heimskringla-第120部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！





56。　OF　GUTHORM　GUNHILDSON。

Ketil　Kalf　and　Gunhild　of　Ringanes　had　a　son　called　Guthorm；　and　he　was　a　sister's　son　to　King　Olaf　and　Harald　Sigurdson。　　Guthorm　was　a　gallant　man；　early　advanced　to　manhood。　　He　was　often　with　King　Harald；　who　loved　him　much；　and　asked　his　advice；　for　he　was　of　good　understanding；　and　very　popular。　　Guthorm　had　also　been　engaged　early　in　forays；　and　had　marauded　much　in　the　Western　countries　with　a　large　force。　　Ireland　was　for　him　a　land　of　peace；　and　he　had　his　winter　quarters　often　in　Dublin；　and　was　in　great　friendship　with　King　Margad。



57。　GUTHORM'S　JUNCTION　WITH　THE　IRISH　KING　MARGAD。

The　summer　after　King　Margad；　and　Guthorm　with　him；　went　out　on　an　expedition　against　Bretland；　where　they　made　immense　booty。　But　when　the　king　saw　the　quantity　of　silver　which　was　gathered　he　wanted　to　have　the　whole　booty；　and　regarded　little　his　friendship　for　Guthorm。　　Guthorm　was　ill　pleased　that　he　and　his　men　should　be　robbed　of　their　share；　but　the　king　said；　〃Thou　must　choose　one　of　two　things；　　either　to　be　content　with　what　we　determine；　or　to　fight；　and　they　shall　have　the　booty　who　gain　the　victory；　and　likewise　thou　must　give　up　thy　ships；　for　them　I　will　have。〃　　Guthorm　thought　there　were　great　difficulties　on　both　sides；　for　it　was　disgraceful　to　give　up　ships　and　goods　without　a　stroke；　and　yet　it　was　highly　dangerous　to　fight　the　king　and　his　force；　the　king　having　sixteen　ships　and　Guthorm　only　five。　　Then　Guthorm　desired　three　days'　time　to　consider　the　matter　with　his　people；　thinking　in　that　time　to　pacify　the　king；　and　come　to　a　better　understanding　with　him　through　the　mediation　of　others；　but　he　could　not　obtain　from　the　king　what　he　desired。　　This　was　the　day　before　St。　Olaf's　day。　　Guthorm　chose　the　condition　that　they　would　rather　die　or　conquer　like　men；　than　suffer　disgrace；　contempt　and　scorn；　by　submitting　to　so　great　a　loss。　　He　called　upon　God；　and　his　uncle　Saint　Olaf；　and　entreated　their　help　and　aid；　promising　to　give　to　the　holy　man's　house　the　tenth　of　all　the　booty　that　fell　to　their　share；　if　they　gained　the　victory。　　Then　he　arranged　his　men；　placed　them　in　battle　order　against　the　great　force；　prepared　for　battle；　and　gave　the　assault。　　By　the　help　of　God；　and　the　holy　Saint　Olaf；　Guthorm　won　the　battle。　　King　Margad　fell；　and　every　man；　old　and　young；　who　followed　him；　and　after　that　great　victor；　Guthorm　and　all　his　people　returned　home　joyfully　with　all　the　booty　they　had　gained　by　the　battle。　　Every　tenth　penny　of　the　booty　they　had　made　was　taken；　according　to　the　vow；　to　King　Olaf　the　Saint's　shrine；　and　there　was　so　much　silver　that　Guthorm　had　an　image　made　of　it；　with　rays　round　the　head；　which　was　the　size　of　his　own；　or　of　his　forecastle…man's　head；　and　the　image　was　seven　feet　high。　　The　image　thus　produced　was　given　by　Guthorm　to　King　Olaf　of　the　Saint's　temple；　where　it　has　since　remained　as　a　memorial　of　Guthorm's　victory　and　King　Olaf　the　Saint's　miracle。



