heimskringla-第179章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


lf　lying　here；　if　he　do　not　bring　here　his　slaves　and　beggars；〃　and　seized　a　riding…whip；　and　struck　the　boy　on　the　head　until　the　blood　flowed　from　him。　　The　boy　ran　immediately　up　the　country；　and　told　Harald　what　had　happened；　who　went　immediately　out　to　the　ship；　to　the　aft　part　of　the　forecastle；　and　with　a　pole…axe　struck　Svein　so　that　he　received　a　severe　wound　on　his　hands；　and　then　Harald　went　on　shore。　　Svein　ran　to　the　land　after　him；　and；　gathering　his　friends；　took　Harald　prisoner；　and　they　were　about　hanging　him。　　But　while　they　were　busy　about　this；　Sigurd　Sigurdson　went　out　to　the　king's　ship　and　awoke　him。　　When　the　king　opened　his　eyes　and　recognised　Sigurd；　he　said。　〃For　this　reason　thou　shalt　die；　that　thou　hast　intruded　into　my　presence；　for　thou　knowest　that　I　forbade　thee：〃　and　with　these　words　the　king　sprang　up。

Sigurd　replied；　〃That　is　in　your　power　as　soon　as　you　please；　but　other　business　is　more　urgent。　Go　to　the　land　as　quickly　as　possible　to　help　thy　brother；　for　the　Rogaland　people　are　going　to　hang　him。〃

Then　said　the　king；　〃God　give　us　luck；　Sigurd！　　Call　my　trumpeter；　and　let　him　call　the　people　all　to　land；　and　to　meet　me。〃

The　king　sprang　on　the　land；　and　all　who　knew　him　followed　him　to　where　the　gallows　was　being　erected。　　The　king　instantly　took　Harald　to　him；　and　all　the　people　gathered　to　the　king　in　full　armour；　as　they　heard　the　trumpet。　　Then　the　king　ordered　that　Svein　and　all　his　comrades　should　depart　from　the　country　as　outlaws；　but　by　the　intercession　of　good　men　the　king　was　prevailed　on　to　let　them　remain　and　hold　their　properties；　but　no　mulct　should　be　paid　for　Svein's　wound。

Then　Sigurd　Sigurdson　asked　if　the　king　wished　that　he　should　go　forth　out　of　the　country。

〃That　will　I　not；〃　said　the　king；　〃for　I　can　never　be　without　thee。〃



38。　OF　KING　OLAF'S　MIRACLE。

There　was　a　young　and　poor　man　called　Kolbein；　and　Thora；　King　Sigurd　the　Crusader's　mother；　had　ordered　his　tongue　to　be　cut　out　of　his　mouth；　and　for　no　other　cause　than　that　this　young　man　had　taken　a　piece　of　meat　out　of　the　king…mother's　tub　which　he　said　the　cook　had　given　him；　and　which　the　cook　had　not　ventured　to　serve　up　to　her。　　The　man　had　long　gone　about　speechless。　　So　says　Einar　Skulason　in　Olaf's　ballad：　

　　　　　〃The　proud　rich　dame；　for　little　cause；　　　　　　Had　the　lad's　tongue　cut　from　his　jaws：　　　　　　The　helpless　man；　of　speech　deprived；　　　　　　His　dreadful　sore　wound　scarce　survived。　　　　　　A　few　weeks　since　at　Hild　was　seen；　　　　　　As　well　as　ever　he　had　been；　　　　　　The　same　poor　lad　　to　speech　restored　　　　　　By　Olaf's　power；　whom　he　adored。〃

Afterwards　the　young　man　came　to　Nidaros；　and　watched　in　the　Christ　church；　but　at　the　second　mass　for　Olaf　before　matins　he　fell　asleep；　and　thought　he　saw　King　Olaf　the　Saint　coming　to　him；　and　that　Olaf　talked　to　him；　and　took　hold　with　his　hands　of　the　stump　of　his　tongue　and　pulled　it。　　Now　when　he　awoke　he　found　himself　restored；　and　joyfully　did　he　thank　our　Lord　and　the　holy　Saint　Olaf；　who　had　pitied　and　helped　him；　for　he　had　come　there　speechless；　and　had　gone　to　the　holy　shrine；　and　went　away　cured；　and　with　his　speech　clear　and　distinct。



