early kings of norway-第12部分

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nd　strategic　practice　which　a　Friedrich　or　a　Turenne　might　have　approved；　surrounds　these　Five；　and　when　morning　breaks；　there　is　nothing　for　them　but　either　death；　or　else　instant　surrender；　and　swearing　of　fealty　to　King　Olaf。　Which　latter　branch　of　the　alternative　they　gladly　accept；　the　whole　five　of　them；　and　go　home　again。

This　was　a　beautiful　bit　of　war…practice　by　King　Olaf　on　land。　　By　another　stroke　still　more　compendious　at　sea；　he　had　already　settled　poor　young　Hakon；　and　made　him　peaceable　for　a　long　while。　　Olaf　by　diligent　quest　and　spy…messaging；　had　ascertained　that　Hakon；　just　returning　from　Denmark　and　farewell　to　Papa　and　Knut；　both　now　under　way　for　England；　was　coasting　north　towards　Trondhjem；　and　intended　on　or　about　such　a　day　to　land　in　such　and　such　a　fjord　towards　the　end　of　this　Trondhjem　voyage。　　Olaf　at　once　mans　two　big　ships；　steers　through　the　narrow　mouth　of　the　said　fjord；　moors　one　ship　on　the　north　shore；　another　on　the　south；　fixes　a　strong　cable；　well　sunk　under　water；　to　the　capstans　of　these　two；　and　in　all　quietness　waits　for　Hakon。　　Before　many　hours；　Hakon's　royal　or　quasi…royal　barge　steers　gaily　into　this　fjord；　is　a　little　surprised；　perhaps；　to　see　within　the　jaws　of　it　two　big　ships　at　anchor；　but　steers　gallantly　along；　nothing　doubting。　　Olaf　with　a　signal　of　〃All　hands；〃　works　his　two　capstans；　has　the　cable　up　high　enough　at　the　right　moment；　catches　with　it　the　keel　of　poor　Hakon's　barge；　upsets　it；　empties　it　wholly　into　the　sea。　　Wholly　into　the　sea；　saves　Hakon；　however；　and　his　people　from　drowning；　and　brings　them　on　board。　　His　dialogue　with　poor　young　Hakon；　especially　poor　young　Hakon's　responses；　is　very　pretty。　　Shall　I　give　it；　out　of　Snorro；　and　let　the　reader　take　it　for　as　authentic　as　he　can？　　It　is　at　least　the　true　image　of　it　in　authentic　Snorro's　head；　little　more　than　two　centuries　later。

〃Jarl　Hakon　was　led　up　to　the　king's　ship。　　He　was　the　handsomest　man　that　could　be　seen。　　He　had　long　hair　as　fine　as　silk；　bound　about　his　head　with　a　gold　ornament。　　When　he　sat　down　in　the　forehold　the　king　said　to　him：

_King。_　　〃'It　is　not　false；　what　is　said　of　your　family；　that　ye　are　handsome　people　to　look　at；　but　now　your　luck　has　deserted　you。'

_Hakon。_　　〃'It　has　always　been　the　case　that　success　is　changeable；　and　there　is　no　luck　in　the　matter。　　It　has　gone　with　your　family　as　with　mine　to　have　by　turns　the　better　lot。　　I　am　little　beyond　childhood　in　years；　and　at　any　rate　we　could　not　have　defended　ourselves；　as　we　did　not　expect　any　attack　on　the　way。　　It　may　turn　out　better　with　us　another　time。'

_King。_　　〃'Dost　thou　not　apprehend　that　thou　art　in　such　a　condition　that；　hereafter；　there　can　be　neither　victory　nor　defeat　for　thee？'

_Hakon。_　　〃'That　is　what　only　thou　canst　determine；　King；　according　to　thy　pleasure。'

_King。_　　〃'What　wilt　thou　give　me；　Jarl；　if；　for　this　time；　I　let　thee　go；　whole　and　unhurt？'

_Hakon。_　　〃'What　wilt　thou　take；　King？'

_King。_　　　〃'Nothing；　except　that　thou　shalt　leave　the　country；　give　up　thy　kingdom；　and　take　an　oath　that　thou　wilt　never　go　into　battle　against　me。'〃＇12＇

