heimskringla-第166部分

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be　a　Dane？〃

〃No；〃　replied　the　king；　〃no　Danish　chief　would　go　to　Norway；　where　he　would　have　to　manage　an　obstinate　hard　people；　when　he　has　it　so　easy　here　with　me。〃

Erling：　〃It　was　on　that　very　consideration　that　I　came　here；　for　I　would　not　on　any　account　in　the　world　deprive　myself　of　the　advantage　of　your　friendship。　　In　days　of　old　other　men；　Hakon　Ivarson　and　Fin　Arnason；　came　also　from　Norway　to　Denmark；　and　your　predecessor；　King　Svein；　made　them　both　earls。　　Now　I　am　not　a　man　of　less　power　in　Norway　than　they　were　then；　and　my　influence　is　not　less　than　theirs；　and　the　king　gave　them　the　province　of　Halland　to　rule　over；　which　he　himself　had　and　owned　before。　　Now　it　appears　to　me；　sire；　that　you；　if　I　become　your　man　and　vassal；　can　allow　me　to　hold　of　you　the　fief　which　my　son　Magnus　will　not　deny　me；　by　which　I　will　be　bound　in　duty；　and　ready；　to　undertake　all　the　service　belonging　to　that　title。〃

Erling　spoke　such　things；　and　much　more　in　the　same　strain；　until　it　came　at　last　to　this；　that　Erling　became　Valdemar's　man　and　vassal；　and　the　king　led　Erling　to　the　earl's　seat　one　day；　and　gave　him　the　title　of　earl；　and　Viken　as　a　fief　under　his　rule。　Earl　Erling　went　thereafter　to　Norway；　and　was　earl　afterwards　as　long　as　he　lived；　and　also　the　peace　with　the　Danish　king　was　afterwards　always　preserved。　　Earl　Erling　had　four　sons　by　his　concubines。　　The　one　was　called　Hreidar；　the　next　Ogmund；　and　these　by　two　different　mothers：　the　third　was　called　Fin；　the　fourth　Sigurd：　these　were　younger；　and　their　mother　was　Asa　the　Fair。　　The　princess　Kristin　and　Earl　Erling　had　a　daughter　called　Ragnhild；　who　was　married　to　Jon　Thorbergson　of　Randaberg。　Kristin　went　away　from　the　country　with　a　man　called　Grim　Rusle；　and　they　went　to　Constantinople；　where　they　were　for　a　time；　and　had　some　children。



31。　BEGINNING　OF　OLAF。

Olaf；　a　son　of　Gudbrand　Skafhaug；　and　Maria；　a　daughter　of　King　Eystein　Magnuson；　were　brought　up　in　the　house　of　Sigurd　Agnhot　in　the　Uplands。　　While　Earl　Erling　was　in　Denmark　（A。D。　1166）；　Olaf　and　his　foster…father　gathered　a　troop　together；　and　many　Upland　people　joined　them；　and　Olaf　was　chosen　king　by　them。　　They　went　with　their　bands　through　the　Uplands；　and　sometimes　down　to　Viken；　and　sometimes　east　to　the　forest　settlements；　but　never　came　on　board　of　ships。　　Now　when；　Earl　Erling　got　news　of　this　troop；　he　hastened　to　Viken　with　his　forces；　and　was　there　in　summer　in　his　ships；　and　in　Oslo　in　autumn　（A。D。　1167）　and　kept　Yule　there。　　He　had　spies　up　the　country　after　this　troop；　and　went　himself；　along　with　Orm；　the　King…brother；　up　the　country　to　follow　them。　　Now　when　they　came　to　a　lake　called。。。。　。。。。　（1）　they　took　all　the　vessels　that　were　upon　the　lake。


