heimskringla-第66部分

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109。　OF　THE　EARLS　THORFIN　AND　BRUSE。

The　brothers　Thorfin　and　Bruse　came　west　to　Orkney；　and　Bruse　took　the　two　parts　of　the　country　under　his　rule；　and　Thorfin　the　third　part。　　Thorfin　was　usually　in　Caithness　and　elsewhere　in　Scotland；　but　placed　men　of　his　own　over　the　islands。　　It　was　left　to　Bruse　alone　to　defend　the　islands；　which　at　that　time　were　severely　scourged　by　vikings；　for　the　Northmen　and　Danes　went　much　on　viking　cruises　in　the　west　sea；　and　frequently　touched　at　Orkney　on　the　way　to　or　from　the　west；　and　plundered；　and　took　provisions　and　cattle　from　the　coast。　　Bruse　often　complained　of　his　brother　Thorfin；　that　he　made　no　equipment　of　war　for　the　defence　of　Orkney　and　Shetland；　yet　levied　his　share　of　the　scat　and　duties。　　Then　Thorfin　offered　to　him　to　exchange；　and　that　Bruse　should　have　one　third　and　Thorfin　two　thirds　of　the　land；　but　should　undertake　the　defence　of　the　land；　for　the　whole。　　Although　this　exchange　did　not　take　place　immediately；　it　is　related　in　the　saga　of　the　earls　that　it　was　agreed　upon　at　last；　and　that　Thorfin　had　two　parts　and　Bruse　only　one；　when　Canute　the　Great　subdued　Norway　and　King　Olaf　fled　the　country。　Earl　Thorfin　Sigurdson　has　been　the　ablest　earl　of　these　islands；　and　has　had　the　greatest　dominion　of　all　the　Orkney　earls；　for　he　had　under　him　Orkney；　Shetland；　and　the　Hebudes；　besides　very　great　possessions　in　Scotland　and　Ireland。　　Arnor；　the　earls'　skald；　tells　of　his　possessions：　

　　　　　〃From　Thurso…skerry　to　Dublin；　　　　　　All　people　hold　with　good　Thorfin　　　　　　　All　people　love　his　sway；　　　　　　And　the　generous　chief　obey。〃

Thorfin　was　a　very　great　warrior。　　He　came　to　the　earldom　at　five　years　of　age；　ruled　more　than　sixty　years；　and　died　in　his　bed　about　the　last　days　of　Harald　Sigurdson。　　But　Bruse　died　in　the　days　of　Canute　the　Great；　a　short　time　after　the　fall　of　Saint　Olaf。



110。　OF　HAREK　OF　THJOTTA。

Having　now　gone　through　this　second　story；　we　shall　return　to　that　which　we　left；　　at　King　Olaf　Haraldson　having　concluded　peace　with　King　Olaf　the　Swedish　king；　and　having　the　same　summer　gone　north　to　Throndhjem　（1019）。　　He　had　then　been　king　in　Norway　five　years　（A。D。　1015…1019）。　　In　harvest　time　he　prepared　to　take　his　winter　residence　at　Nidaros；　and　he　remained　all　winter　there　（A。D。　1020）。　　Thorkel　the　Fosterer；　Amunde's　son；　as　before　related；　was　all　that　winter　with　him。　　King　Olaf　inquired　very　carefully　how　it　stood　with　Christianity　throughout　the　land；　and　learnt　that　it　was　not　observed　at　all　to　the　north　of　Halogaland；　and　was　far　from　being　observed　as　it　should　be　in　Naumudal；　and　the　interior　of　Throndhjem。　　There　was　a　man　by　name　Harek；　a　son　of　Eyvind　Skaldaspiller；　who　dwelt　in　an　island　called　Thjotta　in　Halogaland。　　Eyvind　had　not　been　a　rich　man；　but　was　of　high　family　and　high　mind。　　In　Thjotta；　at　first；　there　dwelt　many　small　bondes；　but　Harek　began　with　buying　a　farm　not　very　large　and　lived　on　it；　and　in　a　few　years　he　had　got　all　the　bondes　that　were　there　before　out　of　the　way；　so　that　he　had　the　whole　island；　and　built　a　large　head…mansion。　　He　soon　became　very　rich；　for　he　was　a　very　prudent　man；　and　very　successful。　　He　had　long　been　greatly　respected　by　the　chiefs；　and　being　related　to　the　kings　of　Norway；　had　been　raised　by　them　to　high　dignities。　　Harek's　father's　mother　Gunhild　was　a　daughter　of　Earl　Halfdan；　and　Ingebjorg；　Harald　Harfager's　daughter。　　At　the　time　the　circumstance　happened　which　we　are　going　to　relate　he　was　somewhat　advanced　in　years。　　Harek　was　the　most　respected　man　in　Halogaland；　and　for　a　long　time　had　the　Lapland　trade；　and　did　the　king's　business　in　Lapland；　sometimes　alone；　sometimes　with　others　joined　to　him。　　He　had　not　himself　been　to　wait　on　King　Olaf；　but　messages　had　passed　between　them；　and　all　was　on　the　most　friendly　footing。　　This　winter　（A。D。　1020）　that　Olaf　was　in　Nidaros；　messengers　passed　between　the　king　and　Harek　of　Thjotta。　Then　the　king　made　it　known　that　he　intended　going　north　to　Halogaland；　and　as　far　north　as　the　land's　end；　but　the　people　of　Halogaland　expected　no　good　from　this　expedition。



