heimskringla-第90章

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　great　and　well…armed　host；　and　when　he　commanded　them　to　accept　Christianity　the　bondes　shouted　against　him；　told　him　to　be　silent；　and　made　a　great　uproar　and　clashing　of　weapons。　　But　when　the　king　saw　that　they　would　not　listen　to　what　he　would　teach　them；　and　also　that　they　had　too　great　a　force　to　contend　with；　he　turned　his　discourse；　and　asked　if　there　were　people　at　the　Thing　who　had　disputes　with　each　other　which　they　wished　him　to　settle。　　It　was　soon　found　by　the　conversation　of　the　bondes　that　they　had　many　quarrels　among　themselves；　although　they　had　all　joined　in　speaking　against　Christianity。　　When　the　bondes　began　to　set　forth　their　own　cases；　each　endeavored　to　get　some　upon　his　side　to　support　him；　and　this　lasted　the　whole　day　long　until　evening；　when　the　Thing　was　concluded。　　When　the　bondes　had　heard　that　the　king　had　travelled　to　Valders；　and　was　come　into　their　neighborhood；　they　had　sent　out　message…tokens　summoning　the　free　and　the　unfree　to　meet　in　arms；　and　with　this　force　they　had　advanced　against　the　king；　so　that　the　neighbourhood　all　around　was　left　without　people。　　When　the　Thing　was　concluded　the　bondes　still　remained　assembled；　and　when　the　king　observed　this　he　went　on　board　his　ships；　rowed　in　the　night　right　across　the　water；　landed　in　the　country　there；　and　began　to　plunder　and　burn。　　The　day　after　the　king's　men　rowed　from　one　point　of　land　to　another；　and　over　all　the　king　ordered　the　habitations　to　be　set　on　fire。　　Now　when　the　bondes　who　were　assembled　saw　what　the　king　was　doing；　namely；　plundering　and　burning；　and　saw　the　smoke　and　flame　of　their　houses；　they　dispersed；　and　each　hastened　to　his　own　home　to　see　if　he　could　find　those　he　had　left。　　As　soon　as　there　came　a　dispersion　among　the　crowd；　the　one　slipped　away　after　the　other；　until　the　whole　multitude　was　dissolved。　　Then　the　king　rowed　across　the　lake　again；　burning　also　on　that　side　of　the　country。　Now　came　the　bondes　to　him　begging　for　mercy；　and　offering　to　submit　to　him。　　He　gave　every　man　who　came　to　him　peace　if　he　desired　it；　and　restored　to　him　his　goods；　and　nobody　refused　to　adopt　Christianity。　　The　king　then　had　the　people　christened；　and　took　hostages　from　the　bondes。　　He　ordered　churches　to　be　built　and　consecrated；　and　placed　teachers　in　them。　　He　remained　a　long　time　here　in　autumn；　and　had　his　ships　drawn　across　the　neck　of　land　between　the　two　lakes。　　The　king　did　not　go　far　from　the　sides　of　the　lakes　into　the　country；　for　he　did　not　much　trust　the　bondes。　　When　the　king　thought　that　frost　might　be　expected；　he　went　further　up　the　country；　and　came　to　Thoten。　　Arnor；　the　earl's　skald；　tells　how　King　Olaf　burnt　in　the　Uplands；　in　the　poem　he　composed　concerning　the　king's　brother　King　Harald：　

　　　　　〃Against　the　Upland　people　wroth；　　　　　　Olaf；　to　most　so　mild；　went　forth：　　　　　　　　　　　The　houses　burning；　　　　　　　　　　　All　people　mourning；　　　　　　　　　　　Who　could　not　fly　　　　　　　　　　　Hung　on　gallows　high。　　　　　　It　was；　I　think；　in　Olaf's　race　　　　　　The　Upland　people　to　oppress。〃

Afterwards　King　Olaf　went　north　through　the　valleys　to　Dovrefield；　and　did　not　halt　until　he　reached　the　Throndhjem　district　and　arrived　at　Nidaros；　where　he　had　ordered　winter　provision　to　be　collected；　and　remained　all　winter　（A。D。　1024）。　This　was　the　tenth　year　of　his　reign。



130。　OF　EINAR　TAMBASKELFER。

The　summer　before　Einar　Tambaskelfer　left　the　country；　and　went　westward　to　England　（A。D。　1023）。　　There　he　met　his　relative　Earl　Hakon；　and　stayed　some　time　with　him。　　He　then　visited　King　Canute；　from　whom　he　received　great　presents。　　Einar　then　went　south　all　the　way　to　Rome；　and　came　back　the　following　summer　（A。D。　1024）；　and　returned　to　his　house　and　land。　　King　Olaf　and　Einar　did　not　meet　this　time。



131。　THE　BIRTH　OF　KING　MAGNUS。

There　was　a　girl　whose　name　was　Alfhild；　and　who　was　usually　called　the　king's　slave…woman；　although　she　was　of　good　descent。　She　was　a　remarkably　handsome　girl；　and　lived　in　King　Olaf's　court。　　It　was　reported　this　spring　that　Alfhild　was　with　child；　and　the　king's　confidential　friends　knew　that　he　was　father　of　the　child。　　It　happened　one　night　that　Alfhild　was　taken　ill；　and　only　few　people　were　at　hand；　namely；　some　women；　priests；　Sigvat　the　skald；　and　a　few　others。　　Alfhild　was　so　ill　that　she　was　nearly　dead；　and　when　she　was　delivered　of　a　man…child；　it　was　some　time　before　they　could　discover　whether　the　child　was　in　life。　　But　when　the　infant　drew　breath；　although　very　weak；　the　priest　told　Sigvat　to　hasten　to　the　king；　and　tell　him　of　the　event。

