heimskringla-第56部分

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the　most　fortunate　of　monarchs！　　Such　splendour　as　I　have　seen　about　thee　I　have　in　truth　never　witnessed　elsewhere；　and　wheresoever　I　come　it　shall　not　be　concealed。　　Now；　king；　may　I　entreat　thy　favour　and　friendship　in　time　to　come？〃

The　king　replies；　〃Why　art　thou　in　so　great　a　haste；　and　where　art　thou　going？〃

Hjalte　replies；　〃I　am　to　ride　out　to　Ullaraker　with　Ingegerd　thy　daughter。〃

The　king　says；　〃Farewell；　then：　a　man　thou　art　of　understanding　and　politeness；　and　well　suited　to　live　with　people　of　rank。〃

Thereupon　Hjalte　withdrew。

The　king's　daughter　Ingegerd　rode　to　her　farm　in　Ullaraker；　and　ordered　a　great　feast　to　be　prepared　for　the　earl。　　When　the　earl　arrived　he　was　welcomed　with　gladness；　and　he　remained　there　several　days。　　The　earl　and　the　king's　daughter　talked　much；　and　of　many　things；　but　most　about　the　Swedish　and　Norwegian　kings；　and　she　told　the　earl　that　in　her　opinion　there　was　no　hope　of　peace　between　them。

Then　said　the　earl；　〃How　wouldst　thou　like　it；　my　cousin；　if　Olaf　king　of　Norway　were　to　pay　his　addresses　to　thee？　　It　appears　to　us　that　it　would　contribute　most　towards　a　settled　peace　if　there　was　relationship　established　between　the　kings；　but　I　would　not　support　such　a　matter　if　it　were　against　thy　inclination。〃

She　replies；　〃My　father　disposes　of　my　hand；　but　among　all　my　other　relations　thou　art　he　whose　advice　I　would　rather　follow　in　weighty　affairs。　　Dost　thou　think　it　would　be　advisable？〃　　The　earl　recommended　it　to　her　strongly；　and　reckoned　up　many　excellent　achievements　of　King　Olaf's。　　He　told　her；　in　particular；　about　what　had　lately　been　done；　that　King　Olaf　in　an　hours　time　one　morning　had　taken　five　kings　prisoners；　deprived　them　all　of　their　governments；　and　laid　their　kingdoms　and　properties　under　his　own　power。　　Much　they　talked　about　the　business；　and　in　all　their　conversations　they　perfectly　agreed　with　each　other。　　When　the　earl　was　ready　he　took　leave；　and　proceeded　on　his　way；　taking　Hjalte　with　him。



79。　RAGNVALD　AND　THORGNY。

Earl　Ragnvald　came　towards　evening　one　day　to　the　house　of　Lagman　Thorgny。　　It　was　a　great　and　stately　mansion；　and　many　people　stood　outside；　who　received　the　earl　kindly；　and　took　care　of　the　horses　and　baggage。　　The　earl　went　into　the　room；　where　there　was　a　number　of　people。　　In　the　high…seat　sat　an　old　man；　and　never　had　Bjorn　or　his　companions　seen　a　man　so　stout。　　His　beard　was　so　long　that　it　lay　upon　his　knee；　and　was　spread　over　his　whole　breast；　and　the　man；　moreover；　was　handsome　and　stately　in　appearance。　　The　earl　went　forward　and　saluted　him。　　Thorgny　received　him　joyfully　and　kindly；　and　bade　him　go　to　the　seat　he　was　accustomed　to　take。　　The　earl　seated　himself　on　the　other　side；　opposite　Thorgny。　　They　remained　there　some　days　before　the　earl　disclosed　his　errand；　and　then　he　asked　Thorgny　to　go　with　him　into　the　conversing　room。　　Bjorn　and　his　followers　went　there　with　the　earl。　　Then　the　earl　began；　and　told　how　Olaf　king　of　Norway　had　sent　these　men　hither　to　conclude　a　peaceful　agreement。　　He　showed　at　great　length　what　injury　it　was　of　to　the　West　Gautland　people；　that　there　was　hostility　between　their　country　and　Norway。　　He　further　related　that　Olaf　the　king　of　Norway　had　sent　ambassadors；　who　were　here　present；　and　to　whom　he　had　promised　he　would　attend　them　to　the　Swedish　king；　but　he　added；　〃The　Swedish　king　takes　the　matter　so　grievously；　that　he　has　uttered　menaces　against　those　who　entertain　it。　　Now　so　it　is；　my　foster…father；　that　I　do　not　trust　to　myself　in　this　matter；　but　am　come　on　a　visit　to　thee　to　get　good　counsel　and　help　from　thee　in　the　matter。〃

