heimskringla-第89章

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　went　to　the　king；　and　asked　him　to　appoint　men　to　guard　the　murderer。　　〃I　will　now；〃　he　said；　〃be　free　of　this　charge。〃　　The　king　thanked　him　for　his　care；　and　ordered　men　to　watch　over　Asbjorn；　who　was　again　laid　in　chains。　When　the　people　went　to　high　mass　Asbjorn　was　led　to　the　church；　and　he　stood　outside　of　the　church　with　his　guard；　but　the　king　and　all　the　people　stood　in　the　church　at　mass。



127。　ERLING'S　RECONCILIATION　WITH　KING　OLAF。

Now　we　must　again　take　up　our　story　where　we　left　it；　　that　Erling　and　his　son　Skjalg　held　a　council　on　this　affair；　and　according　to　the　resolution　of　Erling；　and　of　Skjalg　and　his　other　sons；　it　was　determined　to　assemble　a　force　and　send　out　message…tokens。　　A　great　multitude　of　people　accordingly　came　together。　　They　got　ready　with　all　speed；　rigged　their　ships；　and　when　they　reckoned　upon　their　force　they　found　they　had　nearly　1500　men。　　With　this　war…force　they　set　off；　and　came　on　Sunday　to　Augvaldsnes　on　Karmt　Island。　　They　went　straight　up　to　the　house　with　all　the　men；　and　arrived　just　as　the　Scripture　lesson　was　read。　　They　went　directly　to　the　church；　took　Asbjorn；　and　broke　off　his　chains。　　At　the　tumult　and　clash　of　arms　all　who　were　outside　of　the　church　ran　into　it；　but　they　who　were　in　the　church　looked　all　towards　them；　except　the　king；　who　stood　still；　without　looking　around　him。　　Erling　and　his　sons　drew　up　their　men　on　each　side　of　the　path　which　led　from　the　church　to　the　hall；　and　Erling　with　his　sons　stood　next　to　the　hall。　　When　high　mass　was　finished　the　king　went　immediately　out　of　the　church；　and　first　went　through　the　open　space　between　the　ranks　drawn　up；　and　then　his　retinue；　man　by　man；　and　as　he　came　to　the　door　Erling　placed　himself　before　the　door；　bowed　to　the　king；　and　saluted　him。　　The　king　saluted　him　in　return；　and　prayed　God　to　help　him。　　Erling　took　up　the　word　first；　and　said；　〃My　relation；　Asbjorn；　it　is　reported　to　me；　has　been　guilty　of　misdemeanor；　king；　and　it　is　a　great　one；　if　he　has　done　anything　that　incurs　your　displeasure。　　Now　I　am　come　to　entreat　for　him　peace；　and　such　penalties　as　you　yourself　may　determine；　but　that　thereby　he　redeem　life　and　limb；　and　his　remaining　here　in　his　native　land。〃

The　king　replies；　〃It　appears　to　me；　Erling；　that　thou　thinkest　the　case　of　Asbjorn　is　now　in　thy　own　power；　and　I　do　not　therefore　know　why　thou　speakest　now　as　if　thou　wouldst　offer　terms　for　him。　　I　think　thou　hast　drawn　together　these　forces　because　thou　are　determined　to　settle　what　is　between　us。〃

Erling　replies；　〃Thou　only；　king；　shalt　determine；　and　determine　so　that　we　shall　be　reconciled。〃

The　king：　〃Thinkest　thou；　Erling；　to　make　me　afraid？　　And　art　thou　come　here　in　such　force　with　that　expectation？　　No；　that　shall　not　be；　and　if　that　be　thy　thought；　I　must　in　no　way　turn　and　fly。〃

Erling　replies；　〃Thou　hast　no　occasion　to　remind　me　how　often　I　have　come　to　meet　thee　with　fewer　men　than　thou　hadst。　　But　now　I　shall　not　conceal　what　lies　in　my　mind；　namely；　that　it　is　my　will　that　we　now　enter　into　a　reconciliation；　for　otherwise　I　expect　we　shall　never　meet　again。〃　　Erling　was　then　as　red　as　blood　in　the　face。

Now　Bishop　Sigurd　came　forward　to　the　king　and　said；　〃Sire；　I　entreat　you　on　God　Almighty's　account　to　be　reconciled　with　Erling　according　to　his　offer；　　that　the　man　shall　retain　life　and　limb；　but　that　thou　shalt　determine　according　to　thy　pleasure　all　the　other　conditions。〃

The　king　replies；　〃You　will　determine。〃

Then　said　the　bishop；　〃Erling；　do　thou　give　security　for　Asbjorn；　such　as　the　king　thinks　sufficient；　and　then　leave　the　conditions　to　the　mercy　of　the　king；　and　leave　all　in　his　power。〃

Erling　gave　a　surety　to　the　king　on　his　part；　which　he　accepted。

Thereupon　Asbjorn　received　his　life　and　safety；　and　delivered　himself　into　the　king's　power；　and　kissed　his　hand。