111。　OF　THE　PEOPLE　OF　HALOGALAND。

Olaf　rigged　out　five　ships　in　spring　（A。D。　1020）；　and　had　with　him　about　300　men。　　When　he　was　ready　for　sea　he　set　northwards　along　the　land；　and　when　he　came　to　Naumudal　district　he　summoned　the　bondes　to　a　Thing；　and　at　every　Thing　was　accepted　as　king。　　He　also　made　the　laws　to　be　read　there　as　elsewhere；　by　which　the　people　are　commanded　to　observe　Christianity；　and　he　threatened　every　man　with　loss　of　life；　and　limbs；　and　property　who　would　not　subject　himself　to　Christian　law。　　He　inflicted　severe　punishments　on　many　men；　great　as　well　as　small；　and　left　no　district　until　the　people　had　consented　to　adopt　the　holy　faith。　The　most　of　the　men　of　power　and　of　the　great　bondes　made　feasts　for　the　king；　and　so　he　proceeded　all　the　way　north　to　Halogaland。　　Harek　of　Thjotta　also　made　a　feast　for　the　king；　at　which　there　was　a　great　multitude　of　guests；　and　the　feast　was　very　splendid。　　Harek　was　made　lenderman；　and　got　the　same　privileges　he　had　enjoyed　under　the　former　chiefs　of　the　country。



112。　OF　ASMUND　GRANKELSON。

There　was　a　man　called　Grankel；　or　Granketil；　who　was　a　rich　bonde；　and　at　this　time　rather　advanced　in　age。　　In　his　youth　he　had　been　on　viking　cruises；　and　had　been　a　powerful　fighter；　for　he　possessed　great　readiness　in　all　sorts　of　bodily　exercises。　His　son　Asmund　was　equal　to　his　father　in　all　these；　and　in　some；　indeed；　he　excelled　him。　　There　were　many　who　said　that　with　respect　to　comeliness；　strength；　and　bodily　expertness；　he　might　be　considered　the　third　remarkably　distinguished　for　these　that　Norway　had　ever　produced。　　The　first　was　Hakon　Athelstan's　foster…son；　the　second；　Olaf　Trygvason。　　Grankel　invited　King　Olaf　to　a　feast；　which　was　very　magnificent；　and　at　parting　Grankel　presented　the　king　with　many　honourable　gifts　and　tokens　of　friendship。　　The　king　invited　Asmund；　with　many　persuasions；　to　follow　him；　and　as　Asmund　could　not　decline　the　honours　offered　him；　he　got　ready　to　travel　with　the　king；　became　his　man；　and　stood　in　high　favour　with　him。　　The　king　remained　in　Halogaland　the　greater　part　of　the　summer；　went　to　all　the　Things；　and　baptized　all　the　people。　　Thorer　Hund　dwelt　at　that　time　in　the　island　Bjarkey。　　He　was　the　most　powerful　man　in　the　North；　and　also　became　one　of　Olaf's　lendermen。　　Many　sons　of　great　bondes　resolved　also　to　follow　King　Olaf　from　Halogaland。　Towards　the　end　of　summer　King　Olaf　left　the　North；　and　sailed　back　to　Throndhjem；　and　landed　at　Nidaros；　where　he　passed　the　winter　（A。D。　1021）。　　It　was　then　that　Thorkel　the　Fosterer　came　from　the　West　from　Orkney；　after　killing　Einar　Rangmumd；　as　before　related。　　This　autumn　corn　was　dear　in　Throndhjem；　after　a　long　course　of　good　seasons；　and　the　farther　north　the　dearer　was　the　corn；　but　there　was　corn　enough　in　the　East　country；　and　in　the　Uplands；　and　it　was　of　great　help　to　the　people　of　Throndhjem　that　many　had　old　corn　remaining　beside　them。



