thread with which\nthe mouth of Loke was sewed together is called Vartare (a strap).\nTHE NIFLUNGS AND GJUKUNGS.\nThe following is the reason why gold is called otter-ransom: It is\nrelated that three asas went abroad to learn to know the whole world,\nOdin, Honer and Loke. They came to a river, and walked along the\nriver-bank to a force, and near the force was an otter. The otter had\ncaught a salmon in the force, and sat eating it with his eyes closed.\nLoke picked up a stone, threw it at the otter and hit him in the head.\nLoke bragged of his chase, for he had secured an otter and a salmon with\none throw. They took the salmon and the otter with them, and came to a\nbyre, where they entered. But the name of the bonde who lived there was\nHreidmar. He was a mighty man, and thoroughly skilled in the black art.\nThe asas asked for night-lodgings, stating that they had plenty of food,\nand showed the bonde their game. But when Hreidmar saw the otter he\ncalled his sons, Fafner and Regin, and said that Otter, their brother,\nwas slain, and also told who had done it. Then the father and the sons\nattacked the asas, seized them and bound them, and then said, in\nreference to the otter, that he was Hreidmar\u2019s son. The asas offered,\nas a ransom for their lives, as much money as Hreidmar himself might\ndemand, and this was agreed to, and confirmed with an oath. Then the\notter was flayed. Hreidmar took the otter-belg and said to them that\nthey should fill the belg with red gold, and then cover it with the same\nmetal, and when this was done they should be set free. Thereupon Odin\nsent Loke to the home of the swarthy elves, and he came to the dwarf\nwhose name is Andvare, and who lived as a fish, in the water. Loke\ncaught him in his hands, and demanded of him, as a ransom for his life,\nall the gold that he had in his rock. And when they entered the rock,\nthe dwarf produced all the gold that he owned, and that was a very large\namount. Then the dwarf concealed in his hand a small gold ring. Loke saw\nthis, and requested him to hand forth the ring. The dwarf begged him not\nto take the ring away from him, for with this ring he could increase his\nwealth again if he kept it. Loke said the dwarf should not keep as much\nas a penny, took the ring from him and went out. But the dwarf said that\nthat ring should be the bane of every one who possessed it. Loke replied\nthat he was glad of this, and said that all should be fulfilled\naccording to his prophecy: he would take care to bring the curse to the\nears of him who was to receive it. He went to Hreidmar and showed Odin\nthe gold; but when the latter saw the ring, it seemed to him a fair one,\nand he took it and put it aside, giving Hreidmar the rest of the gold.\nThey filled the otter-belg as full as it would hold, and raised it up\nwhen it was full. Then came Odin, and was to cover the belg with gold;\nand when this was done, he requested Hreidmar to come and see whether\nthe belg was sufficiently covered. But Hreidmar looked at it, examined\nit closely, and saw a mouth-hair, and demanded that it should be\ncovered, too, otherwise the agreement would be broken. Then Odin brought\nforth the ring and covered with it the mouth-hair, saying that now they\nhad paid the otter-ransom. But when Odin had taken his spear, and Loke\nhis shoes, so that they had nothing more to fear, Loke said that the\ncurse that Andvare had pronounced should be fulfilled, and that the ring\nand that gold should be the bane of its possessor; and this curse was\nafterward fulfilled. This explains why gold is called the otter-ransom,\nor forced payment of the asas, or strife-metal.\nWhat more is there to be told of this gold? Hreidmar accepted the gold\nas a ransom for his son, but Fafner and Regin demanded their share of it\nas a ransom for their brother. Hreidmar was, however, unwilling to give\nthem as much as a penny of it. Then the brothers made an agreement to\nkill their father for the sake of the gold. When this was done, Regin\ndemanded that Fafner should give him one half of it. Fafner answered\nthat there was but little hope that he would share the gold with his\nbrother, since he had himself slain his father to obtain it; and he\ncommanded Regin to get him gone, for else the same thing would happen to\nhim as had happened to Hreidmar. Fafner had taken the sword hight\nHrotte, and the helmet which had belonged to his father, and the latter\nhe had placed on his head. This was called the \u00c6ger\u2019s helmet, and it was\na terror to all living to behold it. Regin had the sword called Refil.\nWith it he fled. But Fafner went to Gnita-heath (the glittering heath),\nwhere he made himself a bed, took on him the likeness of a serpent\n(dragon), and lay brooding over the gold.\nRegin then went to Thjode, to king Hjalprek, and became his smith. There\nhe undertook the fostering of Sigurd (Sigfrid), the son of Sigmund, the\nson of Volsung and the son of Hjordis, the daughter of Eylime. Sigurd\nwas the mightiest of all the kings of hosts, in respect to both family\nand power and mind. Regin explained to him where Fafner was lying on the\ngold, and egged him on to try to get possession thereof. Then Regin made\nthe sword which is hight Gram (wrath), and which was so sharp that when\nSigurd held it in the flowing stream it cut asunder a tuft of wool which\nthe current carried down against the sword\u2019s edge. In the next place,\nSigurd cut with his sword Regin\u2019s anvil in twain. Thereupon Sigurd and\nRegin repaired to Gnita-heath. Here Sigurd dug a ditch in Fafner\u2019s path\nand sat down in it; so when Fafner crept to the water and came directly\nover this ditch, Sigurd pierced him with the sword, and this thrust\ncaused his death. Then Regin came and declared that Sigurd had slain his\nbrother, and demanded of him as a ransom that he should cut out Fafner\u2019s\nheart and roast it on the fire; but Regin kneeled down, drank Fafner\u2019s\nblood, and laid himself down to sleep. While Sigurd was roasting the\nheart, and thought that it must be done, he touched it with his finger\nto see how tender it was; but the fat oozed out of the heart and onto\nhis finger and burnt it, so that he thrust his finger into his mouth.\nThe heart-blood came in contact with his tongue, which made him\ncomprehend the speech of birds, and he understood what the eagles said\nthat were sitting in the trees. One of the birds said:\n There sits Sigurd,\n Stained with blood.\n On the fire is roasting\n Fafner\u2019s heart.\n Wise seemed to me\n The ring-destroyer,\n If he the shining\n Heart would eat.\nAnother eagle sang:\n There lies Regin,\n Contemplating\n How to deceive the man\n Who trusts him;\n Thinks in his wrath\n Of false accusations.\n The evil smith plots\n Revenge \u2019gainst the brother.[95]\n [Footnote 95: Elder Edda: the Lay of Fafner, 32, 33.]\nThen Sigurd went to Regin and slew him, and thereupon he mounted his\nhorse hight Grane, and rode until he came to Fafner\u2019s bed, took out all\nthe gold, packed it in two bags and laid it on Grane\u2019s back, then got on\nhimself and rode away. Now is told the saga according to which gold is\ncalled Fafner\u2019s bed or lair, the metal of Gnita-heath, or Grane\u2019s\nburden.\nThen Sigurd rode on until he found a house on the mountain. In it slept\na woman clad in helmet and coat-of-mail. He drew his sword and cut the\ncoat-of-mail off from her. Then she awaked and called herself Hild. Her\nname was Brynhild, and she was a valkyrie. Thence Sigurd rode on and\ncame to the king whose name was Gjuke. His wife was called Grimhild, and\ntheir children were Gunnar, Hogne, Gudrun, Gudny; Gothorm was Gjuke\u2019s\nstep-son. Here Sigurd remained a long time. Then he got the hand of\nGudrun, Gjuke\u2019s daughter, and Gunnar and Hogne entered into a sworn\nbrotherhood with Sigurd. Afterward Sigurd and the sons of Gjuke went to\nAtle, Budle\u2019s son, to ask for his sister, Brynhild, for Gunnar\u2019s wife.\nShe sat on Hindfell, and her hall was surrounded by the bickering flame\ncalled the Vafurloge, and she had made a solemn promise not to wed any\nother man than him who dared to ride through the bickering flame. Then\nSigurd and the Gjukungs (they are also called Niflungs) rode upon the\nmountain, and there Gunnar was to ride through the Vafurloge. He had the\nhorse that was called Gote, but this horse did not dare to run into the\nflame. So Sigurd and Gunnar changed form and weapons, for Grane would\nnot take a step under any other man than Sigurd. Then Sigurd mounted\nGrane and rode through the bickering flame. That same evening he held a\nwedding with Brynhild; but when they went to bed he drew his sword Gram\nfrom the sheath and placed it between them. In the morning when he had\narisen, and had donned his clothes, he gave to Brynhild, as a bridal\ngift, the gold ring that Loke had taken from Andvare, and he received\nanother ring as a memento from her. Then Sigurd mounted his horse and\nrode to his companions. He and Gunnar exchanged forms again and went\nback to Gjuke with Brynhild. Sigurd had two children with Gudrun. Their\nnames were Sigmund and Swanhild.\nOnce it happened that Brynhild and Gudrun went to the water to wash\ntheir hair. When they came to the river Brynhild waded from the river\nbank into the stream, and said that she could not bear to have that\nwater in her hair that ran from Gudrun\u2019s hair, for she had a more\nhigh-minded husband. Then Gudrun followed her into the stream, and said\nthat she was entitled to wash her hair farther up the stream than\nBrynhild, for the reason that she had the husband who was bolder than\nGunnar, or any other man in the world; for it was he who slew Fafner and\nRegin, and inherited the wealth of both. Then answered Brynhild: A\ngreater deed it was that Gunnar rode through the Vafurloge, which Sigurd\ndid not dare to do. Then laughed Gudrun and said: Do you think it was\nGunnar who rode through the bickering flame? Then I think you shared the\nbed with him who gave me this gold ring. The gold ring which you have on\nyour finger, and which you received as a bridal-gift, is called\nAndvaranaut (Andvare\u2019s Gift), and I do not think Gunnar got it on\nGnita-heath. Then Brynhild became silent and went home. Thereupon she\negged Gunnar and Hogne to kill Sigurd; but being sworn brothers of\nSigurd, they egged Guthorm, their brother, to slay Sigurd. Guthorm\npierced him with his sword while he was sleeping; but as soon as Sigurd\nwas wounded he threw his sword, Gram, after Guthorm, so that it cut him\nin twain through the middle. There Sigurd fell, and his son, three\nwinters old, by name Sigmund, whom they also killed. Then Brynhild\npierced herself with the sword and was cremated with Sigurd. But Gunnar\nand Hogne inherited Fafner\u2019s gold and the Gift of Andvare, and now ruled\nthe lands.\nKing Atle, Budle\u2019s son, Brynhild\u2019s brother, then got in marriage Gudrun,\nwho had been Sigurd\u2019s wife, and they had children. King Atle invited\nGunnar and Hogne to visit him, and they accepted his invitation. But\nbefore they started on their journey they concealed Fafner\u2019s hoard in\nthe Rhine, and that gold has never since been found. King Atle had\ngathered together an army and fought a battle with Gunnar and Hogne, and\nthey were captured. Atle had the heart cut out of Hogne alive. This was\nhis death. Gunnar he threw into a den of snakes, but a harp was secretly\nbrought to him, and he played the harp with his toes (for his hands were\nfettered), so that all the snakes fell asleep excepting the adder, which\nrushed at him and bit him in the breast, and then thrust its head into\nthe wound and clung to his liver until he died. Gunnar and Hogne are\ncalled Niflungs (Niblungs) and Gjukungs. Hence gold is called the\nNiflung treasure or inheritance. A little later Gudrun slew her two sons\nand made from their skulls goblets trimmed with gold, and thereupon the\nfuneral ceremonies took place. At the feast, Gudrun poured for King Atle\nin these goblets mead that was mixed with the blood of the youths. Their\nhearts she roasted and gave to the king to eat. When this was done she\ntold him all about it, with many unkind words. There was no lack of\nstrong mead, so that the most of the people sitting there fell asleep.\nOn that night she went to the king when he had fallen asleep, and had\nwith her her son Hogne. They slew him, and thus he ended his life. Then\nthey set fire to the hall, and with it all the people who were in it\nwere burned. Then she went to the sea and sprang into the water to drown\nherself; but she was carried across the fjord, and came to the land\nwhich belonged to King Jonaker. When he saw her he took her home and\nmade her his wife. They had three children, whose names were Sorle,\nHamder and Erp. They all had hair as black as ravens, like Gunnar and\nHogne and the other Niflungs.\nThere was fostered Swanhild, the daughter of Sigurd, and she was the\nfairest of all women. That Jormunrek, the rich, found out. He sent his\nson, Randver, to ask for her hand for him; and when he came to Jonaker,\nSwanhild was delivered to him, so that he might bring her to King\nJormunrek. Then said Bikke that it would be more fitting that Randver\nshould marry Swanhild, he being young and she too, but Jormunrek being\nold. This plan pleased the two young people well. Soon afterward Bikke\ninformed the king of it, and so King Jormunrek seized his son and had\nhim brought to the gallows. Then Randver took his hawk, plucked the\nfeathers off him, and requested that it should be sent to his father,\nwhereupon he was hanged. But when King Jormunrek saw the hawk, it came\nto his mind that as the hawk was flightless and featherless, so his\nkingdom was without preservation; for he was old and sonless. Then King\nJormunrek riding out of the woods from the chase with his courtiers,\nwhile Queen Swanhild sat dressing her hair, had the courtiers ride onto\nher, and she was trampled to death beneath the feet of the horses. When\nGudrun heard of this, she begged her sons to avenge Swanhild. While they\nwere busking themselves for the journey, she brought them byrnies and\nhelmets, so strong that iron could not scathe them. She laid the plan\nfor them, that when they came to King Jormunrek, they should attack him\nin the night whilst he was sleeping. Sorle and Hamder should cut off his\nhands and feet, and Erp his head. On the way they asked Erp what\nassistance they were to get from him, when they came to King Jormunrek.\nHe answered them that he would give them such assistance as the hand\ngives the foot. They said that the feet got no support from the hands\nwhatsoever. They were angry at their mother, because she had forced them\nto undertake this journey with harsh words, and hence they were going to\ndo that which would displease her most. So they killed Erp, for she\nloved him the most. A little later, while Sorle was walking, he slipped\nwith one foot, and in falling supported himself with his hands. Then\nsaid he: Now the hands helped the foot; better were it now if Erp were\nliving. When they came to Jormunrek, the king, in the night, while he\nwas sleeping, they cut off both his hands and his feet. Then he awaked,\ncalled his men and bade them arise. Said Hamder then: The head would now\nhave been off had Erp lived. The courtiers got up, attacked them, but\ncould not overcome them with weapons. Then Jormunrek cried to them that\nthey should stone them to death. This was done, Sorle and Hamder fell,\nand thus perished the last descendants of Gjuke.\nAfter King Sigurd lived a daughter hight Aslaug, who was fostered at\nHeimer\u2019s in Hlymdaler. From her mighty races are descended. It is said\nthat Sigmund, the son of Volsung, was so powerful, that he drank venom\nand received no harm therefrom. But Sinfjotle, his son, and Sigurd, were\nso hard-skinned that no venom coming onto them could harm them.\nTherefore the skald Brage has sung as follows:\n When the tortuous serpent,\n Full of the drink of the Volsungs,[96]\n Hung in coils\n On the bait of the giant-slayer,[97]\nUpon these sagas very many skalds have made lays, and from them they\nhave taken various themes. Brage the Old made the following song about\nthe fall of Sorle and Hamder in the drapa, which he composed about\nRagnar Lodbrok:\n Jormunrek once,\n In an evil dream, waked\n In that sword-contest\n Against the blood-stained kings.\n A clashing of arms was heard\n In the house of Randver\u2019s father,\n When the raven-blue brothers of Erp\n The insult avenged.\n Sword-dew flowed\n Off the bed on the floor.\n Bloody hands and feet of the king\n One saw cut off.\n On his head fell Jormunrek,\n Frothing in blood.\n On the shield\n This is painted.\n The king saw\n Men so stand\n That a ring they made\n \u2019Round his house.\n Sorle and Hamder\n Were both at once,\n With slippery stones,\n Struck to the ground.\n King Jormunrek\n Ordered Gjuke\u2019s descendants\n Violently to be stoned\n When they came to take the life\n Of Swanhild\u2019s husband.\n All sought to pay\n Jonaker\u2019s sons\n With blows and wounds.\n This fall of men\n And sagas many\n On the fair shield I see.\n Ragnar gave me the shield.\n [Footnote 96: The drink of the Volsungs = venom; the tortuous\n venom-serpent = the Midgard-serpent.]\n [Footnote 97: Thor.]\nMENJA AND FENJA.\nWhy is gold called Frode\u2019s meal? The saga giving rise to this is the\nfollowing:\nOdin had a son by name Skjold, from whom the Skjoldungs are descended.\nHe had his throne and ruled in the lands that are now called Denmark,\nbut were then called Gotland. Skjold had a son by name Fridleif, who\nruled the lands after him. Fridleif\u2019s son was Frode. He took the kingdom\nafter his father, at the time when the Emperor Augustus established\npeace in all the earth and Christ was born. But Frode being the\nmightiest king in the northlands, this peace was attributed to him by\nall who spake the Danish tongue, and the Norsemen called it the peace of\nFrode. No man injured the other, even though he might meet, loose or in\nchains, his father\u2019s or brother\u2019s bane. There was no thief or robber,\nso that a gold ring would be a long time on Jalanger\u2019s heath. King Frode\nsent messengers to Svithjod, to the king whose name was Fjolner, and\nbought there two maid-servants, whose names were Fenja and Menja. They\nwere large and strong. About this time were found in Denmark two\nmill-stones, so large that no one had the strength to turn them. But the\nnature belonged to these mill-stones that they ground whatever was\ndemanded of them by the miller. The name of this mill was Grotte. But\nthe man to whom King Frode gave the mill was called Hengekjapt. King\nFrode had the maid-servants led to the mill, and requested them to grind\nfor him gold and peace, and Frode\u2019s happiness. Then he gave them no\nlonger time to rest or sleep than while the cuckoo was silent or while\nthey sang a song. It is said that they sang the song called the\nGrottesong, and before they ended it they ground out a host against\nFrode; so that on the same night there came the sea-king, whose name was\nMysing, and slew Frode and took a large amount of booty. Therewith the\nFrode-peace ended. Mysing took with him Grotte, and also Fenja and\nMenja, and bade them grind salt, and in the middle of the night they\nasked Mysing whether he did not have salt enough. He bade them grind\nmore. They ground only a short time longer before the ship sank. But in\nthe ocean arose a whirlpool (Maelstrom, mill-stream) in the place where\nthe sea runs into the mill-eye. Thus the sea became salt.\nTHE GROTTESONG.\n Now are come\n To the house of the king\n The prescient two,\n Fenja and Menja.\n There must the mighty\n Maidens toil\n For King Frode,\n Fridleif\u2019s son.\n Brought to the mill\n Soon they were;\n The gray stones\n They had to turn.\n Nor rest nor peace\n He gave to them:\n He would hear the maidens\n Turn the mill.\n They turned the mill,\n The prattling stones\n The mill ever rattling.\n What a noise it made!\n Lay the planks!\n Lift the stones![98]\n But he[99] bade the maids\n Yet more to grind.\n They sang and swung\n The swift mill-stone,\n So that Frode\u2019s folk\n Fell asleep.\n Then, when she came\n To the mill to grind,\n With a hard heart\n And with loud voice\n Did Menja sing:\n We grind for Frode\n Wealth and happiness,\n And gold abundant\n On the mill of luck.\n Dance on roses!\n Sleep on down!\n Wake when you please!\n That is well ground.\n Here shall no one\n Hurt the other,\n Nor in ambush lie,\n Nor seek to kill;\n Nor shall any one\n With sharp sword hew,\n Though bound he should find\n His brother\u2019s bane.\n They stood in the hall,\n Their hands were resting;\n Then was it the first\n Word that he spoke:\n Sleep not longer\n Than the cuckoo on the hall,\n Or only while\n A song I sing:\n Frode! you were not\n Wary enough,--\n You friend of men,--\n When maids you bought!\n At their strength you looked,\n And at their fair faces,\n But you asked no questions\n About their descent.\n Hard was Hrungner\n And his father;\n Yet was Thjasse\n Stronger than they,\n And Ide and Orner,\n Our friends, and\n The mountain-giants\u2019 brothers,\n Who fostered us two.\n Not would Grotte have come\n From the mountain gray,\n Nor this hard stone\n Out from the earth;\n The maids of the mountain-giants\n Would not thus be grinding\n If we two knew\n Nothing of the mill.\n Through winters nine\n Our strength increased,\n While below the sod\n We played together.\n Great deeds were the maids\n Able to perform;\n Mountains they\n From their places moved.\n The stone we rolled\n From the giants\u2019 dwelling,\n So that all the earth\n Did rock and quake.\n So we hurled\n The rattling stone,\n The heavy block,\n That men caught it.\n In Svithjod\u2019s land\n Afterward we\n Fire-wise women,\n Fared to the battle,\n Byrnies we burst,\n Shields we cleaved,\n Made our way\n Through gray-clad hosts.\n One chief we slew,\n Another we aided,--\n To Guthorm the Good\n Help we gave.\n Ere Knue had fallen\n Nor rest we got.\n Then bound we were\n And taken prisoners.\n Such were our deeds\n In former days,\n That we heroes brave\n Were thought to be.\n With spears sharp\n Heroes we pierced,\n So the gore did run\n And our swords grew red.\n Now we are come\n To the house of the king,\n No one us pities.\n Bond-women are we.\n Dirt eats our feet,\n Our limbs are cold,\n The peace-giver[100] we turn.\n Hard it is at Frode\u2019s.\n The hands shall stop,\n The stone shall stand;\n Now have I ground\n For my part enough.\n Yet to the hands\n No rest must be given,\n \u2019Till Frode thinks\n Enough has been ground.\n Now hold shall the hands\n The lances hard,\n The weapons bloody,--\n Wake now, Frode!\n Wake now, Frode!\n If you would listen\n To our songs,--\n To sayings old.\n Fire I see burn\n East of the burg,--\n The warnews are awake.\n That is called warning.\n A host hither\n Hastily approaches\n To burn the king\u2019s\n Lofty dwelling.\n No longer you will sit\n On the throne of Hleidra\n And rule o\u2019er red\n Rings and the mill.\n Now must we grind\n With all our might,\n No warmth will we get\n From the blood of the slain.\n Now my father\u2019s daughter\n Bravely turns the mill.\n The death of many\n Men she sees.\n Now broke the large\n Braces \u2019neath the mill,--\n The iron-bound braces.\n Let us yet grind!\n Let us yet grind!\n Yrsa\u2019s son\n Shall on Frode revenge\n Halfdan\u2019s death.\n He shall Yrsa\u2019s\n Offspring be named,\n And yet Yrsa\u2019s brother.\n Both of us know it.\n The mill turned the maidens,--\n Their might they tested;\n Young they were,\n And giantesses wild.\n The braces trembled.\n Then fell the mill,--\n In twain was broken\n The heavy stone.\n All the old world\n Shook and trembled,\n But the giant\u2019s maid\n Speedily said:\n We have turned the mill, Frode!\n Now we may stop.\n By the mill long enough\n The maidens have stood.\n [Footnote 98: These words are spoken by the maidens while they put\n the mill together.]\n [Footnote 99: Frode.]\n [Footnote 100: The mill.]\nROLF KRAKE.\nA king in Denmark hight Rolf Krake, and was the most famous of all kings\nof olden times; moreover, he was more mild, brave and condescending than\nall other men. A proof of his condescension, which is very often spoken\nof in olden stories, was the following: There was a poor little fellow\nby name Vog. He once came into King Rolf\u2019s hall while the king was yet a\nyoung man, and of rather delicate growth. Then Vog went before him and\nlooked up at him. Then said the king: What do you mean to say, my\nfellow, by looking so at me? Answered Vog: When I was at home I heard\npeople say that King Rolf, at Hleidra, was the greatest man in the\nnorthlands, but now sits here in the high-seat a little crow (krake),\nand it they call their king. Then made answer the king: You, my fellow,\nhave given me a name, and I shall henceforth be called Rolf Krake, but\nit is customary that a gift accompanies the name. Seeing that you have\nno gift that you can give me with the name, or that would be suitable to\nme, then he who has must give to the other. Then he took a gold ring off\nhis hand and gave it to the churl. Then said Vog: You give as the best\nking of all, and therefore I now pledge myself to become the bane of him\nwho becomes your bane. Said the king, laughing: A small thing makes Vog\nhappy.\nAnother example is told of Rolf Krake\u2019s bravery. In Upsala reigned a\nking by name Adils, whose wife was Yrsa, Rolf Krake\u2019s mother. He was\nengaged in a war with Norway\u2019s king, Ale. They fought a battle on the\nice of the lake called Wenern. King Adils sent a message to Rolf Krake,\nhis stepson, asking him to come and help him, and promising to furnish\npay for his whole army during the campaign. Furthermore King Rolf\nhimself should have any three treasures that he might choose in Sweden.\nBut Rolf Krake could not go to his assistance, on account of the war\nwhich he was then waging against the Saxons. Still he sent twelve\nberserks to King Adils. Among them were Bodvar Bjarke, Hjalte the\nValiant, Hvitserk the Keen, Vot, Vidsete, and the brothers Svipday and\nBeigud. In that war fell King Ale and a large part of his army. Then\nKing Adils took from the dead King Ale the helmet called Hildesvin, and\nhis horse called Rafn. Then the berserks each demanded three pounds of\ngold in pay for their service, and also asked for the treasures which\nthey had chosen for Rolf Krake, and which they now desired to bring to\nhim. These were the helmet Hildegolt; the byrnie Finnsleif, which no\nsteel could scathe; and the gold ring called Sviagris, which had\nbelonged to Adils\u2019 forefathers. But the king refused to surrender any of\nthese treasures, nor did he give the berserks any pay. The berserks then\nreturned home, and were much dissatisfied. They reported all to King\nRolf, who straightway busked himself to fare against Upsala; and when he\ncame with his ships into the river Fyre, he rode against Upsala, and\nwith him his twelve berserks, all peaceless. Yrsa, his mother, received\nhim and took him to his lodgings, but not to the king\u2019s hall. Large\nfires were kindled for them, and ale was brought them to drink. Then\ncame King Adils\u2019 men in and bore fuel onto the fireplace, and made a\nfire so great that it burnt the clothes of Rolf and his berserks,\nsaying: Is it true that neither fire nor steel will put Rolf Krake and\nhis berserks to flight? Then Rolf Krake and all his men sprang up, and\nhe said:\n Let us increase the blaze\n In Adils\u2019 chambers.\nHe took his shield and cast it into the fire, and sprang over the fire\nwhile the shield was burning, and cried:\n From the fire flees not he\n Who over it leaps.\nThe same did also his men, one after the other, and then they took those\nwho had put fuel on the fire and cast them into it. Now Yrsa came and\nhanded Rolf Krake a deer\u2019s horn full of gold, and with it she gave him\nthe ring Sviagris, and requested them to ride straightway to their army.\nThey sprang upon their horses and rode away over the Fyrisvold. Then\nthey saw that King Adils was riding after them with his whole army, all\narmed, and was going to slay them. Rolf Krake took gold out of the horn\nwith his right hand, and scattered it over the whole way. But when the\nSwedes saw it they leaped out of their saddles, and each one took as\nmuch as he could. King Adils bade them ride, and he himself rode on with\nall his might. The name of his horse was Slungner, the fastest of all\nhorses. When Rolf Krake saw that King Adils was riding near him, he took\nthe ring Sviagris and threw it to him, asking him to take it as a gift.\nKing Adils rode to the ring, picked it up with the end of his spear, and\nlet it slide down to his hand. Then Rolf Krake turned round and saw that\nthe other was stooping. Said he: Like a swine I have now bended the\nforemost of all Swedes. Thus they parted. Hence gold is called the seed\nof Krake or of Fyrisvold.\nHOGNE AND HILD.\nA king by name Hogne had a daughter by name Hild. Her a king, by name\nHedin, son of Hjarrande, made a prisoner of war, while King Hogne had\nfared to the trysting of the kings. But when he learned that there had\nbeen harrying in his kingdom, and that his daughter had been taken away,\nhe rode with his army in search of Hedin, and learned that he had sailed\nnorthward along the coast. When King Hogne came to Norway, he found out\nthat Hedin had sailed westward into the sea. Then Hogne sailed after him\nto the Orkneys. And when he came to the island called Ha, then Hedin was\nthere before him with his host. Then Hild went to meet her father, and\noffered him as a reconciliation from Hedin a necklace; but if he was not\nwilling to accept this, she said that Hedin was prepared for a battle,\nand Hogne might expect no clemency from him. Hogne answered his daughter\nharshly. When she returned to Hedin, she told him that Hogne would not\nbe reconciled, and bade him busk himself for the battle. And so both\nparties did; they landed on the island and marshaled their hosts. Then\nHedin called to Hogne, his father-in-law, offering him a reconciliation\nand much gold as a ransom. Hogne answered: Too late do you offer to make\npeace with me, for now I have drawn the sword Dainsleif, which was\nsmithied by the dwarfs, and must be the death of a man whenever it is\ndrawn; its blows never miss the mark, and the wounds made by it never\nheal. Said Hedin: You boast the sword, but not the victory. That I call\na good sword that is always faithful to its master. Then they began the\nbattle which is called the Hjadninga-vig (the slaying of the\nHedin_ians_); they fought the whole day, and in the evening the kings\nfared back to their ships. But in the night Hild went to the\nbattlefield, and waked up with sorcery all the dead that had fallen. The\nnext day the kings went to the battlefield and fought, and so did also\nall they who had fallen the day before. Thus the battle continued from\nday to day; and all they who fell, and all the swords that lay on the\nfield of battle, and all the shields, became stone. But as soon as day\ndawned all the dead arose again and fought, and all the weapons became\nnew again, and in songs it is said that the Hjadnings will so continue\nuntil Ragnarok.\nNOTES.\nENEA.\nThe Enea mentioned in the Foreword to Gylfe\u2019s Fooling refers to the\nsettlement of western Europe, where \u00c6neas is said to have founded a city\non the Tiber. Bergmann, however, in his Fascination de Gulfi, page 28,\nrefers it to the Thracian town Ainos.\nHERIKON.\nHerikon is undoubtedly a mutilated form for Erichthonios. The genealogy\nhere given corresponds with the one given in the Iliad, Book 20, 215.\nTHE HISTORICAL ODIN.\nThe historical or anthropomorphized Odin, described in the Foreword to\nthe Fooling of Gylfe, becomes interesting when we compare it with\nSnorre\u2019s account of that hero in Heimskringla, and then compare both\naccounts with the Roman traditions about \u00c6neas. Of course the whole\nstory is only a myth; but we should remember that in the minds and\nhearts of our ancestors it served every purpose of genuine history. Our\nfathers accepted it in as good faith as any Christian ever believed in\nthe gospel of Christ, and so it had a similar influence in moulding the\nsocial, religious, political and literary life of our ancestors. We\nbecome interested in this legend as much as if it were genuine history,\non account of the influence it wielded upon the minds and hearts of a\nrace destined to act so great a part in the social, religious and\npolitical drama of Europe. We look into this and other ancestral myths,\nand see mirrored in them all that we afterward find to be reliable\nhistory of the old Teutons. In the same manner we are interested in the\nstory told about Romulus and Remus, about Mars and the wolf. This Roman\nmyth is equally prophetic in reference to the future career of Rome. The\nwarlike Mars, the rapacity of the wolf, and the fratricide Romulus, form\na mirror in which we see reflected the whole historical development of\nthe Romans; so that the story of Romulus is a vest-pocket edition of the\nhistory of Rome.\nThere are many points of resemblance between this old story of Odin and\nthe account that Virgil gives us of \u00c6neas, the founder of the Latin\nrace; and it is believed that, while Virgil imitated Homer, he based his\npoem upon a legend current among his countrymen. The Greeks in Virgil\u2019s\npoem are Pompey and the Romans in our Teutonic story. The Trojans\ncorrespond to Mithridates and his allies. \u00c6neas and Odin are identical.\nJust as Odin, a heroic defender of Mithridates, after traversing various\nunknown countries, finally reaches the north of Europe, organizes the\nvarious Teutonic kingdoms, settles his sons upon the thrones of Germany,\nEngland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway, and instructs his people to gather\nstrength and courage, so as eventually to take revenge on the cursed\nRomans; so \u00c6neas, one of the most valiant defenders of Troy, after many\nadventures in various lands, at length settles in Italy, and becomes the\nfounder of a race that in course of time is to wreak vengeance upon the\nGreeks. The prophecy contained in the Roman legend was fulfilled by\nMetellus and Mummius, in the years 147 and 146 before Christ, when the\nRomans became the conquerors of Greece. The prophecy contained in our\nTeutonic legend foreshadowed with no less unrelenting necessity the\ndownfall of proud Rome, when the Teutonic commander Odoacer, in the year\n476 after Christ, dethroned, not Romulus, brother of Remus, but Romulus\nAugustulus, son of Orestes. Thus history repeats itself. Roman history\nbegins and ends with Romulus; and we fancy we can see some connection\nbetween Od-in and Od-oacer. \u201cAs the twig is bent the tree is inclined.\u201d\nIt might be interesting to institute a similar comparison between our\nTeutonic race-founder Odin and Ulysses, king of Ithaca, but the reader\nwill have to do this for himself.\nIn one respect our heroes differ. The fall of Troy and the wanderings of\nUlysses became the theme of two great epic poems among the Greeks. The\nwanderings and adventures of \u00c6neas, son of Anchises, were fashioned into\na lordly epic by Virgil for the Romans. But the much-traveled man, the\n\u1f00\u03bd\u1f74\u03c1 \u03c0\u03bf\u03bb\u1f7b\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03c0\u03bf\u03c2, the weapons and the hero, Odin, who, driven by the\nnorns, first came to Teutondom and to the Baltic shores, has not yet\nbeen sung. This wonderful expedition of our race-founder, which, by\ngiving a historic cause to all the later hostilities and conflicts\nbetween the Teutons and the Romans, might, as suggested by Gibbon,\nsupply the noble ground-work of an epic poem as thrilling as the \u00c6neid\nof Virgil, has not yet been woven into a song for our race, and we give\nour readers this full account of Odin from the Heimskringla in\nconnection with the Foreword to Gylfe\u2019s Fooling, with the hope that\namong our readers there may be found some descendant of Odin, whose\nskaldic wings are but just fledged for the flights he hopes to take,\nwho will take a draught, first from Mimer\u2019s gushing fountain, then from\nSuttung\u2019s mead, brought by Odin to Asgard, and consecrate himself and\nhis talents to this legend with all the ardor of his soul. For, as\nWilliam Morris so beautifully says of the Volsung Saga, this is the\ngreat story of the Teutonic race, and should be to us what the tale of\nTroy was to the Greeks, and what the tale of \u00c6neas was to the Romans,\nto all our race first and afterward, when the evolution of the world has\nmade the Teutonic race nothing more than a name of what it has been; a\nstory, too, then, should it be to the races that come after us, no less\nthan the Iliad, and the Odyssey and the \u00c6neid have been to us.[101] We\nsincerely trust that we shall see Odin wrought into a Teutonic epic,\nthat will present in grand outline the contrast between the Roman and\nthe Teuton. And now we are prepared to give the Heimskringla account of\nthe historical Odin. We have adopted Samuel Laing\u2019s translation, with a\nfew verbal alterations where such seemed necessary.\n [Footnote 101: Quoted from memory.]\nIt is said that the earth\u2019s circle (Heimskringla), which the human race\ninhabits, is torn across into many bights, so that great seas run into\nthe land from the out-ocean. Thus it is known that a great sea goes into\nNjorvasound,[102] and up to the land of Jerusalem. From the same sea a\nlong sea-bight stretches toward the northeast, and is called the Black\nSea, and divides the three parts of the earth; of which the eastern part\nis called Asia, and the western is called by some Europe, by some\nEnea.[103] Northward of the Black Sea lies Svithjod the Great,[104] or\nthe Cold. The Great Svithjod is reckoned by some not less than the\nSaracens\u2019 land,[105] others compare it to the Great Blueland.[106] The\nnorthern part of Svithjod lies uninhabited on account of frost and cold,\nas likewise the southern parts of Blueland are waste from the burning\nsun. In Svithjod are many great domains, and many wonderful races of\nmen, and many kinds of languages. There are giants,[107] and there are\ndwarfs,[108] and there are also blue men.[109] There are wild beasts and\ndreadfully large dragons. On the north side of the mountains, which lie\noutside of all inhabited lands, runs a river through Svithjod, which is\nproperly called by the name of Tanais,[110] but was formerly called\nTanaquisl or Vanaquisl, and which falls into the ocean at the Black Sea.\nThe country of the people on the Vanaquisl was called Vanaland or\nVanaheim, and the river separates the three parts of the world, of which\nthe easternmost is called Asia and the westernmost Europe.\n [Footnote 102: Njorvasound, the Straits of Gibraltar; so called\n from the first Norseman who sailed through them. His name was\n Njorve. See Ann. for nordisk Oldkyndighed, Vol. I, p. 58.]\n [Footnote 103: See note, page 221.]\n [Transcriber\u2019s Note:\n The reference is to the first \u201cNote\u201d, on Enea.]\n [Footnote 104: Svithjod the Great, or the Cold, is the ancient\n Sarmatia and Scythia Magna, and formed the great part of the\n present European Russia. In the mythological sagas it is also\n called Godheim; that is, the home of Odin and the other gods.\n Svithjod the Less is Sweden proper, and is called Mannheim; that\n is, the home of the kings, the descendants of the gods.]\n [Footnote 105: The Saracens\u2019 land (Serkland) means North Africa\n and Spain, and the Saracen countries in Asia; that is, Persia,\n Assyria, etc.]\n [Footnote 106: Blueland, the country of the blacks in Africa, the\n country south of Serkland, the modern Ethiopia.]\n [Footnote 107: Tartareans.]\n [Footnote 108: Kalmuks.]\n [Footnote 109: Mongolians.]\n [Footnote 110: The Tanais is the present Don river, which empties\n into the Sea of Asov.]\nThe country east of the Tanaquisl in Asia was called Asaland or Asaheim,\nand the chief city in that land was called Asgard.[111] In that city was\na chief called Odin, and it was a great place for sacrifice. It was the\ncustom there that twelve temple-priests[112] should both direct the\nsacrifices and also judge the people. They were called priests or\nmasters, and all the people served and obeyed them. Odin was a great and\nvery far-traveled warrior, who conquered many kingdoms, and so\nsuccessful was he that in every battle the victory was on his side.\nIt was the belief of his people that victory belonged to him in every\nbattle. It was his custom when he sent his men into battle, or on any\nexpedition, that he first laid his hand upon their heads, and called\ndown a blessing upon them; and then they believed their undertaking\nwould be successful. His people also were accustomed, whenever they fell\ninto danger by land or sea, to call upon his name; and they thought that\nalways they got comfort and aid by it, for where he was they thought\nhelp was near. Often he went away so long that he passed many seasons on\nhis journeys.\n [Footnote 111: Asgard is supposed, by those who look for\n historical fact in mythological tales, to be the present Assor;\n others, that it is Chasgar in the Caucasian ridge, called by\n Strabo Aspargum the Asburg, or castle of the asas. We still have\n in the Norse tongue the word Aas, meaning a ridge of high land.\n The word asas is not derived from Asia, as Snorre supposed. It is\n the O.H. Ger. _ans_; Anglo-Sax. _os_ = a hero. The word also\n means a pillar; and in this latter sense the gods are the pillars\n of the universe. Connected with the word is undoubtedly Aas, a\n mountain-ridge, as supporter of the skies; and this reminds us of\n _Atlas_, as bearer of the world.]\n [Footnote 112: The temple-priests performed the functions of\n priest and judge, and their office continued hereditary throughout\n the heathen period of Norse history.]\nOdin had two brothers, the one hight Ve, the other Vile,[113] and they\ngoverned the kingdom when he was absent. It happened once when Odin had\ngone to a great distance, and had been so long away that the people of\nAsia doubted if he would ever return home, that his two brothers took it\nupon themselves to divide his estate; but both of them took his wife\nFrigg to themselves. Odin soon after returned home, and took his wife\nback.\n [Footnote 113: See Norse Mythology, page 174.]\nOdin went out with a great army against the Vanaland people; but they\nwere well prepared, and defended their land, so that victory was\nchangeable, and they ravaged the lands of each other and did great\ndamage. They tired of this at last, and, on both sides appointing a\nmeeting for establishing peace, made a truce and exchanged hostages. The\nVanaland people sent their best men,--Njord the Rich and his son Frey;\nthe people of Asaland sent a man hight H\u0153ner,[114] as he was a stout and\nvery handsome man, and with him they sent a man of great understanding,\ncalled Mimer; and on the other side the Vanaland people sent the wisest\nman in their community, who was called Quaser. Now when H\u0153ner came to\nVanaheim he was immediately made a chief, and Mimer came to him with\ngood counsel on all occasions. But when H\u0153ner stood in the Things, or\nother meetings, if Mimer was not near him, and any difficult matter was\nlaid before him, he always answered in one way: Now let others give\ntheir advice; so that the Vanaland people got a suspicion that the\nAsaland people had deceived them in the exchange of men. They took\nMimer, therefore, and beheaded him, and sent his head to the Asaland\npeople. Odin took the head, smeared it with herbs, so that it should not\nrot, and sang incantations over it. Thereby he gave it the power that it\nspoke to him, and discovered to him many secrets.[115] Odin placed Njord\nand Frey as priests of the sacrifices, and they became deities of the\nAsaland people. Njord\u2019s daughter, Freyja, was priestess of the\nsacrifices, and first taught the Asaland people the magic art, as it was\nin use and fashion among the Vanaland people. While Njord was with the\nVanaland people he had taken his own sister in marriage, for that was\nallowed by their law; and their children were Frey and Freyja. But among\nthe Asaland people it was forbidden to come together in so near\nrelationship.[116]\n [Footnote 114: See Brage\u2019s Talk, p. 160; and Norse Mythology,\n [Footnote 115: In the Vala\u2019s Prophecy of the Elder Edda it is\n said that Odin talks with the head of Mimer before the coming of\n Ragnarok. See Norse Mythology, p. 421.]\n [Footnote 116: This shows that the vans must have belonged to the\n mythological system of some older race that, like the ancient\n Romans (Liber and Libera), recognized the propriety of marriage\n between brothers and sisters, at least among their gods. Such\n marriages were not allowed among our Odinic ancestors. Hence we\n see that when Njord, Frey and Freyja were admitted to Asgard, they\n entered into new marriage relations. Njord married Skade, Frey\n married Gerd, and Freyja married Oder. Our ancestors were never\n savages!]\nThere goes a great mountain barrier from northeast to southwest, which\ndivides the Great Svithjod from other kingdoms. South of this mountain\nridge is not far to Turkland, where Odin had great possessions.[117] But\nOdin, having foreknowledge and magic-sight, knew that his posterity\nwould come to settle and dwell in the northern half of the world. In\nthose times the Roman chiefs went wide around the world, subduing to\nthemselves all people; and on this account many chiefs fled from their\ndomains.[118] Odin set his brothers Vile and Ve over Asgard, and he\nhimself, with all the gods and a great many other people, wandered out,\nfirst westward to Gardarike (Russia), and then south to Saxland\n(Germany). He had many sons, and after having subdued an extensive\nkingdom in Saxland he set his sons to defend the country. He himself\nwent northward to the sea, and took up his abode in an island which is\ncalled Odinse (see note below), in Funen. Then he sent Gefjun across the\nsound to the north to discover new countries, and she came to King\nGylfe, who gave her a ploughland. Then she went to Jotunheim and bore\nfour sons to a giant, and transformed them into a yoke of oxen, and\nyoked them to a plough and broke out the land into the ocean, right\nopposite to Odinse, which was called Seeland, where she afterward\nsettled and dwelt.[119] Skjold, a son of Odin, married her, and they\ndwelt at Leidre.[120] Where the ploughed land was, is a lake or sea\ncalled Laage.[121] In the Swedish land the fjords of Laage correspond to\nthe nesses of Seeland. Brage the old sings thus of it:\n Gefjun glad\n Drew from Gylfe\n The excellent land,\n Denmark\u2019s increase,\n So that it reeked\n From the running beasts.\n Four heads and eight eyes\n Bore the oxen,\n As they went before the wide\n Robbed land of the grassy isle.[122]\n [Footnote 117: Turkland was usually supposed to mean Moldau and\n Wallachia. Some, who regard the great mountain barrier as being\n the Ural Mountains, think Turkland is Turkistan in Asia. Asia\n Minor is also frequently styled Turkland.]\n [Footnote 118: Ancient Norse writers connect this event with\n Mithridates and Pompey the Great. They tell how Odin was a heroic\n prince who, with his twelve peers or apostles, dwelt in the Black\n Sea region. He became straightened for room, and so led the asas\n out of Asia into eastern Europe. Then they go on to tell how the\n Roman empire had arrived at its highest point of power, and saw\n all the then known world--the orbis terrarum--subject to its laws,\n when an unforeseen event raised up enemies against it from the\n very heart of the forests of Scythia, and on the banks of the Don\n river. The leader was Mithridates the Great, against whom the\n Romans waged three wars, and the Romans looked upon him as the\n most formidable enemy the empire had ever had to contend with.\n Cicero delivered his famous oration, Pro lege Manilia, and\n succeeded in getting Pompey appointed commander of the third war\n against Mithridates. The latter, by flying, had drawn Pompey after\n him into the wilds of Scythia. Here the king of Pontus sought\n refuge and new means of vengeance. He hoped to arm against the\n ambition of Rome all his neighboring nations whose liberties she\n threatened. He was successful at first, but all those Scythian\n peoples, ill-united as allies, ill-armed as soldiers, and still\n worse disciplined, were at length forced to yield to the genius of\n the great general Pompey. And here traditions tell us that Odin\n and the other asas were among the allies of Mithridates. Odin had\n been one of the gallant defenders of Troy, and at the same time,\n with \u00c6neas and Anchises, he had taken flight out of the burning\n and falling city. Now he was obliged to withdraw a second time by\n flight, but this time it was not from the Greeks, but from the\n Romans, whom he had offended by assisting Mithridates. He was now\n compelled to go and seek, in lands unknown to his enemies, that\n safety which he could no longer find in the Scythian forests. He\n then proceeded to the north of Europe, and laid the foundations of\n the Teutonic nations. As fast as he subdued the countries in the\n west and north of Europe he gave them to one or another of his\n sons to govern. Thus it comes to pass that so many sovereign\n families throughout Teutondom are said to be descended from Odin.\n Hengist and Horsa, the chiefs of those Saxons who conquered\n Britain in the fifth century, counted Odin in the number of their\n ancestors. The traditions go on to tell how he conquered Denmark,\n founded Odinse (Odinsve = Odin\u2019s Sanctuary; comp. _ve_ with the\n German _Wei_ in _Weinacht_), and gave the kingdom to his son\n Skjold (shield); how he conquered Sweden, founded the Sigtuna\n temple, and gave the country to his son Yngve; how finally Norway\n had to submit to him, and be ruled by a third son of Odin, Saming.\n It has been seriously contended,--and it would form an important\n element in an epic based on the historical Odin,--that a desire of\n being revenged on the Romans was one of the ruling principles of\n Odin\u2019s whole conduct. Driven by those foes of universal liberty\n from his former home in the east, his resentment was the more\n violent, since the Teutons thought it a sacred duty to revenge all\n injuries, especially those offered to kinsmen or country. Odin had\n no other view in traversing so many distant lands, and in\n establishing with so much zeal his doctrines of valor, than to\n arouse all Teutonic nations, and unite them against so formidable\n and odious a race as the Romans. And we, who live in the light of\n the nineteenth century, and with the records before us, can read\n the history of the convulsions of Europe during the decline of the\n Roman empire; we can understand how that leaven, which Odin left\n in the bosoms of the believers in the asa-faith, first fermented a\n long time in secret; but we can also see how in the fullness of\n time, the signal given, the descendants of Odin fell like a swarm\n of locusts upon this unhappy empire, and, after giving it many\n terrible shocks, eventually overturned it, thus completely\n avenging the insult offered so many centuries before by Pompey to\n their founder Odin. We can understand how it became possible for\n \u201cthose vast multitudes, which the populous north poured from her\n frozen loins, to pass the Rhine and the Danube, and come like a\n deluge on the south, and spread beneath Gibraltar and the Libyan\n sands;\u201d how it were possible, we say, for them so largely to\n remodel and invigorate a considerable part of Europe, nay, how\n they could succeed in overrunning and overturning \u201cthe rich but\n rotten, the mighty but marrowless, the disciplined but diseased,\n Roman empire; that gigantic and heartless and merciless usurpation\n of soulless materialism and abject superstition of universal\n despotism, of systemized and relentless plunder, and of depravity\n deep as hell.\u201d In connection with this subject we would refer our\n readers to Mallet\u2019s Northern Antiquities, pp. 79-83, where\n substantially the same account is given; to Norse Mythology, pp.\n 232-236; to George Stephen\u2019s Runic Monuments, Vol. I; and to\n Charles Kingsley\u2019s The Roman and the Teuton.]\n [Footnote 119: Compare this version of the myth with the one given\n in the first chapter of The Fooling of Gylfe. Many explain the\n myth to mean the breaking through of the Baltic between Sweden and\n Denmark.]\n [Footnote 120: Leidre or Leire, at the end of Isefjord, in the\n county of Lithraborg, is considered the oldest royal seat in\n Denmark.]\n [Footnote 121: Laage is a general name for lakes and rivers. It\n here stands for Lake Malar, in Sweden.]\n [Footnote 122: The grassy isle is Seeland.]\nNow when Odin heard that things were in a prosperous condition in the\nland to the east beside Gylfe, he went thither, and Gylfe made a peace\nwith him, for Gylfe thought he had no strength to oppose the people of\nAsaland. Odin and Gylfe had many tricks and enchantments against each\nother; but the Asaland people had always the superiority. Odin took up\nhis residence at the Malar lake, at the place now called Sigtun.[123]\nThere he erected a large temple, where there were sacrifices according\nto the customs of the Asaland people. He appropriated to himself the\nwhole of that district of country, and called it Sigtun. To the temple\ngods he gave also domains. Njord dwelt in Noatun, Frey in Upsal, Heimdal\nin Himinbjorg, Thor in Thrudvang, Balder in Breidablik;[124] to all of\nthem he gave good domains.\n [Footnote 123: Sigtun. _Sige_, Ger. Sieg, (comp. Sigfrid,) means\n victory, and is one of Odin\u2019s names; _tun_ means an inclosure, and\n is the same word as our modern English _town_. Thus Sigtun would,\n in modern English, be called Odinstown; like our Johnstown,\n Williamstown, etc.]\n [Footnote 124: Noatun, Thrudvang, Breidablik and Himinbjorg are\n purely mythological names, and for their significance the reader\n is referred to The Fooling of Gylfe. Snorre follows the lay of\n Grimner in the Elder Edda.]\nWhen Odin of Asaland came to the north, and the gods with him, he began\nto exercise and to teach others the arts which the people long afterward\nhave practiced. Odin was the cleverest of all, and from him all others\nlearned their magic arts; and he knew them first, and knew many more\nthan other people. But now, to tell why he is held in such high respect,\nwe must mention various causes that contributed to it. When sitting\namong his friends his countenance was so beautiful and friendly, that\nthe spirits of all were exhilarated by it; but when he was in war, he\nappeared fierce and dreadful. This arose from his being able to change\nhis color and form in any way he liked. Another cause was, that he\nconversed so cleverly and smoothly, that all who heard were persuaded.\nHe spoke everything in rhyme, such as is now composed, and which we call\nskald-craft. He and his temple gods were called song-smiths, for from\nthem came that art of song into the northern countries. Odin could make\nhis enemies in battle blind or deaf, or terror-struck, and their weapons\nso blunt that they could no more cut than a willow-twig; on the other\nhand, his men rushed forward without armor, were as mad as dogs or\nwolves, bit their shields, and were strong as bears or wild bulls, and\nkilled people at a blow, and neither fire nor iron told upon them. These\nwere called berserks.[125]\n [Footnote 125: Berserk. The etymology of this word has been much\n contested. Some, upon the authority of Snorre in the above quoted\n passage, derive it from berr (_bare_) and serkr (comp. _sark_,\n Scotch for shirt); but this etymology is inadmissible, because\n serkr is a substantive, not an adjective. Others derive it from\n berr (Germ. _B\u00e4r_ = _ursus_), which is greatly to be preferred,\n for in olden ages athletes and champions used to wear hides of\n bears, wolves and reindeer (as skins of lions in the south), hence\n the names Bjalfe, Bjarnhedinn, Ulfhedinn (hedinn, _pellis_),--\n \u201cpellibus aut parvis rhenonum tegimentis utuntur.\u201d C\u00e6sar, Bell.\n Gall. VI, 22. Even the old poets understood the name so, as may be\n seen in the poem of Hornklofi (beginning of the 10th century),\n a dialogue between a valkyrie and a raven, where the valkyrie says\n at berserkja rei\u00f0u vil ek \u00feik spyrja, to which the raven replies,\n Ulfhednar heita, _they are called wolf coats_. In battle the\n berserks were subject to fits of frenzy, called _berserksgangr_\n (_furor bersercicus_), when they howled like wild beasts, foamed at\n the mouth, and gnawed the iron rim of their shields. During these\n fits they were, according to a popular belief, proof against steel\n and fire, and made great havoc in the ranks of the enemy. But when\n the fever abated they were weak and tame. Vigfusson Cleasby\u2019s\n Icelandic-English Dictionary, _sub voce_.]\nOdin could transform his shape; his body would lie as if dead or asleep,\nbut then he would be in the shape of a fish, or worm, or bird, or beast,\nand be off in a twinkling to distant lands upon his own or other\npeoples\u2019 business. With words alone he could quench fire, still the\nocean in tempest, and turn the wind to any quarter he pleased. Odin had\na ship, which he called Skidbladner,[126] in which he sailed over wide\nseas, and which he could roll up like a cloth. Odin carried with him\nMimer\u2019s head, which told him all the news of other countries. Sometimes\neven he called the dead out of the earth, or set himself beside the\nburial-mounds; whence he was called the ghost-sovereign, and the lord of\nthe mounds. He had two ravens,[127] to whom he had taught the speech of\nman; and they flew far and wide through the land, and brought him the\nnews. In all such things he was pre\u00ebminently wise. He taught all these\narts in runes and songs, which are called incantations, and therefore\nthe Asaland people are called incantation-smiths. Odin also understood\nthe art in which the greatest power is lodged, and which he himself\npracticed, namely, what is called magic. By means of this he could know\nbeforehand the predestined fate[128] of men, or their not yet completed\nlot, and also bring on the death, ill-luck or bad health of people, or\ntake away the strength or wit from one person and give it to another.\nBut after such witchcraft followed such weakness and anxiety, that it\nwas not thought respectable for men to practice it; and therefore the\npriestesses were brought up in this art. Odin knew definitely where all\nmissing cattle were concealed under the earth, and understood the songs\nby which the earth, the hills, the stones and mounds were opened to him;\nand he bound those who dwell in them by the power of his word, and went\nin and took what he pleased. From these arts he became very celebrated.\nHis enemies dreaded him; his friends put their trust in him, and relied\non his power and on himself. He taught the most of his arts to his\npriests of the sacrifices, and they came nearest to himself in all\nwisdom and witch-knowledge. Many others, however, occupied themselves\nmuch with it; and from that time witchcraft spread far and wide, and\ncontinued long. People sacrificed to Odin, and the twelve chiefs of\nAsaland,--called them their gods, and believed in them long after. From\nOdin\u2019s name came the name Audun, which people gave to his sons; and from\nThor\u2019s name came Thorer, also Thorarinn; and it was also sometimes\naugmented by other additions, as Steinthor, Hafthor, and many kinds of\nalterations.\n [Footnote 126: In the mythology this ship belongs to Frey, having\n been made for him by the dwarfs.]\n [Footnote 127: Hugin and Munin.]\n [Footnote 128: The old Norse word is \u00f3rl\u00f6g, which is plural, (from\n \u00f6r = Ger. _ur_, and l\u00f6g, _laws_,) and means the primal law, fate,\n weird, doom; the Greek \u03bc\u03bf\u1fd6\u03c1\u03b1. The idea of predestination was a\n salient feature in the Odinic religion. The word \u00f6rlog, O.H.G.\n _urlac_, M.H.G. _urlone_, Dutch _orlog_, had special reference to\n a man\u2019s fate in war. Hence Orlogschiffe in German means a naval\n fleet. The Danish orlog means warfare at sea.]\nOdin established the same law in his land that had been before in\nAsaland. Thus he established by law that all dead men should be burned,\nand their property laid with them upon the pile, and the ashes be cast\ninto the sea or buried in the earth. Thus, said he, everyone will come\nto Valhal with the riches he had with him upon the pile; and he would\nalso enjoy whatever he himself had buried in the earth. For men of\nconsequence a mound should be raised to their memory, and for all other\nwarriors who had been distinguished for manhood, a standing stone; which\ncustom remained long after Odin\u2019s time. Toward winter there should be a\nblood-sacrifice for a good year, and in the middle of winter for a good\ncrop; and the third sacrifice should be in summer, for victory in\nbattle. Over all Svithjod[129] the people paid Odin a scatt, or tax,--so\nmuch on each head; but he had to defend the country from enemy or\ndisturbance, and pay the expense of the sacrifice-feasts toward winter\nfor a good year.\n [Footnote 129: Svithjod, which here means Sweden, is derived from\n Odin\u2019s name, Svidr and thjod = folk, people. Svithjod thus means\n Odin\u2019s people, and the country takes its name from the people.]\nNjord took a wife hight Skade; but she would not live with him, but\nmarried afterward Odin, and had many sons by him, of whom one was called\nSaming, and of this Eyvind Skaldespiller sings thus:\n To Asason[130] Queen Skade bore\n Saming, who dyed his shield in gore,--\n The giant queen of rock and snow\n Who loves to dwell on earth below,\n The iron pine-tree\u2019s daughter she,\n Sprung from the rocks that rib the sea,\n To Odin bore full many a son,--\n Heroes of many a battle won.\n [Footnote 130: Odin.]\nTo Saming Jarl Hakon the Great reckoned up his pedigree.[131] This\nSvithjod (Sweden) they call Mannheim, but the great Svithjod they call\nGodheim, and of Godheim great wonders and novelties were related.\n [Footnote 131: Norway was given to Saming by Odin.]\nOdin died in his bed in Sweden; and when he was near his death he made\nhimself be marked with the point of a spear,[132] and said he was going\nto Godheim, and would give a welcome there to all his friends, and all\nbrave warriors should be dedicated to him; and the Swedes believed that\nhe was gone to the ancient Asgard, and would live there eternally. Then\nbegan the belief in Odin, and the calling upon him. The Swedes believed\nthat he often showed himself to them before any great battle. To some he\ngave victory, others he invited to himself; and they reckoned both of\nthese to be well off in their fate. Odin was burnt, and at his pile\nthere was great splendor. It was their faith that the higher the smoke\narose in the air, the higher would he be raised whose pile it was; and\nthe richer he would be the more property that was consumed with him.\n [Footnote 132: He gave himself nine wounds in the form of the head\n of a spear, or Thor\u2019s hammer; that is, he marked himself with the\n sign of the _cross_, an ancient heathen custom.]\nNjord of Noatun was then the sole sovereign of the Swedes; and he\ncontinued the sacrifices, and was called the drot, or sovereign, by the\nSwedes, and he received scatt and gifts from them. In his days were\npeace and plenty, and such good years in all respects that the Swedes\nbelieved Njord ruled over the growth of seasons and the prosperity of\nthe people. In his time all the diars, or gods, died, and\nblood-sacrifices were made for them. Njord died on a bed of sickness,\nand before he died made himself be marked for Odin with the spear-point.\nThe Swedes burned him, and all wept over his grave-mound.\nFrey took the kingdom after Njord, and was called drot by the Swedes,\nand they paid taxes to him. He was like his father, fortunate in friends\nand in good seasons. Frey built a great temple at Upsala, made it his\nchief seat, and gave it all his taxes, his land and goods. Then began\nthe Upsala domains, which have remained ever since. Then began in his\nday the Frode-peace; and then there were good seasons in all the land,\nwhich the Swedes ascribed to Frey, so that he was more worshiped than\nthe other gods, as the people became much richer in his days by reason\nof the peace and good seasons. His wife was called Gerd, daughter of\nGymer, and their son was called Fjolner. Frey was called by another\nname, Yngve; and this name Yngve was considered long after in his race\nas a name of honor, so that his descendants have since been called\nYnglings (_i.e._ Yngve-lings). Frey fell into a sickness, and as his\nillness took the upper hand, his men took the plan of letting few\napproach him. In the meantime they raised a great mound, in which they\nplaced a door with three holes in it. Now when Frey died they bore him\nsecretly into the mound, but told the Swedes he was alive, and they kept\nwatch over him for three years. They brought all the taxes into the\nmound, and through the one hole they put in the gold, through the other\nthe silver, and through the third the copper money that was paid. Peace\nand good seasons continued.\nFreyja alone remained of the gods, and she became on this account so\ncelebrated that all women of distinction were called by her name, whence\nthey now have the title Frue (Germ. _Frau_), so that every woman is\ncalled frue (that is, mistress) over her property, and the wife is\ncalled the house-frue. Freyja continued the blood-sacrifices. Freyja had\nalso many other names. Her husband was called Oder, and her daughters\nHnos and Gersame. They were so very beautiful that afterward the most\nprecious jewels were called by their names.\nWhen it became known to the Swedes that Frey was dead, and yet peace and\ngood seasons continued, they believed that it must be so as long as Frey\nremained in Sweden, and therefore they would not burn his remains, but\ncalled him the god of this world, and afterward offered continually\nblood-sacrifices to him, principally for peace and good seasons.[133]\n [Footnote 133: Here ends Snorre\u2019s account of the asas in\n Heimskringla. The reader will, of course, compare the account here\n given of Odin, Njord, Frey, Freyja, etc., with the purely\n mythological description of them in the Younger Edda, and with\n that in Norse Mythology. Upon the whole, Snorre has striven to\n accommodate his sketch to the Eddas, while he has had to clothe\n mythical beings with the characteristics of human kings. Like\n Saxo-Grammaticus, Snorre has striven to show that the deities,\n which we now recognize as personified forces and phenomena of\n nature, were extraordinary and enterprising persons, who formerly\n ruled in the North, and inaugurated the customs, government and\n religion of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, England, and the\n other Teutonic lands.]\nFORNJOT AND THE SETTLEMENT OF NORWAY.\nIn the asa-faith we find various foreign elements introduced. Thus, for\nexample, the vans did not originally belong to the Odinic system. As the\nTeutons came in contact with other races, the religious ideas of the\nlatter were frequently adopted in some modified form. Especially do\nFinnish elements enter into the asa-system. The Finnish god of thunder\nwas Ukko. He is supposed to have been confounded with our Thor, whence\nthe latter got the name \u00d6ku-Thor (Ukko-Thor). The vans may be connected\nwith the Finnish Wainamoinen, and in the same manner a number of Celtic\nelements have been mixed with Teutonic mythology. And this is not all.\nThere must have flourished a religious system in the North before the\narrival of Odin and his apostles. This was probably either Tshudic or\nCeltic, or a mixture of the two. The asa-doctrine superseded it, but\nthere still remain traces in some of the oldest records of the North.