heimskringla-第175章

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d　a　long　time　that　winter　in　Sarpsborg。　　There　was　once　a　powerful　and　rich　bonde　called　O1af　of　Dal；　who　dwelt　in　Great　Dal　in　Aumord；　and　had　two　children；　　a　son　called　Hakon　Fauk；　and　a　daughter　called　Borghild；　who　was　a　very　beautiful　girl；　and　prudent；　and　well　skilled　in　many　things。　Olaf　and　his　children　were　a　long　time　in　winter　in　Sarpsborg；　and　Borghild　conversed　very　often　with　King　Eystein；　so　that　many　reports　were　spread　about　their　friendship。　　The　following　summer　King　Eystein　went　north；　and　King　Sigurd　came　eastward；　where　he　remained　all　winter；　and　was　long　in　Konungahella；　which　town　he　greatly　enlarged　and　improved。　　He　built　there　a　great　castle　of　turf　and　stone；　dug　a　great　ditch　around　it；　and　built　a　church　and　several　houses　within　the　castle。　　The　holy　cross　he　allowed　to　remain　at　Konungahella；　and　therein　did　not　fulfill　the　oath　he　had　taken　in　Palestine；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　he　established　tithe；　and　most　of　the　other　things　to　which　he　had　bound　himself　by　oath。　　The　reason　of　his　keeping　the　cross　east　at　the　frontier　of　the　country　was；　that　he　thought　it　would　be　a　protection　to　all　the　land；　but　it　proved　the　greatest　misfortune　to　place　this　relic　within　the　power　of　the　heathens；　as　it　afterwards　turned　out。

When　Borghild；　Olaf's　daughter；　heard　it　whispered　that　people　talked　ill　of　her　conversations　and　intimacy　with　King　Eystein；　she　went　to　Sarpsborg；　and　after　suitable　fasts　she　carried　the　iron　as　proof　of　her　innocence；　and　cleared　herself　thereby　fully　from　all　offence。　　When　King　Sigurd　heard　this；　he　rode　one　day　as　far　as　usually　was　two　days'　travelling；　and　came　to　Dal　to　Olaf；　where　he　remained　all　night；　made　Borghild　his　concubine；　and　took　her　away　with　him。　　They　had　a　son；　who　was　called　Magnus；　and　he　was　sent　immediately　to　Halogaland；　to　be　fostered　at　Bjarkey　by　Vidkun　Jonson；　and　he　was　brought　up　there。　　Magnus　grew　up　to　be　the　handsomest　man　that　could　be　seen；　and　was　very　soon　stout　and　strong。



25。　COMPARISON　BETWEEN　THE　TWO　KINGS。

King　Eystein　and　King　Sigurd　went　both　in　spring　to　guest…quarters　in　the　Uplands；　and　each　was　entertained　in　a　separate　house；　and　the　houses　were　not　very　distant　from　each　other。　　The　bondes；　however；　thought　it　more　convenient　that　both　should　be　entertained　together　by　turns　in　each　house；　and　thus　they　were　both　at　first　in　the　house　of　King　Eystein。　　But　in　the　evening；　when　the　people　began　to　drink；　the　ale　was　not　good；　so　that　the　guests　were　very　quiet　and　still。　　Then　said　King　Eystein；　〃Why　are　the　people　so　silent？　　It　is　more　usual　in　drinking　parties　that　people　are　merry；　so　let　us　fall　upon　some　jest　over　our　ale　that　will　amuse　people；　for　surely；　brother　Sigurd；　all　people　are　well　pleased　when　we　talk　cheerfully。〃　

Sigurd　replies；　bluntly；　〃Do　you　talk　as　much　as　you　please；　but　give　me　leave　to　be　silent。〃

Eystein　says；　〃It　is　a　common　custom　over　the　ale…table　to　compare　one　person　with　another；　and　now　let　us　do　so。〃　　Then　Sigurd　was　silent。

〃I　see；〃　says　King　Eystein；　〃that　I　must　begin　this　amusement。　Now　I　will　take　thee；　brother；　to　compare　myself　with；　and　will　make　it　appear　so　as　if　we　had　both　equal　reputation　and　property；　and　that　there　is　no　difference　in　our　birth　and　education。〃

Then　King　Sigurd　replies；　〃Do　you　remember　that　I　was　always　able　to　throw　you　when　we　wrestled；　although　you　are　a　year　older？〃　

Then　King　Eystein　replied；　〃But　I　remember　that　you　was　not　so　good　at　the　games　which　require　agility。〃

Sigurd：　〃Do　you　remember　that　I　could　drag　you　under　water；　when　we　swam　together；　as　often　as　I　pleased？〃

Eystein：　〃But　I　could　swim　as　far　as　you；　and　could　dive　as　well　as　you；　and　I　could　run　upon　snow…skates　so　well　that　nobody　could　beat　me；　and　you　could　no　more　do　it　than　an　ox。〃

Sigurd：　〃Methinks　it　is　a　more　useful　and　suitable　accomplishment　for　a　chief　to　be　expert　at　his　bow；　and　I　think　you　could　scarcely　draw　my　bow；　even　if　you　took　your　foot　to　help。〃

