heimskringla-第68部分

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ent　southwards　over　the　Sil　plains；　and　did　not　halt　until　he　came　to　Breida；　where　he　saw　a　great　army　ready　for　battle。　Then　the　king　drew　up　his　troops；　rode　himself　at　the　head　of　them；　and　began　a　speech　to　the　bondes；　in　which　he　invited　them　to　adopt　Christianity。　　They　replied；　〃We　shall　give　thee　something　else　to　do　to…day　than　to　be　mocking　us；〃　and　raised　a　general　shout；　striking　also　upon　their　shields　with　their　weapons。　　Then　the　king's　men　ran　forward　and　threw　their　spears；　but　the　bondes　turned　round　instantly　and　fled；　so　that　only　few　men　remained　behind。　　Gudbrand's　son　was　taken　prisoner；　but　the　king　gave　him　his　life；　and　took　him　with　him。　　The　king　was　four　days　here。　　Then　the　king　said　to　Gudbrand's　son；　〃Go　home　now　to　thy　father；　and　tell　him　I　expect　to　be　with　him　soon。〃

He　went　accordingly；　and　told　his　father　the　news；　that　they　had　fallen　in　with　the　king；　and　fought　with　him；　but　that　their　whole　army；　in　the　very　beginning；　took　flight。　　〃I　was　taken　prisoner；〃　said　he；　〃but　the　king　gave　me　my　life　and　liberty；　and　told　me　to　say　to　thee　that　he　will　soon　be　here。　　And　now　we　have　not　200　men　of　the　force　we　raised　against　him；　therefore　I　advise　thee；　father；　not　to　give　battle　to　that　man。〃

Says　Gudbrand；　〃It　is　easy　to　see　that　all　courage　has　left　thee；　and　it　was　an　unlucky　hour　ye　went　out　to　the　field。　　Thy　proceeding　will　live　long　in　the　remembrance　of　people；　and　I　see　that　thy　fastening　thy　faith　on　the　folly　that　man　is　going　about　with　has　brought　upon　thee　and　thy　men　so　great　a　disgrace。〃

But　the　night　after；　Gudbrand　dreamt　that　there　came　to　him　a　man　surrounded　by　light；　who　brought　great　terror　with　him；　and　said　to　him；　〃Thy　son　made　no　glorious　expedition　against　King　Olaf；　but　still　less　honour　wilt　thou　gather　for　thyself　by　holding　a　battle　with　him。　　Thou　with　all　thy　people　wilt　fall；　wolves　will　drag　thee；　and　all　thine；　away；　ravens　wilt　tear　thee　in　stripes。〃　　At　this　dreadful　vision　he　was　much　afraid；　and　tells　it　to　Thord　Istermage；　who　was　chief　over　the　valley。　　He　replies；　〃The　very　same　vision　came　to　me。〃　　In　the　morning　they　ordered　the　signal　to　sound　for　a　Thing；　and　said　that　it　appeared　to　them　advisable　to　hold　a　Thing　with　the　man　who　had　come　from　the　north　with　this　new　teaching；　to　know　if　there　was　any　truth　in　it。　　Gudbrand　then　said　to　his　son；　〃Go　thou；　and　twelve　men　with　thee；　to　the　king　who　gave　thee　thy　life。〃　　He　went　straightway；　and　found　the　king；　and　laid　before　him　their　errand；　namely；　that　the　bondes　would　hold　a　Thing　with　him；　and　make　a　truce　between　them　and　him。　　The　king　was　content；　and　they　bound　themselves　by　faith　and　law　mutually　to　hold　the　peace　so　long　as　the　Thing　lasted。　　After　this　was　settled　the　men　returned　to　Gudbrand　and　Thord；　and　told　them　there　was　made　a　firm　agreement　for　a　truce。　　The　king；　after　the　battle　with　the　son　of　Gudbrand；　had　proceeded　to　Lidstad；　and　remained　there　for　five　days：　afterwards　he　went　out　to　meet　the　bondes；　and　hold　a　Thing　with　them。　　On　that　day　there　fell　a　heavy　rain。　　When　the　Thing　was　seated；　the　king　stood　up　and　said　that　the　people　in　Lesjar；　Loaf；　and　Vagar　had　received　Christianity；　broken　down　their　houses　of　sacrifice；　and　believed　now　in　the　true　God　who　had　made　heaven　and　earth　and　knows　all　things。