39。　KING　OLAF'S　MIRACLE　WITH　A　PRISONER。

The　heathens　took　prisoner　a　young　man　of　Danish　family　and　carried　him　to　Vindland；　where　he　was　in　fetters　along　with　other　prisoners。　　In　the　day…time　he　was　alone　in　irons；　without　a　guard；　but　at　night　a　peasant's　son　was　beside　him　in　the　chain；　that　he　might　not　escape　from　them。　　This　poor　man　never　got　sleep　or　rest　from　vexation　and　sorrow；　and　considered　in　many　ways　what　could　help　him；　for　he　had　a　great　dread　of　slavery；　and　was　pining　with　hunger　and　torture。　　He　could　not　again　expect　to　be　ransomed　by　his　friends；　as　they　had　already　restored　him　twice　from　heathen　lands　with　their　own　money；　and　he　well　knew　that　it　would　be　difficult　and　expensive　for　them　to　submit　a　third　time　to　this　burden。　　It　is　well　with　the　man　who　does　not　undergo　so　much　in　the　world　as　this　man　knew　he　had　suffered。　　He　saw　but　one　way；　and　that　was　to　get　off　and　escape　if　he　could。　　He　resolved　upon　this　in　the　night…time；　killed　the　peasant；　and　cut　his　foot　off　after　killing　him；　and　set　off　to　the　forest　with　the　chain　upon　his　leg。　　Now　when　the　people　knew　this；　soon　after　daylight　in　the　morning；　they　pursued　him　with　two　dogs　accustomed　to　trace　any　one　who　escaped；　and　to　find　him　in　the　forest　however　carefully　he　might　be　concealed。　They　got　him　into　their　hands　and　beat　him；　and　did　him　all　kinds　of　mischief；　and　dragging　him　home；　left　barely　alive；　and　showed　him　no　mercy。　　They　tortured　him　severely；　put　him　in　a　dark　room；　in　which　there　lay　already　sixteen　Christian　men；　and　bound　him　both　with　iron　and　other　tyings；　as　fast　as　they　could。　　Then　he　began　to　think　that　the　misery　and　pain　he　had　endured　before　were　but　shadows　to　his　present　sufferings。　　He　saw　no　man　before　his　eyes　in　this　prison　who　would　beg　for　mercy　for　him；　no　one　had　compassion　on　his　wretchedness；　except　the　Christian　men　who　lay　bound　with　him；　who　sorrowed　with　him；　and　bemoaned　his　fate　together　with　their　own　misfortunes　and　helplessness。　　One　day　they　advised　him　to　make　a　vow　to　the　holy　King　Olaf；　to　devote　himself　to　some　office　in　his　sacred　house；　if　he；　by　God's　compassion　and　Saint　Olaf's　prayers　could　get　away　from　this　prison。　　He　gladly　agreed　to　this；　and　made　a　vow　and　prepared　himself　for　the　situation　they　mentioned　to　him。　　The　night　after　he　thought　in　his　sleep　that　he　saw　a　man；　not　tall；　standing　at　his　side；　who　spoke　to　him　thus；　〃Here；　thou　wretched　man；　why　dost　thou　not　get　up？〃

He　replied；　〃Sir；　who　are　you？〃

〃I　am　King　Olaf；　on　whom　thou　hast　called。〃

〃Oh；　my　good　lord！　　gladly　would　I　raise　myself；　but　I　lie　bound　with　iron　and　with　chains　on　my　legs；　and　also　the　other　men　who　lie　here。〃

Thereupon　the　king　accosts　him　with　the　words；　〃Stand　up　at　once　and　be　not　afraid；　for　thou　art　loose。〃

He　awoke　immediately；　and　told　his　comrades　what；　had　appeared　to　him　in　his　dream。　　They　told　him　to　stand　up；　and　try　if　it　was　true。　　He　stood　up；　and　observed　that　he　was　loose。　　Now　said　his　fellow…prisoners；　this　would　help　him　but　little；　for　the　door　was　locked　both　on　the　inside　and　on　the　outside。　　Then　an　old　man　who　sat　there　in　a　deplorable　condition　put　in　his　word；　and　told　him　not　to　doubt　the　mercy　of　the　man　who　had　loosened　his　chains；　〃For　he　has　wrought　this　miracle　on　thee　that　thou　shouldst　enjoy　his　mercy；　and　hereafter　be　free；　without　suffering　more　misery　and　torture。　　Make　haste；　then；　and　seek　the　door；　and　if　thou　are　able　to　slip　out；　thou　art　saved。〃

He　did　so；　found　the　door　open；　slipped　out；　and　away　to　the　forest。　　As　soon　as　the　Vindland　people　were　aware　of　this　they　set　loose　the　dogs；　and　pursued　him　in　great　haste；　and　the　poor　man　lay　hid；　and　saw　well　where　they　were　following　him。　　But　now　the　hounds　lost　the　trace　when　they　came　nearer；　and　all　the　eyes　that　sought　him　were　struck　with　a　blindness；　so　that　nobody　could　find　him；　although　he　lay　before　their　feet；　and　they　all　returned　home；　vexed　that　they　could　not　find　him。　　King　Olaf　did　not　permit　this　man's　destruction　after　he　had　reached　the　forest；　and　restored　him　also　to　his　health　and　hearing；　for　they　had　so　long　tortured　and　beaten　him　that　he　had　become　deaf。　　At　last　he　came　on　board　of　a　ship；　with　two　other　Christian　men　who　had　been　long　afflicted　in　that　country。　　All　of　them　worked　zealously　in　this　vessel；　and　so　had　a　successful　flight。　　Then　he　repaired　to　the　holy　man's　house；　strong　and　fit　to　bear　arms。　Now　he　was　vexed　at　his　vow；　went　from　his　promise　to　the　holy　king；　ran　away　one　day；　and　came　in　the　evening　to　a　bonde　who　gave　him　lodging　for　God's　sake。　　Then　in　the　night　he　saw　three　girls　coming　to　him；　and　handsome　and　nobly　dressed　were　they。　They　spoke　to　him　directly；　and　sharply　reprimanded　him　for　having　been　so　bold　as　to　run　from　the　good　king　who　had　shown　so　much　compassion　to　him；　first　in　freeing　him　from　his　irons；　and　then　from　the　prison；　and　yet　he　had　deserted　the　mild　master　into　whose　service　he　had　entered。　　Then　he　awoke　full　of　terror；　got　up　early；　and　told　the　house…father　his