heimskringla-第59部分

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ho　was　still　alive　in　the　year　1024；　　　　　　was　noted　for　his　kindness　toward　all　persecuted　persons。



87。　BATTLE　IN　ULFREKS…FJORD。

The　summer　that　Thorarin　went　with　Hrorek　to　Iceland；　Hjalte　Skeggjason　went　also　to　Iceland；　and　King　Olaf　gave　him　many　friendly　gifts　with　him　when　they　parted。　　The　same　summer　Eyvind　Urarhorn　went　on　an　expedition　to　the　west　sea；　and　came　in　autumn　to　Ireland；　to　the　Irish　king　Konofogor　（1）。　　In　autumn　Einar　earl　of　Orkney　and　this　Irish　king　met　in　Ulfreks…fjord；　and　there　was　a　great　battle；　in　which　Konofogor　gained　the　victory；　having　many　more　people。　　The　earl　fled　with　a　single　ship　and　came　back　about　autumn　to　Orkney；　after　losing　most　of　his　men　and　all　the　booty　they　had　made。　　The　earl　was　much　displeased　with　his　expedition；　and　threw　the　blame　upon　the　Northmen；　who　had　been　in　the　battle　on　the　side　of　the　Irish　king；　for　making　him　lose　the　victory。


ENDNOTES：　（1）　　Konofogor's　Irish　name　was　Connor。



88。　OLAF　PREPARES　FOR　HIS　BRIDAL　JOURNEY。

Now　we　begin　again　our　story　where　we　let　it　slip　　at　King　Olaf's　travelling　to　his　bridal；　to　receive　his　betrothed　Ingegerd　the　king's　daughter。　　The　king　had　a　great　body　of　men　with　him；　and　so　chosen　a　body　that　all　the　great　people　he　could　lay　hold　of　followed　him；　and　every　man　of　consequence　had　a　chosen　band　of　men　with　him　distinguished　by　birth　or　other　qualifications。　　The　whole　were　well　appointed；　and　equipped　in　ships；　weapons；　and　clothes。　　They　steered　the　fleet　eastwards　to　Konungahella；　but　when　they　arrived　there　they　heard　nothing　of　the　Swedish　king　and　none　of　his　men　had　come　there。　　King　Olaf　remained　a　long　time　in　summer　（A。D。　1018）　at　Konungahella；　and　endeavored　carefully　to　make　out　what　people　said　of　the　Swedish　king's　movements；　or　what　were　his　designs；　but　no　person　could　tell　him　anything　for　certain　about　it。　　Then　he　sent　men　up　to　Gautland　to　Earl　Ragnvald；　to　ask　him　if　he　knew　how　it　came　to　pass　that　the　Swedish　king　did　not　come　to　the　meeting　agreed　on。　The　earl　replies；　that　he　did　not　know。　　〃But　as　soon；〃　said　he；　〃as　I　hear；　I　shall　send　some　of　my　men　to　King　Olaf；　to　let　him　know　if　there　be　any　other　cause　for　the　delay　than　the　multitude　of　affairs；　as　it　often　happens　that　the　Swedish　king's　movements　are　delayed　by　this　more　than　he　could　have　expected。〃