\nThus we have in the prehistoric sagas of Iceland an account of the\nfinding of Norway, wherein it is related that Fornjot,[134] in Jotland,\nwhich is also called Finland or Quenland, east of the Gulf of Bothnia,\nhad three sons: Hler, also called \u00c6ger, Loge and Kare.[135] Of Loge it\nis related that he was of giant descent, and, being very tall of\nstature, he was called Haloge, that is High Loge; and after him the\nnorthern part of Norway is called Halogaland (now Helgeland). He was\nmarried to Glod (a red-hot coal), and had with her two daughters, Eysa\nand Eimyrja; both words meaning glowing embers. Haloge had two jarls,\nVifil (the one taking a vif = wife) and Vesete (the one who sits at the\nve = the sanctuary, that is, the dweller by the hearth, the first\nsanctuary), who courted his daughters; the former addressing himself to\nEimyrja, the latter to Eysa, but the king refusing to give his consent,\nthey carried them away secretly. Vesete settled in Borgundarholm\n(Bornholm), and had a son, Bue (one who settles on a farm); Vifil sailed\nfurther east and settled on the island Vifilsey, on the coast of Sweden,\nand had a son, Viking (the pirate).\n [Footnote 134: The word fornjot can be explained in two ways:\n either as for-njot = the first enjoyer, possessor; or as forn-jot,\n the ancient giant. He would then correspond to Ymer.]\n [Footnote 135: Notice this trinity: Hler is the sea (comp. the\n Welsh word _llyr_ = sea); Loge is fire (comp. the Welsh _llwg_),\n he reminds us both by his name and his nature of Loke; Kare is the\n wind.]\nThe third son, Kare, had a numerous offspring. He had one son by name\nJokul (iceberg), another Froste (frost), and Froste\u2019s son was named Sna\n(snow). He had a third son, by name Thorri (bare frost), after whom the\nmid-winter month, Thorra-month, was called; and his daughters hight Fonn\n(packed snow), Drifa (snow-drift), and Mjoll (meal, fine snow). All\nthese correspond well to Kare\u2019s name, which, as stated, means wind.\nThorri had two sons, Nor and Gor, and a daughter, Goe. The story goes on\nto tell how Goe, the sister, was lost, and how the brothers went to\nsearch for her, until they finally found him who had robbed her. He was\nHrolf, from the mountain, a son of the giant Svade, and a grandson of\nAsa-Thor. They settled their trouble, and thereupon Hrolf married Goe,\nand Nor married Hrolf\u2019s sister, settled in the land and called it after\nhis own name, Norvegr, that is, Norway. By this story we are reminded of\nKadmos, who went to seek his lost sister Europa. In the Younger Edda the\nwinds are called the sons of Fornjot, the sea is called the son of\nFornjot, and the brother of the fire and of the winds, and Fornjot is\nnamed among the old giants. This makes it clear that Fornjot and his\noffspring are not historical persons, but cosmological impersonations.\nAnd additional proof of this is found by an examination of the beginning\nof the Saga of Thorstein, Viking\u2019s Son. (See Viking Tales of the North,\nTHE FOOLING OF GYLFE.\nCHAPTER I.\nThis story about the ploughing of Gylfe reminds us of the legend told in\nthe first book of Virgil\u2019s \u00c6neid, about the founding of Carthage by\nDido, who bought from the Libyan king as much ground as she could cover\nwith a bull\u2019s hide. Elsewhere it is related that she cut the bull\u2019s hide\ninto narrow strips and encircled therewith all the ground upon which\nCarthage was afterward built. Thus Dido deceived the Libyan king nearly\nas effectually as Gefjun deluded King Gylfe. The story is also told by\nSnorre in Heimskringla, see p. 231.\nThe passage in verse, which has given translators so much trouble in a\ntransposed form, would read as follows: Gefjun glad drew that excellent\nland (dj\u00fapr\u00f3dul = the deep sun = gold; \u00f6\u00f0la = udal = property; dj\u00fapr\u00f3dul\n\u00f6\u00f0la = the golden property), Denmark\u2019s increase (Seeland), so that it\nreeked (steamed) from the running oxen. The oxen bore four heads and\neight eyes, as they went before the wide piece of robbed land of the\nisle so rich in grass.\nGefjun is usually interpreted as a goddess of agriculture, and her name\nis by some derived from \u03b3\u1fc6; and _fjon_, that is, _terr\u00e6 separatio_;\nothers compare it with the Anglo-Saxon _geofon_ = the sea. The etymology\nremains very uncertain.\nCHAPTER II.\nIt is to the delusion or eye-deceit mentioned in this chapter that\nSnorre Sturlasson refers in his Heimskringla, in Chapter VI of Ynglinga\nSaga.\nThjodolf of Hvin was a celebrated skald at the court of Harald Fairhair.\nThinking thatchers, etc. Literally transposed, this passage would read:\nReflecting men let shields (literally Svafner\u2019s, that is Odin\u2019s\nroof-trees,) glisten on the back. They were smitten with stones. To let\nshields glisten on the back, is said of men who throw their shields on\ntheir backs to protect themselves against those who pursue the flying\nhost.\nHar means the High One, Jafnhar the Equally High One, and Thride the\nThird One. By these three may be meant the three chief gods of the\nNorth: Odin, Thor and Frey; or they may be simply an expression of the\nEddic trinity. This trinity is represented in a number of ways: by Odin,\nVile and Ve in the creation of the world, and by Odin, H\u0153ner and Loder\nin the creation of Ask and Embla, the first human pair. The number three\nfigures extensively in all mythological systems. In the pre-chaotic\nstate we have Muspelheim, Niflheim and Ginungagap. Fornjot had three\nsons: Hler, Loge and Kare. There are three norns: Urd, Verdande and\nSkuld. There are three fountains: Hvergelmer, Urd\u2019s and Mimer\u2019s; etc.\n(See Norse Mythology, pp. 183, 195, 196.)\nHar being Odin, Har\u2019s Hall will be Valhal. You will not come out from\nthis hall unless you are wiser. In the lay of Vafthrudner, of the Elder\nEdda, we have a similar challenge, where Vafthrudner says to Odin:\n Out will you not come\n From our halls\n Unless I find you to be wiser (than I am).\nCHAPTER III.\nThis chapter gives twelve names of Odin. In the Eddas and in the skaldic\nlays he has in all nearly two hundred names. His most common name is\nOdin (in Anglo-Saxon and in Old High German _Wodan_), and this is\nthought by many to be of the same origin as our word _god_. The other\nOld Norse word for god, _tivi_, is identical in root with Lat. _divus_;\nSansk. _dwas_; Gr. \u0394\u03b9\u1f79\u03c2 (\u0396\u03b5\u1f7b\u03c2); and this is again connected with _Tyr_,\nthe Tivisco in the Germania of Tacitus. (See Max M\u00fcller\u2019s Lectures on\nthe Science of Language, 2d series, p. 425). Paulus Diakonus states that\nWodan, or Gwodan, was worshiped by all branches of the Teutons. Odin has\nalso been sought and found in the Scythian _Zalmoxis_, in the Indian\n_Buddha_, in the Celtic Budd, and in the Mexican Votan. Zalmoxis,\nderived from the Gr. \u0396\u03b1\u03bb\u03bc\u1f79\u03c2, helmet, reminds us of Odin as the\nhelmet-bearer (Grimm, Gesch. der Deutschen Sprache). According to\nHumboldt, a race in Guatemala, Mexico, claim to be descended from\nVotan (Vues des Cordill\u00e8res, 1817, I, 208). This suggests the question\nwhether Odin\u2019s name may not have been brought to America by the Norse\ndiscoverers in the 10th and 11th centuries, and adopted by some of the\nnative races. In the Lay of Grimner (Elder Edda) the following names of\nOdin are enumerated:\n Grim is my name\n And Ganglere,\n Herjan and Helmet-bearer,\n Thekk and Thride,\n Thud and Ud,\n Helblinde and Har,\n Sad and Svipal,\n And Sanngetal,\n Herteit and Hnikar,\n Bileyg and Baleyg,\n Bolverk, Fjolner,\n Grim and Grimner,\n Glapsvid and Fjolsvid,\n Sidhot, Sidskeg,\n Sigfather, Hnikud,\n Alfather, Valfather,\n Atrid and Farmatyr.\n With one name\n Was I never named\n When I fared \u2019mong the peoples.\n Grimner they called me\n Here at Geirrod\u2019s,\n But Jalk at Asmund\u2019s,\n And Kjalar the time\n When sleds (kjalka) I drew,\n And Thror at the Thing,\n Vidur on the battle-field,\n Oske and Ome,\n Jafnhar and Biflinde,\n Gondler and Harbard \u2019mong the gods.\n Svidur and Svidre\n Hight I at Sokmimer\u2019s,\n And fooled the ancient giant\n When I alone Midvitne\u2019s,\n The mighty son\u2019s,\n Bane had become.\n Odin I now am called,\n Ygg was my name before,\n Before that I hight Thund,\n Yak and Skilfing,\n Vafud and Hroptatyr,\n Got and Jalk \u2019mong the gods,\n Ofner and Svafner.\n All these names, I trow,\n Have to me alone been given.\nWhat the etymology of all these names is, it is not easy to tell. The\nmost of them are clearly Norse words, and express the various activities\nof their owner. It is worthy of notice that it is added when and where\nOdin bore this or that name (his name was Grim at Geirrod\u2019s, Jalk at\nAsmund\u2019s, etc.), and that the words sometimes indicate a progressive\ndevelopment, as Thund, then Ygg, and then Odin. First he was a mere\nsound in the air (Thund), then he took to thinking (Ygg), and at last he\nbecame the inspiring soul of the universe. Although we are unable to\ndefine all these names, they certainly each have a distinct meaning, and\nour ancestors certainly understood them perfectly. Har = the High One;\nJafn-har = the Equally High One; Thride = the Third (\u0396\u03b5\u1f7a\u03c2 \u1f04\u03bb\u03bb\u03bf\u03c2 and\n\u03a4\u03c1\u1f77\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2); Alfather probably contracted from _Alda_father = the Father of\nthe Ages and the Creations; Veratyr = the Lord of Beings; R\u00f6gner = the\nRuler (from regin); Got (Gautr, from _gj\u00f3ta_, to cast) = the Creator,\nLat. Instillator; Mjotud = the Creator, the word being allied to\nAnglo-Saxon _meotod_, _metod_, Germ. _Messer_, and means originally\ncutter; but to cut and to make are synonymous. Such names as these have\nreference to Odin\u2019s divinity as creator, arranger and ruler of gods and\nmen. Svid and Fjolsvid = the swift, the wise; Ganglere, Gangrad and\nVegtam = the wanderer, the waywont; Vidrer = the weather-ruler, together\nwith serpent-names like Ofner, Svafner, etc., refer to Odin\u2019s knowledge,\nhis journeys, the various shapes he assumes. Permeating all nature, he\nappears in all its forms. Names like Sidhot = the slouchy hat; Sidskeg =\nthe long-beard; Baleyg = the burning-eye; Grimner = the masked; Jalk\n(Jack) = the youth, etc., express the various forms in which he was\nthought to appear,--to his slouchy hat, his long beard, or his age, etc.\nSuch names as Sanngetal = the true investigator; Farmatyr = the\ncargo-god, etc., refer to his various occupations as inventor,\ndiscoverer of runes, protector of trade and commerce, etc. Finally, all\nsuch names as Herfather = father of hosts; Herjan = the devastator;\nSigfather = the father of victory; Sigtyr = god of victory; Skilfing =\nproducing trembling; Hnikar = the breaker, etc., represent Odin as the\ngod of war and victory. Oske = wish, is thus called because he gratifies\nour desires. Gimle, as will be seen later, is the abode of the blessed\nafter Ragnarok. Vingolf (Vin and golf) means _friends\u2019 floor_, and is\nthe hall of the goddesses. Hel is the goddess of death, and from her\nname our word _hell_ is derived.\nOur ancestors divided the universe into nine worlds: the uppermost was\nMuspelheim (the world of light); the lowest was Niflheim (the world of\ndarkness). Compare the Greek word \u03bd\u03b5\u03c6\u1f73\u03bb\u03b7 = mist. (See Norse Mythology,\nGINUNGAGAP. Ginn means wide, large, far-reaching, perhaps also void\n(compare the Anglo-Saxon _gin_ = gaping, open, spacious; ginian = to\ngap; and ginnung = a yawning). Ginungagap thus means the yawning gap or\nabyss, and represents empty space. The poets use ginnung in the sense of\na fish and of a hawk, and in geographical saga-fragments it is used as\nthe name of the Polar Sea.\nHVERGELMER. This word is usually explained as a transposition for\nHvergemler, which would then be derived from Hver and gamall (old) = the\nold kettle; but Petersen shows that gelmir must be taken from galm,\nwhich is still found in the Jutland dialect, and means a gale (compare\nGolmstead = a windy place, and _golme_ = to roar, blow). Gelmer is then\nthe one producing galm, and Hvergelmer thus means the roaring kettle.\nThe twelve rivers proceeding from Hvergelmer are called the Elivogs\n(\u00c9liv\u00e1gar) in the next chapter. \u00c9li-v\u00e1gar means, according to Vigfusson,\nice-waves. The most of the names occur in the long list of river names\ngiven in the Lay of Grimner, of the Elder Edda. Svol = the cool;\nGunnthro = the battle-trough. Slid is also mentioned in the Vala\u2019s\nProphecy, where it is represented as being full of mud and swords. Sylg\n(from _svelgja_ = to swallow) = the devourer; Ylg (from _yla_ = to roar)\n= the roaring one; Leipt = the glowing, is also mentioned in the Lay of\nHelge Hunding\u2019s Bane, where it is stated that they swore by it (compare\nStyx); Gjoll (from _gjalla_ = to glisten and clang) = the shining,\nclanging one. The meaning of the other words is not clear, but they\ndoubtless all, like those explained, express cold, violent motion, etc.\nThe most noteworthy of these rivers are Leipt and Gjoll. In the Lay of\nGrimner they are said to flow nearest to the abode of man, and fall\nthence into Hel\u2019s realm. Over Gjoll was the bridge which Hermod, after\nthe death of Balder, crossed on his way to Hel. It is said to be\nthatched with shining gold, and a maid by name Modgud watches it. In the\nsong of Sturle Thordson, on the death of Skule Jarl, it is said that\n\u201cthe king\u2019s kinsman went over the Gjoll-bridge.\u201d The farther part of the\nhorizon, which often appears like a broad bright stream, may have\nsuggested this river.\nSURT means the swarthy or black one. Many have regarded him as the\nunknown (dark) god, but this is probably an error. But there was some\none in Muspelheim who sent the heat, and gave life to the frozen drops\nof rime. The latter, and not Surt, who is a giant, is the eternal god,\nthe mighty one, whom the skald in the Lay of Hyndla dare not name. It is\ninteresting to notice that our ancestors divided the evolution of the\nworld into three distinct periods: (1) a pre-chaotic condition\n(Niflheim, Muspelheim and Ginungagap); (2) a chaotic condition (Ymer and\nthe cow Audhumbla); (3) and finally the three gods, Odin (spirit), Vile\n(will) and Ve (sanctity), transformed chaos into cosmos. And away back\nin this pre-chaotic state of the world we find this mighty being who\nsends the heat. It is not definitely stated, but it can be inferred from\nother passages, that just as the good principle existed from everlasting\nin Muspelheim, so the evil principle existed co-eternally with it in\nHvergelmer in Niflheim. Hvergelmer is the source out of which all matter\nfirst proceeded, and the dragon or devil Nidhug, who dwells in\nHvergelmer, is, in our opinion, the evil principle who is from eternity.\nThe good principle shall continue forever, but the evil shall cease to\nexist after Ragnarok.\nYMER is the noisy one, and his name is derived from _ymja_ = to howl\n(compare also the Finnish deity Jumo, after whom the town Umea takes its\nname, like Odinse).\nAURGELMER, THRUDGELMER and BERGELMER express the gradual development\nfrom aur (clay) to thrud (that which is compressed), and finally to berg\n(rock).\nVIDOLF, VILMEIDE and SVARTHOFDE are mentioned nowhere else in the\nmythology.\nBURE and BORE mean the bearing and the born; that is, father and son.\nBOLTHORN means the miserable one, from bol = evil; and Bestla may mean\nthat which is best. The idea then is that Bor united himself with that\nwhich was best of the miserable material at hand.\nThat the flood caused by the slaying of Ymer reminds us of Noah and his\nark, and of the Greek flood, needs only to be suggested.\nCHAPTER IV.\nASK means an ash-tree, and EMBLA an elm-tree.\nWhile the etymology of the names in the myths are very obscure, the\nmyths themselves are clear enough. Similar myths abound in Greek\nmythology. The story about Bil and Hjuke is our old English rhyme about\nJack and Gill, who went up the hill to fetch a pail of water.\nCHAPTER V.\nIn reference to the golden age, see Norse Mythology, pp. 182 and 197.\nIn the appendix to the German so-called Hero-Book we are told that the\ndwarfs were first created to cultivate the desert lands and the\nmountains; thereupon the giants, to subdue the wild beasts; and finally\nthe heroes, to assist the dwarfs against the treacherous giants. While\nthe giants are always hostile to the gods, the dwarfs are usually\nfriendly to them.\nDWARFS. Both giants and dwarfs shun the light. If surprised by the\nbreaking forth of day, they become changed to stone. In one of the poems\nof the Elder Edda (the Alvism\u00e1l), Thor amuses the dwarf Alvis with\nvarious questions till daylight, and then cooly says to him: With great\nartifices, I tell you, you have been deceived; you are surprised here,\ndwarf, by daylight! The sun now shines in the hall. In the Helgakvida\nAtle says to the giantess Hrimgerd: It is now day, Hrimgerd! But Atle\nhas detained you, to your life\u2019s perdition. It will appear a laughable\nharbor-mark, where you stand as a stone-image.\nIn the German tales the dwarfs are described as deformed and diminutive,\ncoarsely clad and of dusky hue: \u201ca little black man,\u201d \u201ca little gray\nman.\u201d They are sometimes of the height of a child of four years,\nsometimes as two spans high, a thumb high (hence, Tom Thumb). The old\nDanish ballad of Eline of Villenwood mentions a troll not bigger than an\nant. Dvergm\u00e1l (the speech of the dwarfs) is the Old Norse expression for\nthe echo in the mountains.\nIn the later popular belief, the dwarfs are generally called the\nsubterraneans, the brown men in the moor, etc. They make themselves\ninvisible by a hat or hood. The women spin and weave, the men are\nsmiths. In Norway rock-crystal is called dwarf-stone. Certain stones are\nin Denmark called dwarf-hammers. They borrow things and seek advice from\npeople, and beg aid for their wives when in labor, all which services\nthey reward. But they also lame cattle, are thievish, and will carry off\ndamsels. There have been instances of dwarf females having married and\nhad children with men. (Thorpe\u2019s Northern Mythology.)\nWAR. It was the first warfare in the world, says the Elder Edda, when\nthey pierced Gullveig (gold-thirst) through with a spear, and burned her\nin Odin\u2019s hall. Thrice they burned her, thrice she was born anew: again\nand again, but still she lives. When she comes to a house they call her\nHeide (the bright, the welcome), and regard her as a propitious vala or\nprophetess. She can tame wolves, understands witchcraft, and delights\nwicked women. Hereupon the gods consulted together whether they should\npunish this misdeed, or accept a blood-fine, when Odin cast forth a\nspear among mankind, and now began war and slaughter in the world. The\ndefenses of the burgh of the asas was broken down. The vans anticipated\nwar, and hastened over the field. The valkyries came from afar, ready to\nride to the gods\u2019 people: Skuld with the shield, Skogul, Gunn, Hild,\nGondul and Geirr Skogul. (Quoted by Thorpe.)\nCHAPTER VI.\nIn reference to Ygdrasil, we refer our readers to Norse Mythology, pp.\n205-211, and to Thomas Carlyle\u2019s Heroes and Hero-worship.\nA connection between the norns Urd, Verdande and Skuld and the weird\nsisters in Shakspeare\u2019s _Macbeth_ has long since been recognized; but\nnew light has recently been thrown upon the subject by the philosopher\nKarl Blind, who has contributed valuable articles on the subject in the\nGerman periodical \u201cDie Gegenwart\u201d and in the \u201cLondon Academy.\u201d We take\nthe liberty of reproducing here an abstract of his article in the\n\u201cAcademy\u201d:\n The fact itself of these Witches being simply transfigurations, or\n later disguises, of the Teutonic Norns is fully established--as may\n be seen from Grimm or Simrock. In delineating these hags, Shakspeare\n has practically drawn upon old Germanic sources, perhaps upon\n current folk-lore of his time.\n It has always struck me as noteworthy that in the greater part of\n the scene between the Weird Sisters, Macbeth and Banquo, and\n wherever the Witches come in, Shakspeare uses the staff-rime in a\n remarkable manner. Not only does this add powerfully to the archaic\n impressiveness and awe, but it also seems to bring the form and\n figure of the Sisters of Fate more closely within the circle of the\n Teutonic idea. I have pointed out this striking use of the\n alliterative system in _Macbeth_ in an article on \u201cAn old German\n Poem and a Vedic Hymn,\u201d which appeared in _Fraser_ in June, 1877,\n and in which the derivation of the Weird Sisters from the Germanic\n Norns is mentioned.\n The very first scene in the first act of _Macbeth_ opens strongly\n with the staff-rime:\n _1st Witch_. When shall we three meet again--\n In thunder, lightning or in rain?\n _2d Witch_. When the hurly-burly\u2019s done,\n When the battle\u2019s lost and won.\n _3d Witch_. That will be ere set of sun.\n _1st Witch_. Where the place?\n _2d Witch_. Upon the heath.\n _3d Witch_. There to meet with Macbeth.\n _1st Witch_. I come, Graymalkin!\n _All_. Paddock calls. Anon.\n Fair is foul, and foul is fair.\n Hover through the fog and filthy air.\n Not less marked is the adoption of the fullest staff-rime--together\n (as above) with the end-rime--in the third scene, when the Weird\n Sisters speak. Again, there is the staff-rime when Banquo addresses\n them. Again, the strongest alliteration, combined with the end-rime,\n runs all through the Witches\u2019 spell-song in Act iv, scene 1. This\n feature in Shakspeare appears to me to merit closer investigation;\n all the more so because a less regular alliteration, but still a\n marked one, is found in not a few passages of a number of his plays.\n Only one further instance of the systematic employment of\n alliteration may here be noted in passing. It is in Ariel\u2019s songs in\n the _Tempest_, Act i, scene 2. Schlegel and Tieck evidently did not\n observe this alliterative peculiarity. Their otherwise excellent\n translation does not render it, except so far as the obvious\n similarity of certain English and German words involuntarily made\n them do so. But in the notes to their version of _Macbeth_ the\n character of the Weird Sisters is also misunderstood, though\n Warburton is referred to, who had already suggested their\n derivations from the Valkyrs or Norns.\n It is an error to say that the Witches in _Macbeth_ \u201care never\n called witches\u201d (compare Act i, scene 3: \u201c\u2018Give me!\u2019 quoth I.\n \u2018A-roint thee, _witch_!\u2019 the rump-fed ronyon cries\u201d). However, their\n designation as Weird Sisters fully settles the case of their\n Germanic origin.\n This name \u201cWeird\u201d is derived from the Anglo-Saxon Norn Wyrd (Sax.\n _Wurth_; O.H. Ger. _Wurd_; Norse, _Urd_), who represents the Past,\n as her very name shows. Wurd is _die Gewordene_--the \u201cHas Been,\u201d or\n rather the \u201cHas Become,\u201d if one could say so in English.\n In Shakspeare the Witches are three in number--even as in Norse,\n German, as well as in Keltic and other mythologies. Urd, properly\n speaking, is the Past. Skuld is the Future, or \u201cThat Which shall\n Be.\u201d Verdandi, usually translated as the Present, has an even deeper\n meaning. Her name is not to be derived from _vera_ (to be), but from\n _verda_ (Ger. _werden_). This verb, which has a mixed meaning of \u201cto\n be,\u201d \u201cto become,\u201d or to \u201cgrow,\u201d has been lost in English. Verdandi\n is, therefore, not merely a representative of present Being, but of\n the process of Growing, or of Evolution--which gives her figure a\n profounder aspect. Indeed, there is generally more significance in\n mythological tales than those imagine who look upon them chiefly as\n a barren play of fancy.\n Incidentally it may be remarked that, though Shakspeare\u2019s Weird\n Sisters are three in number--corresponding to Urd, Verdandi and\n Skuld--German and Northern mythology and folk-lore occasionally\n speak of twelve or seven of them. In the German tale of\n _Dornr\u00f6schen_, or the Sleeping Beauty, there are twelve good fays;\n and a thirteenth, who works the evil spell. Once, in German\n folk-lore, we meet with but two Sisters of Fate--one of them called\n _Kann_, the other _Muss_. Perhaps these are representatives of man\u2019s\n measure of free will (that which he \u201ccan\u201d), and of that which is his\n inevitable fate--or, that which he \u201cmust\u201d do.\n Though the word \u201cNorn\u201d has been lost in England and Germany, it is\n possibly preserved in a German folk-lore ditty, which speaks of\n three Sisters of Fate as \u201cNuns.\u201d Altogether, German folk-lore is\n still full of rimes about three Weird Sisters. They are sometimes\n called Wild Women, or Wise Women, or the Measurers\n (_Metten_)--namely, of Fate; or, euphemistically, like the\n Eumenides, the Advisers of Welfare (_Heil-R\u00e4thinnen_), reminding us\n of the counsels given to Macbeth in the apparition scene; or the\n Quick Judges (_Gach-Schepfen_). Even as in the Edda, these German\n fays weave and twist threads or ropes, and attach them to distant\n parts, thus fixing the weft of Fate. One of these fays is sometimes\n called Held, and described as black, or as half dark half\n white--like Hel, the Mistress of the Nether World. That German fay\n is also called Rachel, clearly a contraction of Rach-Hel, i.e. the\n Avengeress Hel.\n Now, in _Macbeth_ also the Weird Sisters are described as \u201cblack.\u201d\n The coming up of Hekate with them in the cave-scene might not\n unfitly be looked upon as a parallel with the German Held, or\n Rach-Hel, and the Norse Hel; these Teutonic deities being originally\n Goddesses of Nocturnal Darkness, and of the Nether World, even as\n Hekate.\n In German folk-lore, three Sisters of Fate bear the names of Wilbet,\n Worbet and Ainbet. Etymologically these names seem to refer to the\n well-disposed nature of a fay representing the Past; to the warring\n or worrying troubles of the Present; and to the terrors (_Ain_ =\n _Agin_) of the Future. All over southern Germany, from Austria to\n Alsace and Rhenish Hesse, the three fays are known under various\n names besides Wilbet, Worbet, and Ainbet--for instance, as Mechtild,\n Ottilia, and Gertraud; as Irmina, Adela, and Chlothildis, and so\n forth. The fay in the middle of this trio is always a good fay,\n a white fay--but blind. Her treasure (the very names of Ottilia and\n Adela point to a treasure) is continually being taken from her by\n the third fay, a dark and evil one, as well as by the first. This\n myth has been interpreted as meaning that the Present, being blinded\n as to its own existence, is continually being encroached upon,\n robbed as it were, by the dark Future and the Past. Of this\n particular trait there is no vestige in Shakspeare\u2019s Weird Sisters.\n They, like the Norns, \u201cgo hand in hand.\u201d But there is another point\n which claims attention Shakspeare\u2019s Witches are bearded. (\u201cYou\n should be women, and yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you\n are so.\u201d Act i, scene 3.)\n It need scarcely be brought to recollection that a commingling of\n the female and male character occurs in the divine and semi-divine\n figures of various mythological systems--including the Bearded\n Venus. Of decisive importance is, however, the fact of a bearded\n Weird Sister having apparently been believed in by our heathen\n German forefathers.\n Near Wessobrunn, in Upper Bavaria, where the semi-heathen fragment\n of a cosmogonic lay, known as \u201cWessobrunn Prayer,\u201d was discovered,\n there has also been found, of late, a rudely-sculptured three-headed\n image. It is looked upon as an ancient effigy of the German Norns.\n The Cloister of the three Holy Bournes, or Fountains, which stands\n close by the place of discovery, is supposed to have been set up on\n ground that had once served for pagan worship. Probably the later\n monkish establishment of the Three Holy Bournes had taken the place\n of a similarly named heathen sanctuary where the three Sisters of\n Fate were once adored. Indeed, the name of all the corresponding\n fays in yet current German folk-lore is connected with holy wells.\n This quite fits in with the three Eddic Bournes near the great Tree\n of Existence, at one of which--apparently at the oldest, which is\n the very Source of Being--the Norns live, \u201cthe maidens that over the\n Sea of Age travel in deep foreknowledge,\u201d and of whom it is said\n that:\n They laid the lots, they ruled the life\n To the sons of men, their fate foretelling.\n Now, curiously enough, the central head of the slab found near\n Wessobrunn, in the neighborhood of the Cloister of the Three Holy\n Bournes, is _bearded_. This has puzzled our arch\u00e6ologists. Some of\n them fancied that what appears to be a beard might after all be the\n hair of one of the fays or Norns, tied round the chin. By the light\n of the description of the Weird Sisters in Shakspeare\u2019s _Macbeth_\n we, however, see at once the true connection.\n In every respect, therefore, his \u201cWitches\u201d are an echo from the\n ancient Germanic creed--an echo, moreover, coming to us in the\n oldest Teutonic verse-form; that is, in the staff-rime.\n KARL BLIND.\nELVES. The elves of later times seem a sort of middle thing between the\nlight and dark elves. They are fair and lively, but also bad and\nmischievous. In some parts of Norway the peasants describe them as\ndiminutive naked boys with hats on. Traces of their dance are sometimes\nto be seen on the wet grass, especially on the banks of rivers. Their\nexhalation is injurious, and is called _alfgust_ or _elfbl\u00e6st_, causing\na swelling, which is easily contracted by too nearly approaching places\nwhere they have spat, etc. They have a predilection for certain spots,\nbut particularly for large trees, which on that account the owners do\nnot venture to meddle with, but look on them as something sacred, on\nwhich the weal or woe of the place depends. Certain diseases among their\ncattle are attributed to the elves, and are, therefore, called elf-fire\nor elf-shot. The dark elves are often confounded with the dwarfs, with\nwhom they, indeed, seem identical, although they are distinguished in\nOdin\u2019s Haven\u2019s Song. The Norwegians also make a distinction between\ndwarfs and elves, believing the former to live solitary and in quiet,\nwhile the latter love music and dancing. (Faye, p. 48; quoted by\nThorpe.)\nThe fairies of Scotland are precisely identical with the above. They are\ndescribed as a diminutive race of beings of a mixed or rather dubious\nnature, capricious in their dispositions and mischievous in their\nresentment. They inhabit the interior of green hills, chiefly those of a\nconical form, in Gaelic termed _Sighan_, on which they lead their dances\nby moonlight; impressing upon the surface the marks of circles, which\nsometimes appear yellow and blasted, sometimes of a deep green hue, and\nwithin which it is dangerous to sleep, or to be found after sunset.\nCattle which are suddenly seized with the cramp, or some similar\ndisorder, are said to be _elf-shot_. (Scott\u2019s Minstrelsy of the Scottish\nBorder; quoted by Thorpe.)\nOf the Swedish elves, Arndt gives the following sketch: Of giants, of\ndwarfs, of the alp, of dragons, that keep watch over treasures, they\nhave the usual stories; nor are the kindly elves forgotten. How often\nhas my postillion, when he observed a circular mark in the dewy grass,\nexclaimed: See! there the elves have been dancing. These elf-dances play\na great part in the spinning-room. To those who at midnight happen to\nenter one of these circles, the elves become visible, and may then play\nall kinds of pranks with them; though in general they are little, merry,\nharmless beings, both male and female. They often sit in small stones,\nthat are hollowed out in circular form, and which are called elf-querns\nor mill-stones. Their voice is said to be soft like the air. If a loud\ncry is heard in the forest, it is that of the Skogsr\u00e5 (spirit of the\nwood), which should be answered only by a _He!_ when it can do no harm.\n(Reise durch Sweden; quoted by Thorpe.)\nThe elf-shot was known in England in very remote times, as appears from\nthe Anglo-Saxon incantation, printed by Grimm in his Deutsche\nMythologie, and in the appendix to Kemble\u2019s Saxons in England: Gif hit\nw\u0153re esa gescot o\u00f0\u00f0e hit w\u0153re ylfa gescot; that is, if it were an\nasa-shot or an elf-shot. On this subject Grimm says: It is a very old\nbelief that dangerous arrows were shot by the elves from the air. The\nthunder-bolt is also called elf-shot, and in Scotland a hard, sharp,\nwedge-shaped stone is known by the name of elf-arrow, elf-flint,\nelf-bolt, which, it is supposed, has been sent by the spirits. (Quoted\nby Thorpe.)\nCHAPTER VII.\nOur ancestors divided the universe into nine worlds, and these again\ninto three groups:\n1. Over the earth. Muspelheim, Ljosalfaheim and Asaheim.\n2. On the earth. Jotunheim, Midgard and Vanheim.\n3. Below the earth. Svartalfaheim, Niflheim and Niflhel.\nThe gods had twelve abodes:\n1. THRUDHEIM. The abode of Thor. His realm is Thrudvang, and his palace\nis Bilskirner.\n2. YDALER. Uller\u2019s abode.\n3. VALASKJALF. Odin\u2019s hall.\n4. SOKVABEK. The abode of Saga.\n5. GLADSHEIM, where there are twelve seats for the gods, besides the\nthrone occupied by Alfather.\n6. THRYMHEIM. Skade\u2019s abode.\n7. BREIDABLIK. Balder\u2019s abode.\n8. HIMMINBJORG. Heimdal\u2019s abode.\n9. FOLKVANG. Freyja\u2019s abode.\n10. GLITNER. Forsete\u2019s abode.\n11. NOATUN. Njord\u2019s abode.\n12. LANDVIDE. Vidar\u2019s abode.\nAccording to the Lay of Grimner, the gods had twelve horses, but the\nowner of each horse is not given:\n(1) Sleipner (Odin\u2019s), (2) Goldtop (Heimdal\u2019s), (3) Glad, (4) Gyller,\n(5) Gler, (6) Skeidbrimer, (7) Silvertop, (8) Siner, (9) Gisl, (10)\nFalhofner, (11) Lightfoot, (12) Blodughofdi (Frey\u2019s).\nThe owners of nine of them are not given, and, moreover, it is stated\nthat Thor had no horse, but always either went on foot or drove his\ngoats.\nThe favorite numbers are three, nine and twelve. Monotheism was\nrecognized in the unknown god, who is from everlasting to everlasting.\nA number of trinities were established, and the nine worlds were\nclassified into three groups. The week had nine days, and originally\nthere were probably but nine gods, that is, before the vans were united\nwith the asas. The number nine occurs where Heimdal is said to have nine\nmothers, Menglad is said to have nine maid-servants, \u00c6ger had nine\ndaughters, etc. When the vans were united with the asas, the number rose\nto twelve:\n(1) Odin, (2) Thor, (3) Tyr, (4) Balder, (5) Hoder, (6) Heimdal, (7)\nHermod, (8) Njord, (9) Frey, (10) Uller, (11) Vidar, (12) Forsete.\nIf we add to this list Brage, Vale and Loke, we get fifteen; but the\nEddas everywhere declare that there are twelve gods, who were entitled\nto divine worship.\nThe number of the goddesses is usually given as twenty-six.\nCHAPTER VIII.\nLoke and his offspring are so fully treated in our Norse Mythology, that\nwe content ourselves by referring our readers to that work.\nCHAPTER IX.\nFreyja\u2019s ornament Brising. In the saga of Olaf Tryggvason, there is a\nrather awkward story of the manner in which Freyja became possessed of\nher ornament. Freyja, it is told, was a mistress of Odin. Not far from\nthe palace dwelt four dwarfs, whose names were Alfrig, Dvalin, Berling\nand Grer; they were skillful smiths. Looking one day into their stony\ndwelling, Freyja saw them at work on a beautiful golden necklace, or\ncollar, which she offered to buy, but which they refused to part with,\nexcept on conditions quite incompatible with the fidelity she owed to\nOdin, but to which she, nevertheless, was tempted to accede. Thus the\nornament became hers. By some means this transaction came to the\nknowledge of Loke, who told it to Odin. Odin commanded him to get\npossession of the ornament. This was no easy task, for no one could\nenter Freyja\u2019s bower without her consent. He went away whimpering, but\nmost were glad on seeing him in such tribulation. When he came to the\nlocked bower, he could nowhere find an entrance, and, it being cold\nweather, he began to shiver. He then transformed himself into a fly and\ntried every opening, but in vain; there was nowhere air enough to make\nhim to get through [Loke (fire) requires air]. At length he found a hole\nin the roof, but not bigger than the prick of a needle. Through this he\nslipt. On his entrance he looked around to see if anyone were awake, but\nall were buried in sleep. He peeped in at Freyja\u2019s bed, and saw that she\nhad the ornament round her neck, but that the lock was on the side she\nlay on. He then transformed himself to a flea, placed himself on\nFreyja\u2019s cheek, and stung her so that she awoke, but only turned herself\nround and slept again. He then laid aside his assumed form, cautiously\ntook the ornament, unlocked the bower, and took his prize to Odin. In\nthe morning, on waking, Freyja seeing the door open, without having been\nforced, and that her ornament was gone, instantly understood the whole\naffair. Having dressed herself, she repaired to Odin\u2019s hall, and\nupbraided him with having stolen her ornament, and insisted on its\nrestoration, which she finally obtained. (Quoted by Thorpe.)\nMention is also made of the Br\u00f3singa-men in the Beowulf (verse 2394).\nHere it is represented as belonging to Hermanric, but the legend\nconcerning it has never been found.\nCHAPTER X.\nThis myth about Frey and Gerd is the subject of one of the most\nfascinating poems in the Elder Edda, the Journey of Skirner. It is, as\nAuber Forestier, in Echoes from Mistland, says, the germ of the Niblung\nstory. Frey is Sigurd or Sigfrid, and Gerd is Brynhild. The myth is also\nfound in another poem of the Elder Edda, the Lay of Fjolsvin, in which\nthe god himself--there called Svipday (the hastener of the\nday)--undertakes the journey to arouse from the winter sleep the cold\ngiant nature of the maiden Menglad (the sun-radiant daughter), who is\nidentical with Freyja (the goddess of spring, promise, or of love\nbetween man and woman, and who can easily be compared with Gerd). Before\nthe bonds which enchain the maiden can in either case be broken, Bele\n(the giant of spring storms, corresponding to the dragon Fafner in the\nNiblung story,) must be conquered, and Wafurloge (the wall of bickering\nflames that surrounded the castle) must be penetrated. The fanes\nsymbolize the funeral pyre, for whoever enters the nether world must\nscorn the fear of death. (Auber Forestier\u2019s Echoes from Mistland;\nIntroduction, xliii, xliv.) We also find this story repeated again and\nagain, in numberless variations, in Teutonic folk-lore; for instance,\nin The Maiden on the Glass Mountain, where the glass mountain takes the\nplace of the bickering flame.\nCHAPTER XI.\nThe tree Lerad (furnishing protection) must be regarded as a branch of\nYgdrasil.\nCHAPTER XII.\nIn Heimskringla Skidbladner is called Odin\u2019s ship. This is correct. All\nthat belonged to the gods was his also.\nCHAPTER XIII.\nFor a thorough analysis of Thor as a spring god, as the god who dwells\nin the clouds, as the god of thunder and lightning, as the god of\nagriculture, in short, as the god of culture, we can do no better than\nto refer our readers to Der Mythus von Thor, nach Nordischen Quellen,\nvon Ludwig Uhland, Stuttgart, 1836; and to Handbuch der Deutschen\nMythologie, mit Einschluss der Nordischen, von Karl Simrock, Vierte\nAuflage, Bonn, 1874.\nCHAPTER XIV.\nThe death of Balder is justly regarded as the most beautiful myth in\nTeutonic mythology. It is connected with the Lay of Vegtam in the Elder\nEdda. Like so many other myths (Frey and Gerd, The Robbing of Idun,\netc.) the myth symbolizes originally the end of summer and return of\nspring. Thus Balder dies every year and goes to Hel. But in the\nfollowing spring he returns to the asas, and gladdens all things living\nand dead with his pure shining light. Gradually, however, the myth was\nchanged from a symbol of the departing and returning summer, and applied\nto the departing and returning of the world year, and thus the death of\nBalder prepares the way for Ragnarok and Regeneration. Balder goes to\nHel and does not return to this world. Thokk refuses to weep for him.\nHis return is promised after Ragnarok. The next spring does not bring\nhim back, but the rejuvenated earth. Thus the death of Balder becomes\nthe central thought in the drama of the fate of the gods and of the\nworld. It is inseparably connected with the punishment of Loke and the\ntwilight of the gods. The winter following the death of Balder is not an\nordinary winter, but the Fimbul-winter, which is followed by no summer,\nbut by the destruction of the world. The central idea in the Odinic\nreligion, the destruction and regeneration of the world, has taken this\nbeautiful sun-myth of Balder into its service. Balder is then no more\nmerely the pure holy light of heaven; he symbolizes at the same time the\npurity and innocence of the gods; he is changed from a physical to an\nethical myth. He impersonated all that was good and holy in the life of\nthe gods; and so it came to pass that when the golden age had ceased,\nwhen thirst for gold (Gulveig), when sin and crime had come into the\nworld, he was too good to live in it. As in Genesis fratricide (Cain and\nAbel) followed upon the eating of the forbidden fruit, and the loss of\nparadise; so, when the golden age (paradise) had ended among the asas,\nLoke (the serpent) brought fratricide (Hoder and Balder) among the gods;\nthemselves and our ancestors regarded fratricide as the lowest depth of\nmoral depravity. After the death of Balder\n Brothers slay brothers,\n Sisters\u2019 children\n Shed each other\u2019s blood,\n Hard grows the world,\n Sensual sin waxes huge.\n There are sword-ages, ax-ages--\n Shields are cleft in twain,--\n Storm-ages, murder-ages,--\n Till the world falls dead,\n And men no longer spare\n Or pity one another.\nUpon the whole we may say that a sun-myth first represents the death of\nthe day at sunset, when the sky is radiant as if dyed in blood. In the\nflushing morn light wins its victory again. Then this same myth becomes\ntransferred to the death and birth of summer. Once more it is lifted\ninto a higher sphere, while still holding on to its physical\ninterpretation, and is applied to the world year. Finally, it is clothed\nwith ethical attributes, becomes thoroughly anthropomorphized, and\ntypifies the good and the evil, the virtues and vices (light and\ndarkness), in the character and life of gods and of men. Thus we get\nfour stages in the development of the myth.\nCHAPTER XV.\nRAGNAROK. The word is found written in two ways, Ragnarok and ragnar\u00f6kr.\nRagna is genitive plural, from the word regin (god), and means of the\ngods. Rok means reason, ground, origin, a wonder, sign, marvel. It is\nallied to the O.H.G. _rahha_ = sentence, judgment. Ragnar\u00f6k would then\nmean _the history of the gods_, and applied to the dissolution of the\nworld, might be translated _the last judgment_, _doomsday_, _weird of\ngods and the world_. Rokr means _twilight_, and Ragnarokr, as the\nYounger Edda has it, thus means _the twilight of the gods_, and the\nlatter is adopted by nearly all modern writers, although Gudbr.\nVigfusson declares that Ragnarok (doomsday) is no doubt the correct\nform. And this is also to be said in favor of doomsday, that Ragnarok\ndoes not involve only the _twilight_, but the whole _night_ of the gods\nand the world.\nTHE NIFLUNGS AND GJUKUNGS.\nThis chapter of _Skaldskaparmal_ contains much valuable material for a\ncorrect understanding of the Nibelungen-Lied, especially as to the\norigin of the Niblung hoard, and the true character of Brynhild. The\nmaterial given here, and in the Icelandic Volsunga Saga, has been used\nby Wm. Morris in his Sigurd the Volsung and the Fall of the Niblungs.\nIn the Nibelungen-Lied, as transposed by Auber Forestier, in Echoes from\nMist-Land, we have a perfect gem of literature from the middle high\nGerman period, but its author had lost sight of the divine and mythical\norigin of the material that he wove into his poem. It is only by\ncombining the German Nibelungen-Lied with the mythical materials found\nin Norseland that our national Teutonic epic can be restored to us.\nWagner has done this for us in his famous drama; Jordan has done it in\nhis Sigfrid\u2019s saga; Morris has done it in the work mentioned above; but\nwill not Auber Forestier gather up all the scattered fragments relating\nto Sigurd and Brynhild, and weave them together into a prose narrative,\nthat shall delight the young and the old of this great land?\nWe are glad to welcome at this time a new book in the field of Niblung\nliterature. We refer to Geibel\u2019s Brunhild, translated, with introduction\nand notes, by Prof. G. Theo. Dippold, and recently published in Boston.\nMENJA AND FENJA.\nThis is usually called the peace of Frode, which corresponds to the\ngolden age in the life of the asas. Avarice is the root of crime, and\nall other evils. Avarice is at the bottom of all the endless woes of the\nNiblung story. The myth explaining why the sea is salt is told in a\nvariety of forms in different countries. In Germany there are several\nfolk-lore stories and traditions in regard to it. In Norway, where\nfolk-lore tales are so abundant, we find the myth about Menja and Fenja\nrecurring in the following form:\nWHY THE SEA IS SALT.\nLong, long ago there were two brothers, the one was rich and the other\nwas poor. On Christmas eve the poor one had not a morsel of bread or\nmeat in his house, and so he went to his brother and asked him for\nmercy\u2019s sake to give him something for Christmas. It was not the first\ntime the brother had had to give him, and he was not very much pleased\nto see him this time either.\n\u201cIf you will do what I ask of you, I will give you a whole ham of pork,\u201d\nsaid he.\nThe poor man promised immediately, and was very thankful besides.\n\u201cThere you have it, now go to hell,\u201d said the rich one, and threw the\nham at him.\n\u201cWhat I have promised, I suppose, I must keep,\u201d said the other. He took\nthe ham and started. He walked and walked the whole day, and at twilight\nhe came to a place where everything looked so bright and splendid.\n\u201cThis must be the place,\u201d thought the man with the ham.\nOut in the wood-shed stood an old man with a long white beard, cutting\nwood for Christmas.\n\u201cGood evening,\u201d said the man with the ham.\n\u201cGood evening, sir. Where are you going so late?\u201d said the man.\n\u201cI am on my way to hell, if I am on the right road,\u201d said the poor man.\n\u201cYes, you have taken the right road; it is here,\u201d said the old man. \u201cNow\nwhen you get in, they will all want to buy your ham, for pork is rare\nfood in hell; but you must not sell it, unless you get the hand-mill\nthat stands back of the door for it. When you come out again I will show\nyou how to regulate it. You will find it useful in more than one\nrespect.\u201d\nThe man with the ham thanked the old man for this valuable information,\nand rapped at the devil\u2019s door.\nWhen he came in it happened as the old man had said. All the devils,\nboth the large ones and the small ones, crowded around him like ants\naround a worm, and the one bid higher than the other for the ham.\n\u201cIt is true my wife and I were to have it for our Christmas dinner, but,\nseeing that you are so eager for it, I suppose I will have to let you\nhave it,\u201d said the man. \u201cBut if I am to sell it, I want that hand-mill\nthat stands behind the door there for it.\u201d\nThe devil did not like to spare it, and kept dickering and bantering\nwith the man, but he insisted, and so the devil had to give him the\nhand-mill. When the man came out in the yard he asked the old\nwood-chopper how he should regulate the mill; and when he had learned\nhow to do it, he said \u201cthank you,\u201d and made for home as fast as he\ncould. But still he did not reach home before twelve o\u2019clock in the\nnight Christmas eve.\n\u201cWhy, where in the world have you been?\u201d said the woman. \u201cHere I have\nbeen sitting hour after hour waiting and waiting, and I haven\u2019t as much\nas two sticks to put on the fire so as to cook the Christmas porridge.\u201d\n\u201cOh, I could not come any sooner. I had several errands to do, and I had\na long way to go too. But now I will show you,\u201d said the man. He set the\nmill on the table, and had it first grind light, then a table-cloth,\nthen food and ale and all sorts of good things for Christmas, and as he\ncommanded the mill ground. The woman expressed her great astonishment\nagain and again, and wanted to know where her husband had gotten the\nmill, but this he would not tell.\n\u201cIt makes no difference where I have gotten it; you see the mill is a\ngood one, and that the water does not freeze,\u201d said the man.\nThen he ground food and drink, and all good things, for the whole\nChristmas week, and on the third day he invited his friends: he was\ngoing to have a party. When the rich brother saw all the nice and good\nthings at the party, he became very wroth, for he could not bear to see\nhis brother have anything.\n\u201cChristmas eve he was so needy that he came to me and asked me for\nmercy\u2019s sake to give him a little food, and now he gives a feast as\nthough he were both count and king,\u201d said he to the others.\n\u201cBut where in hell have you gotten all your riches from?\u201d said he to his\nbrother.\n\u201cBehind the door,\u201d answered he who owned the mill. He did not care to\ngive any definite account, but later in the evening, when he began to\nget a little tipsy, he could not help himself and brought out the mill.\n\u201cThere you see the one that has given me all the riches,\u201d said he, and\nthen he let the mill grind both one thing and another. When the brother\nsaw this he was bound to have the mill, and after a long bantering about\nit, he finally was to have it; but he was to pay three hundred dollars\nfor it, and his brother was to keep it until harvest.\n\u201cWhen I keep it until then, I shall have ground food enough to last many\nyears,\u201d thought he.\nOf course the mill got no chance to grow rusty during the next six\nmonths, and when harvest-time came, the rich brother got it; but the\nother man had taken good care not to show him how to regulate it. It was\nin the evening that the rich man brought the mill home, and in the\nmorning he bade his wife go and spread the hay after the mowers,--he\nwould get dinner ready, he said. Toward dinner he put the mill on the\ntable.\n\u201cGrind fish and gruel: Grind both well and fast!\u201d said the man, and the\nmill began to grind fish and gruel. It first filled all the dishes and\ntubs full, and after that it covered the whole floor with fish and\ngruel. The man kept puttering and tinkering, and tried to get the mill\nto stop; but no matter how he turned it and fingered at it, the mill\nkept on, and before long the gruel got so deep in the room that the man\nwas on the point of drowning. Then he opened the door to the\nsitting-room, but before long that room was filled too, and the man had\nall he could do to get hold of the door-latch down in this flood of\ngruel. When he got the door open he did not remain long in the room. He\nran out as fast as he could, and there was a perfect flood of fish gruel\nbehind, deluging the yard and his fields.\nThe wife, who was in the meadow making hay, began to think that it took\na long time to get dinner ready. \u201cEven if husband does not call us, we\nwill have to go anyway. I suppose he does not know much about making\ngruel; I will have to go and help him,\u201d said the woman to the mowers.\nThey went homeward, but on coming up the hill they met the flood of fish\nand gruel and bread, the one mixed up with the other, and the man came\nrunning ahead of the flood.\n\u201cWould that each one of you had an hundred stomachs, but have a care\nthat you do not drown in the gruel flood,\u201d cried the husband. He ran by\nthem as though the devil had been after him, and hastened down to his\nbrother. He begged him in the name of everything sacred to come and take\nthe mill away immediately.\n\u201cIf it grinds another hour the whole settlement will perish in fish and\ngruel,\u201d said he.\nBut the brother would not take it unless he got three hundred dollars,\nand this money had to be paid to him.\nNow the poor brother had both money and the mill, and so it did not take\nlong before he got himself a farm, and a much nicer one than his\nbrother\u2019s. With his mill he ground out so much gold that he covered his\nhouse all over with sheets of gold. The house stood down by the\nsea-shore, and it glistened far out upon the sea. All who sailed past\nhad to go ashore and visit the rich man in the golden house, and all\nwanted to see the wonderful mill, for its fame spread far and wide, and\nthere was none who had not heard speak of it.\nAfter a long time there came a sea-captain who wished to see the mill.\nHe asked whether it could grind salt.\n\u201cYes, it can grind salt,\u201d said he who owned the mill; and when the\ncaptain heard this, he was bound to have it, let it cost what it will.\nFor if he had that, thought he, he would not have to sail far off over\ndangerous waters after cargoes of salt. At first the man did not wish to\nsell it, but the captain teased and begged and finally the man sold it,\nand got many thousand dollars for it. When the captain had gotten the\nmill on his back, he did not stay there long, for he was afraid the man\nmight reconsider the bargain and back out again. He had no time to ask\nhow to regulate it; he went to his ship as fast as he could, and when he\nhad gotten some distance out upon the sea, he got his mill out.\n\u201cGrind salt both fast and well,\u201d said the captain. The mill began to\ngrind salt, and that with all its might. When the captain had gotten the\nship full he wanted to stop the mill; but no matter how he worked, and\nno matter how he handled it, the mill kept grinding as fast as ever, and\nthe heap of salt kept growing larger and larger, and at last the ship\nsank. The mill stands on the bottom of the sea grinding this very day,\nand so it comes that the sea is salt.\nVOCABULARY.\nADILS. A king who reigned in Upsala.\nAE. A dwarf.\n\u00c6GER. The god presiding over the stormy sea.\nALF. A dwarf.\nALFATHER. A name of Odin.\nALFHEIM. The home of the elves.\nALFRIG. A dwarf.\nALSVID. One of the horses of the sun.\nALTHJOF. A dwarf.\nALVIS. A dwarf.\nAMSVARTNER. The name of the lake in which the island was situated where\n the wolf Fenrer was chained.\nANDHRIMNER. The cook in Valhal.\nANDLANG. The second heaven.\nANDVARE. A dwarf.\nANDVARE-NAUT. The ring in the Niblung story.\nANGERBODA. A giantess; mother of the Fenris-wolf.\nANNAR. Husband of Night and father of Jord.\nARVAK. The name of one of the horses of the sun.\nASAHEIM. The home of the asas.\nASALAND. The land of the asas.\nASAS. The Teutonic gods.\nASA-THOR. A common name for Thor.\nASGARD. The residence of the gods.\nASK. The name of the first man created by Odin, Honer and Loder.\nASLAUG. Daughter of Sigurd and Brynhild.\nASMUND. A man visited by Odin.\nASYNJES. The Teutonic goddesses.\nATLE. Gudrun\u2019s husband after the death of Sigurd.\nATRID. A name of Odin.\nAUD. The son of Night and Naglfare.\nAUDHUMBLA. The cow that nourished the giant Ymer.\nAUDUN. A name derived from Odin.\nAURGELMER. A giant; grandfather of Bergelmer; the same as Ymer.\nAURVANG. A dwarf.\nAUSTRE. A dwarf.\nBAFUR. A dwarf.\nBALDER. Son of Odin and Frigg, slain by Hoder.\nBALEYG. A name of Odin.\nBAR-ISLE. A cool grove in which Gerd agreed with Skirner to meet Frey.\nBAUGE. A brother of Suttung. Odin worked for him one summer, in order to\n get his help in obtaining Suttung\u2019s mead of poetry.\nBEIGUD. One of Rolf Krake\u2019s berserks.\nBELE. A giant, brother of Gerd, slain by Frey.\nBERGELMER. A giant; son of Thrudgelmer and grandson of Aurgelmer.\nBERLING. A dwarf.\nBESTLA. Wife of Bure and mother of Odin.\nBIFLIDE. A name of Odin.\nBIFLINDE. A name of Odin.\nBIFROST. The rainbow.\nBIFUR. A dwarf.\nBIKKE. A minister of Jormunrek; causes Randver to be hanged, and\n Svanhild trodden to death by horses.\nBIL. One of the children that accompany Moon.\nBILEYG. A name of Odin.\nBILSKIRNER. Thor\u2019s abode.\nBLAIN. A dwarf.\nBLODUGHOFDE. Frey\u2019s horse.\nBODN. One of the three jars in which the poetic mead is kept.\nBODVAR BJARKE. One of Rolf Krake\u2019s berserks.\nBOL. One of the rivers flowing out of Hvergelmer.\nBOLTHORN. A giant; father of Bestla, mother of Odin.\nBOLVERK. A name of Odin.\nBOMBUR. A dwarf.\nBOR. Son of Bure; father of Odin.\nBRAGE. A son of Odin; the best of skalds.\nBREIDABLIK. The abode of Balder.\nBRIMER. One of the heavenly halls after Ragnarok.\nBRISING. Freyja\u2019s necklace.\nBROK. A dwarf.\nBRYNHILD. One of the chief heroines in the Niblung story.\nBUDLE. Father of Atle and Brynhild.\nBUE. A son of Vesete, who settled in Borgundarholm.\nBURE. Grandfather of Odin.\nBYLEIST. A brother of Loke.\nBYRGER. A well from which Bil and Hjuke were going when they were taken\n by Moon.\nDAIN. A dwarf.\nDAIN. One of the stags that bite the leaves of Ygdrasil.\nDAINSLEIF. Hogne\u2019s sword.\nDAY. Son of Delling.\nDAYBREAK. The father of Day.\nDELLING. Daybreak.\nDOLGTHVARE. A dwarf.\nDORE. A dwarf.\nDRAUPNER. Odin\u2019s ring.\nDROME. One of the fetters with which the Fenris-wolf was chained.\nDUF. A dwarf.\nDUNEY. One of the stags that bite the leaves of Ygdrasil.\nDURATHRO. One of the stags that bite the leaves of Ygdrasil.\nDURIN. A dwarf.\nDVALIN. One of the stags that bite the leaves of Ygdrasil.\nDVALIN. A dwarf.\nEIKINSKJALDE. A dwarf.\nEIKTHYRNER. A hart that stands over Odin\u2019s hall.\nEILIF. Son of Gudrun; a skald.\nEIMYRJA. One of the daughters of Haloge and Glod.\nEINDRIDE. A name of Thor.\nEIR. An attendant of Menglod, and the best of all in the healing art.\nEKIN. One of the rivers flowing from Hvergelmer.\nELDER. A servant of \u00c6ger.\nELDHRIMNER. The kettle in which the boar Sahrimner is cooked in Valhal.\nELIVOGS. The ice-cold streams that flow out of Niflheim.\nELJUDNER. Hel\u2019s hall.\nELLE. An old woman (old age) with whom Thor wrestled in Jotunheim.\nEMBLA. The first woman created by Odin, Honer and Loder.\nENDIL. The name of a giant.\nERP. A son of Jonaker, murdered by Sorle and Hamder.\nEYLIME. The father of Hjordis, mother of Volsung.\nEYSA. One of the daughters of Haloge and Glod.\nFAFNER. Son of Hreidmar, killed by Sigurd.\nFAL. A dwarf.\nFALHOFNER. One of the horses of the gods.\nFARBAUTE. The father of Loke.\nFARMAGOD. One of the names of Odin.\nFARMATYR. One of the names of Odin.\nFENJA. A female slave who ground at Frode\u2019s mill.\nFENRIS-WOLF. The monster wolf, son of Loke.\nFENSALER. The abode of Frigg.\nFID. A dwarf.\nFILE. A dwarf.\nFIMAFENG. \u00c6ger\u2019s servant.\nFIMBUL. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nFIMBULTHUL. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nFIMBUL-TYR. The unknown god.\nFIMBUL-WINTER. The great and awful winter of three years duration\n preceding Ragnarok.\nFINNSLEIF. A byrnie belonging to King Adils, of Upsala.\nFJALAR. A dwarf.\nFJOLNER. A name of Odin.\nFJOLSVID. A name of Odin.\nFJORGVIN. The mother of Frigg and of Thor.\nFJORM. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nFOLKVANG. Freyja\u2019s abode.\nFORM. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nFORNJOT. The ancient giant; the father of \u00c6ger.\nFORSETE. The peace-maker; son of Balder and Nanna.\nFRANANGER FORCE. The waterfall into which Loke cast himself in the\n likeness of a salmon.\nFREKE. One of Odin\u2019s wolves.\nFREY. Son of Njord and husband of Skade.\nFREYJA. The daughter of Njord and sister of Frey.\nFRIDLEIF. A son of Skjold.\nFRIGG. Wife of Odin and mother of the gods.\nFRODE. Grandson of Skjold.\nFROSTE. A dwarf.\nFULLA. Frigg\u2019s attendant.\nFUNDIN. A dwarf.\nFYRE. A river in Sweden.\nGAGNRAD. A name of Odin.\nGALAR. A dwarf.\nGANDOLF. A dwarf.\nGANG. A giant.\nGANGLARE. A name of Odin.\nGANGLATE. Hel\u2019s man-servant.\nGANGLERE. A name of Odin.\nGANGLOT. Hel\u2019s maid-servant.\nGANGRAD. A name of Odin.\nGARDROFA. A horse.\nGARM. A dog that barks at Ragnarok.\nGAUT. A name of Odin.\nGEFJUN. A goddess; she is present at \u00c6ger\u2019s feast.\nGEFN. One of the names of Freyja.\nGEIRAHOD. A valkyrie.\nGEIRROD. A giant visited by Thor.\nGEIR SKOGUL. A valkyrie.\nGEIRVIMUL. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nGELGJA. The fetter with which the Fenris-wolf was chained.\nGERD. A beautiful giantess, daughter of Gymer.\nGERE. One of Odin\u2019s wolves.\nGERSAME. One of the daughters of Freyja.\nGILLING. Father of Suttung, who possessed the poetic mead.\nGIMLE. The abode of the righteous after Ragnarok.\nGINNAR. A dwarf.\nGINUNGAGAP. The premundane abyss.\nGIPUL. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nGISL. One of the horses of the gods.\nGJALLAR-BRIDGE. The bridge across the river Gjol, near Helheim.\nGJALLAR-HORN. Heimdal\u2019s horn.\nGJALLAR-RIVER. The river near Helheim.\nGJALP. One of the daughters of Geirrod.\nGJUKE. A king in Germany, visited by Sigurd.\nGLADSHEIM. Odin\u2019s dwelling.\nGLAM. The name of a giant.\nGLAPSVID. A name of Odin.\nGLASER. A grove in Asgard.\nGLEIPNER. The last fetter with which the wolf Fenrer was bound.\nGLENER. The husband of Sol (sun).\nGLER. One of the horses of the gods.\nGLITNER. Forsete\u2019s hall.\nGLOIN. A dwarf.\nGNA. Frigg\u2019s messenger.\nGNIPA-CAVE. The cave before which the dog Garm barks.\nGNITA-HEATH. Fafner\u2019s abode, where he kept the treasure of the Niblungs.\nGOIN. A serpent under Ygdrasil.\nGOL. A valkyrie.\nGOLDFAX. The giant Hrungner\u2019s horse.\nGOMUL. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nGONDLER. One of the names of Odin.\nGONDUL. A valkyrie.\nGOPUL. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nGOT. A name of Odin.\nGOTE. Gunnar\u2019s horse.\nGOTHORM. A son of Gjuke; murders Sigurd, and is slain by him.\nGRABAK. One of the serpents under Ygdrasil.\nGRAD. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nGRAFVITNER. A serpent under Ygdrasil.\nGRAFVOLLUD. A serpent under Ygdrasil.\nGRAM. Sigurd\u2019s sword.\nGRANE. Sigurd\u2019s horse.\nGREIP. One of the daughters of Geirrod.\nGRID. A giantess visited by Thor.\nGRIDARVOL. Grid\u2019s staff.\nGRIM. A name of Odin.\nGRIMHILD. Gjuke\u2019s queen.\nGRIMNER. One of the names of Odin.\nGRJOTTUNGARD. The place where Thor fought with Hrungner.\nGROA. A giantess, mother of Orvandel.\nGROTTE. The name of King Frode\u2019s mill.\nGUD. A valkyrie.\nGUDNY. One of the children of Gjuke.\nGUDRUN. The famous daughter of Gjuke.\nGULLINBURSTE. The name of Frey\u2019s boar.\nGULLINTANNE. A name of Heimdal.\nGULLTOP. Heimdal\u2019s horse.\nGULLVEIG. A personification of gold; she is pierced and burnt.\nGUNGNER. Odin\u2019s spear.\nGUNLAT. The daughter of the giant Suttung.\nGUNN. A valkyrie.\nGUNNAR. The famous son of Gjuke.\nGUNTHRAIN. One of the rivers flowing from Hvergelmer.\nGWODAN. An old name for Odin.\nGYLFE. A king of Svithjod, who visited Asgard under the name of\n Ganglere.\nGYLLER. One of the horses of the gods.\nGYMER. Another name of the ocean divinity \u00c6ger.\nHABROK. A celebrated hero.\nHALLINSKIDE. Another name of Heimdal.\nHALOGE. A giant, son of Fornjot; also called Loge.\nHAMDER. Son of Jonaker and Gudrun, incited by his mother to avenge his\n sister\u2019s death.\nHAMSKERPER. A horse; the sire of Hofvarpner, which was Gna\u2019s horse.\nHANGAGOD. A name of Odin.\nHANGATYR. A name of Odin.\nHAPTAGOD. A name of Odin.\nHAR. The High One; applied to Odin.\nHARBARD. A name assumed by Odin.\nHATE. The wolf bounding before the sun, and will at last catch the moon.\nHEIDE. Another name for Gullveig.\nHEIDRUN. A goat that stands over Valhal.\nHEIMDAL. The god of the rainbow.\nHEIMER. Brynhild\u2019s foster-father.\nHEL. The goddess of death; daughter of Loke.\nHELBLINDE. A name of Odin.\nHELMET-BEARER. A name of Odin.\nHENGEKJAPT. The man to whom King Frode gave his mill.\nHEPTE. A dwarf.\nHERAN. A name of Odin.\nHERFATHER. A name of Odin.\nHERJAN. A name of Odin.\nHERMOD. The god who rode on Sleipner to Hel, to get Balder back.\nHERTEIT. A name of Odin.\nHILD. A valkyrie.\nHILDESVIN. A helmet, which King Adils took from King Ale.\nHIMINBJORG. Heimdal\u2019s dwelling.\nHINDFELL. The place where Brynhild sat in her hall, surrounded by the\n Vafurloge.\nHJALMBORE. A name of Odin.\nHJALPREK. A king in Denmark; collects a fleet for Sigurd.\nHJATLE THE VALIANT. One of Rolf Krake\u2019s berserks.\nHJORDIS. Married to Sigmund, and mother of Sigurd.\nHJUKE. One of the children that accompany Moon.\nHLEDJOLF. A dwarf.\nHLER. Another name of \u00c6ger.\nHLIDSKJALF. The seat of Odin, whence he looked out over all the world.\nHLIN. One of the attendants of Frigg; Frigg herself is sometimes called\n by this name.\nHLODYN. Thor\u2019s mother.\nHLOK. A valkyrie.\nHLORIDE. A name of Thor.\nHNIKER. A name of Odin.\nHNIKUD. A name of Odin.\nHNITBJORG. The place where Suttung hid the poetic mead.\nHNOS. Freyja\u2019s daughter.\nHODER. The slayer of Balder; he is blind.\nHODMIMER\u2019S-HOLT. The grove where the two human beings, Lif and\n Lifthraser, were preserved during Ragnarok.\nHOFVARPNER. Gna\u2019s horse.\nHOGNE. A son of Gjuke.\nHONER. One of the three creating gods; with Odin and Loder he creates\n Ask and Embla.\nHOR. A dwarf.\nHORN. A name of Freyja.\nHRASVELG. A giant in an eagle\u2019s plumage, who produces the wind.\nHREIDMAR. The father of Regin and Fafner.\nHRIB. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nHRIMFAXE. The horse of Night.\nHRINGHORN. The ship upon which Balder\u2019s body was burned.\nHRIST. A valkyrie.\nHRODVITNER. A wolf; father of the wolf Hate.\nHRON. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nHROPTATYR. A name of Odin.\nHROTTE. Fafner\u2019s sword.\nHRUNGNER. A giant; Thor slew him.\nHRYM. A giant, who steers the ship Naglfar at Ragnarok.\nHVERGELMER. The fountain in the middle of Niflheim.\nHUGE. A person (Thought) who ran a race with Thjalfe, in Jotunheim.\nHUGIST. One of Odin\u2019s ravens.\nHUGSTORE. A dwarf.\nHYMER. A giant with whom Thor went fishing when he caught the\n Midgard-serpent.\nHYNDLA. A vala visited by Freyja.\nHYRROKEN. A giantess who launched the ship on which Balder was burned.\nIDA. A plain where the gods first assemble, and where they assemble\n again after Ragnarok.\nIDAVOLD. The same.\nIDE. A giant, son of Olvalde.\nIDUN. Wife of Brage; she kept the rejuvenating apples.\nIRONWOOD. The abode of giantesses called Jarnveds.\nIVA. A river in Jotunheim.\nIVALD. The father of the dwarfs that made Sif\u2019s hair, the ship\n Skidbladner, and Odin\u2019s spear Gungner.\nJAFNHAR. A name of Odin.\nJALG. A name of Odin.\nJALK. A name of Odin.\nJARNSAXA. One of Heimdal\u2019s nine giant mothers.\nJARNVED. The same as Ironwood.\nJARNVIDJES. The giantesses dwelling in Ironwood.\nJORD. Wife of Odin, mother of Thor.\nJORMUNGAND. The Midgard-serpent.\nJORMUNREK. King of Goths, marries Svanhild.\nJORUVOLD. The country where Aurvang is situated. Thence come several\n dwarfs.\nJOTUNHEIM. The home of the giants.\nKERLAUGS. The rivers that Thor every day must cross.\nKILE. A dwarf.\nKJALER. A name of Odin.\nKORMT. A river which Thor every day must cross.\nKVASER. The hostage given by the vans to the asas; his blood, when\n slain, was the poetical meed kept by Suttung.\nLADING. One of the fetters with which the Fenris-wolf was bound.\nLANDVIDE. Vidar\u2019s abode.\nLAUFEY. Loke\u2019s mother.\nLEIPT. One of the rivers flowing out of Hvergelmer.\nLERAD. A tree near Valhal.\nLETFET. One of the horses of the gods.\nLIF. } The two persons preserved in Hodmimer\u2019s-holt during\nLIFTHRASER.} Ragnarok.\nLIT. A dwarf.\nLJOSALFAHEIM. The home of the light elves.\nLODER. One of the three gods who created Ask and Embla.\nLOFN. One of the asynjes.