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son：　

　　　　　〃In　Norway's　land　was　never　known　　　　　　A　braver　earl　than　the　brave　Hakon。　　　　　　At　sea；　beneath　the　clear　moon's　light；　　　　　　No　braver　man　e'er　sought　to　fight。　　　　　　Nine　kings　to　Odin's　wide　domain　　　　　　Were　sent；　by　Hakon's　right　hand　slain！　　　　　　So　well　the　raven…flocks　were　fed　　　　　　　So　well　the　wolves　were　filled　with　dead！〃

Earl　Hakon　was　very　generous；　but　the　greatest　misfortunes　attended　even　such　a　chief　at　the　end　of　his　days：　and　the　great　cause　of　this　was　that　the　time　was　come　when　heathen　sacrifices　and　idolatrous　worship　were　doomed　to　fall；　and　the　holy　faith　and　good　customs　to　come　in　their　place。



57。　OLAF　TRYGVASON　ELECTED　KING。

Olaf　Trvgvason　was　chosen　at　Throndhjem　by　the　General　Thing　to　be　the　king　over　the　whole　country；　as　Harald　Harfager　had　been。　The　whole　public　and　the　people　throughout　all　the　land　would　listen　to　nothing　else　than　that　Olaf　Trygvason　should　be　king。　Then　Olaf　went　round　the　whole　country；　and　brought　it　under　his　rule；　and　all　the　people　of　Norway　gave　in　their　submission；　and　also　the　chiefs　in　the　Uplands　and　in　Viken；　who　before　had　held　their　lands　as　fiefs　from　the　Danish　king；　now　became　King　Olaf's　men；　and　held　their　hands　from　him。　　He　went　thus　through　the　whole　country　during　the　first　winter　（A。D。　996）　and　the　following　summer。　　Earl　Eirik；　the　son　of　Earl　Hakon；　his　brother　Svein；　and　their　friends　and　relations；　fled　out　of　the　country；　and　went　east　to　Sweden　to　King　Olaf　the　Swede；　who　gave　them　a　good　reception。　　So　says　Thord　Kolbeinson：　

　　　　　〃O　thou　whom　bad　men　drove　away；　　　　　　After　the　bondes　by　foul　play；　　　　　　Took　Hakon's　life！　　Fate　will　pursue　　　　　　These　bloody　wolves；　and　make　them　rue。　　　　　　When　the　host　came　from　out　the　West；　　　　　　Like　some　tall　stately　war…ship's　mast；　　　　　　I　saw　the　son　of　Trygve　stand；　　　　　　Surveying　proud　his　native　land。〃

And　again；　

　　　　　〃Eirik　has　more　upon　his　mind；　　　　　　Against　the　new　Norse　king　designed；　　　　　　Than　by　his　words　he　seems　to　show　　　　　　　And　truly　it　may　well　be　so。　　　　　　Stubborn　and　stiff　are　Throndhjem　men；　　　　　　But　Throndhjem's　earl　may　come　again；　　　　　　In　Swedish　land　he　knows　no　rest　　　　　　　Fierce　wrath　is　gathering　in　his　breast。〃



58。　LODIN'S　MARRIAGE

Lodin　was　the　name　of　a　man　from　Viken　who　was　rich　and　of　good　family。　　He　went　often　on　merchant　voyages；　and　sometimes　on　viking　cruises。　　It　happened　one　summer　that　he　went　on　a　merchant　voyage　with　much　merchandise　in　a　ship　of　his　own。　　He　directed　his　course　first　to　Eistland；　and　was　there　at　a　market　in　summer。　　To　the　place　at　which　the　market　was　held　many　merchant　goods　were　brought；　and　also　many　thralls　or　slaves　for　sale。　　There　Lodin　saw　a　woman　who　was　to　be　sold　as　a　slave：　and　on　looking　at　her　he　knew　her　to　be　Astrid　Eirik's　daughter；　who　had　been　married　to　King　Trygve。　　But　now　she　was　altogether　unlike　what　she　had　been　when　he　last　saw　her；　for　now　she　was　pale；　meagre　in　countenance；　and　ill　clad。　　He　went　up　to　her；　and　asked　her　how　matters　stood　with　her。　　She　replied；　〃It　is　heavy　to　be　told；　for　I　have　been　sold　as　a　slave；　and　now　again　I　am　brought　here　for　sale。〃　　After　speaking　together　a　little　Astrid　knew　him；　and　begged　him　to　buy　her；　and　bring　her　home　to　her　friends。　　〃On　this　condition；〃　said　he；　〃I　will　bring　thee　home　tn　Norway；　that　thou　wilt　marry　me。〃　　Now　as　Astrid　stood　in　great　need；　and　moreover　knew　that　Lodin　was　a　man　of　high　birth；　rich；　and　brave；　she　promised　to　do　so　for　her　ransom。　　Lodin　accordingly　bought　Astrid；　took　her　home　to　Norway　with　him；　and　married　her　with　her　friends'　consent。　　Their　children　were　Thorkel　Nefia；　Ingerid；　and　Ingegerd。　　Ingebjorg　and　Astrid　were　daughters　of　Astrid　by　King　Trygve。　　Eirik　Bjodaskalle's　sons　were　Sigird；　Karlshofud；　Jostein；　and　Thorkel　Dydril；　who　were　all　rich　and　brave　people　who　had　estates　east　in　the　country。　　In　Viken　in　the　east　dwelt　two　brothers；　rich　and　of　good　descent；　one　called　Thorgeir；　and　the　other　Hyrning；　and　they　married　Lodin　and　Astrid's　daughters；　Ingerid　and　Ingegerd。



