heimskringla-第184章

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hould　both　shoot　together　at　this　bowman。　　〃But　I　will　shoot　at　the　man　who　holds　the　shield　before　him。〃　　He　did　so；　and　he　knocked　the　shield　down　a　little　before　the　man；　and　in　the　same　instant　Asmund　shot　between　the　shields；　and　the　arrow　hit　the　bowman　in　the　forehead；　so　that　it　came　out　at　his　neck；　and　he　fell　down　dead。　　When　the　Vindlanders　saw　it　they　howled　like　dogs；　or　like　wolves。　　Then　King　Rettibur　called　to　them　that　he　would　give　them　safety　and　life；　but　they　refused　terms。　　The　heathens　again　made　a　hard　assault。　　One　of　the　heathens　in　particular　fought　so　bravely；　and　ventured　so　near；　that　he　came　quite　up　to　the　castle…gate；　and　pierced　the　man　who　stood　outside　the　gate　with　his　sword；　and　although　they　used　both　arrows　and　stones　against　him；　and　he　had　neither　shield　nor　helmet；　nothing　could　touch　him；　for　he　was　so　skilled　in　witchcraft　that　weapon　could　not　wound　him。　　Then　priest　Andres　took　consecrated　fire；　blew　upon　it；　cut　tinder　in　pieces；　and　laid　it　on　the　fire；　and　then　laid　the　tinder　on　the　arrow…point；　and　gave　it　to　Asmund。　　He　shot　this　arrow　at　the　warlock；　and　the　shaft　hit　so　well　that　it　did　its　business；　and　the　man　of　witchcraft　fell　dead。　　Then　the　heathens　crowded　together　as　before；　howling　and　whining　dreadfully；　and　all　gathered　about　their　king；　on　which　the　Christians　believed　that　they　were　holding　a　council　about　retreating。　　The　interpreters；　who　understood　the　Vindland　tongue；　heard　the　chief　Unibur　make　the　following　speech：　〃These　people　are　brave；　and　it　is　difficult　to　make　anything　of　them；　and　even　if　we　took　all　the　goods　in　their　town；　we　might　willingly　give　as　much　more　that　we　had　never　come　here；　so　great　has　been　our　loss　of　men　and　chiefs。　　Early　in　the　day；　when　we　began　to　assault　the　castle；　they　defended　themselves　first　with　arrows　and　spears；　then　they　fought　against　us　with　stones；　and　now　with　sticks　and　staves；　as　against　dogs。　　I　see　from　this　that　they　are　in　want　of　weapons　and　means　of　defense；　so　we　shall　make　one　more　hard　assault；　and　try　their　strength。〃　　It　was　as　he　said；　that　they　now　fought　with　stakes；　because；　in　the　first　assault；　they　had　imprudently　used　up　all　their　missile　weapons　and　stones；　and　now　when　the　Christians　saw　the　number　of　their　stakes　diminishing；　they　clave　each　stake　in　two。　　The　heathens　now　made　a　very　hot　attack；　and　rested　themselves　between　whiles；　and　on　both　sides　they　were　exhausted。　　During　a　rest　the　Vindland　king　Rettibur　again　offered　terms；　and　that　they　should　retain　the　weapons；　clothes；　and　silver　they　could　carry　out　of　the　castle。　　Saemund　Husfreyja　had　fallen；　and　the　men　who　remained　gave　the　counsel　to　deliver　up　the　castle　and　themselves　into　the　power　of　the　heathens；　but　it　was　a　foolish　counsel；　for　the　heathens　did　not　keep　their　promises；　but　took　all　people；　men；　women；　and　children；　and　killed　all　of　them　who　were　wounded　or　young；　or　could　not　easily　be　carried　with　them。　They　took　all　the　goods　that　were　in　the　castle；　went　into　the　Cross　church；　and　plundered　it　of　all　its　ornaments。　　The　priest　Andres　gave　King　Rettibur　a　silver…mounted　gilt　sceptre；　and　to　his　sister's　son　Dunimiz　he　gave　a　gold　ring。　　They　supposed　from　this　that　he　was　a　man　of　great　importance　in　the　town；　and　held　him　in　higher　respect　than　the　others。　　They　took　away　with　them　the　holy　cross；　and　also　the　tables　which　stood　before　the　altar；　which　Sigurd　had　got　made　in　the　Greek　country；　and　had　brought　home　himself。　　These　they　took；　and　laid　flat　down　on　the　steps　before　the　altar。　　Then　the　heathens　went　out　of　the　church。　Rettibur　said；　〃This　house　has　been　adorned　with　great　zeal　for　the　God　to　whom　it　is　dedicated；　but；　methinks；　He　has　shown　little　regard　for　the　town　or　house：　so　I　see　their　God　has　been　angry　at　those　who　defended　them。〃　　King　Rettibur　gave　the　priest　Andres　the　church；　the　shrine；　the　holy　cross；　the　Bible；　the　altar…book；　and　four　clerks　（prisoners）；　but　the　heathens　burnt　the　Castle　church；　and　all　the　houses　that　were　in　the　castle。　　As　the　fire　they　had　set　to　the　church　went　out　twice；　they　hewed　the　church　down；　and　then　it　burnt　like　other　houses。　　Then　the　heathens　went　to　their　ships　with　the　booty；　but　when　they　mustered　their　people　and　saw　their　loss；　they　made　prisoners　of　all　the　people；　and　divided　them　among　the　vessels。　　Now　priest　Andres　went　on　board　the　king's　ship　with　the　holy　cross；　and　there　came　a　great　terror　over　the　heathens　on　account　of　the　portentous　circumstance　which　took　place　in　the　king's　ship；　namely；　it　became　so　hot　that　all　thought　they　were　to　be　burnt　up。　　The　king　ordered　the　interpreter　to　ask　the　priest　why　this　happened。　　He　replied；　that　the　Almighty　God　on　whom　the　Christians　believed；　sent　them　a　proof　of　His　anger；　that　they　who　would　not　believe　in　their　Creator　presumed　to　lay　hands　on　the　emblem　of　His　suffering；　and　that　there　lay　so　much　power　in　the　cross；　that　such；　and　even　clearer　miracles；　happened　to　heathen　men　who　had　taken　the　cross　in　their　hands。　　The　king　had　the　priest　put　into　the　ship's　boat；　and　the　priest　Andres　carried　the　holy　cross　in　his　grasp。　　They　led　the　boat　along　past　the　ship's　bow；　and　then　along　the　side　of　the　next　ship；　and　then　shoved　it　with　a　boat…hook　in　beside　the　pier。　　Then　Andres　went　with　the　cross　by　night　to　Solbjorg；　in　rain　and　dreadful　weather；　but　brought　it　in　good　preservation。　　King　Rettibur；　and　the　men　he　had　remaining；　went　home　to　Vindland；　and　many　of　the　people　who　were　taken　at　Konungahella　were　long　afterwards　in　slavery　in　Vindland；　and　those　who　were　ransomed　and　came　back　to　Norway　to　their　udal　lands　and　properties；　throve　worse　than　before　their　capture。　　The　merchant　town　of　Konungahella　has　never　since　risen　to　the　importance　it　was　of　before　this　event。