Jarl　Hakon　accepted　the　generous　terms；　went　to　England　and　King　Knut；　and　kept　his　bargain　for　a　good　few　years；　though　he　was　at　last　driven；　by　pressure　of　King　Knut；　to　violate　it；little　to　his　profit；　as　we　shall　see。　　One　victorious　naval　battle　with　Jarl　Svein；　Hakon's　uncle；　and　his　adherents；　who　fled　to　Sweden；　after　his　beating；battle　not　difficult　to　a　skilful；　hard…hitting　king；was　pretty　much　all　the　actual　fighting　Olaf　had　to　do　in　this　enterprise。　He　various　times　met　angry　Bonders　and　refractory　Things　with　arms　in　their　hand；　but　by　skilful；　firm　management；perfectly　patient；　but　also　perfectly　ready　to　be　active；he　mostly　managed　without　coming　to　strokes；　and　was　universally　recognized　by　Norway　as　its　real　king。　A　promising　young　man；　and　fit　to　be　a　king；　thinks　Snorro。　　Only　of　middle　stature；　almost　rather　shortish；　but　firm…standing；　and　stout…built；　so　that　they　got　to　call　him　Olaf　the　Thick　（meaning　Olaf　the　Thick…set；　or　Stout…built）；　though　his　final　epithet　among　them　was　infinitely　higher。　　For　the　rest；　〃a　comely；　earnest；　prepossessing　look；　beautiful　yellow　hair　in　quantity；　broad；　honest　face；　of　a　complexion　pure　as　snow　and　rose；〃　and　finally　（or　firstly）　〃the　brightest　eyes　in　the　world；　such　that；　in　his　anger；　no　man　could　stand　them。〃　　He　had　a　heavy　task　ahead；　and　needed　all　his　qualities　and　fine　gifts　to　get　it　done。



CHAPTER　X。

REIGN　OF　KING　OLAF　THE　SAINT。

The　late　two　Jarls；　now　gone　about　their　business；　had　both　been　baptized；　and　called　themselves　Christians。　　But　during　their　government　they　did　nothing　in　the　conversion　way；　left　every　man　to　choose　his　own　God　or　Gods；　so　that　some　had　actually　two；　the　Christian　God　by　land；　and　at　sea　Thor；　whom　they　considered　safer　in　that　element。　　And　in　effect　the　mass　of　the　people　had　fallen　back　into　a　sluggish　heathenism　or　half…heathenism；　the　life…labor　of　Olaf　Tryggveson　lying　ruinous　or　almost　quite　overset。　　The　new　Olaf；　son　of　Harald；　set　himself　with　all　his　strength　to　mend　such　a　state　of　matters；　and　stood　by　his　enterprise　to　the　end；　as　the　one　highest　interest；　including　all　others；　for　his　People　and　him。　　His　method　was　by　no　means　soft；　on　the　contrary；　it　was　hard；　rapid；　severe；somewhat　on　the　model　of　Tryggveson's；　though　with　more　of　_bishoping_　and　preaching　superadded。　　Yet　still　there　was　a　great　deal　of　mauling；　vigorous　punishing；　and　an　entire　intolerance　of　these　two　things：　　Heathenism　and　Sea…robbery；　at　least　of　Sea…robbery　in　the　old　style；　whether　in　the　style　we　moderns　still　practise；　and　call　privateering；　I　do　not　quite　know。　　But　Vikingism　proper　had　to　cease　in　Norway；　still　more；　Heathenism；　under　penalties　too　severe　to　he　borne；　death；　mutilation　of　limb；　not　to　mention　forfeiture　and　less　rigorous　coercion。　　Olaf　was　inexorable　against　violation　of　the　law。　　〃Too　severe；〃　cried　many；　to　whom　one　answers；　〃Perhaps　in　part　_yes_；　perhaps　also　in　great　part　_no_；　depends　altogether　on　the　previous　question；　How　far　the　law　was　the　eternal　one　of　God　Almighty　in　the　universe；　How　far　the　law　merely　of　Olaf　（destitute　of　right　inspiration）　left　to　his　own　passions　and　whims？〃

Many　were　the　jangles　Olaf　had　with　the　refractory　Heathen　Things　and　Ironbeards　of　a　new　generation：　　very　curious　to　see。　　Scarcely　ever　did　it　come　to　fighting　between　King　and　Thing；　though　often　enough　near　it；　but　the　Thing　discerning；　as　it　usually　did　in　time；　that　the　King　was　stronger　in　men；　seemed　to　say　unanimously　to　itself；　〃We　have　lost；　then；　baptize　us；　we　must　burn　our　old　gods　and　conform。〃　One　new　feature　we　do　slightly　discern：　　here　and　there　a　touch　of　theological　argument　on　the　heathen　side。　　At　one　wild　Thing；　far　up　in　the　Dovrefjeld；　of　a　very　heathen　temper；　there　was　much　of　that；　not　to　be　quenched　by　King　Olaf　at　the　moment；　so　that　it　had　to　be　adjourned　till　the　morrow；　and　again　till　the　next　day。　　Here　are　some　traits　of　it；　much　abridged　from　Snorro　（who　gives　a　highly　punctual　account）；　which　vividly　represent　Olaf's　posture　and　manner　of　proceeding　in　such　intricacies。