\nLOGE. A giant who tried his strength at eating with Loke in Jotunheim.\nLOKE. The giant-god of the Norse mythology.\nLOPT. Another name for Loke.\nLOVAR. A dwarf.\nLYNGVE. The island where the Fenris-wolf was chained.\nMAGNE. A son of Thor.\nMANNHEIM. The home of man; our earth.\nMARDOL. One of the names of Freyja.\nMEGINGJARDER. Thor\u2019s belt.\nMEILE. A son of Odin.\nMENGLAD. Svipdag\u2019s betrothed.\nMENJA. A female slave who ground at Frode\u2019s mill.\nMIDGARD. The name of the earth in the mythology.\nMIDVITNE. A giant.\nMIMER. The name of the wise giant; keeper of the holy well.\nMIST. A valkyrie.\nMJODVITNER. A dwarf.\nMJOLNER. Thorn\u2019s hammer.\nMJOTUD. A name of Odin.\nMODE. One of Thor\u2019s sons.\nMODGUD. The may who guards the Gjallar-bridge.\nMODSOGNER. A dwarf.\nMOIN. A serpent under Ygdrasil.\nMOKKERKALFE. A clay giant in the myth of Thor and Hrungner.\nMOON, brother of Sun. Both children of Mundilfare.\nMOONGARM. A wolf of Loke\u2019s offspring; he devours the moon.\nMORN. A troll-woman.\nMUNDILFARE. Father of the sun and moon.\nMUNIN. One of Odin\u2019s ravens.\nMUSPEL. The name of an abode of fire.\nMUSPELHEIM. The world of blazing light before the creation.\nNA. A dwarf.\nNAGLFAR. A mythical ship made of nail-parings; it appears in Ragnarok.\nNAIN. A dwarf.\nNAL. Mother of Loke.\nNANNA. Daughter of Nep; mother of Forsete, and wife of Balder.\nNARE. Sod of Loke; also called Narfe.\nNARFE. _See_ Nare.\nNASTRAND. A place of punishment for the wicked after Ragnarok.\nNEP. Father of Nanna.\nNIBLUNGS. Identical with Gjukungs.\nNIDA MOUNTAINS. A place where there is, after Ragnarok, a golden hall\n for the race of Sindre (the dwarfs).\nNIDE. A dwarf.\nNIDHUG. A serpent in the nether world.\nNIFLHEIM. The world of mist before the creation.\nNIFLUNGS. Identical with Niblungs.\nNIGHT. Daughter of Norfe.\nNIKAR. A name of Odin.\nNIKUZ. A name of Odin.\nNIPING. A dwarf.\nNJORD. A van; husband of Skade, and father of Frey and Freyja.\nNOATUN. Njord\u2019s dwelling.\nNON. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nNOR. The man after whom Norway was supposed to have been named.\nNORDRE. A dwarf.\nNORFE. A giant, father of Night.\nNORNS. The weird sisters.\nNOT. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nNY. A dwarf.\nNYE. A dwarf.\nNYRAD. A dwarf.\nODER. Freyja\u2019s husband.\nODIN. Son of Bor and Bestla; the chief of Teutonic gods.\nODRARER. One of the vessels in which the poetic mead was kept.\nOFNER. A serpent under Ygdrasil.\nOIN. A dwarf.\nOKU-THOR. A name of Thor.\nOLVALDE. A giant; father of Thjasse, Ide and Gang.\nOME. A name of Odin.\nONAR. A dwarf.\nORBODA. Wife of the giant Gymer.\nORE. A dwarf.\nORMT. One of the rivers that Thor has to cross.\nORNER. The name of a giant.\nORVANDEL. The husband of Groa, the vala who sang magic songs over Thor\n after he had fought with Hrungner.\nOSKE. A name of Odin.\nOTTER. A son of Hreidmar; in the form of an otter he was killed by Loke.\nQUASER. _See_ Kvaser.\nRADGRID. A valkyrie.\nRADSVID. A dwarf.\nRAFNAGUD. A name of Odin.\nRAGNAROK. The last day; the dissolution of the gods and the world; the\n twilight of the gods.\nRAN. The goddess of the sea; wife of \u00c6ger.\nRANDGRID. A valkyrie.\nRANDVER. A son of Jormunrek.\nRATATOSK. A squirrel in Ygdrasil.\nRATE. An auger used by Odin in obtaining the poetic mead.\nREGIN. Son of Hreidmar.\nREGINLEIF. A valkyrie.\nREIDARTYR. A name of Odin.\nREK. A dwarf.\nRIND. Mother of Vale.\nROGNER. A name of Odin.\nROSKVA. Thor\u2019s maiden follower.\nSAHRIMNER. The boar on which the gods and heroes in Valhal live.\nSAD. A name of Odin.\nSAGA. The goddess of history.\nSAGER. The bucket carried by Bil and Hjuke.\nSANGETAL. A name of Odin.\nSEKIN. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nSESSRYMNER. Freyja\u2019s palace.\nSIAR. A dwarf.\nSID. A stream flowing from Hvergelmer.\nSIDHOT. A name of Odin.\nSIDSKEG. A name of Odin.\nSIF. Thor\u2019s wife.\nSIGFATHER. A name of Odin.\nSIGFRID. The hero in the Niblung story; the same as Sigurd.\nSIGMUND. Son of Volsung. Also son of Sigurd and Gudrun.\nSINDRE. A dwarf.\nSIGTYR. A name of Odin.\nSIGYN. Loke\u2019s wife.\nSIGURD. The hero in the Niblung story; identical with Sigfrid.\nSILVERTOP. One of the horses of the gods.\nSIMUL. The pole on which Bil and Hjuke carried the bucket.\nSINFJOTLE. Son of Sigmund.\nSINER. One of the horses of the gods.\nSJOFN. One of the asynjes.\nSKADE. A giantess; daughter of Thjasse and wife of Njord.\nSKEGGOLD. A valkyrie.\nSKEIDBRIMER. One of the horses of the gods.\nSKIDBLADNER. Frey\u2019s ship.\nSKIFID. A dwarf.\nSKIFIR. A dwarf.\nSKILFING. A name of Odin.\nSKINFAXE. The horse of Day.\nSKIRNER. Frey\u2019s messenger.\nSKOGUL. A valkyrie.\nSKOL. The wolf that pursues the sun.\nSKRYMER. The name assumed by Utgard-Loke; a giant.\nSKULD. The norn of the future.\nSLEIPNER. Odin\u2019s eight-footed steed.\nSLID. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nSLIDRUGTANNE. Frey\u2019s boar.\nSNOTRA. One of the asynjes.\nSOKMIMER. A giant slain by Odin.\nSOKVABEK. A mansion, where Odin and Saga quaff from golden beakers.\nSOL. Daughter of Mundilfare.\nSON. One of the vessels containing the poetic mead.\nSORLE. Son of Jonaker and Gudrun; avenges the death of Svanhild.\nSUDRE. A dwarf.\nSUN. Identical with Sol.\nSURT. Guards Muspelheim. A fire-giant in Ragnarok.\nSUTTUNG. The giant possessing the poetic mead.\nSVADE. A giant.\nSVADILFARE. A horse, the sire of Sleipner.\nSVAFNER. A serpent under Ygdrasil.\nSVANHILD. Daughter of Sigurd and Gudrun.\nSVARIN. A dwarf.\nSVARTALFAHEIM. The home of the swarthy elves.\nSVARTHOFDE. The ancestor of all enchanters.\nSVASUD. The name of a giant; father of summer.\nSVIAGRIS. A ring demanded by the berserks for Rolf Krake.\nSVID. A name of Odin.\nSVIDAR. A name of Odin.\nSVIDR. A name of Odin.\nSVIDRE. A name of Odin.\nSVIDRIR. A name of Odin.\nSVIDUR. A name of Odin.\nSVIPDAG. The betrothed of Menglad.\nSVIPOL. A name of Odin.\nSVOL. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nSVOLNE. A name of Odin.\nSYLG. A stream flowing from Hvergelmer.\nSYN. A minor goddess.\nSYR. A name of Freyja.\nTANGNJOST. } Thor\u2019s goats.\nTANGRISNER. }\nTHEK. A dwarf; also a name of Odin.\nTHJALFE. The name of Thor\u2019s man-servant.\nTHJASSE. A giant; the father of Njord\u2019s wife, Skade.\nTHJODNUMA. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nTHOK. Loke in the disguise of a woman.\nTHOL. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nTHOR. Son of Odin and Fjorgyn. The god of thunder.\nTHORIN. A dwarf.\nTHORN. A giant.\nTHRIDE. A name of Odin.\nTHRO. A dwarf; also a name of Odin.\nTHROIN. A dwarf.\nTHROR. A name of Odin.\nTHRUD. A valkyrie.\nTHUD. A name of Odin.\nTHUL. A stream flowing from Hvergelmer.\nTHUND. A name of Odin.\nTHVITE. A stone used in chaining the Fenris-wolf.\nTHYN. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nTYR. The one-armed god of war.\nUD. A name of Odin.\nUKKO. The god of thunder in Tshudic mythology.\nUKKO-THOR. A name for Thor.\nULLER. Son of Sif and step-son of Thor.\nURD. The norn of the past.\nUTGARD. The abode of the giant Utgard-Loke.\nUTGARD-LOKE. A giant visited by Thor; identical with Skrymer.\nVAFTHRUDNER. A giant visited by Odin.\nVAFUD. A name of Odin.\nVAFURLOGE. The bickering flame surrounding Brynhild on Hindfell.\nVAK. A name of Odin.\nVALASKJALF. One of Odin\u2019s dwellings.\nVALE. Brother of Balder; kills Hoder.\nVALFATHER. A name of Odin.\nVALHAL. The hall to which Odin invites those slain in battle.\nVANADIS. A name of Freyja.\nVANAHEIM. The home of the vans.\nVAR. The goddess of betrothals and marriages.\nVARTARE. The thread with which the mouth of Loke was sewed together.\nVASAD. The grandfather of Winter.\nVE. A brother of Odin. (Odin, Vile and Ve).\nVEDFOLNER. A hawk in Ygdrasil.\nVEGSVIN. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nVEGTAM. A name of Odin.\nVERATYR. A name of Odin.\nVERDANDE. The norn of the present.\nVESTRE. A dwarf.\nVID. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nVIDAR. Son of Odin and the giantess Grid.\nVIDBLAIN. The third heaven.\nVIDFIN. The father of Bil and Hjuke.\nVIDOLF. The ancestor of the valas.\nVIDRER. A name of Odin.\nVIDUR. A name of Odin.\nVIG. A dwarf.\nVIGRID. The field of battle where the gods and the hosts of Surt meet in\n Ragnarok.\nVILE. Brother of Odin and Ve.\nVILMEIDE. The ancestor of all wizards.\nVIMER. A river that Thor crosses.\nVIN. A river that flows from Hvergelmer.\nVINA. A river that flows from Hvergelmer.\nVINDALF. A dwarf.\nVINDLONG. One of the names of the father of winter.\nVINDSVAL. One of the names of the father of winter.\nVINGNER. A name of Thor.\nVINGOLF. The palace of the asynjes.\nVINGTHOR. A name of Thor.\nVIRFIR. A dwarf.\nVIT. A dwarf.\nVOLSUNGS. The descendants of Volsung.\nVON. A river formed by the saliva running from the mouth of the chained\n Fenris-wolf.\nVOR. One of the asynjes.\nWODAN. A name of Odin.\nYDALER. Uller\u2019s dwelling.\nYG. A name of Odin.\nYGDRASIL. The world-embracing ash-tree.\nYLG. One of the streams flowing from Hvergelmer.\nYMER. The huge giant out of whose body the world was created.\n [Transcriber\u2019s Note:\n Page references in the 5-10 range do not correspond reliably to actual\n citations; pages 5 and 6 do not exist at all. It is possible that the\n Preface was rewritten and repaginated between 1879 (the original date\n of the book) and 1901 (the date of the printing used as the basis for\n this e-text).]\nA\nAbel, 265.\nAcademy (London), 252.\nAchilleus, 167, 168.\nAdam, 33.\nAdela, 255.\nAfrica and Africans, 36, 38, 225.\nAinbet, 255.\nAinos, 221.\nAldafather, 246.\nAlfheim, 77, 183.\nAlfrig, 261.\nAlsace, 255.\nAlsvid, 66.\nAlthjof, 70.\nAlvis, 251.\nAmerica, 30, 244.\nAmsvartner, 94.\nAnchises, 223, 229.\nAndhrimner, 104.\nAndlang, 78.\nAndvarenaut, 200.\nAngerboda, 91.\nAnglo-Saxon, 258.\nAnnan, 45.\nAnnar, 65.\nArgulos, 41.\nAriadne, 29.\nAriel, 253.\nArvak, 66.\nAsa-Thor, 241.\nAsburg, 226.\nAsiamen, 46, 48.\nAslaug, 204.\nAspargum, 226.\nAsov, 225.\nAssor, 229.\nAsynjes, 97-100.\nAtlas, 226.\nAtra, 45.\nAudhumbla, 59, 246.\nAudun, 235.\nAurgelmer, 58, 250.\nAurvang, 71.\nAustre, 61, 70.\nAustria, 255.\nB\nBaal, 37.\nBabylon, 39.\nBafur, 70.\nBanquo, 253.\nBar-Isle, 102.\nBavaria, 256.\nBedvig, 45.\nBeigud, 215.\nBeldegg, 46.\nBeowulf, 262.\nBergelmer, 60, 250.\nBergmann, Fr., 18, 221.\nBerling, 261.\nBiflide, 54.\nBifur, 70.\nBilskirner, 82, 259.\nBjaf, 45.\nBjalfe, 233.\nBjar, 45.\nBjarnhedinn, 233.\nBlack Sea, 225, 229.\nBlackwell, W. L., 15, 18.\nBlain, 70.\nBlind, Karl, 252-256.\nBlodughofde, 260.\nBlueland, 225, 226.\nBodvar Bjarke, 215.\nBolthorn, 60, 250.\nBombur, 70.\nBorgundarholm, 240.\nBornholm, 240.\nBothnia, 240.\nBrander, 46.\nBritain, 230.\nBudd, 244.\nBuddha, 244.\nBugge, Sophus, 18.\nByleist, 91, 144.\nByrger, 66.\nC\nC\u00e6sar, 233.\nCain, 265.\nCarlyle, Sir Thomas, 22, 252.\nCarthage, 31, 242.\nCato, the Elder, 31.\nCaucasian, 226.\nCerberos, 41.\nChaldeans, 40.\nChasgar, 226.\nChina, 28.\nChlotildis, 255.\nCicero, 229.\nColumbus, 30.\nCottle, A. S., 15.\nD\nDainsleif, 219.\nDane, 46.\nDanube, 230.\nDardanos, 42.\nDaybreak, 65.\nDelling, 65.\nDido, 242.\nDietrich, Fr., 18.\nDippold, G. Theo., 267.\nDolgthvare, 71.\nDore, 71.\nDornr\u00f6schen, 254.\nDrome, 93.\nDuney, 75.\nDurathro, 75.\nDurin, 70.\nE\nEgilsson, S., 18, 19.\nEikenskjalde, 71.\nEikthyrner, 106.\nEilif, 179.\nEimyrja, 240.\nEindride, 175.\nEkin, 106.\nElder, 188.\nEldhrimner, 104.\nElenus, 168.\nEline, 251.\nEljudner, 92.\nEmerson, R. W., 22.\nEndil, 180.\nErichthonios, 221.\nEthiopia, 225.\nEttm\u00fcller, Ludw., 18.\nEylime, 196.\nEysa, 240.\nEyvind Skaldespiller, 236.\nF\nFalhofner, 73, 260.\nFarbaute, 91, 185.\nFarmagod, 81, 247.\nFensaler, 97, 132.\nFile, 71.\nFimafeng, 188.\nFimbul, 56.\nFimbulthul, 106.\nFimbul-tyr, 5, 6, 8.\nFimbul-winter, 7, 140, 264.\nFinnsleif, 215.\nFjarlaf, 45.\nFjorgvin, 65.\nFjorm, 106.\nFolkvang, 86, 259.\nFornjot, 239-243.\nFrananger Force, 137.\nFrankland, 46.\nFraser\u2019s Magazine, 253.\nFreke, 105.\nFreovit, 46.\nFrigialand, 168.\nFrigia, 43.\nFrigida, 45.\nFrjodiger, 46.\nFundin, 71.\nFunen, 231.\nFyre, 216.\nFyrisvold, 187, 217.\nG\nGaelic, 257.\nGagnrad, 247.\nGandolf, 70.\nGandvik, 179.\nGang, 159.\nGanglare, 81.\nGanglate, 92.\nGanglot, 92.\nGangrad, 58.\nGardarike, 230.\nGardie, de la, 17.\nGardrofa, 99.\nGaut, 81.\nGave, 46.\nGefn, 97.\nGegenwart, Die, 252.\nGeibel, Em., 267.\nGeir, 46.\nGeirabod, 99.\nGeir Skogul, 252.\nGeirvimul, 106.\nGelgja, 96.\nGelmer, 248.\nGermania (of Tacitus), 244.\nGersame, 238.\nGertraud, 255.\nGibraltar, 225, 230.\nGill, 250.\nGilling, 161.\nGinnar, 71.\nGipul, 106.\nGissur, Jarl, 24.\nGjallar-bridge, 135, 249.\nGjallarhorn, 72, 88, 142.\nGjallar-river, 135.\nGjukungs, 193-201.\nGlam, 183.\nGlapsvid, 81, 245.\nGleipner, 87, 94.\nGlener, 66.\nGlod, 240.\nGloin, 71.\nGlora, 44.\nGnipa-cave, 8, 143.\nGnita-heath, 196-200.\nGoin, 75.\nGolden Age, 69-71.\nGomul, 106.\nGondler, 81, 245.\nGondul, 252.\nGopul, 106.\nGote, 199.\nGothorm, 198-211.\nGotland, 206.\nGoransson, J., 18.\nGrabak, 76.\nGrad, 106.\nGrafvitner, 75.\nGrafvollud, 76.\nGrane, 198.\nGrave, 199.\nGray, 16.\nGreenland, 30.\nGrid, 177.\nGridarvol, 177, 181.\nGrimhild, 198.\nGrimm (Brothers), 244, 253, 258.\nGrjottungard, 171, 174.\nGrottesong, 207, 208.\nGuatemala, 88, 244.\nGudny, 198.\nGudolf, 45.\nGullinburste, 134.\nGullintanne, 88.\nGullveig, 252, 265.\nGunn, 252.\nGunnthro, 56, 248.\nGunthrain, 106.\nGwodan, 244.\nH\nHabrok, 108.\nHafthor, 235.\nHaleygjatal, 47.\nHalfdan, 213.\nHallinskide, 88.\nHaloge, 240.\nHalogeland, 240.\nHamskerper, 99.\nHangagod, 81.\nHangatyr, 165.\nHaptagod, 81.\nHarald Harfager, 51, 243.\nHarbard, 245.\nHate, 67.\nHaustlong, 184.\nHebrew, 37.\nHedinians, 219.\nHeide, 252.\nHeidrun, 106.\nHeimer, 204.\nHekate, 255.\nHeld, 255.\nHelge Hundings-Bane, 248.\nHelgeland, 240.\nHelmet-bearer, 245.\nHenderson, 16.\nHendride, 44.\nHengekjapt, 207.\nHengist, 46, 229.\nHepte, 71.\nHerakles, 41.\nHeran, 54.\nHerbert, 16.\nHerfather, 247.\nHerfjoter, 99.\nHerikon, 43, 221.\nHermanric, 262.\nHero-book, 250.\nHerodotos, 22.\nHerteit, 81, 245.\nHesse (Rhenish), 255.\nHildebrand, Karl, 18.\nHildesvin, 215.\nHindfell, 199.\nHjaddingavig, 219.\nHjalmbore, 81.\nHjalprek, 196.\nHjalte the Valiant, 215.\nHjarrande, 218.\nHjordis, 196.\nHledjolf, 71.\nHlodyn, 145.\nHlok, 99.\nHloride, 44.\nHlymdaler, 204.\nHnitbjorg, 161, 162.\nHodmimer\u2019s-holt, 149.\nHofvarpner, 99.\nHolge, 187.\nHolzmann, A., 18.\nHomer, 222.\nHorn, 97.\nHornklofe, 233.\nHorsa, 229.\nHowitts, the, 16.\nHrasvelg, 79.\nHreidmar, 193-196.\nHrid, 56.\nHrimfaxe, 65.\nHrimgerd, 251.\nHringhorn, 133.\nHrist, 99.\nHrodvitner, 67.\nHrolf, 241.\nHron, 106.\nHroptatyr, 81, 246.\nHrotte, 196.\nHvitserk, 215.\nHugin, 105.\nHugstare, 71.\nHumboldt, 244.\nHyndla, 249.\nHyrrokken, 133, 134.\nI\nIceland, 240.\nIdavold, 69.\nIlos, 43.\nIrmina, 255.\nIronwood, 57.\nIsefjord, 231.\nIthaca, 223.\nItrman, 45.\nJ\nJalanger, 207.\nJalg, 54.\nJamieson, 16.\nJaphet, 35.\nJarnsaxa, 173.\nJarnved, 67.\nJarnvidjes, 67.\nJerusalem, 225.\nJews, 29.\nJohnstown, 232.\nJokul, 240.\nJonsson (Arngrim), 17.\nJonsson (Th.), 18, 19.\nJormungand, 91-96, 144.\nJormunrek, 202-206.\nJoruvold, 71.\nJotland, 240.\nJupiter, 41, 42.\nJutland, 46, 247.\nK\nKadmos, 241.\nKalevala, 84.\nKalmuks, 225.\nKann, 254.\nKemble, 258.\nKerlangs, 73.\nKesfet, 45.\nKile, 71.\nKingsley (Chas.), 230.\nKnue, 211.\nKormt, 73.\nL\nLaage, 231.\nLading, 93.\nLaing (Samuel), 22, 224.\nLandvide, 259.\nLaomedon, 43.\nLatin, 222.\nLeidre (See Hleidre), 231.\nLiber, 228.\nLibera, 228.\nLifthraser, 149.\nLithraborg, 231.\nLjosalfaheim, 259.\nLoder, 243.\nLofn, 98.\nLogrinn, 49.\nLoptsson (Jon), 20.\nLora, 44.\nLoricos, 44.\nLoride, 44.\nLovar, 71.\nLyngve, 94.\nM\nMacbeth, 252-265.\nMacedonians, 39, 40, 42.\nMaelstrom, 208.\nMagi, 45.\nMagnusson (Arne), 17, 18, 23.\nManilius, 229.\nMannheim, 225, 236.\nMardol, 97.\nMars, 222.\nMechtild, 255.\nMediterranean Sea, 38.\nMeile, 174.\nMenon, 44.\nMetellus, 223.\nMexican, 244.\nMidvitne, 245.\nMist, 99.\nMithridates, 222, 229.\nMjodvitner, 70.\nMjoll, 241.\nMjotud, 246.\nM\u00f6bius (Th.), 18.\nModsogner, 70.\nMoin, 75.\nMokkerkalfe, 171, 173.\nMoldau, 228.\nMongolians, 225.\nMoon, 66.\nMoongarm, 67.\nM\u00fcller (Max), 244.\nMummius, 223.\nMundilfare, 66.\nMunin, 105.\nMunon, 44.\nMuss, 254.\nMysing, 207.\nN\nNain, 70.\nNastrand, 9, 147.\nNeptune, 41.\nNiblung Story, 30, 266, 267.\nNida Mountains, 147.\nNide, 70.\nNight,65.\nNikar, 54.\nNikuz, 54.\nNile, 41.\nNiping, 70.\nNjorvasnud, 225.\nNjorve, 225.\nNordre, 61, 70.\nNorfe, 65.\nNyrad, 71.\nNyerup (R.), 18.\nO\nOdinstown, 232.\nOdoacer, 223.\nOdrarer, 160-165.\nOdyssey, 22, 224.\nOlafsson (Magnus), 17.\nOlafsson (Stephan), 17.\nOlaf (Tryggvason), 261.\nOlvalde, 159.\nOnar, 70.\nOrboda, 101.\nOrestes, 223.\nOrkneys, 218.\nOrmt, 73.\nOrner, 210.\nOrvandel, 173-175.\nOtter, 193.\nOttilia, 255.\nP\nPaulus (Diakonos), 244.\nPersia, 225.\nPetersen (N. M.), 248.\nPfeiffer (Fr.), 18.\nPigott, 16.\nPluto, 49.\nPoetry (origin of), 161-165.\nPolar Sea, 248.\nPontus, 229.\nPyrrhus, 168.\nQ\nQuaser (see Kvaser).\nQuenland, 240.\nR\nRachel, 255.\nRadgrid, 99.\nRedsvid, 71.\nRafn, 215.\nRafnagud, 105.\nRagnar, 206.\nRagnar (Lodbrok), 205.\nRandgrid, 99.\nRandver, 202-205.\nRask (Rasmus), 18.\nRatatosk, 75.\nRate, 163.\nRefil, 196.\nReginleif, 99.\nReidartyr, 165.\nReidgotaland, 46.\nRitta, 46.\nRoddros, 167.\nRolf Krake, 214-217.\nRogner, 246.\nRomulus (Augustulus), 223.\nRosta, 100.\nRugman (Jon), 17.\nS\nSager, 66.\nSahrimner, 104.\nSamund the Wise, 20, 26.\nSaracens, 225.\nSarmatia, 225.\nSaxo-Grammaticus, 239.\nSchlegel, 253.\nScotland, 257, 258.\nScott (Walter), 257, 258.\nSekin, 106.\nSennar, 36.\nSerkland, 225.\nSessrymner, 86.\nShakspeare, 252-256.\nShem, 36.\nSiar, 71.\nSibyl, 44.\nSigar, 46.\nSigge, 46.\nSighan, 257.\nSighvat, 20.\nSigmund, 196-204.\nSilvertop, 73, 260.\nSimul, 66.\nSinfjotle, 204.\nSjafne, 98.\nSjofn, 98.\nSkeggold, 99.\nSkeidbrimer, 73, 200.\nSkifid, 71.\nSkinfaxe, 66.\nSkirfir, 71.\nSkjaldun, 45.\nSkol, 67.\nSkrymer, 116-127.\nSleeping Beauty, 254.\nSlidrugtanne, 134.\nSnotra, 98.\nSokmimer, 245.\nSokvabek, 97, 259.\nSolvarg, 67.\nSpain, 225.\nSteinthor, 235.\nStephens (Geo.), 230.\nStrabo, 226.\nSturle (Thordsson), 21, 249.\nStyx, 248.\nSvade, 241.\nSvadilfare, 110, 111.\nSvanhild, 199-206.\nSvartalfaheim, 94.\nSvarthofde, 58, 250.\nSvasud, 80.\nSveinsson (Br.), 17.\nSviagris, 215, 217.\nSvid, 246.\nSvidar, 54.\nSvidr, 236.\nSvidrer, 54, 245.\nSvidrir, 81.\nSvidur, 245.\nSvebdegg, 46.\nSvolne, 174.\nT\nTacitus, 244.\nTanais, 225.\nTanaquisl, 225, 226.\nTangnjost, 83.\nTangrisner, 83.\nTartareans, 225.\nTaylor (W.), 16.\nTestament (New), 28.\nTestament (Old), 28.\nThjode, 196.\nThjodnuma, 106.\nThol, 106.\nThorarin, 235.\nThord, 20.\nThorer, 235.\nThorin, 70.\nThorn, 179.\nThorodd (Runemaster), 27.\nThorre, 241.\nThorstein (Viking\u2019s son), 241.\nThroin, 71.\nThror, 245.\nThrud, 99.\nThruda, 183.\nThrudgelmer, 250.\nThrudheim, 44, 259.\nThrym, 7.\nThucydides, 22.\nThul, 56.\nThule, 30.\nThvite, 96.\nThyn, 106.\nTiber, 221.\nTieck, 250.\nTivisco, 244.\nTom Thumb, 251.\nTorfason (T.), 17.\nTror, 44.\nTros, 43.\nTshudic, 240.\nTurkistan, 228, 229.\nTurkland, 229.\nU\nUhland (Ludw.), 18, 263.\nUkko-Thor, 239.\nUlfhedinn, 233.\nUmea, 250.\nUral Mountains, 229.\nUtgard-Loke, 119-130.\nV\nVafthrudner, 58, 243, 244.\nVafurloge, 199, 200.\nVainamoinen, 84.\nValaskjalf, 77, 80, 259.\nValdemar (King), 23, 27.\nValfather, 73, 243.\nVanadis, 97.\nVanaland, 226-228.\nVanaquisl, 225-226.\nVartare, 192.\nVasad, 80.\nVedas, 253.\nVedfolner, 75.\nVeggdegg, 45.\nVegsvin, 106.\nVeratyr, 81, 247.\nVerer, 46.\nVesete, 240.\nVestfal, 46.\nVestre, 61.\nVidblain, 78.\nVidfin, 66.\nVidsete, 215.\nVidur, 81.\nVifil, 240.\nVifilsey, 240.\nViking, 240.\nVillenwood, 251.\nVilmeide, 58, 250.\nVina, 106.\nVindalf, 70.\nVindlone, 80.\nVindsval, 80.\nVingener, 45, 149.\nVingethor, 44.\nVinland, 30.\nVirfir, 71.\nVitrgils, 46.\nVodin, 45.\nVolsung saga, 224, 266.\nVolukrontes, 167.\nVotan, 244.\nW\nWafurloge, 263.\nWainamoinen, 239.\nWallachia, 228.\nWarburton, 253.\nWeird Sisters, 253-256.\nWelsh, 240.\nWenern, 215.\nWessebrun Prayer, 256.\nWilbet, 255.\nWilliamstown, 232.\nWitches, 253-256.\nWodan, 244.\nWorbet, 255.\nWorm (Chr.), 17.\nWorm (Ole), 17.\nY\nYdaler, 259.\nYnglinga saga, 50, 243.\nYnglings, 47, 238.\nYngve-Frey, 186.\nYvigg, 46.\nZ\nZalmoxis, 244.\nZoroaster, 37, 40.\nErrors and anomalies noted by transcriber:\nA few paragraph-ending periods (full stops) have been supplied.\nThe author omitted vowel modifiers and diacritics from all names in\nthe body text: Hakon, Malar, Mjolnir. The footnotes are generally more\nlinguistically precise.\nThe name \u201cSvanhild/Swanhild\u201d is spelled \u201cSwanhild\u201d in the body text,\n\u201cskees\u201d is used consistently.\nAmbiguous stanzas in verse:\n The king saw\n \u2019Round his house.\n Struck to the ground.\n With blows and wounds.\n _page break after \u201chis house\u201d; no stanza break in printed text until\n after \u201cblows and wounds\u201d_\na great sea goes into / Njorvasound\nFootnote 102: Njorvasound ...\n _spelling as in original: should probably be \u201cNjorvasund\u201d_\nChapter VI of Ynglinga / Saga\n _text reads \u201cYnglingla\u201d_\nthe much-traveled man, the / \u1f00\u03bd\u1f74\u03c1 \u03c0\u03bf\u03bb\u1f7b\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03c0\u03bf\u03c2\n _text reads \u201c\u03c0\u03bf\u03bb\u1f7b\u03b8\u03c1\u03bf\u03c0\u03bf\u03c2\u201d_\nthe valkyrie says / at berserkja rei\u00f0u vil ek \u00feik spyrja\n _text reads \u201cpik spyrja\u201d_\nidentical in root with Lat. _divus_; / Sansk. _dwas_\n _so in original; the Sanskrit is usually given as \u201cdyaus\u201d_\nZalmoxis, derived from the Gr. \u0396\u03b1\u03bb\u03bc\u1f79\u03c2, helmet\n _so in original. \u0396\u03b1\u03bb\u03bc\u1f79\u03c2 is defined by Liddell and Scott--\n a dictionary available to the author-- as Thracian for \u201ca skin.\u201d_\nCompare the Greek word \u03bd\u03b5\u03c6\u1f73\u03bb\u03b7 = mist.\n _text reads \u201c\u03bd\u03b5\u03c6\u1f73\u03bb\u03b3\u201d_\nand then cooly says to him\n _spelling as in original_\nThrough this he / slipt.\n _variant spelling in original_\nHe impersonated all that was good and holy\n _text reads \u201cal\u201d_\nThis chapter of _Skaldskaparmal_\n _text reads \u201cSkaldkaparmal\u201d_\nEchoes from Mistland; Echoes from Mist-Land\n _inconsistent forms in original_\nJARNVIDJES. The giantesses dwelling in Ironwood.\n _text reads \u201cJARNVIDJIS\u201d_\nJORMUNGAND. The Midgard-serpent.\n _text reads \u201cJORMUNDGAND\u201d_\n... from the mouth {of the} chained Fenris-wolf.\n... out of whose body the world was cr{eated.}\n _page image incomplete; words and letters in braces supplied from\n context_\nRandver, 202-205.\nEnd of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Younger Edda, by Snorre\n*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNGER EDDA ***\n***** This file should be named 18947-0.txt or 18947-0.zip *****\nThis and all associated files of various formats will be found in:\nProduced by Louise Hope, R. Cedron and the Online\nUpdated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions\nwill be renamed.\nCreating the works from public domain print editions means that no\none owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation\n(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without\npermission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Thus, we do not necessarily\nkeep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.\nMost people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility:\nThis Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,\nincluding how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary\nArchive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to\nsubscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.", "source_dataset": "gutenberg", "source_dataset_detailed": "gutenberg - The Younger Edda\n"}, +{"source_document": "", "creation_year": 1221, "culture": " English\n", "content": "Produced by Louise Hope, Charlene Taylor, Ted Garvin and\nthe Online Distributed Proofreading Team at\n [Transcriber's Note:\n The printed book's only clue about authorship is in the Notes. All\n other information comes from the Norwegian edition.\n Original author: Snorri Sturluson\n (generally spelled Snorre Sturlason in Norwegian).\n Modern (1899) Norwegian translation: Gustav Storm.\n English translation (based on modern Norwegian, not on original):\n Ethel Harriet Hearn.\n The html version of this e-text includes illustrations, also taken\n from the Norwegian edition.]\n The Sagas of\n OLAF TRYGGVASON\n and of\n HARALD THE TYRANT\n (Harald Haardraade)\n London\n Williams and Norgate\n MCMXI\nThe places of notes in the text are indicated thus \u00a7.\nThe relative matter will be found at the end\nof the book in due order\nas to page and line.\n [Footnote markers shown in brackets [\u00a7] were missing from the\n printed text and have been supplied by the transcriber.]\nTHE SAGA OF OLAF TRYGGVASON, CMLXVIII-M\nNow it befell in the days of King Tryggvi Olafson that the woman he had\nwedded was Astrid & she was the daughter of Eirik Biodaskalli, a wealthy\nman who dwelt at Oprostad.\nWhen the downfall of Tryggvi had been accomplished, Astrid fled away\nbearing with her what chattels she might. And with her went her\nfoster-father Thorolf Louse-Beard, who never left her, whereas other\ntrusty men, loyal to her, fared hither and thither to gather tidings of\nher foes or to spy out where they might lurk. Now Astrid being great\nwith child of King Tryggvi caused herself to be transported to an islet\non a lake & there took shelter with but few of her company.\nIn due time she bare a man-child, and at his baptism he was called Olaf\nafter his father's father. All that summer did she abide there in\nhiding. But when the nights grew as long as they were dark and the\nweather waxed cold, she set forth once more and with her fared Thorolf\nand the others of her train. Only by night could they venture in those\nparts of the country that were inhabited being in fear lest they should\nbe seen of men or meet with them. In time, at even, came they to the\nhomestead of Eirik of Oprostad. And since they were journeying by\nstealth, Astrid sent a messenger to the goodman of the house, who bade\nthem to be led to an outhouse & there had set before them the best of\ncheer. Thence, when Astrid had abided for a while, her followers went\nunto their homes, but she remained there & with her to bear her company\nwere two women, her babe Olaf, Thorolf Louse-Beard and his son Thorgills\nwho was six winters old. They rested in that place until the winter was\ndone.\n\u00b6 After they had made an end to slaying Tryggvi Olafson, Harald\nGrey-Cloak and Gudrod his brother hied them to the homesteads that had\nbeen his. But ere they came thither Astrid had fled & of her learned\nthey no tidings save a rumour that she was with child of King Tryggvi.\nIn the autumn fared they to the north, as has been related beforetime,\nand when they were face to face with their mother Gunnhild, told they\nher all that had befallen them on their journey. Closely did she\nquestion them concerning Astrid, and they imparted to her what they had\nheard. But because the sons of Gunnhild were that same autumn and the\nnext winter at strife with Earl Hakon, as hath already ere now been set\nforth, made they no search for Astrid and her son.\n\u00b6 When the spring was come, Gunnhild despatched spies to the Uplands,\nand even as far as Vik, to get news of Astrid. And when the spies\nreturned it was with the tidings that she was with her father Eirik &\nthere most like was she rearing the son that she had borne to King\nTryggvi that was dead. Forthwith Gunnhild chose messengers and equipped\nthem handsomely both with weapons and wearing apparel: thirty men chose\nshe, and their leader was Hakon, a man of influence and a friend to\nherself. She bade them make their way to Oprostad to Eirik and from\nthence take the son of Tryggvi and bring him unto herself.\nThereupon the messengers set out on their way, but when they were come\nnigh to Oprostad learned the friends of Eirik concerning their journey\nand went one evening unto him with the tidings.\nStraightway when night had fallen, Eirik bade Astrid make ready to\nleave, furnished her with sure guides, & set her eastwards with her face\ntowards Sweden, to his friend Hakon the Old, who was a man in the\nexercise of potent sway. They adventured when the night was not far\nspent, & next day, towards even, were they come to a country-side called\nSkaun, and seeing there a homestead thither went they craving lodging\nfor the night. Of their names they made a secret & their garb was but\nmeanly. The yeoman who abode in the place was called Biorn Venom-Sore,\na wealthy man was he but withal churlish, and he drave them away, & they\ncame that same evening to another homestead which was called Vizkar.\nThorstein was the yeoman who dwelt there & he gave them shelter and good\ncheer for the night, and there they slept in good beds.\n\u00b6 Next day betimes came Hakon with the men of Gunnhild to Oprostad and\nasked for Astrid and her son, but Eirik said that she was not there,\nso Hakon and his men ransacked the homestead and bided till late even\ntoward sundown, and gat them some tidings of Astrid's road. Then rode\nthey forth the same day and came almost as night fell to the house of\nBiorn Venom-Sore in Skaun, and there took harbour.\nThen Hakon asked Biorn if he had aught to tell concerning Astrid; and he\nsaid that some wayfarers had come there during the day and had asked for\na night's lodging, 'I sent them away, and it is likely they sought a\nrefuge elsewhere in the neighbourhood.' Now a workman that had been of\nthe household of Thorstein, being on his way to pass out from the\nforest, that same even happened to chance on the homestead of Biorn and\nlearned that guests were tarrying, & further of what fashion was their\nerrand; and all this he forthwith sped back to tell to Thorstein the\nyeoman.\nSo while there was still a third of the night unspent, Thorstein aroused\nhis guests and bade them begone, urging them harshly to bestir\nthemselves. When they had passed a little way from the house then did\nThorstein open unto them that the emissaries from Gunnhild were hard by\nat the house of Biorn seeking for them.\nThey besought him for succour, and he set them on their way with a guide\n& some food, and their guide led them into the forest where there was a\nlake & an islet overgrown with reeds. They were able to wade out unto\nthe islet & thereon hid they themselves among the reeds.\nEarly on the morrow Hakon rode out from the homestead of Biorn over the\ncountryside, asking withersoever he went for Astrid. When he was come\nunto the house of Thorstein demanded he if they had thither been and\nThorstein said that certain folk had fared thither & had gone on at\ndaybreak eastwards through the forest. Then did Hakon bid Thorstein come\nwith him because he was skilled in the knowledge of the tracks and\nhiding-places: and Thorstein set forth. But when they were come to the\nforest led he them away from where Astrid was.\nThe whole of that day did they go seeking for them, but found them not.\nThen they came back on their road & related unto Gunnhild what had\nbefallen. Astrid & her followers went forth on their way till they were\ncome unto Sweden to the home of Hakon the Old, and there Astrid and her\nson dwelt a long while, and it was well with them.\n\u00b6 Gunnhild, she that was mother to the King, hearing that Astrid & her\nson Olaf were in Sweden, once more sent forth Hakon and a brave\nfollowing with him, this time eastward to Eirik King of Sweden, with\ngoodly gifts and fair words. The messengers were made welcome and given\ngood entertainment, and thereafter Hakon made known his errand to the\nKing, saying that Gunnhild had sent craving the King's help so that he\nmight take Olaf back with him to Norway: 'Gunnhild will foster him,'\nquoth he.\nThen did the King give him men to go with him, and they rode to the\nhouse of Hakon the Old, and there Hakon offered with fair words to take\nOlaf with him. Hakon the Old returned a friendly answer and said that it\nmust so happen that the mother of the child should decide about his\ngoing, but Astrid would in nowise suffer the boy to fare forth with\nthem. So the messengers went their way & brought back the answer unto\nKing Eirik and they made them ready to return home; but once more prayed\nthey the King to grant them help to bear off the boy whether Hakon the\nOld were willing or not. So the King yet again gave them a company of\nmen & the messengers returned to Hakon the Old and demanded that the boy\nbe allowed to fare forth with them, but as Hakon was unwilling that this\nshould be, resorted they to big words and threats of violence, and bore\nthemselves wrathfully. Then did a thrall spring forward whose name was\nBristle, and would have smitten Hakon but that he & they that were of\nhis company withdrew hastily so that in nowise might they be beaten of\nthe thrall: and back fared they to Norway and recounted to Gunnhild all\nthe happenings of their journey & likewise that they had seen Olaf\nTryggvason.\n\u00b6 Now Astrid had a brother, the son of Eirik Biodaskalli, whose name was\nSigurd: long had he been remote from the land, sojourning in the realm\nof Garda (western Russia) with King Valdamar,\u00a7 by whom was he held in\ngreat honour. Now Astrid conceived the desire that she should hie unto\nthis her brother Sigurd. Therefore Hakon the Old furnished her with\ntrusty followers & handsome equipment after the best manner. And she\njourneyed in the company of certain merchants. It was for the space of\ntwo winters she had abode with Hakon the Old, and Olaf was now three\nwinters old. It came to pass as they were heading eastwards across the\nsea some vikings fell upon them, men of Eistland (Esthonia) and took\npossession both of folk and goods, and some of the folk they killed &\nsome they shared among themselves as thralls. Thus was Olaf withdrawn\nfrom his mother and passed into the custody of one Klerkon, an\nEistlander. Together with him were committed Thorolf and Thorgills.\nKlerkon deemed Thorolf too old for a thrall, and that he would be of no\nuse, therefore slew he him, but took the boys with him and sold them to\na man, hight Klerk, for a good he-goat.\nA third man bought Olaf, and gave for him a good tunic or cloak. The man\nwas named Reas, his wife Rekon, & their son Rekoni. There tarried Olaf\nlong and it fared well with him, and always was he mightily beloved by\nthe churl. Six winters did Olaf sojourn thus in Eistland.\n\u00b6 Sigurd Eirikson had come unto Eistland as an emissary of Valdamar King\nof Holmgard (Novgarod) to collect the tribute belonging to the King & he\ntravelled as a man of wealth with many folk much beladen in his train.\nNow it chanced that in the marketplace his eye lit on a certain fine boy\nwhom he knew could not be of the country, & asking him his name gat for\nanswer that he was called Olaf and his father Tryggvi Olafson and his\nmother Astrid, the daughter of Eirik Biodaskalli. Thus did Sigurd learn\nthat Olaf was son unto his very own sister, and he asked him after what\nmanner he had come to that place: and Olaf told him all that had\nbefallen him. Sigurd bade him come with him to the peasant Reas, and\nwhen they were come to the churl paid he him what price was covenanted\nbetween them for the boys and bare them with him to Holmgard. But never\na word did he relate of the lineage of Olaf, yet held he him in high\nfavour.\n\u00b6 It was that one day in the marketplace lingered Olaf Tryggvason when\nthere was a gathering of many people. And it chanced that amongst them,\nspied he Klerkon who had slain his fosterfather Thorolf Louse-Beard. Now\nOlaf had a small axe in his hand, and he drave it into the head of\nKlerkon so that it went right down into his brain: forthwith ran he home\nto his lodging and told his kinsman Sigurd thereof. Straightway did\nSigurd take Olaf to the house of the Queen, and to her made known what\nhad befallen. Her name was Allogia, and Sigurd prayed for her grace to\nprotect the lad. The Queen beheld the boy and said that one so young and\nso well favoured must not be slain, and proclaimed her readiness to\nsummon men fully armed. Now it fell in Holmgard that so great was the\nrespect paid unto peace that it was lawful to slay any man who himself\nhad slain another who was uncondemned; and therefore in accordance with\ntheir law and custom the people made assemblage together to take into\ncustody the person of the boy.\nThen were they told that he was in the house of the Queen in the midst\nof an armed band; and this was also brought to the ears of the King.\nHe made him ready to go over to these armed men & give them his\ncommission not to fight, and forthwith did he, the King, adjudge the\ngeld-levy, the fine thereof being paid down by the Queen. Thereafter did\nOlaf abide in the house of the Queen and waxed to find much favour in\nher eyes.\n\u00b6 Now it was the law in Garda that men of royal blood should not dwell\nthere save with the consent of the King, therefore Sigurd made known\nunto the Queen from what stock Olaf was descended and in what manner he\nhad come thither, saying that because of dissensions he could not\nprudently be in his own country, and he prayed her to speak with the\nKing upon this matter. Then did she approach the King beseeching him\nthat he would help this son of a king even because so hard a fate had\nbefallen him: & the outcome of her prayers was that the King pledged her\nhis word and taking Olaf under his protection treated him with honour,\nas it was seemly the son of a king should be held in honour.\nOlaf was nine winters old when he came to Garda, & nine more winters\ndwelt he with King Valdamar. Olaf was exceeding fair & tall to look upon\nand of mighty stature & of great strength withal. And in prowess in\nsports, so it is told, was he the best of all the Norsemen.\n\u00b6 Earl Hakon Sigurdson abode with the Danish King, Harald Gormson,\nduring the winter after he had fled from Norway before the sons of\nGunnhild.\nNow Hakon had so much on his mind that winter that he took to his bed,\nand often lay wakeful, eating & drinking only so much as would maintain\nthe strength in his body. Then secretly sent he his men northwards to\nThrondhjem to his friends there, & counselled them that they should slay\nKing Erling if it might be that they could compass that deed; adding\nfurthermore that he himself would fare back to his realm in summer-time.\nThat winter they that were of Throndhjem slew Erling, as is aforewrit.\nBetwixt Hakon and Gold Harald was there a friendship close as that of\nbrothers that have been laid in the same cradle and Harald would lay\nbare his thoughts unto Hakon. Harald confessed he desired to settle on\nthe land and no more live on his ship of war, and he questioned Hakon if\nhe thought Harald would share his kingdom with him were he to demand the\nhalf. 'Methinks,' quoth Hakon, 'that the Danish King will not refuse\nthee justice; but thou wilt know more concerning this matter if thou\nspeakest thereon to the King; methinks thou wilt not get the realm save\nthou demandest it.' Shortly after this talk spake Gold Harald to King\nHarald when they were in company with many mighty men, good friends unto\nthem both. Gold Harald then demanded that he should halve the kingdom\nwith him, in accordance with the rights which his birth and lineage gave\nhim there in Denmark.\nAt this demand waxed Harald very wroth, & sware that no man had ever\nbesought his father, Gorm, that he should become King of half of what\npertained unto Denmark, nor yet of his father Horda-Knut (Hardicanute),\nnor again of Sigurd Snake-i'-the-eye, nor of Ragnar Lodbrok; & so great\nwas his fury that none dared parley with him.\n [Illustration]\n\u00b6 Thence came it that his own position was now even less than before to\nthe liking of Gold Harald, for no kingdom had he any more than\naforetime; while to this was added the wrath of the King. So went he to\nhis friend Hakon and made wail of his plight unto him, and besought of\nhim good counsel, if he had such to give him, as to how he might become\npossessed of the realm; and he said he was minded to seek his kingdom by\nforce of arms. Then Hakon bade him not breathe word of this to anyone\nlest it should become known: 'It might cost thee thy life,' he said.\n'Bethink thee diligently what thy strength is, for he who would risk so\ngreat a venture must be high-hearted and dauntless, shirking neither the\ngood nor the evil, so that to which he hath set his hand may come to\npass. All unworthy is it to take up great issues and afterwards to lay\nthem down again with dishonour.' Then did Gold Harald answer: 'To such\npurpose will I take up this claim, that I will not even spare these my\nown hands from slaying the King himself if occasion serve, should he\nrefuse me this kingdom which is mine by right.' And therewith ended they\ntheir commune. After this came King Harald to Hakon, and they fell to\ntalking together & the King told the Earl of Gold Harald's claim to the\nkingdom, and with what answer he had rebuked him, declaring that he\nwould by no means diminish his own kingdom, 'but if Gold Harald hold\nfast to this his claim; then see I nothing for it save that I should put\nhim to the death for in him have I but little faith if he will not\nsurrender this desire.' The Earl made answer: 'Methinks Harald hath set\nout on this matter with such earnestness that he is not like to set it\naside; and that if it should come to a rising in the land, there would\nbe many that would flock unto his standard and the main of them because\nof the love they had borne to his father. It would bring thee the\ngreatest ill-chance shouldst thou slay thy kinsman, for in such case all\nmen would deem him blameless. Nor will I counsel thee to become a lesser\nking than was Gorm thy father; he also very much increased his realm,\nbut in no wise diminished it.' Then said the King: 'What then is thy\ncounsel, Hakon? Wouldst thou that I should divide my kingdom, and have\nthis unrest off my mind?' 'Our meeting will be again ere many suns set,'\nanswered Earl Hakon.\n'I will first ponder over this difficult matter, and thereafter give\nthee an answer.' Then did the King depart and with him all the men that\nwere of his company.\n\u00b6 Thereafter came it to pass that Earl Hakon betook himself once more to\npondering and plotting, and permitted but few of his men to be in the\nhouse with him. Some days later came Harald again to the Earl, and they\ncommuned together, and the King asked of the Earl if he had thought\ndeeply upon that matter whereon they had discoursed when they were last\nface to face. 'On that matter,' quoth the Earl, 'have I lain sleepless\nboth by night and day ever since, and I deem it the wisest counsel that\nthou shouldst hold and rule the kingdom that thy father had and that\nthou didst inherit after him, but that thou shouldst get for thy kinsman\nHarald another kingdom wherein he may have all honour.' 'What kingdom is\nthat?' inquired the King, 'that I may lightly give to Harald, keeping\nthe Danish kingdom whole the while?' The Earl made answer, 'It is\nNorway. The kings who rule there are hated by all the folk of their\nland, & every man wishes them ill, as is but meet.' Then mused the King\naloud: 'Norway is a great land, and the folk are a hardy folk; it\nbeseems me to be a land ill chosen whereon to fall with a foreign host.\nThus did it happen to us when Hakon defended the land; many men were\nslain to us but no victory did we achieve. Moreover Harald Eirikson is\nmy foster-son and hath sat on my knee.' Then saith the Earl: 'Long have\nI known that thou hast given help to the sons of Gunnhild; yet with\nnaught but ill have they requited thee. We will take Norway more easily\nthan by fighting for her with all the hosts of Denmark. Send thou to thy\nfoster-son Harald, and bid him receive from thee the lands and fiefs\nwhich they had aforetime here in Denmark.\nAppoint a tryst with him; then can Gold Harald in a short while win\nhimself a kingdom in Norway from King Harald Grey-cloak.' Then answered\nthe King that it would be called of foul intent to betray his\nfoster-son. 'The Danes, I trow, will account it a better deed to slay a\nNorwegian viking than one who is a brother's son and a Dane,' answereth\nthe Earl; & thereafter talked they on this matter until they were in\nfull accord.\n\u00b6 Yet again came Gold Harald to speak with Hakon, and the Earl made\nknown to him that he had so championed his cause and to such good\npurpose that there was hope that a kingdom might now be making ready for\nhim in Norway. 'Let us,' said he, 'hold fast by our compact. I shall be\nable to afford thee great support in Norway. Get thou first that\nkingdom. King Harald is now very old & hath but one son, a bastard, whom\nhe loveth but little.' To such measure did the Earl open up the matter\nto Gold Harald that the younger man was in full accord with him thereon;\nand thereafter did they all three take lengthy counsel, to wit, the\nKing, the Earl, and Gold Harald full oft. Then sent the Danish King his\nmen north into Norway even to Harald Grey-cloak, and they were right\nwell furnished for their journey, and were made welcome with much cheer\nand in all courtesy were received by King Harald. They related the\ntidings that Earl Hakon was in Denmark, and was lying sick unto death\nand well-nigh witless; and the further tidings that Harald the Danish\nKing bade Harald Grey-cloak to him to take such fiefs as he and his\nbrothers had held aforetime in Denmark, and to that purpose bade he\nHarald come to him in Jutland. Harald Grey-cloak laid the matter before\nGunnhild and other counsellors and their views were not all of one\naccord, some fearing that this journey was not without peril by reason\nof the men that were set over against them to be dealt with; but the\ngreater number were desirous that he should go by reason of the great\nfamine that was at this time in Norway whereby the kings could scarce\nfeed their men. And it was at this season that the fjord near-by which\nthe kings most oft abode gat its name of Harding.\nIn Denmark, as men had marked, the harvest had been at least of goodly\nmeasure, so that men thought to get thence what they required should\nKing Harald have fief & dominion there. It was agreed therefore ere the\nemissaries departed whence they had come, that when summer was at hand\nHarald should hie to the Danish King, and pronounce his adhesion to the\nconditions King Harald proffered.\n\u00b6 So in due course when the summer sun shone in the long hours of night\nfared forth Harald Grey-cloak towards Denmark in three longships, & one\nof these was steered by Arinbiorn, the 'hersir'\u00a7 of the Fjords.\u00a7 King\nHarald sailed from Vik over to Limfjord and took port at Hals, where it\nwas told him that the Danish King was expected in a brief space. Now\nwhen King Harald heard of this, hastened he to make sail thither with\nnine ships, the which had been whiles mustered and set in readiness to\ntake the sea. Earl Hakon had likewise armed his men & he also was about\nto set forth after the manner of a viking; at his word twelve ships, and\nthey large ones, set their sails. When Gold Harald had fared forth, Earl\nHakon spake to the King, saying, 'Methinks we are like to row to war and\nyet pay the war-fine[\u00a7] to boot. Gold Harald will now slay Harald\nGrey-cloak and thereafter take himself a kingdom in Norway.\nThinkest thou that he will be loyal to thee when thou givest him so much\npower? Thus said he in my presence last winter that he would slay thee\ncould he but find occasion to do so. Now will I bring Norway under thy\nsway and slay Gold Harald, if thou wilt promise easy absolution at thy\nhands for the deed.\nThen will I be thine earl, and bind myself by oath that with thy might\nto be my aid I will bring Norway under subjection under thee, and\nthereafter hold lands under thy dominion & pay thee tribute. Then wilt\nthou be a greater king than thy father was, inasmuch as thou shalt hold\nsway over two great peoples.'\nThus was this covenanted betwixt the King and the Earl; and Hakon set\nout with his men to seek Gold Harald.\n\u00b6 Gold Harald came to Hals in Limfjord, and forthwith offered battle to\nHarald Grey-cloak; and Harald, albeit to him were fewer men, went\nashore, made him ready for battle & set his host in array. But or ever\nthe onset took place Harald Grey-cloak spoke cheering words to his men,\nbade them draw their swords, and rushing first into the fray smote on\neither side. Thus saith Glum Geirason in Grey-cloak's lay:\n 'Brave words spake the swordsman,\n He that dared to dye the grass sward of battle\n With the blood of the foe;\n And when Harald bade his men ply the swords in the strife,\n His manly words did them mightily encourage.'\n\u00b6 There fell Harald Grey-cloak. Thus saith Glum Geirason:\n 'The bearer of the shield,\n He that clave longest to the ship,\n In death lay stretched\n On the broad marge of Limfjord;\n On the sands at Hals\n Fell the bounteous chieftain;\n It was his glib-tongued kinsman\n That wrought the deed.'\n\u00b6 There fell with King Harald the greater number of his men; there,\nlikewise, fell Arinbiorn the 'hersir.' Fifteen winters had passed since\nthe fall of Hakon, he that was foster-son to Adalstein, and thirteen\nsince the fall of Sigurd the Earl of Ladir. The priest Ari Thorgilson\nsaith that Earl Hakon was for thirteen winters ruler of his heritage in\nThrondhjem before the death of Harald Grey-cloak; & that during the last\nsix winters of Harald Grey-cloak's life, saith Ari, the sons of Gunnhild\nand Hakon fought against one another, & in turn fled the country.\n\u00b6 Earl Hakon and Gold Harald met not long after the fall of Harald\nGrey-cloak, & straightway Earl Hakon joined battle with Gold Harald.\nTherein Hakon gained the victory; moreover Harald was taken prisoner,\nand Hakon had him hanged upon the gallows. Thereafter fared Hakon to the\nDanish King, and easily made his peace with him for the slaying of his\nkinsman Gold Harald. King Harald then called out a host from the whole\nof his kingdom and sailed with six hundred ships, and there went with\nhim Earl Hakon and Harald the Grenlander, who was a son of King Gudrod,\nand many other great men who had fled from their free lands in Norway\nbefore the sons of Gunnhild.\nThe Danish King set his fleet in sail up from the south to Vik, and when\nhe was come to Tunsberg great numbers flocked to him.\nAnd King Harald gave the whole of the host which had come to him in\nNorway into the hands of Earl Hakon, making him ruler over Rogoland and\nHordaland, Sogn, the Fjords, South More, Raumsdal, and North More. These\nseven counties gave he to Earl Hakon to rule over, with the same rights\nas Harald Fair-hair had given to his sons; only with this difference,\nthat not only was Hakon there as well as in Throndhjem to have all the\nKing's manors and land-dues, but he was moreover to use the King's money\nand estates according to his needs should there be war in the land. To\nHarald the Grenlander gave King Harald Vingulmark, Vestfold, and Agdir\nas far as Lidandisness (the Naze) with the title of King, and gave him\ndominion thereof with all such rights as his kin had had aforetime, & as\nHarald Fair-hair had given to his sons. Harald the Grenlander was in\nthese days eighteen winters old, & became thereafter a famous man. Then\ndid Harald the Danish King hie him home with all the might of his Danish\nhost.\n\u00b6 Earl Hakon fared with his men northward along the coast, and when\nGunnhild and her sons heard these tidings gathered they together an\nhost, but found obstacles to enrolling men at arms. So they took the\nsame resolution as before, to wit to sail westward across the main with\nsuch men as would go with them, and thus fared they to the Orkneys and\ntarried there a while. Thorfinn Skull-cleaver's sons were now earls\nthere-- Hlodvir, Arnvid, Liot, and Skuli. Forthwith did Earl Hakon\nsubdue all the land and that winter abode he in Throndhjem. Of this\nspeaketh Einar Jingle-scale in the Vellekla:\n 'The Earl that on his noble brow\n A silken fillet binds\n Counties seven hath he enthralled\n With their chattels, lands, and hinds.'\nNow when Earl Hakon in the summer-time fared northward along the coast,\n& the people there made their submission to him, issued he proclamation\nthat all temples and blood-offerings should be maintained throughout his\ndominions; and it was done accordingly. Thus it is said in the Vellekla:\n 'Seeing that he was wise\n The folk-leader commanded that be sacred kept\n The temple-lands of Thor and other Gods.\n Home to glory across the billows\n Did the shield-bearer steer the ship,\n It was the Gods that led him.\n 'And the men-loving \u00c6sirs gloat on the offerings\n Whereby the shield-bearer is made of more account.\n Bountifully doth the earth give forth her sustenance\n When its lord builds temples for the Gods.'\n All that is northward to Vik lies under the heel of the Earl;\n Wide is the sway that he holds, mightily waxed by victories.'\n [Illustration]\n\u00b6 That self-same first winter wherein King Hakon ruled over Norway came\nthe herring up along the coast, and before that in the autumn had the\ncorn grown wheresoever it had been sown; in the spring men gat\nthemselves seed-corn and the greater number of the peasants sowed their\nfields, and soon there was promise of a good harvest.\n\u00b6 King Ragnfrod, son unto Gunnhild, and Gudrod, he that was another son\nto her, these two were now the only sons of Eirik and Gunnhild who were\nstill alive.\nThus saith Glum Geirason in Grey-cloak's lay:\n 'Half is my hope of wealth downfallen since the strife,\n The strife in which the life of the chief was lost,\n The death of Harald weigheth me down,\n Albeit his brethren twain have good things promised me,\n And to them all men look for their welfare.'\n\u00b6 Now when Ragnfrod had abode one winter in the Orkneys made he him\nready in the spring and thence shaped a course eastward to Norway,\n& with him were a chosen company in large ships.\nAnd when he was come to Norway learned he tidings how Earl Hakon was in\nThrondhjem, forthwith did he steer northward round Stad & laid waste\nSouth More; and some folks submitted to him as oft befalleth when\nwarrior bands go through a country-- those that they meet with seek\nhelp, each one wheresoever it seemeth likeliest to be gotten. When it\nwas told to Earl Hakon that there was war in the south within More,\ncaused he war-arrows to be sharpened and he equipped himself in haste &\nset sail down the fjord. Moreover an easy matter was it for him to bring\nfolk around his standard. Earl Hakon and Ragnfrod sighted one another\noff the northernmost part of South More, & straightway Hakon gave\nbattle, he that had most men but withal smaller ships. Hard was the\nstruggle & therein waxed Hakon luckless; men fought from the prows and\nsterns, as the custom was in those times. Now there was a current in the\nsound, and all the ships were driven into shore, so the Earl bade his\nfolk rest on their oars, and drift to land at such place where he should\ndeem it best to land; and when the ships grounded, the Earl and all his\nhost sallied forth and haled them up on the beach, so that their foemen\nmight not drag them forth again. Then did the Earl array his men on the\nbanks, and shouted defiance to Ragnfrod to land, but they that were with\nRagnfrod lay-to farther out, and though for a while they shot at one\nanother, would Ragnfrod in no wise come ashore, and thereafter they\nparted. Ragnfrod sailed with his fleet southward to Stad, for he feared\nhim that the land hosts might assemble and flock to Earl Hakon. But that\nearl waged war no more for unto his mind the difference betwixt the\nships was over-great. In the autumn fared he north to Throndhjem, &\nthere abode during the winter. King Ragnfrod therefore held all the land\nsouth of Stad: the Fjords, Sogn, Hordaland, and Rogaland. Many men were\nat his beck throughout that winter, and when the spring-tide came called\nhe a muster and gat him many more. Moreover sent he far & wide over all\nthese counties to gather together men and ships and what other stores\nwhereof he had need.\n\u00b6 When spring was come Earl Hakon summoned men from out the very north\nof the country; many gat he from Halogaland, & Naumdal, so that right\nfrom Byrda to Stad came men to him from all the sea-boards. He reared a\nhost from all the districts of Throndhjem, and likewise from Raumsdal.\nIt was said that he had men from four counties; with him fared seven\nearls, and in their train were an exceeding large company. Thus it is\nsaid in the Vellekla:\n 'Thereafter, full of lust for slaughter,\n Did the defender of the folk of More\n Bring from the north a tale of men to Sogn.\n From counties four called forth that warrior hosts,\n Seeing in them sure help for all his folk.\n To the war-gathering on the longships\n Swiftly, to meet their warrior chieftain,\n Hie lords of the land in number seven.\n All Norway trembled at the warrior host;\n Beyond the capes were borne unnumbered fallen.'\n\u00b6 Then Earl Hakon set sail with the whole of this host southward past\nStad; and when it came to his ears that King Ragnfrod with his host had\nentered into the Sognfjord thither led he his men and there encountered\nhim.\nThereafter having brought his ships to land chose he out a battle-field\nwhereon to fight King Ragnfrod. Thus saith the Vellekla:\n 'Now did the chieftain meet in second battle\n The slayer of the Vandals, and fell slaughter followed.\n The prows were set to land,\n And the ships steered even to the marches of the shires\n At the bidding of the warrior.'\n\u00b6 And it came to pass that both sides did dress their battle and fought\namazing fierce, but in men had Earl Hakon the super-abundance and the\nissue was to him. This was at Thinganes, where Sogn and Hordaland meet.\nKing Ragnfrod fled from his ships, and of his folk there fell three\nhundred men. Thus it is said in the Vellekla:\n 'Fierce was the strife before three hundred were pressed\n Beneath the claws of the carrion bird\n By the host of the warrior chief:\n O'er the heads of the sea-dwellers,\n Thence could the conquering chief stride--\n Aye, and the deed was glorious.'\n\u00b6 After this battle did King Ragnfrod hie him away from Norway and Earl\nHakon brought peace to the land; he gave licence that the great host\nwhich had been with him in the summer should fare back northward, but he\nhimself abode hard by there where he gained the victory, not whiles only\nthat autumn but also throughout the winter that came after.\n\u00b6 Earl Hakon took to wife a woman named Thora, who was exceeding fair.\nThe daughter was she of Skagi Skoptison, a man possessed of much wealth.\nTheir sons were Svein and Heming, & their daughter was Bergliot, who\nthereafter was wedded to Einar Tamberskelfir. Earl Hakon was over much\ngiven to women, and by them had many children. One of his daughters was\ncalled Ragnhild, and he gave her in marriage to Skopti Skagason, the\nbrother of Thora. The Earl so loved Thora that her kinsmen became dearer\nto him than all other men, and Skopti his son-in-law had more influence\nwith him than any other of his kindred. To him gave the Earl large fiefs\nin More; & it was covenanted betwixt them that whensoever the fleet of\nthe Earl was at sea Skopti was to bring his ship alongside the Earl's,\nand for none other was it to be lawful to lay his ship between their\nships.\n\u00b6 Now it happened one summer when Earl Hakon was with his ships on the\nmain that Thorleif the Meek was master of one of them, & Eirik, the son\nof the Earl, he being then some ten or eleven winters old, was aboard.\nOf an evening when they were come into haven, Eirik would not have it\notherwise save that the ship whereon he was must be closest to the ship\npertaining to the person of the Earl.\nNow when they made sail south to More there came likewise Skopti, he\nthat was son-in-law to the Earl, with his long-ship well manned. Skopti,\nas his men were rowing towards the fleet, called out to Thorleif to\nleave the haven and let him lie-to there, but Eirik sprang up & answered\nback bidding Skopti hie him to another berth. Now Earl Hakon hearing\nthat his son deemed himself too mighty to make way for Skopti,\nstraightway called out to Thorleif bidding him leave the berth, or he\nwould make it the worse for them, to wit, that he would have them\nbeaten. So Thorleif when he heard this shouted to his men to slip their\ncables, and this they did according to his word; then did Skopti lie-to\nin the berth he was wont to have, nearest the Earl's ship. Now Skopti\nwas called Tidings Skopti, & this had come about seeing that it had been\nagreed that when they were together he was to make known to the Earl all\nthe tidings, or if it so happened that the Earl had heard them first\nthen it was he that would tell the tidings to Skopti. Now in the winter\nthat was after all that hath been before but now related, was Eirik with\nhis foster-father Thorleif, but even so soon as the earlier spring-tide\nwas he given a company of men.\nThorleif moreover gave him a fifteen-benched ship with all the gear,\ntilts, and victuals that were needful. Eirik thence sailed from the\nfjord, and so south to More. Now it befell that Tidings Skopti was also\nat sea between his homesteads, & he too in a fifteen-benched craft;\nEirik forthwith bore straight down on him and offered battle, and in the\nissue thereof fell Skopti, but Eirik gave quarter to such of his men who\nwere not slain. Thus saith Eyolf Dadaskald, in the Banda lay:\n 'Late in the day,\n On the ski of the sea-king,\n With combatants equal,\n Fared the youth 'gainst the \"hersir,\"\n Him the stout-hearted.\n There 'neath the hand\n That a bloody blade wielded\n Fell Tidings Skopti.\n (The feeder of wolves\n Was food for the ravens.)'\n\u00b6 With that sailed Eirik south along the coast to Denmark, and\nadventured to King Harald Gormson, abiding with him the winter; but the\nspring thereafter the Danish King sent Eirik north, & bestowed on him\nthe title Earl & therewith Vingulmark\u00a7 and Raumariki, to be beneath his\nsway even under the self-same tenure as had tribute-paying kings\naforetime been in fief and tribute.\n\u00b6 In the days that were to come after waxed Earl Eirik, and men knew him\nas a mighty chieftain. All this while abode Olaf Tryggvason in Garda,\nat the court of King Valdamar, where he had much honour & enjoyed the\nfaithful love of the Queen.\nKing Valdamar made him lord of the host which he sent out for the\ndefence of his country, and for him fought Olaf divers battles and\nproved himself to be an able captain, and himself maintained a large\nhost of warriors on the fiefs allotted to him by the King. Of no\nniggardly disposition, Olaf was ever openhanded to the men that were\nwith him and who for this self-same reason held him in affection; but as\noft times happens when men who are not of the country are exalted to\npower, or are so greatly honoured that they take the lead of the men of\nthe land, many there were who envied him the love he had of the King,\n& even so much the more that of the Queen.\nSpake many men of that matter to the King, charging him to beware lest\nhe should make Olaf over great: 'For a man of the kind might be harmful\nto thee, would he lend himself to such a deed as to make thee and thy\nrealms suffer, so crafty & beloved of men is he; nor wot we what he &\nthe Queen have thus oft whereon to commune one with the other.'\n\u00b6 Now it was in those days generally the custom among great kings for\nthe queen to possess half the court and to maintain it at her own\ncharge, and for this purpose levied she her taxes and dues, in amount as\nmuch as she stood in need therefor. In this wise was it also with King\nValdamar.\nThe Queen held no less splendid a court than pertained to the King, and\nvied they one with the other as to which might procure men of prowess,\neach having it at heart to possess such men for themselves. Now it\nhappened that the King gave heed unto words of this fashion, which men\nspake unto him, & he waxed silent and with countenance aloof from Olaf.\nAnd Olaf marking it well spake thereof to the Queen, and opened to her\nlikewise how that it was the desire of his heart to journey even unto\nthe north. His kin, said he, had held dominion there in days of yore,\n& therefore he thought it likeliest that he would there obtain the more\nadvancement.\nSo the Queen bade him farewell, saying that wheresoever he might chance\nto tarry there would all deem him a man of prowess.\nOlaf thereafter made him ready for his journey, went aboard his ship,\nand stood out into the Eystrasalt (the Baltic). Thence sailing west came\nhe to Borgundarholm (Bornholm) and made thereon a landing and harried\nall in the isle. The men of the land came together and did battle with\nhim, but Olaf gat the victory and much booty.\n\u00b6 Now while Olaf lay-to off Borgundarholm, there was rough weather with\na gale raging at sea, that their ships began to drag their anchors, for\nwhich reason did they set sail south to the coast of Vindland\n(Wendland)\u00a7 on which shore were good havens, whereon ships might ride at\npeace.\nThere did they tarry for long whiles.\nThe King of Vindland was named Burizlaf,\u00a7 & the three daughters to him\nwere Geira, Gunnhild, and Astrid.\nNow at the place where there came ashore Olaf and his men did Geira hold\nrule & dominion, and under her he that exercised most authority was one\nhight Dixin. When it became known that strange men had come to the\ncountry who behaved themselves in seemly fashion & abode there in peace,\nDixin hied to them with a message from Queen Geira bidding them sojourn\nin her land during the winter, seeing the summer was near spent, the\nweather threatening ill, & the storms waxing great. And being come\nthither Dixin saw on the instant that the captain of these men was one\nnotable both for descent and appearance.\nTherefore recounted he to them that the Queen invited them to her with\nmessages of friendship, & Olaf nothing loath did her bidding and went to\nQueen Geira as her guest. It came to pass that they twain thought both\nso well one of another that Olaf made ado to woo Queen Geira, and so it\nbefell that winter that Olaf took Geira to wife, & gat he the rule of\nthe realm with her. Thereof spake Halfrod the Troublous-skald in the lay\nhe made about Olaf the King:\n 'The chieftain at Holm let the sharp-edged swords be dyed blood-red\n Eastward too in Garda, nor can this be in any manner concealed.'\n\u00b6 Now Hakon, he that ruled over Norway, paid no tribute, the reason\nwhereof being that the King of Denmark had made assignment to him of all\nthe taxes to which the King had a right in Norway, by reason of the\ntrouble & costs the Earl was put to in defending the land against the\nsons of Gunnhild.\n\u00b6 Now it befell in those days that the Emperor Otta\u00a7 was in Saxland\n(North Germany), & word sent he to Harald, King of Denmark, that he and\nthe people that were his must be baptized & accept the true Faith, or\nelse, swore the Emperor that he would march upon him with an host. So\nthe King of Denmark admonished those that defended the land that they\nshould be ready at his call, Danavirki\u00a7 caused he to be well maintained,\nand his war ships were manned; thereafter sent the King to Earl Hakon\ncommanding him that he must come to him early in the spring-tide with\neven as many men as he might muster. So at the first song of the birds\nEarl Hakon levied an host from all parts of his dominions, and many men\nwere enrolled to him; this host bade he take ship to Denmark and with\nthem sailed he himself to meet the King of Denmark, and by him was\nreceived in right seemly fashion. With the King were there at that hour\nmany another lord proffering help, so that all told gathered he together\nan host waxing exceeding large.