113。　OF　THE　SACRIFICES　OF　THE　THRONDHJEM　PEOPLE。

In　autumn　the　news　was　brought　to　King　Olaf　that　the　bondes　had　had　a　great　feast　on　the　first　winter…day's　eve；　at　which　there　was　a　numerous　attendance　and　much　drinking；　and　it　was　told　the　king　that　all　the　remembrance…cups　to　the　Asas；　or　old　gods；　were　blessed　according　to　the　old　heathen　forms；　and　it　was　added；　that　cattle　and　horses　had　been　slain；　and　the　altars　sprinkled　with　their　blood；　and　the　sacrifices　accompanied　with　the　prayer　that　was　made　to　obtain　good　seasons。　　It　was　also　reported　that　all　men　saw　clearly　that　the　gods　were　offended　at　the　Halogaland　people　turning　Christian。　　Now　when　the　king　heard　this　news　he　sent　men　into　the　Throndhjem　country；　and　ordered　several　bondes；　whose　names　he　gave；　to　appear　before　him。　　There　was　a　man　called　Olver　of　Eggja；　so　called　after　his　farm　on　which　he　lived。　　He　was　powerful；　of　great　family；　and　the　head…man　of　those　who　on　account　of　the　bondes　appeared　before　the　king。　　Now；　when　they　came　to　the　king；　he　told　them　these　accusations；　to　which　Olver；　on　behalf　of　the　bondes；　replied；　that　they　had　had　no　other　feasts　that　harvest　than　their　usual　entertainments；　and　social　meetings；　and　friendly　drinking　parties。　　〃But　as　to　what　may　have　been　told　you　of　the　words　which　may　have　fallen　from　us　Throndhjem　people　in　our　drinking　parties；　men　of　understanding　would　take　good　care　not　to　use　such　language；　but　I　cannot　hinder　drunken　or　foolish　people's　talk。〃　　Olver　was　a　man　of　clever　speech；　and　bold　in　what　he　said；　and　defended　the　bondes　against　such　accusations。　　In　the　end；　the　king　said　the　people　of　the　interior　of　Thorndhjem　must　themselves　give　the　best　testimony　to　their　being　in　the　right　faith。　　The　bondes　got　leave　to　return　home；　and　set　off　as　soon　as　they　were　ready。



114。　OF　THE　SACRIFICES　BY　THE　PEOPLE　OF　THE　INTERIOR　OF　THE　　　　　　THRONDHJEM　DISTRICT。

Afterwards；　when　winter　was　advanced；　it　was　told　the　king　that　the　people　of　the　interior　of　Throndhjem　had　assembled　in　great　number　at　Maerin；　and　that　there　was　a　great　sacrifice　in　the　middle　of　winter；　at　which　they　sacrificed　offerings　for　peace　and　a　good　season。　　Now　when　the　king　knew　this　on　good　authority　to　be　true；　he　sent　men　and　messages　into　the　interior；　and　summoned　the　bondes　whom　he　thought　of　most　understanding　into　the　town。　　The　bondes　held　a　council　among　themselves　about　this　message；　and　all　those　who　had　been　upon　the　same　occasion　in　the　beginning　of　winter　were　now　very　unwilling　to　make　the　journey。　Olver；　however；　at　the　desire　of　all　the　bondes；　allowed　himself　to　be　persuaded。　　When　he　came　to　the　town　he　went　immediately　before　the　king；　and　they　talked　together。　　The　king　made　the　same　accusation　against　the　bondes；　that　they　had　held　a　mid…　winter　sacrifice。　　Olver　replies；　that　this　accusation　against　the　bondes　was　false。　　〃We　had；〃　said　he；　〃Yule　feasts　and　drinking　feasts　wide　around　in　the　districts；　and　the　bondes　do　not　prepare　their　feasts　so　sparingly；　sire；　that　there　is　not　much　left　over；　which　people　consume　long　afterwards。　　At　Maerin　there　is　a　great　farm；　with　a　large　house　on　it；　and　a　great　neighbourhood　all　around　it；　and　i