The　chief　Ironbeard　on　this　occasion　was　one　Gudbrand；　a　very　rugged　peasant；　who；　says　Snorro；　was　like　a　king　in　that　district。　　Some　days　before；　King　Olaf；　intending　a　religious　Thing　in　those　deeply　heathen　parts；　with　alternative　of　Christianity　or　conflagration；　is　reported；　on　looking　down　into　the　valley　and　the　beautiful　village　of　Loar　standing　there；　to　have　said　wistfully；　〃What　a　pity　it　is　that　so　beautiful　a　village　should　be　burnt！〃　　Olaf　sent　out　his　message…token　all　the；　same；　however；　and　met　Gudbrand　and　an　immense　assemblage；　whose　humor　towards　him　was　uncompliant　to　a　high　degree　indeed。　　Judge　by　this　preliminary　speech　of　Gudbrand　to　his　Thing…people；　while　Olaf　was　not　yet　arrived；　but　only　advancing；　hardly　got　to　Breeden　on　the　other　side　of　the　hill：　　〃A　man　has　come　to　Loar　who　is　called　Olaf；〃　said　Gudbrand；　〃and　will　force　upon　us　another　faith　than　we　had　before；　and　will　break　in　pieces　all　our　Gods。　　He　says　he　has　a　much　greater　and　more　powerful　God；　and　it　is　wonderful　that　the　earth　does　not　burst　asunder　under　him；　or　that　our　God　lets　him　go　about　unpunished　when　he　dares　to　talk　such　things。　　I　know　this　for　certain；　that　if　we　carry　Thor；　who　has　always　stood　by　us；　out　of　our　Temple　that　is　standing　upon　this　farm；　Olaf's　God　will　melt　away；　and　he　and　his　men　be　made　nothing　as　soon　as　Thor　looks　upon　them。〃　　Whereupon　the　Bonders　all　shouted　as　one　man；　〃Yea！〃

Which　tremendous　message　they　even　forwarded　to　Olaf；　by　Gudbrand's　younger　son　at　the　head　of　700　armed　men；　but　did　not　terrify　Olaf　with　it；　who；　on　the　contrary；　drew　up　his　troops；　rode　himself　at　the　head　of　them；　and　began　a　speech　to　the　Bonders；　in　which　he　invited　them　to　adopt　Christianity；　as　the　one　true　faith　for　mortals。

Far　from　consenting　to　this；　the　Bonders　raised　a　general　shout；　smiting　at　the　same　time　their　shields　with　their　weapons；　but　Olaf's　men　advancing　on　them　swiftly；　and　flinging　spears；　they　turned　and　ran；　leaving　Gudbrand's　son　behind；　a　prisoner；　to　whom　Olaf　gave　his　life：　　〃Go　home　now　to　thy　father；　and　tell　him　I　mean　to　be　with　him　soon。〃　　　　　　　The　son　goes　accordingly；　and　advises　his　father　not　to　face　Olaf；　but　Gudbrand　angrily　replies：　　〃Ha；　coward！　　I　see　thou；　too；　art　taken　by　the　folly　that　man　is　going　about　with；〃　and　is　resolved　to　fight。　That　night；　however；　Gudbrand　has　a　most　remarkable　Dream；　or　Vision：　a　Man　surrounded　by　light；　bringing　great　terror　with　him；　who　warns　Gudbrand　against　doing　battle　with　Olaf。　　〃If　thou　dost；　thou　and　all　thy　people　will　fall；　wolves　will　drag　away　thee　and　thine；　ravens　will　tear　thee　in　stripes！〃　　And　lo；　in　telling　this　to　Thord　Potbelly；　a　sturdy　neighbor　of　his　and　henchman　in　the　Thing；　it　is　found　that　to　Thord　also　has　come　the　self　same　terrible　Apparition！　Better　propose　truce　to　Olaf　（who　seems　to　have　these　dreadful　Ghostly　Powers　on　his　side）；　and　the　holding　of　a　Thing；　to　discuss　matters　between　us。　　Thing　assembles；　on　a　day　of　heavy　rain。　　Being　all　seated；　uprises　King　Olaf；　and　informs　them：　　〃The