He　replies；　〃I　dare　not　on　any　account　waken　the　king；　for　he　has　forbid　that　any　man　should　break　his　sleep　until　he　awakens　of　himself。〃

The　priest　replies；　〃It　is　of　necessity　that　this　child　be　immediately　baptized；　for　it　appears　to　me　there　is　but　little　life　in　it。〃

Sigvat　said；　〃I　would　rather　venture　to　take　upon　me　to　let　thee　baptize　the　child；　than　to　awaken　the　king；　and　I　will　take　it　upon　myself　if　anything　be　amiss；　and　will　give　the　child　a　name。〃

They　did　so；　and　the　child　was　baptized；　and　got　the　name　of　Magnus。　　The　next　morning；　when　the　king　awoke　and　had　dressed　himself；　the　circumstance　was　told　him。　　He　ordered　Sigvat　to　be　called；　and　said。　〃How　camest　thou　to　be　so　bold　as　to　have　my　child　baptized　before　I　knew　anything　about　it？〃

Sigvat　replies；　〃Because　I　would　rather　give　two　men　to　God　than　one　to　the　devil。〃

The　king　　〃What　meanest　thou？〃

Sigvat　　〃The　child　was　near　death；　and　must　have　been　the　devil's　if　it　had　died　as　a　heathen；　and　now　it　is　God's。　　And　I　knew　besides　that　if　thou　shouldst　be　so　angry　on　this　account　that　it　affected　my　life；　I　would　be　God's　also。〃

The　king　asked；　〃But　why　didst　thou　call　him　Magnus；　which　is　not　a　name　of　our　race？〃

Sigvat　　〃I　called　him　after　King　Carl　Magnus；　who；　I　knew；　had　been　the　best　man　in　the　world。〃

Then　said　the　king；　〃Thou　art　a　very　lucky　man；　Sigvat；　but　it　is　not　wonderful　that　luck　should　accompany　understanding。　　It　is　only　wonderful　how　it　sometimes　happens　that　luck　attends　ignorant　men；　and　that　foolish　counsel　turns　out　lucky。〃　　The　king　was　overjoyed　at　the　circumstance。　　The　boy　grew　up；　and　gave　good　promise　as　he　advanced　in　age。



132。　THE　MURDER　OF　ASBJORN　SELSBANE。

The　same　spring　（A。D。　1024）　the　king　gave　into　the　hands　of　Asmund　Grankelson　the　half　of　the　sheriffdom　of　the　district　of　Halogaland；　which　Harek　of　Thjotta　had　formerly　held；　partly　in　fief；　partly　for　defraying　the　king's　entertainment　in　guest…　quarters。　　Asmund　had　a　ship　manned　with　nearly　thirty　well…armed　men。　　When　Asmund　came　north　he　met　Harek；　and　told　him　what　the　king　had　determined　with　regard　to　the　district；　and　produced　to　him　the　tokens　of　the　king's　full　powers。　　Harek　said；　〃The　king　had　the　right　to　give　the　sheriffdom　to　whom　he　pleased；　but　the　former　sovereigns　had　not　been　in　use　to　diminish　our　rights　who　are　entitled　by　birth　to　hold　powers　from　the　king；　and　to　give　them　into　the　hands　of　the　peasants　who　never　before　held　such　offices。〃　　But　although　it　was　evident　that　it　was　against　Harek's　inclination；　he　allowed　Asmund　to　take　the　sheriffdom　according　to　the　king's　order。　　Then　Asmund　proceeded　home　to　his　father；　stayed　there　a　short　time；　and　then　went　north　to　Halogaland　to　his　sheriffdom；　and　he　came　north　to　Langey　Island；　where　there　dwelt　two　brothers　called　Gunstein　and　Karle；　both　very　rich　and　respectable　men。　　Gunstein；　the　eldest　of　the　brothers；　was　a　good　husbandman。　　Karle　was　a　handsome　man　in　appearance；　and　splendid　in　his　dress；　and　both　were；　in　many　respects；　expert　in　all　feats。　　Asmund　was　well　received　by　them；　remained　with　them　a　while；　and　collected　such　revenues　of　his　sheriffdom　as　he　could　get。　　Karle　spoke　with　Asmund　of　his　wish　to　go　south　with　him　and　take　service　in　the　court　of　King　Olaf；　to　which　Asmund　encouraged　him　much；　promising　his　influence　with　the　king　for　obtaining　for　Karle　such　a　situation　as　he　desired；　and　Karle　accordingly　accompanied　Asmund。　　Asmund　heard　that　Asbjorn；　who　had　killed　Thorer　Sel；　had　gone　to　the　market…　meeting　of　Vagar　with　a　large　ship　of　burden　manned　with　nearly　twenty　men；　and　that　he　was　now　expected　from　the　south。　　Asmund　and　his　retinue　p