58。　MIRACLE　OF　KING　OLAF　IN　DENMARK。

There　was　a　wicked；　evil…minded　count　in　Denmark　who　had　a　Norwegian　servant…girl　whose　family　belonged　to　Throndhjem　district。　　She　worshipped　King　Olaf　the　Saint；　and　believed　firmly　in　his　sanctity。　　But　the　above　mentioned　count　doubted　all　that　was　told　of　the　holy　man's　miracles；　insisted　that　it　was　nothing　but　nonsense　and　idle　talk；　and　made　a　joke　and　scorn　of　the　esteem　and　honour　which　all　the　country　people　showed　the　good　king。　　Now　when　his　holyday　came；　on　which　the　mild　monarch　ended　his　life；　and　which　all　Northmen　kept　sacred；　this　unreasonable　count　would　not　observe　it；　but　ordered　his　servant…　girl　to　bake　and　put　fire　in　the　oven　that　day。　　She　knew　well　the　count's　mad　passion；　and　that　he　would　revenge　himself　severely　on　her　if　she　refused　doing　as　he　ordered。　　She　went；　therefore；　of　necessity；　and　baked　in　the　oven；　but　wept　much　at　her　work；　and　she　threatened　King　Olaf　that　she　never　would　believe　in　him；　if　he　did　not　avenge　this　misdeed　by　some　mischance　or　other。　　And　now　shall　ye　come　to　hear　a　well…　deserved　vengeance；　and　a　true　miracle。　　It　happened；　namely；　in　the　same　hour　that　the　count　became　blind　of　both　eyes；　and　the　bread　which　she　had　shoved　into　the　oven　was　turned　into　stone！　Of　these　stones　some　are　now　in　St。　Olaf's　temple；　and　in　other　places；　and　since　that　time　O1afsmas　has　been　always　held　holy　in　Denmark。



59。　KING　OLAF'S　MIRACLE　ON　A　CRIPPLE。

West　in　Valland；　a　man　had　such　bad　health　that　he　became　a　cripple；　and　went　on　his　knees　and　elbows。　　One　day　he　was　upon　the　road；　and　had　fallen　asleep。　　He　dreamt　that　a　gallant　man　came　up　to　him　and　asked　him　where　he　was　going。　　When　he　named　the　neighbouring　town；　the　man　said　to　him；　〃Go　to　Saint　Olaf's　church　that　stands　in　London；　and　there　thou　shalt　be　cured。〃　There…upon　he　awoke；　and　went　straightway　to　inquire　the　road　to　Olaf's　church　in　London。　　At　last　he　came　to　London　Bridge；　and　asked　the　men　of　the　castle　if　they　could　tell　him　where　Olaf's　church　was；　but　they　replied；　there　were　so　many　churches　that　they　could　not　tell　to　whom　each　of　them　was　consecrated。　　Soon　after　a　man　came　up　and　asked　him　where　he　wanted　to　go；　and　he　answered　to　Olaf's　church。　　Then　said　the　man；　〃We　shall　both　go　together　to　Olaf's　church；　for　I　know　the　way　to　it。〃　　Thereupon　they　went　over　the　bridge　to　the　shrine　where　Olaf's　church　was；　and　when　they　came　to　the　gates　of　the　churchyard　the　man　mounted　over　the　half…door　that　was　in　the　gate；　but　the　cripple　rolled　himself　in；　and　rose　up　immediately　sound　and　strong：　when　he　looked　about　him　his　conductor　had　vanished。