59。　OLAF　BAPTIZES　THE　COUNTRY　OF　VIKEN。

When　Harald　Gormson；　king　of　Denmark；　had　adopted　Christianity；　he　sent　a　message　over　all　his　kingdom　that　all　people　should　be　baptized；　and　converted　to　the　true　faith。　　He　himself　followed　his　message；　and　used　power　and　violence　where　nothing　else　would　do。　　He　sent　two　earls；　Urguthrjot　and　Brimilskjar；　with　many　people　to　Norway；　to　proclaim　Christianity　there。　　In　Viken；　which　stood　directly　under　the　king's　power；　this　succeeded；　and　many　were　baptized　of　the　country　folk。　　But　when　Svein　Forked…　beard；　immediately　after　his　father　King　Harald's　death；　went　out　on　war　expeditions　in　Saxland；　Frisland；　and　at　last　in　England；　the　Northmen　who　had　taken　up　Christianity　returned　back　to　heathen　sacrifices；　just　as　before；　and　the　people　in　the　north　of　the　country　did　the　same。　　But　now　that　Olaf　Trygvason　was　king　of　Norway；　he　remained　long　during　the　summer　（A。D。　996）　in　Viken；　where　many　of　his　relatives　and　some　of　his　brothers…in…　law　were　settled；　and　also　many　who　had　been　great　friends　of　his　father；　so　that　he　was　received　with　the　greatest　affection。　　Olaf　called　together　his　mother's　brothers；　his　stepfather　Lodin；　and　his　brothers…in…law　Thorgeir　and　Hyrning；　to　speak　with　them；　and　to　disclose　with　the　greatest　care　the　business　which　he　desired　they　themselves　should　approve　of；　and　support　with　all　their　power；　namely；　the　proclaiming　Christianity　over　all　his　kingdom。　　He　would；　he　declared；　either　bring　it　to　this；　that　all　Norway　should　be　Christian；　or　die。　　〃I　shall　make　you　all；〃　said　he；　〃great　and　mighty　men　in　promoting　this　work；　for　I　trust　to　you　most；　as　blood　relations　or　brothers…in…law。〃　　All　agreed　to　do　what　he　asked；　and　to　follow　him　in　what　he　desired。　King　Olaf　immediately　made　it　known　to　the　public　that　he　recommended　Christianity　to　all　the　people　in　his　kingdom；　which　message　was　well　received　and　approved　of　by　those　who　had　before　given　him　their　promise；　and　these　being　the　most　powerful　among　the　people　assembled；　the　others　followed　their　example；　and　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　east　part　of　Viken　allowed　themselves　to　be　baptized。　　The　king　then　went　to　the　north　part　of　Viken　and　invited　every　man　to　accept　Christianity；　and　those　who　opposed　him　he　punished　severely；　killing　some；　mutilating　others；　and　driving　some　into　banishment。　　At　length　he　brought　it　so　far；　that　all　the　kingdom　which　his　father　King　Trvgve　had　ruled　over；　and　also　that　of　his　relation　Harald　Grenske；　accepted　of　Christianity；　and　during　that　summer　（A。D。　996）　and　the　following　winter　（A。D。　997）　all　Viken　was　made　Christian。