Erling　then　withdrew　with　his　forces；　without　exchanging　salutation　with　the　king；　and　the　king　went　into　the　hall；　followed　by　Asbjorn。　　The　king　thereafter　made　known　the　terms　of　reconciliation　to　be　these：　　〃In　the　first　place；　Asbjorn；　thou　must　submit　to　the　law　of　the　land；　which　commands　that　the　man　who　kills　a　servant　of　the　king　must　undertake　his　service；　if　the　king　will。　　Now　I　will　that　thou　shalt　undertake　the　office　of　bailiff　which　Thorer　Sel　had；　and　manage　my　estate　here　in　Augvaldsnes。〃　　Asbjorn　replies；　that　it　should　be　according　to　the　king's　will；　〃but　I　must　first　go　home　to　my　farm；　and　put　things　in　order　there。〃　　The　king　was　satisfied　with　this；　and　proceeded　to　another　guest…quarter。　　Asbjorn　made　himself　ready　with　his　comrades；　who　all　kept　themselves　concealed　in　a　quiet　creek　during　the　time　Asbjorn　was　away　from　them。　　They　had　had　their　spies　out　to　learn　how　it　went　with　him；　and　would　not　depart　without　having　some　certain　news　of　him。



128。　OF　THORER　HUND　AND　ASBJORN　SELSBANE。

Asbjorn　then　set　out　on　his　voyage；　and　about　spring　（A。D。　1023）　got　home　to　his　farm。　　After　this　exploit　he　was　always　called　Asbjorn　Selsbane。　　Asbjorn　had　not　been　long　at　home　before　he　and　his　relation　Thorer　met　and　conversed　together；　and　Thorer　asked　Asbjorn　particularly　all　about　his　journey；　and　about　all　the　circumstances　which　had　happened　on　the　course　of　it。　　Asbjorn　told　everything　as　it　had　taken　place。

Then　said　Thorer；　〃Thou　thinkest　that　thou　hast　well　rubbed　out　the　disgrace　of　having　been　plundered　in　last　harvest。〃

〃I　think　so；〃　replies　Asbjorn；　〃and　what　is　thy　opinion；　cousin？〃

〃That　I　will　soon　tell　thee；〃　said　Thorer。　　〃Thy　first　expedition　to　the　south　of　the　country　was　indeed　very　disgraceful；　and　that　disgrace　has　been　redeemed；　but　this　expedition　is　both　a　disgrace　to　thee　and　to　thy　family；　if　it　end　in　thy　becoming　the　king's　slave；　and　being　put　on　a　footing　with　that　worst　of　men；　Thorer　Sel。　　Show　that　thou　art　manly　enough　to　sit　here　on　thy　own　property；　and　we　thy　relations　shall　so　support　thee　that　thou　wilt　never　more　come　into　such　trouble。〃

Asbjorn　found　this　advice　much　to　his　mind；　and　before　they　parted　it　was　firmly；　determined　that　Asbjorn　should　remain　on　his　farm；　and　not　go　back　to　the　king　or　enter　into　his　service。　　And　he　did　so；　and　sat　quietly　at　home　on　his　farm。



129。　KING　OLAF　BAPTIZES　IN　VORS　AND　VALDERS。

After　King　Olaf　and　Erling　Skjalgson　had　this　meeting　at　Augvaldsnes；　new　differences　arose　between　them；　and　increased　so　much　that　they　ended　in　perfect　enmity。　　In　spring　（A。D。　1023）　the　king　proceeded　to　guest…quarters　in　Hordaland；　and　went　up　also　to　Vors；　because　he　heard　there　was　but　little　of　the　true　faith　among　the　people　there。　　He　held　a　Thing　with　the　bondes　at　a　place　called　Vang；　and　a　number　of　bondes　came　to　it　fully　armed。　　The　king　ordered　them　to　adopt　Christianity；　but　they　challenged　him　to　battle；　and　it　proceeded　so　far　that　the　men　were　drawn　up　on　both　sides。　　But　when　it　came　to　the　point　such　a　fear　entered　into　the　blood　of　the　bondes　that　none　would　advance　or　command；　and　they　chose　the　part　which　was　most　to　their　advantage；　namely；　to　obey　the　king　and　receive　Christianity；　and　before　the　king　left　them　they　were　all　baptized。　　One　day　it　happened　that　the　king　was　riding　on　his　way　a　singing　of　psalms；　and　when　he　came　right　opposite　some　hills　he　halted　and　said；　〃Man　after　man　shall　relate　these　my　words；　that　I　think　it　not　advisable　for　any　king　of　Norway　to　travel　hereafter　between　these　hills。〃　　And　it　is　a　saying　among　the　people　that　the　most　kings　since　that　time　have　avoided　it。　The　king　proceeded　to　Ostrarfjord；　and　came　to　his　ships；　with　which　he　went　north　to　Sogn；　and　had　his　living　in　guest…quarters　there　in　summer　（A。D。　1023）；　when　autumn　approached　he　turned　in　towards　the　Fjord　district；　and　went　from　thence　to　Valders；　where　the　people　were　still　heathen。　　The　king　hastened　up　to　the　lake　in　Valders；　came　unexpectedly　on　the　bondes；　seized　their　vessels；　and　went　on　board　of　them　with　all　his　men。　　He　then　sent　out　message…tokens；　and　appointed　a　Thing　so　near　the　lake　that　he　could　use　the　vessels　if　he　found　he　required　them。　　The　bondes　resorted　to　the　Thing　in　a　great　and　well…armed　host；　and　when　he　commanded　them　to　accept　Christianity　the　bondes　shouted　aga