\n\u00b6 Now, as hath already been set forth, Olaf sojourned that winter in\nVindland, & in the months thereof went he to those districts thereof\nwhich had formerly obeyed the rule of Queen Geira, but had now ventured\nto throw off allegiance & the payment of taxes. These did Olaf harry,\nslaying many men, burning the homes of some, and taking much booty; then\nhaving rendered these realms subject unto himself turned he him back\nagain to his stronghold. So soon as the spring-tide was come, did Olaf\nmake ready his ships and put out to sea, sailing across to Skani\n(Scania) where he went ashore.\nThe people of those parts assembled and fought against him; but Olaf was\nvictorious and gat much plunder. Thence sailed he eastward to the island\nof Gotland, and took a merchant craft owned by men from Jamtaland who\nrendered a stout defence, but in such wise did the struggle end that\nOlaf cleared the ship, slew many men, & took possession of all the goods\nthat were on board.\nA third battle fought he in Gotland; there likewise the day was to his\nstrength and much spoil was to his hand. Thus saith Halfrod the\nTroublous-skald:\n 'The foeman of the shrines slew merchants of Jamtaland\n And men of Vindland in battle\n As in days of youth had been his wont.\n To those that lived in Scotland\n Was the lord of \"hersirs\" the bane.\n Is it not told that the giver of gold\n Loved to fight in Skani?'\n\u00b6 Therefore gathered the Emperor Otta a mighty host; men he had from\nSaxland (north Germany), Frankland (France), and Frisland, whiles out of\nVindland, likewise King Burizlaf\u00a7 contributed a large host. With the\narray went the King himself and his son-in-law Olaf Tryggvason.\nTo the Emperor was a great body of horsemen, and so much the more a\ngreater body of foot-folk.\nFrom Holtsetaland (Holstein) likewise came to him a large host. As it is\nsaid in the Vellekla:\n 'So it befell likewise that the steeds of the sea\n Southward ran 'neath the deft riders to Denmark,\n And the Lord of the Hordmen, becoifed with the helmet,\n Chief of the Dofrar folk, sought the lords of the Dane-realm.\n And the bountiful King of the dark forest lands\n Would in winter-tide test the warrior come from the north,\n What time that doughty fighter gat from his chief a message\n Bidding him defend the wall against the foes of Denmark.\n Little gladsome was it to go against their hosts;\n Albeit the shield-bearer did cause great destruction,\n And the sea-hero incited to battle\n When the warriors came from Frisland with Franks and Vandals.'\n\u00b6 Now Earl Hakon set companies above all the gates of the fortification,\nbut the greater part of his host sent he along the walls to defend the\nplaces where the onslaught was hottest, and many fell of the Emperor's\nhost, but nothing did they win of the wall.\nSo then the Emperor turned him away, and no longer made trial there.\nThus it is said in the Vellekla:\n 'Spear-points were broken when in that war game\n Shield clashed against shield and the foe gave not way;\n The steerer of the sea-steeds turned Saxons fleeing thence,\n And the chief 'fended the rampart 'gainst the foe.'\n\u00b6 After this battle went back Earl Hakon even unto his ships and would\nhave homeward sailed unto Norway, but that he could get no wind, so\naccordingly he lay out in Limfjord.\n\u00b6 Now turned the Emperor Otta his host so that they faced around & hied\nthem to the gulf of Sle (Sleswick), whereat gathered he together a large\nhost and took his men across to Jutland.\nWhen the intelligence thereof came to the ears of the King of Denmark\nfared he forth against the Emperor with his host, and a great battle was\nfought betwixt them.\nThe issue was to the Emperor, and thereon the King of Denmark fled away\nto Limfjord & took ship out to Marsey.\nThen did emissaries journey betwixt him and the Emperor, and a truce was\ncovenanted, also that they twain should commune face to face. In Marsey,\nthen, did the Emperor Otta and the Danish King confront one the other,\n& there a saintly bishop,\u00a7 Poppo by name, preached the faith before\nHarald, and to show the truth thereof bare he glowing iron in his hand,\nand Harald testified that the hand of the holy man was unscarred by the\nheated iron. Thereafter was Harald himself baptized with the whole of\nthe Danish host that were with him.\nEre this had Harald the King, albeit that he abode the nonce in Marsey,\nsummoned Earl Hakon to his aid, and the Earl had just come to the island\nwhen the King let himself be christened. So the King sent a message to\nthe Earl to come to him, and when the Earl was come thither compelled\nhim also that he should be baptized. After this manner was the Earl made\na Christian, and all his men with him.\nThereafter did the King appoint him priests and other learned men,\u00a7 and\ncommanded him to cause all the people of Norway to be baptized into the\nfaith and with this they parted. Thereafter Earl Hakon put out to sea to\nawait a favourable wind, and when a breeze sprang up, lo! without more\nado set he all the learned men to wade even unto the shore and upon that\nwind himself stood out to sea. The wind was from the west, and the Earl\nsailed eastward through Eyrasund (\u00d6resund) pillaging whatsoever lands he\nsighted, & thereafter came east unto the Skani side, plundering and\nharrying wherever he put ashore. Now as he was sailing his course off\nthe skerries of east Gautland put he ashore and offered up a great\nsacrifice, and whiles this was solemnized came two ravens flying up,\nloudly croaking, & for this reason deemed the Earl that Odin had\naccepted his sacrifice, and that good fortune would favour him in his\nbattles. Even so burned he all his ships and came ashore with every man\nof all his host, and carried war throughout the land. Against him was\narrayed Earl Ottar, he that held rule over Gautland, and they fought a\ngreat battle wherein was Earl Hakon victorious, & he slew Earl Ottar\ntogether with a great number of his host.\nEarl Hakon then marched hither & thither carrying war through both the\nGautlands, until he was come unto Norway, & then took he the road right\nto the north, to Throndhjem. It is of this that the Vellekla speaketh:\n 'The foeman of those who fled consulted the gods on the plain, and\n Gat answer Fret[\u00a7] from that the day was propitious to battle;\n There the war-leader saw how mighty were the corse-ribs;\n The gods of the temple would thin lives in Gautland.\n A Sword-Thing held the Earl there where no man afore him\n With shield on arm had durst to harry;\n No one ere this so far inland had borne\n That shield of gold; all Gautland had he o'errun.\n With heaps of the fallen the warriors piled the plain\n The kith of the \u00c6sirs conquered, Odin took the slain;\n Can there be doubt that the gods govern the fall of kings?\n Ye strong powers, I pray, make great the sway of Hakon.'\n [Illustration]\n\u00b6 After that he had parted in all goodly friendship from the Danish\nKing, fared Emperor Otta back to his realm of Saxland; men say that he\nheld Svein the son of Harald at the font, & that the child bore the name\nof Otta Svein. Harald, the Danish King, held by the Christian faith even\nto the day of his death. King Burizlaf, after these things, betook\nhimself back to Wendland, & together with him in his company went his\nson-in-law King Olaf Tryggvason. Of the battle aforesaid telleth\nHallfrod the Troublous-skald in Olaf's lay:\n 'The ruler of war ships hewed and smote asunder warriors\n Even in Denmark to the south of Hedeby.'\n\u00b6 It was the space of three winters that Olaf Tryggvason abode in\nWendland, even until Geira his wife fell ill of a sickness, whereof she\ndied, and so great a sorrow was this to Olaf that he no longer had\npleasure in living in Wendland.\nTherefore getting him ships of war once more went he forth plundering\nand harrying, first in Saxland, then in Frisland, and he even fared as\nfar as Flanders. Thus saith Hallfrod the Troublous-skald:\n 'Oft did the son of Tryggvi smite to the death the Saxon\n And left maimed corses food for the wolves,\n And for their drink did that lord, beloved of his host,\n Give the brown blood of many a Frisian.\n Mighty sea-kings hewed\n In Flanders corses asunder,\n The prince to the ravens gave\n The flesh of Walloons as supper.'\n\u00b6 Thereafter did Olaf Tryggvason sail for England, and ravaged apace &\nafar in that country; right north did he sail to Nordimbraland\n(Northumberland) and there harried; thence fared he farther to the\nnorthward even to Scotland where he plundered and pillaged far and wide.\nFrom thence sailed he again to the Hebrides, the where he fought more\nthan once, and afterwards sailed a course south to Man & fought there.\nFar and wide did he plunder in Ireland and then sailed he to Bretland\n(Wales) and pillaged there, & in Kumraland (Cumberland) did he likewise.\nThen he sailed to Frankland (France) where he harried the people, & from\nthence came back again, being minded to return to England, but came to\nthose Islands which are called Scilly in the western part of the English\nmain. Thus saith Hallfrod the Troublous-skald:\n 'The unsparing young King plundered the Englishmen,\n The feeder of spear-showers made murder in Northumbria,\n The war-loving feeder of wolves laid waste to Scotia,\n The giver of gold fared with up-lifted sword in Man.\n The bearer of the elm-bow brought death to the hosts\n Of the Isle of Erin, for fame yearned the lord;\n Four winters did the King smite the dwellers in Wales,\n And Northumbrians hewed he\n ere the greed of the chough was appeased.'\n\u00b6 Four winters did Olaf Tryggvason fare on viking cruises from the time\nof his leaving Wendland even until his coming to the Isles of Scilly.\n\u00b6 Now when Olaf Tryggvason was lying off the Isles of Scilly he heard\ntell that there was a soothsayer thereon, and that he foretold the\nfuture and spake of things not yet come to pass, and many folk believed\nthat things ofttimes happened according as this man had spoken. Now Olaf\nbeing minded to make assay of his cunning sent to him the finest and\nfairest of his men, in apparel as brave as might be, bidding him say\nthat he was the King, for Olaf had become famous in all lands in that he\nwas comelier and bolder and stronger than all other men. Since he had\nleft Garda, howsoever, he had used no more of his name than to call\nhimself Oli, and had told people that he was of the realm of Garda. Now\nwhen the messenger came to the soothsayer and said he was the King, gat\nhe for answer: 'King art thou not, but my counsel to thee is that thou\nbe loyal to thy King,' & never a word more deigned the seer to utter.\nThen went the messenger back and told Olaf this thing, and the King had\nno longer any doubt that this man was verily a soothsayer, and his wish\nto meet with him, now that he had heard such an answer, waxed greater\nthan heretofore. So Olaf went to him & communed with him, & asked him to\nprophesy about his future, whether or not he would win himself a kingdom\nor other good fortune. Then answered the prophet with saintly prophecy:\n'Thou wilt be a glorious King, & do glorious deeds, to faith &\nchristening wilt thou bring many men, and thou wilt help thereby both\nthyself & many others. But to the end that thou shalt not doubt about\nthis mine answer take this for a token: Hard by thy ships shalt thou\nmeet with guile & with foemen, & thou shalt do battle; and of thy men\nsome shall fall and thou thyself shalt be wounded. From that wound wilt\nthou be nigh unto death and be borne on a shield to thy ship; yet of thy\nhurt shalt thou be whole within a sennight and shall shortly thereafter\naccept Christianity.' Then Olaf went down to the ships, & verily did\nmeet with the warlike men who would slay him & his followers, & their\ncombat ended even as the hermit had foretold, to wit, in such manner\nthat Olaf was indeed borne out to his ship on a shield & likewise was\nwhole again after a sennight. Then Olaf felt assured in his mind that it\nwas the truth that this seer had told him, and that of a truth was he a\nwise soothsayer, whencesoever might he have his gift of prophecy.\nSo Olaf a second time went unto him and held much talk with him, and\nquestioned him closely as to whence he gat the wisdom to foretell what\nwas to come. And the hermit saith that the God of the men that were\nbaptized Himself causeth him to know all that He wisheth. Then recounted\nhe to Olaf the mighty works of God, & after these persuasions Olaf\nassented unto Christianity, & it befell that he was there baptized, &\nall the men that were with him. In that place abode he a long time and\nlearned the true Faith, and in his train bore away with him priests &\nother learned men.\n\u00b6 From the Isles of Scilly Olaf hied in the autumn to England, and there\nlay he in a certain haven & lived in peace, for England was a Christian\nland & now was he likewise a Christian man.\n [Illustration]\n\u00b6 Now there went throughout the land a summons to a certain Thing, that\nall men should come to the Thing, & when there was assemblage thither\ncame to it a queen whose name was Gyda.[\u00a7]\nShe was the sister of Olav Kvaran who was King of Dublin, which is in\nIreland, and she had been married to a powerful earl in England who was\nnow dead, but after him she yet ruled his dominion.\nNow there was a man in her dominions whose name was Alwin, a mighty\nchampion & 'holmgangsman.'\u00a7\nAlwin had wooed Gyda, but she had made answer that she herself would\nmake choice whom she would have among the men of her dominion, and\nforasmuch as she would choose herself a husband was this Thing convened.\nThereto likewise came Alwin decked out in his best raiment, and many\nothers were there apparelled also in their best. Now Olaf too was come\nthither, & he was clad in his bad-weather raiment, wearing a cloak\nexceeding rough; and he stood with his followers somewhat aloof from the\nothers. Gyda walked hither & thither among the men, gazing at each one\nfavoured in her eyes; but when she was come to where Olaf held his\nground looked she searchingly up into his face and asked of what manner\nof man was he. Then did he make answer that he was Oli, and said: 'I am\nnot of the country born nor bred.' Saith Gyda: 'Wilt thou have me? Even\nupon that then will I choose thee.' 'I will not say nay to it,' quoth\nhe, and asked her name and lineage. 'I am,' said she, 'a King's daughter\nof Ireland, but I was wedded into this country, to an earl who held\ndominion here. Since the time that he died have I ruled the land; divers\nmen have wooed me, but none that I would wed, & my name is Gyda.'\nYouthful was she and fair, and Olaf and she communed over this matter\neven until they became of one accord, and thereafter was Olaf betrothed\nto Gyda. This was but sour in the mouth of Alwin, but there was a custom\nin England that when two contended about a matter they should meet in\nsingle combat, and Alwin therefore bade Olaf Tryggvason fight with him\non this matter.\nThe time and place were appointed, & on either side were there chosen\ntwelve men. Then when they were met said Olaf unto his men that they\nwere to do even as he did, and a great axe had he in his hand. Now as\nAlwin was minded to drive his sword into him Olaf struck it out of his\nhand, & at the second stroke Alwin himself so that he fell to the\nground. Then did Olaf bind him fast, & in this manner also was treatment\nmeted out to the men that were with Alwin, to wit, to be beaten and\nbound, and thereafter were taken home to Olaf's lodging. Then did he bid\nAlwin depart from out the land & nevermore therein set foot again, and\nthereafter Olaf took possession of all his lands.\n [Illustration]\n\u00b6 So it came to pass that Olaf wedded Gyda & abode for the most part in\nEngland, but sometimes in Ireland. Once when Olaf was out on a foray, it\nfell that it was needful that they should foray ashore for provisions,\nand accordingly went his men to land and drove down a number of cattle\nto the shore. Then came a peasant after them & prayed Olaf give him back\nhis cows, & Olaf bade him take his cows could he find them; 'but let him\nnot delay our journey.' The peasant had with him a big cattle-dog. This\ndog sent he into the herd of neat whereof were being driven many\nhundreds, and the animal hither and thither ran among the drove,\nsingling out as many cows as the peasant said he owned, and all of them\nwere marked in the same manner.\nNow knowing that the dog had chosen rightly it seemed to them that this\nwas passing clever, and so Olaf asked of the peasant whether he would\ngive him the dog. 'Willingly,' answered he, and Olaf in exchange\ntherefor gave him a gold ring, and the promise of his friendship.\nThat dog was named Vigi, and it was the best of all dogs; Olaf had\npleasure in him for a long time thereafter.\n\u00b6 Now it came to the ears of the King of Denmark, even to him hight\nHarald Gormson, that Earl Hakon had cast aside Christianity & had\npillaged in the country pertaining to the King of Denmark who thereon\ngathered together an host, & thereafter fared to Norway.\nAnd when he was come to the realm over which Earl Hakon had rule harried\nhe there, laying bare all the land. Then led he his host to the islets\nwhich are called Solunder. Five homesteads alone stood unburned in\nLardal, in Sogn, and all the folk of the valley were fled to the\nmountains and forests, taking with them such of their chattels as they\nmight carry. Thereafter the Danish King was minded to take his hosts to\nIceland to avenge the mockery of the Icelanders, for it happened that\nthey had made malicious verses about him.\nNow a law had been made in Iceland to the end that for every soul in the\ncountry one lampoon should be made on the Danish King, and the reason\ntherefor was to this wise, to wit, that a ship pertaining to men of\nIceland had stranded on the coast of Denmark & the Danes had taken all\nthe cargo thereon, calling it flotsam.\nThe man who had had the chief concern in this matter was one Birger, the\nKing's steward. Jests were made both on him and on the King, and this is\none of them:\n 'When the fight-wonted Harald rode the sea-steed from the south\n In the shape of Faxe,\n The slayer of Vandals as wax became altogether as impotent.\n Birger by guardian sprites outcast in mare's shape met him\n As all men did behold.'\n\u00b6 Now King Harald bade a warlock betake him to Iceland in one or other\nguise, that he might bring him back tidings of the country.\nAnd the warlock set forth in the shape of a whale, and when he was come\nthither to Iceland he went along the north side of the coast, and he saw\nthat all the mountains and hills were full of guardian spirits, some\nlarge & others small. When he was arrived at Vapnafjord there went he up\nand was like to have gone ashore when, lo! a great dragon came down from\nthe valley, & in its company many serpents, toads, and vipers, and these\nbeasts belched venom at him. So swam he away westward all alongside the\nland even the whole way until he was come to the mouth of the Eyjafjord,\n& after he had turned up this fjord towards him there came a bird so\nlarge that its wings reached the hills on either side, and with it were\na number of other birds, both large and tiny.\nSo away fared he thence, & westward along by the land to Breidafjord,\nand there went he up the fjord, but a great bull came towards him\nbellowing after a fashion that was most horrible, & in its company were\na swarm of kindred spirits.\nThen went he away from there and swam past Reykjanes and was about to go\nup on Vikarseid, but a hill giant came towards him with a staff in his\nhand, and this giant carried his head higher than the hills, and with\nhim were many other giants.\nThen swam he eastward all the way along the coast: 'There is nothing,'\nquoth he, 'save sand and wilderness and great breakers outside; and so\nbroad is the sea betwixt the lands,' said he, 'that it is all unmeet for\nlong-ships.'\n\u00b6 Now in those days Brod-Helgi dwelt in Vapnafjord, Eyolf Valgerdson in\nEyjafjord, Thord Gelli in Breidafjord and Thorod the Priest in Olfus.\n\u00b6 Then put the King of Denmark his fleet about, standing south along the\ncoast, and thereafter sailed back to Denmark. Hakon the Earl caused all\nthe habitations that had been devastated to be builded up again, &\nnevermore thereafter paid he any tribute to the King of Denmark.\n\u00b6 Now it came to pass that Svein-- he who was afterwards called\nTwo-beard-- demanded a kingdom of his father King Harald, & as before so\nagain it befell that King Harald would not part Denmark in twain, nor\nlet any other man, no matter of what blood he was, have dominion\ntherein.\nSo Svein assembled a fleet of war & gave out that he was about to go on\na viking cruise, and when the whole of his fleet was come together, &\nPalnatoki of the Jomsborg vikings was also come to his aid, Svein made\nfor Zealand, and went into Isafjord. There King Harald his father was\nlying, likewise, with his ships, for he was preparing to sail to war,\n& Svein fell upon him, & a great battle ensued; but many men flocked to\nKing Harald and Svein had to give way before great odds and flee. There\nnevertheless did Harald receive such hurt that he died, and thereafter\nSvein was hailed as King of Denmark. In those days Jomsborg in Wendland\nwas ruled by Earl Sigvaldi; he was the son of Strut-Harald who had ruled\nSkani, and Sigvaldi's brothers were Heming and Thorkel the Tall. At that\ntime Bui the Burly of Borgundarholm & his brother Sigurd were likewise\nchiefs among the Jomsborg vikings, and with them, too, was Vagn, who was\nthe son of Aki and Thorgunna and the sister's son of Bui and Sigurd.\nNow Sigvaldi the Earl had made King Svein prisoner and had taken him to\nJomsborg in Wendland, and had constrained him to make peace with the\nWendish King Burizlaf.\nIt was to Earl Sigvaldi to settle the conditions of agreement between\nthem-- Sigvaldi had then to wife Astrid the daughter of King Burizlaf--\nand if peace were not made, said the Earl, he would deliver King Svein\ninto the hands of the Wends.\nThen the King knowing full well that they would torture him even to the\ndeath was content that the Earl should be peacemaker, & the Earl\nadjudged matters in such fashion that King Svein was to have the\ndaughter of King Burizlaf to wife, and King Burizlaf the sister of King\nSvein, Tyra, that was daughter to Harald.\nMoreover it was covenanted that the two Kings were to have each his own\ndominion, and there was to be lasting peace between the countries.\nThen did King Svein journey home to Denmark with his wife Gunnhild;\ntheir sons were Harald and Knut the Great (Canute).\nAnd in those days made the Danes great boast that they would sail with a\nhost to Norway even against Earl Hakon.\n\u00b6 Now because King Svein was going to take his succession after his\nfather Harald, made he a great funeral feast, to which were bidden all\nthe chiefs of his kingdom.\nNot long before this Strut-Harald of Skani had died, and also Veseti of\nBorgundarholm, who was the father of Bui & Sigurd. The King therefore\nsent word to the Jomsborg vikings bidding Earl Sigvaldi and Bui, and\ntheir brothers, to come thither and seal their inheritance by drinking\ngrave-ale in memory of their fathers at the feast which the King himself\nwas about to give. And to this feast accordingly went the Jomsborg\nvikings with all the stoutest of their folk; forty ships had they from\nWendland & twenty from Skani, & a great number of people were assembled\ntogether. On the first day of the feast, before King Svein stepped into\nhis father's high seat, he drank the cup of memory to him, vowing\ntherewith that before three months were over he would go to England with\nhis hosts & slay King Ethelred, or drive him from the country. Now all\nthose who were at the feast were obliged to drink that cup of memory,\nand for the chiefs of the Jomsborg vikings the largest horns were\nfilled, and withal with the strongest ale. When this cup of memory had\nbeen drunk to the dregs then were all men to drink to the memory of\nChrist; and ever to the Jomsborg vikings were brought the fullest horns\n& the strongest drink. The third cup was to St. Michael, and this was\ndrunk by all; and thereafter Sigvaldi drank to his father's memory, &\nmade a vow that before three winters were passed he would go to Norway\nand slay Eirik, or drive him from the land. Then did his brother Thorkel\nthe Tall swear that he would fare with Sigvaldi, and never shun battle\nas long as Sigvaldi was fighting there; and Bui the Burly said that he\ntoo would go with them to Norway, and not flee before Earl Hakon in\nbattle. Then did Vagn Eirikson swear that he also would accompany him,\n& not return before he had slain Thorkel Leira and lain abed with his\ndaughter Ingibiorg.\nMany other lords made vows anent sundry matters, & all men drank the\nheirship ale. When the morrow was come and the Jomsborg vikings had\nslept as long as they were minded, they deemed that they had spoken big\nwords enough & met together to take counsel as to how and when they\nshould proceed with their cruise, and then they covenanted to array\ntheir ships and men as speedily as might be. Now this matter was\nrumoured of far and wide in the lands.\n\u00b6 Earl Eirik, the son of Earl Hakon, was at that season in Raumariki, &\nhearing of these tidings straightway mustered the folk and set forth to\nthe Uplands, and then made his way northwards across the mountains to\nThrondhjem, to his father Earl Hakon. Of this speaketh Thord Kolbeinson\nin Eirik's lay:\n 'In good sooth from the south came fearsome tales of war,\n Peasants even fear to fight;\n And the captain of the ship learned that the long-ships of the Danes\n Along their rollers were run out seawards.'\n\u00b6 Earl Hakon and Earl Eirik caused war-arrows to be sent throughout the\nwhole of the district around Throndhjem, and sent messengers to\nSouth-More, North-More, and Raumsdal; likewise sent they northward to\nNaumdal and Halogaland, and when this was accomplished had they called\nout their full muster of men and ships. Thus saith Eirik's lay:\n 'Many a long-ship and bark and great keel\n (How the skald's praise grows apace)\n The shield-bearer caused to be run into the sea\n (Off-shore was the muster goodly)\n So that the warrior could defend the lands of his fathers.'\n\u00b6 Earl Hakon went forthwith south to More, to reconnoitre and collect\nmen, while Earl Eirik assembled his host & took it southwards.\n\u00b6 The Jomsborg vikings brought their hosts to Limfjord and thence sailed\nout to sea; sixty ships had they, and they took them across to Agdir\nwhence without tarrying shaped they a course northward to the dominion\nof Earl Hakon. They sailed off the coast, plundering & burning\nwheresoever they went. Now there was a certain man named Geirmund who\nwas sailing in a light boat & had but few men with him, & he came to\nMore where he found Earl Hakon, & going in before the Earl as he sate at\nmeat told him that there was an host to the southward which was come\nfrom Denmark. The Earl asked if he knew this in good sooth, and\nGeirmund, holding up one of his arms from which the hand had been\nsevered, said that that was the token that a host was in the land.\nThen did the Earl question him closely concerning this host, & Geirmund\nsaid that it was the Jomsborg vikings, & that they had slain many men\nand plundered far & wide: 'Nevertheless they are travelling speedily and\nhard.\nMethinks it will not be long before they are here.'\nSo then the Earl rowed up all the fjords, inwards along one shore and\noutwards along the other faring night and day, and he sent scouts on to\nthe upper way across the isthmus,\u00a7 & south in the Fjords, & likewise\nnorth where Eirik was now with his host.\nIt is of this that Eirik's lay telleth:\n 'War-wise was the Earl who had long-ships on the main\n Heading with lofty prows against Sigvaldi,\n Mayhap many an oar shook,\n But the seamen who rent the sea with strong oar-blades\n Feared not death.'\n\u00b6 Earl Hakon took his host southwards as speedily as ever he was able.\n\u00b6 Sailing northwards with his fleet Earl Sigvaldi rounded Stad, and\nfirst put in over against Hereya. Here, although the vikings fell in\nwith the folk of the country, never could they get from them the truth\nas to the whereabouts of the Earl. Whithersoever they went the vikings\npillaged, & in the island of Hod they ran up ashore & plundered the\npeople, taking back with them to their ships both folk and cattle,\nthough all men capable of bearing arms they slew.\nNow as they were going down again to their ships an old man approached\nthem-- for he was walking nigh to the men of Bui-- and unto them said\nhe, 'Not as warriors go ye here, driving neat and calves down to the\nshore; better prey would it be for ye to take the bear since ye have\ncome so nigh his lair.'\n'What saith the carle?' they cry, 'Can ye tell us aught of Earl Hakon?'\nThe peasant made answer: 'Yesterday he sailed to Hiorundarfjord having\nwith him one or two ships, or three at most, & at that time he had not\nheard aught of ye.' Forthwith ran Bui & his men to their ships, leaving\nall their booty behind, & Bui called out saying: 'Let us make the most\nof having got this news, so that we may be the ones nighest to the\nvictory.'\nAnd when they had mounted up into their ships straightway rowed they out\nnorth of the isle of Hod, and then rounding that island into the fjord.\n\u00b6 Earl Hakon and his son Earl Eirik were lying in Hallsvik, with their\nhosts and one hundred and fifty ships.\nNow they had heard by this time that the Jomsborg vikings were lying-to\noff Hod, and the Earls accordingly rowed northward to seek them, and\nwhen they were come to the place which is called Hiorungavag met they\none with another.\nBoth sides then set themselves in array for battle. In the midst of his\nhost was the banner of Earl Sigvaldi and over against this Earl Hakon\ntook up his position; Earl Sigvaldi had twenty ships, and Earl Hakon\nsixty.\nIn Earl Hakon's following were the chiefs Thorir Hart of Halogaland, and\nStyrkar of Gimsar. As for the battle array, one wing consisted of the\ntwenty ships belonging to Bui the Burly and his brother Sigurd. Against\nthese Earl Eirik Hakonson placed sixty ships, with him being the chiefs\nGudbrand the White from the Uplands & Thorkel Leira from Vik.\nIn the other wing of the array was Vagn Akason with twenty ships, and\nagainst him with sixty ships was Svein Hakonson with Skeggi of Uphaug in\nYriar, and Rognvald from Ervik in Stad. In Eirik's lay it is told of\nthus:\n 'And the sea-ships to battle sped towards the Danish ships,\n The sea-host sailed the coast along:\n From before the vikings cleared the Earl away many at More\n The ships drifted amid war-slain heaps.'\nAnd thus saith Eyvind in the Halogaland tale:\n 'Hardly was it a tryst of joy in that day's dawning\n For the foemen of Yngvi Frey,\n When the land-rulers guided the long-ships across the waste,\n And the sword-elf from the south-land\n Thrust the sea-steeds against their hosts.'\n\u00b6 Then the fleets were brought together and there ensued the grimmest of\nbattles, and many were slain on both sides, albeit the host of Hakon was\nit which fared the worst, for the Jomsborg vikings fought stoutly both\nwith boldness & dexterity, shooting clean through the shields. So great\nin number were the missiles which struck Earl Hakon that his shirt of\nmail became all rent and useless so that he threw it from him.\nOf this speaketh Tind Halkelson:\n 'The kirtle which gold bedecked women wrought for the Earl\n (The sparks from the sword wax brighter)\n Could no longer be borne;\n Then the mailed hero from off him cast the King's shirt\n (Ready were the steeds of the sea).\n Asunder, on the sand, blown from the Earl by the wind\n Was the ring-weaved shirt of Sorli\n (Thereof bore he the marks).'\n\u00b6 Now the ships of the Jomsborg vikings were both larger, and higher in\nthe gunwale, than were those of Earl Hakon, but nevertheless were they\nboldly beset from both sides. Vagn Akason pressed the ships of Svein\nHakonson so hard that Svein let his men backwater & came nigh to\nfleeing, whereupon Earl Eirik came up into his place & thrust himself\ninto the battle against Vagn, and Vagn backed his ship, and the craft\nlay again as they had lain at first.\nThen Eirik returned to his own battle, where his men were now going\nastern, and Bui having cut himself free from his lashings was about to\nfollow the fugitives.\nEirik then laid his ship alongside the ship of Bui, & a sharp hand to\nhand struggle took place, and two or three of the ships of Eirik set on\nthe one ship whereon was Bui.\nThen a storm came on, and there fell hailstones so heavy that one stone\nalone weighed an ounce. Then did Sigvaldi cut his ship adrift & went\nabout, with the intention of fleeing; Vagn Akason cried out to him\nbidding him stay, but never a moment would Sigvaldi heed give to what he\nsaid, so Vagn sent a javelin after him, and smote the man who held the\ntiller. Earl Sigvaldi rowed out of the battle with thirty-five ships and\nleft twenty-five behind him.\nThen did Earl Hakon bring his ship round to the other side of that of\nBui, and short respite then had the men of Bui between the blows. Now\nthere was an anvil with a sharp end standing on the forecastle of the\nship that pertained to Bui, and the reason thereof was that some man had\nmade use thereof when welding the hilt of his sword, and Vigfus the son\nof Vigaglums, who was a man of great strength, took up the anvil &\nthrowing it with both hands, drave it into the head of Aslak Holmskalli,\nso that the snout thereof entered his brain. No weapon hitherto had\nscathed Aslak, though he had been laying about him on either side.\nHe was the foster-son of Bui, and his forecastle man. Yet another of the\nmen to Bui was Havard the Hewer; even stronger was he, and a man of\ngreat valour. During this struggle the men of Eirik went up aboard Bui's\nship, & made aft to the poop, towards Bui, and Thorstein Midlang struck\nhim full across the nose, cleaving asunder the nose-piece of his helmet,\nand leaving a great wound.\nBui then smote Thorstein in the side in such a manner that he cut the\nman right athwart his middle, and then seizing two chests of gold he\nshouted: 'Overboard all the men of Bui,' and plunged into the sea with\nthe chests, and many of his men likewise sprang overboard, though others\nfell on the ship, for little avail was it to ask for quarter. The ship\nwas now cleared from stem to stern, and the other craft were likewise\ncleared one after the other.\n\u00b6 After this Earl Eirik brought his ships alongside that of Vagn, and\nfrom the latter met with right stout resistance; in the end however the\nship was cleared, and Vagn and thirty men taken prisoners. Bound were\nthey & taken on land, and Thorkel Leira went up to them and spoke thus:\n'Vagn, thou didst vow to slay me, but me seemeth it is I who am more\nlike to slay thee.'\nNow it happened that Vagn and his men were all sitting on the felled\ntrunks of a mighty tree, and Thorkel had a big axe, & with it he struck\nat the man who was sitting farthest off on the trunk.\nVagn and his men were so bound that a rope was passed round their feet,\nbut their hands were free. Then said one of them, 'I have in my hand a\ncloak-clasp, and into the earth will I thrust it if I wot anything after\nmy head is off'-- and his head was struck off, and down fell the clasp\nfrom his hand.\nHard by sat a fair man with goodly hair and he swept his hair forward\nover his face, saying as he stretched forth his neck: 'Make not my hair\nbloody.' A certain man took the hair in his hand and held it fast, and\nThorkel swang the axe so as to strike, but the viking drew back his head\nsuddenly & he who was holding his hair moved forward with him, and lo,\nthe axe came down on both his hands and took them off, thereafter\ncleaving the earth. Then Earl Eirik came up and asked: 'Who is that fine\nman?' 'Sigurd the lads call me,' said he, 'and I am thought to be a son\nto Bui: not yet are all the vikings of Jomsborg dead.' 'Thou must of a\nsurety be a true son to Bui; wilt thou have quarter?' 'That dependeth\nupon who is the bidder thereof,' said Sigurd. 'He offereth it who hath\npower to give it, to wit Earl Eirik.' 'Then will I take it,' and loosed\nwas he from the rope. Then said Thorkel Leira: 'Though thou grantest\nquarter, Earl, to all these men, yet never shall Vagn Akason depart\nhence alive,' & so saying he ran forward with uplifted axe. Just then\nthe viking Skadi tripped in the rope, and dropped before Thorkel's feet,\nand Thorkel fell flat over him, and Vagn seizing the axe dealt Thorkel\nhis death-blow. Then said the Earl: 'Wilt thou have quarter?' 'Yea\nwill I,' said he, 'if we all are given quarter.' 'Loose them from the\nrope,' said the Earl, and so it was done accordingly.\nEighteen of these men were slain, but to twelve was quarter granted.\n\u00b6 Now Earl Hakon & many of his men with him were sitting on a log.\nSuddenly there twanged a bowstring from Bui's ship, but the arrow struck\nGizur of Valders, a feudatory who was sitting by the Earl & was clad in\nbrave apparel, & forthwith went sundry of Hakon's men out to the ship\nand found on it Havard the Hewer kneeling by the bulwarks, for his feet\nhad been smitten off him. A bow had he in his hand and when they were\ncome out to the ship, as aforesaid, Havard asked: 'Who fell off the\ntree-trunk?' 'One named Gizur,' they say. 'Then was my luck lesser than\nI wished.' 'Ill-luck enough,' say they, 'and more hurt shalt thou not\ndo,' & therewith they slew him. After these things the dead were\nsearched, and the booty brought together for division; five and twenty\nships belonging to the Jomsborg vikings were thus cleared of booty. Tind\nsaith as follows:\n 'He, feeder of ravens,\n (Their swords did smite their thighs)\n Against the friends of the Wends long did struggle,\n Until he who shields destroyed had\n Five and twenty ships laid waste.'\n\u00b6 Thereafter were the hosts dispersed.\nEarl Hakon betook him to Throndhjem, taking it full ill that Eirik had\ngiven Vagn Akason quarter.\nMen say that during this battle Earl Hakon made sacrifice of his son\nErling in order to gain the victory, and afterwards the hailstorm came,\nand that then the slaughtering changed over out of the hands of the\nJomsborgers. After the battle Earl Eirik went to the Uplands, and from\nthere east to his dominions, and with him went Vagn Akason. Thereafter\nEirik gave the daughter of Thorkel Leira-- Ingibiorg was her name-- in\nmarriage to Vagn, & a goodly long-ship to boot, well furnished in all\nthings appertaining thereto, & a crew did he get him for the ship, and\nthey parted in all friendship. Vagn thence fared southward home to\nDenmark, and became thereafter a famous man.\nMany men of might are descended from him.\n\u00b6 Now it hath been heretofore related how Harald the Grenlander was King\nof Vestfold, and how Asta, the daughter of Gudbrand Kula had he taken to\nwife. One summer when he was out laying waste the countries to the\neastward, came he to Sweden where Olaf the Swede was King in those days.\nOlaf was the son of Eirik the Victorious and of Sigrid the daughter of\nSkogla-Tosti.\nSigrid was now a widow and to her pertained many great manors in Sweden.\nWhen she heard that her foster-brother Harald the Grenlander had come\nashore not far from where at that time she was abiding, sent she\nmessengers to him, bidding him to a feast which she was making ready to\ngive. Thereat was Harald glad, and fared to Astrid with a great\nfollowing of men. And a goodly feast was it withal: the King and the\nQueen sat in the high-seat and in the evening drank both together, and\namong the men flowed the ale freely.\nAt night when the King went to his rest his bed had on it a costly\ncoverlet, and was hung with precious cloths; in that house there were\nbut few men. And the King having unclad him, & gotten into bed, the\nQueen came hither to him and poured out a cup, and pressed him hard to\ndrink; right kind was she to him withal. Now the King was exceeding\ndrunken, and the Queen likewise.\nThen fell the King asleep, and Sigrid went away to her bed. Now the\nQueen was a very wise woman, and far seeing in many things. The next\nmorning flowed the drink ever apace, but as ofttimes cometh to pass when\nmen have drunk heavily, even so the more wary of drink are most of them\non the morrow. Yet was the Queen merry, and she and Harald spake much\ntogether, and as their talk ran on, the Queen said that she deemed her\nlands & kingdom in Sweden to be of no less worth than his in Norway. Now\nat this manner of talking the King waxed moody, and found but little\npleasure in anything thereafter, and heavy at heart he made him ready\nto go; yet was the Queen exceeding merry, gave him great gifts, &\naccompanied him on his way.\n\u00b6 So back to Norway fared he that autumn, & abode at home during that\nwinter, but little enough pleasure gat he the while. The summer\nthereafter went he eastward with his host, and shaped his course for\nSweden. Word sent he to Sigrid that he desired to meet her, & she rode\ndown to him, & they talked together; then without more ado he asked her\nwhether she would have him for mate, to which Sigrid made answer that to\ndo such a thing would indeed be foolish, seeing that he is well married\nalready, and better for him might not be. Harald confessed Asta to be a\ngood wife and brave, 'but of such noble blood as mine is she not\nwithal.' Then answered Sigrid. 'Maybe thou art of higher lineage than\nshe, yet nevertheless it beseemeth to me that with her is the happiness\nof ye both.' And after that few were the words spoken between them\nbefore the Queen rode away.\n\u00b6 Then was King Harald sick at heart, & he made him ready to ride inland\nto see Queen Sigrid yet once more. Many of his men counselled him\ntherefrom, but none the less went he with a great following to the house\nof which Sigrid was lady. That same evening there came thither from the\neast, from Gardariki (western Russia), another king-- Vissavald\u00a7 was his\nname, & he likewise came to woo Sigrid the Queen. The kings & all their\nretinue were given seats in a large & ancient chamber; & ancient also\nwere the furnishings of this room, but drink more than enough went round\nthat evening, so strong indeed that all became drunken, and both the\nhead-guard, and the outer-guard fell asleep. Then, during the night--\nand all this was caused by Queen Sigrid-- were they fallen upon with\nfire and sword; both the chamber & the men who were therein were burned,\n& of those who came out from it not one was allowed to go alive.\nQuoth Sigrid on this matter, that she would teach small kings from other\nlands to woo her; & thereafter she was called Sigrid the Scheming.\n\u00b6 It was the winter before these things befell that the battle with the\nJomsborg vikings was fought in Hiorungavag. Now while Harald was gone\ninland, one Hrani was left in charge of the ships and men; but when the\nnews came that Harald had been done to death, fared they thence\nforthwith, & going back to Norway recounted the tidings.\nAnd to Asta went Hrani & told her all things concerning their voyage, &\nlikewise the errand that had urged King Harald to Queen Sigrid. When she\nheard these tidings Asta went straightway to the Uplands to her father,\nand right welcome was she made, but exceeding wrathful were they both at\nthe base design which had been toward in Sweden, & with Harald that he\nhad been minded to leave her in loneliness. Asta, the daughter of\nGudbrand, brought forth a son even there in the summer; this boy was\ncalled Olaf at his baptism, & Hrani poured the water over him. At the\noutset was the child reared by Gudbrand & Asta his mother.\n\u00b6 Earl Hakon ruled the whole coast of Norway; sixteen counties had he\nunder his sway, and forasmuch as Harald Fairhair had prescribed that an\nearl should be over every county, and that prescription had endured for\nlong, there were under him sixteen earls. Thus it is said in the\nVellekla:\n 'Where else know we the government\n (On this the hosts may ponder)\n Of one land-ruler over the lands of sixteen earls?\n Unto the four corners of heaven rises the rumour\n Of the doughty deeds of the belauded chieftain.'\n\u00b6 During the rule of Earl Hakon the increase was good in the land, &\npeace was there within it among the peasantry. Well-beloved, too, was\nthe Earl among them for the greater part of his life, but as his years\nwaxed old it happened that his intercourse with women became unseemly,\nand to such a pass came this that the Earl would cause the daughters of\npowerful men to be brought unto him, when he would lie with them for a\nweek or twain, and then send them back to their homes. This manner of\nacting brought him to great enmity with the kinsmen of these women, and\nthe peasantry fell to murmuring, as is the wont of the folk of\nThrondhjem when things are not to their liking.\n\u00b6 Now there came to the ears of Earl Hakon the fame of a man overseas\nwestward who called himself Oli, & whom men held for a King; and he\nmisdoubted from the talk of certain folk that this man must be of the\nlineage of the Norwegian Kings. He was told, indeed, that Oli called\nhimself Gerdish (i.e., of Garda) by race, but the Earl had heard that\nTryggvi Olafson had had a son who had been taken eastward to Garda\n(western Russia), and had been brought up there at the Court of King\nValdamar, and that his name was Olaf.\nOften had the Earl sought information about this man, and he misdoubted\nthat he it was who had now come to the western countries. Now to Hakon\nthe Earl was a great friend, one Thorir Klakka, who was known far and\nwide, for he had sailed long whiles as a viking, and at others as a\nmerchant.\nSo west across the sea Earl Hakon now despatched this man, bidding him\nfare to Dublin as a merchant, as many were wont to fare in those days.\nIt was laid on Thorir that he should ascertain of what manner of man was\nthis Oli, and should he hear of a truth he was Olaf Tryggvason, or of\nthe lineage of the Kings of Norway, then was Thorir, if it might be,\nto ensnare him into the power of the Earl.\n\u00b6 So Thorir gat him west to Dublin, and enquiring there for tidings of\nOli learned that he was with his brother-in-law King Olaf Kvaran.\u00a7\nThereafter Thorir brought it to pass that he gat speech of Oli, and when\nthey had talked often and long (for Thorir was a very smooth-tongued\nman) fell Oli to asking about the Upland kings: which of them were still\nalive and what dominions pertained to them.\nLikewise asked he concerning the Earl, and if he were much beloved in\nthe country. Thorir answered: 'The Earl is so mighty a man that no one\ndurst speak but as he wills, nevertheless the reason of this is that we\nhave none other to look to. Verily know I the minds of many mighty men,\n& of the people likewise, & that they would be eager & ready were a king\nof the lineage of Harald Fair-hair to come to the realm.\nOf this, however, is there no likelihood inasmuch as it has been well\nproven how little it availeth to contend against Earl Hakon.'\nAnd when they had talked much together on this matter, revealed Olaf\nunto Thorir his name & lineage, & craved counsel of him whether the\npeasantry would have him for their King should he fare over to Norway.\nWith eagerness sought Thorir to urge him on to make this journey,\npraising him and his prowess most exceedingly. Then did Olaf conceive a\ngreat desire to be gone to the realm of his kin; and sailed he\nthereafter from the west with five ships, going first to the Hebrides; &\ntogether with him went Thorir. Later sailed he to the Orkneys where Earl\nSigurd, the son of Hlodvir, was lying in Asmundarvag (Osmundwall) in\nRognvaldzey (South Ronaldsey) in a long-ship for he was about to sail\nover to Katanes (Caithness). Then did King Olaf sail his folk from the\nwest & put into haven in the island because Pettlanzfjord (Pentland\nFirth) was not navigable.\nWhen the King heard that the Earl was lying there summoned he him to\ntalk with him, and Earl Sigurd having come to the King not long did they\ntalk ere the King Olaf said that the Earl and all the folk of the land\nmust let themselves be baptized or they would straightway be put to\ndeath; and the King said he would carry fire & sword through the isles,\nand lay waste the land if the folk thereof did not allow themselves to\nbe christened.\nSo the Earl being thus beset chose to accept baptism, and was baptized\nthere and then with all his men. Thereafter swore the Earl an oath that\nhe would become the King's man, & give him his son for a hostage-- his\nname was Whelp or Hound-- and Olaf took him home with him to Norway.\n\u00b6 Olaf then sailed eastward out to sea, and when he left the main, went\nin to the Isle of Most, where he went on land in Norway for the first\ntime.\nHe caused a Mass to be said in his tent, & on the self-same spot was a\nchurch afterward builded. Now Thorir Klakka told the King that their\nwisest course was to keep secret his identity, and to let not the\nslightest rumour about him get abroad, and to travel as speedily as\nmight be so as to fall upon the Earl while he was still unawares.\nEven so did King Olaf, faring northward day and night according to the\nset of the wind, & he let not the people know of his journey, nor who\nit was that was sailing. When he was come north to Agdanes gat he\ntidings that Earl Hakon was within the fjord, & moreover that he was at\nvariance with the peasantry. Now when Thorir heard tell of this quite\notherwise was it from what he had expected, for after the battle of the\nJomsborg vikings all men in Norway were full friendly with Earl Hakon by\nreason of the victory he had won, & which had saved the land from war;\nbut now so ill had things befallen that here was the Earl at strife with\nthe peasantry, & that with a great chief come into the land.\n\u00b6 At this time Hakon the Earl was a guest at Medalhus in Gaulardal, his\nships lying off Vigg the while.\nNow there was a certain Orm Lyrgia, a wealthy yeoman who lived at Bynes,\nand he had to wife Gudrun the daughter of Bergthor of Lundar, & so fair\na woman was this Gudrun that she was called the 'sun of Lundar.'\nAnd on such an errand as this, namely to bring unto him Orm's wife, did\nEarl Hakon send his thralls.\nThe men coming thither to Bynes made known their errand, but Orm bade\nthem first go out & sup, & before they had well eaten there had come to\nhim many men whom he had sent for from the neighbouring homesteads. Then\nsaid Orm that he would in nowise suffer Gudrun to go with the thralls;\nand Gudrun herself bade the thralls go tell the Earl that never would\nshe go to him save he sent Thora of Rimul,\u00a7 a wealthy lady and one of\nthe Earl's sweethearts, to fetch her. Then the thralls said that they\nwould come once again in such a manner that both master and mistress\nwould repent them of this business, & uttering grievous threats they gat\nthem gone. Now in all four directions of the countryside did Orm send\nout war-arrows, and with them word that all men should rise against\nHakon the Earl to slay him. Moreover he let Haldor of Skerdingsted be\ntold, and forthwith Haldor also made despatch of the war-arrow.\nNot long before this had the Earl taken the wife of a man named\nBryniolf, and from that piece of work had arisen a great pother, and\nsomething nigh the assembling together of an host.\nSo after receiving the message aforesaid all the people hastened\ntogether and made their way to Medalhus, but to the Earl coming news of\ntheir motions thereon left he the house together with his men and went\nto a deep valley which is now called Jarlsdal (the Earl's valley), and\ntherein they hid themselves. The day thereafter kept the Earl watch on\nthe peasant host. The peasants had encompassed all the footways, though\nthey were mostly of a mind that the Earl had made off to his ships.\nThese were now commanded by his son Erling, a young man of singular\npromise.\nWhen night fell sent the Earl his men away from him, bidding them take\nto the forest tracks out to Orkadal, 'No one will harm ye if I am\nnowhere nigh,' he said. 'Send also word to Erling to go out of the fjord\nso that we may meet in More. I shall find a means to hide me from the\npeasants.' Then the Earl departed and a thrall of his named Kark bore\nhim company.\nIce was there on the Gaul river, but the Earl set his horse at it & they\ncame through, with the loss of his cloak, to a cave which has since been\ncalled Jarlshellir (the Earl's cave), and therein slept they soundly.\nWhen Kark awakened recounted he unto the Earl a dream he had dreamt: how\na man black & ill to behold had come nigh the cave, and he was afeared\nwould enter it, and this man had told him that 'Ulli' was dead.\nThen said the Earl, 'Erling must have been slain.' For the second time\nThormod Kark slept and he cried out in his sleep, and when he awoke told\nhis dream, namely that he had seen the self-same man coming down again,\n& he had bidden Kark tell the Earl that now all the sounds were closed.\nAnd Kark telling Earl Hakon his dream said he thought it might betoken a\nshort life for him. Thereafter they arose and went to the homestead of\nRimul, whence sent the Earl Kark to Thora bidding her come privily to\nhim. This did she in haste, and made the Earl right welcome, and he\ncraved of her hiding were it but for a few nights even until dispersed\nshould be the peasants. 'Here is it that thou wilt be sought by them,'\nsaid she, 'and search will they make both within and without, throughout\nthe whole of this my homestead, for many there are that wot over well\nhow that I would fain help thee all that I might.\nHowbeit one place is there wherein would I never seek for such a man as\nthou, and that is in the swine-sty.' So thither hied they and said the\nEarl: 'Here then will we hide us, for it behoves us that first of all\nmust we give heed to our own lives.' Thereupon dug the thrall a large\nditch in the sty & carried away the earth, and afterwards placed wood\nacross it.\nAnd Thora brought unto the Earl tidings that Olaf Tryggvason was come up\nthe fjord, and that he had slain the Earl's son Erling.\nRight so went the Earl into the trench, & Kark with him, and Thora\ndragged wood athwart it, and swept earth and muck over it, and drave the\nswine thereon. Now the swine-sty was under a certain big rock.\n [Illustration]\n\u00b6 With five long-ships shaped Olaf Tryggvason his course into the fjord,\n& Erling, the son of Earl Hakon with his three ships rowed him out to\nmeet him. Or ever the ships drew nigh one to another Erling and his men\nknew that this was war, and then in lieu of coming to a meeting with\nOlaf did they make head for the land. Now Olaf when he had seen the\nlong-ships rowing down the fjord towards him thought to himself that\nthis would be Earl Hakon, and thereon gave the word of command to row\nahead as hard as might be.\nThe men of Erling even so soon as they were come nigh unto the shore\nleapt they in haste overboard & made for land. Thither after them were\ncome the ships of Olaf and he himself saw swimming a man exceeding fair\nto look upon, and thereon seized he the tiller and threw it even unto\nthis man, and the tiller smote the head of Erling, he that was son of\nthe Earl, so that his skull was cloven, yea even to the brain.\nThus came it to pass that Erling lost his life.\nThere slew the men of Olaf many, but even so did a few make good their\nescape; others again made they prisoners, & giving them quarter gat\ntidings from them.\nThus learnt Olaf that the peasants had driven away Earl Hakon, that he\nwas fleeing before them, and that all the folk that were his were\nscattered.\nThereafter did the peasants come unto Olaf, and as all liked one another\npassing well forthwith entered they into fellowship.\nThe peasants hailed him for their King, and they covenanted together to\nseek Earl Hakon, & to make search up into Gaulardal where if\nperadventure he was to be found in any of the houses there, deemed they\nit likeliest would he be at Rimul since all men knew for why.\nThora was the dearest friend to him in that valley. So thither went\nthey, and sought the Earl both without and within but of him could they\nfind no trace; and Olaf summoned the people together out in the yard,\nand standing on the rock which was beside the swine-sty spake unto them,\nand the words that he uttered were that he would reward with riches and\nhonour the man who would work mischief to Earl Hakon.\nThis speech was heard both by the Earl and Kark. Now by them in the sty\nhad they a light there with them, and the Earl said: 'Why art thou so\npale, yet withal as black as earth? Is it in thy heart, Kark, that thou\nshouldst betray me?' 'Nay,' said Kark, 'we two were born on the\nself-same night, and long space will there not be twixt the hour of our\ndeaths.' Towards evening went King Olaf away, & when it was night Kark\nslept, and the Earl kept watch, but Kark was troubled in his sleep. Then\nthe Earl awakened him & asked him whereof he dreamt, and he said: 'I was\nnow even at Ladir, and Olaf Tryggvason placed a gold ornament about my\nneck.'\nThe Earl answered: 'A blood-red ring will it be that Olaf Tryggvason\nwill lay about thy neck, shouldst thou meet with him. Beware now, and\nbetray me not, & thou shalt be treated well by me as heretofore.' Then\nstay they both sleepless each watching the other, as it might be, but\nnigh daybreak fell the Earl asleep and was troubled at once, so troubled\nthat he drew his heels up under him & his head likewise under him, and\nmade as though he would rise up, calling aloud and in a fearsome way.\nThen grew Kark afeard & filled with horror, so it came to pass that he\ndrew a large knife from his belt and plunged it into the throat of the\nEarl cutting him from ear to ear. Thus was encompassed the death of Earl\nHakon.\nThen cut Kark off the head of the Earl and hasted him away with it, and\nthe day following came he with it to Ladir unto King Olaf, and there\ntold he him all that had befallen them on their flight, as hath already\nbeen set forth. Afterwards King Olaf let Kark be taken away thence, &\nhis head be sundered from his trunk.\n\u00b6 Thereafter to Nidarholm went King Olaf and likewise went many of the\npeasantry, and with them bare they the heads of Earl Hakon and Kark. In\nthose days it was the custom to use this island as a place whereon might\nbe slain thieves & criminals, and on it stood a gallows. And the King\ncaused that on this gallows should be exposed the heads of Earl Hakon\nand Kark. Then went thither the whole of the host, and shouted up at\nthem and cast stones, and said that they went to hell each in goodly\ncompany, ever one rascal with another. Thereafter did they send men up\nto Gaulardal, & after they had dragged thence the body of Earl Hakon did\nthey burn it.\nSo great strength was there now in the enmity that was borne against\nEarl Hakon by the folk that were of Throndhjem that no one durst breathe\nhis name save as the 'bad Earl,' and for long afterwards was he called\nafter this fashion.\nNevertheless it is but justice to bear testimony of Earl Hakon that he\nwas well worthy to be a chief, firstly by the lineage whereof he was\ndescended, then for his wisdom and the insight with which he used the\npower that pertained to him, his boldness in battle, and withal his\ngoodhap in gaining victories and slaying his foemen. Thus saith Thorleif\nRaudfelldarson:\n 'Hakon! no Earl more glorious 'neath the moon's highway:\n In strife and battle hath the warrior honour won,\n Chieftains mine to Odin hast thou sent,\n (Food for ravens were their corses)\n Therefore wide be thy rule!'\n\u00b6 The most generous of men was Earl Hakon, yet even to such a chief\nbefell so great mishap on his dying-day. And this was brought about by\nthe coming of the time when blood-offerings & the men of blood-offerings\nwere doomed, & in their stead were found the true Faith and righteous\nworship.\n\u00b6 In general Thing at Throndhjem was Olaf Tryggvason chosen to be King\nof the land, even as Harald Fair-hair had been King. Indeed the folk\nrose up, & the crowds would hear of nought else but that Olaf Tryggvason\nshould be King; and Olaf went throughout the country conquering it,\n& all men in Norway vowed allegiance to him.\nEven the lords of the Uplands and Vik who had before held their lands\nfrom the Danish King now became men unto Olaf and held their lands from\nhim. Then in the first winter & the summer thereafter fared he through\nthe country.\nEarl Eirik Hakonson, and Svein his brother, & others of their kith and\nfriendship fled from the land, & going eastward to Sweden, even unto\nKing Olaf the Swede, were by him well received. Thus saith Thord\nKolbeinson:\n 'Foemen of robbers! swiftly can fate cause change,\n Brief space 'fore the treason of men did Hakon to death,\n And to the land erewhile taken by the fighter in battle\n Came now the son of Tryggvi, faring from the west.\n More in his mind had Eirik against his lord and King\n Than can now be spoken of, as might be thought of him.\n In wrath sought the Earl counsel of the King of the Swedes\n (Stubborn are the folk of Throndhjem, ne'er one will flee).'\n\u00b6 Now the name of a certain man from Vik was Lodin, and he possessed\nmuch wealth and was come of a goodly lineage. Often fared he as a\nmerchant, but upon occasion as a viking. Now it befell one summer that\nLodin, to whom appertained the ship, wherein was a fair cargo, did set\nsail eastward with merchandise that was his, and after making Estland\nspent he the summer there in the places where the fairs were held. Now\nthe while a fair happeneth are many kinds of goods thither brought to it\nfor sale, & likewise come many thralls, and among them as it befell in\nthis wise one day saw Lodin a woman, who when he looked on her perceived\nhe her to be Astrid, the daughter of Eirik whom King Tryggvi had had to\nwife. Now indeed was she unlike what she had been when he had aforetime\nseen her, for pale was she, and wasted, and poorly clad; but went he up\nto her & asked her about herself, and she answered: 'Sad is it to relate\nthat have I been sold for a slave, & yet again am I brought hither for\nsale.' Thereafter did they recognize one another, & Astrid knew well all\nabout him and she besought him to buy her & take her back to her kin.\n'I will make a bargain with thee on this matter,' said he, 'I will bear\nthee home with me to Norway if thou wilt wed me.'\nSo Astrid being in such dire straits and knowing him full well to be a\nman that was brave & had many possessions, yea and moreover goodly\nlineage, plighted she him her troth so that she might be set free. Thus\nit came to pass that Lodin bought Astrid, and bare her away home even\nunto Norway, and wedded her there with the goodwill of her kinsfolk. The\nchildren she bare to him were Thorkel Nefia, Ingirid, and Ingigerd;\nwhile the daughters of Astrid by King Tryggvi were Ingibiorg and Astrid.\nThe sons of Eirik Biodaskalli were Sigurd Carles-head, Jostein, and\nThorkel Dydril; all these were noble & wealthy, and to them pertained\nmanors in the east of the country.\nTwo brothers that dwelt in Vik, Thorgeir & Hyrning as they were named,\ntook to wife the daughters of Astrid and Lodin.\n [Illustration]\n\u00b6 After the Danish King, Harald Gormson, had embraced the faith of\nChrist made he proclamation throughout his dominions that all men must\nallow themselves to be baptized, and must turn to the true Faith.\nHe himself followed hard on the bidding, making use of force and\nchastisement when naught else could prevail.\nHe sent to Norway with a great host two Earls that were called\nUrgutherjot and Brimiskiar;\u00a7 the mission to them was that they should\nproclaim Christianity throughout the land & the same also in Vik which\nhad done direct homage unto Harald himself.\nFolk made they submissive readily enough, and many country folk were\nthereon baptized. Howsoever it came to pass that after the death of\nHarald speedily went his son Svein Two-beard to war in Saxland,\nFrisland, and at last also in England, and then those of Norway who had\nreceived Christianity returned to sacrifices, as in the old times\naforesaid in the north country.\nBut Olaf Tryggvason after that he was King in Norway dwelt he for long\nin the summer at Vik, where he was made welcome with great show of\naffection; and to that place came also many of his kindred, & others who\nwere allied to him, and many that had been good friends with his father.\nThen did Olaf summon to him his uncle, & his step-father Lodin, & his\nstep-brothers Thorgeirr and Hyrning, and laying the matter before them\nbesought them most earnestly to undertake with him, and thereafter with\nall their might support the spreading of the message of Christianity,\nfor this message it was his wish to carry throughout the whole of his\ndominions.\nAnd, said he, that he would have it his way or die, 'I will make all of\nye great and powerful men, for it is upon ye that chiefly do I rely\ninasmuch as ye are to me kith & brethren.' So all were agreed to do what\nhe bade them and support him in that which he desired, and to have\nfellowship with all those that were of a mind to follow their counsel.\nThen did King Olaf proclaim that he would invite all men in his realm to\nbecome Christians, and those who had agreed this aforetime straightway\ndid his bidding, & as they were the most powerful of those present, all\nthe others did according to their example. Thereafter were all folk\nbaptized in the eastern part of Vik, & then went the King to the\nnorthern parts thereof and invited all men to receive Christianity; and\nthose who said nay chastised he severely, slaying some, and maiming\nsome, and driving away others from the land. So it came to pass that the\npeople of the whole of that kingdom whereover his father King Tryggvi\nhad ruled aforetime, and likewise that which his kinsman Harald the\nGrenlander had possessed, received Christianity according to the bidding\nof King Olaf. Wherefore in that summer and in the winter thereafter were\nthe people of the whole of Vik made Christian.\n\u00b6 Early in the spring-time was King Olaf astir, and leaving Vik went he\nnorth-west to Agdir and whithersoever he went summoned he the peasants\nto a Thing, and bade all men let themselves be baptized. And forasmuch\nas none of the peasantry durst rise up against the King, the people were\nbaptized withersoever he went, and the men embraced Christianity.\n\u00b6 Bold men and many were there in Hordaland who were come of the kin of\nHorda Kari. To him had been born four sons: firstly, Thorleif the Wise,\nsecondly, Ogmund who was the father of Thorolf Skialg, the father of\nErling of Soli; thirdly, Thord the father of Klyp the 'hersir' (he that\nslew Sigurd Sleva Gunnhildson) and fourthly, Olmod the father of Aksel\nwho was the father of Aslak Fitiar-skalli. This stock was greatest and\nbravest in Hordaland.\n\u00b6 Now when these kinsmen heard the disquieting tidings that the King was\ncoming from the east along the coast, and with him a large host who\nforced all men that they should break the old laws of the old gods, and\nimposed penalties with sore chastisements on all those who spake not to\nhis liking, agreed they to meet together to take counsel upon their\nplans for well knew they the King would soon be upon them; it was\ntherefore agreed among them that they would one & all be present at the\nGula-Thing, and there should they meet Olaf Tryggvason.\n\u00b6 Even so soon as he was come to Rogaland did Olaf summon a Thing,\n& thereto came the peasantry in great numbers and fully armed.\nAnd being come together made they speeches and held consultations among\nthemselves, & chose three men who were the most eloquent among them to\nanswer back the King at the Thing. Moreover were they to speak against\nhim and make it known that they would not suffer their laws to be broken\neven were it the King who ordained the same. Now when the peasants were\nassembled at the Thing & the Thing was opened, rose up King Olaf and\nspake, talking at the outset smooth and fair albeit it was manifest in\nhis talking that it was his will that they should accept Christianity.\nAnd after he had done with fair words he fell to vowing that those who\nspoke against him and would not do his bidding would bring upon\nthemselves his wrath & chastisement and hard entreatment howsoever he\nmight bring it about.