89。　OF　THE　SWEDISH　KING'S　CHILDREN。

This　Swedish　king；　Olaf　Eirikson；　had　first　a　concubine　who　was　called　Edla；　a　daughter　of　an　earl　of　Vindland；　who　had　been　captured　in　war；　and　therefore　was　called　the　king's　slave…girl。　Their　children　were　Emund；　Astrid；　Holmfrid。。。。　　They　had；　besides；　a　son；　who　was　born　the　day　before　St。　Jacob's…day。　　When　the　boy　was　to　be　christened　the　bishop　called　him　Jacob；　which　the　Swedes　did　not　like；　as　there　never　had　been　a　Swedish　king　called　Jacob。　　All　King　Olaf's　children　were　handsome　in　appearance；　and　clever　from　childhood。　　The　queen　was　proud；　and　did　not　behave　well　towards　her　step…children；　therefore　the　king　sent　his　son　Emund　to　Vindland；　to　be　fostered　by　his　mother's　relations；　where　he　for　a　long　time　neglected　his　Christianity。　The　king's　daughter；　Astrid；　was　brought　up　in　West　Gautland；　in　the　house　of　a　worthy　man　called　Egil。　　She　was　a　very　lovely　girl：　her　words　came　well　into　her　conversation；　she　was　merry；　but　modest；　and　very　generous。　　When　she　was　grown　up　she　was　often　in　her　father's　house；　and　every　man　thought　well　of　her。　King　Olaf　was　haughty　and　harsh　in　his　speech。　　He　took　very　ill　the　uproar　and　clamour　the　country　people　had　raised　against　him　at　the　Upsala　Thing；　as　they　had　threatened　him　with　violence；　for　which　he　laid　the　chief　blame　on　Earl　Ragnvald。　　He　made　no　preparation　for　the　bridal；　according　to　the　agreement　to　marry　his　daughter　Ingegerd　to　Olaf　the　king　of　Norway；　and　to　meet　him　on　the　borders　for　that　purpose。　　As　the　summer　advanced　many　of　his　men　were　anxious　to　know　what　the　kings　intentions　were；　whether　to　keep　to　the　agreement　with　King　Olaf；　or　break　his　word；　and　with　it　the　peace　of　the　country。　　But　no　one　was　so　bold　as　to　ask　the　king；　although　they　complained　of　it　to　Ingegerd；　and　besought　her　to　find　out　what　the　king　intended。　She　replied　〃I　have　no　inclination　to　speak　to　the　king　again　about　the　matters　between　him　and　King　Olaf；　for　he　answered　me　ill　enough　once　before　when　I　brought　forward　Olaf's　name。〃　　In　the　meantime　Ingegerd；　the　king's　daughter；　took　it　to　heart；　became　melancholy　and　sorrowful　and　yet　very　curious　to　know　what　the　king　intended。　　She　had　much　suspicion　that　he　would　not　keep　his　word　and　promise　to　King　Olaf；　for　he　appeared　quite　enraged　whenever　Olaf　the　Thick's　name　was　in　any　way　mentioned。



90。　OF　THE　SWEDISH　KING　OLAF'S　HUNTING。

One　morning　early　the　king　rode　out　with　his　dogs　and　falcons；　and　his　men　around　him。　　When　they　let　slip　the　falcons　the　king's　falcon　killed　two　black…cocks　in　one　flight；　and　three　in　another。　　The　dogs　ran　and　brought　the　birds　when　they　had　fallen　to　the　ground。　　The　king　ran　after　them；　took　the　game　from　them　himself；　was　delighted　with　his　sport；　and　said；　〃It　will　be　long　before　the　most　of　you　have　such　success。〃　　They　agreed　in　this；　adding；　that　in　their　opinion　no　king　had　such　luck　in　hunting　as　he　had。　　Then　the　king　rode　home　with　his　followers　in　high　spirits。　　Ingegerd；　the　king's　daughter；　was　just　going　out　of　her　lodging　when　the　king　came　riding　into　the　yard；　and　she　turned　round　and　saluted　him。　　He　saluted　her　in　return；　laughing；　produced　the　birds；　and　told　her　the　success　of　his　chase。

〃Dost　thou　know　of　any　king；〃　said　he；　〃who　made　so　great　a　capture　in　so　short　a　time？〃

〃It　is　indeed；〃　replied　she；　〃a　good　morning's　hunting；　to　have　got　five　black…cocks；　but　it　was　a　still　better　when；　in　one　morning；　the　king　of　Norway；　Olaf；　took　five　kings；　and　subdued　all　their　kingdoms。〃

When　the　king　heard　this　he　sprang　from　his　horse；　turned　to　Ingegerd；　and　said；　〃Thou　shalt　know；　Ingegerd；　that　however　great　thy　love　may　be　for　this　man；　thou　shalt　never　get　him；　nor　he　get　thee。　　I　will　marry　thee　to　some　chief　with　whom　I　can　be　in　friendship；　but　never　can　I　be　a　friend　of　the　man　who　has　robbed　me　of　my　kingdom；　and　done　me　great　mischief　by　marauding　and　killing　through　the　land。〃　　With　that　their　conversation　broke　off；　and　each　went　away。