12。　OF　MAGNUS　THE　BLIND。

King　Magnus；　after　he　was　deprived　of　sight；　went　north　to　Nidaros；　where　he　went　into　the　cloister　on　the　holm；　and　assumed　the　monk's　dress。　　The　cloister　received　the　farm　of　Great　Hernes　in　Frosta　for　his　support。　　King　Harald　alone　ruled　the　country　the　following　winter；　gave　all　men　peace　and　pardon　who　desired　it；　and　took　many　of　the　men　into　his　court…service　who　had　been　with　King　Magnus。　　Einar　Skulason　says　that　King　Harald　had　two　battles　in　Denmark；　the　one　at　Hvedn　Isle；　and　the　other　at　Hlesey　Isle：　

　　　　　〃Unwearied　champion！　who　wast　bred　　　　　　To　stain　thy　blue…edged　weapons　red！　　　　　　Beneath　high　Hvedn's　rocky　shore；　　　　　　The　faithless　felt　thy　steel　once　more。〃

And　again；　thus：　

　　　　　〃On　Hlesey's　plain　the　foe　must　quail　　　　　　'Fore　him　who　dyes　their　shirts　of　mail。　　　　　　His　storm…stretched　banner　o'er　his　head　　　　　　Flies　straight；　and　fills　the　foe　with　dread。〃



13。　OF　KING　HARALD　GILLE　AND　BISHOP　MAGNUS。

King　Harald　Gille　was　a　very　generous　man。　　It　is　told　that　in　his　time　Magnus　Einarson　came　from　Iceland　to　be　consecrated　a　bishop；　and　the　king　received　him　well；　and　showed　him　much　respect。　　When　the　bishop　was　ready　to　sail　for　Iceland　again；　and　the　ship　was　rigged　out　for　sea；　he　went　to　the　hall　where　the　king　was　drinking；　saluted　him　politely　and　warmly；　and　the　king　received　him　joyfully。　　The　queen　was　sitting　beside　the　king。

Then　said　the　king；　〃Are　you　ready；　bishop；　for　your　voyage？〃

He　replied　that　he　was。

The　king　said；　〃You　come　to　us　just　now　at　a　bad　time；　for　the　tables　are　just　removed；　and　there　is　nothing　at　hand　suitable　to　present　to　you。　　What　is　there　to　give　the　bishop？〃

The　treasurer　replies；　〃Sire；　as　far　as　I　know；　all　articles　of　any　value　are　given　away。〃

The　king：　〃Here　is　a　drinking　goblet　remaining；　take　this；　bishop；　it　is　not　without　value。〃

The　bishop　expressed　his　thanks　for　the　honour　shown　him。

Then　said　the　queen；　〃Farewell；　bishop！　　and　a　happy　voyage。〃

The　king　said　to　her；　〃When　did　you　ever　hear　a　noble　lady　say　so　to　a　bishop　without　giving　him　something？〃

She　replies；　〃Sire；　what　have　I　to　give　him？〃

The　king：　〃Thou　hast　the　cushion　under　thee。〃

Thereupon　this；　which　was　covered　with　costly　cloth；　and　was　a　valuable　article；　was　given　to　the　bishop。　　When　the　bishop　was　going　away　the　king　took　the　cushion　from　under　himself　and　gave　it　him；　saying；　〃They　h