\nNow when the King had made an end to speaking there stood up one of the\nyeomen who was the most eloquent & who had been chosen as the first to\nmake answer to King Olaf.\nBut when he was about to speak was he taken with such a coughing &\nchoking that he could not get forth a word, and down sat he again.\nSorely as it had gone with the first yet nevertheless rose another man\nto his feet to take up the answer, but when he began to talk so greatly\ndid he stammer that never a word could he get forth. Then all who were\npresent fell to laughing, so that the yeoman sat himself down again.\nThen stood the third man up with intent to speak against King Olaf, but\nso hoarse was he and husky that no man could hear what he said, so down\nhe sat likewise. There being now none of the chosen yeomen left to speak\nagainst the King, and no one else would answer him, the resistance that\nhad been projected came to naught.\nIn the end therefore were all agreed to do the King's bidding, and all\nthe Thing folk were christened there and then or ever the King departed\nfrom them.\n\u00b6 King Olaf proceeded to the Gula-Thing accompanied by his men, for the\npeasants had sent unto the King saying that there they would answer him\non this matter. But when both parties were come to the Thing the King\nmade known that it was his wish first to have speech with the chiefs of\nthe land, so when all were assembled there he set forth his purpose in\nbeing present, which was to impose baptism upon them.\nThen spake Olmod the Old and said: 'We kinsmen have taken counsel\ntogether on this matter, and of one consent are we thereon. If thou,\nKing, thinkest to force us kinsmen to such a thing as the breaking of\nour laws, and wilt bend us to thy will, then will we defy thee by all\nmeans in our power, & fate must decide whoso shall get the mastery.\nBut if thou, O King, wilt advance us kinsfolk somewhat then thou mayst\nbring it so well about that we shall turn to thee in hearty obedience.'\nQuoth the King, 'What is that which ye demand that shall bring about\ngood peace betwixt us?' Then said Olmod, 'Firstly is it thou shalt give\nthy sister, Astrid, in marriage to our kinsman Erling Skialgson, whom we\nnow account the likeliest young man of Norway.'\nThe King said that to his mind this was a fair request and that it would\nbe a good marriage seeing that Erling was of a great family, and withal\ngoodly to look upon, but nevertheless said he, must Astrid herself have\na word in the matter. Thereafter did the King speak with his sister on\nthe subject, and she answered and said, 'little it availeth me that I am\na King's daughter and a King's sister if I am to wed a man without a\nprincely name, rather will I tarry a few winters for another suitor,'\nand therewith ended their talking for the time being.\n\u00b6 Now after these things King Olaf caused the feathers to be plucked\nfrom off a hawk appertaining to Astrid his sister, and thereafter he\nsent the bird to her. Then said Astrid, 'Wrathful is my brother now,'\n& going to her brother, who bade her welcome, she spake unto him that\nhe the King should give her in marriage as it seemeth best to him.\n'Methought,' said Olaf, 'that I had power enough in this land to make\nwhatsoever man I would a man of title and dignity.'\nSo then the King summoned Olmod and Erling and all their kinsmen to him\nto talk with them anent this matter, and in such wise did their talking\nend that Astrid was betrothed to Erling. Thereafter the King called\ntogether a Thing, & offered the peasants Christianity, and though all\ntheir kinsfolk were with them in this matter yet were Olmod & Erling the\nmost zealous of all men in forwarding the King's cause.\nNo one had any longer the courage to raise his voice against the wish of\nthe King, and thereupon were the people all baptized and became\nChristian. Now the marriage of Erling Skialgson took place in the summer\nand many folks came together to be witness of it; thither likewise came\nKing Olaf. On this occasion did the King offer to give Erling an\nearldom, but Erling spake & said: '\"Hersirs\" have my kinsmen been and no\nhigher title will I have than they; but this will I take from thy hands,\nKing, namely that thou makest me to be the greatest in the land of that\nname.' So in accord with this did the King give him his promise, and\nwhen they parted bestowed on his brother-in-law Erling that land which\nis north of the Sogn-sea and lies eastward as far as Lidandisnes,\u00a7 on\nthe same pact as Harald Fair-hair had given land to his sons, of which\nan account has been afore writ in fair scrip.\n\u00b6 Then in the autumn after these things had come to pass, the King\ncalled together a Thing of four counties, & the meeting took place in\nthe north, at Stad on Dragseid.\nThither came folk from Sogn, the Firths, South-More and Raumsdal. King\nOlaf himself fared to it with a mighty following of men that he took\nwith him from the east of the country, and likewise men who had come to\nhim from Rogaland and Hordaland. Then when he was come to the Thing\noffered he to those that were gathered together Christianity even as he\nhad done at other places, and forasmuch as he had with him a very great\nhost men were afeared of him.\nThen did he give them for choice one of two things, either to accept\nChristianity and let themselves be baptized, or to be prepared to do\nbattle with him. So the peasants foreseeing no chance of fighting\nagainst the King save with ill-hap, accepted the first choice he had\noffered them & embraced Christianity. Then fared Olaf with his men to\nNorth-More, and that country likewise made he Christian; thereafter\nsailed he in to Ladir & caused the temple there to be pulled down & took\nall the adornments & property from the temple and from the god.\nA great gold ring which Earl Hakon had caused to be wrought took he\nmoreover from the door thereof, & then after he had done these things\ncaused he the temple to be burned.\n\u00b6 Now when the peasants came to hear of what the King had done sent they\nwar-arrows throughout the countryside, calling out an host & were about\nto rise against the King, but meantime sailed he out of the fjord with\nhis men, and thereafter headed northward off-shore. Now it was the\nintent of Olaf to fare north to Halogaland in order thither to bring\nChristianity; but when he was come as far north as to Biarney gat he\nnews from Halogaland that they had an host under arms, and were minded\nto defend their land against the King. The chiefs of this host were\nHarek of Tiotta, Thorir Hart of Vogar, and Eyvind Rent-cheek. So Olaf\nlearning this, even as aforesaid, turned his ships about & sailed\nsouthward off the coast. When he was come as far south as to Stad fared\nhe more slowly, but nevertheless at the beginning of winter had he\ncovered all the distance eastward to Vik.\n\u00b6 Now the Queen of Sweden, whom men called the Haughty, was at that time\nliving at one or other of her manors, and betwixt King Olaf and her\nfared there that winter emissaries who sought her hand in the name of\nthe King.\nQueen Sigrid received the offer in a friendly spirit, and in due time\nwas their troth plighted.\nKing Olaf sent Queen Sigrid the great ring of gold which he had taken\nfrom off the door of the temple at Ladir, and it was deemed a most noble\ngift.\nNow touching the matter of this marriage a meeting was to take place the\nfollowing spring by the Gota river, on the marches of the country.\nWhile this ring which King Olaf had sent to Queen Sigrid was being\npraised so exceedingly were the Queen's smiths, brothers, with her; & it\nbefell that they took the ring, and weighed it in their hands, & then\nspake a word together privily. At this the Queen summoned them to her,\nand asked of them why made they such mock of the ring, but they denied\nthat they were doing such a thing.\nThen said she that she insisted upon knowing what it was they had\ndiscovered; & thereupon they told her that there was falsehood in the\nring. Then did the Queen let the ring be broken asunder, and copper was\nfound to be inside it.\nThereon was the Queen wroth, and said that Olaf might play her false in\nmore things than this one.\n\u00b6 That same winter went King Olaf up into Ringariki and introduced\nChristianity there. Now it had befallen that Asta, the daughter of\nGudbrand, was speedily wedded after the death of Harald the Grenlander\nto a man named Sigurd Sow,\u00a7 who was King of Ringariki. Sigurd was the\nson of Sigurd o' the Copse who again was son to Harald Fair-hair.\nDwelling with Asta at that time was Olaf her son by Harald the\nGrenlander, for he was being reared at the house of his step-father\nSigurd Sow. When King Olaf Tryggvason went to Ringariki to introduce\nChristianity, Sigurd let himself be christened together with Asta his\nwife, & Olaf her son,\u00a7 & for the latter stood Olaf Tryggvason sponsor;\nthe babe was at that time three winters old.\nKing Olaf then fared southward again to Vik, and abode there the winter,\n& this was the third winter that he was King of Norway.\n\u00b6 Early in the spring fared King Olaf eastward to Konungahella (the\nKing's rock) to the tryst with Queen Sigrid, and when they were met,\ntalked they one with the other over the matter which had been set afoot\nin the winter, to wit, that they should wed one another.\nRight hopeful did the matter seem to them, until King Olaf spake & said\nthat Sigrid must accept christening and the true Faith.\nThen did the Queen make answer: 'Depart from the faith that I have held\naforetime, and which my kindred held before me will I never: yet will I\nnot account it against thee shouldst thou believe on whatsoever god may\nseem best to thy mind.' Then Olaf waxed exceedingly wroth and made\nanswer hastily: 'Heathen as a dog art thou-- why should I wed thee?' and\nsmote her in the face with the glove he was holding in his hand.\nThen stood he up on his feet & she arose likewise, and Sigrid said,\n'This might be thy undoing.' Thereafter were they parted, the King going\nnorthward to Vik, and the Queen east to Sweden.\n [Illustration]\n\u00b6 Thence King Olaf fared to Tunsberg & having come thither held he a\nThing and gave out thereat that all men who were known and proven to be\ndealers in witchcraft and spellwork, or were wizards, should depart out\nof the land. Thereafter did the King cause the countryside thereabouts\nbe searched for such men, & commanded them to be brought unto him. And\nwhen they were come to him a man there was among them called Eyvind\nWell-spring, who was the grandson of Rognovald Straight-legs, the son of\nKing Harald Fair-hair.\nNow Eyvind was a wizard & well versed in witchcraft. King Olaf caused\nall these men to be assembled in a certain hall, which had been made\nready for them in goodly wise, and therein feasted he them & gave them\nmuch strong drink, and when they were all drunken caused he the chamber\nto be set on fire. Thus it came about that all the folk who were therein\nwere burned except Eyvind Well-spring who saved himself by climbing\nthrough the smoke-hole.\nEyvind having made off and sped far on his way, fell in with men who\nwere going to the King, and he bade these men tell Olaf that he, Eyvind,\nhad gotten away from out of the fire, and never again would he come into\nthe King's hands; and that moreover would he pursue his arts even as he\nhad done before.\nWhen these men were come to King Olaf they told of Eyvind according as\nhe had bidden them, and ill-pleased enough was the King that Eyvind was\nnot dead.\n\u00b6 When spring was come King Olaf left Vik and went the round of his\nmanors, and sent he word throughout Vik that come the summer would he\ncall out an host and with it fare northward in the land.\nThereafter went he north (west) to Agdir, and when Lent was drawing to\nan end sailed northward to Rogoland, and arrived on Easter Eve\u00a7 at\nOgvaldsnes in the isle of Kormt, where an Easter festival had been made\nready for him.\nNigh upon three hundred men had he with him. That same night Eyvind\nWell-spring came unto the isle in a long-ship fully manned, and the crew\naboard her were all wizards and other folk versed in magic. Eyvind and\nhis band went up ashore from their ship and set to work on their\nwizardry. Such thick fog & darkness did Eyvind bring about that deemed\nhe it would be impossible for the King and his folk to see them; but no\nsooner were they come nigh to the house at Ogvaldsnes than lo! it there\nbecame broad daylight. Mightily different was this from the desire that\nEyvind had conceived, for the darkness which he had wrought by magic\nenveloped him and his folk so that never a bit more could they see with\ntheir eyes than with the napes of their necks, and even round and round\nwent they in a ring.\nNow the King's watchmen saw the wizards as they were moving about, and\nnot knowing what kind of men they might be had the King aroused, and the\nKing & his men got up and clad themselves. When King Olaf saw Eyvind &\nhis folk, bade he his men take their arms and go out to discover what\nmanner of men might these be. Now the King's folk recognizing Eyvind\nlaid hands on him and the whole band, and brought them into the presence\nof the King.\nThen did Eyvind relate all that had befallen him on his journey.\nThe King thereafter had them all taken out to a rock which was covered\nby the sea at high-tide and there let them be bound. Thus Eyvind & the\nothers came by their end. Afterwards was that rock called Skrattasker.\n\u00b6 Now it is told that while the King was on this visit at Ogvaldsnes\nthat there came thither one evening an old man; he was one-eyed and wore\na slouch hat, but very wise was he in his speech and of all lands could\nhe tell.\nThis man managed to have speech of the King, & the King found much\nentertainment in his conversation and questioned him closely on many\nsubjects, & the guest made ready answer to all that he asked him,\nwherefore sat the King till late in the night conversing with him.\nThe King asked if he wotted who Ogvald was, whom the ness & homesteads\nwere named after, & the guest answered that Ogvald was a king and a\ngreat warrior who made sacrifice above all to a cow, and took the cow\nwith him whithersoever he went, for wholesome did he deem it to drink\never of her milk. King Ogvald fought with that King who is hight Varin,\n& fell in the combat. He was buried in a barrow not far from the house,\nand a stone was set up which is still standing. In a place not far from\nthence was the cow buried, likewise in a barrow. Such things as this\ntold he of kings; and other ancient tidings withal. Now after they had\nsat thus till late in the night, the bishop reminded the King that it\nwas time for them to rest, & the King did according as the bishop had\nsaid. But when the King was unclad and had laid him in his bed, the\nguest sat himself on the step thereof, and again talked for long with\nthe King; and ever when he had told of one matter did the King long for\nmore. Then spake the bishop to the King saying that it was time for\nsleep, and the King settled himself for sleep according as the bishop\nhad said & the guest gat him gone, but soon thereafter the King\nawakened, and asked after his guest, & bade him be called unto him, but\nnowhere was the guest to be found. On the morrow early the King summoned\nhis cook to him and he who had charge of the drink withal, and asked\nthem if any unknown man had come in to them; & they answered that as\nthey were making ready the food a man had come to them & said that they\nwere boiling but scurvy meat for the King's table, & therewith he gave\nthem two mighty fat sides of neat & these they boiled with the other\nflesh. Then commanded the King that all that food should be destroyed,\nsaying that this had not been any man but rather Odin himself, whom\nheathen men had long believed on, but, said he, never should Odin\nbeguile them.[\u00a7]\n\u00b6 Now when summer was come called King Olaf together a large host from\nthe east of the country and with it sailed he northward to Throndhjem,\ngoing in first to Nidaros. Thereafter sent he round the whole of the\nfjord bidding men assemble at a Thing, and there gathered at Frosta a\nThing of eight counties.\nNow the peasants, be it said, had turned this Thing summons into a\nwar-arrow,[\u00a7] and to the assembly came men from the whole of the\ndistrict of Throndhjem, so that when the King arrived at the Thing,\nthither likewise was come the peasant host fully armed.\nThe Thing being established, the King addressed the people and bade them\naccept Christianity, but when he had been speaking but a little while\nthe peasants called out to him, & bade him be silent or otherwise, said\nthey, would they rise against him and drive him away. 'Thus did we,'\nsaid they, 'with Hakon Adalstein's foster-son when he commanded a thing\nof the kind, and hold we thee in no more respect than held we him.'\nThen did King Olaf seeing the ire of the peasants, and moreover knowing\nfull well that they had so large an host, change his manner of address\nand made as if he were agreed with them and spake to them thus: 'It is\nmy wish that we should be friends again, in such good accord as we were\naforetime.\nThither will I go wheresoever ye hold your greatest blood-offering, &\nwitness your worship; then will we all take counsel together as to what\nmanner of worship we will have, and be then all of one mind thereon.'\nNow when the King spake thus mildly to the peasants, grew they softened\nin temper, and all the converse went peaceably and in seemly fashion,\nand at the end was it determined that there should be a midsummer\nsacrifice at Maerin, and that thither all the chiefs and wealthy\npeasants should go as the custom was, and that thither likewise King\nOlaf was to go.\n\u00b6 Now there was a certain wealthy yeoman whose name was Skeggi (Iron\nBeard, called they him) who dwelt at Uphaug in Yriar, and he it was who\nfirst spake up against the King at the Thing, and the cause thereof was\nbecause he was the spokesman of the peasantry against Christianity. But\nin the manner aforesaid was the Thing brought to an end, and the\npeasants went to their homes, and the King across to Ladir.\n\u00b6 At this time was King Olaf lying with his ships in the Nid (thirty\nships had he, and his folk were of great prowess) but the King himself\nwas ofttimes at Ladir, being kept company by his body-guard.\nNow when the time appointed for the blood-offering at Maerin was drawing\nnigh held King Olaf a mighty feast at Ladir; thither there came to it\nchieftains and other wealthy peasants from Strind & from places up in\nGauldal, in accordance with the bidding of King Olaf. When all things\nwere ready and the guests come, there was held on the first evening a\nlarge banquet, and the cups thereat were often charged & men became\ndrunk; that night slept all men there in peace. On the morrow early,\nafter the King was clad, ordered he Mass to be said, and when the Mass\nwas ended his men sounded their horns for a house-Thing, and the Thing\nbeing established rose the King to his feet and spake, saying: 'A Thing\nheld we at Frosta, and thereat I bade the peasantry let themselves be\nchristened; but they in their turn bade me attend a blood-offering with\nthem, even as the foster-son to King Hakon Adalstein had attended one.\nAnd there was accord betwixt us inasmuch as it was determined that we\nshould meet at Maerin & make a great blood-offering.\nBut if I am to turn to sacrificing with you, then will I cause to be\nmade the greatest sacrifice that can be, namely, the sacrifice of men.\nNor will I choose as gifts for the gods thralls and evil-doers, but the\nnoblest men, and by this token name I Orm Lygra of Medalhus, Styrkar of\nGimsar, Kar of Gryting, Asbiorn Thorbergson of Varnes, Orm of Lyxa, and\nHaldor of Skerdingsted.' Added to these named he five other men who were\nof the noblest there; all these, said he, should be sacrificed for peace\nand a good year, & he commanded that they should be seized forthwith.\nThen the peasants seeing that they were not numerous enough to withstand\nthe King begged for grace and gave the whole matter into his hands,\nwhereupon it was agreed that all those who were come thither should let\nthemselves be baptized, & swear an oath unto the King to hold fast the\ntrue Faith, and have naught further to do with sacrificing.\nAll these men kept the King at his feast until they gave their sons or\nbrothers or other near kin to be hostages.\n\u00b6 Then fared King Olaf with all his men in to Throndhjem; and when he\nwas come to Maerin found he there assembled all the chiefs that were of\nThrondhjem; those who were most zealous to withstand the Christian\nfaith. With them were all the wealthy yeomen who had hitherto upheld\nblood-offerings in this place, a right goodly gathering of men, even as\nit had been aforetime at the Frosta-Thing.\nThe King having required that the Thing should meet, both sides betook\nthemselves to it, and they were fully armed. Then when the Thing was\nestablished the King spake and offered the men Christianity, &\nIron-Beard answered on behalf of the peasants and said that now even as\nbefore would they not suffer the King to break their laws: 'We desire,\nKing, that thou makest sacrifice, even as other kings in the land have\ndone before thee.' Greatly was this speaking applauded by the peasants,\n& they shouted that everything must be according unto the words of\nSkeggi. Then made the King answer that he would go to the temple and\nwitness their worship when they were sacrificing, and at this were the\npeasants well pleased, and both sides betook themselves thither\naccordingly.\n\u00b6 Now with King Olaf when he entered into the temple were a certain few\nof his men & a certain few of the peasants. When the King was come unto\nthe place of the gods where sat Thor, all adorned with gold and silver,\nthen did King Olaf lift up a gold-wrought pike which he had in his hand\nand smote Thor so that he fell from off his altar, & thereupon the\nKing's men ran up & cast down all the other gods from their altars.\nWhile they were within the temple was Iron-Beard slain before the\nentrance-door thereof, and this deed was done by the men of the King.\nThen when the King came forth again to his folk, bade he the peasants\nchoose one of two conditions: and these twain conditions were either\nthat they should accept the Faith of Christ, or in default thereof do\nbattle with him. Now Iron-Beard having been slain was there no man to\nraise the banner against the King, so then was that condition accepted\nwhich meant going over unto the King & doing that which he had\ncommanded.\nThen caused King Olaf all the folk who were present to be baptized, and\nfrom them took hostages that they would cleave to the new faith that was\ngiven them.\nThereafter sent the King his men round to all the different parts of\nThrondhjem, and durst no man utter a word against the faith of Christ.\n\u00b6 Then went King Olaf with his men to Nidaros, and on the banks of the\nriver Nid caused houses to be built, and appointed that on the spot\nshould arise a merchant-town. He gave men sites on which to build them\nhouses, & his own King's-House built he above Scipa-Krok.\u00a7\nIn the autumn caused he to be brought thither such goods as were\nnecessary for a sojourn there during the wintertide; and with him were a\ngreat company of men.\n\u00b6 After the death of Iron-Beard was his body borne out to Yriar; and he\nlies in the Skeggi barrow at Austratt.\u00a7\nKing Olaf summoned a meeting of the kith of Iron-Beard and forasmuch as\nhis folk had slain this man offered he to pay atonement for the deed,\nbut there were many brave men to make answer on behalf of Iron-Beard.\nNow Iron-Beard had a daughter whose name was Gudrun, and in the end was\nit agreed betwixt those concerned that the King should wed this Gudrun.\nWhen the marriage time was come went they both of them into one bed,\nKing Olaf and Gudrun, and the first night as they were lying together no\nsooner had the King fallen asleep than Gudrun drew forth a knife, and\nwas about to thrust it into the King, when he awoke and wresting the\nknife from her cried out to his men to tell them what had befallen.\nGudrun & all the men who had accompanied her then took their apparel and\ngat them gone in haste; & never afterwards did Gudrun lie in the same\nbed with King Olaf.\n\u00b6 That same autumn King Olaf caused a great long-ship to be built on the\nsands at the mouth of the Nid; a cutter was she, and at work on the\nbuilding thereof were many smiths.\nAt the beginning of winter she was completed, and there were in her\nthirty holds, & the prow and stern were lofty withal, yet was she not\nbroad of beam. That ship called he the 'Crane.'\n [Illustration]\n\u00b6 Now when King Olaf had been two winters in Norway there came to dwell\nwith him a Saxon priest whose name was Thangbrand; violent was he &\nmurderous, but a goodly clerk withal and an active man. So headstrong\nwas he, howsoever, that the King would not keep him with him, but sent\nhim to Iceland to make that country Christian.\nThangbrand was given a merchant ship, & of his voyage it may be related\nthat he fared to Iceland, and reached the eastern fjords in southern\nAlptafjord, & the winter thereafter abode with Hall at Sida. Thangbrand\npreached Christianity in the islands and Hall and his folk and many\nother chiefs let themselves be baptized according to his word; but there\nwere many others who spake against the new faith. Thorvald and Vetrlidi\nthe skald made lampoons about Thangbrand, but he slew them both.\nThangbrand abode three winters in Iceland, and was the slayer of three\nmen or ever he departed thence.\n\u00b6 A certain man was there named Sigurd & another who was called Hawk;\nthey were Halogalanders, and oft-times made voyages for the conveyance\nof merchandise.\nOne summer fared they to England. When they were returned to Norway\nsailed they northward along the coast, & in North More fell in with the\nfleet of King Olaf.\nNow when the King was told that some heathen men, skippers, from\nHalogaland were there, summoned he them to him & asked them if they\nwould allow themselves to be baptized, and thereto answered they nay.\nThereafter did the King talk to them after diverse fashions, but it\navailed nothing; then he vowed that death or maiming should be their\nlot, but they obeyed him none the more for that. Then did he cause them\nto be put in irons, and kept them in durance for a while, and in fetters\nwere they, and the King talked often with them, but naught prevailed.\nThen one night made they off, and no one knew anything about them, or in\nwhat manner they had gotten away; but in the autumn were they arrived\nnorth, at Harek of Tiotta's, and right welcome were they made.\nThere dwelt they throughout the winter & were well entertained in all\nfairness & hospitality.\n\u00b6 One fair day in spring it befell that Harek was at home on his farm\nand with him were but few men. Now the time hung heavy on his hands, and\nSigurd spake to him & asked if they should not row out a little way, and\nso pass the time, and this liked Harek well. So betook they themselves\nto the shore, and did hale down a six-oared boat, & Sigurd from the\nboat-house fetched him a sail and the gear appertaining to the boat, and\nmoreover shipped he the rudder. Sigurd and his brother were fully armed,\nas was their wont to be when they were at home with the goodman, and the\ntwain were strong men.\nNow or ever they gat them into the boat did they throw into it some\nboxes of butter and a basket of bread, and between them bare they a\nlarge cask of ale down to the craft. This done did they all row from\nland, & having come away from the island hoist the sail, & Harek did\nsteer, & away bore they speedily from the island.\nThen did the brothers go astern to where Harek was sitting. Saith Sigurd\nto Harek the yeoman: 'Choose thou now betwixt several things: one of\nthem is to let us brothers have the upper hand on this cruise, & another\nis to let us bind thee, & the third is that we can slay thee.' Then\nHarek seeing in what a plight he was, inasmuch as he could not measure\nstrength with more than one of the brothers even were he and they\nmatched as to arms, chose what seemed to him the best of a poor business\nwhich was to let them do as pleased the twain.\nSo swore he to them an oath and on that gave them a promise, and after\nthat Sigurd was possessed of the tiller and did steer south along the\ncoast on a fair breeze, and withal of a mighty care were the brothers\nnot to fall in with other craft. They paused not on their cruise ere\nthey came to Throndhjem and to Nidaros, and at that last place found\nthey King Olaf. Then did the King summon Harek to talk with him, and\nthereupon offered him that he should embrace the good faith of Christ,\nbut Harek would have naught of it. On this matter spake for many days\nthe King and Harek, sometimes in the presence of many men, sometimes\nalone; but never were they come of one mind.\nSo at the last said the King to Harek: 'Home shalt thou go, and on these\ncounts no harm will I do thee at present: firstly seeing that there is\nkinship betwixt us, and again lest thou mightest say that I had gotten\nthee by guile, but know ye of a truth that I be minded to come north in\nthe summertime, & visit distress on ye Halogalanders, and then shall ye\nwot if I can chastise those which accept not the faith which is of\nChrist.'\nRight pleased was Harek that he could get away from thence so speedily;\nto him gave King Olaf a good ship rowing ten or twelve oars a side, and\ncaused it to be well found with all things needful & of the best; thirty\nmen did he send forth with Harek, stout fellows & all equipped of the\nbest.\n\u00b6 Thus Harek of Tiotta sped from the town with all the haste that might\nbe, whereas Hawk and Sigurd remained with the King, and the twain were\nboth baptized.\nHarek continued on his way until he was come home to Tiotta, & from\nthence sent he word to his friend Eyvind Rent-cheek that Harek of Tiotta\nhad spoken with King Olaf, but had not let himself be cowed into\naccepting the new God; & moreover Harek caused Eyvind to be told that\nKing Olaf was minded to bring an host against them come summer-tide &\nthat they must act warily, and Harek bade Eyvind come to him as soon as\never might be. When this message was brought to Eyvind, quoth he that it\nbehoved them greatly to take such steps as would prevent the King from\ngetting the upper hand of them, and he hied him away with all speed in a\nlight skiff with but few men aboard it.\nWhen he was arrived at Tiotta Harek bade him welcome, and straightway\nwent they, Harek and Eyvind, to talk together on the other side of the\nhouse-yard, but hardly had they speech of one another than they were\nfallen on by men of King Olaf, for so it was that these men had followed\nHarek northward. Eyvind was taken captive and led to their ship, and\nthereafter fared they away with him, and no pause did they make in their\nvoyage or ever they were come to Throndhjem to find King Olaf in\nNidaros. Eyvind was then haled before the King who offered him baptism\nin like manner as he had offered other men baptism, but to this Eyvind\nanswered, 'Nay.'\nThen with fair words the King bade him be baptized and gave him many\ngood reasons therefor, & the Bishop spake after the same fashion as the\nKing, none the less would Eyvind in no wise suffer himself to be\npersuaded. Then did the King offer him gifts, and the dues and rights of\nbroad lands, but Eyvind put all these away from him. Then did the King\nthreaten him with torture even unto death, but never did Eyvind weaken\nhis resistance. Thereafter caused the King to be brought in a bowl\nfilled with glowing coals, and had it set on the belly of Eyvind, and\nnot long was it ere his belly burst asunder.\nThen spake Eyvind: 'Take away the bowl from off me for I would fain\nspeak some words before I die,' and accordingly it was done.\nThen the King asked: 'Wilt thou now, Eyvind, believe on Christ?' 'No,'\nanswered he. 'I am not such as can be baptized, I am a spirit quickened\nin the human body by the magic of the Lapps for before that had my\nfather and mother never a child.' Then died Eyvind who was the most\nskilled of wizards.\n [Illustration]\n\u00b6 In the spring which followed on these happenings did King Olaf cause\nhis ships and men to be made ready for war, taking for his own ship the\n'Crane,' and there was mustered a large and goodly host.\nAll things being now ready shaped he a course from out the fjord, and\nbringing his fleet north past Byrda fared northward to Halogaland.\nWheresoever he landed, summoned he a Thing, & at it offered the people\nbaptism in the true Faith. Now against this had no man the boldness to\nspeak, therefore came it to pass that whithersoever he fared were all\nthat were of those lands baptized. King Olaf visited Tiotta and was the\nguest of Harek, who was baptized at that hour together with all the folk\nthat were about him.\nWhen the King departed thence Harek bestowed on him great gifts and\nbecame his man, and from the King received the dignity of bailiff with\nthe dues and rights appertaining unto a lord of the land.\n\u00b6 Raud the Strong was the name of a peasant who abode at Godey in that\nfjord which is named Salpti (Salten).\nRaud was a man of much wealth and at his beck were many house-carles;\na powerful man was he withal, for a large company of Lapps were ready to\nfollow him to war whensoever he needed them.\nRaud was zealous as a maker of blood-offerings, and skilled also in\nwitchcraft; even so was he furthermore a warm friend to that man about\nwhom it has been writ before, to wit, Thorir Hart, & even like unto him\nwas he also a mighty chief.\nNow when it came to the ears of these men that Olaf was abroad with an\nhost northward even in Halogaland, they too their men mustered,\nlaunching out ships, and assembling an host. To Raud appertained a great\ndragon-ship with golden heads thereto, a ship of thirty benches, and\nbroad was she of beam for her length, and had likewise Thorir Hart also\na ship of good size.\nSouthward sailed they their fleet purposing to meet King Olaf, and when\nthey were fallen in with him gave they battle, and fierce was the fight\nthereof. Soon men began to fall plenteously, but so much the more was\nthis the case among the host of the Halogalanders; their ships were\ncleared and thereupon came fear & terror over them, & Raud rowed his\ndragon out to sea and hoisted the sail thereof. A breeze had he wherever\nhe was minded to go, and this came of his powers of magic; but to cut\nshort the tale of the cruise of Raud is briefly to relate that home\nsailed he even unto Godey. For land made Thorir Hart in all haste and\nhis folk fled their ships, but King Olaf pursued after them & put them\nto the sword. Moreover then as ever when such doings were afoot was the\nKing himself foremost among his men.\nHe saw whither Thorir ran (and Thorir was exceeding fleet of foot) and\nthither went the King after him, followed by his dog Vigi. And the King\ncalled out: 'Vigi, catch the hart,' and Vigi sprang ahead after Thorir\nand straightway leapt up at him.\nThen Thorir had perforce to stop and the King threw a javelin after him,\nbut Thorir struck the dog with his sword & wounded it sore, and at the\nsame moment the King's javelin flew under Thorir's hand and went through\nhim & out at the other side, and thus ended Thorir his life; but Vigi\nwas borne wounded to the ships.\nTo all those who asked it and were willing to accept baptism gave King\nOlaf quarter.\n\u00b6 Thence sailed King Olaf with his host northward along the coast,\nbaptizing all folk withersoever he went, & being come north to Salpti\nwas he minded to go up the fjord & seek Raud. Foul weather howsoever set\nin with a gale blowing fiercely down the fjord, and though the King lay\nthere nigh upon a week the same wind blew ever the while from the land,\nthough without the fjord was there a fresh and favourable breeze for to\nsail north along the coast.\nTherefore it came to pass that the King set sail and fared all the way\nnorthward to Amd, and there the folk became Christians.\nAfter that went he about, and when he was come south again to Salpti he\nfound a gale blowing down the fjord and driving spray into his\ncountenance.\nThere lay the King even a few more nights, but the weather waxing no\nbetter inquired he then of Bishop Sigurd whether or not he wotted of\nsome remedy against the fiendcraft.\n\u00b6 So thereupon took Bishop Sigurd all the appurtenances that belonged\nunto the Holy Mass, and walked he forward therewith even to the prow of\nthe King's ship. There was a candle lit & was incense carried forward &\nthereafter was ye Holy Rood set at the prow.\nThe gospel was read and also many prayers, and the Bishop sprinkled holy\nwater over the whole of the ship. Thereafter bade he the crew unship the\ntilts and row up the fjord, and the King commanded that the other ships\nshould row after them.\nNo sooner had the crew of the 'Crane' fallen to their oars, & she the\nship was set well up to the fjord, than felt they that there was no more\nwind against them, & in her wake was free sea and calm; but on both\nsides of her flew the spray & it drave so that no man could perceive the\nmountains on either side of the fjord. So it fared that one ship rowed\nafter the other in the calm, and thus pursued they one another the whole\nlivelong day, & throughout the night thereafter; and a little before\ndawn came they to Godey, and brought-to off the house of Raud, and there\nfound his great dragon lying off-shore.\nForthwith went King Olaf to the house with his men and made for the\nupper chamber wherein Raud was sleeping, and his folk burst open the\ndoor and ran in.\nThen was Raud taken and bound, but of the other men who were therein\nsome were killed & others taken prisoners. Thereafter the King's men\nwent to the room wherein slept the house-carles of Raud, and some of\nthem were then slain and some bound & some beaten. Then caused the King\nRaud to be led before him & offered him baptism. 'Take from thee thy\npossessions I then will not,' quoth the King, 'but will the rather be\nthy friend, an thou wilt show thyself worthy of my friendship.' Against\nthis did Raud loudly raise his voice, saying that never would he believe\non Christ, and blaspheming God.\nThen did the King wax wroth, and swore that Raud should suffer the worst\nof deaths, and the King commanded that he be taken and bound with his\nback to a pole and that a bit of wood be placed betwixt his teeth so\nthat his mouth might be open, and caused an adder to be taken and set in\nhis mouth, but the adder would in no wise enter therein but writhed away\nwhen Raud blew upon it. Then did the King cause the adder to be taken &\nput in a hollow stick of angelica and set in the mouth of Raud (albeit\nsome say that the King let his horn be taken & put into the mouth of\nRaud, and that the adder was placed in this and pushed down with a\nred-hot rod of iron), and then the adder slid into the mouth of Raud,\nand thereafter down his throat, and cut its way out through his side.\nAfter this manner ended the life of Raud. Then did the King take thence\nvery great wealth in gold & silver and other chattels, weapons, & divers\nkinds of valuable things. The King caused all the fellows that had been\nwith Raud to be baptized save those who, not suffering this, were slain\nor tortured. Then King Olaf took the dragon that had pertained unto Raud\nand himself was her steersman, and a much larger and finer ship was she\nthan the 'Crane': forward she was fashioned with a dragon's head and aft\nwith a crook\u00a7 ending in like manner as the tail of a dragon, & both the\nprow & the whole of the stern were overlaid with gold. Now the King\ncalled this ship the 'Serpent,' for when the sail was hoisted aloft was\nit like unto the wings of a dragon, and this was the fairest ship in all\nNorway.\nThe islands whereon Raud had lived were called Gilling and Haering, but\ntogether were they styled Godey, & the Godey current (God\u00f6str\u00f6m) lies\nover to the north, betwixt them and the mainland. All that lived around\nthis fjord did King Olaf convert unto Christianity, and then went he\nsouthward along the coast, and there happened much on that cruise which\nis set forth in many legends about a giant and evil spirits which\nattacked his men & sometimes himself, but rather will we write of facts\neven such as the conversion of Norway & of those other lands whither he\nbore Christianity. That same autumn did the King lead his host to\nThrondhjem, bringing-to at Nidaros, and there making ready for a winter\nsojourn.\n\u00b6 And now will I next write what there is to tell of the men of Iceland.\n\u00b6 That same autumn there came to Nidaros from Iceland Kiartan, the son\nof Olaf Hoskuldson and the grandson, on his mother's side, of Eigil\nSkallagrimson, who hath been called the likeliest man of those born in\nIceland.\nThere was also Halldor the son of Gudmund of Modruvellir, and Kolbein\nthe son of Thord Frey's-priest, the brother of Burning-Flosi, and\nfourthly Sverting the son of Runolf the Priest.\nThese were all heathen, as were many others: some powerful, and others\nnot so powerful.\nThere came also from Iceland noble men who had accepted the true Faith\nfrom Thangbrand, and one that was of these was Gizur the White, the son\nof Teit Ketilbiarnson, whose mother was Alof, the daughter of Bodvar\nViking-Karason the 'hersir.' Bodvar's brother was Sigurd the father of\nEirik Biodaskalli, the father of Astrid, who was the mother of King\nOlaf. Another Icelander was named Hialti Skeggiason, and he had to wife\nVilborg the daughter of Gizur the White; Hialti was a Christian, and\nKing Olaf received with pleasure Gizur and his son-in-law Hialti, and\nwith the King did they abide. Those of the Icelanders, however, who were\ncaptains of the ships and were heathens to boot, sought to sail away\neven so soon as the King was come to town, for it was told them that the\nKing constrained all men to embrace the faith of Christ. It so befell\nnatheless that the wind was set against them, & drave them back off\nNidarholm. The captains of the ships were hight Thorarin Nefiolfson,\nHallfrod the Skald, the son of Ottar, Brand the Bountiful and Thorleik\nBrandson. Now it being told to King Olaf that some of the Icelanders,\nand they heathens, were hard by with their ships and were about to flee\nthe town, he sent to them and forbade them to sail, but commanded them\ninstead to come and lie off the town, and this they did but unloaded not\ntheir ships.\n\u00b6 Then came the holy season of Michaelmas,\u00a7 and the King caused the\nfeast to be well kept and a solemn Mass was said. Thereat were the\nIcelanders witnesses and hearkened to the fair singing and the ringing\nof bells.\nWhen they were come back to their ships each of them said what he had\nthought of the Christian men's ways & Kiartan praised them, but most of\nthe others mocked at them, & it befell that the King heard of this, for\nas the saying goes, 'many are the King's ears.' Then forthwith that\nself-same day sent he an emissary to Kiartan, and bade him come unto\nhim, & Kiartan went unto him with but few men, and the King bade him\nwelcome. Now Kiartan was one of the biggest and fairest of men, with a\ngreat gift of speech. When they had parleyed a while did the King make\nproffer to Kiartan that he should embrace the true Faith, and Kiartan\nmade answer unto him that he would not say nay to this if he might thus\ngain the friendship of the King, whereupon swore the King to him &\npledged him his hearty friendship, & after this fashion was a compact\nstruck between them. On the morrow was Kiartan baptized, and with him\nBolli Thorleikson his kinsman, and all their fellows.\nKiartan and Bolli were the guests of the King as long as they went in\nwhite weeds,\u00a7 and the King was of kindly countenance toward them.\n\u00b6 It befell one day that King Olaf was walking in the street when some\nmen came toward him, and he who was walking foremost greeted the King.\nThe King asked of the man his name, and the latter said he was hight\nHallfrod.\nThen said the King, 'Art thou a skald?' 'I can make verses,' said he.\nThen the King answered: 'Thou wilt accept baptism as I trow and\nthereafter be my man?'\nQuoth Hallfrod: 'There must be a bargain on that matter if I am to\nsuffer myself to be baptized, to wit, that thou, King, holdest me\nthyself at the font, for from no man else will I take it.' 'So be it,'\nsaid the King, & so Hallfrod was baptized and the King held him himself\nat the font. Thereafter the King asked Hallfrod: 'Wilt thou be my man?'\n& Hallfrod made answer: 'I was of Earl Hakon's body-guard; and now will\nI not be the liege-man of thee or of any other chief unless thou givest\nme thy word that such a thing shall never befall as that thou shouldst\ndrive me away from thee.'\n'From all that is told me of thee, Hallfrod,' said the King, 'thou art\nneither so wise nor so meek but that thou mightest not do a thing which\nI could in no wise suffer.'\n'Slay me then,' said Hallfrod. The King said, 'Thou art a troublesome\nskald, but my man shalt thou be all the same.' Hallfrod answered: 'What\nwilt thou give me, King, as a name-gift if I am to be called\n\"Troublous-Skald\"?' Then did the King give him a sword, but it had no\nscabbard; and the King said, 'Make now a stave about the sword, & let\n\"sword\" be in every line.' Hallfrod sang:\n 'One sword alone of all swords\n Hath made me now sword-wealthy;\n For the swinger of swords\n Will there now be swords in plenty.\n No lack of swords will there be,\n --Worthy of three swords am I--\n Lord of the land were but\n The sheath of that sword to be mine.'\n'There is not sword in every line,' quoth the King. Then answered\nHallfrod: 'But there are three in one line.' 'So be it,' said the King.\nThen did the King give him the scabbard. Now from that which is told in\nthe lays of Hallfrod have we much knowledge & testimony concerning King\nOlaf Tryggvason.\n\u00b6 That same autumn came back Thangbrand the priest from Iceland to King\nOlaf and related to him how that his journey had borne no fruit, 'for,'\nsaid he, 'the Icelanders made lampoons about me and some wished to slay\nme, and to my mind it cannot be expected that that country will ever be\nmade Christian.'\nAt these words King Olaf waxed so hasty and wrathful that he summoned to\nhim forthwith all the Icelanders in the town, and commanded that\nself-same hour that they should all be slain; but Kiartan and Gissur and\nHialti and those that were of them who had made profession of the faith\nof Christ entered into his presence & said: 'We trow, O King, that thou\nwilt not go from thy word, for thou hast said that no man may make thee\nso wrathful but shall he have thy forgiveness an he will be baptized and\nabjure heathendom. Now will all the Icelanders who are here suffer\nthemselves to be baptized, & we can well devise a means whereby\nChristianity may gain an entrance into Iceland. The sons of many mighty\nmen of Iceland are here present, & their fathers will, we trow, lend\ntheir aid in this matter. But Thangbrand there, as here, ever went about\nmasterful and manslaying, and the people there would not endure it of\nhim.' Now the King lent an ear to these speeches, and all the men of\nIceland who were there were baptized.\n\u00b6 Of all men of Norway of whom record hath come down to us was King Olaf\nin every wise the one most skilful in manly exercises; stronger was he &\nmore active than any other man, and many are the tales that have been\nwritten on this matter. One of these recounts how that he climbed the\nSmalshorn, and made fast his shield on the topmost peak; and another is\nof how he brought succour to one of his own body-guard who had climbed\naforehand up the mountain and was come into such a plight that he could\nneither get up nor down, so that the King helped him by going unto him &\nbearing him down under his arm to the level land. King Olaf would walk\nfrom oar to oar, on the outer side of the ship while his men were rowing\nthe 'Serpent', and with such ease could he play with three daggers that\none was ever in the air and always caught he it by the hilt; with either\nhand could he strike equally well, and two javelins could he throw at\none time. Of all men was King Olaf the lightest-hearted & of a very\nmerry disposition; kindly was he withal & lowly-hearted; very eager in\nall enterprises, great in his bounty, & the foremost among those who\nsurrounded him. Above all others was he brave in battle, but very grim\nwhen he was angered, and on his foes laid he heavy penalties; some he\nwith fire burned, some maimed he & caused to be cast down from high\nrocks. For these things was he beloved by his friends, but dreaded by\nhis foes; his furtherance was manifold for the reason that some did his\nwill from love and friendship, and others again from fear.\n\u00b6 Leif, the son of Eirik the Red, he that was the first to settle in\nGreenland, came even that summer over from that land unto Norway; and\nKing Olaf sought he and from him accepted Christianity, & abode even\nwith King Olaf the winter thereafter.\n\u00b6 Now it came to pass that Gudrod, he that was the son of Eirik\nBlood-axe and Gunnhild, had over in the lands to the west done\nwhatsoever he listed and broken the laws of God and of man ever since\nthat time when fled he from his own country before the face of Earl\nHakon. But in this summer, of the which somewhat has already been writ,\neven at the time when Olaf Tryggvason had held sway for four winters\nover Norway, came Gudrod to Norway with many ships of war, thither\nhaving sailed from England. When he deemed himself to be nigh to Norway,\nturned he his course southward along the coast where he bethought him\nthat he might least chance to fall in with King Olaf and thus sailed he\nto Vik.\nHardly was he come ashore than began he to plunder the people and bring\nthem into subjection under himself, and of them demanded that they\nshould take him as their King. And when the country-folk saw that a\nwarlike host was come upon them craved they ever for grace and peace, &\nsaid to the King that they would send the summons for a Thing throughout\nthe district, and were willing to submit to him rather than suffer at\nthe hands of this his host, & it was agreed that there should be a truce\neven for so long a space as sat the Thing. Then did the King demand of\nthem that they should provide provender for his men so long as they were\nwaiting for the meeting of the Thing; but the yeomen chose rather that\nthe King and his followers should be their guests for all the time he\nmight need to be so, & the King agreed even to this, that should he\ntravel that country through with some of the men that were with him and\nthey the guests of the yeomen, ever the while others kept guard over his\nships. But when the brothers-in-law of King Olaf, even the brothers\nHyrning & Thorgeir learned of these happenings furnished they folk &\ngathered to themselves ships and sailed northward (west) in Vik, and by\nnight were come to the place where lodged King Gudrod, & there fell they\nupon him and upon his men with fire and sword. So fell King Gudrod and\nthe greater number of his men; while of those that abode on the ships\nwere some slain but others escaped and fled far and wide. And this\nGudrod was the last of all the sons of Eirik and Gunnhild; all were now\ndead.\n\u00b6 The winter after that King Olaf was come from Halogaland, caused he to\nbe built under the cliffs at Ladir a great ship: a ship far mightier\nthan any other ship of that land, and the stocks whereon she was built\nare still to be seen.\nOf this ship was Thorberg the master-smith, but with him were many\nothers at work, some felling trees, some shaping them, some hammering\nnails, & some carrying timber. All the material was of the choicest, and\nthe ship was both long and broad, built with great beams, and the\nbulwarks thereof were high. Now when the outer sheathing was being put\non, some errand of necessity carried Thorberg thence unto his homestead,\nand there he tarried a great while.\nWhen he came back the ship was fully sheathed, and the King went in the\nevening, and Thorberg with him, even to see how all things had been\ndone; and men said never before had been seen a long-ship so big or so\nfine.\nThen went the King back even unto his town, but early on the morrow came\nhe once more to his ship and Thorberg accompanied him, and they found\nthat the smiths were gone forward, standing there, all of them, without\nworking. The King asked wherefore were they doing nothing, & they made\nanswer that the ship had been spoiled; that a man must have gone from\nstem to stern hacking her with an axe even the whole length of the\ngunwale.\nThen went the King and witnessed with his own eyes the truth thereof,\nand straightway said he, & sware thereon, that die should that man once\nthe King wot whosoever he was who from envy had spoiled the ship, 'but\nhe who can tell me this thing shall have great reward.' Then said\nThorberg, 'I can tell thee, King, who it is that hath wrought this.'\n'I cannot indeed expect of another that he should so well as thee get to\nwot of this matter & tell me thereof.' 'I will tell thee, King,' quoth\nhe, 'who hath done it: I did it.'\nThen answered the King, 'thou shalt make it good, so that all shall be\nas well as it was before; and thy life shall be on it.'\nThereafter went Thorberg to the ship and chopped the gunwale in such\nwise that all the notches were pared away, and the King said then, and\nall the others likewise, that now the ship was even so goodlier by far\non that side on which Thorberg had cut the notches. So then the King\nbade him fashion both sides alike, & gave him land even for so doing,\nand thus was Thorberg master-smith on the ship, even until she was\nfinished. A dragon-ship was she & wrought after the same fashion as the\n'Serpent' which the King had brought with him from Halogaland; but was\nthe new ship much larger in all respects, built with the greater care,\n& called he her the 'Long Serpent,' and the other the 'Short Serpent.'\nOn the 'Long Serpent' were there four-and-thirty benches of oars. Dight\nwere her head and the crook all over with gold, and the bulwarks thereof\nwere as high as on sea-faring ships. This was the ship which was ye best\nequipped, and the cost thereof was the most money of any ship that ever\nhath been built in Norway.\n\u00b6 Now after the death of Earl Hakon, did Earl Eirik Hakonson and his\nbrothers, & many others of their kinsmen depart out of the country.\nEarl Eirik went east to Sweden, and he and his men were well received by\nKing Olaf, the King of the Swedes, who bestowed sanctuary on the Earl\nand great grants withal, so that in the land could he well maintain\nhimself and his men. Of this speaketh Thord Kolbeinson:\n 'Foeman of robbers! Swiftly can fate effect change\n Brief space ere the treason of men did Hakon to death,\n And to the land that erewhile in fight had that warrior conquered\n Came now the son of Tryggvi when fared he from the west.'\n\u00b6 From Norway passed many men over unto Earl Eirik, to wit, all those\nthat King Olaf had caused to flee the land; and as the outcome thereof\ndid Eirik think good to procure himself ships & to go plundering so that\nhe might get wealth for himself and for his men. First sailed Eirik to\nGotland, and lay off that island a long time in summer-tide & waylaid he\nviking craft or merchant-ships even as they were sailing to land, and\nwhen he listed went he ashore and harried far and wide in the parts\nbordering on the sea. Thus in the Banda lay it is said:\n 'In spear-storms many was the Earl thereafter victor:\n And did we not learn aforetime\n That Eirik won the land?\n In those days when the chiefs on Gotland's shores went warring,\n Doughty, and peace-making by their might.\n More in his mind had Eirik against lord and King\n Than spoken word revealed,\n As from him might be looked for.\n Wrathfully sought the Earl counsel of the Swedish King,\n Stubborn were the men of Throndhjem,\n Ne'er a one would flee.'\n\u00b6 Later sailed Earl Eirik southward to Wendland, and there chanced he to\nfall in with some viking ships off Staur, and so joined he battle with\nthem; to him was the victory and there were the vikings slain. Thus\nsaith the Banda lay:\n 'The steerer of the prow-steed\n Let lie at Staur the heads of fallen warriors,\n Thereafter joy of battle inflamed the Earl.\n At the corses of the viking the ravens tore\n After that dire meeting of swords\n Nigh the sands of the shore.'\n\u00b6 Sailed thence Earl Eirik back to Sweden in the autumn and abode there\na second winter; but in the spring made he ready his host and thereafter\nsailed eastward; & when he was come to the realm of King Valdamar fell\nhe to plundering & slaying folk, burning whithersoever he went, and\nlaying bare the land. Then coming to Aldeigiaborg\u00a7 laid he siege unto it\neven until he had taken it, and then put he there many folk to the sword\nand utterly destroyed the town, and thereafter spread he war far and\nwide in Garda. Thus saith the Banda lay:\n 'The chieftain fared forth to devastate with fire,\n Yea and with sword (so waxed the sword-storm),\n The lands of Valdamar.\n Aldeigia brok'st thou, lord, when east thou cam'st to Garda\n Well wot we how grim was the fight twixt the hosts.'\n\u00b6 For five summers together waged Earl Eirik this warfare, and when he\nleft the realm of Garda he went fighting over the whole of Adalsysla &\nEysysla;\u00a7 there took he four viking boats from Danish men and slew all\nthat were on the ships. It is thus spoken of in the Banda lay:\n 'I heard where the swinger of the sword did battle\n Once more in the isle-sound.\n Eirik wins the land;\n The bounteous lord four viking boats from Dane-folk took\n Doughty and peacemaking.\n There where warriors hied to town,\n hadst thou, war-hero! strife with Goths.\n Joy of battle filled the Earl thereafter.\n The battle-shield he bore aloft to all the lands,\n And gently fared he not, over the country he rules.'\n\u00b6 Then Eirik the Earl fared to Denmark when he had abode one winter in\nSweden, and coming unto the Danish King Svein Two-beard, wooed he his\ndaughter Gyda and this marriage was agreed upon. Accordingly Eirik took\nGyda to wife and one winter later a son was born to them whom they\ncalled Hakon.\nMainly abode Eirik the winters through in Denmark, but whiles also in\nSweden, but in the summers sailed he the seas over even as became a\nviking.\n\u00b6 Svein Two-beard, the Danish King, had Gunnhild, the daughter of the\nWendish King Burizlaf, to wife; and in the days whereof now is the\nrecord writ happed it that Queen Gunnhild fell sick and died;\u00a7 and a\nwhile thereafter wedded King Svein, Sigrid the Haughty, she that was\ndaughter to Skogul-Tosti and mother to Oscar the Swede.\nAnd from the marriage arose a friendship betwixt the brothers-in-law,\nand betwixt them and Earl Eirik Hakonson.\n [Illustration]\n\u00b6 Now the Wendish King Burizlaf did make complaint to his son-in-law,\nEarl Sigvaldi, because the pact had been broken which Sigvaldi had made\nbetween King Burizlaf and King Svein: to wit, that King Burizlaf should\nhave Tyri Haraldsdottir, King Svein's sister, to wife; for this marriage\nhad never come about, inasmuch as Tyri had said shortly 'Nay' to wedding\na heathen and an old man to boot. King Burizlaf now sent word unto the\nEarl that he would demand the fulfilment of the pact, & bade the Earl go\nto Denmark & bring Queen Tyri to him.\nThen did Earl Sigvaldi hie him on his journey, and laid he the matter\nbefore the Danish King; and by his fair words came he even so far that\ninto his hands gave King Svein his sister Tyri. With her went certain\nwomen to bear her company & do her service, & her foster-father, whose\nname was Ozur Agason, a wealthy man; & sundry other men withal. It was\nagreed between the King & the Earl that Tyri should have the estates in\nWendland which had belonged to Queen Gunnhild, and that she should be\ngiven other great lands in dowry.\nTyri wept sorely and departed very much against her will; but natheless\nwhen she and the Earl were come to Wendland was she wedded, & so King\nBurizlaf had Queen Tyri to wife.\nBut ever so long as she was among heathens would she take neither meat\nnor drink from them, and in this wise was it for a sennight. Then right\nso one night fled away Queen Tyri and Ozur in the darkness unto the\nforests; and of this their journey it is briefest to recount that they\nattained Denmark, but there durst Tyri by no means remain inasmuch as\nher brother King Svein would, an he knew where she lay, have sent her\nback again to Wendland.\nSo faring ever by stealth went they to Norway, and Tyri made no stay\nuntil she was come to King Olaf, who made her welcome, and gave them\nhigh entertainment. To the King Tyri told of her troubles, and begged\ncounsel of him and sanctuary in his kingdom. Now Tyri had a smooth\ntongue in her head, and the King liked her converse well; moreover he\nsaw that she was passing fair, & it entered into his mind that this\nwould be a good marriage, and he turned the talking thereunto and asked\nher whether she would not have him to husband. But with her fortunes at\nthe pass at which they now lay seemed it a hard thing to her to judge;\nyet on the other hand plainly perceived she how good a marriage it would\nbe to wed with so famous a King, and therefore entreated she him that he\nshould make decision on the matter for her. Thereafter, when this thing\nhad been duly discussed, took King Olaf Queen Tyri in wedlock; and they\nwere abed in the autumn when King Olaf was come north from Halogaland.\nThat winter abode King Olaf and Queen Tyri in Nidaros.\nNow in the spring-time thereafter oft-times did Tyri make plaint to King\nOlaf, and cried bitterly thereover, because albeit had she such great\npossessions in Wendland yet had she none in this country, and that she\nshould have such deemed she but seemly for a Queen; & thinking that by\nfair words would she get her own prayed she him on this matter, and said\nthat so great was the friendship between King Burizlaf & Olaf that even\nso soon as they should meet would the King give Olaf all he asked for.\nBut when the friends to King Olaf came to know after what fashion was\nthe manner of talking of Tyri with one consent gave they all counsel to\nhim to refrain from such a course. One day early in the spring, so it is\nsaid, as the King was walking in the street came a man towards him from\nthe market-place bearing many sticks of angelica, which same were\nwondrous big, seeing that it was early in the spring-tide. And the King\ntook a large stick of angelica in his hand & went home therewith to the\nlodging of Queen Tyri. Now Tyri sat a-weeping in her hall even as the\nKing came in, but he said to her: 'Here is a great stalk of angelica for\nthee.' Aside thrust Tyri it with her hand, and said: 'Greater gifts gave\nHarald Gormson to me, but lesser feared he than thou dost to leave his\nland and seek his own, and the token thereof is that fared he hither to\nNorway and laid waste the greater part of this land and took to himself\nall taxes and dues; but durst thou not fare through the Danish realm for\nfear of my brother King Svein.' Then up sprang King Olaf at these words,\n& called out loudly, and swore withal: 'Never will I go in fear of thy\nbrother King Svein, and whensoever we meet shall he be the one to give\nway.'\n [Illustration]\n\u00b6 Not long after these things summoned King Olaf a Thing in the town,\nand made known to all the people that in the summer would he send an\nhost out of the country, and that it was his will to levy ships & men\nfrom each county, & therewith did he make it known how many ships he\nshould require from the fjord there.\nThen sent he messengers inland both northwards and southwards, and along\nthe coast on the outside of the islands and inside them along the land,\nand called men to arms.\nThereafter did King Olaf launch the 'Long Serpent' & all his other ships\ngreat & small; and the 'Long Serpent' he himself steered, and when men\nwere taken for a crew, with so much care was choice made that on the\n'Long Serpent' was there no man older than sixty nor younger than\ntwenty. All were chosen with the utmost care for their strength and\ncourage, & the first taken were King Olaf's body-guard, for composed it\nwas of the stoutest & boldest men both from home and abroad.\n\u00b6 Wolf the Red was the name of the man who bore the banner of King Olaf,\nand his place was in the prow of the 'Serpent'; there likewise were\nKolbiorn the Marshal, Thorstein Ox-foot and Vikar of Tiundaland, the\nbrother of Arnliot Gellini. Of the forecastle in the prow were Vak\nRaumason of the River, Bersi the Strong, On the Archer of Jamtaland,\nThrond the Stout from Thelemark and Othyrmi his brother; and the\nHalogalanders Thrond Squint-eye, Ogmund Sande, Lodvir the Long, from\nSaltvik, and Harek the Keen.\nFrom Inner Throndhjem were there Ketil the Tall, Thorfin Eisli, and\nHavard and his brothers from Orkadal. Those manning the forehold were\nBiorn of Studla, Thorgrim Tiodolfson of Hvin, Asbiorn & Orm, Thord of\nNiardalang, Thorstein the White of Oprostad, Anor of More, Hallstein and\nHawk from the Fjords, Eyvind Snak, Bergthor Bestil, Hallkel of Fialir,\nOlaf the Boy, Arnfin of Sogn, Sigurd Bild, Einar the Hordalander and\nFin, Ketil the Rogalander, and Griotgard the Quick. In the main-hold\nwere Einar Tamberskelfir, deemed by the others less able than they for\nthen was he but eighteen winters old, Hallstein Hlifarson, Thorolf, Ivar\nSmetta, and Orm Skoganef.\nMany other men of valour were there on the 'Serpent' though we cannot\nname them; eight were there to a half-berth, and chosen man by man. It\nwas a common saying that the crew of the 'Serpent' was for goodliness,\nstrength, and boldness, as much above other men as the 'Serpent' herself\nwas above other ships.\nThorkel Nefia, own brother to the King, steered the 'Short Serpent,' and\nThorkel Dydril and Jostein, they that were uncles to him on the side of\nhis mother, commanded the 'Crane'; right well manned were these twain\nships. Moreover had King Olaf eleven great ships from Throndhjem, ships\nof twenty benches, two smaller ships and victuallers.\n\u00b6 When King Olaf had completed the equipping of his fleet at Nidaros,\nappointed he men throughout the whole of the district of Throndhjem to\nbe stewards collecting revenue, and annalists. He then sent to Iceland\nGizur the White & Hialti Skeggison to convert that country to\nChristianity, and sent he with them that priest whose name is Thormod\nand other consecrated men, but kept back with him as hostages the four\nmen of Iceland they that he deemed to be of greatest mark, to wit,\nKiartan Olafson, Halldor Gudmundson, Kolbein Thordson and Sverting\nRunolfson; and it is said of the journey of Gizur & Hialti that they\nwere come unto Iceland or ever the meeting of the Althing & were present\nat the Thing, and thereat was baptism legalized in Iceland and that\nsummer all folk were brought into the true fold.\n\u00b6 The same spring likewise sent King Olaf Leif Eirikson to Greenland to\nconvert the people, and fared he thither that summer. On the main found\nhe the crew of a ship who were lying helpless on a wreck, and thereafter\nhe discovered Vineland the Good,\u00a7 yet came he the same summer to\nGreenland; and with him had he a priest and teachers, and he took up his\nabode at Brattalid with his father Eirik. Thereafter did men call him\nLeif the Lucky; but Eirik, his father, said that the one thing was a\nset-off to the other: on the one hand was the saving of the ship's crew\nby Leif & on the other the bringing to Greenland of that 'juggler,' to\nwit, the priest.