heimskringla-第7部分

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　out　with　him。　　The　king　was　angry　at　such　a　message；　and　the　man　who　had　brought　it　in　took　out　with　him　a　reply　of　the　king's　displeasure。　　But　Svase；　notwithstanding；　desired　that　his　message　should　be　delivered　a　second　time；　adding　to　it；　that　he　was　the　Fin　whose　hut　the　king　had　promised　to　visit；　and　which　stood　on　the　other　side　of　the　ridge。　　Now　the　king　went　out；　and　promised　to　go　with　him；　and　went　over　the　ridge　to　his　hut；　although　some　of　his　men　dissuaded　him。　　There　stood　Snaefrid；　the　daughter　of　Svase；　a　most　beautiful　girl；　and　she　filled　a　cup　of　mead　for　the　king。　　But　he　took　hold　both　of　the　cup　and　of　her　hand。　　Immediately　it　was　as　if　a　hot　fire　went　through　his　body；　and　he　wanted　that　very　night　to　take　her　to　his　bed。　　But　Svase　said　that　should　not　be　unless　by　main　force；　if　he　did　not　first　make　her　his　lawful　wife。　　Now　King　Harald　made　Snaefrid　his　lawful　wife；　and　loved　her　so　passionately　that　he　forgot　his　kingdom；　and　all　that　belonged　to　his　high　dignity。　　They　had　four　sons：　the　one　was　Sigurd　Hrise；　the　others　Halfdan　Haleg；　Gudrod　Ljome　and　Ragnvald　Rettilbeine。　Thereafter　Snaefrid　died；　but　her　corpse　never　changed；　but　was　as　fresh　and　red　as　when　she　lived。　　The　king　sat　always　beside　her；　and　thought　she　would　come　to　life　again。　　And　so　it　went　on　for　three　years　that　he　was　sorrowing　over　her　death；　and　the　people　over　his　delusion。　　At　last　Thorleif　the　Wise　succeeded；　by　his　prudence；　in　curing　him　of　his　delusion　by　accosting　him　thus：　　〃It　is　nowise　wonderful；　king；　that　thou　grievest　over　so　beautiful　and　noble　a　wife；　and　bestowest　costly　coverlets　and　beds　of　down　on　her　corpse；　as　she　desired；　but　these　honours　fall　short　of　what　is　due；　as　she　still　lies　in　the　same　clothes。　It　would　be　more　suitable　to　raise　her；　and　change　her　dress。〃　　As　soon　as　the　body　was　raised　in　the　bed　all　sorts　of　corruption　and　foul　smells　came　from　it；　and　it　was　necessary　in　all　haste　to　gather　a　pile　of　wood　and　burn　it；　but　before　this　could　be　done　the　body　turned　blue；　and　worms；　toads；　newts；　paddocks；　and　all　sorts　of　ugly　reptiles　came　out　of　it；　and　it　sank　into　ashes。　　Now　the　king　came　to　his　understanding　again；　threw　the　madness　out　of　his　mind；　and　after　that　day　ruled　his　kingdom　as　before。　　He　was　strengthened　and　made　joyful　by　his　subjects；　and　his　subjects　by　him　and　the　country　by　both。



26。　OF　THJODOLF　OF　HVIN；　THE　SKALD。

After　King　Harald　had　experienced　the　cunning　of　the　Fin　woman；　he　was　so　angry　that　he　drove　from　him　the　sons　he　had　with　her；　and　would　not　suffer　them　before　his　eyes。　　But　one　of　them；　Gudrod　Ljome；　went　to　his　foster…father　Thjodolf　of　Hvin；　and　asked　him　to　go　to　the　king；　who　was　then　in　the　Uplands；　for　Thjodolf　was　a　great　friend　of　the　king。　　And　so　they　went；　and　came　to　the　king's　house　late　in　the　evening；　and　sat　down　together　unnoticed　near　the　door。　　The　king　walked　up　and　down　the　floor　casting　his　eye　along　the　benches；　for　he　had　a　feast　in　the　house；　and　the　mead　was　just　mixed。　　The　king　then　murmured　out　these　lines：　

　　　　　〃Tell　me；　ye　aged　gray…haired　heroes；　　　　　　Who　have　come　here　to　seek　repose；　　　　　　Wherefore　must　I　so　many　keep　　　　　　Of　such　a　set；　who；　one　and　all；　　　　　　Right　dearly　love　their　souls　to　steep；　　　　　　From　morn　till　night；　in　the　mead…bowl？〃

Then　Thjodolf　replies：　

　　　　　〃A　certain　wealthy　chief；　I　think；　　　　　　Would　gladly　have　had　more　to　drink　　　　　　With　him；　upon　one　bloody　day；　　　　　　When　crowns　were　cracked　in　our　sword…play。〃