91。　OLAF　THE　NORWAY　KING'S　COUNSELS。

Ingegerd；　the　king's　daughter；　had　now　full　certainty　of　King　Olaf's　intention；　and　immediately　sent　men　to　West　Gautland　to　Earl　Ragnvald；　and　let　him　know　how　it　stood　with　the　Swedish　king；　and　that　the　agreement　made　with　the　king　of　Norway　was　broken；　and　advising　the　earl　and　people　of　West　Gautland　to　be　upon　their　guard；　as　no　peace　from　the　people　of　Norway　was　to　be　expected。　　When　the　earl　got　this　news　he　sent　a　message　through　all　his　kingdom；　and　told　the　people　to　be　cautious；　and　prepared　in　case　of　war　or　pillage　from　the　side　of　Norway。　　He　also　sent　men　to　King　Olaf　the　Thick；　and　let　him　know　the　message　he　had　received；　and　likewise　that　he　wished　for　himself　to　hold　peace　and　friendship　with　King　Olaf；　and　therefore　he　begged　him　not　to　pillage　in　his　kingdom。　　When　this　message　came　to　King　Olaf　it　made　him　both　angry　and　sorry；　and　for　some　days　nobody　got　a　word　from　him。　　He　then　held　a　House…Thing　with　his　men；　and　in　it　Bjorn　arose；　and　first　took　the　word。　　He　began　his　speech　by　telling　that　he　had　proceeded　eastward　last　winter　to　establish　a　peace；　and　he　told　how　kindly　Earl　Ragnvald　had　received　him；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　how　crossly　and　heavily　the　Swedish　king　had　accepted　the　proposal。　〃And　the　agreement；〃　said　he；　〃which　was　made；　was　made　more　by　means　of　the　strength　of　the　people；　the　power　of　Thorgny；　and　the　aid　of　the　earl；　than　by　the　king's　good…will。　　Now；　on　these　grounds；　we　know　for　certain　that　it　is　the　king　who　has　caused　the　breach　of　the　agreement；　therefore　we　ought　by　no　means　to　make　the　earl　suffer；　for　it　is　proved　that　he　is　King　Olaf's　firm　friend。〃　　The　king　wished　now　to　hear　from　the　chiefs　and　other　leaders　of　troops　what　course　he　should　adopt。　　〃Whether　shall　we　go　against　Gautland；　and　maraud　there　with　such　men　as　we　have　got；　or　is　there　any　other　course　that　appears　to　you　more　advisable？〃　　He　spoke　both　long　and　well。

Thereafter　many　powerful　men　spoke；　and　all　were　at　last　agreed　in　dissuading　from　hostilities。　　They　argued　thus：　　〃Although　we　are　a　numerous　body　of　men　who　are　assembled　here；　yet　they　are　all　only　people　of　weight　and　power；　but；　for　a　war　expedition；　young　men　who　are　in　quest　of　property　and　consideration　are　more　suitable。　　It　is　also　the　custom　of　people　of　weight　and　power；　when　they　go　into　battle　or　strife；　to　have　many　people　with　them　whom　they　can　send　out　before　them　for　their　defence；　for　the　men　do　not　fight　worse　who　have　little　property；　but　even　better　than　those　who　are　brought　up　in　the　midst　of　wealth。〃　　After　these　considerations　the　king　resolved　to　dismiss　this　army　from　any　expedition；　and　to　give　every　man　leave　to　return　home；　but　proclaimed；　at　the　same　time；　that　next　summer　the　people　over　the　whole　country　would　be　called　out　in　a　general　levy；　to　march　immediately　against　the　Swedish　king；　and　punish　him　for　his　want　of　faith。　　All　thought　well　of　this　plan。　Then　the　king　returned　northwards　to　Viken；　and　took　his　abode　at　Sarpsborg　in　autumn；　and　ordered　all　things　necessary　for　winter　provision　to　be　collected　there；　and　he　remained　there　all　winter　（A。D。　1019）　with　a　great　retinue。



92。　SIGVAT　THE　SKALD'S　JOURNEY　EASTWARDS。

People　talked　variously　about　Earl　Ragnvald；　some　said　he　was　King　Olaf's　sincere　friend；　others　did　not　think　this　likely；　and　thought　it　stood　in　his　power　to　warn　the　Swedish　king　to　keep　his　word；　and　the　agreement　concluded　on　between　him　and　King　Olaf。　　Sigvat　the　poet　often　expressed　himself　in　conversation　as　Earl　Ragnvald's　great　friend；　and　often　spoke　of　him　to　King　Olaf；　and　he　offered　to　the　king　to　travel　to　Earl　Ragnvald's　and　spy　after　the　Swedish　kings　doings；　and　to　attempt；　if　possible；　to　get　the　settlement　of　the　agreement。　　The　king　thought　well　of　this　plan；　for　he　oft；　and　with　pleasure；　spoke　to　his　confidential　friends　about　Ingegerd；　th