Thereupon　the　king　sat　down；　and　Gudbrand　replies；　〃We　know　nothing　of　him　whom　thou　speakest　about。　　Dost　thou　call　him　God；　whom　neither　thou　nor　any　one　else　can　see？　　But　we　have　a　god　who　call　be　seen　every　day；　although　he　is　not　out　to…day；　because　the　weather　is　wet；　and　he　will　appear　to　thee　terrible　and　very　grand；　and　I　expect　that　fear　will　mix　with　your　very　blood　when　he　comes　into　the　Thing。　　But　since　thou　sayest　thy　God　is　so　great；　let　him　make　it　so　that　to…morrow　we　have　a　cloudy　day　but　without　rain；　and　then　let　us　meet　again。〃

The　king　accordingly　returned　home　to　his　lodging；　taking　Gudbrand's　son　as　a　hostage；　but　he　gave　them　a　man　as　hostage　in　exchange。　　In　the　evening　the　king　asked　Gudbrand's　son　what　like　their　god　was。　　He　replied；　that　he　bore　the　likeness　of　Thor；　had　a　hammer　in　his　hand；　was　of　great　size；　but　hollow　within；　and　had　a　high　stand；　upon　which　he　stood　when　he　was　out。　〃Neither　gold　nor　silver　are　wanting　about　him；　and　every　day　he　receives　four　cakes　of　bread；　besides　meat。〃　　They　then　went　to　bed；　but　the　king　watched　all　night　in　prayer。　　When　day　dawned　the　king　went　to　mass；　then　to　table；　and　from　thence　to　the　Thing。　　The　weather　was　such　as　Gudbrand　desired。　　Now　the　bishop　stood　up　in　his　choir…robes；　with　bishop's　coif　upon　his　head；　and　bishop's　staff　in　his　hands。　　He　spoke　to　the　bondes　of　the　true　faith；　told　the　many　wonderful　acts　of　God；　and　concluded　his　speech　well。

Thord　Istermage　replies；　〃Many　things　we　are　told　of　by　this　horned　man　with　the　staff　in　his　hand　crooked　at　the　top　like　a　ram's　horn；　but　since　ye　say；　comrades；　that　your　god　is　so　powerful；　and　can　do　so　many　wonders；　tell　him　to　make　it　clear　sunshine　to…morrow　forenoon；　and　then　we　shall　meet　here　again；　and　do　one　of　two　things；　　either　agree　with　you　about　this　business；　or　fight　you。〃　　And　they　separated　for　the　day。



119。　DALE…GUDBRAND　IS　BAPTIZED。

There　was　a　man　with　King　Olaf　called　Kolbein　Sterke　（the　strong）；　who　came　from　a　family　in　the　Fjord　district。　　Usually　he　was　so　equipped　that　he　was　girt　with　a　sword；　and　besides　carried　a　great　stake；　otherwise　called　a　club；　in　his　hands。　　The　king　told　Kolbein　to　stand　nearest　to　him　in　the　morning；　and　gave　orders　to　his　people　to　go　down　in　the　night　to　where　the　ships　of　the　bondes　lay　and　bore　holes　in　them；　and　to　set　loose　their　horses　on　the　farms　where　they　were；　all　which　was　done。　Now　the　king　was　in　prayer　all　the　night；　beseeching　God　of　His　goodness　and　mercy　to　release　him　from　evil。　　When　mass　was　ended；　and　morning　was　grey；　the　king　went　to　the　Thing。　　When　he　came　there　some　bondes　had　already　arrived；　and　they　saw　a　great　crowd　coming　along；　and　bearing　among　them　a　huge　man's　image　glancing　with　gold　and　silver。　　When　the　bondes　who　were　at　the　Thing　saw　it　they　started　up；　and　bowed　themselves　down　before　the　ugly　idol。　　Thereupon　it　was　set　down　upon　the　Thing…field；　and　on　the　one　side　of　it　sat　the　bondes；　and　on　the　other　the　king　and　his　people。

Then　Dale…Gudbrand　stood　up；　and　said；　〃Where　now；　king；　is　thy　god？　　I　think　he　will　now　carry　his　head　lower；　and　neither　thou；　nor　the　man　with　the　horn　whom　ye　call　bishop；　and　sits　there　beside　thee；　are　so　bold　to…day　as　on　the　former　days；　for　now　our　god；　who　rules　over　all；　is　come；　and　looks　on　you　with　an　angry　eye；　and　now　I　see　well　enough　that　ye　are　terrified；　and　scarcely　dare　to　raise　your　eyes。　　Throw　away　now　all　your　opposition；　and　believe　in　the　god　who　has　all　your　fate　in　his　hands。〃