Thjodolf　then　took　off　his　hat；　and　the　king　recognised　him；　and　gave　him　a　friendly　reception。　　Thjodolf　then　begged　the　king　not　to　cast　off　his　sons；　〃for　they　would　with　great　pleasure　have　taken　a　better　family　descent　upon　the　mother's　side；　if　the　king　had　given　it　to　them。〃　　The　king　assented；　and　told　him　to　take　Gudrod　with　him　as　formerly；　and　he　sent　Halfdan　and　Sigurd　to　Ringerike；　and　Ragnvald　to　Hadaland；　and　all　was　done　as　the　king　ordered。　　They　grew　up　to　be　very　clever　men；　very　expert　in　all　exercises。　　In　these　times　King　Harald　sat　in　peace　in　the　land；　and　the　land　enjoyed　quietness　and　good　crops。



27。　OF　EARL　TORFEINAR'S　OBTAINING　ORKNEY。

When　Earl　Ragnvald　in　More　heard　of　the　death　of　his　brother　Earl　Sigurd；　and　that　the　vikings　were　in　possession　of　the　country；　he　sent　his　son　Hallad　westward；　who　took　the　title　of　earl　to　begin　with；　and　had　many　men…at…arms　with　him。　　When　he　arrived　at　the　Orkney　Islands；　he　established　himself　in　the　country；　but　both　in　harvest；　winter；　and　spring；　the　vikings　cruised　about　the　isles　plundering　the　headlands；　and　committing　depredations　on　the　coast。　　Then　Earl　Hallad　grew　tired　of　the　business；　resigned　his　earldom；　took　up　again　his　rights　as　an　allodial　owner；　and　afterwards　returned　eastward　into　Norway。　　When　Earl　Ragnvald　heard　of　this　he　was　ill　pleased　with　Hallad；　and　said　his　son　were　very　unlike　their　ancestors。　　Then　said　Einar；　〃I　have　enjoyed　but　little　honour　among　you；　and　have　little　affection　here　to　lose：　now　if　you　will　give　me　force　enough；　I　will　go　west　to　the　islands；　and　promise　you　what　at　any　rate　will　please　you　　that　you　shall　never　see　me　again。〃　　Earl　Ragnvald　replied；　that　he　would　be　glad　if　he　never　came　back；　〃For　there　is　little　hope；〃　said　he；　〃that　thou　will　ever　be　an　honour　to　thy　friends；　as　all　thy　kin　on　thy　mother's　side　are　born　slaves。〃　　Earl　Ragnvald　gave　Einar　a　vessel　completely　equipped；　and　he　sailed　with　it　into　the　West　sea　in　harvest。　When　he　came　to　the　Orkney　Isles；　two　vikings；　Thorer　Treskeg　and　Kalf　Skurfa；　were　in　his　way　with　two　vessels。　　He　attacked　them　instantly；　gained　the　battle；　and　slew　the　two　vikings。　　Then　this　was　sung：　

　　　　　〃Then　gave　he　Treskeg　to　the　trolls；　　　　　　Torfeinar　slew　Skurfa。〃

He　was　called　Torfeinar；　because　he　cut　peat　for　fuel；　there　being　no　firewood；　as　in　Orkney　there　are　no　woods。　　He　afterwards　was　earl　over　the　islands；　and　was　a　mighty　man。　　He　was　ugly；　and　blind　of　an　eye；　yet　very　sharp…sighted　withal。



28。　KING　EIRIK　EYMUNDSON'S　DEATH。

Duke　Guthorm　dwelt　principally　at　Tunsberg；　and　governed　the　whole　of　Viken　when　the　king　was　not　there。　　He　defended　the　land；　which；　at　that　time；　was　much　plundered　by　the　vikings。　There　were　disturbances　also　up　in　Gautland　as　long　as　King　Eirik　Eymundson　lived；　but　he　died　when　King　Harald　Harfager　had　been　ten　years　king　of　all　Norway。



29。GUTHORM'S　DEATH　IN　TUNSBERG。

After　Eirik；　his　son　Bjorn　was　king　of　Svithjod　for　fifty　years。　He　was　father　of　Eirik　the　Victorious；　and　of　Olaf　the　father　of　Styrbjorn。　　Guthorm　died　on　a　bed　of　sickness　at　Tunsberg；　and　King　Harald　gave　his　son　Guthorm　the　government　of　that　part　of　his　dominions　and　made　him　chief　of　it。