60。　KING　HARALD'S　FORAY　IN　DENMARK。

King　Harald　had　built　a　merchant　town　in　the　East　at　Oslo；　where　he　often　resided；　for　there　was　good　supply　from　the　extensive　cultivated　district　wide　around。　　There　also　he　had　a　convenient　station　to　defend　the　country　against　the　Danes；　or　to　make　an　attack　upon　Denmark；　which　he　was　in　the　custom　of　doing　often；　although　he　kept　no　great　force　on　foot。　　One　summer　King　Harald　went　from　thence　with　a　few　light　ships　and　a　few　men。　　He　steered　southwards　out　from　Viken；　and；　when　the　wind　served；　stood　over　to　Jutland；　and　marauded；　but　the　country　people　collected　and　defended　the　country。　　Then　King　Harald　steered　to　Limfjord；　and　went　into　the　fjord。　　Limfjord　is　so　formed　that　its　entrance　is　like　a　narrow　river；　but　when　one　gets　farther　into　the　fjord　it　spreads　out　into　a　wide　sea。　　King　Harald　marauded　on　both　sides　of　the　land；　and　when　the　Danes　gathered　together　on　every　side　to　oppose　him；　he　lay　at　a　small　island　which　was　uncultivated。　　They　wanted　drink　on　board　his　ships；　and　went　up　into　the　island　to　seek　water；　but　finding　none；　they　reported　it　to　the　king。　　He　ordered　them　to　look　for　some　long　earthworms　on　the　island；　and　when　they　found　one　they　brought　it　to　the　king。　　He　ordered　the　people　to　bring　the　worm　to　a　fire；　and　bake　it　before　it；　so　that　it　should　be　thirsty。　　Then　he　ordered　a　thread　to　be　tied　round　the　tail　of　the　worm；　and　to　let　it　loose。　　The　worm　crept　away　immediately；　while　thread　wound　off　from　the　clew　as　the　worm　took　it　away；　and　the　people　followed　the　worm　until　it　sought　downwards　in　the　earth。　　There　the　king　ordered　them　to　dig　for　water；　which　they　did；　and　found　so　much　water　that　they　had　no　want　of　it。　　King　Harald　now　heard　from　his　spies　that　King　Svein　was　come　with　a　large　armament　to　the　mouth　of　the　fjord；　but　that　it　was　too　late　for　him　to　come　into　it；　as　only　one　ship　at　a　time　can　come　in。　　King　Harald　then　steered　with　his　fleet　in　through　the　fjord　to　where　it　was　broadest　to　a　place　called　Lusbreid。　　In　the　inmost　bight；　there　is　but　a　narrow　neck　of　land　dividing　the　fjord　from　the　West　sea。　　Thither　King　Harald　rowed　with　his　men　towards　evening；　and　at　night　when　it　was　dark　he　unloaded　his　ships；　drew　them　over　the　neck　of　land　into　the　West　sea；　loaded　them　again；　and　was　ready　with　all　this　before　day。　　He　then　steered　northwards　along　the　Jutland　coast。　　People　then　said　that　Harald　had　escaped　from　the　hands　of　the　Danes。　　Harald　said　that　he　would　come　to　Denmark　next　time　with　more　people　and　larger　vessels。　　King　Harald　then　proceeded　north　to　Throndhjem。



61。　KING　HARALD　HAD　A　SHIP　BUILT。

King　Harald　remained　all　winter　at　Nidaros　（A。D。　1062）　and　had　a　vessel　built　out　upon　the　strand；　and　it　was　a　buss。　　The　ship　was　built　of　the　same　size　as　the　Long　Serpent；　and　every　part　of　her　was　finished　with　the　greatest　care。　　On　the　stem　was　a　dragon…head；　and　on　the　stern　a　dragon…tail；　and　the　sides　of　the　bows　of　the　ship　were　gilt。　　The　vessel　was　of　thirty…five　rowers　benches；　and　was　large　for　that　size；　and　was　remarkably　handsome；　for　the　king　had　everything　belonging　to　the　ship's　equipment　of　the　best；　both　sails　and　rigging；　anchors　and　cables。　　King　Harald　sent　a　message　in　winter　south　to　Denmark　to　King　Svein；　that　he　should　come　northwards　in　spring；　that　they　should　meet　at　the　Gaut　river　and　fight；　and　so　settle　the　division　of　the　countries　that　the　one　who　gained　the　victory　should　have　both　kingdoms。



62。　KING　HARALD'S　CHALLENGE。

King　Harald　during　this　winter　called　out　a　general　levy　of　all　the　people　of　Norway；　and　assembled　a　great　force　towards　spring。　Then　Harald　had　his　great　ship　drawn　down　and　put　into　the　river　Nid；　and　set　up　the　dragon's　head　on　her。　　Thiodolf；　the　skald；　sang　about　it　thus：　

　　　　　〃My　lovely　girl！　　the　sight　was　grand　　　　　　When　the　great　war…ships　down　the　strand　　　　　　Into　the　river　gently　slid；　　　　　　And　all　below　her　sides　was　hid。　　　　　　Come；　lovely　girl；　and　see　the　show！　　　　　　　Her　sides　that　on　the　water　glow；　　　　　　Her　serpent…head　with　golden　mane；　　　　　　All　shining　back　from　the　Nid　again。〃

Then　King　Harald　rigged　out　his　ship；　got　ready　for　sea；　and　when　he　had　all　in　order　went　out　of　the　river。　　His　men　rowed　very　skilfully　and　beautifully。　　So　says　Thiodolf：　

　　　　　〃It　was　upon　a　Saturday；　　　　　　Ship…tilts　were　struck　and　stowed　away；　　　　　　And　past　the　town　our　dragon　glides；　　　　　　That　girls　might　see　our　glancing　sides。　　　　　　Out　from　the　Nid　brave　Harald　steers；　　　　　　Westward　at　first　the　dragon　veers；　　　　　　Our　lads　together　down　with　oars；　　　　　　The　splash　is　echoed　round