Now　when　the　earl　had　done　speaking　Thorgny　sat　silent　for　a　while；　and　then　took　up　the　word。　〃Ye　have　curious　dispositions　who　are　so　ambitious　of　honour　and　renown；　and　yet　have　no　prudence　or　counsel　in　you　when　you　get　into　any　mischief。　　Why　did　you　not　consider；　before　you　gave　your　promise　to　this　adventure；　that　you　had　no　power　to　stand　against　King　Olaf？　　In　my　opinion　it　is　not　a　less　honourable　condition　to　be　in　the　number　of　bondes　and　have　one's　words　free；　and　be　able　to　say　what　one　will；　even　if　the　king　be　present。　　But　I　must　go　to　the　Upsala　Thing；　and　give　thee　such　help　that　without　fear　thou　canst　speak　before　the　king　what　thou　findest　good。〃

The　earl　thanked　him　for　the　promise；　remained　with　Thorgny；　and　rode　with　him　to　the　Upsala　Thing。　　There　was　a　great　assemblage　of　people　at　the　Thing；　and　King　Olaf　was　there　with　his　court。



80。　OF　THE　UPSALA　THING。

The　first　day　the　Thing　sat；　King　Olaf　was　seated　on　a　stool；　and　his　court　stood　in　a　circle　around　him。　　Right　opposite　to　him　sat　Earl　Ragnvald　and　Thorgny　in　the　Thing　upon　one　stool；　and　before　them　the　earl's　court　and　Thorgny's　house…people。　　Behind　their　stool　stood　the　bonde　community；　all　in　a　circle　around　them。　　Some　stood　upon　hillocks　and　heights；　in　order　to　hear　the　better。　　Now　when　the　king's　messages；　which　are　usually　handled　in　the　Things；　were　produced　and　settled；　the　marshal　Bjorn　rose　beside　the　earl's　stool；　and　said　aloud；　〃King　Olaf　sends　me　here　with　the　message　that　he　will　offer　to　the　Swedish　king　peace；　and　the　frontiers　that　in　old　times　were　fixed　between　Norway　and　Svithjod。〃　　He　spoke　so　loud　that　the　Swedish　king　could　distinctly　hear　him；　but　at　first；　when　he　heard　King　Olaf's　name　spoken；　he　thought　the　speaker　had　some　message　or　business　of　his　own　to　execute；　but　when　he　heard　of　peace；　and　the　frontiers　between　Norway　and　Svithjod；　he　saw　from　what　root　it　came；　and　sprang　up；　and　called　out　that　the　man　should　be　silent；　for　that　such　speeches　were　useless。　　Thereupon　Bjorn　sat　down；　and　when　the　noise　had　ceased　Earl　Ragnvald　stood　up　and　made　a　speech。

He　spoke　of　Olaf　the　Thick's　message；　and　proposal　of　peace　to　Olaf　the　Swedish　king；　and　that　all　the　West　Gautland　people　sent　their　entreaty　to　Olaf　that　he　would　make　peace　with　the　king　of　Norway。　　He　recounted　all　the　evils　the　West　Gautlanders　were　suffering　under；　that　they　must　go　without　all　the　things　from　Norway　which　were　necessary　in　their　households；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　were　exposed　to　attack　and　hostility　whenever　the　king　of　Norway　gathered　an　army　and　made　an　inroad　on　them。　　The　earl　added；　that　Olaf　the　Norway　king　had　sent　men　hither　with　the　intent　to　obtain　Ingegerd　the　king's　daughter　in　marriage。

When　the　earl　had　done　speaking　Olaf　the　Swedish　king　stood　up　and　replied；　and　was　altogether　against　listening　to　any　proposals　of　peace；　and　made　many　and　heavy　reproaches　against　the　earl　for　his　impudence　in　entering　into　a　peaceful　truce　with　the　thick　fellow；　and　making　up　a　peaceful　friendship　with　him；　and　which　in　truth　he　considered　treason　against　himself。　　He　added；　that　it　would　be　well　deserved　if　Earl　Ragnvald　were　driven　out　of　the　kingdom。　　The　earl　had；　in　his　opinion；　the　influence　of　his　wife　Ingebjorg　to　thank　for　what　might　happen；　and　it　was　the　most　imprudent　fancy　he　could　have　fallen　upon　to　take　up　with　such　a　wife。　　The　king　spoke　long　and　bitterly；　turning　his　speech　always　against　Olaf　the　Thick。　　When　he　sat　down　not　a　sound　was　to　be　heard　at　first。