ENDNOTES：　（1）　　The　name　of　the　lake　not　given。



32。　OF　ERLING。

The　priest　who　performed　divine　service　at　a　place　called　Rydiokul；　close　by　the　lake；　invited　the　earl　to　a　feast　at　Candlemas。　　The　earl　promised　to　come；　and　thinking　it　would　be　good　to　hear　mass　there；　he　rowed　with　his　attendants　over　the　lake　the　night　before　Candlemas　day。　　But　the　priest　had　another　plan　on　hand。　　He　sent　men　to　bring　Olaf　news　of　Earl　Erling's　arrival。　　The　priest　gave　Erling　strong　drink　in　the　evening；　and　let　him　have　an　excessive　quantity　of　it。　　When　the　earl　wished　to　lie　down　and　sleep；　the　beds　were　made　ready　in　the　drinking…　room；　but　when　they　had　slept　a　short　time　the　earl　awoke；　and　asked　if　it　was　not　the　hour　for　matins。　　The　priest　replied；　that　only　a　small　part　of　the　night　was　gone；　and　told　him　to　sleep　in　peace。　　The　earl　replied；　〃I　dream　of　many　things　to…night；　and　I　sleep　ill。〃　He　slumbered　again；　but　awoke　soon；　and　told　the　priest　to　get　up　and　sing　mass。　　The　priest　told　the　earl　to　sleep；　and　said　it　was　but　midnight。　　Then　the　earl　again　lay　down；　slept　a　little　while；　and；　springing　out　of　bed；　ordered　his　men　to　put　on　their　clothes。　　They　did　so；　took　their　weapons；　went　to　the　church；　and　laid　their　arms　outside　while　the　priest　was　singing　matins。



33。　BATTLE　AT　RYDIOKUL。

As　Olaf　got　the　message　in　the　evening；　they　travelled　in　the　night　six　miles；　which　people　considered　an　extraordinarily　long　march。　　They　arrived　at　Rydiokul　while　the　priest　was　still　singing　mass；　and　it　was　pitch…dark。　　Olaf　and　his　men　went　into　the　room；　raised　a　war…shout；　and　killed　some　of　the　earl's　men　who　had　not　gone　to　the　early　mass。　　Now　when　Erling　and　his　men　heard　the　war…shout；　they　ran　to　their　weapons；　and　hastened　down　to　their　ships。　　Olaf　and　his　men　met　them　at　a　fence；　at　which　there　was　a　sharp　conflict。　　Erling　and　his　men　retreated　along　the　fence；　which　protected　them。　　Erling　had　far　fewer　men；　and　many　of　them　had　fallen；　and　still　more　were　wounded。　　What　helped　Earl　Erling　and　his　men　the　most　was；　that　Olaf's　men　could　not　distinguish　them；　it　was　so　dark；　and　the　earl's　men　were　always　drawing　down　to　their　ships。　　Are　Thorgeirson；　father　of　Bishop　Gudmund　fell　there；　and　many　other　of　Erling's　court…　men。　　Erling　himself　was　wounded　in　the　left　side；　but　some　say　he　did　it　himself　in　drawing　his　sword。　　Orm　the　King…brother　was　also　severely　wounded；　and　with　great　difficulty　they　escaped　to　their　ships；　and　instantly　pushed　off　from　land。　　It　was　generally　considered　as　a　most　unlucky　meeting　for　Olaf's　people；　as　Earl　Erling　was　in　a　manner　sold　into　their　hands；　if　they　had　proceeded　with　common　prudence。　　He　was　afterwards　called　Olaf　the　Unlucky；　but　others　called　his　people　Hat…lads。　　They　went　with　their　bands　through　the　Uplands　as　before。　　Erling　again　went　down　to　Viken　to　his　ships；　and　remained　there　all　summer。　Olaf　was　in　the　Uplands；　and　sometimes　east　in　the　forest　districts；　where　he　and　his　troop　remained　all　the　next　winter　（A。D。　1168）。



34。　BATTLE　AT　STANGAR。

The　following　spring　the　Hat…lads　went　down　to　Viken；　and　raised　the　king's　taxes　all　around；　and　remained　there　long　in　summer。　When　Earl　Erling　heard　this；　he　hastened　with　his　troops　to　meet　them　in　Viken；　and　fell　in　with　them　east　of　the　Fjord；　at　a　place　called　Stangar；　where　they　had　a　great　battle；　in　which　Erling　was　victorious。　　Sigurd　Agnhot；　and　many　others　of　Olaf's　men；　fell　there；　but　Olaf　escaped　by　flight；　went　south　to　Denmark；　and　was　all　winter　（A。D。　1169）　in　Alaborg　in　Jutland。　The　following　spring　Olaf　fell　into　an　illness　which　ended　in　death；　and　he　was　buried　in　the　Maria　church；　and　the　Danes　call　him　a　saint。



