heimskringla-第82部分

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l。　　He　went　from　thence　to　South　More。　　He　lay　a　long　time　at　the　Herey　Isles　waiting　for　his　forces；　and　he　often　held　House…things；　as　many　reports　came　to　his　ears　about　which　he　thought　it　necessary　to　hold　councils。　　In　one　of　these　Things　he　made　a　speech；　in　which　he　spoke　of　the　loss　he　suffered　from　the　Farey　islanders。　　〃The　scat　which　they　promised　me；〃　he　said；　〃is　not　forthcoming；　and　I　now　intend　to　send　men　thither　after　it。〃　　Then　he　proposed　to　different　men　to　undertake　this　expedition；　but　the　answer　was；　that　all　declined　the　adventure。

Then　there　stood　up　a　stout　and　very　remarkable　looking　man　in　the　Thing。　　He　was　clad　in　a　red　kirtle；　had　a　helmet　on　his　head；　a　sword　in　his　belt；　and　a　large　halberd　in　his　hands。　　He　took　up　the　word　and　said；　〃In　truth　here　is　a　great　want　of　men。　Ye　have　a　good　king；　but　ye　are　bad　servants　who　say　no　to　this　expedition　he　offers　you；　although　ye　have　received　many　gifts　of　friendship　and　tokens　of　honour　from　him。　　I　have　hitherto　been　no　friend　of　the　king；　and　he　has　been　my　enemy；　and　says；　besides；　that　he　has　good　grounds　for　being　so。　　Now；　I　offer；　sire；　to　go　upon　this　expedition；　if　no　better　will　undertake　it。〃

The　king　answers；　〃Who　is　this　brave　man　who　replies　to　my　offer？　Thou　showest　thyself　different　from　the　other　men　here　present；　in　offering　thyself　for　this　expedition　from　which　they　excuse　themselves；　although　I　expected　they　would　willingly　have　undertaken　it；　but　I　do　not　know　thee　in　the　least；　and　do　not　know　thy　name。〃

He　replies；　〃My　name；　sire；　is　not　difficult　to　know；　and　I　think　thou　hast　heard　my　name　before。　　I　am　Karl　Morske。〃

The　king　　〃So　this　is　Karl！　　I　have　indeed　heard　thy　name　before；　and；　to　say　the　truth；　there　was　a　time　when　our　meeting　must　have　been　such；　if　I　had　had　my　will；　that　thou　shouldst　not　have　had　to　tell　it　now。　　But　I　will　not　show　myself　worse　than　thou；　but　will　join　my　thanks　and　my　favour　to　the　side　of　the　help　thou　hast　offered　me。　　Now　thou　shalt　come　to　me；　Karl；　and　be　my　guest　to…day；　and　then　we　shall　consult　together　about　this　business。〃　　Karl　said　it　should　be　so。



153。　KARL　MORSKE'S　STORY。

Karl　Morske　had　been　a　viking；　and　a　celebrated　robber。　　Often　had　the　king　sent　out　men　against　him；　and　wished　to　make　an　end　of　him；　but　Karl；　who　was　a　man　of　high　connection；　was　quick　in　all　his　doing's；　and　besides　a　man　of　great　dexterity；　and　expert　in　all　feats。　　Now　when　Karl　had　undertaken　this　business　the　king　was　reconciled　to　him；　gave　him　his　friendship；　and　let　him　be　fitted　out　in　the　best　manner　for　this　expedition。　　There　were　about　twenty　men　in　the　ship；　and　the　king　sent　messages　to　his　friends　in　the　Farey　Islands；　and　recommended　him　also　to　Leif　Ossurson　and　Lagman　Gille；　for　aid　and　defence；　and　for　this　purpose　furnished　Karl　with　tokens　of　the　full　powers　given　him。　Karl　set　out　as　soon　as　he　was　ready；　and　as　he　got　a　favourable　breeze　soon　came　to　the　Farey　Islands；　and　landed　at　Thorshavn；　in　the　island　Straumey。　　A　Thing　was　called；　to　which　there　came　a　great　number　of　people。　　Thrand　of　Gata　came　with　a　great　retinue；　and　Leif　and　Gille　came　there　also；　with　many　in　their　following。　　After　they　had　set　up　their　tents；　and　put　themselves　in　order；　they　went　to　Karl　Morske；　and　saluted　each　other　on　both　sides　in　a　friendly　way。　　Then　Karl　produced　King　Olaf's　words；　tokens；　and　friendly　message　to　Leif　and　Gille；　who　received　them　in　a　friendly　manner；　invited　Karl　to　come　to　them；　and　promised　him　to　support　his　errand；　and　give　him　all　the　aid　in　their　power；　for　which　he　thanked　them。　　Soon　after　came　Thrand　of　Gata；　who　also　received　Karl　in　the　most　friendly　manner；　and　said　he　was　glad　to　see　so　able　a　man　coming　to　their　country　on　the　king's　business；　which　they　were　all　bound　to　promote。　　〃I　will　insist；　Karl；〃　says　he；　〃on　thy　taking…up　thy　winter　abode　with　me；　together　with　all　those　of　thy　people　who　may　appear　to　thee　necessary　for　thy　dignity。〃