60。　OF　THE　HORDALAND　PEOPLE。

Early　in　spring　（A。D。　997）　King　Olaf　set　out　from　Viken　with　a　great　force　northwards　to　Agder；　and　proclaimed　that　every　man　should　be　baptized。　　And　thus　the　people　received　Christianity；　for　nobody　dared　oppose　the　king's　will；　wheresoever　he　came。　　In　Hordaland；　however；　were　many　bold　and　great　men　of　Hordakare's　race。　　He；　namely；　had　left　four　sons；　　the　first　Thorleif　Spake；　the　second；　Ogmund；　father　of　Thorolf　Skialg；　who　was　father　of　Erling　of　Sole；　the　third　was　Thord　father　of　the　Herse　Klyp　who　killed　King　Sigurd　Slefa；　Gunhild's　son；　and　lastly；　Olmod；　father　of　Askel；　whose　son　was　Aslak　Fitjaskalle；　and　that　family　branch　was　the　greatest　and　most　considered　in　Hordaland。　Now　when　this　family　heard　the　bad　tidings；　that　the　king　was　coming　along　the　country　from　the　eastward　with　a　great　force；　and　was　breaking　the　ancient　law　of　the　people；　and　imposing　punishment　and　hard　conditions　on　all　who　opposed　him；　the　relatives　appointed　a　meeting　to　take　counsel　with　each　other；　for　they　knew　the　king　would　come　down　upon　them　at　once：　and　they　all　resolved　to　appear　in　force　at　the　Gula…Thing；　there　to　hold　a　conference　with　King　Olaf　Trygvason。



61。　ROGALAND　BAPTIZED。

When　King　Olaf　came　to　Rogaland；　he　immediately　summoned　the　people　to　a　Thing；　and　when　the　bondes　received　the　message…　token　for　a　Thing；　they　assembled　in　great　numbers　well　armed。　After　they　had　come　together；　they　resolved　to　choose　three　men；　the　best　speakers　of　the　whole；　who　should　answer　King　Olaf；　and　argue　with　the　king；　and　especially　should　decline　to　accept　of　anything　against　the　old　law；　even　if　the　king　should　require　it　of　them。　　Now　when　the　bondes　came　to　the　Thing；　and　the　Thing　was　formed；　King　Olaf　arose；　and　at　first　spoke　good…humoredly　to　the　people；　but　they　observed　he　wanted　them　to　accept　Christianity；　with　all　his　fine　words：　and　in　the　conclusion　he　let　them　know　that　those　who　should　speak　against　him；　and　not　submit　to　his　proposal；　must　expect　his　displeasure　and　punishment；　and　all　the　ill　that　it　was　in　his　power　to　inflict。　　When　he　had　ended　his　speech；　one　of　the　bondes　stood　up；　who　was　considered　the　most　eloquent；　and　who　had　been　chosen　as　the　first　who　should　reply　to　King　Olaf。　　But　when　he　would　begin　to　speak　such　a　cough　seized　him；　and　such　a　difficulty　of　breathing；　that　he　could　not　bring　out　a　word；　and　had　to　sit　down　again。　　Then　another　bonde　stood　up；　resolved　not　to　let　an　answer　be　wanting；　although　it　had　gone　so　ill　with　the　former：　but　he　stammered　so　that　he　could　not　get　a　word　uttered；　and　all　present　set　up　a　laughter；　amid　which　the　bonde　sat　down　again。　And　now　the　third　stood　up　to　make　a　speech　against　King　Olaf's；　but　when　he　began　he　became　so　hoarse　and　husky　in　his　throat；　that　nobody　could　hear　a　word　he　said；　and　he　also　had　to　sit　down。　　There　was　none　of　the　bondes　now　to　speak　against　the　king；　and　as　nobody　answered　him　there　was　no　opposition；　and　it　came　to　this；　that　all　agreed　to　what　the　king　had　proposed。　　All　the　people　of　the　Thing　accordingly　were　baptized　before　the　Thing　was　dissolved。



62。　ERLING　SKJALGSON'S　WOOING。

King　Olaf　went　with　his　men…at…arms　to　the　Gula…Thing；　for　the　bondes　had　sent　him　word　that　they　would　reply　there　to　his　speech。　　When　both　parties　had　come　to　the　Thing；　the　king　desired　first　to　have　a　conference　with　the　chief　people　of　the　country；　and　when　the　meeting　was　numerous　the　king　set　forth　his　errand；　　that　he　desired　them；　according　to　his　proposal；　to　allow　themselves　to　be　baptiz