Eystein：　〃I　am　not　strong　at　the　bow　as　you　are；　but　there　is　less　difference　between　our　shooting　near；　and　I　can　use　the　skees　much　better　than　you；　and　in　former　times　that　was　held　a　great　accomplishment。〃

Sigurd：　〃It　appears　to　me　much　better　for　a　chief　who　is　to　be　the　superior　of　other　men；　that　he　is　conspicuous　in　a　crowd；　and　strong　and　powerful　in　weapons　above　other　men；　easily　seen；　and　easily　known；　where　there　are　many　together。〃

Eystein：　〃It　is　not　less　a　distinction　and　an　ornament　that　a　man　is　of　a　handsome　appearance；　so　as　to　be　easily　known　from　others　on　that　account；　and　this　appears　to　me　to　suit　a　chief　best；　because　the　best　ornament　is　allied　to　beauty。　　I　am　moreover　more　knowing　in　the　law　than　you；　and　on　every　subject　my　words　flow　more　easily　than　yours。〃

Sigurd：　〃It　may　be　that　you　know　more　law…quirks；　for　I　have　had　something　else　to　do；　neither　will　any　deny　you　a　smooth　tongue。　But　there　are　many　who　say　that　your　words　are　not　to　be　trusted；　that　what　you　promise　is　little　to　be　regarded；　and　that　you　talk　just　according　to　what　those　who　are　about　you　say；　which　is　not　kingly。〃

Eystein：　〃This　is　because；　when　people　bring　their　cases　before　me；　I　wish　first　to　give　every　man　that　satisfaction　in　his　affairs　which　he　desires；　but　afterwards　comes　the　opposite　party；　and　then　there　is　something　to　be　given　or　taken　away　very　often；　in　order　to　mediate　between　them；　so　that　both　may　be　satisfied。　　It　often　happens；　too；　that　I　promise　whatever　is　desired　of　me；　that　all　may　be　joyful　about　me。　　It　would　be　an　easy　matter　for　me　to　do　as　you　do；　　to　promise　evil　to　all；　and　I　never　hear　any　complain　of　your　not　keeping　this　promise　to　them。〃

Sigurd：　〃It　is　the　conversation　of　all　that　the　expedition　that　I　made　out　of　the　country　was　a　princely　expedition；　while　you　in　the　meantime　sat　at　home　like　your　father's　daughter。〃

Eystein：　〃Now　you　touched　the　tender　spot。　　I　would　not　have　brought　up　this　conversation　if　I　had　not　known　what　to　reply　on　this　point。　　I　can　truly　say　that　I　equipt　you　from　home　like　a　sister；　before　you　went　upon　this　expedition。〃

Sigurd：　〃You　must　have　heard　that　on　this　expedition　I　was　in　many　a　battle　in　the　Saracen's　land；　and　gained　the　victory　in　all；　and　you　must　have　heard　of　the　many　valuable　articles　I　acquired；　the　like　of　which　were　never　seen　before　in　this　country；　and　I　was　the　most　respected　wherever　the　most　gallant　men　were；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　you　cannot　conceal　that　you　have　only　a　home…bred　reputation。〃

Eystein：　〃I　have　heard　that　you　had　several　battles　abroad；　but　it　was　more　useful　for　the　country　what　I　was　doing　in　the　meantime　here　at　home。　　I　built　five　churches　from　the　foundations；　and　a　harbour　out　at　Agdanes；　where　it　before　was　impossible　to　land；　and　where　vessels　ply　north　and　south　along　the　coast。　　I　set　a　warping　post　and　iron　ring　in　the　sound　of　Sinholm；　and　in　Bergen　I　built　a　royal　hall；　while　you　were　killing　bluemen　for　the　devil　in　Serkland。　　This；　I　think；　was　of　but　little　advantage　to　our　kingdom。〃

King　Sigurd　said：　〃On　this　expedition　I　went　all　the　way　to　Jordan　and　swam　across　the　river。　　On　the　edge　of　the　river　there　is　a　bush　of　willows；　and　there　I　twisted　a　knot　of　willows；　and　said　this　knot　thou　shouldst　untie；　brother；　or　take　the　curse　thereto　attached。〃

King　Eystein　said：　〃I　shall　not　go　and　untie　the　knot　which　you　tied　for　me；　but　if　I　had　been　inclined　to　tie　a　knot　for　thee；　thou　wouldst　not　have　been　king　of　Norway　at　thy　return　to　this　country；　when　with　a　single　ship　you　came　sailing　into　my　fleet。〃

Thereupon　both　were　silent；　and　there　was　anger　on　both　sides。　More　things　passed　between　the　brothers；　from　which　it　appeared　that　each　of　them　would　be　greater　than　the　other；　however；　peace　was　preserved　between　them　as　long　as　they　lived。



26。　OF　KING　SIGURD'S　SICKNESS。

King　Sigurd　was　at　a　feast　in　the　Upland；　and　a　bath　was　made　ready　for　him。　　When　the　king　came　to　the　bath　and　the　tent　was　raised　over　the　bathing…tub；　the　king　thought　there　was　a　fish　in　the　tub　beside　him；　and　a　great　laughter　came　upon　him；　so　that　he　was　beside　himself；　and　was　out　of　his　mind；　and　often　afterwards　these　fits　returned。

Ma