Karl　replies；　that　he　had　already　settled　to　lodge　with　Leif；　〃otherwise　I　would　with　great　pleasure　have　accepted　thy　invitation。〃

〃Then　fate　has　given　great　honour　to　Leif；〃　says　Thrand；　〃but　is　there　any　other　way　in　which　I　can　be　of　service？〃

Karl　replies；　that　he　would　do　him　a　great　service　by　collecting　the　scat　of　the　eastern　island；　and　of　all　the　northern　islands。

Thrand　said　it　was　both　his　duty　and　interest　to　assist　in　the　king's　business；　and　thereupon　Thrand　returned　to　his　tent；　and　at　that　Thing　nothing　else　worth　speaking　of　occurred。　　Karl　took　up　his　abode　with　Leif　Ossurson；　and　was　there　all　winter　（A。D。　1028）。　　Leif　collected　the　scat　of　Straumey　Island；　and　all　the　islands　south　of　it。　　The　spring　after　Thrand　of　Gata　fell　ill；　and　had　sore　eyes　and　other　complaints；　but　he　prepared　to　attend　the　Thing；　as　was　his　custom。　　When　he　came　to　the　Thing　he　had　his　tent　put　up；　and　within　it　another　black　tent；　that　the　light　might　not　penetrate。　　After　some　days　of　the　Thing　had　passed；　Leif　and　Karl　came　to　Thrand's　tent；　with　a　great　many　people；　and　found　some　persons　standing　outside。　　They　asked　if　Thrand　was　in　the　tent；　and　were　told　he　was。　　Leif　told　them　to　bid　Thrand　come　out；　as　he　and　Karl　had　some　business　with　him。　　They　came　back；　and　said　that　Thrand　had　sore　eyes；　and　could　not　come　out；　〃but　he　begs　thee；　Leif；　to　come　to　him　within。〃　　Leif　told　his　comrades　to　come　carefully　into　the　tent；　and　not　to　press　forward；　and　that　he　who　came　last　in　should　go　out　first。　　Leif　went　in　first；　followed　by　Karl；　and　then　his　comrades；　and　all　fully　armed　as　if　they　were　going　into　battle。　　Leif　went　into　the　black　tent　and　asked　if　Thrand　was　there。　　Thrand　answered　and　saluted　Leif。　　Leif　returned　his　salutation；　and　asked　if　he　had　brought　the　scat　from　the　northern　islands；　and　if　he　would　pay　the　scat　that　had　been　collected。　　Thrand　replies；　that　he　had　not　forgotten　what　had　been　spoken　of　between　him　and　Karl；　and　that　he　would　now　pay　over　the　scat。　〃Here　is　a　purse；　Leif；　full　of　silver；　which　thou　canst　receive。〃　　Leif　looked　around；　and　saw　but　few　people　in　the　tent；　of　whom　some　were　lying　upon　the　benches；　and　a　few　were　sitting　up。　　Then　Leif　went　to　Thrand；　and　took　the　purse；　and　carried　it　into　the　outer　tent；　where　it　was　light；　turned　out　the　money　on　his　shield；　groped　about　in　it　with　his　hand；　and　told　Karl　to　look　at　the　silver。　When　they　had　looked　at　it　a　while；　Karl　asked　Leif　what　he　thought　of　the　silver。　　He　replied；　〃I　am　thinking　where　the　bad　money　that　is　in　the　north　isles　can　have　come　from。〃　　Thrand　heard　this；　and　said；　〃Do　you　not　think；　Leif；　the　silver　is　good？〃　　〃No；〃　says　he。　　Thrand　replies；　〃Our　relations；　then；　are　rascals　not　to　be　trusted。　　I　sent　them　in　spring　to　collect　the　scat　in　the　north　isles；　as　I　could　not　myself　go　anywhere；　and　they　have　allowed　themselves　to　be　bribed　by　the　bondes　to　take　false　money；　which　nobody　looks　upon　as　current　and　good；　it　is　better；　therefore；　Leif；　to　look　at　this　silver　which　has　been　paid　me　as　land…rent。〃　　Leif　thereupon　carried　back　this　silver；　and　received　another　bag；　which　he　carried　to　Karl；　and　they　looked　over　the　money　together。　　