30。　EARL　RAGNVALD　BURNT　IN　HIS　HOUSE。

When　King　Harald　was　forty　years　of　age　many　of　his　sons　were　well　advanced；　and　indeed　they　all　came　early　to　strength　and　manhood。　　And　now　they　began　to　take　it　ill　that　the　king　would　not　give　them　any　part　of　the　kingdom；　　but　put　earls　into　every　district；　for　they　thought　earls　were　of　inferior　birth　to　them。　Then　Halfdan　Haleg　and　Gudrod　Ljome　set　off　one　spring　with　a　great　force；　and　came　suddenly　upon　Earl　Ragnvald；　earl　of　More；　and　surrounded　the　house　in　which　he　was；　and　burnt　him　and　sixty　men　in　it。　　Thereafter　Halfdan　took　three　long…ships；　and　fitted　them　out；　and　sailed　into　the　West　sea；　but　Gudrod　set　himself　down　in　the　land　which　Ragnvald　formerly　had。　　Now　when　King　Harald　heard　this　he　set　out　with　a　great　force　against　Gudrod；　who　had　no　other　way　left　but　to　surrender；　and　he　was　sent　to　Agder。　　King　Harald　then　set　Earl　Ragnvald's　son　Thorer　over　More；　and　gave　him　his　daughter　Alof；　called　Arbot；　in　marriage。　Earl　Thorer；　called　the　Silent；　got　the　same　territory　his　father　Earl　Ragnvald　had　possessed。



31。　HALFDAN　HALEG'S　DEATH。

Halfdan　Haleg　came　very　unexpectedly　to　Orkney；　and　Earl　Einar　immediately　fled；　but　came　back　soon　after　about　harvest　time；　unnoticed　by　Halfdan。　　They　met　and　after　a　short　battle　Halfdan　fled　the　same　night。　　Einar　and　his　men　lay　all　night　without　tents；　and　when　it　was　light　in　the　morning　they　searched　the　whole　island　and　killed　every　man　they　could　lay　hold　of。　　Then　Einar　said　〃What　is　that　I　see　upon　the　isle　of　Rinansey？　　Is　it　a　man　or　a　bird？　　Sometimes　it　raises　itself　up；　and　sometimes　lies　down　again。〃　　They　went　to　it；　and　found　it　was　Halfdan　Haleg；　and　took　him　prisoner。

Earl　Einar　sang　the　following　song　the　evening　before　he　went　into　this　battle：　

　　　　　〃Where　is　the　spear　of　Hrollaug？　　where　　　　　　Is　stout　Rolf　Ganger's　bloody　spear！　　　　　　I　see　them　not；　yet　never　fear；　　　　　　For　Einar　will　not　vengeance　spare　　　　　　Against　his　father's　murderers；　though　　　　　　Hrollaug　and　Rolf　are　somewhat　slow；　　　　　　And　silent　Thorer　sits　add　dreams　　　　　　At　home；　beside　the　mead…bowl's　streams。〃

Thereafter　Earl　Einar　went　up　to　Halfdan；　and　cut　a　spread　eagle　upon　his　back；　by　striking　his　sword　through　his　back　into　his　belly；　dividing　his　ribs　from　the　backbone　down　to　his　loins；　and　tearing　out　his　lungs；　and　so　Halfdan　was　killed。　　Einar　then　sang：　

　　　　　〃For　Ragnvald's　death　my　sword　is　red：　　　　　　Of　vengeance　it　cannot　be　said　　　　　　That　Einar's　share　is　left　unsped。　　　　　　So　now；　brave　boys；　let's　raise　a　mound；　　　　　　　Heap　stones　and　gravel　on　the　ground　　　　　　O'er　Halfdan's　corpse：　this　is　the　way　　　　　　We　Norsemen　our　scat　duties　pay。〃

Then　Earl　Einar　took　possession　of　the　Orkney　Isles　as　before。　Now　when　these　tidings　came　to　Norway；　Halfdan's　brothers　took　it　much　to　heart；　and　thought　that　his　death　demanded　vengeance；　and　many　were　of　the　same　opinion。　　When　Einar　heard　this；　he　sang：　

　　　　　〃Many　a　stout　udal…man；　I　know；　　　　　　Has　cause　to　wish　my　head　laid　low；　　　　　　And　many　an　angry　udal　knife　　　　　　Would　gladly　drink　of　Eina's　life。　　　　　　But　ere　they　lay　Earl　Einar　low；　　　　　　　Ere　this　stout　heart　betrays　its　cause；　　　　　　Full　many　a　heart　will　writhe；　we　know；　　　　　　In　the　wolf's　fangs；　or　eagle's　claws。〃



32。　HARALD　AND　EINAR　RECONCILED。

King　Harald　now　ordered　a　levy；　and　gathered　a　great　force；　with　which　he　proceeded　westward　to　Orkney；　and　when　Earl　Einar　heard　that　King　Harald　was　come；　he　fled　over　to　Caithness。　　He　made　the　follo