\n\u00b6 Then took King Olaf his host southward following the coast, and many\nof his friends flocked to him, mighty men, who were bravely furnished\nfor an expedition with the King. The first man of these was own\nbrother-in-law to himself, Erling Skialgson with his large 'skeid'\u00a7\nwherein were thirty benches, and right well manned was she withal. There\ncame also to him his brothers-in-law Hyrning and Thorgeir, each steering\na large ship. Many other mighty men accompanied him, so that when he\nleft the country had he thirty long-ships. King Olaf sailed south\nthrough Eyrasund, off the coasts of Denmark, and in due course came he\nto Wendland.\nThere appointed he a tryst with King Burizlaf, and the Kings met and\nspake together of the possessions claimed of King Olaf, and all the talk\nbetween them went in kindly wise and the claims whereof King Olaf deemed\nhimself to have rights there were fully ordered.\nAbode he there a long while during the summer, and saw many of his\nfriends.\n\u00b6 As hath been related ere this, King Svein Two-beard had wedded Sigrid\nthe Haughty, & Sigrid was King Olaf's greatest foe, the reason therefor\nbeing how King Olaf had broken his troth with her, as has been afore set\nin fair script, and how he had smote her on the face.\nSigrid incited King Svein to do battle with King Olaf Tryggvason, saying\npretext enough was it that he had wedded the own sister to Svein, she\nTyri, without his leave: 'And never would thy forefathers have suffered\nsuch a thing.' Such words as these had Queen Sigrid ever on her lips,\nand so far went she with her persuasions that King Svein was full\nwilling to do battle with Olaf. So early in spring-tide sent King Svein\nmen east to Sweden, to Olaf the Swedish King, he that was his step-son,\n& to Earl Eirik, to tell them that Olaf King of Norway had his fleet\nabroad, and thought of faring to Wendland come summer; another message\ntook they likewise, namely that the Swedish King and the Earl should\ncall out their hosts and go to meet King Svein, and that then altogether\nthey should get their battle over against King Olaf. Now the King of\nSweden and Eirik the Earl were ready and eager for this venture, so\nmustered they a large fleet in Sweden, and with the ships thereof went\nsouth to Denmark and came thither at the time when King Olaf had already\nsailed east. Of this speaketh Halldor in the song he made about Earl\nEirik:\n 'Crusher of Kings who battles loved,\n From out of Sweden called,\n To southern battle fared he forth,\n Even with great hosts of men,\n The wound-bird on the sea gat food while waiting,\n Each and every warrior was fain to follow Eirik.'\n\u00b6 So the King of the Swedes and Earl Eirik shaped a course to meet the\nDanish King, and when all the fleets were come together was there a host\ngreater than one man could number.\n\u00b6 When King Svein sent for that fleet, sent he moreover Earl Sigvaldi to\nWendland to spy on the expedition of King Olaf, and to lay such a lure\nthat King Svein and the others might assuredly fall in with King Olaf.\nSo Earl Sigvaldi set forth and went to Wendland and Jomsborg, and met\nKing Olaf Tryggvason. Now had they much friendly conversation one with\nthe other, and the Earl came greatly to love the King, mainly on account\nof their former kinship, for Astrid, she that was wife unto the Earl,\neven the daughter of King Burizlaf, was very friendly with King Olaf,\nfor the reason that the latter had had her sister Geira to wife.\nNow Sigvaldi was a wise man, & one ready at expedients, & when he and\nKing Olaf took counsel together, found he many and divers pretexts for\ndelaying the journey of the King to the westward; but the men of King\nOlaf murmured thereat and were loudly displeased, and longed much to get\nthem hence home, for, said they, 'clear are we to sail & fair is the\nwind.' Learned Sigvaldi now privily from Denmark that the King of the\nDanes and the King of the Swedes & Eirik the Earl were met together, and\nwere even about to set sail to the eastward off the coast of Wendland;\nlikewise that it had been convened betwixt them that they in wait for\nKing Olaf should lie off that isle which is called Svold;\u00a7 & that\nmoreover he, the Earl, was after some fashion to contrive that King Olaf\nbe found of them.\n\u00b6 And now went about a rumour in Wendland that Svein, the King of the\nDanes, also had an host abroad, & soon tongues wagged to the tune that\nwell would it like Svein, the King of the Danes, to meet with King Olaf;\nbut said Earl Sigvaldi unto the King: 'No plan is it of King Svein to\nattack thee with the Danish host alone, seeing how great an host of\nthine own thou hast; but if ye suspect that war may be at hand then will\nI and my men go with thee, and aforetime was it deemed good help when\nthe Jomsborg vikings bore a chief company: I will go with thee even with\neleven ships well-found.'\nTo this did the King answer yea, and because at that time was there\nblowing a gentle breeze but favourable, commanded he that the fleet\nshould get under way, & that the horns be blown for their departing.\nThen the men hoisted sail; and the small ships were those that made the\nbetter way, & out to sea sailed they. Now kept the Earl close by the\nKing's ship, shouting to those on board, and bidding the King follow\nhim: 'Well wot I,' he said, 'which sounds are deepest betwixt the isles,\n& this be fraught with care seeing how big are thy ships.' So sailed the\nEarl first with his ships, eleven ships had he, & sailed the King after\nhim with his large ships, eleven likewise had he, but sailed all the\nrest of the fleet ahead and out to sea. Now it came to pass as Earl\nSigvaldi was making Vold came rowing off a skiff, and those therein told\nunto the Earl how that the fleet of the King of the Danes lay in the\nhaven even right over ahead of their way.\nSo the Earl ordered sails to be lowered, and rowed they in under that\nisland. Thus saith Halldor the Unchristened:\n 'With ships one more than seventy\n Came the lord of Eynafylki from the south;\n His sword he dyed in warfare\n When the Earl the ships of Skani called out to battle.\n Quickly then the peace was broken 'twixt the men.'\n\u00b6 Now it will be marked that, according unto the bard, were the ships of\nKing Olaf & Earl Sigvaldi seventy-one in number what time sailed they\nfrom the south.\n\u00b6 Now lying there were Svein, the King of the Danes, Olaf the King of\nthe Swedes, and Earl Eirik, with all the might of their fleet, and fair\nweather was with them with bright sunshine. Went up to the islet all the\nchieftains with a large company of men, and spied they thence that a\nmany ships were sailing together out at sea.\nAnd they beheld a large ship and brave sailing, and said both the Kings:\n'There goes a great ship, passing fair, none other can this be save only\nthe \"Long Serpent.\"'\nThen made Earl Eirik answer, saying: 'That is not the \"Long Serpent.\"'\nAnd it was as he opined, for this ship belonged to Eindrid of Gimsar.\nA while later saw they yet another ship sailing, much greater than the\nfirst, and then spake King Svein: 'Afeard is Olaf Tryggvason, for he\ndareth not sail with the head upon his ship.' Then said Earl Eirik:\n'That is not the King's ship; that ship and the sail thereof know I, for\nthe sail is a striped one; Erling Skialgson it is who hath command\nthereof.\nLet them sail on! Better is it for us that this ship should be lacking\nfrom Olaf's fleet, so well appointed is it.' A while later saw they and\nrecognized the ships of Sigvaldi the Earl, and one of them also was\ngreat.\nThen spake King Svein and bade them go to their ships; for, said he,\nthere sails the 'Long Serpent'; but Earl Eirik called out, 'Many more\nships and fine ones have they besides the 'Long Serpent,' let us bide a\nwhile.'\nThen many of the men fell to talking, & they said: 'Eirik the Earl will\nnot fight to avenge his father. Shame, shame is it, & throughout all the\nland will it be heard, if we lie here with so great a fleet & let King\nOlaf sail out to sea on our very flank.' But after they had been talking\nthus a while saw they that four more ships came sailing by, and one of\nthese was a dragon, large indeed, and bedecked with gold. Then rose up\nKing Svein and said: 'High shall the \"Serpent\" carry me this eve; and I\nwill steer her.' Many of the men called out that the 'Serpent' was a\nmighty great ship and beautiful to look upon, and a glorious work had it\nbeen to build such a craft.\nThen Earl Eirik said so loud that sundry heard him: 'E'en had King Olaf\nno larger ship than this, King Svein would with the Danish host alone\nnever wrest it from him.' Then went the men to their ships and took the\ntilts from off them; whilst the chiefs were talking among themselves of\nthat which is writ above saw they sailing along three very large ships,\nand a fourth ship last of all, and that was the 'Long Serpent.' Now of\nthose large ships which had sailed past before, and had been deemed by\nthe men to be the 'Long Serpent,' the first was the 'Crane' and the last\nthe 'Short Serpent.' But when they beheld the 'Long Serpent,' and none\ngainsaid this, then wotted all that now indeed was Olaf Tryggvason\nsailing by. Then went they to their ships, and made ready to row to the\nonset. Now a compact had been struck between the chiefs, King Svein,\nKing Olaf, and Earl Eirik, that to each one of them should be given a\nthird part of Norway if it befell that King Olaf was slain; moreover he\nwho first boarded the 'Long Serpent' was for his own to have all the\nbooty taken therefrom, and each of them was to have what ships he\nhimself cleared.\nEarl Eirik had a very large long-ship which he was wont to use on his\nviking cruises; a beard was there on the higher part of both prow and\nstern, and thick plates of iron going from thence all the breadth of the\nbeard right down to the water-line.\n\u00b6 Now when Earl Sigvaldi & his men headed in towards the islet, observed\nclosely Thorkel Dydril of the 'Crane' and the captains of the other\nships sailing with him, what he was doing, and they too lowered sail,\nand rowing after him, called out to him to know why thus he was faring.\nThe Earl answered that he was going to bide the coming of King Olaf, for\nmost like did it seem that war was at hand.\nSo then they likewise let their ships lie-to until such time as Thorkel\nLeira with the 'Short Serpent' was come up and with him too the three\nother ships which were following him, and the same tidings were told\nunto them; then they also lowered sail, laid-to and bided the coming of\nKing Olaf.\nBut when the King sailed out towards the isle, then rowed out into the\nsound the whole of the hostile fleet even for to meet him; and his men\nwitnessing this same prayed the King sail his way, and not engage in\nbattle with so large an host.\nBut King Olaf stood up on the poop, and shouted with a loud voice: 'Let\nno men of mine lower sail or think of fleeing; never have I fled in\nbattle. May God look to my life, for never will I turn to flight.' And\nit was done even as the King said. Thus saith Hallfrod:\n 'Fain would I name those words,\n Which Olaf's warriors tell us\n The lord deed-mighty spake there,\n To his men before the battle.\n The warlike King forbade\n His champions to think of flight,\n And how they live, the words the loved one of the people spoke.'\n\u00b6 So were sounded the horns for the assembling of the ships; and the\nKing's ship was in the midst of the fleet, with the 'Short Serpent' on\none side and the 'Crane' on the other. Now when they were about to lash\ntogether the prow of the 'Long Serpent' and stern of the 'Short\nSerpent,' the King observed what was being done, and he cried out\nbidding them lay the big ship more forward, & not let her be astern of\nall the ships in the fleet. Thereon answered Ulf the Red: 'If we are to\nlay the \"Serpent\" as much longer ahead as she is longer than other ships\nhard will the day's work be behind the gunwales.' Said the King: 'I knew\nnot that I had a forecastle man who was both red and afraid,' Ulf made\nanswer back, 'Turn not thou thy back there on the poop more than I turn\nmine when I guard the prow.'\nNow the King had a bow in his hand, and placing an arrow on the string\nthereof he turned him towards Ulf; then cried Ulf, 'Shoot another way,\nKing, thither where it is needed more greatly; what I do, I do for\nthee.'\n\u00b6 King Olaf towered high on the poop of the 'Serpent,' and easy was it\nto know him from other men.\nA golden shield had he, and a gold-wrought helmet, & a short red kirtle\nover his shirt of mail.\nNow when King Olaf saw that the fleets were dividing and banners were\nbeing set up before the chiefs, asked he: 'Who is the captain of that\nhost which is right over against us?' It was told him that it was King\nSvein Two-beard with the host of the Danes. Then answered he: 'Afraid\nare we not of those blenchers, no heart is there in the Danes. But what\nchief is behind those banners yonder on our right?' It was told him that\nthere was King Olaf, with the Swedish host. 'Better were it for the\nSwedes to stay at home and lick the blood from their bowls than to board\nthe \"Serpent\" under thy weapons.' 'But whose are the ships lying out\nyonder on the larboard of the Danes?' 'They pertain,' came the answer,\n'to Eirik Hakonson.' Then answered King Olaf, 'Good reason, methinketh,\nhath he to meet us, and from that fleet may we await the fiercest of\nfights, seeing that they too are of Norway even as we ourselves.'\n\u00b6 Thereafter separated the Kings one from another for the onset. King\nSvein laid his ship against the 'Long Serpent'; and King Olaf the Swede\nlay-to farther out & grappled from the prow the outermost ship of King\nOlaf Tryggvason; and over against the other side lay Earl Eirik. And\neven so there ensued a dire and strenuous conflict. Albeit did Sigvaldi,\nthe Earl, let his ships fall astern and took he no part in the battle.\nThus saith Skuli Thorsteinnson, he that himself was with Earl Eirik that\nday:\n 'The Frisian wolf I followed\n (And in my youth gat honour)\n With Sigvaldi, there where the spears whistled\n (Now wax I old);\n When bloody swords we bore\n There off the mouth of the Svold\n In the south, in the battle-storm,\n And met the hero of wars.'\nAnd Hallfrod too saith of these tidings:\n 'Methinks full much was missed\n (Many to flight did turn them),\n That chief who spurred the fight\n Was among the men of Throndhjem.\n The valiant King alone\n 'Gainst the two Kings did fight,\n (Glorious to tell it now)\n And for a third too the Earl.'\n\u00b6 The battle to them all waxed very fierce & bloody; the forecastle men\nof the 'Long Serpent' & the 'Short Serpent' and the 'Crane' threw\nanchors and grapplers on to the ships of King Svein, and thus could they\nattack them from above so that they cleared every ship unto which they\ncould cling and thereto hold fast. King Svein and those of his company\nwho could escape made what way they could to other of his ships and\nthereon drew thence out of bow-shot, and so it came to pass that it\nfared with this fleet even as King Olaf Tryggvason had foretold.\nThen Olaf, he that was King of the Swedes, brought his ships up into the\nself-same places left by those of Svein, but natheless hardly was he\ncome nigh to the big ships than it went with him the same as with the\nothers; even so that lost he many men and some of his ships, and\nthereafter he too drew back. But Earl Eirik laid his bearded ship\nalongside the outermost ship of King Olaf & with fierceness cleared it,\nand straightway cut it adrift from its lashings; then went he alongside\nthe one that was next, and with it fought until that too was cleared.\nThen fell the crews to escaping from the lesser ships on to those that\nwere larger; but cut the Earl every ship from its lashings even as soon\nas it was cleared, & thereon came up once more from all sides Danes and\nSwedes into the battle over against the ships of King Olaf. Eirik the\nEarl lay ever alongside one or other ship fighting thus in hand to hand\nfight, and as the men fell on his ship, Danes and Swedes, other true men\ntook their place. Thus saith Halldor:\n 'Of sharp swords the brunt\n O'er the \"Long Serpent\" went;\n There golden spears did clash\n And the men fought long,\n In battle of foemen\n Went forth to the south\n Men of Sweden against him,\n And Danish swordsmen doughty.'\n\u00b6 Then waxed the battle very fierce, and men fell thick and fast, and so\nat the end befell it that all the ships that pertained unto King Olaf\nwere cleared save and except the 'Long Serpent,' & by that time all\nthose of his folk who were still able to bear arms were come aboard of\nher.\nThen did Earl Eirik bring his bearded ship alongside the 'Serpent' and\nthereon ensued a fight with man at sword's length from man.\nThus saith Halldor:\n 'Into so hard a trap fell now the \"Long Serpent\"\n (The shields were cut asunder, together clashed the swords),\n And when the axe-bearer laid his bearded ship\n high bulwarked beside the \"Serpent,\"\n The Earl did victory win at Holm.'\n\u00b6 Earl Eirik took his stand in the forehold of his ship encompassed by a\nwall of shields, & his men fought both with trenchant arms, and by the\nthrusting of spears, and by the throwing of everything that could be\nused as a weapon, though some shot with the bow or threw javelins with\nthe hand. From all sides had the war-ships been brought up around the\n'Serpent,' and so great was the shower of weapons which fell on her, and\nso thickly flew the arrows and javelins from all sides, that men could\nbut hardly ward off the missiles with their shields. The men that were\nwith King Olaf had ere now waxed so furious that they had climbed up on\nto the bulwarks to the end that they might reach their foemen with their\nswords and slay them; but many of their foes would not come so nigh\nalongside the 'Serpent' that they could be beguiled into close combat,\nwhereas a many of the folk of Olaf being unmindful that they were not\nfighting on a level field themselves fell overboard and so sank down\ntogether with their weapons. Thus saith Hallfrod:\n 'From the \"Serpent\" sank they down, wounded in the fight;\n Give way or flee they would not, resisting to the last.\n Though glorious the King may be who steers the \"Serpent\"\n Such men as these will long be lacking where'er she strideth.'\n\u00b6 It happened that in the narrow-hold of the \"Serpent,\" shooting with\nhis bow and arrow more fiercely than any other man that was on the ship,\nstood Einar Tambarskelfir. Now it was against Earl Eirik that Einar had\nhis direct venture, and struck he the top of the tiller-head, over above\nthe head of the Earl, sending in his arrow with such force that it\npenetrated to the very binding of the shaft.\nThe Earl looked at it, and asked if it was known who was shooting thus;\nthen on the instant Einar shot another arrow which went so nigh unto the\nEarl that it passed betwixt his side and his arm, and so far through the\nstaying-board that the barb stood out on the other side thereof.\nThen spake the Earl to that man whose name some say was Fin, but as\nothers have it was of Finnish\u00a7 kith and kin.\nExceeding apt was he as an archer, so spake Eirik unto him saying:\n'Shoot thou yonder big man in the narrow-hold,' & even as he said the\nwords did the arrow of Fin strike the bow of Einar just as he was\ndrawing it for the third time. Then was the bow broken in twain, & Olaf\nsaid, 'What brake there so loudly?' & Einar made answer: 'Norway from\nthy hand, O King.' 'So great a breaking asunder hath not happened yet,\nI trow,' quoth the King; 'take my bow and shoot therewith,' and saying\nso threw he him his own bow, and Einar taking it strained it even beyond\nthe arrow-head. 'Too weak,' said he, 'too weak is the prince's bow,' and\nthrowing it back again to the King took he his shield and sword, and\nfell to hand-fighting.\n\u00b6 King Olaf being himself on the poop of the 'Serpent,' full oft that\nday shot with his bow, but upon occasion made he use of javelins, and\never threw two at once. Then as time wore on saw he, as his glance sped\nalong the ship, that albeit his men swung ever their swords and smote\nfull fast, yet nevertheless their swords were cutting but ill, and he\ncried out loudly to them: 'Are ye wielding your swords carelessly since,\nas I see, they do not cut?' One of the men made answer: 'Our swords are\nblunt and very much notched.' Then went the King down into the\nfore-hold, and setting up the lid of the high-seat took from out of the\nchest beneath many sharp swords and gave them out to his men, and when\nhe thrust down his right arm into the chest it was seen that blood was\nrunning from under his mail-shirt, and no man at that hour wot in what\npart he had been wounded.\n\u00b6 Even the stoutest defence on the 'Long Serpent,' and that the most\ndeadly, was put up by those stout men that were in the fore-hold and in\nthe prow and stern, for truly were they picked men, and the bulwarks in\nthose places were higher than in other parts of the ship. Even so soon\nas ever the men amidships began to fall, and only a few of those about\nthe mast were left standing on their feet, made Eirik an attempt to\nboard the 'Serpent,' and up came he on to her, himself the fifteenth\nman.\nThen was it that Hyrning, he that was own brother-in-law of Olaf, set\nover against Eirik with a band of followers and the mightiest fight of\nall waged they then, and the end thereof was of such a fashion that had\nthe Earl himself to draw back even unto his own ship; and of the men\nthat adventured with him on to the 'Serpent' were some wounded and most\nothers slain.\n\u00b6 And thereafter was there yet again a hard struggle, & many men fell on\nboard the 'Serpent'; & as the crew who held the defence of her began to\nthin tried Earl Eirik to board her for the second time, but again met he\nwith valiant opposition. When the fore-castle men on the 'Serpent' saw\nthis went they aft and safeguarded the ship over against the Earl, &\nmade a stubborn defence. But so many were the men who were fallen on the\n'Serpent' that were the bulwarks perforce in many places empty, and the\nmen of the Earl now came aboard her on every side; then were those men\nwho were still standing to arms and having the guardianship of the ship\nforced to fall back aft, even unto the place where the King was\nstanding. Thus saith Halldor the Unchristened, telling how Earl Eirik\ncheered on his men:\n 'Astern across the thwarts shrank the men of Olaf\n Valiant the lord cheers on his hot-headed followers,\n When the warriors had closed all issue to the doughty King\n The clash of weapons turned towards the Wend-slayer.'\n\u00b6 Now it came to pass that Kolbiorn the Marshal went up on to the poop\neven to the King, and greatly did they resemble one another in apparel\nand weapons; and Kolbiorn was also a right big and comely man.\nYet once again ensued there a fight full fierce in the fore-hold, but\nbecause that there were now come up on to the 'Serpent' even as many men\nof the Earl as the ship would hold, and seeing that his ships were lying\non all sides around the 'Serpent,' & moreover few folk left on her for\ndefence against so strong a host, fell the main of the men of Olaf very\nshortly thereafter, albeit were they men both strong and stout of heart.\nThen did King Olaf himself, and Kolbiorn, leap over-board each on his\nown side. Now the men of the Earl had put out small boats & were busy\nslaying those that took to the sea, and when the King leapt overboard\nwould they have taken him captive and brought him before Earl Eirik, had\nnot King Olaf held up his shield above him and dived headlong into the\ndeep. Kolbiorn, on the other part, thrust his shield under him and thus\nprotected himself against the javelins which were being thrown up from\nthe boats beneath, but he fell into the sea in such wise that his shield\nwas beneath him & therefore could he in no wise dive so swiftly, & so\nwas he taken & haled up into a boat. Then the foe deeming him to be the\nKing brought him before the Earl, but when the Earl discovered that it\nwas not King Olaf but Kolbiorn, gave he the latter quarter. At this\nmoment did all they of the King's folk who were still alive leap\noverboard from the 'Serpent'; and Hallfrod saith that Thorkel Nefia,\nhe that was brother to the King, leapt last of all overboard:\n 'Stroke-doughty Thorkel saw the \"Crane,\"\n Yea, and the \"Serpents\" twain floating deserted;\n Boldly had he fought e'er the wearer of the arm-rings,\n Stout-hearted in combat, into the sea plunged,\n And by swimming saved his life.'\n\u00b6 Now hath it been afore fair written that Earl Sigvaldi joined forces\nwith King Olaf in Wendland; ten ships had the Earl and withal an\neleventh whereon Astrid, she that was daughter to the King and wife to\nSigvaldi, had her men.\nWhen King Olaf leapt overboard all the hosts shouted cries of victory,\nand then did the Earl and his men unship their oars & row to the fight.\nOf this speaketh Halldor the Unchristened:\n 'From far and near the Wendmen's craft\n To battle hastened;\n The lean sword-clashers\n Clanged with iron mouths;\n Din of swords at sea was there\n (Wolves' fare the eagle tore),\n The lads' dear leader strove\n Ere many from him fled.'\n\u00b6 Now rowed away the Wendland cutter, whereon were Astrid's men, back to\nWendland, and straightway did many men say that King Olaf must have\ndrawn off his shirt of mail in the water, dived down away from the\nlong-ship, and thereafter swum even to the Wendland cutter and so been\nbrought to shore by the folk of Astrid.\nAnd many are the tales which have been told by certain men of the\njourneyings of King Olaf; nevertheless in this wise speaketh Hallfrod:\n 'I wot not whether he who stilled the raven's hunger\n Should of me be praised as of the living or the dead,\n Since of a truth his men tell either tale\n (Bootless of himself to question) though wounded was he surely.'\nBut howsoever this may have been, never more returned King Olaf\nTryggvason to his realm of Norway; yet in this wise speaketh Hallfrod\nthe Troublous-skald:\n 'He who the tidings told that the lord was living\n Had long for Tryggvi's trusted son a fighter been.\n 'Tis said the King from out the steel-storm came;\n Alas, 'tis worse than this, methinks,\n for of truth all facts are lacking.'\nAnd this again:\n 'When the land-host with men in numbers towards the Holder's\n War-wont King did fare, it scarce could be (so heard I)\n That the King belov\u00e9d could with life escape\n (Folk seemed not truth to tell) from out the battle.\n Some men e'en tell this skald that wounded is the King,\n Though from the spear-storm saved and eastwards gone.\n But tidings from the south now tell the slaying of the King\n In the great fight (endure no more can I the wavering talk of men).'\n\u00b6 With the victory that he encompassed did Earl Eirik Hakonson gain even\nthe 'Long Serpent' and much booty, and steered he the 'Serpent' far out\nof the battle. Thus said Halldor:\n 'Thither the \"Serpent\" had borne him,\n The helmeted chieftain, to the great sword-play,\n (Then were the ships dight).\n But south, in the din of the battle,\n gladly the Earl took the \"Serpent\"\n (Heming's high-born brother in blood did dye the swords).'\n\u00b6 Now Svein the son of Earl Hakon even at this time was betrothed to\nHolmfrid the daughter of Olaf King of Sweden. When Olaf the Swedish\nKing, Svein the Danish King and Earl Eirik divided the realm of Norway\nbetween them, then had Olaf the Swedish King four counties, to wit,\nThrondhjem, the two Mores & Raumsdal; and eastward to him pertained\nRaumariki from the Gaut (G\u00f6ta) river to Svinasund.\nThis dominion did King Olaf make over to Earl Svein on the self-same\nconditions as the tribute paying kings or earls had held their lands\naforetime from superior kings. Earl Eirik gat five counties in\nThrondhjem, also Halogaland and Naumdalen, the Fjords & Fialir, Sogn and\nHardaland & Rogaland, and Agdir from the north right to Lidandesnes (the\nNaze).\nThus saith Thord Kolbeinson:\n 'I wist that save for Erling (bounteous chief whom I praise)\n Erewhile the \"hersirs\" mostly were friends unto the earls;\n The battle ended the land all southward from Agdir\n To Veiga, or farther north, was subject made to Eirik.\n Under the lord the land prospered; & this 'twas good should be.\n His duty he thought it to hold o'er the northmen his hand.\n Now hath died Svein the king south of us, so the tale goes\n (The strength of most doth fail,\n and waste are his manors for grief).'\n\u00b6 Svein the King of the Danes was now once more the possessor of Vik,\nwhich had been his aforetime; to Earl Eirik he gave Raumariki and\nHedemark, to be held as a fief. Svein Hakonson, he that was the finest\nman that men have ever looked on, received earldom from Olaf the Swede.\nEirik and Earl Svein were alike baptized into and made profession of the\ntrue Faith, but even so long as they ruled over Norway gave they licence\nto every man that he should please himself about what creed he would\ncleave to, & moreover maintained they the old laws honourably and\nlikewise all the customs of the land; therefore were they justly men who\nwere well-beloved and good rulers. Now in all matters having concern in\nthe ruling of the realm of the twain brothers was Earl Eirik ever the\nmore prominent.\nTHE SAGA OF HARALD THE TYRANT, MXXX-MLXVI\nIt befell in the days of the fall of King Olaf that Harald, the son of\nSigurd Sow, the stepbrother of King Olaf the Saint, bore his share in\nthe great battle of Stiklastad.\nEven there it befell Harald that he was smote down, but he gained the\nlife of his body by flight with others that bore him company. Thus saith\nThiodolf:\n 'Nigh the hill, a battle-storm\n I heard drive toward the King,\n But the burner of the Bulgars\u00a7\n His brother well supported.\n Unwillingly from fallen Olaf\n Was the prince sundered,\n And his head he hid;\n Then was he twelve winters\n With added three thereto in age.'\n\u00b6 It was Rognvald Brusason who bare Harald out of the battle, and\nbrought him to a certain peasant who lived in the forest, and that in a\nglade far from the haunts of man; and here was Harald leeched until he\nwas whole of his wound.\nThereafter fared forth the son of that peasant eastward with him across\nthe Kjol (Kiolen), & as far as they were able to do so followed they\nforest tracks in lieu of the common way.\nNow in no wise wist the son of the peasant with what manner of man he\nwas faring, & as they were riding through the wastes of the forest sang\nHarald thus wise:\n 'From forest now to forest\n Wend I my way with honour scant;\n Who wists but in the future\n Wide fame may not be mine?'\n\u00b6 And thus fared he eastward through Jamtaland & Helsingland, and in due\ncourse was he come even to Sweden; there did he link his fortune with\nthat of Rognvald Brusason and many others of the men of King Olaf that\nwere yet alive after the mighty battle.\n\u00b6 Now in the spring thereafter gat they ships for themselves and in the\nsummer fared eastward to Garda, where abode they the winter through with\nKing Jarizleif.\nThus saith Bolverk:\n 'The sword's blade, King, thou dried'st\n When thou fared'st from the strife.\n To the raven gav'st thou to eat;\n The wolf howled on the wooded heights.\n But the year thereafter and thou wert\n East in Gard, O doughty fighter,\n Ne'er have I heard of a leader of hosts\n More famed than thou wert.'\nKing Jarizleif made Harald & his men welcome right kindly, and even so\nbecame Harald captain of the land defence of the King & with him was\njoined Eilif, the son of Earl Rognvald. Thus saith Thiodolf:\n 'Where Eilif was,\n Alike they acted,\n Those chieftains twain\n In wedge-like phalanx.\n Chased were the East Wends\n Into a corner narrow,\n Not easy for the Laesirs\u00a7\n Was the law of the host.'\n\u00b6 Some winters abode Harald in the realm of Garda, & fared forth for the\nmost part eastward; then went he a journey to Greece, and in his company\nwas a mighty following, and at that time likewise went he to Miklagard\n(Constantinople). Saith Bolverk:\n 'The chilly shower drave forward\n The ship's swart prows;\n And barks all bravely armoured\n Their sails bore by the coast-side.\n The metal towers of Miklagard\n The prince saw from the prows;\n Fair-bosomed ships were borne\n To the walls of the city.'\nAt that time there ruled over Greece Queen Zoe the Wealthy and with her\nMichael Katalaktus.\nWhen Harald was come even unto Miklagard in the hardiness that was of\nhis blood enterprised he service of the Queen, and even so did the men\nthat were with him.\nForthwith that same autumn took he ship on certain galleys with warriors\nwho were adventuring on to the Greek sea.\nIn those days was one named Gyrgir\u00a7 chief of the hosts, and he was also\na kinsman to the Queen. Now it came to pass that Harald had not abode\nlongtime with the host ere the Vaerings\u00a7 became much drawn to him, so\nthat he and they adventured all together in a body whensoever there was\nfighting, and the end thereof was that Harald was chosen captain of all\nthe Vaerings. Gyrgir and his hosts coasted in all directions among the\nGreek islands, and greatly plundered the corsairs.\n\u00b6 Once it befell when they were faring overland, and were of a mind to\npass the night in the woods, that the Vaerings were the first to come to\nthe place where it was intended they should lie, and chose they for\ntheir tents even such position as was best and lay highest, for the\ncountry thereabout was boggy, and no sooner came the rain than was it\nill living there over against where the land was low. Then came Gyrgir,\n& when he saw where the Vaerings had pitched their tents bade he them\nbegone and pitch them in another place, since saith he, that he himself\nwould have his tent even there. But thus spake Harald: 'When ye are the\nfirst to come to the place for the camp then shall ye make choice of\nyour place for the night, and it will behove us to pitch our tents\nelsewhere, even in whatever spot is open to us. So do ye now likewise;\npitch ye your tents where ye will in any other spot that pertaineth.\nMethought was it the right of the Vaerings here in Greece to be masters\nof their own matter & free in all things before all men, and that was it\nto the King and Queen only they owed obedience.'\nOn this bandied they words with so great heat that both sides fell to\narming themselves, & right nigh came they to fighting, but ere that were\nthe wisest men came up and they parted them.\nThey said it was more in reason that these men should be of one mind on\nthe matter, and a just decision made thereon betwixt them, so that never\nmore might strife arise out of this cause.\nSo then was agreed a meeting between them, & the best and wisest men\nwere present thereat; and at that meeting was it counselled in such\nmanner that all were of one mind, to wit, that lots should be borne in a\ncloth and cast between Greek and Vaering as to who should be the first\nto ride or row, or berth them in haven, or choose a spot for their\ntents; both of them henceforth to rest content with whatever the lot\ndecreed. Thereafter was this done, and the lots were marked; then said\nHarald to Gyrgir; 'Let me now see how thou markest thy lot, to the\nintent that we may not both mark them in the same fashion.'\nSo Harald looked and thereafter marked his lot and threw it into the\ncloth, and Gyrgir did likewise; but the man who was to draw the lot took\nup one between his fingers, and lifting his hand said: 'These shall\nfirst ride and row and berth them in haven and choose them tent-places.'\nThen did Harald seize the lot with his hand and throw it out into the\nsea, and when he had so done he said: 'That was our lot.'\nGyrgir said: 'Why didst thou not let more men see it?' 'Look you,'\nanswered Harald, 'on that lot which is left, & I wot well thereon will\nyou know your own mark.'\nThen looked they at the lot, and all knew the mark to be that of Gyrgir.\nSo was it adjudged that the Vaerings should have the choice in all those\nmatters about which there had been strife. Sundry things befell likewise\non which saw they not eye to eye, but ever it ended in such a fashion\nthat Harald had his way.\n\u00b6 Plundering & pillaging whithersoever they went fared together both\nhosts during the summer, but when a battle was imminent would Harald\ncause his men to hold aloof therefrom, or at least over against that\npart where was the fight most open.\nEver said he that he would take good care that he did not lose those\nthat were of his company; but when a fight chanced and he with his men\nonly were opposed to an enemy so fierce was he in battle that either\nmust he win the day or die. For this reason oft-times it befell that\nwhen Harald was captain of the men the victory fell to him, whereas\nGyrgir won naught.\nNow when the warriors saw how oft did this come to pass, said they one\nto the other that their cause would have better advancement an Harald\nwere alone captain of the host; and blamed they the leader of the band,\nsaying that he and his men were but bootless. To this Gyrgir made answer\nthat the Vaerings would not yield him support, & bade them begone,\nwhiles he fared with the rest of the host to be successful as far as in\nthem lay. Even so, thereon went Harald from the host, and with him\nlikewise the Vaerings and the Latin men, but Gyrgir kept the host of the\nGreeks. Then came to pass that which all had awaited, to wit, that\nHarald ever gained the victory & the plunder. Thereupon fared the Greeks\nhome to Miklagard save only the young men who desired to win riches for\nthemselves, and they gathered round Harald and took him for their\nleader.\nThen went he with his host westward to northern Africa, which the\nVaerings called Serkland,\u00a7 and there he gained addition to his host.\nIn Serkland won he eighty walled towns, some thereof surrendered to him,\nwhereas others took he by might.\nThereafter went he to Sikiley (Sicily). Thus saith Thiodolf:\n 'Towns ten times eight in Serkland,\n Say I, then were taken,\n The young hater of red-glowing gold\n Rushed into the peril.\n Before the fighter went to rouse\n With clashing shields the Hilds,\n Were they long the Serk-men's foe,\n On the plains of Sicily.'\nThus saith Illugi, the skald from Bryn:\n 'Harald under Michael strove\n For south-lands with his sword\n The son of Budli, as 'twas said\n Showed friendship by his fellowship.'[\u00a7]\n\u00b6 Now it came to pass that at this season was Michael King of Greece.\nMany winters abode he in Africa, and to himself acquired goods and\nchattels in plenty, gold likewise and all manner of precious things; but\nall the wealth which he took and thereof had not need for his\nmaintenance sent he by his trusty men to Holmgard (Novgarod), to be\nbestowed into the hands and care of King Jarizleif.\nExceeding wealth did he collect together there, as was like to be,\nforasmuch as he was pillaging in that part of the world the which is\nrichest in gold and costly things. And so much did he accomplish withal\nthat, as has been writ before, took he as many as eighty towns.\n\u00b6 And being come to Sikiley did Harald lay waste on that isle, and set\nhe his host over against a large town in which were many people.\nSo strong were the walls thereof that he feared it were doubtful an he\ncould brake them down. Now the townsfolk had enough of victuals and\nother commodities which were required to withstand a siege, so hit\nHarald on the craft of bidding his fowlers to catch small birds, which\nhad nests in the town & flew out during the day to seek food. On the\nbacks of these birds caused he to be tied shavings of red pine-wood on\nwhich had he poured melted wax and brimstone; fire thereto was set, and\nthe birds even so soon as they were loose, flew with one accord at once\nto the town with the intent to seek their young and to hie them to their\nown nests which were under the roofs.\nAnd these roofs were thatched with reeds or straw.\nThen the fire from the birds spread to the eaves, and though each bird\nbore but a little burden of fire nevertheless in a brief space was\nkindled a great fire, for many birds bore fire to the roofs that were of\nthe town. Thereafter there burned one house after the other until the\ntown itself was all aflame, and all the people came out therefrom and\nbegged for grace.\nYea was this that same folk that for many a day had talked proudly and\nwith mocking despite of the Greek host and the chief thereof. Harald\ngave quarter to all men who craved it, and thereafter held authority\nover this town.\n\u00b6 Another town was there to which Harald went with his host, & right\nwell peopled was it and strong withal, so much so indeed that it could\nnot be thought that he would be able to make assault thereon. Flat land\nand hard lay round about the walls thereof, so Harald set his men to dig\na trench from the place whence a brook flowed, & that in a deep gulley\nwherein men from the town could not spy.\nThe earth of the trench threw they out into the water and let the stream\nbear it away; and in this work they continued even both by night and by\nday with fresh shifts after a spell.\nAfter this fashion did the host advance on the town day by day; and the\ntownsmen flocked to the battlements & both sides shot at one another,\nbut by night did all betake themselves to sleep.\nNow when Harald wot that this hole that was in the earth was so long\nthat it must have come under and past the walls of the town bade he his\nmen arm themselves, & towards dawn went they into the trench, and when\nthey came to the end thereof dug they up above their heads until they\ncame to stones set in lime; and this was the floor of a stone hall. Anon\nthey brake up the floor and ascended into the hall, and there sat many\nof the townsmen eating and drinking, and great was the mischance of\nthese good men for they were taken unawares. The Vaerings went about\nwith drawn swords, and straightway killed some of them though others\nfled, to wit, those who could get out.\nSome of the Vaerings sought after these townsmen while others went to\nthe gates to set them open, and by this way in marched the host that\npertained unto Harald.\nThen did the townsfolk flee, though many prayed for mercy, and mercy did\nall receive who gave themselves up.\nIn this way was it that Harald was possessed of the town, and therewith\nacquired exceeding wealth.\n\u00b6 The third town to which they came was the one that of all of the\nisland had waxed largest and strongest, and to it pertained most\nimportance both by reason of the wealth and the number within its walls.\nEven about this town lay great ditches, and the Vaerings marked that\nthey could not win it by craft after such fashion as they had possessed\nthemselves of the other towns aforesaid. And so it came to pass that\nlong lay they before the town yet did they accomplish nothing, and the\ntownsfolk seeing this waxed even bolder, and set up their array on the\nwalls, & anon opened the gates of the town and called to the Vaerings,\negging them on & bidding them enter; and they mocked at them for lack of\nboldness, averring that for fighting were they no better than so many\nhens. Harald bade his men behave themselves as though they wist not\nafter what fashion were such things said: 'Nought shall we accomplish,'\nsaid he, 'even if we storm the town; they will fling their weapons down\nunder their feet upon us; and albeit an entrance we perchance effect\nwith sundry of our folk, yet is the foe strong enough to shut them in,\nand shut the others out at their pleasure for they have put watches at\nall the gates of the town.\nNo less mock will we make of them, however, and we will flaunt in their\nfaces that we have no fear of them. Our men shall go forth on the plain\nas near the town as may be, having care nevertheless lest they come\nwithin bowshot, and weaponless must they go & hold sports one with\nanother so that the townsfolk may wot that we care naught for their\narray.'\nAfter this fashion did they behave themselves for sundry days.\n\u00b6 Now of the Icelanders that were with Harald at this time is it\nrecorded that Halldor the son of Snorri the Priest-- he it was who took\nthis chronicle back to his own land-- and in the second place Ulf the\nson of Uspak, the son of Usvif the Wise, were the twain of them very\nstrong & valiant men and much cherished of Harald.\nThe pair were alike foremost in the sports on the plain. When things had\nthus happened for these sundry days, were the townsfolk minded to show\neven greater arrogance, & discarding their weapons mounted they up on to\nthe walls and defiantly set open the gates of the town. Now the Vaerings\nseeing this betook themselves one day to their sports in such fashion\nthat the swords that pertained to them were concealed beneath their\ncloaks and their helms beneath their hats. And after they had vied with\none another awhile saw they that the townsfolk in no fashion entertained\nsuspicion, thereon drawing their swords ran they forward to the gates.\nWhen the townsmen saw this advanced they bravely to meet them, standing\nfully armed, and thereon ensued a dire fight within the gates.\nTo the Vaering folk pertained neither shield nor buckler, & in default\nthereof wrapped they their cloaks round their left arm; some were\nwounded, some killed, & all were hard pressed.\nHarald & the men with him who were in the camp hastened to their\nsuccour, but by then were the townsfolk come up on to the walls from\nwhence they shot at & stoned those coming thitherwards. Yet more fierce\ngrew the fight, & those within the gates bethought them help came at a\nslower gait than they could desire. Scarce was Harald come to the gates\nere was slain his banner-bearer; then said he: 'Halldor, do thou take up\nthe banner!' Halldor picked up the banner-staff, but he spoke unwisely:\n'Who will bear thy banner for thee when thou followest it so\nfaint-heartedly as thou hast done now this while past?' These were words\nmore of anger than of truth, for Harald stood the stoutest among men.\nThen hied they them into the gate, and great were the strokes given; but\nthe outcome thereof was such wise that the victory was to Harald and he\nstormed the gates. Sore smote was Halldor, a deep wound gat he in the\ncountenance, and to him was it a blemish all the days of his life.\u00a7\n\u00b6 The fourth town whereunto Harald was come together with his host was\nthe stoutest of all those whereof we have yet told. So strong was it\nthat they wist there was no hope that it could be taken by assault, and\nthereon beset they the town even by getting a ring around it so that no\nvictuals could be taken therein.\nNow it chanced when Harald had been before it a while, fell he sick and\nbetook himself to his bed; & he caused his tent be placed away from\nother tents so that he might have the ease that he should not hear the\nnoise and disquiet of the host. Backwards & forwards to him oft fared\nhis men, craving his counsel, and this was noted of the townsfolk who\nargued rightly that something had befallen the Vaerings, and thereon set\nthey spies to discover what it might be. When the spies were come back\neven into the town brought they intelligence that the chief of the\nVaerings lay sick, & for that cause had they not advanced on the town.\nAs time waxed big grew the strength of Harald small, and his men became\nsorrowful and were heavy of heart.\nNow of all this had the townsfolk full knowledge.\nTo such a pass came it that the sickness pressed Harald hard and his\ndeath was told throughout the whole host. Then went the Vaerings to\nspeak with the townsmen, telling them of the death of their chief,\n& praying the priests to grant him a tomb in the town.\nNow when the townsfolk heard these tidings many were there, rulers of\nmonasteries or of other big churches in the town, who wished much, each\none of them, to have the body for his church, for well wotted each that\nit would bring them great offerings; so the whole multitude of the\npriests clad themselves in their vestments and walked forth out of the\ntown in procession well favoured and solemn, bearing shrines and holy\nrelics.\nBut made the Vaerings also a mighty funeral train; covered with a costly\npall was the coffin borne aloft, and above this again were held many\nbanners, & after the coffin in this wise had been borne in through the\ntown-gates was it set down right athwart them in front of the opening\nthereof. Then did the Vaerings blow a war-blast from all their trumpets,\n& drew their swords, and the whole host of the Vaerings rushed out of\ntheir tents fully armed, and ran towards the town shouting and crying.\nThe monks & other priests who had been walking in this funeral train\nvying with one another to be the foremost to go out and receive the\noffering, now vied twofold as speedily to be the farthest off, for the\nVaerings slew every one who was nearest to them be he clerk or layman.\nAfter this fashion did they go about the whole of the town, putting the\nmen to the sword and pillaging the churches, whence snatched they\nexceeding great wealth.\n\u00b6 Many summers fared Harald in warfare after this fashion alike in\nSerkland and Sikiley.\nThereafter led he his host back to Miklagard, and abode there a short\nspace ere set he again forth on a journey to Jorsalaheim (Palestine).\u00a7\nThere he left behind him all the gold he had gotten as payment from the\nGreek King, & the same did all the Vaerings who went on the journey with\nhim.\nIt is told that altogether Harald fought eighteen battles on these\njourneys. Thus saith Thiodolf:\n 'All men know that Harald\n Eighteen battles grim hath fought,\n Oft hath the peace of the chieftain been broken;\n The gray eagle's sharp claws\n In blood didst thou dye, King,\n Ever was the wolf filled ere thou fared'st homeward.'\n\u00b6 Harald with his men had now betaken themselves to Jorsalaland\n(Palestine) and thence to Jorsalaborg (Jerusalem), and whithersoever he\nwent in Jorsalaland were all the towns and castles surrendered unto him;\nthus saith Stuf, who had himself heard the King recount these things:\n 'The blade-bold smiting warrior\n To subjection brought Jerusalem.\n The smiling land was captive to him and the Greeks,\n And by their might, unburned withal,\n Came the country under the warrior's dictate.'\n\u00b6 Here it is recounted that this land came unburned and unscathed into\nHarald's power. Thereafter fared he to the Jordan and bathed himself\ntherein, as is the way with other pilgrims. On the Sepulchre of the\nLord, the Holy Cross, and other holy relics in Jorsalaland bestowed\nHarald great benefactions. Then did he make safe all the road to the\nJordan, slaying robbers and other disturbers of the peace. Thus saith\nStuf:\n 'By counsel and wrathful words the King of the Agdir folk\n Withstood on the banks of the Jordan the treason of men,\n But for true trespass had folk to pay dearly;\n Ill from the Prince suffered they.\n (In Christ's eternal house).'\n\u00b6 After these things fared he back to Miklagard.\n\u00b6 Now when Harald was returned to Miklagard from Jorsalaland was he\nminded to go to the north, even unto his own heritage; for it had come\nto his ears that the son of his brother, to wit, Magnus Olafson, was now\nKing of Norway and of Denmark, and therefor gave he warning to quit his\nservice with the King of Greece; but when Queen Zoe came to hear thereof\nwaxed she very wrath & made dire complaint against Harald, averring that\nhe had gone dishonestly to work with the wealth of the Greek King which\nhad been taken in warfare what time Harald had been chief of the host.\nNow there was a damsel both young and fair, whose name was Maria, and\nshe was the daughter of the brother to Queen Zoe.[\u00a7] Afore had Harald\nsought the hand of this maid in marriage, and by the Queen had his suit\nbeen refused. It has been told here in the north by Vaerings, who were\nthen serving in Miklagard, that among those who should wot well of the\naffair was it averred that Queen Zoe desired to have Harald for her own\nhusband, & therein lay the cause of all that which befell when Harald\ndesired to leave Miklagard, though mayhap otherwise was given out before\nall folk. At that time was Constantine Monomachus King of the Greeks,\nand together with Queen Zoe ruled he the kingdom. Wherefore was it on\nthese counts that the King of the Greeks caused Harald to be seized and\ncast into prison.\n\u00b6 But as Harald was drawing nigh unto the prison there appeared unto him\nthe holy King Olaf and bade him be of good cheer for that he would come\nto his aid; & there in the street was afterwards builded a chapel, and\nwas it consecrated to King Olaf, & that chapel has stood there unto this\nvery day.\u00a7 Now after such fashion was the prison builded that it had a\nhigh tower, & this was open at the top. Into the prison thereof was\nHarald thrown, and together with him were Halldor and Ulf. The night\nthereafter came a wealthy woman to the uppermost part of the prison,\nwhither she had ascended by means of ladders, and with her were two\nserving-men and to either let they down a rope by which they drew the\nprisoners up. This woman had one time been healed by the holy King Olaf,\nand now had he appeared to her and laid upon her the injunction that she\nshould release his brother from out of prison.Thereon hied Harald him to\nthe Vaerings who with one accord rose to their feet when they beheld\nhim, and acclaimed him welcome.\nThereafter fell the whole of the host to arms and betook themselves to\nthe place where the King was sleeping, and taking him captive thrust\nthey out both his eyes. Thus saith Thorarin Skeggison in his lay:\n 'The bold prince gold obtained,\n But the throned King of Greece gat blindness,\n And thereafter went with scars most grievous.'\nThus likewise saith Thiodolf the Skald:\n 'The waster of wolves' sorrow\n Let the eyes twain of the throned King be put out;\n The prince of the Agdir folk on the Eastern King\n Laid a grisly mark whereby was he horribly blinded.'\nIn the twain of these lays concerning Harald, & also in many other\nsongs, recorded is it how that he himself put out the eyes of the Greek\nKing; but in lieu of thus singing, had they known it to be truer, full\nwell might they have named a duke or count or some other nobleman. But\nHarald himself and the other men that were with him themselves boasted\nof this deed.\u00a7\n\u00b6 That same night went Harald and his men to the chamber wherein Maria\nlay sleeping, & by force bare her away. Then betaking themselves to\nwhere their galleys rode took they twain of them and anon rowed into\nSiavidarsund,\u00a7 but when they were come thither found they that the iron\nchain was stretched right athwart the inlet, and so Harald commanded his\nmen to fall to their oars on both the galleys, & those who were not\nrowing were all to run aft, and each one to have in his hand his own\nbaggage-bag.\nIn this fashion they ran the galleys on to the chain, and as soon as\nthey were fast and the speed was stayed commanded he all his men to run\nforward. Then that galley whereon was Harald plunged forward, and after\nit had swayed on the chain slid from off it; but the other brake as it\nrode the chain, and many were drowned, albeit some were taken up out of\nthe water. After this fashion did Harald escape from Miklagard, & thence\nfared he forth into the Black Sea. But ere he sailed from land he set\nthe maid ashore, & gave her trusty followers to take her back to\nMiklagard; and he bade her ask her kinswoman Zoe how much power she had\nover him, or if her power had been able to hinder him from getting the\nmaiden. Thereafter sailed Harald northward to Ellipalta\u00a7 and thence\nfared all over the East-realm.\u00a7 On this journey made Harald certain\nmerry verses which together number sixteen, & all have the same refrain:\nthis is one of them:\n 'Past Sicily, far out, forged the ship;\n Proudly she strode and ably 'neath our feet\n Never before had Norseman come so far amain,\n Yet saith the Maid of the gold-rings in Garda that she scorns me.'\n\u00b6 By this, allusion made he to Ellisif, the daughter of King Jarizleif\nof Holmgard.\n\u00b6 When Harald was come to Holmgard did King Jarizleif receive him with\nexceeding great kindness, and there abode he the winter through; at that\ntime, moreover, took he into his own keeping all the gold and various\nother precious goods which he had sent thither out of Miklagard. So much\nwealth was indeed collected together, that no one there in the north had\nseen so great an amount before in the ownership of one man. On three\noccasions[\u00a7] the while he was in Miklagard had Harald ta'en his share in\nthe spoiling of palaces, for it was a law that every time a Greek King\ndied the Vaerings should have palace-spoil; at that hour might they go\nthrough all the palaces of the King, wherein his hoards of wealth were\ngarnered, and take at will as much as ever they could lay hands on.\n\u00b6 That winter gave King Jarizleif to Harald his daughter in wedlock, her\nname was Elizabeth but Norwegians called her Ellisif. To this Stuf the\nBlind is witness in the following:\n 'The alliance that he wished\n Gat the prince of the Agdirs;\n Gold amain won the friend of the men,\n And to boot the King's daughter.'\n\u00b6 So it came to pass that ere long there arose some discord betwixt\nMagnus and Harald, and then were many men so evil-minded that they\nwrought bad blood betwixt the Kings.\n\u00b6 Now after the departure of Harald in the manner aforesaid, Svein\nUlfson went on sleeping. Later made he close inquiry anent the journey\nof Harald; and when he came to know that Harald and Magnus had entered\ninto covenant, and had now an host one with the other, steered he a\ncourse eastward alongside the coast of Skani and abode there with his\nhost, until it came to his ears in wintertime that Magnus and Harald had\nfared northward even to Norway with their hosts. Thereupon shaped Svein\na course southward (west) to Denmark, and that winter took he possession\nby force of all the dues of the King.\n\u00b6 So soon as the spring was come King Magnus and King Harald called out\na muster from all Norway.\nNow it befell once upon a time that both the Kings were lying in the\nself-same haven, and the day thereafter Harald being the first to be\nready sailed forthwith, and in the evening hove he to in the haven\nwherein he and Magnus had covenanted to lie that night; and brought he\nhis ship into the King's berth, and hoisted his tilts.\nKing Magnus, he that had later in the day sailed forth, found also that\nhaven, but when he was come perceived he that the men of Harald had by\nthen gotten their tilts up; & saw he furthermore that Harald was lying\nin the berth of the King and that there was he minded to lie. Even so\nsoon as his men had struck sail said King Magnus unto them: 'Now shall\nmy men take their places by the bulwarks and fall to their oars, and the\nothers shall undo their weapons and arm themselves, and if Harald and\nhis men gainsay us and will not make way, then will we fight them.' When\nKing Harald saw that King Magnus was minded to give battle spake he to\nhis men and said: 'Cut the hawsers and let us put off; wroth is now\nkinsman Magnus.' So said so done; and the ships of Harald were hove out\nof berth, and King Magnus put his ships into their place.\nWhen this had been accomplished went King Harald with sundry of his men\nup on to the ship of King Magnus, & the King greeted him well and bade\nhim welcome. Then said King Harald: 'I thought that we were come among\nfriends; but just now I misdoubted that thou wouldst let this be the\ncase; but true it is that children are petulent & I will not account it\notherwise than that this was a childish deed.' Then said King Magnus:\n'It was a kin-deed, not a child's-deed; I can in good sooth remember\nwhat I gave and what I refused, but an it were allowed that this little\nmatter were now done in our despite another would soon arise. In all\nthings will we keep the covenant that we made, but thou on thy part must\nfulfil that which was agreed upon.' Then said King Harald: 'There is\nalso an old custom which hath it that the wisest giveth way,' &\ntherewith went he back even to his own ship. In such like dealings\nbetwixt the Kings was it difficult to hold the balance; the men to King\nMagnus swore even that he was in the right, but those who were dullards\ndeemed that Harald had been slighted.\nThe men that were of King Harald's following said it were well and right\nthat Magnus should have the berth had the two Kings come thither at the\nsame time, but that King Harald could not be called upon to leave the\nberth wherein he were lying afore; and they declared that Harald had\nacted well and wisely, but those who wished to make the worst of things\nsaid that King Magnus desired to break the covenant, and that he had\ndone King Harald wrong and injustice.\nSoon unwise men were talking so much about quarrels of this kind that\ndiscord arose between the Kings, and many things befell which the Kings\ntook each after his own fashion albeit thereof is but little set down in\nwriting.\n\u00b6 So King Magnus & King Harald brought their fleet down to Denmark, and\nwhen Svein heard thereof fled he away to Skani. The two Kings abode long\nin Denmark that summer, and brought the land into subjection; the autumn\nto them was in Jutland. There one night, when King Magnus lay abed,\ndreamt he that he himself stood there where his father King Olaf the\nSaint abode, & thought he that his father spake with him: 'Which wilt\nthou choose, my son, to fare with me, or become of all kings the\nmightiest & live long, but to commit sin so great that thou wilt\nscarcely or never be able to atone for it?' And he bethought that he\nanswered, 'I desire that thou choosest for me.'\nThen the King seemed to answer: 'Thou shalt fare even with me.' King\nMagnus told his men of this dream. A little while later fell he ill of a\nsickness, and lay at a place called Sudatorp,\u00a7 and when he was nigh unto\ndeath sent he his brother\u00a7 Thorir to Svein Ulfson bidding the latter\nafford Thorir what help he might need, and with this message King Magnus\nalso made it known that when his days should be ended it was his wish to\nhave Svein to have dominion over the realm of Denmark, saying that it\nwas meet that Harald should rule over Norway and Svein over Denmark.\nThereafter died King Magnus the Good, & all folk mourned his death. Thus\nsaith Od Kikina-Skald:\n 'Full many a tear did men shed\n When the mild King was borne to the grave.\n Heavy the burden for those that he had benefited with gold,\n Sore were the hearts of the house carles,\n Their tears held they not back,\n And oft-times in sorrow now are his people down-cast.'\n\u00b6 When he heard these tidings summoned King Harald his host to a Thing,\nand opened unto them a scheme whereof the purport was to fare forth to\nthe Vebiorg Thing, and cause himself there to be acclaimed King of\nDenmark.\nThence would he conquer his country, for he accounted Denmark his own\nheritage in succession to his kinsman Magnus in like manner as with the\nkingdom of Norway.\nAnd for this purpose bade he his men give him their assistance, for\nthen, said he, the Norwegians would be masters of the Danes for all\ntime. Then up and spake Einar Thamberskelfir, and said, rather was it\nhis duty to convey his foster-son King Magnus to the grave and to the\nlatter's father King Olaf, than to fight in a foreign land, or to covet\nye might and dominion of another King; therefore concluded he his\nspeaking by saying that better he deemed it to follow King Magnus dead\nthan any other king living. Afterwards caused he the corpse to be ta'en\nand laid out in solemn state so that all might see it arrayed on board\nthe King's own ship. Thereafter all the men of Throndhjem and the\nNorwegians made them ready to return home with the body of King Magnus &\nthe war-host was disbanded. Then did King Harald perceive that by so\nmuch was it his wisest policy to fare back even unto Norway and first of\nall things to make that country his own, and thereafter wax in power. So\nHarald hied him thither with the whole of his host thus unto Norway, and\neven so soon as he was come thither held he a Thing of the men of the\nland, and caused himself to be acknowledged King over the whole country;\nhe fared right from the east, from Vik, and was acclaimed King by every\nfolkland in Norway.\n\u00b6 Einar Thamberskelfir journeyed to Norway with the corpse of King\nMagnus; with him fared all the host of the Throndhjem folk; & they took\nthe body to Nidaros where it was buried in the chapel of Saint Clement\nwherein was then the shrine of the sainted King Olaf.\nKing Magnus had been of middle height, with a countenance ruddy and\nfrank, fair-haired was he, and eloquent; quick to think, strong to\ndecide, bounteous to give; withal a mighty man of war and very valiant\nto boot; of all Kings was he the most beloved, & praised was he alike by\nfriend and foe.\n\u00b6 That autumn also was Svein Ulfson in Skani & was minded to fare\neastward to the realm of Sweden; moreover thought he that he would lay\ndown the title of King which he had taken to himself in Denmark.\nPeradventure as he was mounting his horse rode certain men up to him &\ntold unto him the tidings that King Magnus was dead, and how that all\nthe host of Norway had quitted clean from Denmark.\nTo this made Svein hasty answer & said: 'I call God to witness that\nnever hereafter will I flee the realm of Denmark even so long as I\nlive.' Therewithal mounted he his horse & rode southwards in Skani, & to\nhim were forthwith many folk gathered. That winter conquered he the\nwhole of Denmark, & all the Danes took him for their King. Thorir, the\nbrother of King Magnus, came to Svein with the message of King Magnus,\nas has been afore writ, & Svein received Thorir with good countenance;\ntarried he long with Svein and it was well with him.\n\u00b6 After the death of King Magnus Olafson, had King Harald Sigurdson\npossession of the whole realm of Norway.\nAnd when he had ruled over Norway for one winter, & the spring was again\nincomen mustered he men from out of all the land, one half of the\ngeneral host in men & ships, & thence sailed south to Jutland where he\nharried & burned even very widely; that same summer hove he to in\nGodnarfjord. At that time made King Harald this verse:\n 'While the linen-white woman\n Her song chants to her goodman,\n The anchor of the oaken ship\n We drop in Godnarfjord.'\nThen spake he to Thiodolf, and bade him add thereunto; and he sang:\n 'Next summer (foretell I)\n The anchor more southward\n Shall hold the ship with its fluke;\n Deeper shall we cast it.'\nAnd Bolverk in his lay mentions that Harald fared to Denmark the summer\nfollowing on King Magnus's death:\n 'From that fair land the year thereafter\n A muster called'st thou out;\n When thou ploughed'st the seas\n With sea-steeds full splendid.\n On darksome billow lay\n The dragons precious, and uneasy\n The host thereof saw off land\n laden were the war-ships of the Danes.'\n\u00b6 It was at that time that they burned the homestead of Thorkel Geyser.\nHe was a great chief, natheless were his daughters led bounden to the\nships: the winter before had they shown themselves very scornful of\nHarald & had made mock of his war cruise to Denmark, & from cheese had\nthey cut out anchors and said that most like these would well suffice to\nhold the ships of the King of Norway. Then was this chanted:\n 'Now from their whey cheeses cut\n The maids of Denmark rings for anchors,\n And this gibe annoyance gave the King.\n Now see I maidens many in the morn\n Reach the King's ships in fetters heavy:\n Fewer laugh now.'\n\u00b6 It is related that the look-out man who had observed the fleet of King\nHarald's cried out to the daughters of Thorkel Geyser, 'Ye Geyser\ndaughters said that Harald would never come to Denmark.' Quoth one of\nthem, 'That was yesterday.'\n\u00b6 At a very high price did Thorkel ransom his daughters. Thus saith\nGrani:\n 'Of tears her eyes\n Were never dry;\n This wrong-headed woman\n In the thick Horn-woods.\n The lord of Norway the fleeing\n Foe to the shore drave;\n For his daughters wealth amain\n Had to pay their father.'\n\u00b6 The whole of the summer did King Harald harry in the realm of the\nDanes & gat to himself much plunder, natheless did he not there abide\nbut fared he back to Norway in the autumn, and there tarried the winter\nthrough.