35。　HARALD'S　DEATH。

King　Magnus　had　a　lenderman　called　Nikolas　Kufung；　who　was　a　son　of　Pal　Skaptason。　　He　took　Harald　prisoner；　who　called　himself　a　son　of　King　Sigurd　Haraldson　and　the　princess　Kristin；　and　a　brother　of　King　Magnus　by　the　mother's　side。　　Nikolas　brought　Harald　to　Bergen；　and　delivered　him　into　Earl　Erling's　hands。　　It　was　Erling's　custom　when　his　enemies　came　before　him；　that　he　either　said　nothing　to　them；　or　very　little；　and　that　in　all　gentleness；　when　he　had　determined　to　put　them　to　death；　or　rose　with　furious　words　against　them；　when　he　intended　to　spare　their　lives。　　Erling　spoke　but　little　to　Harald；　and　many；　therefore；　suspected　his　intentions；　and　some　begged　King　Magnus　to　put　in　a　good　word　for　Harald　with　the　earl；　and　the　king　did　so。　　The　earl　replies；　〃Thy　friends　advise　thee　badly。　　Thou　wouldst　govern　this　kingdom　but　a　short　time　in　peace　and　safety；　if　thou　wert　to　follow　the　counsels　of　the　heart　only。〃　　Earl　Erling　ordered　Harald　to　be　taken　to　Nordnes；　where　he　was　beheaded。



36。　EYSTEIN　EYSTEINSON　AND　THE　BIRKEBEINS。

There　was　a　man　called　Eystein；　who　gave　himself　out　for　a　son　of　King　Eystein　Haraldson。　　He　was　at　this　time　young；　and　not　full　grown。　　It　is　told　of　him　that　he　one　summer　appeared　in　Svithjod；　and　went　to　Earl　Birger　Brosa；　who　was　then　married　to　Brigida；　Eystein's　aunt；　a　daughter　of　King　Harald　Gille。　　Eystein　explained　his　business　to　him；　and　asked　their　assistance。　　Both　Earl　Birger　and　his　wife　listened　to　him　in　a　friendly　way；　and　promised　him　their　confidence；　and　he　stayed　with　them　a　while。　　Earl　Birger　gave　him　some　assistance　of　men；　and　a　good　sum　for　travelling　expenses；　and　both　promised　him　their　friendship　on　his　taking　leave。　　Thereafter　Eystein　proceeded　north　into　Norway　（A。D。　1174）；　and　when　he　came　down　to　Viken　people　flocked　to　him　in　crowds；　and　Eystein　was　there　proclaimed　king；　and　he　remained　in　Viken　in　winter。　　As　they　were　very　poor　in　money；　they　robbed　all　around；　wherefore　the　lendermen　and　bondes　raised　men　against　them；　and　being　thus　overpowered　by　numbers；　they　fled　away　to　the　forests　and　deserted　hill　grounds；　where　they　lived　for　a　long　time。　　Their　clothes　being　worn　out；　they　wound　the　bark　of　the　birch…tree　about　their　legs；　and　thus　were　called　by　the　bondes　Birkebeins。　They　often　rushed　down　upon　the　settled　districts；　pushed　on　here　or　there；　and　made　an　assault　where　they　did　not　find　many　people　to　oppose　them。　　They　had　several　battles　with　the　bondes　with　various　success；　and　the　Birkebeins　held　three　battles　in　regular　array；　and　gained　the　victory　in　them　all。　　At　Krokaskog　they　had　nearly　made　an　unlucky　expedition；　for　a　great　number　of　bondes　and　men…at…arms　were　assembled　there　against　them；　but　the　Birkebeins　felled　brushwood　across　the　roads；　and　retired　into　the　forest。　　They　were　two　years　（A。D。　1175…1176）　in　Viken　before　they　showed　themselves　in　the　northern　parts　of　the　country。



37。　BIRKEBEINS；　KING　EYSTEIN；　AND　SKAKKE。

Magnus　had　been　king　for　thirteen　years　when　the　Birkebeins　first　made　their　appearance。　　They　got　themselves　ships　in　the　third　summer　（A。D。　1176）；　with　which　they　sailed　along　the　coast　gathering　goods　and　men。　　They　were　first　in　Viken；　but　when　summer　advanced　they　proceeded　northwards；　and　so　rapidly　that　no　news　preceded　them　until　they　came　to　Throndhjem。　　The　Birkebeins'　troop　consisted　principally　of　hill…men　and　Elfgrims；　and　many　were　from　Thelemark；　and　all　were　well　armed。　　Their　king；　Eystein；　was　a　handsome　man；　and　with　a　little　but　good　countenance；　and　he　was　not　of　great　stature；　for　his　men　called　him　Eystein　Meyla。　　King　Magnus　and　Earl　Erling　were　in　Bergen　when　the　Birkebeins　sailed　past　it　to　the　north；　but　they　did　not　hear　of　them。

Earl　Erling　was　a　man　of　great　understan