81。　THORGNY'S　SPEECH。

Then　Thorgny　stood　up；　and　when　he　arose　all　the　bondes　stood　up　who　had　before　been　sitting；　and　rushed　together　from　all　parts　to　listen　to　what　Lagman　Thorgny　would　say。　　At　first　there　was　a　great　din　of　people　and　weapons；　but　when　the　noise　was　settled　into　silent　listening；　Thorguy　made　his　speech。　〃The　disposition　of　Swedish　kings　is　different　now　from　what　it　has　been　formerly。　My　grandfather　Thorgny　could　well　remember　the　Upsala　king　Eirik　Eymundson；　and　used　to　say　of　him　that　when　he　was　in　his　best　years　he　went　out　every　summer　on　expeditions　to　different　countries；　and　conquered　for　himself　Finland；　Kirjalaland；　Courland；　Esthonia；　and　the　eastern　countries　all　around；　and　at　the　present　day　the　earth…bulwarks；　ramparts；　and　other　great　works　which　he　made　are　to　be　seen。　　And；　more　over；　he　was　not　so　proud　that　he　would　not　listen　to　people　who　had　anything　to　say　to　him。　　My　father；　again；　was　a　long　time　with　King　Bjorn；　and　was　well　acquainted　with　his　ways　and　manners。　　In　Bjorn's　lifetime　his　kingdom　stood　in　great　power；　and　no　kind　of　want　was　felt；　and　he　was　gay　and　sociable　with　his　friends。　　I　also　remember　King　Eirik　the　Victorious；　and　was　with　him　on　many　a　war…expedition。　　He　enlarged　the　Swedish　dominion；　and　defended　it　manfully；　and　it　was　also　easy　and　agreeable　to　communicate　our　opinions　to　him。　　But　the　king　we　have　now　got　allows　no　man　to　presume　to　talk　with　him；　unless　it　be　what　he　desires　to　hear。　　On　this　alone　he　applies　all　his　power；　while　he　allows　his　scat…lands　in　other　countries　to　go　from　him　through　laziness　and　weakness。　　He　wants　to　have　the　Norway　kingdom　laid　under　him；　which　no　Swedish　king　before　him　ever　desired；　and　therewith　brings　war　and　distress　on　many　a　man。　　Now　it　is　our　　will；　we　bondes；　that　thou　King　Olaf　make　peace　with　the　Norway　king；　Olaf　the　Thick；　and　marry　thy　daughter　Ingegerd　to　him。　　Wilt　thou；　however；　reconquer　the　kingdoms　in　the　east　countries　which　thy　relations　and　forefathers　had　there；　we　will　all　for　that　purpose　follow　thee　to　the　war。　　But　if　thou　wilt　not　do　as　we　desire；　we　will　now　attack　thee；　and　put　thee　to　death；　for　we　will　no　longer　suffer　law　and　peace　to　be　disturbed。　　So　our　forefathers　went　to　work　when　they　drowned　five　kings　in　a　morass　at　the　Mula…thing；　and　they　were　filled　with　the　same　insupportable　pride　thou　hast　shown　towards　us。　　Now　tell　us；　in　all　haste；　what　resolution　thou　wilt　take。〃　　Then　the　whole　public　approved；　with　clash　of　arms　and　shouts；　the　lagman's　speech。

The　king　stands　up　and　says　he　will　let　things　go　according　to　the　desire　of　the　bondes。　　〃All　Swedish　kings；〃　he　said；　〃have　done　so；　and　have　allowed　the　bondes　to　rule　in　all　according　to　their　will。〃　　The　murmur　among　the　bondes　then　came　to　an　end；　and　the　chiefs；　the　king；　the　earl；　and　Thorgny　talked　together；　and　concluded　a　truce　and　reconciliation；　on　the　part　of　the　Swedish　king；　according　to　the　terms　which　the　king　of　Norway　had　proposed　by　his　ambassadors；　and　it　was　resolved　at　the　Thing　that　Ingegerd；　the　king's　daughter