\n\u00b6 That same winter, which was even that one after the death of King\nMagnus, did King Harald take to wife Thora, the daughter of Thorberg\nArnason. To them were born two sons, the elder of whom was Magnus, the\nyounger Olaf.\nKing Harald and Queen Ellisif had two daughters; one of these was named\nMaria, and the other Ingigerd. When that following spring was come, and\nof that spring have we writ afore, did King Harald muster his host and\nagain fared forth to Denmark in the summer & harried there, & the same\ndid he now one summer after the other. Thus saith Stuf the Skald:\n 'Falster was wasted, and to its folk\n Mischance befell (so I heard).\n The raven his fill ate,\n But rapine feared the Danes each year.'\n\u00b6 Ever since the death of King Magnus had King Svein ruled the whole of\nthe Danish realm; remained he at peace during the winters, but by summer\nwent he out with his host & did threaten to journey north with the\nDanish host, and there do no less harm than Harald had done in Denmark.\nIn the winter King Svein offered to meet King Harald in the River, and\nthere fight together to the last, or else come to agreement; and\nthereafter, during that winter, were both one and other of them busied\narming their ships, so that in the summer to come might one half of the\ngeneral host be abroad.\nIt was in that summer that there came from Iceland Thorleik Svein\nUlfson; he had heard to wit, when he was north in Norway, that King\nHarald had fared south to the River against King Svein. Then did\nThorleik chant this:\n ''Tis awaited that in spear-storm\n On the sea-king's path\n The doughty men of inner Throndhjem\n Will meet the hardy King.\n God only can bring it to pass\n That one of them there taketh\n Life or land of the other;\n Little wots Svein of concord.'\nAnd furthermore he chanted this:\n 'Harald the harsh who beareth\n Oft a red shield off the land,\n Is guiding on Budli's ways\u00a7\n The broad long-ships from the north.\n But southward o'er the seas,\n Doth come the warlike Svein\n In animals gold-mouthed, masted,\n And painted in colours fair.'\n\u00b6 To the appointed trysting-place came King Harald with his host, and\nthere heard that King Svein was to the south and lying off Zealand with\nhis fleet. Then did King Harald part his host, sending the greater\nnumber of the peasant-host back, but retaining to himself his body-guard\n& friends and feudatories, also that part of the peasant-host which had\nbeen mustered nighest to the Danes.\nThey fared south (west) to Jutland, southward of Vendilskagi,\n& thereafter still south past Thioda, & went everywhere with the\nwar-shield aloft. Thus saith Stuf the Skald:\n 'Fled Thioda folk from meeting with the King,\n Bold was he the stately dealer of blows.\n Harald's soul in Heaven.'\u00a7\n\u00b6 They fared southward all the way to Heidaby, and when they were come\nthither seized they that town and burned it. Then a man that was thrall\nto King Harald wrought this:\n 'Burnt from one end to another\n Was the whole of Heidaby;\n Ruthless treatment this, methinks;\n Our work, I trow, arouses grief in Svein.\n In the town spent I last night:\n Ere the eighth hour the flames shot up from the houses.'\n\u00b6 Likewise Thorleik telleth in his poem that he heard that no battle\nbefell at the River:\n 'Among the King's followers\n Each asks who doth not wot it\n How 'twas that the prince avenger\n To Heidaby did hie him,\n When Harald from the east with ships\n Sped early, without reason,\n To the royal town. In sooth\n Destruction ne'er should have been done.'\n\u00b6 After this fared Harald northward and with him had he sixty ships, the\ngreater number were large & well laden with what plunder had been taken\nin the summer. But as they were faring northward and past Thioda came\ndown King Svein from the land with a large host; & he proffered King\nHarald to come ashore & do battle. Now King Harald had less than half as\nmany men as Svein and so he bade Svein fight with him at sea. Thus saith\nThorleik the Fair:\n 'Svein, even he who was born to success in Midgard,\n Called on the mighty King in fight on land to meet him;\n But Harald shy of failing would liefer fight, quoth he,\n Aboardship, since the bold King held the land.'\n\u00b6 Thereafter sailed Harald northward past Vendilskagi; but the wind was\nagainst them & they brought-to under Lesey where they remained the\nnight. Then were the ships encompassed with a thick sea-fog, but when it\nwas morning, & the sun rose, beheld they on the other side of the sea\nwhat seemed to them like burning fires. And King Harald being informed\nthereof gazed thereat, & said straightway: 'Strike the ships' tilts, and\nlet the men fall to their oars. The Danish host hath come after us. The\ndarkness hath lifted, I ween, there where they are, and the sun is\nshining on their dragon-heads the which are overlaid with gold.' And it\nwas even as Harald said for behold there was come Svein, the Danish\nKing, with a mighty host.\nBoth the fleets now rowed with all speed, but the Danish ships were\nlighter under oars, the Norwegian ships being both water-logged and\nheavy laden. So the Danes drew on apace.\nThen did Harald perceive that this would never serve his purpose. Now\nhis dragon was faring astern of all his other ships, and he commanded\nthat some timber should be thrown overboard and apparel with other wares\nbe placed thereon, and as the water was calm these things drifted with\nthe current.\nWhen the Danes saw these goods drifting along on the sea those who were\nrowing ahead swerved aside after them, for they deemed it easier to take\nthe goods as they were floating loose on the water than to seek them on\nboard the Norwegian ships, and in this manner did their ships linger.\nWhen King Svein overtook them in his ship bade he them proceed, and said\nshame was it that with an host as large as his they could not take the\nNorwegians, to whom was but few men, and get the fellows into their\npower.\nThen began the Danes to row the harder again, and when King Harald saw\nthat they were making way bade he his men lighten their ships by\nthrowing overboard malt and wheat and swine-flesh, even to chopping open\ntheir kegs of drink, and for a while these aids availed them well. Then\ndid King Harald command that the war-hurdles should be taken, also\ncasks, and empty barrels, and be cast overboard and on them and in them\nwere placed prisoners of war.\nNow when King Svein saw all of these floating together on the sea he\nordered that the men should be rescued, and accordingly was this done.\nWhile his men were occupied in this their task, grew greater the\ndistance between the fleets, and when the Danes were again about the\nchase had the Norwegians already made good their escape. Thus saith\nThorleik the Fair:\n 'I heard tell in what manner Svein\n The eastmen put to flight at sea,\n How the other King quick-minded gat him gone;\n All the plunder of the Thrond-folk's King\n On the Jutland sea was floating;\n And sundry ships lost he withal.'\n\u00b6 Under Lesey, did King Svein withdraw his fleet, and there found he\nseven Norwegian ships, but aboard them were only peasants and men who\nhad been mustered for war.\nWhen King Svein took them begged they for quarter and offered money in\nransom. Thus saith Thorleik the Fair:\n 'For grace did Harald's friends stout-hearted\n Pray the King, and they few laid down their arms;\n The peasants ready-witted refused to fight thereafter,\n Speaking because their lives out they wished to live.'\n\u00b6 Anent King Harald be it said that he was masterful and a strong ruler\nin his own land, a very sage man withal, & it be common talk that there\nwas never a chief in the Northlands so wise or ready in resource as he.\nA great warrior also, and very valiant, stronger, & defter with weapons\nthan any other man; but all this have we recorded before.\nNevertheless the greater number of his doughty deeds go unrecorded, and\nthis in part by reason of our lack of knowledge thereof, & in part by\nreason that we will not put in books tales for which there is no\nwitness, even though in our hearing have such things been told. It\nbeseemeth us better that something may be added hereafter than that much\nshould need to be taken herefrom. About King Harald are many tales set\nforth in lays which the Icelandic men made to him or to his sons, & for\nthis reason was he a firm friend to them. A firm friend also was he to\nall our countrymen, and once when there was a great famine in Iceland\npermitted King Harald four of his ships to carry meal to that island,\nand decreed that six bushels thereof should not cost more than a hundred\nells of homespun; furthermore allowed he those that were stricken by\npoverty to leave if so be that they could find themselves in victuals\nthe voyage thro' over to the main, and by these means was the land saved\nand the harvest thereof bettered.\nKing Harald set up a bell for the church which was builded with timber\nsent hither by the sainted King Olaf, and raised on a site nigh by where\nthe Althing takes place. Such memories have we here of King Harald & of\nmany other great gifts which he granted to men that sought them.\nHalldor Snorrason and Ulf Uspakson, whereof we have afore wrote, hied\nthem to Norway even into the service of King Harald.\nIn manifold parts were they opposite one from the other. Halldor was\nvery big & strong and handsome, and King Harald bore witness regarding\nhim that he was among those of his men who altered least in unawaited\ncircumstances: whether such might be peril or tidings of joy, or through\nthings that might occur when danger was toward; never was he more\npleased nor less pleased, never did he sleep more nor less; nor took\nmeat & drink otherwise than as was his wont. Halldor was a silent man &\nharsh, speaking bluntly, also was he stubborn and unmeek; and this was\nnot to the liking of the King since he had many other bold and willing\nmen.\nHalldor abode with the King but a short time and then fared back to\nIceland, and made to himself a home at Hiardarholt, abiding there till\nhe was aged and become an old man.\n\u00b6 In great love dwelt Ulf Uspakson with King Harald; a very wise man was\nhe, eloquent, strong, large-hearted, & resourceful. King Harald created\nhim his marshal and gave him in wedlock Jorun the daughter of Thorberg\nwhose daughter, to wit Thora, was wife to King Harald. The children of\nUlf and Jorun were Joan the Strong of Rasvold, & Brigida, the mother of\nSheep-Wolf, who was the father of Peter Burden-Swain\u00a7 who again was the\nfather of Ulf Fly and of the other brothers and sisters of this latter.\nThe son of Joan the Strong was Erling, he that was the father of\nArchbishop Eystein and his brothers.\nKing Harald gave Ulf the Marshal the rights of a feudatory and a grant\nof twelve marks with more than half a folkland in Throndhjem; this\naccording to Stein Herdison in the lay of Ulf.\n\u00b6 Now it came to pass that King Magnus Olafson had caused the church of\nSaint Olaf\u00a7 to be builded in Nidaros on the self-same spot whereon his\nfather's body had rested for a night, and this spot was then above the\ntown; there too builded he the King's-House.\nThe church was not finished when the King died. Harald completed that\nwhich was lacking to the church, and in the yard thereof laid he the\nfoundation of a stone hall, but this was not ready before he set to work\nto build the church of Saint Mary up on the sand-bank, nigh the spot\nwhere the holy body of the King lay buried that first winter after his\ndeath.\nIt was a great minster and so firmly was it builded with lime that it\nscarce could be broken when Archbishop Eystein had it pulled down.\nIn the church of Saint Olaf were preserved ye relics of King Olaf\u00a7\nwhiles the church of St. Mary was abuilding.\nKing Harald builded a King's-House below the church of Mary, by the\nriver, where it now stands; & the hall which he had builded before,\ndedicated he to the church of Saint Gregory.\u00a7\n\u00b6 A certain man there was named Ivar the White, who was a bold\nfeudatory; his seat lay in the Uplands, and himself was a grandson of\nEarl Hakon the Great. In appearance was Ivar exceeding comely. The son\nof Ivar was named Hakon, and it hath been said of him that he surpassed\nall the men in Norway at that time for strength and courage & ability;\nhe was much in warfare in his youth & made great advancement for\nhimself, and later was he a very famous man.\n\u00b6 Einar Thamberskelfir was the most powerful of the feudatories in\nThrondhjem; little friendship throve there betwixt himself & Harald,\nnatheless retained he the land-dues which had pertained to him during\nthe lifetime of Magnus.\nEinar was an exceedingly wealthy man; he was wedded to Bergliot daughter\nof Earl Hakon, as hath been writ before. Eindrid, their son, was now\nfull-grown, and had to wife Sigrid the daughter of Ketil Calf and of\nGunhild, the niece of King Harald through her mother.\nEindrid inherited fairness and beauty from the kindred of his mother, to\nwit, Earl Hakon and his sons; and from his father, Einar, gat he height\nand strength and the craft which Einar had above all other men; a very\nhearty man was Eindrid withal.\n\u00b6 Orm was the name of a certain Earl in the Uplands, and his mother was\nRagnhild the daughter of Earl Hakon the Great. This Orm was a very\nexcellent man.\nIn those days Aslak Erlingson lived eastward at Soli in Jadar; he had to\nwife Sigrid the daughter of Earl Svein Hakonson.\nGunhild, another daughter to Earl Svein, was wedded to the Danish King\nSvein Ulfson. This anent the offspring in Norway of Earl Hakon at that\ntime, and moreover anent many other bold men; all of the line of Earl\nHakon were more comely than other folk and the most of them were very\nable men, but all were brave.\n\u00b6 King Harald loved power, & this grew according as he took root in the\nland; to so great an extent did it wax that in the case of most men it\nbootless was to speak against him, or to bring forward other matters\nthan those which were to his mind. Thus saith Thiodolf the Skald:\n 'The men of the war-wont chieftain\n All humble have to sit or stand\n There in such place as the stern king desireth;\n Before the filler of ravens bend many men,\n And few there are indeed who will not do in all things\n Whate'er the King may bid.'\n\u00b6 Ever was Einar Thamberskelfir the chief leader of the Throndhjem\npeasantry, and their spokesman at the Thing when the King proceeded\nagainst them. Well acquainted was he with the laws; nor, with all the\npeasantry at his back, was he lacking in boldness to carry through his\ncause at the Things, even though the King himself might be present.\nNow this made the King exceeding wroth, and at last were matters at such\na pass that they disputed together with contentious words, Einar\nswearing that the peasants would not brook the lawlessness of the King\nif he should break the common law of the land. After this fashion did\nthey fall out on sundry occasions. Then Einar started to have many men\nround him when he was at home, and many more when he came to town and\nthe King was present. On one occasion when he fared in to town had he\nwith him many folk, eight or nine long-ships, and nigh upon five hundred\nmen;\u00a7 and coming to town he went ashore with this fellowship, and King\nHarald who by hap was in the outer gallery of his house, stood and\nlooked on as the men to Einar flocked up from their ships, and it is\nsaid that Harald thereupon chanted this:\n 'Here see I speeding up\n With his great following\n Einar Thamberskelfir;\n Yea, he who cleaveth the waves.\n That lord full strong is minded\n A princely throne to fill;\n At the heels of an earl\n House-carles but few will follow.\n He who the sword makes red\n Will beguile us of our land\n If Einar kisseth not\n The thin mouth of the axe.'\n\u00b6 Some days that while tarried Einar in the town.\nNow it came to pass that one day a folk-mote was held, for it had\nbefallen that a thief had been taken in the town, and it was at this\nmote that he was to be brought to trial, & the King himself was present.\nAforetime had the man been in the service of Einar who had favoured him\nmore than a little. Now of this matter was Einar told, and deemed he\nthat the King would not be the more prone to liberate the man because\nhe, Einar, set store by him, so accordingly bade he his men arm\nthemselves and in force to proceed to the mote, and then took Einar the\nman away by dint of sheer strength.\nThereafter mediated the friends of either in the matter, & the end\nthereof came that it was agreed that a tryst should be appointed and\nthat the King & Einar should meet one another. There was a\ncouncil-chamber in the King's-House down by the river,\u00a7 and into this\nchamber entered the King and with him therein were but few men; the\nothers left he standing without in the courtyard. Now the King had had a\nshutter placed over the smoke-hole, & there was but a little opening.\nThen did Einar come into the courtyard with his men, and said he to his\nson Eindrid: 'Remain thou out here with the men, and then will there be\nno danger for me.'\nWherefore did Eindrid take up his station without the door of the\ncouncil-chamber.\nNow when Einar was entered into this room said he: 'Dark is it in the\nKing's council-chamber,' and even at that moment fell men upon him and\nsome stabbed him & some hewed at him, and when Eindrid heard the tumult\ndrew he his sword and rushed into the chamber whereon forthwith was he\nfelled beside his father.\nThen did the King's men run towards the chamber and before the door\nthereof, but the peasants were all at a loss because now to them\npertained no leader; yet did they urge one another on saying that it\nwere shame not to avenge their chief, but for all that did they naught,\n& made no essay to fight. Then went the King out to his men, set them in\narray, & caused his banner to be unfurled, but made he no onset &\nthereafter bade he all his men go out to his ship, then rowed they down\nthe river and so out on the fjord.\nNow apace was brought the intelligence of the death of Eindrid to\nBergliot his wife for she was in the lodging that she and Einar\ninhabited in the town. Thence went she up unto the King's-House where\nwas gathered the peasant host and them incited she to fight inasmuch as\nin her lay, but at that same moment rowed the King down the river, then\nquoth Bergliot: 'Now lack we my kinsman Hakon Ivarson; ne'er would the\nmurderers of Eindrid be rowing there adown the river were Hakon on its\nbanks.'\nThereafter caused Bergliot the bodies of Einar & Eindrid be laid out,\nand they were buried in the church of Saint Olaf hard by the tomb of\nKing Magnus Olafson.\nAfter the fall of Einar became King Harald so greatly hated for his\nshare in that foul deed, that the feudatories and peasants only held\nback from fighting with him because to them pertained no leader to raise\nthe banner for them.\n [Illustration]\n\u00b6 Now dwelling at Austrat in Iriar was Fin Arnison, feudatory of King\nHarald.\nFin was married with Bergliot, the daughter of Halfdan the son of Sigurd\nSow, & Halfdan was the brother of King Olaf and King Harald.\nThora, wife to King Harald, was the daughter of the brother of Fin\nArnison; sworn friends to the King were Fin and his brethren. Certain\nsummers had Fin been in viking warfare westward and on those quests he &\nGuthorm Gunhildson\u00a7 & Hakon Ivarson had sailed in company. So fared King\nHarald down the Throndhjem fjord and out to Austrat, where he was well\nreceived, and thereafter communed they together, Fin and he, & took\ncounsel one with the other as to the outcome concerning what had but\nthen befallen, to wit the slaying of Einar and his son, and then of that\nmurmuring and turmoil the which the Throndhjem folk were raising over\nagainst the King.\nFin answered hastily: 'Wrong art thou on every count; whatsoever thou\ndoest thou doest ill & thereafter art thou so afeared that thou knowest\nno whither to turn.'\nThe King rejoined laughing: 'Kinsman-in-law, I will send thee in to town\n& thou shalt make it up betwixt the peasants and me; & if that business\ncometh to naught then shalt thou fare to the Uplands, & good feeling\nagain cause with Ivar Hakonson & so bring it about that he goeth not to\nwar against me.' Fin answered: 'What will be my reward an I go on this\nfool's errand, for alike Throndhjem folk and Upland folk are so hostile\nto thee that no messenger of thine could fare to them save at his own\nrisk.'\nThe King answered: 'Go thou on this errand, kinsman-in-law, for well wot\nI an any man could bring us to a reconciliation it would be thee, & ask\nthyself of us what boon thou wilt have therefor.'\n'Keep thou thy word, and I will choose the boon; I choose peace for my\nbrother Calf and removal of his outlawry, and the restoring unto him of\nall his possessions; and furthermore I ask that he shall have all his\nappointments and all the power that he had or ever he left the land.'\nAnd the King said yea to all whatever Fin asked of him, & they twain\nbefore witnesses took one another by the hand thereon. Thereafter said\nFin: 'But what am I to proffer Hakon so that he may promise thee peace,\nfor he it is who hath the upper hand of those kinsmen'? The King said:\n'First shalt thou find out what Hakon is like to demand so that\nreconciliation may be brought about, and thereafter must thou forward my\ncause as best thou canst; but should the worst come to the worst, then\ndeny him nothing save & except the kingship itself.'\n\u00b6 Then went King Harald southward to More where mustered he men, and a\ngreat number was gathered unto him.\n\u00b6 So Fin Arnison fared into the town & took with him his house-carles to\nthe number of some eighty men, and being come to the town held he a\nThing with the townsmen. Now Fin spoke long and wisely at this Thing,\nbidding townsman and peasant take any other course rather than live in\nhatred with his King or drive him away; & he reminded them how much ill\nthey had been brought to suffer when they had acted in this wise\naforetime, towards the sainted King Olaf.\nHe said, moreover, that the King would atone for these murders in such\nmanner as the best & wisest men might adjudge; and the outcome of the\nspeech of Fin was that the men gave their word to let the matter rest\nuntil the return of the messengers despatched by Bergliot to Hakon\nIvarson in the Uplands. Thereafter fared Fin out to Orkadal with the men\nwho had accompanied him to town, and further up to the Dofrafjal and\neastward (south) across those mountains; and firstly went he to see his\nkinsman-in-law Earl Orm (the Earl was wedded to Sigrid the daughter to\nFin) & to him disclosed his errand.\n\u00b6 When this was done, appointed they a tryst with Hakon Ivarson, & when\nthey were met did Fin before Hakon lay his errand in accordance with the\nbehest of King Harald. But on the instant was it seen from the speech of\nHakon that he deemed himself bound to avenge the slaying of his kinsman\nEindrid; and said he, moreover, that he had received word from\nThrondhjem that there would come to him forces sufficient for an\nuprising against the King.\n\u00b6 Then did Fin open unto Hakon what a difference would lie, and how much\nthe more to his own vantage, were he, in lieu of risking battle against\na King to whom he was already bounden by service, to accept from that\nKing honour as great as he himself might demand. Fin said that Hakon\nmight be unvictorious; 'and then wouldst thou have forfeited both wealth\nand peace; and if thou wert victorious over the King then wouldst thou\nbe dubbed a traitor.'\nThe Earl also supported this speaking of Fin.\nWhen Hakon had given the matter thought, made he known to them what was\nin his mind, & said: 'I will accept reconciliation from King Harald if\nhe will give me in wedlock his kinswoman Ragnhild, the daughter of\nMagnus Olafson, with such a dowry as is seemly for her, and as she\nherself may desire.'\nThen Fin answered that he would promise the fulfilment of this request\non behalf of King Harald, & therewith was the matter ratified between\nthem. Thereafter fared Fin back north to Throndhjem, and all the\ndisquiet and turmoil was set at rest; and so in the end kept the King\nhis kingdom in peace within the land, for now the whole of that league\ncame to naught which the kinsfolk of Eindrid had set against King\nHarald.\n [Illustration]\n\u00b6 Now when the time was come that Hakon was to demand the fulfilment of\nthe contract, fared he to see King Harald; and when they began talking\nof the matter together, said the King to him that he on his side would\nkeep to everything that had been covenanted twixt Hakon and Fin: 'Thou\nshalt speak with Ragnhild herself, Hakon,' said the King, 'and ask her\nconsent to this match, but I would not advise thee, or any other, to wed\nRagnhild save with her consent.'\nThereafter went Hakon unto Ragnhild and asked her hand, and she\nanswered: 'Indeed feel I that my father, King Hakon, is dead, since I am\nto be given to a peasant, fine man though thou art and of mighty\nprowess. Were King Magnus alive would he never yoke me with any mate\nless than a king, nor can it be awaited now that I will wed a man\nwithout princely rank.' Now after this went Hakon to King Harald &\nopened unto him of the colour of the speech of Ragnhild, & withal to his\nmemory again commended the agreement betwixt himself and Fin; and Fin\nwas there present, & sundry others who could also bear witness to what\nwas pledged betwixt him and Fin. Then of them all demanded Hakon to bear\nhim out in regard to the agreement that the King should give Ragnhild\nsuch dowry as was to her mind: 'Since she will not wed an unprincely man\nthen canst thou give me an earldom; lineage have I, and according to\nwhat folk say certain other qualities therewith that may well give me\ntitle to be an earl.' Then said the King: 'When King Olaf, my brother,\n& King Magnus, his son, ruled the kingdom, one earl did they allow to be\nin the country at a time; this likewise hath been my plan since I have\nbeen King, & therefore will I not take away from Orm the dignity which I\nhave already given him.' Then saw Hakon that his cause had not been\nforwarded and he liked it but ill, and Fin was likewise exceeding wrath\nthat the King had not kept his word, and thereafter they parted. Hakon\nfared straightway from the country in a well-found long-ship, and\nsouthward steered a course for Denmark where he betook him to his\nkinsman-in-law, King Svein. The King received him with great pleasure &\ngave him large grants in Denmark and made he Hakon also captain of his\ncoast defences, which were against vikings, who oft-times harried in the\nDanish realm, and Wends, and Courlanders, and other folk coming from the\neast. Therefore at sea, on his ships, dwelt Hakon in winter as well as\nin summer.\n\u00b6 Asmund was the name of a certain man who was said to be nephew\u00a7 &\nfoster-son to King Svein, a very able man was he, and well-beloved by\nthe King.\nBut when Asmund grew to man's estate soon showed he himself of an unruly\ncomplexion & a manslayer; and the King being ill-pleased thereat sent\nhim away, but gave him a company of men and a goodly feof whereof could\nhe full well find support.\nNow no sooner had Asmund accepted the money of the King than gathered he\nmany men to him, and thereafter, since the money the King had granted\nhim sufficed in no sort for his charges, seized he many possessions of\nthe King.\nFor this ill conduct, when the King heard thereof, summoned he Asmund to\nhim, and when they met told him that obeyed would he be, that he must\nenter his body-guard & no longer have his own company of men. When\nAsmund had been a time with the King, became he ill-content, & one night\nran he away and rejoined his company, and thereafter wrought even more\nevil than aforetime.\nThen it befell once upon a time when the King was riding in his\ndominions, that he came nigh unto the place where then abode Asmund and\nhe despatched men to take him by force, and that done the King had him\nput in irons and kept him thus for a while to see if he would not grow\nmeeker. But when Asmund was let loose from his irons forthwith ran he\nthe more away, & raised men and war-ships, and fell to harrying both at\nhome and abroad, & much war-work did he, slaying many folk, and\npillaging far and wide. Those men that were the sufferers from his raids\nwent to the King and made plaint before him, and he rejoined: 'Why say\nye this to me, why do ye not fare to Hakon Ivarson? He is now the warden\nof my coasts, and is put there to punish vikings and keep the peace for\nye peasants. It was told me that Hakon was a bold man and brave, but\nmethinks that now is he never to be found where he deemeth danger to be\ntoward.'\nThese words from the King, and many added to them, came to the ears of\nHakon, & thereon went Hakon & his men in search of Asmund, & they were\nmet on their ships, wherefore Hakon forthwith gave battle. A hard &\ngreat struggle was it; Hakon boarded Asmund's ship and cleared it, and\nat the last he and Asmund themselves dealt blows one at another with\ntheir weapons & thus fell Asmund. Thereafter Hakon smote off his head,\n& then betook him with all speed to King Svein whom he found sitting at\ntable.\nHakon advanced before the table and laid the head thereon, in front of\nthe King, and asked of him whether he recognized it.\nNever a word did the King answer, but he was blood-red to behold.\nThereafter went Hakon away. A little later sent the King men to him, to\nbid him leave his service, & he said: 'No hurt will I do him, but it is\nnot for us to be the keeper of all our kinsmen.'\n\u00b6 Then when all these things were accomplished did Hakon quit Denmark &\nthence fared forth to the north of Norway, to his demesne.\nBy that time was his kinsman, Earl Orm, dead.\nThe friends and kindred to Hakon were rejoiced over his coming, and many\na bold man set to work to make peace betwixt him & the King, & in the\nend were they reconciled, to wit, both King Harald and Hakon; and Hakon\nwas given Ragnhild, the King's daughter, in marriage, & King Harald gave\nhim Orm's earldom and such rule as had been Orm's aforetime. Hakon swore\nfealty to the King, and likewise to afford him such service as he was\nbounden to give him.\n\u00b6 Since he had fared from Norway had Calf Arnison been living after the\nfashion of a viking westward, but the winters through oft-times abode he\nin Orkneyja (the Orkneys) with his kinsman-in-law, Earl Thorfin. Fin\nArnison sent to his brother Calf to tell him concerning the covenant\nwhich he and King Harald had encompassed, the purport whereof being ye\noutlawry of Calf himself, to wit, that it should be once more lawful to\nhim to dwell in his own land, and possess his estates, and such land\ndues as he had held aforetime from King Magnus. When Calf received this\nmessage, forthwith made he him ready to quit, and sailed he east to\nNorway, and firstly sought he his brother Fin.\nThereafter Fin craved a truce for Calf, and then were they confronted,\nthe King and Calf, & entered into a covenant like unto the agreement to\nwhich the King & Fin had arrived on this matter. Thereon gave Calf his\nhand, and bound himself on the same terms as he had bound himself to\nKing Magnus aforetime, that he would do all such works as King Harald\ndesired or deemed would be for the strengthening of his kingdom.\nThen was Calf re-endowed with all his possessions, and the land-dues\nwhich had been his in former days.\n\u00b6 Next summer called out King Harald an host and fared to Denmark where\nhe harried during the summer.\nBut when he was come south to Fion (Funen) found he a large host\nassembled against him, so bade the King his men leave their ships and\narm themselves in order to make a landing; and parted he his host and\ngave to Calf Arnison command over one company thereof, and bade them go\nthe first ashore and told them where to take up their station; himself,\nsaid he, would go up after them, and come to their assistance.\nCalf and his men went ashore, and anon a band of men set upon them, and\nCalf forthwith gave battle. Not long was the combat, for Calf was\noverborne by odds and fled with his folk. The Danes pursued them,\nslaying many of the Norwegians, and likewise Calf Arnison.\nWhen King Harald with his company were come ashore soon found they the\nslain, more especially the corse of Calf, and this was borne down to the\nships, but the King pursued his march inland where he harried and slew\nmany men. Thus saith Arnor:\n 'The edge so sharp in Fion\n He reddened, and the fire\n Rushed o'er the dwelling;\n Fewer folk were there thereafter in Fion.'\n\u00b6 After this conceived Fin Arnison enmity against Harald for the slaying\nof his brother Calf, for said he that the King had purposely compassed\nthe death of Calf; and furthermore that it was befooling of him himself,\nto wit, this luring of Calf west across the seas into the power of King\nHarald, and into putting faith in him. When these words were spread\nabroad spake many men their mind that Fin had been simple when he had\ndeemed that Calf could trust in the good faith of King Harald, for it\nwas known that the King bore malice for deeds of smaller consequence\nthan those Calf had committed against his person.\nNow let the King every man talk on this matter as he listed: he made\nneither confirmation nor yet contradiction of whatsoever they said, and\nit was in his own words alone that men did discover satisfaction at what\nhad happened. King Harald chanted this song:\n 'Now of men eleven and two have I the bane been,\n We incite to battle and full many a slaying I remember.\n That mind which is with treason fraught\n Seeks to tame men by falseness;\n Men say 'tis little that it takes such a balance to disturb.'\n\u00b6 So much to heart did Fin Arnison take the death of his brother that he\nquitted the land and came south to Denmark, and going unto King Svein\nwas well received by him. The King & he spake long together privily,\n& at the end thereof was it known how Fin was minded then and there to\ntake service with King Svein and become his man. To him gave Svein the\ntitle or Earl and therewith Halland to govern, and there Fin tarried to\nsafeguard the coast against the Norwegians.\n\u00b6 Now Ketil Calf & Gunhild had a son whose name was Guthorm of Ringanes.\nOn his mother's side was he the nephew of King Olaf and King Harald,\nable was he withal & early come to manhood. Guthorm was oft with King\nHarald who to him was of very friendly countenance, and over Harald had\nGuthorm much influence for he was a wise man & well-beloved of all.\nGuthorm sailed often on viking cruises to the lands in the west, and had\ndisposition over many men.\nHis peace-land & place of abode in winter was Dublin in Ireland, where\nhe was a sworn friend of King Margad.\u00a7\n\u00b6 The summer thereafter King Margad and Guthorm with him fared to\nBretland (Wales) in order to harry there, and thence took they much\nwealth which they had pillaged. After having done thus, lay they to in\nAnglesey Sound so that they might part their plunder, but when all the\nsilver, and great was the quantity, was carried before the King and he\nbeheld it, then desired he to keep all for himself, and seemed now to\nset scant store by his friendship with Guthorm.\nGuthorm liked ill enough that he and his men should be scotched of their\nshare of the booty; & still less pleased was he when the King said he\nmight choose betwixt two things; 'Either to submit to our will, or do\nbattle with us, and he who gets the victory to have the money; and thou\nmoreover shalt depart from thy ships and I will take them.' Now on\neither hand the task seemed severe; Guthorm deemed it unseemly that he\nshould without rime or reason give up his ships & money, but natheless\nwas it ill fighting over against a King to whom was an host so large as\nthat which followed Margad. Grave also was the disparity betwixt the\ncrews thereof, inasmuch as to the King were sixteen long-ships & to\nGuthorm only five. So Guthorm prayed the King grant him three nights'\ntruce in the which to confer with his men on this matter, for thought he\nthat he could soften the King within this time, and aided by the\npleading of his men could set the matter on a better footing with the\nKing, but never a bit did he get what he asked for. This was on the eve\nof St. Olafmas.\u00a7 So Guthorm chose to die, the stout fellow he was, or\nwin the day, rather than suffer the shame and disgrace and mockery of\nhaving lost so vast a deal.\nAnd called he upon God and the sainted King Olaf, his kinsman, praying\nfor their help and support, and vowing to bestow on that holy man's\nhouse a tithe of all the plunder which would fall to them an they gained\nthe victory. Thereafter did he array his host, and rank it against the\ngreater host, and he advanced on them and fought with them, and by God's\nhelp and that of the holy King Olaf did he gain the victory. There fell\nKing Margad, and every man who was with him, young & old. After this\nglorious victory Guthorm returned home joyfully with all the wealth he\nhad gotten from the strife; & from the silver which had changed hands\nevery tenth penny was set aside for the sainted King Olaf even as\nGuthorm had vowed. A vast deal of money was there so that from the\nsilver caused Guthorm to be made a rood of his own stature, or of that\nof the captain of his ship, and that holy symbol is seven ells in\nheight.\nThis cross did Guthorm give to the church of the holy St. Olaf, & there\u00a7\nhas it remained ever since in testimony of ye victory of Guthorm and the\nmiracle of ye sainted King Olaf.\n\u00b6 Now there was in Denmark a Count who was evil & envious, and he had a\nNorwegian serving-woman and the stock of her was from Throndhjem. She\nworshipped the holy King Olaf, and put staunch faith in his sanctity;\nbut the Count misdoubted all that had been told him of the miracles of\nthat holy man, & affirmed that naught were they but rumour and talk, and\nlaughed to scorn all the praise and worship which the folk of the land\naccorded the good King.\nBut now was drawing nigh the day whereon the gentle King laid down his\nlife, a day which all Norwegians kept, but which this unwise count\nrefused to hallow; & he bade his serving-woman fire the oven and bake on\nthat day.\nAnd deeming from the mood of the Count that he would soon avenge himself\non her an she did not obey him in all that he had bidden her do, went\nshe all unwillingly and laid fire under the oven, and made much plaint\nwhile she worked, & called on King Olaf, saying that she would never\nbelieve more on him if he did not by some token or other avenge this\nunseemliness. And now shall ye hear of a meet chastisement & true\nmiracle: it befell forthwith, in the self-same moment, that the Count\nbecame blind in both eyes and that the bread which she had baked was\nturned into stone.\nSome of the stones have been brought to the church of the holy King\nOlaf, and also to many other places. St. Olafmas has ever been kept holy\nin Denmark since that happening.\n [Illustration]\n\u00b6 Westward in Valland (France) was there a man who was so malformed that\nhe was a cripple, and crawled he ever on his knees and knuckles. One day\nwhen he was abroad, on a road, he fell asleep & dreamt that a man all\nglorious without came to him and asked whither was he bound, and the\ncripple answered with the name of a certain town.\nThen the man all glorious said: 'Fare thee rather to St. Olaf's Church\nin London, and there wilt thou be healed.' Thereafter awakened the\ncripple and straightway fared in search of St. Olaf's Church, and after\na while was come to London Bridge & there asked of the townsmen whether\nthey could direct him to St. Olaf's Church; but for answer gat he that\nthere were too many churches for them to know to what man each of them\nwas dedicated. A while later came up a man & asked him whither was he\nbound, and he told him whither he was bound, and that man said\nafterwards: 'We will both go to St. Olaf's Church, for I know the way\nthither.'\nSo then crossed they the bridge, and went to the street which led to\nSt. Olaf's Church. When they were come to the gates of the churchyard\nthe man stepped over the threshold which is between the gates, but the\ncripple rolled over it, and lo, straightway rose he up a whole man. When\nhe looked round his comrade was gone.\n\u00b6 King Harald founded a merchant town eastward in Oslo,\u00a7 and often\ntarried there for it had broad countrysides round about, and was a place\nsuited for the ingathering of victuals; likewise was it well situated\nfor the defence of the land against the Danes, & also for onsets on\nDenmark which Harald was wont to make even at such times when he had a\nlarge host at his beck.\nOne summer fared King Harald with some light ships and but few men and\nset he sail south for Viken; but on a fair wind springing up, crossed he\nthe sea to Jutland where he began to harry.\nThe men of the land, however, collected themselves together & defended\ntheir country, so then sailed King Harald on to Limfjord and went up\nthat fjord.\nNow Limfjord is so fashioned in shape that going up it is like entering\ninto a narrow river-groove, but as thou goest on up the fjord it\nbecometh like a great sea.\nHarald harried there on both shores, but beheld the Danes everywhere\nassembled in numbers. King Harald brought-to his ships alongside an\nisland which was small & thereon were no buildings; and when they went\nin search of water they found none, and told it unto the King.\nThen he did send men to see if no adder could be found on the isle, &\nwhen one had been found they brought it to the King and he had the adder\ntaken to the fire so that it might be warmed and teased thereby, and\nbecome right thirsty. Thereafter a twine was bound to its tail and the\nadder was let loose, and it crawled away and the twine was unwound from\nthe ball, and they followed after the adder until it struck into the\nearth.\nThen the King bade them dig for water, and they dug for it, and there\nfound water in abundance.\n\u00b6 From his spies learned King Harald the intelligence that King Svein\nwas come with a large fleet of ships to the mouth of the fjord, and that\nhe was making way but slowly, for his ships could only pass in one at a\ntime. King Harald took his ships up Limfjord, and over against where it\nis broadest it is called Lusbreid. Now from the creek within is there a\nnarrow neck of land westward (north) leading to the sea, and thither did\nthe men to Harald row in the evening; after nightfall, when it was dark,\nthey cleared the ships & haled them right over this isthmus, and before\ndaylight all was accomplished and the ships once more ready for sea.\nThen shaped he the course northward past Jutland, and they sang:\n 'From Danish grip\n Did Harald slip.'\n\u00b6 At that time said the King that he would come to Denmark once again,\n& would bring with him more men & larger ships. After these things fared\nthey northward to Throndhjem.\n\u00b6 That winter abode King Harald in Nidaros, & at this time caused he a\nship to be builded out on the islands, and it was a bussa-ship\u00a7 made\nafter the model of the Long Serpent and wrought every way as carefully\nas might be.\nAt her bows was a dragon-head and at her stern a crook, and the ......\u00a7\nwere all overlaid with gold. On her were thirty-five benches, and broad\nwas she of beam in comparison therewith.\nVery fair to behold was she. The King caused all the appurtenances of\nthe ship to be chosen with exceeding great care, both the sail, the\nrunning tackle, the anchor and the cables.\nThat winter King Harald sent word southward to Denmark to King Svein,\nbidding him come in spring from the south to the River, to a meeting\nwith him, & saying that they would then fight to the end that one or\nother of their countries should change hands, & the victor become master\nof both kingdoms.\n\u00b6 That winter called out King Harald a host, a general host, from all\nNorway, and by spring-tide had been assembled together a mighty array of\nmen.\nThen launched the King his great ship on the river Nid, and after that\nwas accomplished caused he the dragon-head be placed thereon.\nThen sang Thiodolf the Skald:\n 'Fair maid, forward is the ship guided, from river to main.\n Mark where off the land there lieth the long hull of the dragon.\n The mane of the serpent yellow-green glints on the deck,\n The prows were burnt-gold as from off the slip she glided.'\n\u00b6 Thereafter fitted King Harald out the ship and his men for a cruise,\nand all being made ready, stood he down the river, and right well\nanswered she to the oars. Thus saith Thiodolf:\n 'Saturday the prince casts off the long land tilts,\n There where the widows proud the serpent watch,\n As she glideth from the town.\n West from the Nid thereafter the King doth steer,\n Into the sea drop the oars of his men.\n Move can they, the King's lads, the straight oars in the water.\n The widows stand and wonder at the oar-strokes so swift,\n The thole knows hurt when seventy oars do move her\n I' the water ere the war-folk on the sea their oars do strain.\n Northmen the serpent row (nailed is she)\n out on the billow-stream icy;\n 'Tis eagles' wings that we behold.'\n\u00b6 Southward sailed King Harald with his host alongside the land, so that\nhe might call out a general muster of men and ships. But when they were\ncome eastward, and were off Vik, arose a strong contrary wind wherefore\nwas the fleet obliged to stand in for harbour, making such havens as\nwere to be found in the skerries as well as those in the fjords.\nQuoth Thiodolf:\n 'Lee have the shaven hulls of the ships under the woods,\n The King's war-host towards land doth lean with its prow beams.\n The land-folk in the skerries, within the creeks, do lie;\n The ships white-mail\u00e8d hide under the land-necks.'\n\u00b6 Now in the tempest which fell upon them the great ship had need of\ngood anchor tackle, and thus saith Thiodolf:\n 'Prow foremost the prince cleft\n High fences of the sea;\n The ropes of the King's ship\n Are strain\u00e8d to the utmost;\n The wind is unfriendly\n Against the anchor-iron out-hollowed,\n Grit and wind-squalls ugly\n Chafe at the anchor flukes.'\n\u00b6 As soon as there was come to him a fair wind, took King Harald the\nhost east to the River, and thither came towards nightfall. Thus saith\nThiodolf:\n 'Now drave King Harald hotly the war-ships towards the River,\n At nightfall Norway's King anigh the marches is.\n A Thing the King now holds at Thumla, there where Svein\n Will meet to war if so be the Danes shirk not the tryst.'\n\u00b6 When the Danes learned that the hosts of the Norwegians were come, all\nthose that were able to do so fled away.\nThe Norwegians likewise learnt that the Danish King had his host out,\nand was lying south off Funen and the small-isles; but when King Harald\nsaw that King Svein would not come to meet him as had been agreed, nor\ndo battle with him, then did he after the same fashion as before & let\nthe peasant host return to Norway; but manned he one hundred and fifty\u00a7\nships, & with these steered a course alongside Halland. There he\nplundered widely; and he put in also to Lofufjord with his host, and\ngoing up onto the land harried there likewise. Somewhile later came King\nSvein to the encounter with the Danish host, and to him was a tale of\nthree hundred\u00a7 ships. When the Norwegians saw this fleet bade King\nHarald a blast be blown to summon his host together, & many spake saying\nthat they ought to flee, & that it was unavailing for them to fight, but\nthe King answered thus: 'We will fall one atop of the other rather than\nflee!' Thus saith Stein Herdason:\n 'Said the chief high-minded, what now he awaited.\n Here (said the King) he had all hope of peace lost.\n Rather than yield, cried the King,\n should each man fall one on the top of the other.\n Their arms then took the men.'\n\u00b6 Then let King Harald his ships be cleared for action, and brought his\ngreat dragon forward into the very midst of the host. Thus saith\nThiodolf:\n 'The giver of kindly gifts\n Who oft to the wolf gave food,\n His dragon-ship put forward\n Midmost in the war-host.'\n\u00b6 This ship was well fitted out, and had a large crew.\nAnd again saith Thiodolf:\n 'The peace wishing King his ranks bade\n Bind fast the war-shields on the ships' sides;\n The prince's friends well ordered stand methinks.\n The leader of manly deeds,\n The doughty dragon closed,\n Outside the Niz, with shields, and one o'erlapped the other.'\n\u00b6 Ulf the Marshal brought his ship up alongside the royal ship, & bade\nher men place her well forward. Stein Herdason was on Ulf's ship, and he\nchanted thus:\n 'Ulf, the Marshal of the King,\n Cheered us all on to battle;\n The spears trembled when\n The ships were rowed to the fight.\n And, no doubt, the wise King's\n Valiant friend did bid his men\n His ship advance beside\n The prince's; the lads obeyed.'\n\u00b6 Stationed farthest out on one of the arms was Ivar Hakonson; under him\nhad he many and the men to him were well equipped. Farthest out on the\nother arm were the chiefs of Throndhjem, and to them likewise was a\nlarge and goodly host.\n\u00b6 And King Svein likewise ranged his host, and his ship laid he over\nagainst ye ship of Harald, in the midst of the host, and nighest to him\nwas Earl Fin, and next to him again the Danes ranked all of their host\nthat was bravest and best equipped. Thereafter either side lashed their\nships together in the midmost part of the fleet, but the hosts being so\nlarge it befell that there was a great number of ships faring loose, and\nso each captain placed his ship as far forward as he had courage for;\nbut that was exceeding varied. Now though the odds were so great yet\nnevertheless had either side a vast host, and in his to King Svein\npertained as many as seven earls. Thus saith Stein Herdason:\n 'The \"hersirs'\" valiant lord a risk did take him,\n With ships fifty and a hundred he waited for the Danes.\n Next was it that the ruler dear who dwells in Leidra\u00a7\n The sea cleft thither with three hundred sea-steeds.'\n\u00b6 Even so soon as he had made ready his ships, commanded King Harald the\nwar-blast to be sounded, and after this was done, rowed his men ahead.\nStein Herdason saith:\n 'Before the river's mouth, damage did Harald Svein.\n Hard withstanding made he; Harald asked not for peace.\n The King's sword-swinging lads forward off Halland rowed,\n And yonder on the sea caused wounds with blood to stream.'\n\u00b6 Then did either side join combat, and the struggle waxed very fierce.\nEither King lustily cheered on his men, as saith Stein Herdason:\n 'Eager for war the good shield-bearers bade their lads\n To shoot and hew (but short the space was 'twixt the hosts).\n Both stones & arrows streamed when the sword shook from it,\n The light blood, depriving of life the men of either host.'\n\u00b6 It was late in the day when battle was joined and the combatants\nfought the whole night; King Harald himself shot for long with his bow.\nThiodolf saith thus:\n 'Elm-bow did the Upland\n King draw all the night;\n Shrewd ruler of the land sent\n Arrows 'gainst the white shields;\n Barbs bloody harmed the peasants,\n And the King's arrows\n Fast in the shields did lodge\n (The spear-shots grew apace).'\n\u00b6 Earl Hakon & the men of his company did not lash their ships together,\nbut rowed against the Danish keels that were faring loose, and every\nship that they grappled did they clear. When the Danes noted this same\ndid every man move his ship away from the spot whither the Earl was\nfaring, but went he after them even as they withdrew, and wellnigh to\nfleeing were they.\nBut then came a boat rowing towards the Earl's ship, and those in it\nshouted & said that the other arm of ye battle array of King Harald had\ngiven way, and that many of their men had fallen there, so then rowed\nthe Earl away thither and fierce was his onset, so that the Danes again\ncaused their ships to fall astern. Thus did the Earl fare the whole of\nthat night, rowing round outside the combatants, and laying about him\nwheresoever it was required; & whithersoever he went he was in no\nfashion to be withstood.\nDuring the waning part of the night was there a general fight among the\nDanes; this was after King Harald & his band had boarded the own ship to\nKing Svein, and so utterly cleared it that all his men were slain save\nand except those that leapt into the sea. Thus saith Arnor Earl's-skald:\n 'Svein courageous went not from off his ship\n Without good cause (that is my mind);\n Hard was the fight for the helmets wasted,\n And empty did his craft float ere the eloquent friend of the Jutes\n Fled from his dead chosen fighters.'\n\u00b6 After the banner of King Svein had fallen & the ships to him had been\ncleared, fled away all his men save those who were slain, & they that\nfled sprang into the deep from those ships that were lashed together or\nclimbed on to other ships that were faring loose, but all of the men of\nKing Svein who were able to do so rowed off. Full many men fell there.\nAnd there, where the Kings themselves had fought & the greater number of\nthe ships had been lashed one to another, lay over seventy of the ships\nof that King; thus saith Thiodolf:\n 'Bold King of the Sogn-folk,\n (So 'tis sung) ships seven\n Times ten of men and arms\n From Svein's fleet cleared away.'\n\u00b6 King Harald after the Danes rowed hard and put them to rout, but no\neasy task was it, for so little sea-room was there betwixt the keels\nthat motion was well-nigh not possible. Earl Fin would in no wise\nconsent to flee and was taken captive; he could not see well. This is\nwhat Thiodolf saith:\n 'To six Danish earls a guerdon hast thou to give\n For one single victory,\n (They whet the heat of battle).\n In the midst of the ranks\n Fin Arnason was taken\n Battle-strong, stout-hearted;\n Ne'er would he think to flee.'\n\u00b6 Earl Hakon tarried behind with his ship, while the King and the rest\nwere pursuing after the fugitives, for the Earl could not get his ship\naway from the spot where she was lying. Just at that time rowed up a man\nin a boat to the ship and brought-to at the poop; a big man was he with\na broad-brimmed hat; 'Where is the Earl?' quoth he up to the ship. 'In\nthe forehold,' answered they him back, 'binding the wound of a man who\nis bleeding.' The Earl viewed the man with the hat and asked what might\nhis name be, to which he made answer: 'Vandrad\u00a7 is here, speak to me,\nEarl.' Then looked the Earl over the gunwale at him.\nThen said the boatman: 'I will receive my life of thee if thou wilt give\nit me.' Then the Earl rose up and called to two of his men, either of\nwhom was dear to him, and said: 'Get into the boat and set Vandrad\nashore; go with him to my friend Karl the Peasant, and tell him for a\ntoken to give Vandrad the horse which I gave to him yesterday, and to\ngive him his own saddle, and his son for a guide.' Then stepped they\ninto the boat & took the oars, & Vandrad steered.\nThis was hard nigh to the dawn of day, and there was much movement among\nthe ships, craft both large and small, some rowing to land, others to\nsea.\nVandrad steered there where thought he there was most sea-room betwixt\nthe craft, & whensoever any of the Norwegian ships rowed nigh them said\nthe Earl's men who they were, & then all let them go as they listed.\nVandrad steered along the shore & did not put to land ere they had come\npast the place where there was a great throng of ships.\n\u00b6 Thereafter walked they to the homestead of Karl at about the hour when\nthe light began to wax, and so went they into the living-room, and\nbeheld Karl but now clad. To him told the men from the Earl on what\nmission had they come, and Karl said that first must they eat, & caused\nfood to be set before them, & himself fetched them water for\nhand-washing. Then came the housewife into the chamber and straightway\nsaid she: 'Wondrous is it that we gat no sleep nor rest all night\nthrough, for the tumult and noise.' Karl answered: 'Knowest thou not\nthat the Kings fought together yesternight?' She asked: 'Who won?' Karl\nanswered: 'The Norwegians won.' 'Belike our King hath fled again,' said\nshe. Karl replied: 'In a bad way are we with our King for he is both\nhalt & craven.' Then spake Vandrad: 'The King is not craven, but neither\nhe is victorious.' Now Vandrad was the last to wash his hands, and when\nhe took the towel he dried himself in the midst thereof; but the\nhousewife seized it and pulled it from him, saying: 'Little good canst\nthou do; 'tis the way of common folk to wet all the towel at once.'\nVandrad answered: 'I shall yet come thither where I may dry myself\nmidmost in the towel.' Then sat they at meat for a while but afterwards\nwent out, and there was the horse standing ready, and that son of Karl\nwho was to bear Vandrad company sat another horse, and together rode\nthey forth to the forest. But the men from the Earl went back to their\nboat, & rowed out again to their ship.\n\u00b6 Harald and his men pursued the fugitives a short way, and thereafter\nreturned to those ships which had been deserted. And then searched they\nthe slain, finding in the King's ship a number of dead men; yet not\namong them was the body of King Svein; natheless was it deemed certain\nthat he must have fallen. King Harald let the corses of his men be laid\nout, or the wounds bound up of them that required it. Then caused he the\nbodies of the men of Svein to be borne ashore, & sent word to the\npeasants that they should bury them; thereafter caused he the plunder to\nbe divided, and abode for a while there at that spot. And there learnt\nhe the tidings that King Svein was come to Zealand, and that all of his\nhost which had not been routed in battle had rejoined him, and to him\nlikewise were come many other men, and that to him therefore was\nassembled a mighty large host.\n\u00b6 Now as ye have heard tell afore, was Earl Fin Arnason captured in the\nbattle, and before the King was he led. King Harald was then exceeding\njoyful, and said he, 'Here meet we twain, Fin, though lastwhiles in\nNorway; scarce hath the Danish court stood by thee! An ill piece of work\nwill the Norwegians have to drag thee, blind man, after them, and keep\nthee alive.'\nThen answered back the Earl: 'Many ill things have the Norwegians now to\ndo, & the worst of these is thy bidding.'\nThen said King Harald: 'Wilt thou have grace, though grace deservest\nthou not?' The Earl answered: 'Not from thee, hound!' The King said:\n'Dost desire that thy kinsman Magnus should give thee grace?' Magnus,\nthe son of King Harald, was captain of a ship at that time. Then said\nthe Earl: 'What hath that whelp to do with the meting out of grace?'\nThereat laughed the King, for he deemed it good sport to bait him, and\nsaid he: 'Wilt thou accept thy life from the hand of Thora, thy\nkinswoman?'\nThen the Earl said: 'Is she here?' 'She is here,' said the King.\nThen did Fin utter the scurvy words which were remembered long\nthereafter, and all were witness of how wroth he was since he could not\nstill his words: 'It is not to be wondered at that thou hast bitten well\nsince the mare is with thee.'\nTo Earl Fin was given quarter, and King Harald kept him with him for a\ntime, but Fin was somewhat unjoyful, and unmeek in his words. Then King\nHarald said: 'I see thou wilt not be friends with me nor with my\nkindred, so I will give thee leave to fare to Svein, thy King.' The Earl\nanswered: 'That will I accept, and the sooner I fare hence the more\ngrateful I shall be.' Thereafter the King let Fin be taken even to the\nland, where was he made welcome by the Hallanders.\nThence sailed King Harald north with his host to Norway, faring first to\nOslo, and in that place gave leave to all his men who desired it to go\neven to their own homes.\n\u00b6 It is said that King Svein abode that winter in Denmark, and held his\nstate as before.\nAnd in the winter sent he men northward to Halland to fetch Karl the\nPeasant to him, and likewise Karl's wife; and when they were come and he\nhad summoned Karl unto him he asked him if he had seen him before. Karl\nanswered: 'I know thee now, King, and I knew thee then even so soon as I\nsaw thee, and it is under God that the little help which I was able to\nafford thee was of use.' The King answered: 'For all the days I have yet\nto live I have to reward thee. Now firstly will I give thee whatever\nhomestead in Zealand thou art minded to have, and I will furthermore\nmake thee a great man an thou wottest how to act.'\nKarl thanked the King well for his words, and said that there was still\na favour he would pray of him. And the King asked what that might be.\nKarl said: 'I would ask this thing, King, that thou lettest me take my\nwife with me.' The King answered: 'I will not promise thee this thing,\nfor I will get thee a much better & wiser wife; but thy wife may keep\nthe small homestead ye have already; on that she can live.'\nAnd the King gave Karl a large & noble stead & gat him a good marriage.\nThis was known and told far and wide, yea even as far north as Norway.\n\u00b6 The winter following on the battle of the Niz King Harald spent in\nOslo. And when the host came up from the south in autumn many tales and\nlegends went abroad of the autumn outside the Niz river, & everyone who\nhad been there deemed he had something to tell. Once it happened that\nsome men were sitting drinking in a small chamber, & full of talk were\nthey, talking of the battle of the Niz, and of whom might have derived\nthe greatest renown therefrom. All were agreed on one issue, however,\nand that was that no other had been such a man there as Earl Hakon: he\nit was who had shown greatest prowess, who was the boldest under arms,\nand the ablest, and the most fortunate, and whatsoever he did was that\nwhich availed most, & to him was accounted the victory. Now Harald was\nwithout, in the courtyard, speaking with some of his men, and thereafter\nwent he before the doorway of the chamber and said: 'Every man now would\nlike to be named Hakon,' and therewith went his way.\n\u00b6 Earl Hakon fared to the Uplands in autumn, even to his dominions, and\nthere tarried throughout the winter.\nRight well beloved was he of the Upland folk. Now once it befell, when\nspring was drawing nigh, that some men were sitting drinking, & their\ntalk was yet again of the battle of the Niz; and men lauded greatly Earl\nHakon, but a few praised others no less.\nWhen they had been talking thus a while a man answered: 'Mayhap other\nmen besides Earl Hakon fought boldly outside the Niz, yet nevertheless\nmethinks no one can have had the luck he had.'\nThey said it was no doubt his greatest luck that he had routed many of\nthe Danes. The same man answered: 'Luckiest for him was it that he gave\nKing Svein his life.' Another answered him: 'Thou wottest not what thou\nart saying.' He answered: 'Yea, I wot full well, for he who set the King\nashore told me himself.' Thus it befell, as oft is said, that 'many are\nthe King's ears.' These things were told to the King straightway, and\nthe King had many horses taken and rode forthwith away in the night with\ntwo hundred men,\u00a7 and rode he the whole of that night and the following\nday. Then there came towards them on horseback certain men who were\nmaking for the town with meal and malt. Now faring with the King was one\nGamal, & he rode up to one of the peasants who was a friend of his and\nspoke privily with him.\nGamal said: 'Money will I give thee, an thou wilt ride furiously by\nhidden ways such as thou wottest to be shortest to Earl Hakon: tell him\nthat the King will slay him, for the King wotteth that the Earl helped\nKing Svein to land outside the Niz.'\nAnd the matter being covenanted between them rode the peasant hard, and\ncame even to the Earl who was sitting drinking and had not gone to his\nrest. But when the peasant made known his errand, rose the Earl\nforthwith and all his folk; and the Earl caused his chattels to be\nremoved from the house during the night. When the King arrived thither\ntarried he there the night, but Hakon the Earl had ridden his way. And\nin time came he east to the realm of Sweden, to King Steinkel, and abode\nwith him the summer. King Harald then turned him back to town. In the\nsummer the King fared north to Throndhjem and abode there, but in the\nautumn fared eastward again to Vik.\n\u00b6 Earl Hakon went back in the summer to the Uplands, so soon as he\nlearned that the King had fared northward, and there dwelt he until such\ntime as the King came south again. Thereafter fared the Earl eastward to\nVermaland and tarried there long in the winter; and King Steinkel gave\nthe Earl rule and dominion over that part of the land.\nWhen winter was wearing to an end, fared he westward to Kaumariki, and\ntook with him many men whom the Gauts and Vermalanders had given him.\nAnd he took thence his land-dues and the taxes which he had a right to\ndemand, & thereafter fared he back east to Gautland and dwelt there the\nspring.\nKing Harald abode the winter in Oslo, and sent his men to the Uplands to\ngather taxes and land-dues and the King's fines; but the Uplanders said\nthat they would not pay to him all dues which it behoved them to pay\ninto the hands of Earl Hakon even so long as he was alive and had not\nforfeited life or dominions; & no land-dues did the King therefrom\nobtain that winter.\n\u00b6 Now betwixt Norway and Denmark there were sent that winter messengers\nand messages, for both Norwegians and Danes alike desired to make peace\nand agreement either with other, and they prayed their Kings to do the\nsame. The sending of these messages appeared prone to bring about\nconcord, for in the end a peace-meeting was agreed upon in the River\nbetwixt King Harald and King Svein. When spring-tide was come both Kings\ncalled out many men and ships for this journey. Saith a skald in a poem:\n 'Leader of arm\u00e9d men, he who the ground engirdles\n From Eyrasund northward shuts with his long-ship's prows\n The land (the haven spurned he).\n Gleaming with gold the stems cut the waves keenly;\n Onward of Halland west, with host aboard, and the keels thrilling.\n Harald firm-oathed!\n oft hast thou the earth engirdled with thy ships;\n Svein, too, through the sound sailed the King to meet.\n Praise-dight filler of ravens, who every bay doth close,\n Hath out a teeming host of Danes, from the south all.'\n\u00b6 It is said here that these Kings kept to their agreement, to wit, that\nthere should be a meeting betwixt them; and that both came to the\nmarches. It is set forth thus below:\n 'Shrewd leader of arm\u00e9d men\n To trysting south once more\n Thou sailst as all Danes wished\n (No lesser was thy purpose).\n Svein now to the northward fares\n The land-marches nigh,\n The tryst to keep with Harald--\n Windy was the weather off the land.'\n\u00b6 When the Kings were come face to face the one with other forthwith\nbetwixt them was broached ye matter of peace; and no sooner was this\nopened than many men made plaint of the harm they had suffered through\nwar-fare, rapine, and the slaying of men. And long talked they about\nthis, as is said hereafter:\n 'The yeomen shrewd\n Such words do say aloud\n That when the men meet,\n An' angered are mostly\n The others. Far seemeth\n Concord to lie from men\n Who on all things quarrel\n (The chiefs' arrogance waxeth).\n With danger fraught will be\n Wrath of the princes be\n If peace be agreed on,\n Those who are peace-makers\n In scales must weigh all things.\n Seemly for Kings to say\n What e'er the host liketh;\n Bad will would it cause\n Were the yeomen's state worsened.'\n\u00b6 Then the best men and the wisest conferred together, and peace was\nmade betwixt the Kings, in such wise that King Harald was to have Norway\n& King Svein Denmark as far as the marches which had aforetime divided\nthe kingdoms; neither was to make redress to other; there where the land\nhad been pillaged the matter was to be passed over; and he who had taken\nplunder was to keep it.