The　king　now　whispers　to　Kolbein　Sterke；　without　the　bondes　perceiving　it；　〃If　it　come　so　in　the　course　of　my　speech　that　the　bondes　look　another　way　than　towards　their　idol；　strike　him　as　hard　as　thou　canst　with　thy　club。〃

The　king　then　stood　up　and　spoke。　　〃Much　hast　thou　talked　to　us　this　morning；　and　greatly　hast　thou　wondered　that　thou　canst　not　see　our　God；　but　we　expect　that　he　will　soon　come　to　us。　　Thou　wouldst　frighten　us　with　thy　god；　who　is　both　blind　and　deaf；　and　can　neither　save　himself　nor　others；　and　cannot　even　move　about　without　being　carried；　but　now　I　expect　it　will　be　but　a　short　time　before　he　meets　his　fate：　for　turn　your　eyes　towards　the　east；　　behold　our　God　advancing　in　great　light。〃

The　sun　was　rising；　and　all　turned　to　look。　　At　that　moment　Kolbein　gave　their　god　a　stroke；　so　that　the　idol　burst　asunder；　and　there　ran　out　of　it　mice　as　big　almost　as　cats；　and　reptiles；　and　adders。　　The　bondes　were　so　terrified　that　some　fled　to　their　ships；　but　when　they　sprang　out　upon　them　they　filled　with　water；　and　could　not　get　away。　　Others　ran　to　their　horses；　but　could　not　find　them。　　The　king　then　ordered　the　bondes　to　be　called　together；　saying　he　wanted　to　speak　with　them；　on　which　the　bondes　came　back；　and　the　Thing　was　again　seated。

The　king　rose　up　and　said；　〃I　do　not　understand　what　your　noise　and　running　mean。　　Ye　see　yourselves　what　your　god　can　do；　　the　idol　ye　adorned　with　gold　and　silver；　and　brought　meat　and　provisions　to。　Ye　see　now　that　the　protecting　powers　who　used　it　were　the　mice　and　adders；　reptiles　and　paddocks；　and　they　do　ill　who　trust　to　such；　and　will　not　abandon　this　folly。　　Take　now　your　gold　and　ornaments　that　are　lying　strewed　about　on　the　grass；　and　give　them　to　your　wives　and　daughters；　but　never　hang　them　hereafter　upon　stock　or　stone。　　Here　are　now　two　conditions　between　us　to　choose　upon；　　either　accept　Christianity；　or　fight　this　very　day；　and　the　victory　be　to　them　to　whom　the　God　we　worship　gives　it。〃

Then　Dale…Gudbrand　stood　up　and　said；　〃We　have　sustained　great　damage　upon　our　god；　but　since　he　will　not　help　us；　we　will　believe　in　the　God　thou　believest　in。〃

Then　all　received　Christianity。　　The　bishop　baptized　Gudbrand　and　his　son。　　King　Olaf　and　Bishop　Sigurd　left　behind　them　teachers；　　and　they　who　met　as　enemies　parted　as　friends；　and　Gudbrand　built　a　church　in　the　valley。



120。　HEDEMARK　BAPTIZED。

King　Olaf　proceeded　from　thence　to　Hedemark；　and　baptized　there；　but　as　he　had　formerly　carried　away　their　kings　as　prisoners；　he　did　not　venture　himself；　after　such　a　deed；　to　go　far　into　the　country　with　few　people　at　that　time；　but　a　small　part　of　Hedemark　was　baptized；　but　the　king　did　not　desist　from　his　expedition　before　he　had　introduced　Christianity　over　all　Hedemark；　consecrated　churches；　and　placed　teachers。　　He　then　went　to　Hadaland　and　Thoten；　improving　the　customs　of　the　people；　and　persisting　until　all　the　country　was　baptized。　　He　then　went　to　Ringerike；　where　also　all　people　went　over　to　Christianity。　The　people　of　Raumarike　then　heard　that　Olaf　intended　coming　to　them；　and　they　gathered　a　great　force。　　They　said　among　themselves　that　the　journey　Olaf　had　made　among　them　the　last　time　was　not　to　be　forgotten；　and　he　should　never　proceed　so　again。　　The　king；　notwithstanding；　prepared　for　the　journey。　　Now　when　the　king　went　up　into　Raumarike　with　his　forces；　the　multitude　of　bondes　came