Karl　asked　Leif　what　he　thought　of　this　money。　　He　answered；　that　it　appeared　to　him　so　bad　that　it　would　not　be　taken　in　payment；　however　little　hope　there　might　be　of　getting　a　debt　paid　in　any　other　way：　〃therefore　I　will　not　take　this　money　upon　the　king's　account。〃　　A　man　who　had　been　lying　on　the　bench　now　cast　the　skin　coverlet　off　which　he　had　drawn　over　his　head；　and　said；　〃True　is　the　old　word；　　he　grows　worse　who　grows　older：　so　it　is　with　thee；　Thrand；　who　allowest　Karl　Morske　to　handle　thy　money　all　the　day。〃　　This　was　Gaut　the　Red。　　Thrand　sprang　up　at　Gaut's　words；　and　reprimanded　his　relation　with　many　angry　words。　　At　last　he　said　that　Leif　should　leave　this　silver；　and　take　a　bag　which　his　own　peasants　had　brought　him　in　spring。　　〃And　although　I　am　weak…sighted；　yet　my　own　hand　is　the　truest　test。〃　　Another　man　who　was　lying　on　the　bench　raised　himself　now　upon　his　elbow；　and　this　was　Thord　the　Low。　　He　said；　〃These　are　no　ordinary　reproaches　we　suffer　from　Karl　Morske；　and　therefore　he　well　deserves　a　reward　for　them。〃　Leif　in　the　meantime　took　the　bag；　and　carried　it　to　Karl；　and　when　they　cast　their　eyes　on　the　money；　Leif　said；　〃We　need　not　look　long　at　this　silver；　for　here　the　one　piece　of　money　is　better　than　the　other；　and　this　is　the　money　we　will　have。　　Let　a　man　come　to　be　present　at　the　counting　it　out。〃　　Thrand　says　that　he　thought　Leif　was　the　fittest　man　to　do　it　upon　his　account。　Leif　and　Karl　thereupon　went　a　short　way　from　the　tent；　sat　down。　and　counted　and　weighed　the　silver。　　Karl　took　the　helmet　off　his　head；　and　received　in　it　the　weighed　silver。　　They　saw　a　man　coming　to　them　who　had　a　stick　with　an　axe…head　on　it　in　his　hand；　a　hat　low　upon　his　head；　and　a　short　green　cloak。　　He　was　bare…legged；　and　had　linen　breeches　on　tied　at　the　knee。　　He　laid　his　stick　down　in　the　field；　and　went　to　Karl　and　said；　〃Take　care；　Karl　Morske；　that　thou　does　not　hurt　thyself　against　my　axe…stick。〃　　Immediately　a　man　came　running　and　calls　with　great　haste　to　Leif　Ossurson；　telling　him　to　come　as　quickly　as　possible　to　Lagman　Gille's　tent；　〃for；〃　says　he；　〃Sirurd　Thorlakson　ran　in　just　now　into　the　mouth　of　the　tent；　and　gave　one　of　Gille's　men　a　desperate　wound。〃　　Leif　rose　up　instantly；　and　went　off　to　Gille's　tent　along　with　his　men。　　Karl　remained　sitting；　and　the　Norway　people　stood　around　in　all　corners。　　Gaut　immediately　sprang　up；　and　struck　with　a　hand…axe　over　the　heads　of　the　people；　and　the　stroke　came　on　Karl's　head；　but　the　wound　was　slight。　　Thord　the　Low　seized　the　stick…axe；　which　lay　in　the　field　at　his　side；　and　struck　the　axe…blade　right　into　Karl's　skull。　　Many　people　now　streamed　out　of　Thrand's　tent。　　Karl　was　carried　away　dead。　　Thrand　was　much　grieved　at　this　event；　and　offered　money…mulcts　for　his　relations；　but　Leif　and　Gille；　who　had　to　prosecute　the　business；　would　accept　no　mulct。　　Sigurd　was　banished　the　country　for　having　wounded　Gille's　tent　comrade；　and　Gaut　and　Thord　for　the　murder　of　Karl。　　The　Norway　people　rigged　out　the　vessel　which　Karl　had　with　him；　and　sailed　eastward　to　Olaf；　and