\nThis peace was to ensue even so long as the twain were Kings; the\ncovenant was bounden with oaths, & thereafter gave the Kings one another\nhostages; even as is said hereafter:\n 'Thus have I heard it said\n That Svein and Harald both\n (God works it) gladly gave\n Hostages one to other.\n Let them so keep their vows\n (All ended was with witness)\n And the whole peace so fully\n That the folk break it not.'\n\u00b6 King Harald tarried in Vik during the summer, and sent men to the\nUplands to collect the dues & taxes he had there; but the peasants in\nplain words said that they would bide the coming of Earl Hakon, until\nsuch time as he should come to them. Earl Hakon was then up in Gautland\nwith a large host. When summer was wearing to a close sailed King Harald\nsouth to Konungahella (King's Rock), and he took all the light craft\nwhereon he could lay hands & went up the River, and at the falls thereof\nhad the boats haled across land and so put onto Lake Wenern. Thereafter\nrowed he east across the lake where he asked tidings of Earl Hakon.\nNow when the Earl gat news of the journey of the King, came he down from\nthe country and made endeavour to prevent the King from harrying, for to\nEarl Hakon was a large host which the Gauts had given him. King Harald\nlaid his boats up the mouth of a river, and thereafter made a landing,\nbut left some of his men behind to watch the craft. And the King himself\nand some of his men rode on horseback, but many more went afoot. Their\nway led them through a wood, & thereafter a bog lay before them on which\nwere small bushes, then after that a copse, and when they were come up\nto the copse sighted they the host of the Earl; and a bog there was\nbetwixt them and it.\nThen both hosts arrayed themselves, & King Harald commanded his men to\nsit up on the hillside: 'Let us first tempt them to make an onset; Hakon\nhath no mind to wait,' said he.\nThe weather was frosty with some driving snow, and the men to Harald sat\nunder their shields.\nNow the Gauts had taken little apparel on them and were starved with the\ncold, but the Earl bade them bide until the King should make an onset\nand they could all stand alike in height. Earl Hakon had the banner\nwhich had been that of King Magnus Olafson. Now the head-man to the\nGauts was one hight Thorvid, and he was mounted on a horse the reins of\nwhich were tied to a stake standing in the bog. He spake & said: 'God\nknows we have a large host here and many stout men; let not King\nSteinkell hear that we are not helping this good Earl well. I wist that\nif the Norwegians make onset against us we shall stand firm, but if the\nyoung men falter & bide not, then do not let us run farther than thither\nto the brook, and if the young men again falter, which I wot will not\nbefall, then do not let us run farther than thither to the hill.'\nAt that moment ran up the host of the Norwegians shouting their war-cry\nand beating their shields, & then the host of the Gauts likewise began\nto shout, and the horse to the head-man pulled so hard at its rein,\nbeing afrighted at the host-cry, that the stake came up & flew past the\nhead of the chief, wherefore he shouted: 'Such a mischance as thou\nshootest, Northmen,' and therewith galloped away. King Harald had ere\nthis said to his men: 'Though we make din and shouting about us, yet let\nus not go down the hill or ever they come hither to us,' and they did\naccording as he had said.\nAs soon as the war-cry was heard, caused the Earl his banner to be borne\nforward, and when they were come under the hill rushed the King's men\ndown upon them, and some of the men to the Earl fell forthwith and some\nfled; but the Norwegians drave not them that fled very far, for it was\nlate in the day. There took they the banner of Earl Hakon, and as much\nof weapons and apparel as they could lay hands on. And the King let both\nthe banners be borne in front of him when he fared down the hill; and\nhis men spake one with another as to whether or no Earl Hakon might be\nfallen. Now when it came to faring through the wood they had to ride in\nsingle train, and behold a certain man rode straight across their way,\nand thrust a spear through him that bore the banner to the King, and\nseizing the stave thereof rode he off another way in the wood with the\nbanner. When the King was told of this cried he: 'The Earl lives! Give\nme my mail-shirt!' And rode he in the night to his ships. Now said many\nmen that the Earl had avenged himself. Then chanted Thiodolf:\n 'Steinkell's host who to the\n Warlike Earl should help yield\n (That brought the King to pass)\n To hell, I ween, have fared.\n But those who would better\n The matter say,\n Hakon fled because the hope of help\n Therefrom but ill had proven.'\n\u00b6 King Harald spent what was left of the night on his ship. In the morn,\nwhen it was light saw men that ice had formed round the ships so thick\nthat it was feasible to walk round about them.\nThen bade the King his men hew the ice and release his ships into the\nlake, and so went the men and set to work to hew the ice. King Harald's\nson Magnus steered the ship which lay lowest in the river-mouth and\nnighest out to the lake.\nNow when the men had almost chopped the ice away a certain man ran out\non it to the place where they were about to hew, and thereafter fell to\nchopping as if he were mad and raving. Then said a man: 'Now is it again\nas often before, no one is so good at giving a helping hand as Hall\nKodransbane; behold now, how he is hewing the ice.'\nBut the man of Magnus's ship who was hight Thormod Eindridison, when he\nheard the name of 'Kodransbane,' ran to Hall and gave him his\ndeath-blow.\nKodran was the son of Gudmund Elyolfson, and Valgerd that was sister to\nGudmund was the mother of Jurunn, Thormod's mother.\nThormod was a winter old when Kodran was slain, and never had he set\neyes on Hall Utryggson before this time.\nBy this, then, the ice was broken away even so far as the lake and\nMagnus brought his ship out, & got under way forthwith, and sailed west\nacross the lake; but the King's ship which was the uppermost in the\nchannel came out the last. Now Hall had been of the fellowship of the\nKing and was very dear to him, and the King was exceeding wroth, so that\nwhen he came latest into haven he found that Magnus had already helped\nthe murderer to the forest, though he offered atonement for him, would\nhe have gone against Magnus and his folk, had not the friends of both\nbrought about their appeasement.\n\u00b6 King Harald fared up to Raumariki this winter, and to him was a large\nhost.\nAnd he bore cases against the peasants for the keeping back from him of\ndues and taxes, and for inciting his enemies to strife against him.\nAnd some of the peasants caused he to be taken, and some he maimed and\nothers killed and others he deprived of all their possessions.\nThose who could get away fled, but the King burned the countrysides wide\nabout and laid them waste. Thus saith Thiodolf:\n 'Waster of isle-dwellers\n Hard hands laid on Raumfolk,\n Steadily on the ranks\n Of Harald went, as I trow.\n Fire did requite them;\n But the chief commanded,\n And high flames poor peasants\n To obedience led.'\n\u00b6 After this fared King Harald up to Heidmark and there burned, and did\nno less war-work than has been writ afore. From thence fared he to\nRingariki, there burned, and went everywhere with the war-shield aloft.\nThus saith Thiodolf:\n 'Burned were the fell folk's steads,\n Roofwards the red fire flamed.\n Hit did the lord of chiefs\n The Heiners with hard stones.\n For their lives the sufferers craved;\n So great a hurt the flames\n The men of Ringariki wrought\n Or ever the fire was stayed.'\n\u00b6 After this gave the peasants the whole matter into the hands of the\nKing.\n\u00b6 After the death of King Magnus were spent fifteen winters ere the\nbattle of the Niz, and after that two winters or ever Harald and Svein\nmade peace. Thus saith Thiodolf:\n 'The prince of the Hords\n (Brought peace the third year was made)\n The strife to an end; on\n The strand steel hit the shields.'\n\u00b6 After this peace-making endured the war of the King with the Uplanders\nthree half-years. Thus saith Thiodolf:\n 'Hard of the King's work 'tis\n In seemly wise to speak\n When to have idle ploughs\n The upland men he taught.\n The chieftain wise hath honour won\n These three half-years\n Which ever will be minded.'\n\u00b6 Edward, the son of Ethelred, was King of England after his brother\nHordaknut; he was hight Edward 'the Good' and right good he was.\nThe mother to King Edward was Queen Emma, the daughter of Richard, the\nRouen-Earl; and her brother was Earl Robert, the mother of William the\nBastard, who was at that time duke of Rouen in Normandy. King Edward was\nwedded to Queen Gyda,\u00a7 the daughter of Earl Godwin & he was the son of\nWolfnoth. The brothers to Gyda were: the eldest Earl Tosti, the second\nEarl Morcar, the third Earl Walthiof, the fourth Earl Svein, and fifthly\nHarald. Now Harald was the youngest and was brought up at the court of\nKing Edward and was his foster-son, and the King loved him very greatly\nand eyed him ever as his own son, for the King was childless.\n\u00b6 It befell one summer that Harald the son of Godwin had to go a journey\nto Bretland (Wales) and fared he on a ship, but after they had set sail\nsprang up a contrary wind & they were driven out to sea.[\u00a7]\nThey made land westward in Normandy after undergoing a perilous storm.\nAnd putting into the town of Rouen found they there Earl William, who\nreceived Harald and his travelling companions joyfully, and Harald\ntarried there in good cheer for long during the autumn, for the tempests\ncontinued to blow and it was not weather for sailing out at sea. As\nwinter was approaching spoke the Earl and Harald together concerning the\ndwelling of Harald there throughout the winter. Now Harald sat in the\nhigh-seat on one side of the Earl and on the other side of him sat the\nEarl's wife, and fairer was she than any other woman whom men had seen.\nHarald and she would hold converse together all the time that the cups\nwere going round, and when the Earl retired to rest, as he did betimes,\nHarald would sit long talking with the wife to the Earl, and so fared\nthings for a long time during the winter.\nOnce when they were talking together said she: 'Now hath the Earl spoken\nwith me hereon, and asked what it is we twain ever talk about, and now\nis he wroth.' Harald answered: 'We will forthwith let him know all our\nconversations.'\nThe day thereafter Harald called the Earl to speak with him, & went they\nto the council-chamber where were also the Earl's wife and their\ncouncillors.\nThen Harald spoke the first and said: 'This must I inform thee, Earl,\nthat there is more in my coming hither than I have revealed to thee:\nI desire to ask the hand of thy daughter, and have oft-times spoken of\nthis my wish to her mother, and she hath given me her word to support me\nin this matter with thee.'\nWhen Harald had made known his desire, all those who were present\nreceived the news with gladness and supported it with the Earl, and this\nmatter was brought to end by the maid being betrothed to Harald; but\nsince she was young some winters' delay were agreed upon before the time\nof bridal.\n\u00b6 When spring came, equipped Harald his ship and sailed away, and he and\nthe Earl parted in full friendship.\nAnd Harald fared to England, to King Edward, and returned no more to\nValland to claim the marriage. King Edward ruled over England for\ntwenty-four winters, & died a straw death in London, None Janurii (5th\nJanuary); he was interred in St. Paul's Church\u00a7 and the English call him\nsainted.\nThe sons of Earl Godwin in those days were the most powerful men in\nEngland. Tosti had been made captain over the host of the King, and\nwarden of the land when the King began to wax old; and he had been\nplaced over all other Earls.\nHis brother Harald was ever within the court the next man to the King in\nall service, & his duty had been to guard the treasure of the King.\u00a7 It\nis recorded by men that as the King was approaching to his end was\nHarald near by, and few other men, and Harald leant over the King and\nsaid: 'I call all of ye to witness that the King gave me but now the\nkingdom, and all might in England.' Then was the King borne dead from\nout his bed. That same day there was a meeting of lords and the taking\nof a King was discussed, and Harald then let his witnesses testify that\nKing Edward on his death-day had given him the kingdom.\nThis meeting ended in such fashion that Harald was hailed as King &\nconsecrated with royal consecration in St. Paul's Church on the 13th\nday;\u00a7 when all lords and folk swore fealty to him.\nBut when his brother, Earl Tosti, heard what had befallen, liked he it\nno whit, for thought he himself to be equally near the King.\n'I desire,' quoth he, 'that the lords of the land choose him for King\nwhom they deem best fitted therefor.' And such like words went between\nthe brothers.\nKing Harald declared that he would not give up the kingdom for he had\nbeen throned in that city which had been the King's, and had been\nthereafter anointed and consecrated with royal consecration; with him\nalso sided the multitude, and he had moreover all the treasure of the\ndead King.\n\u00b6 Now when King Harald became aware that his brother Tosti desired to\noust him from the kingdom believed he but ill in him, for Tosti was a\nvery wise man and a great warrior, and was full friendly, to boot, with\nthe lords of the land.\nSo Harald deprived him from command of the host, and of all the power he\nhad had aforetime more than other earls\u00a7 there in the land. And Earl\nTosti, who by no means would suffer himself to be the serving-man to his\nbrother, fared away with his men, and so south to Flanders across the\nsea, and tarried there a while before faring to Friesland & thence to\nDenmark, to his kinsman King Svein. Earl Ulf the father to King Svein\nand Gyda that was mother to Tosti, were brother and sister. The Earl\ncraved the aid of King Svein and men for his assistance, and King Svein\nbade him come to him & told him that he should have an earl's realm in\nDenmark, such as would make him a seemly chief in that country. The Earl\nanswered thus: 'My desire is to fare back to England, to my heritage;\nbut if I am given no assistance for that purpose from thee, King, then\nwould I liefer make a pact to afford thee all the support I can procure\nin England, an thou wilt take the Danish hosts thither and conquer the\nland, even as thy mother's brother Knut (Canute) conquered it.'\nThe King answered: 'So much less a man am I than my kinsman King Knut\nthat I have hard work to hold the Danish realm against the Norwegians.\nKnut the Old gat his Danish kingdom by inheritance but won England by\nwarfare and strife, yet nevertheless at one time seemed he like to lose\nhis life thereby. Norway gat he without battle.\nNow would I liefer keep within compass according to my smaller\nconditions than assay to rival the success of my kinsman Knut.' Then\nsaid Tosti the Earl: 'Lesser is my errand hither than I had thought for;\nI deemed not that thou, a bold man, wouldst let me go in need. It may be\nthat I am seeking friendship where it is not meet to seek it. But\nnatheless it may hap that I find a chief who is less afeared of great\nventures than thou art, King.' Thereafter they parted, the King and the\nEarl, and were not very well of one accord.\n\u00b6 Tosti the Earl now turned him another way: he fared onward to Norway,\nto King Harald who was in Vik, and when they met the Earl made he known\nhis mission to the King, recounting to him all concerning his journey\nsince he had left England. And he craved help of the King so that he\nmight regain his dominions in England.\nBut the King said as followeth: that the Norwegians had no wish to fare\nto England and harry with an English chief over them; 'folk deem,' said\nhe, 'that the English are not full trustworthy.' The Earl answered:\n'I wonder if it is sooth, that which I have heard men say in England,\nto wit, that thy kinsman King Magnus despatched men to King Edward, with\nthe message that he, Magnus, owned England with no less right than\nDenmark, that he inherited it from Hordaknut (Hardicanute) and that the\npact was ratified by their oaths?' The King answered: 'Why did he not\nhave it if he owned it?' The Earl said: 'Why hast thou not Denmark even\nas King Magnus had it before thee?' The King answered: 'Little have the\nDanes to plume themselves on above us Norwegians, for many a hole have\nwe burnt in those kinsmen of thine.'\nThen said the Earl: 'Though thou wilt not tell me yet can I,\nnevertheless, tell thee how it was King Magnus took possession of\nDenmark, to wit, was it because the lords of the land there helped him,\nbut thou gat it not because all the people of the land were against\nthee. King Magnus fought not to gain England because all the people\ndesired to have Edward for their King. If thou wishest to conquer\nEngland then can I bring it about that many of the lords there will be\nthy friends and supporters, for nothing lack I against my brother Harald\nsave the name of King. All men know that there has never been born in\nthe northlands a warrior such as thou art.\nAstonished am I that thou who foughtest fifteen winters for Denmark will\nnot take England which is lying at thy hand.' King Harald pondered with\ncare over what the Earl had said to him, and well wot he that in great\nmeasure had he said sooth; and added thereto conceived he the wish to\nconquer that kingdom.\nThereafter the King and the Earl talked long & oft together, & in the\nend covenanted they an agreement that come the summer they would fare to\nEngland and conquer the country. King Harald sent round the whole of\nNorway calling out a levy, one half of the general war-muster.\nNow all this was much spoken of by men, and many were the guesses as to\nhow things would go on the faring. Some reckoned & counted up all deeds\nof valour, swearing how naught would be impossible of King Harald, but\nsaid others that England would be difficult to conquer inasmuch as the\npeople were exceeding numerous, & those warriors who were called the\nThingmanna-host\u00a7 so doughty that one of them was better than two of\nHarald's best men.\nThus answered Ulf the Marshal:\n 'Never would the marshals\n Of the King (uncompelling\n Ever gat I riches)\n Turn them to the King's stern-hold\n Noble woman, an twain should be pressed back by\n One Thingman (other than\n That when young I learned me).'\n\u00b6 That spring Ulf the Marshal died, & Harald when he stood by his grave\nsaid ere he quitted it: 'Here lies he that was ever the most faithful &\nthe most dutiful to his lord.' To Flanders also sailed Earl Tosti in\nspringtide so that he should meet the men the which had followed him\nfrom England, with those others also who were to join him from England\nand likewise from Flanders.\n\u00b6 The host to King Harald was gathered together in Solundir\u00a7 and when\nall things were made ready and he was about to set sail from Nidaros\nwent he to the shrine of King Olaf, and thrusting his hands into the\nsanctuary cut he off the hair and the nails pertaining to the saint, and\nthereafter turned he the key once of the shrine and then threw that same\nkey into the Nid; and since that time forsooth hath the shrine of the\nholy King Olaf never been opened.\nFive and thirty winters had been encompassed since his fall, and five\nand thirty years had he lived in the world.\nThen King Harald and the men that were with him gat them a course\nsouthward to meet his host; or ever that time it was a mighty force that\nmet together, and it is told among men that to King Harald were nigh\nupon two hundred\u00a7 keels, besides victualling ships and smaller craft.\nWhen they were lying off Solundir a certain man named Gyrd, who was on\nthe own ship to the King, dreamed a dream, and to him it seemed as\nthough he stood on that same ship and beheld up on the isle a great\ntroll-woman, & in one hand held she a short sword and in the other a\ntrough. And to him also did it appear that he was looking at all the\nother ships, and on the prow to each was perched a fowl of the air, and\nall of those same fowl were either eagles or ravens.\nThe troll-woman sang:\n 'King from the east in sooth\n To battle inciteth\n Many a warrior westward,\n (Joyful am I therefor);\n There may the raven find\n For itself food on the ships\n (It knows enow there is);\n With thee will I ever fare.'\n\u00b6 Now a certain man hight Thord abode on one of the ships nigh to the\nown ship of the King, and on a night dreamed he that he saw the fleet to\nKing Harald faring landward, and he seemed to wot that to England were\nthey coming.\nThen he saw on the land a vast host of men & both hosts were making them\nready for battle, and for each were many banners held on high. Before\nthe host of the men of the land rode a swarth troll-woman, sitting on a\nwolf, and the wolf had the body of a man in its mouth, & blood flowed\nfrom the corners thereof. And when it had eaten the man she threw yet\nanother into its mouth, and thereafter threw she one man after another,\nbut notwithstanding made it scant ado at swallowing them all. And so she\nsang:\n 'The troll makes the red shield gleam when war comes nigh.\n Bride of the giant-brood mishap to the King foretells.\n The quean with the jaws flings flesh of fallen warriors;\n Raging the wolf's mouth she dyes red with blood.'\n\u00b6 Furthermore it befell that King Harald dreamed one night and in his\nvision lo he was in Nidaros, and there met he his brother, King Olaf,\nwho chanted a verse to him:\n 'The burly King in many fights with honour conquered.\n I gat (because at home I stayed) a holy fall to earth.\n Still of this I fear me that death is nigh thee, King;\n The greedy wolves thou fill'st;\n Ne'er was this caused by God.'\n\u00b6 Men spake low of many other dreams and omens of divers kinds, and the\nbulk of them were of ill import. Or ever King Harald left Throndhjem\ncaused he his son Magnus to be accepted as King, and made he him ruler\nover the kingdom of Norway.\nThora, the daughter of Thorberg, also remained behind, but Queen Ellisif\nfared forth with King Harald and with them likewise her daughters Mary\nand Ingigerd; Olaf the son to King Harald also fared with him from the\nland.\n\u00b6 When King Harald was ready, and a favourable wind had sprung up,\nsailed he out to sea & came to land at the Shetlands, but some of his\nships went on to the Orkneys. King Harald lay at these isles a while or\never set he sail for the Orkneys, & from these latter took he with him\nmany men & the Earls Paal and Erling, twain sons to Thorfin the Earl,\nbut behind him left he there Queen Ellisif & their daughters Mary &\nIngigerd. Thereafter sailed he southward alongside Scotland, & then\nalongside England, and went ashore there where it is called Cleveland.\nAnd being come on land forthwith harried he the countryside, bringing it\ninto subjection under him, & withal encountering no resistance.\nThereafter went King Harald into Scarborough, & fought there with the\nmen of the town, and he went up on to the cliff there and ordered a vast\nbonfire to be made and a light thereto put, and when it was ablaze, his\nmen took large forks and with them rolled it down into the town, and\nthen one house after the other began to burn, so that there was naught\nfor the townsmen to do save to surrender. There slew the Norwegians many\nmen, and took all the goods whereon they could lay hands. No choice had\nthen the Englishmen, an they wished to keep their lives, save to make\nsubmission to King Harald.\nWheresoever he fared brought he the land into subjection, and he\ncontinued on his way southward off the coast with the whole of his host,\nbringing-to at Holderness, and there a band came against him, and King\nHarald did battle with them and gained the day.\n\u00b6 Now having come thus far on his journey King Harald fared south to the\nHumber and went up that river and lay in it beside the banks.\nAt that time there were up in Jerirk (York) Earl Morcar and his brother\nEarl Walthiof and with them was a vast host. King Harald was lying in\nthe Ouse when the host of the Earls swooped down against him.\nAnd King Harald went ashore and set to arraying his host, and one arm of\nthe array was ranked on the banks of the river, whereas the other\nstretched up inland over towards a certain dyke, and a deep marsh was\nthere, both broad, and full of water.\nThe Earls bade the whole multitude of their array slink down alongside\nthe river.\nNow the banner to the King was nigh unto the river and there the ranks\nwere serried, but near the dyke were they more scattered, and the men\nthereof also the least trustworthy.\nThe Earls then came down along by the dyke, and that arm of the\nbattle-array of the Norwegians which faced the dyke gave way, and\nthereon the English pushed forward after them and deemed that the\nNorwegians would flee. Therefore did the banner of Morcar fare forward.\n\u00b6 But when King Harald saw that the array of the English had descended\nalongside the dyke and was coming right toward them, then commanded he\nthe war-blast to be sounded, and eagerly encouraged his men, and let the\nbanner 'Land-waster' be carried forward; and even so fierce was their\nadvance on the English, that all were repulsed and there fell a many men\nin the host of the Earls.\nThis host was even soon routed, and some fled up beside the river and\nsome down, but the most of the folk ran right out into the dyke, and\nthere the fallen lay so thick that the Norwegians could walk dry-shod\nacross the marsh.\nThere too fell Earl Morcar.\u00a7 Thus saith Stein Herdason:\n 'Many in the river sank\n (The sunken men were drowned);\n All round about young Morcar of yore lay many a lad.\n To flight the chieftain put them;\n The host to swiftest running\n Olaf the Mighty is.'\u00a7\n\u00b6 The song that followeth was wrought by Stein Herdason about Olaf ye\nson to King Harald, and he saith, the which also we wot of that Olaf was\nin the battle with his father. This is told likewise in 'Haraldsstikka:'\n 'There the dead lay\n Down in the marsh\n Walthiof's fighters\n Weapon-bitten,\n So that they might\n The war-wonted horsemen\n There wend their way\n On corses only.'\n\u00b6 Earl Walthiof and those men that contrived to make their escape from\nout the battle fled even up to the town of York, and there it was that\nthe greatest slaughter took place. This battle was on the Wednesday\u00a7 or\never St. Matthew's Day.\n\u00b6 Earl Tosti had come west (south) from Flanders to King Harald, and\nbeing even come to England joined himself with the Earl so that he had\nhis part in all three battles. And now things came to pass even as he\nhad told Harald at their meeting they would come to pass, to wit, that a\nnumber of men would flock to them in England, and these were both\nkinsmen and friends to Tosti; and their company added greatly to the\nstrength of the King.\nAfter the battle whereof we have but now heard related, all the men of\nthe countryside hailed King Harald, albeit some few fled. And now set\nKing Harald forth to take the city, and placed he his host by Stanford\nBridge,\u00a7 but for the reason that the King had won so fair a victory over\ngreat lords and overwhelming odds were the people dismayed & deemed it\nhopeless to withstand him. Then took the citizens council together, &\nthey were of one mind to send word to the King giving themselves and\nlikewise the town into his power. This same was proffered even at such\ntime that on the Sunday[\u00a7] fared King Harald and his men to the city,\nand there they held a council of war without the walls, and the citizens\ncame out and were present at the council.\nThen did all the folk promise obedience to King Harald; and gave him as\nhostages the sons of great men even according as Tosti chose, for the\nEarl knew all men in this town; and in the evening fared the King to his\nships elated with the victory he had won and withal was very joyful.\nIt was furthermore covenanted there should be held a Thing in the city\u00a7\nearly on that Monday when would King Harald appoint governors and grant\nfiefs and rights. Now that self-same evening, after the sun had gone\ndown, approached King Harald Godwinson with a vast host the city from\nthe south, and rode he into the city by the will and consent of all the\ncitizens.\nThen were men posted at all the gates, and at all the roads, so that to\nthe Norwegians there might get no tidings of what had befallen, and this\nhost passed the night within the walls.\n\u00b6 On the Monday,[\u00a7] when Harald Sigurdson had eaten his fill at dinner,\nordered he a blast to be sounded for a landing. And thereon made he\nready his host and parted them, some to fare and some to tarry; and of\neach company he let two men go up for every one left behind.\nAnd Tosti the Earl prepared him to go up with his company, but to guard\nhis ship there tarried behind Olaf own son to the King, Paal and Erling\nthe Orkney Earls, and Eystein Blackcock, the son of Thorberg Arnason,\nwho was in those days the man of most renown and withal dearest to the\nKing of all feudatories, & King Harald had at that time promised him the\nhand of his daughter Maria. Very fine was the weather with warm\nsunshine, and wherefore because of this left the men their shirts of\nmail behind them and went with their shields and helms and spears, with\ntheir swords girded on; and many had likewise bows and arrows, and\nwithal were they very merry. But as they advanced on the city, behold a\ngreat host rode out towards them and they saw the smoke of horses, and\nhere and there fair shields and white coats of mail. Then halted the\nKing his host and summoned Earl Tosti to him, and asked what manner of\nhost this was like to be.\nAnd the Earl answered and said that he deemed it might be strife, yet\nnevertheless it might be that they were some of his kinsmen who were\nseeking for protection & friendship, & would promise the King their\nsupport and fealty in return. Then the King said that they would first\nof all keep quiet and learn more particulars anent this host. So they\ndid this, & the host waxed greater the nearer it came, and everywhere\nwas it like a sheet of ice to behold, so white was the gleaming of the\nweapons.\n\u00b6 Then King Harald Sigurdson spake and said: 'Let us now take goodly &\nwise counsel together, for it cannot be hidden that this forebodes\nstrife, and most like it is the King himself.' To which the Earl\nanswered: 'Our first course is to turn back and go our swiftest to the\nships that we may fetch folk and weapons, and thereafter offer what\nresistance we can; or even might we also let the ships protect us and\nthen no power would the horsemen have over us.' Then said King Harald:\n'Another counsel will I choose, namely to send three bold fellows on our\nswiftest horses and let them ride hotly a'pace and impart to our men\nwhat hath befallen; then will they the sooner come to our aid, and a\nright sharp combat shall the Englishmen fight or ever we suffer defeat.'\nThe Earl answered and said that the King should decide in this matter as\nin all else: 'no manner of desire had he either to flee.' Then caused\nthe King his banner 'Land-waster' to be borne aloft, and Fridrek was the\nman hight who bore the banner.\n\u00b6 After these things arrayed King Harald his host.\nAnd he let the muster be long and not dense, and then after doing this\ndoubled he both the arms thereof backward so that they reached together\nand made a wide ring thick and even on all sides without, shield by\nshield, and the same within likewise; and the King's company was without\nthe ring and there too was his banner.\nIn another spot was Earl Tosti with his company, and another banner had\nhe, and the men to him were all picked men. Now the array was made in\nthis fashion because the King wist that the horsemen\u00a7 were wont to ride\nforward in a mass & thereupon fall back. Now said the King that his\ncompany should advance whithersoever it were most needed, 'but our\narchers shall also be with us, and those who stand farthest forward will\nset their spear handles in the earth and point their spears at the\nbreasts of the riders if they should ride us down, and those who stand\nin the next row will thrust their spears into the chests of the horses.'\n\u00b6 It was with an exceeding vast host that King Harald Godwinson had come\nthither, a host of both horse and foot-folk. Around his array rode King\nHarald Sigurdson having a wary eye to see how it had been ranked, and he\nbestrode a black piebald horse.\nNow the horse fell under him but the King arose in haste & said:\n'Falling when faring betokens fortune.' Then said Harald, the King of\nthe English, to those Norwegians who were with him: 'Knowest thou the\nbig man yonder who fell from his horse, the man with the blue kirtle and\nthe fair helme?' 'That is the King,' said they.\n'A big man and of masterful appearance, yet belike his luck is over,'\nanswered the English King.\n\u00b6 Twenty horsemen rode forward from the Thingmanna host before the\nbattle-array of the Norwegians; and they were wholly clad in chain-mail\nand their horses like unto them. Then said one horseman: 'Is Earl Tosti\nin the host?' to which was made answer: 'There is no hiding it, ye can\nfind him there.'\nThen said the horseman: 'Harald, thy brother, sent thee a greeting, and\nword therewith that thou shouldst have grace & the whole of\nNorthumberland; and rather than thou shouldst not go over to him will he\ngive thee a third share of the whole of his kingdom.' Then answered the\nEarl: 'That is a very different message from the strife and scorn of the\nwinter: had it been offered then many a man would still be alive who is\nnow dead, & more firmly too would the kingdom stand in England. Now if I\nshould accept these terms, what would he offer King Harald Sigurdson for\nhis pains?' 'He hath said something of what he would grant him in\nEngland, Seven feet of room or as much longer as he is taller than other\nmen,' made answer that rider. 'Fare thee now to King Harald and bid him\nmake ready for battle,' said the Earl, 'other shall be said among\nNorwegians than that Earl Tosti quitteth King Harald Sigurdson for the\nfellowship of his foemen when he hath to fight in England. Nay, let us\nall rather be of one mind: to die with honour or to win England by\nconquest.' Then did the horseman ride away, and King Harald Sigurdson\nasked of the Earl, 'who was that long-tongued man, yonder?' 'That was\nKing Harald Godwinson,' said the Earl. 'Too long was this kept from us,'\nsaid King Harald Sigurdson, 'they were come so nigh unto our host, that\nnought would this Harald have known how to tell of the death of our\nmen.' 'True it is,' said the Earl, 'that such a chief went right\nunwarily, and that it might have been as thou sayest; I saw that he\nwished to offer me grace and much dominion, but that I should be his\nslayer an I said who he was. Rather would I that he should be my slayer\nthan I his.' Then said King Harald Sigurdson: 'A little man was he, but\nfirm in his stirrups.'\nIt is said that King Harald chanted this verse:\n 'Forward go we in folk array\n Without our mail\n Under blue blades;\n The helmets shine,\n No mail have I;\n On the ships yonder\n Our garb doth lie.'\n\u00b6 Now the mail-shirt to Harald was hight 'Emma,' and it was so long that\nit reached down even unto the midst of his foot, and so strong that no\nweapon had ever lodged fast in it. Then said King Harald Sigurdson:\n'That was ill wrought; I must make another, a better verse in its\nplace,' and then he chanted this:\n 'Ne'er do we in battle\n Creep behind our shields,\n The clash of weapons fearing\n (E'en so the word-fast woman bade me).\n Of yore the necklet-wearer bade me\n Carry high my head in battle,\n Where sword and shield do meet.'\nAnd Thiodolf likewise sang thus:\n 'Never, if e'en the prince himself to earth should fall,\n (As God wills so goeth it)\n Will I flee from the heirs of the chief.\n The sun shines not better on these than these twain shine.\n Avengers of Harald are resourceful hawks full grown.'\n\u00b6 And now they fall to battle, and the English ride onward toward the\nNorwegians, but the resistance is stubborn, and because of the shots it\nis not easy for the English to ride against the Norwegians, and so they\nride round about them in a ring. At first the battle is altogether even,\nthat is so long as the Norwegians hold their array, but the English\ncharge them & then if they have done no hurt ride aback, and when the\nNorwegians see this, namely that the English seem to ride on them\nwithout spirit, set they themselves upon them and would have pursued\nthem, but behold no sooner is the wall of shields broken than the\nEnglish ride towards them from all directions bringing spears and shots\nto bear on them. And King Harald Sigurdson seeing this goeth forth into\nthe brunt of the battle, even there where the hardest struggle is taking\nplace, and many men falling from both hosts.\nKing Harald Sigurdson waxeth so fierce that he runneth forward right out\nfrom the array, & heweth with both hands, & hath neither helme, nor\nshield holden before him.\nAll those who are nighest to him draw aback, and far are the English\nfrom fleeing. Thus saith Arnor Earl's-skald:\n 'In battle swift the chief's heart ne'er did quake,\n And the strong King the greatest courage showed\n 'mid the helmes' thunder,\n There, where in the hersirs' chief the hosts saw this,\n That by his bloody sword the men to death were wounded.'\n\u00b6 Now it happened that King Harald Sigurdson was wounded by an arrow in\nthe throat, and this was his death-wound. He fell with the whole of that\ncompany which was advancing with him, save those that drew back; and\nthese held stoutly to the banner.\nYet a conflict full as hard was foughten after Tosti the Earl had taken\nhis place under the King's banner. Then both the hosts fell to arraying\nthemselves for the second time, and an exceeding long truce was there in\nthe battle. Thereof sang Thiodolf:\n 'Mishap hath fallen on us,\n (in peril is now the host);\n In vain hath Harald brought us\n This journey from the east.\n The chieftain shrewd's life-passage\n So hath ended that we now\n (the King bepraised his life lost)\n Row in peril of our lives.'\n\u00b6 But ere the combatants again joined issue offered Harald Godwinson his\nbrother Tosti grace, and he likewise offered grace to the other men\nsurviving from the Norwegian host; but the Norwegians shouted out that\nthey would rather fall one above the other, than accept quarter from the\nEnglish. And thereon shouted they their war-cry, & then the battle began\nfor the second time.\nThus saith Arnor Earl's-skald:\n 'In an hour of misfortune\n The King austere gat death;\n The arrows gold-inwoven\n Spared not the robbers' foe.\n Gentle and bounteous King--\n His friends choose all to fall\n Round their host-wonted chief\n Rather than quarter seek.'\n\u00b6 Now it befell that Eystein Blackcock came up just at that moment from\nthe ships with his company, and they were in full armour, and Eystein\ngat him hold of the King's banner 'Land-waster,' and for the third time\nthe men fell to battle; exceeding sharp was it and the English lost men\nfull heavily and were on the point of fleeing. That fray was called\n'Blackcock's Brunt.' Eystein's men had hastened so furiously from the\nships that at first, or ever they were come to the combat, they were\nweary and scarce fit for battle, but afterwards so raging were they that\nthey defended themselves as long as they could stand upright. At the\nlast cast they from off them their mail-shirts, and then was it easy for\nthe English to find a vulnerable spot on them; but some who were\nunwounded yet died from their haste and fury.\nNearly all the great men among the Norwegians fell at that time.\nThis befell late in the day.\nAs was to be looked for not all men fared alike in fortune, many fled &\nmany who thus made their escape met differing fates. Mirk was it in the\nevening ere the slaughtering was brought to an end.\n\u00b6 Among those who escaped was Styrkar, the marshal of King Harald\nSigurdson, & this befell from his getting him a horse and thereon riding\naway. Now a wind sprang up in the evening and the weather waxed somewhat\ncold, and Styrkar had no other apparel than his shirt, a helme on his\nhead, and a naked sword in his hand.\nAnd he waxed cold as his weariness wore off. Then a certain waincarle\ncame driving towards him, and this man had a lined coat. Styrkar said\nunto him: 'Wilt thou sell thy jacket, peasant?' 'Not to thee,' quoth he,\n'thou art a Norwegian, as I wist by thy tongue.'\n'An I am a Norwegian what wilt thou do then?' said Styrkar. 'I would\nslay thee; but alack I have no weapon to do it with,' the peasant\nreplied. 'If thou canst not slay me, peasant, I will make trial if I\ncannot slay thee,' and therewith Styrkar swung his sword and brought it\ndown on the man's neck so that his head was cut off; and then took he\nthe fur coat and springing on to his horse rode down to the shore.\n\u00b6 Now tidings were borne to the Rouen Earl, William the Bastard, of the\ndeath of King Edward his kinsman, & furthermore was it told how Harald\nGodwinson had been acclaimed as King of England and had been consecrated\nthereto. Now William deemed he had a better right to that kingdom than\nHarald, to wit by reason of the kinship betwixt him & King Edward, and\nwithal furthermore inasmuch as he deemed it but fair to avenge himself\non Harald for the slight of that broken betrothal with his own daughter.\nFor all these self-same reasons, then, assembled William an host\ntogether in Normandy, and a multitude of men were mustered, with a\ngoodly sufficiency of ships. And on the day that he rode from the city\nunto his ships, when he had mounted up on to his horse, his wife went to\nhim & would have spoken with him, but when he saw this he thrust at her\nwith his heel, setting his spur in her breast so that it penetrated deep\ntherein, and she fell and straightway died.\u00a7 But the Earl rode to his\nships and fared with his host over to England. At that time was his\nbrother Otta with him.\nWhen the Earl came to England plundered he there, & brought the land\ninto subjection under him wheresoever he went.\nEarl William was bigger and stronger than other men, a good horseman,\nthe greatest of warriors, and very cruel; a very wise man was he withal,\nbut accounted in no wise trustworthy.\n\u00b6 King Harald Godwinson gave Olaf, the son of King Harald Sigurdson,\npermission to fare his way, and in like fashion treated he those men of\nthe host who had been with the King and had not fallen. King Harald then\nturned southward with his host, for he had learned that William Bastard\nwas faring northward through England, & was conquering the country.\nThere were with Harald Godwinson at that time his brethren Svein,\u00a7 Gyrd,\nand Walthiof. King Harald and Earl William met in the south of England\nat Hastings and a great battle befell there.\nIn it were slain King Harald and his brother Earl Gyrd, & a great part\nof their host. Nineteen nights was it after the fall of King Harald\nSigurdson,\u00a7 Earl Walthiof, own brother to Harald, made good his escape\nby flight, and at even fell in with a band of William's men; whereupon\nEarl Walthiof set fire to the forest and burned them all up. Thus saith\nThorkel Skallson in Walthiof's lay:\n 'An hundred King's own court-men\n The warrior had burned\n In hottest fire (to the men\n An eve of singeing was it).\n 'Tis said that the men\n 'Neath the wolf's claw must lie;\n Gray steed of the troll-quean\n Gave victuals to the swords.'\n\u00b6 Thereon caused William himself to be proclaimed King of England, and\nthereafter sent he to Earl Walthiof proffering him peace & appointing a\ntruce so that a meeting might take place betwixt them. The Earl fared to\nit with but few men, and when he was come on the heath north of the\ncastle bridge two of the King's bailiffs advanced upon him with a band\nof men, and when they had taken him they put him in chains; thereafter\nhe was beheaded.\u00a7 The English call him sainted. Thus saith Thorkel:\n ''Tis doubtless that manly Walthiof\n By William (he who from the south\n Across the chill main came)\n Is bewrayed in his trusting.\n Sooth is that long 'twill be\n Ere ends the slaying of men\n In England (swift was my master.\n No prince like him doth live).'\n\u00b6 Afterwards lived William as King of England for one and twenty\nwinters, and ever since have his descendants ruled as Kings of England.\n\u00b6 Now Olaf the son to King Harald Sigurdson took his men and fared away\nfrom England, sailing forth from Ravenseer whence they came in autumn to\nthe Orkneys, & there learned they the tidings that Maria the daughter of\nKing Harald Sigurdson had died of a sudden death on the self-same day\nand in that same hour as her father King Harald had perished. Olaf\ntarried in the Orkneys the winter through but the summer thereafter\nfared he east to Norway, and was made King there together with his\nbrother Magnus.\nQueen Ellisif journeyed eastward with her step-son Olaf and her daughter\nIngigerd.\nSkuli also, he who was afterwards called King's-fosterer, & his brother\nKetil Crook, likewise fared overseas with Olaf. The twain of them were\ndoughty men, and noble in England, and both were very sage and\nwell-beloved by the King. Ketil Crook fared northward to Halogaland and\nKing Olaf gat him a good marriage, and from him are descended many great\nmen. Skuli, King's-fosterer, was a wise and strong man, very fair to\nbehold; he became captain of King Olaf's body-guard, lent his counsel at\nthe Things, and ruled with the King in all governances of the land. King\nOlaf desired to give Skuli a province in Norway, whichever he was minded\nto have, with all the incomes and dues that the King held disposition\nover, but Skuli thanked him for this offer and said that he would liefer\nask for other things because should there be a change of kings perchance\nthe gift would be taken back: 'I will,' said he, 'accept certain domains\nwhich lie nigh to the towns, where ye, Sire, are wont to be, and where\nthe Yule feasts are held.' So King Olaf gave him his word thereon, and\nmade over to him lands in the east at Konungahella, and at Oslo, at\nTunsberg, at Borg, at Bergen, and in the north at Nidaros. They were\nnigh upon the best estates at each place, and they have ever since been\nthe possessions of men of the lineage of Skuli.\nKing Olaf married Skuli to his kinswoman Gudrun Nefsteinsdotir, whose\nmother was Ingirid the daughter of King Sigurd Sow and his wife Asta.\nAsta was own sister of King Olaf the Saint & of King Harald. The son of\nSkuli and Gudrun was Asolf of Reini who was wedded to Thora the daughter\nof Skopti Ogmundson. The son of Asolf and Thora was Guthorm of Reini,\nthe father of Bard, the father of King Ingi and Duke Skuli.\n\u00b6 On a winter after the fall of King Harald was his body transported\nfrom England to Nidaros and interred there in the Church of St. Mary,\nthat selfsame church the which he himself had caused to be builded.\nIt was allowed by all that King Harald had exceeded other men in wisdom\n& resourcefulness, both when he had been fain to act swiftly or had\ndebated long, either for himself or others. The most valiant of all men\nwas he, and victorious withal, even as hath been set forth this while:\n 'The waster of Zealand's dwellers\n In boldness ne'er was lacking;\n Mind ruleth half of victory,\n And soothly Harald proveth it.'\n\u00b6 King Harald was stately and goodly to behold, fair hair and a fair\nbeard had he, and a long moustache; of his eyebrows the one was somewhat\nhigher than the other, & he had large hands and feet, but either\nshapely. Five ells was he in stature. Towards his foes was he cruel, and\nwhen withstood revengeful. Thus saith Thiodolf:\n 'Sage Harald doth arrogance\n In his thanes chastise;\n Methinks the King's men bear\n But that which they mete out.\n Such burdens bear they\n As for themselves they care to have\n (The law is used for each against the other);\n Thus doth Harald change revenge.'\n\u00b6 King Harald vastly loved power & all worldly advantages, but towards\nhis friends, even to those whom he liked well, was he very bountiful.\nThiodolf telleth us as followeth:\n 'Of ships'-battle the awakener\n For my work a mark bestowed;\n To praise vouchsafeth he\n Each one who proveth him thereof worthy.'\n\u00b6 King Harald was fifty years of age when he fell. We have no tales of\ncount regarding his up-growing, or ever he was fifteen winters old and\nwas at Stiklastad, in the battle, with his brother King Olaf. Thereafter\nlived he for five and thirty years, and during all that time had ever\nturmoil and strife. King Harald never fled from any battle, but\noft-times sought he expedients when the odds of war were against him.\nAll men who followed him in battle or warfare avowed that when he found\nhimself hard pressed or was obliged to make a swift resolution, he chose\nthat course which afterwards all men saw to be the likeliest to avail.\n\u00b6 Halldor, the son of Bryniolf the Camel, hight likewise the Old, was a\nwise man and a great lord, and thus spake he when he heard the\nconversation of men in respect to the very different natures of King\nOlaf the Saint and his brother King Harald.\n'I was with both brothers,' said he, 'and high in favour, and I wotted\nthe natures of both: never did I find two men so alike at heart. Both\nwere very wise and valiant men, loving possessions and power, masterful,\nnot lowly-hearted, overbearing, haughty, and quick to chastise. King\nOlaf constrained the people of the land to Christianity and the true\nFaith, but punished harshly those who turned a deaf ear to his commands.\nThe chiefs of the land who would not suffer his even-handed dispensation\nof justice rose up against him and slew him in his own land, and it is\nfor that reason he is called saintly.\nBut King Harald harried for renown and dominion, bringing under his yoke\nall people that he could bring under it, and he fell in the land of\nother kings.\nBoth these brothers in normal life were men of religion and had regard\nfor their honour; they were likewise travelled & vigorous in mind, & it\nis from such-like qualities that they waxed so far-famed.'\n\u00b6 King Magnus Haraldson ruled Norway the first winter after the fall of\nKing Harald, but thereafter ruled he the land for two winters together\nwith his brother King Olaf, and there were then two kings together,\nMagnus having dominion in the northern half of the land & Olaf in the\neastern half. King Magnus had a son who was hight Hakon & his\nfoster-father was Steig-Thorir; a youth of promise was he.\n\u00b6 After the death of King Harald Sigurdson, Svein, the Danish King, gave\nout that peace was at an end betwixt Norwegians and Danes, for the pact\nwas made to endure only as long as both kings lived. So then were men\nmustered in both realms; King Harald's sons called out a general-host\nand ships from Norway, and King Svein fared northward with the host of\nthe Danes.\nAnd so it was that messengers were thereafter despatched betwixt the\nkings with offers of peace, and the Norwegians said that they would\neither keep to the covenant which had been made aforetime or fight. For\nthat reason the following verse was sung:\n 'With threats and words of peace\n Olaf his land defended,\n So that no one from the King\n Durst claim a right thereto.'\nAnd thus saith Stein Herdason in the lay of Olaf:\n 'His heritage 'gainst Svein\n The warlike King defended\n In that merchant town where resteth\n (Great is he) the saintly King.'\n\u00b6 But a compact was come to betwixt the kings at the time of this\nmustering, & peace ensued in the lands. King Magnus was afterwards\nstricken with a sickness, the rift-worm sickness, and when he had lain\nabed for some time died he at Nidaros, and there was buried. He was a\nKing right well-beloved of all the people.\nNOTES\nThese notes, with few exceptions, are taken from Professor Gustav\nStorm's Norwegian version of the Heimskringla, from which this\ntranslation of the Saga of Olaf Tryggvason and of Harald Hardrad\n(Harald the Tyrant) is made.\n ETHEL H. HEARN.\n [Transcriber's Note:\n For this e-text, the word or phrase referenced in the note is shown\n in {braces} before the page-and-line citation. Moved markers are\n individually noted.\n \"Translator\" refers to the English translation (the present text).]\n{King Valdamar} Page 12, line 11. Vladimir the Great of Russia\n(980-1015) became Grand Duke of Novgorod in 970.\n [Marker printed after \"high favour\" on following page.]\n{'hersir'} Page 19, line 25. The head of a 'her,' _i.e._, a hundred\nfamilies. The territory inhabited by them was called a 'herath.' The\n'hersir' seems to have combined the offices of commander in time of war,\nand religious head of his tribe. --Translator.\n{the Fjords} _Ibid._ Nordfiord and S\u00f6ndfiord.\n{war-fine} Page 20, line 1. Those who absented themselves when the ships\nwere called out for war, or who came to a wrong place of meeting, or at\na wrong time, were compelled to pay a war-fine.\n{Vingulmark} Page 28, line 31. This is not in accord with page 22,\nline 2, in which Vingulmark is mentioned as being given to Harald the\nGrenlander. Perhaps the error is on the page aforesaid, as on page 53,\nline 30, Harald is described as King of Vestfold only.\n{Vindland (Wendland)} Page 30, line 14. The present North Germany, from\neastern Holstein to eastern Prussia.\n [Marker printed after \"good havens\" on next line.]\n{Burizlaf} Page 30, line 17. _I.e._, Boleslaw. By 'Burislav,' as\nmentioned here, must not be understood Boleslaw I of Poland (992-1025),\nbut his father Miesco or Mieczyslaw (964-992).\n{Emperor Otta} Page 31, line 12. The Emperor Otta is the Emperor Otho II\n(973-983). His march on Denmark did not take place in 988 as Snorri\ncalculates, but late in the autumn of 974. Nor was the Emperor's object\nthe conversion of King Harald, for the latter had accepted Christianity\nabout 960-- but to bring Denmark under his own vassalage.\n{Danavirki} Page 31, line 18. The Danavirki, or Danish wall, began in\nthe east at the head of the Slefjord, and extended to the west only as\nfar as the Tr\u00e6aa, the tributary river of the isthmus, and not to the\nsea.\n [Marker printed after \"his call\" earlier in sentence.]\n{likewise King Burizlaf} Page 32, line 24. It is not historical that\nBurislaw (or Miesco) accompanied the Emperor to the Danish wall; nor was\nOlaf Tryggvason, who was not full grown in 974, with him.\n{saintly bishop} Page 33, line 33. As early as 968 Vidkund of Corvey, in\nhis chronicle of that year, mentions Poppo's miracle and its effect in\ncausing Harald to embrace Christianity. The incident must be ascribed to\nabout the year 906.\n{other learned men} Page 34, line 12. 'Learned men' means men trained in\nthe learning of the Church, that is to say, belonging to the priesthood.\n{Gat answer Fret} Page 35, line 3. 'Go to Fret' (?) means to consult the\ngods by means of the so-called 'blotspaan,' or sacrificial shavings.\nThese, and pieces of wood (perhaps inscribed with runes) were disposed\nin a particular manner, for the purpose of gaining information from the\ngods as to the future.\n{Gyda} Page 39, line 6. Gyda was the daughter of Olaf Kvaran, and not\nhis sister. Olaf Kvaran died an old man in 980.\n [Correct line reference is 7.]\n{holmgangsman} Page 40, line 3. 'Holmgang' so called in Norway because\nthe two combatants retired alone to a holm or uninhabited islet to\nfight. --Translator.\n{across the isthmus} Page 48, line 1. Mandseidet in Stadland.\n{Vissavald} Page 55, line 15. The Russian name Wsevolod.\n{King Olaf Kvaran} Page 57, line 22. According to English sources Olaf\nwas lying with his fleet off Southampton during the winter of 994-995.\nHe received instruction there in Christianity from English bishops, and\nwas confirmed in the spring of 995, on which occasion King Ethelred was\nhis sponsor. He returned home to his country early in the summer.\n{Rimul} Page 59, line 28. Rimul now the farm of Romol (Guldalen) on the\nwest side of the Gula river, opposite Melhus.\n{Urgutherjot and Brimiskiar, Page 66 bottom.}\n _Note missing._\n{eastward as far as Lidandisnes} Page 72, line 6. The 'Sogn-sea' formed\nthe boundary between Sogn and Hordaland so that the territory given to\nErling was Hordaland, Rogaland, and the western part of Agder, as far as\nthe Naze.\n{Sigurd Sow} Page 74, line 4. So-called because he 'rooted in the soil,'\n_i.e._, practised agriculture.\n{Olaf her son} Page 74, line 11. This is not historical. Olaf the Saint\nwas not christened until he was full grown. According to the oldest\nsources he was baptized in Rouen by Archbishop Robert, the brother of\nDuke Richard.\n{Easter Eve} Page 76, line 21. April 16, 998.\n{never should Odin beguile them} Page 78, line 20. Olaf, like all\nChristians at that time, thought Odin to be an evil spirit.\n{war-arrow} Page 78, line 27. A war-arrow was furnished with a cord or\ntwist of withy at one end, and was intended to summon all men armed to a\nThing.\n{Scipa-Krok} Page 82, line 8. 'Ship-corner,' a little creek of the river\nNid, at the end of the present Strand Gade in Trondhjem.\n{the Skeggi barrow at Austratt} Page 82, line 13. This barrow,\nSkjeggehaugen, existed at the beginning of the nineteenth century;\nit was situated to the south of the farm of '\u00d6straat' (Austrat).\n{aft with a crook} Page 91, line 33. _Svirar_: what these were is not\nknown; they must have been at the stern of the ship.\n{Michaelmas} Page 93, line 16. September 29, 999.\n{white weeds} Page 94, line 3. _I.e._, in christening raiment, which was\nworn for a week after baptism.\n{Aldeigiaborg} Page 100, line 31. The town of Ladoga; it was situated at\nthat time on the river Volkhov which debouches into the lake of Ladoga.\n{Adalsysla & Eysysla} Page 101, line 8. The island of \u00d6sel was named in\nOld-Norse Ey-Sysla (island district) and the mainland opposite\nAdal-Sysla (chief district), and the whole of Estland (or Esthonia)\ntogether Sysla.\n{Queen Gunnhild fell sick and died} Page 101, line 32. This is\nincorrect. Gunnhild was put away by King Svein and sent home to\nWendland; after the death of Svein in 1014 her sons had her brought back\nto Denmark.\n{Vineland the Good} Page 107, line 29. North America, probably Nova\nScotia.\n{skeid} Page 108, line 7. A particular kind of long-ship without a\n'head' at the prow.\n{Svold} Page 110, line 7. Svold is not an island as Snorri thought, but\na haven or creek in the mouth of a river somewhat west of R\u00fcgen.\n{Finnish} Page 118, line 1. _I.e._, Lappish. --Translator.\n{the burner of the Bulgars} Page 126, line 10. Harald Hardrad, or Harald\nthe Tyrant was in the service of the Greek Emperor in the year 1041, and\ntook part in the pillaging of the rebellious Bulgarians. The account of\nthis was not known to Snorri who lived so much later, but Thiodolf had\nheard of it.\n{Laesirs} Page 127, line 23. An unknown people, perhaps 'Lechers,'\n_i.e._, Poles.\n{Gyrgir} Page 128, line 10. Georgios Maniakes, the brave commander of\nthe Greeks in the valley of the Euphrates 1033-1035, and in Sicily in\n{Vaerings} Page 128, line 13. Mercenaries, chiefly the northern\ninhabitants of Russia and of Greece.\n{Serkland} Page 130, line 26. Snorri here confuses 'Serkland' in Asia\nwith Africa. Harald was taking part in the wars in Syria and Armenia in\nthe years 1035-1037, before going in 1038 with the Greek army to Sicily.\n{The son of Budli, as 'twas said / Showed friendship by his fellowship}\nPage 131, lines 8 and 9. These two lines refer to Atli the King of the\nHuns, who according to the legend invited his brothers-in-law (Gunnar\nand Hogn) to a feast in order to betray them.\n{all the days of his life} Page 135, line 7. Snorri Sturlason was\ndescended from Halldor in the fifth degree.\n{Jorsalaheim (Palestine)} Page 136, line 24. The Greek Emperor concluded\na peace with the Calif of Egypt in 1036 which enabled the Emperor to\nbuild churches near the Holy Sepulchre. Craftsmen were despatched\nthither for this purpose by the Emperor, and among the troops sent to\nprotect them was Harald Hardrad, or Harald the Tyrant.\n{the daughter of the brother to Queen Zoe} Page 138, line 1. Zoe never\nhad a brother, so the relationship, at all events, is inaccurate.\n{that chapel has stood there unto this very day} Page 138, line 18.\nNo such chapel has ever been known to exist in Constantinople.\n{this deed} Page 139, line 15. It is a fact that Harald was one of those\nwho blinded the 'Greek King' Michael Kalafates. The latter was accepted\nas the son of Zoe and became Emperor together with her in 1041. After\ndeposing her (April 21, 1042) he was himself deposed, and was blinded in\nthe street by his body-guard, in which Harald was serving as\n'spatharokandidat' (colonel). Michael is in this case confused with his\nsuccessor Constantine.\n{Siavidarsund} Page 139, line 19. Siavidarsund (_i.e._, 'the sound with\nthe sea-wood') is the present Golden Horn; the heavy iron chain, which\nwas stretched across its extremity, in times of dispute rested on wooden\nfloats.\n{Ellipalta} Page 140, line 3. The mouth of the Dnieper in the Black Sea.\n{East-realm} Page 140, line 4. East-realm, _i.e._, Russia, or its\neastern provinces.\n{three occasions} Page 140, line 21. If this is correct Harald must have\ngone to Constantinople before 1034, as there was a change of monarch in\n{Sudatorp} Page 143, line 13. In south Jutland, west of Aabenraa. Magnus\ndied in Zealand. His successor Svein (who was also named Magnus) died at\nSudatorp.\n{brother} Page 143, line 14. _I.e._, half-brother (Alfhild's son, not\nOlaf's).\n{Budli's ways} Page 148, line 10. Budli's, or the sea-king's way-- the\nsea.\n{Harald's soul in Heaven} Page 148, line 28. This line with line 23 on\npage 137 and one omitted from the foregoing verse form together a kind\nof refrain which runs as follows: \"May it dwell where it listeth-- In\nChrist's eternal House-- Harald's soul in Heaven.\"\n{Peter Burden-Swain} Page 152, line 33. So named because upon a certain\noccasion he carried King Sigurd Slembe at a Thing.\n{the church of Saint Olaf} Page 153, line 7. Ruins of the church of\nSaint Olaf are to be found under the present Town Hall on the northern\nside of Kongens Gade, in Trondhjem.\n{relics of King Olaf} Page 153, line 20. They were moved thither from\nSt. Clement's church.\n [Marker printed at end of sentence.]\n{church of Saint Gregory} Page 153, line 23. This church was west of the\nchurch of Saint Olaf, on the north side of the present Kongens Gade,\nwhere the Savings Bank now stands.\n{eight or nine long-ships, and nigh upon five hundred men} Page 155,\nline 13. That is to say, 600.\n{the King's-House down by the river} Page 156, line 10. 'The\nKing's-House down by the river' was the new King's-House which Harald\nhad built east of the church of Saint Mary.\n{Guthorm Gunhildson} Page 158, line 11. The son of Ketil Calf and\nGunnhild (mentioned on page 154).\n{said to be nephew} Page 162, line 32. Asmund's father was Biorn Ulfson,\nthe brother of Harald (died 1049).\n{King Margad} Page 166, line 35. Margad (in Irish Eachmargach)\nRognvaldson was the King of Dublin in 1035-1038 and 1046-1052.\n{St. Olafmas} Page 167, line 26. July 28, 1052.\n{there} Page 168, line 11. _I.e._ in the Cathedral.\n{Oslo} Page 170, line 20. On the site of part of the present city of\nChristiania.\n{bussa-ship} Page 171, line 34. A '_Bussa_' was a particular kind of\nlarge ship, broad in the beam, especially a war-ship.\n{......} Page 172, line 2. _Svirar_, see note on page 91, line 33.\n{one hundred and fifty} Page 174, line 8. That is to say, 180.\n{three hundred} Page 174, line 13. 360 ships.\n{Leidra} Page 176, line 1. Later Leire, near Roskilde in Zealand.\n{Vandrad} Page 178, line 21. _I.e._, one who is in distress.\n{two hundred men} Page 182, line 34. That is to say, 240.\n{Queen Gyda} Page 190, line 29. Her name was Eadgitha; Gyda was her\nmother's name. The sons of Earl Godwin were Harald, Tosti, Svein (died\n1052), and Gyrd. Harald was the _eldest_ son. Morcar, or Morkere, and\nWalthiof were not Earl Godwin's sons; Morcar was the son of \u00c6lfrik of\nMercia, and from 1065 was Earl of Northumberland; Walthiof was the son\nof the Danish Earl Siward of Northumberland (died 1055).\n{driven out to sea} Page 191, line 6. At Ponthieu, where the Count took\nhim prisoner. William released him and had him brought to Rouen. It is\nnot historical that Harald held undue intercourse with William's wife.\nWilliam made use of Harald's compulsory sojourn to make him swear\nallegiance to him, and affiance him to his daughter.\n{St. Paul's Church} Page 192, line 11. Unhistorical. The church referred\nto is St. Paul's in London, but Edward died and was buried at\nWinchester, where Harald was likewise crowned.\n{to guard the treasure of the King} Page 192, line 18. This is\nunhistorical. Tosti had been Earl of Northumberland since 1055, but was\ndriven away by the Northumbrians in October 1065 and fled to Flanders,\nso that he was not in England at the time of Edward's death. Harald was\nEarl of Wessex and the most powerful man in the land.\n{the 13th day} Page 192, line 28. _I.e._, the thirteenth day of\nChristmas, January 6.\n{more than other earls} Page 193, line 11. Not historical, see page 192,\nline 18.\n{Thingmanna-host} Page 195, line 20. The name of King Canute's Danish\nguard, instituted 1018.\n{Solundir} Page 196, line 3. The Sulen Islands outside Sognefjord.\n{two hundred} Page 196, line 16. That is to say, 240.\n{Earl Morcar} Page 199, line 20. Unhistorical. Morkere, or Morcar,\nescaped later and joined Harald the son of (Earl) Godwin.\n{Olaf the Mighty is} Page 199, line 27. Part of the refrain which runs\nas follows: 'Olaf the Mighty is-- the very greatest chief-- born under\nthe sun.'\n{the Wednesday} Page 200, line 9. September 20 (1066).\n{Stanford Bridge} Page 200, line 21. Now Stamford Bridge across the\nDerwent. Snorri thought that Stamford was situated nearer York than it\nreally is.\n{the Sunday} Page 200, line 27. September 24.\n{a Thing in the city} Page 201, line 2. This is incorrect. The Thing was\nto be held at Stamford Bridge and Harald was to be given there hostages\nfrom the whole of Yorkshire. It was for this reason that the battle\noccurred there.\n{the Monday} Page 201, line 11. September 25 (1066).\n{the horsemen} Page 202, line 32. Legends referring to the battle of\nHastings (October 14, 1066) are incorporated in this and the following\nnarrative. It was the Norwegians who fought on horseback, and who used\nthe expedient of pretended flight against the English, and not the\nreverse: the latter had no horse.\n{she fell and straightway died} Page 208, line 19. Quite unhistorical.\n{Svein} Page 208, line 34. Svein was killed in 1052.\n{the fall of King Harald Sigurdson} Page 209, line 4. October 14, 1066.\n{thereafter he was beheaded} Page 209, line 24. Walthiof submitted to\nWilliam immediately after the battle, and became in 1070 Earl of\nNorthumberland. In 1074 he took part in a plot against William and,\nalthough he made a timely confession of it, was beheaded outside\nWinchester in 1075.\n [Marker printed after following sentence.]\nErrors and Anomalies\n \"whithersoever\"\n _occasionally printed \"withersoever\"_\n ye relics of King Olaf\n _text unchanged_\n no power would the horsemen have over us\n _text reads \"Norsemen\"_\n Hyphenated Words:\n To the war-gathering on the longships\n _hyphen missing in original; normal form is \"long-ships\"_\n When the fore-castle men on the 'Serpent' saw this\n leap over-board each on his own side\n _hyphens in original; normal forms are \"forecastle\" and \"overboard\"_\n Punctuation:\n Thorstein the White of Oprostad,\n _text has period (full stop) for comma_\n After the death of King Harald Sigurdson,\n _text has hyphen for comma_\n and choose them tent-places.'\n _close quote missing_", "source_dataset": "gutenberg", "source_dataset_detailed": "gutenberg - The Sagas of Olaf Tryggvason and of Harald The Tyrant (Harald Haardraade)\n"} +] \ No newline at end of file