heimskringla-第147部分

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rchants；　who　armed　themselves；　and　defended　themselves　long；　well；　and　manfully。　　There　was　a　hard　battle；　and　resistance；　before　the　merchant　vessels　were　cleared　of　their　men；　and　in　this　conflict　the　Vindland　people　lost　150　of　their　ships；　with　all　the　men　on　board。　　When　the　battle　was　sharpest　the　townsmen　stood　upon　the　piers；　and　shot　at　the　heathens。　　But　when　the　fight　slackened　the　burgesses　fled　up　to　the　town；　and　from　thence　into　the　castle；　and　the　men　took　with　them　all　their　valuable　articles；　and　such　goods　as　they　could　carry。　　Solveig　and　her　daughters；　with　two　other　women；　went　on　shore　when　the　Vindlanders　took　possession　of　the　merchant　vessels。　　Now　the　Vindlanders　landed；　and　mustered　their　men；　and　discovered　their　loss。　　Some　of　them　went　up　into　the　town；　some　on　board　the　merchant　ships；　and　took　all　the　goods　they　pleased；　and　then　they　set　fire　to　the　town；　and　burnt　it　and　the　ships。　　They　hastened　then　with　all　their　army　to　assault　the　castle。



11。　THE　SECOND　BATTLE。

King　Rettibur　made　an　offer　to　those　who　were　in　the　castle　that　they　should　go　out；　and　he　would　give　them　their　lives；　weapons；　clothes；　silver；　and　gold；　but　all　exclaimed　against　it；　and　went　out　on　the　fortification；　some　shot；　some　threw　stones；　some　sharp　stakes。　　It　was　a　great　battle；　in　which　many　fell　on　both　sides；　but　by　far　the　most　of　the　Vindlanders。　　Solveig　came　up　to　a　large　farm　called　Solbjorg；　and　brought　the　news。　　A　message　war…token　was　there　split；　and　sent　out　to　Skurbagar；　where　there　happened　to　be　a　joint　ale…drinking　feast；　and　many　men　were　assembled。　　A　bonde　called　Olver　Miklimun　（Mickle　Mouth）　was　there；　who　immediately　sprang　up；　took　helmet　and　shield；　and　a　great　axe　in　his　hand；　and　said；　〃Stand　up；　brave　lads；　and　take　your　weapons。　　Let　us　go　help　the　townspeople；　for　it　would　appear　shameful　to　every　man　who　heard　of　it；　if　we　sit　here　sipping　our　ale；　while　good　men　in　the　town　are　losing　their　lives　by　our　neglect。〃

Many　made　an　objection；　and　said　they　would　only　be　losing　their　own　lives；　without　being　of　any　assistance　to　the　townspeople。　　

Then　said　Olver；　〃Although　all　of　you　should　hold　back；　I　will　go　alone；　and　one　or　two　heathens；　at　any　rate；　shall　fall　before　I　fall。〃

He　ran　down　to　the　town；　and　a　few　men　after　him　to　see　what　he　would　do；　and　also　whether　they　could　assist　him　in　any　way。　　When　he　came　near　the　castle；　and　the　heathens　saw　him；　they　sent　out　eight　men　fully　armed　against　him；　and　when　they　met；　the　heathen　men　ran　and　surrounded　him　on　all　sides。　　Olver　lifted　his　axe；　and　struck　behind　him　with　the　extreme　point　of　it；　hitting　the　neck　of　the　man　who　was　coming　up　behind　him；　so　that　his　throat　and　jawbone　were　cut　through；　and　he　fell　dead　backwards。　　Then　he　heaved　his　axe　forwards；　and　struck　the　next　man　in　the　head；　and　clove　him　down　to　the　shoulders。　　He　then　fought　with　the　others；　and　killed　two　of　them；　but　was　much　wounded　himself。　　The　four　who　remained　took　to　flight；　but　Olver　ran　after　them。　　There　was　a　ditch　before　them；　and　two　of　the　heathens　jumped　into　it；　and　Olver　killed　them　both；　but　he　stuck　fast　himself　in　the　ditch；　so　that　two　of　the　eight　heathens　escaped。　　The　men　who　had　followed　Olver　took　him　up；　and　brought　him　back　to　Skurbagar；　where　his　wounds　were　bound　and　healed；　and　it　was　the　talk　of　the　people；　that　no　single　man　had　ever　made　such　a　bloody　onset。　　Two　lendermen；　Sigurd　Gyrdson；　a　brother　of　Philip；　and　Sigard；　came　with　600　men　to　Skurbagar；　on　which　Sigurd　turned　back　with　400　men。　　He　was　but　little　respected　afterwards；　and　soon　died。　　Sigard；　on　the　other　hand；　proceeded　with　200　men　towards　the　town；　and　they　gave　battle　to　the　heathens；　and　were　all　slain。　　While　the　Vindlanders　were　storming　the　castle；　their　king　and　his　chiefs　were　out　of　the　battle。　　At　one　place　there　was　a　man　among　the　Vindlanders　shooting　with　a　bow；　and　killing　a　man　for　every　arrow；　and　two　men　stood　before　him；　and　covered　him　with　their　shields。　　Then　Saemund　Husfreyja　said　to　his　son　Asmund；　that　they　should　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　wh