heimskringla-第87部分

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　through　the　Uplands；　although　it　was　not　so　long　a　time　since　he　had　been　there　in　guest…quarters　as　the　law　prescribes；　and　as　the　kings　usually　had　the　custom　of　observing　in　their　visits。　　When　he　came　to　the　Uplands　the　lendermen　and　the　richest　bondes　invited　him　to　be　their　guest；　and　thus　lightened　his　expenses。



173。　OF　BJORN　THE　BAILIFF。

There　was　a　man　called　Bjorn　who　was　of　Gautland　family；　and　a　friend　and　acquaintance　of　Queen　Astrid；　and　in　some　way　related　to　her。　　She　had　given　him　farm…management　and　other　offices　in　the　upper　part　of　Hedemark。　　He　had　also　the　management　of　Osterdal　district。　　Bjorn　was　not　in　esteem　with　the　king；　nor　liked　by　the　bondes。　　It　happened　in　a　hamlet　which　Bjorn　ruled　over；　that　many　swine　and　cattle　were　missing：　therefore　Bjorn　ordered　a　Thing　to　be　called　to　examine　the　matter。　　Such　pillage　he　attributed　chiefly　to　the　people　settled　in　forest…farms　far　from　other　men；　by　which　he　referred　particularly　to　those　who　dwelt　in　Osterdal；　for　that　district　was　very　thinly　inhabited；　and　full　of　lakes　and　forest…cleanings；　and　but　in　few　places　was　any　great　neighbourhood　together。



174。　OF　RAUD'S　SONS。

There　was　a　man　called　Raud　who　dwelt　in　Osterdal。　　His　wife　was　called　Ragnhild；　and　his　sons；　Dag　and　Sigurd；　were　men　of　great　talent。　　They　were　present　at　the　Thing；　made　a　reply　in　defence　of　the　Osterdal　people；　and　removed　the　accusation　from　them。　Bjorn　thought　they　were　too　pert　in　their　answer；　and　too　fine　in　their　clothes　and　weapons；　and　therefore　turned　his　speech　against　these　brothers；　and　said　it　was　not　unlikely　they　may　have　committed　these　thefts。　　They　denied　it；　and　the　Thing　closed。　　Soon　after　King　Olaf；　with　his　retinue；　came　to　guest…　quarters　in　the　house　of　bailiff　Bjorn。　　The　matter　which　had　been　before　the　Thing　was　then　complained　of　to　the　king；　and　Bjorn　said　that　Raud's　sons　appeared　to　him　to　have　committed　these　thefts。　　A　messenger　was　sent　for　Raud's　sons；　and　when　they　appeared　before　the　king　he　said　they　had　not　at　all　the　appearance　of　thieves；　and　acquitted　them。　　Thereupon　they　invited　the　king；　with　all　his　retinue；　to　a　three　days'　entertainment　at　their　father's；　and　although　Bjorn　dissuaded　him　from　it；　the　king　went。　　At　Raud's　there　was　a　very　excellent　feast。　　The　king　asked　Raud　what　people　he　and　his　wife　were。　Raud　answered　that　he　was　originally　a　Swedish　man；　rich　and　of　high　birth；　〃but　I　ran　away　with　the　wife　I　have　ever　since　had；　and　she　is　a　sister　of　King　Hring　Dagson。〃　　The　king　then　remembered　both　their　families。　　He　found　that　father　and　sons　were　men　of　understanding；　and　asked　them　what　they　could　do。　Sigurd　said　he　could　interpret　dreams；　and　determine　the　time　of　the　day　although　no　heavenly　bodies　could　be　seen。　　The　king　made　trial　of　his　art；　and　found　it　was　as　Sigurd　had　said。　　Dag　stated；　as　his　accomplishment；　that　he　could　see　the　misdeeds　and　vices　of　every　man　who　came　under　his　eye；　when　he　chose　to　observe　him　closely。　　The　king　told　him　to　declare　what　faults　of　disposition　he　saw　in　the　king　himself。　　Dag　mentioned　a　fault　which　the　king　was　sensible　he　really　had。　　Then　the　king　asked　what　fault　the　bailiff　Bjorn　had。　　Dag　said　Bjorn　was　a　thief；　and　told　also　where　Bjorn　had　concealed　on　his　farm　the　bones；　horns；　and　hides　of　the　cattle　he　had　stolen　in　autumn；　〃for　he　committed；〃　said　Dag；　〃all　the　thefts　in　autumn　which　he　accuses　other　people　of。〃　　Dag　also　told　the　king　the　places　where　the　king　should　go　after　leaving　them。　　When　the　king　departed　from　Raud's　house　he　was　accompanied　on　the　way；　and　presented　with　friendly　gifts；　and　Raud's　sons　remained　with　the　king。　　The　king　went　first　to　Bjorn's；　and　found　there　that　all　Dag　had　told　him　was　true。　　Upon　which　he　drove　Bjorn　out　of　the　country；　and　he　had　to　thank　the　queen　that　he　preserved　life　and　limbs。



175。　THORER'S　DEATH。

Thorer；　a　son　of　Olver　of　Eggja；　a　stepson　of　Kalf　Arnason；　and　a　sister's　son　of　Thorer　Hund；　was　a　remarkably　handsome　man；　stout　and　strong。　　He　was　at　this　time　eighteen　years　old；　had　made　a　good　marriage　in　Hedemark；　by　which　he　got　great　wealth；　and　was　besides　one　of　the　most　popular　of　men；　and　formed　to　be　a　chief。　He　invited　the　king　and　his　retinue　home　to　him　to　a　feast。　　The　king　accepted　the　invitation；　went　to　Thorer's；　and　was　well　received。　　The　entertainment　was　very　splendid；　they　were　excellently　treated；　and　all　that　was　set　before　the　guests　was　of　the　best　that　could　be　got。　　The　king　and　his　people　talked　among　themselves　of　the　excellence　of　everything；　and　knew　not　what　they　should　admire　the　most；　　whether　Thorer's　house　outside；　or　the　inside　furniture；　the　table　service；　or　the　liquors；　or　the　host　who　gave　them　such　a　feast。　　But　Dag　said　little　about　it。　　The　king　used　often　to　speak　to　Dag；　and　ask　him　about　various　things；　and　he　had　proved　the　truth　of　all　that　Dag　had　said；　both　of　things　that　had　happened　or　were　to　happen；　and　therefore　the　king　had　much　confidence　in　what　he　said。　　The　king　called　Dag　to　him　to　have　a　private　conversation　together；　and　spoke　to　him　about　many　things。　　Afterwards　the　king　turned　the　conversation　on　Thorer；　　what　an　excellent　man　Thorer　was；　and　what　a　superb　feast　he　had　made　for　them。　　Dag　answered　but　little　to　this；　but　agreed　it　was　true　what　the　king　said。　　The　king　then　asked　Dag　what　disposition　or　faith　he　found　in　Thorer。　Dag　replied　that　he　must　certainly　consider　Thorer　of　a　good　disposition；　if　he　be　really　what　most　people　believe　him　to　be。　The　king　told　him　to　answer　direct　what　he　was　asked；　and　said　that　it　was　his　duty　to　do　so。　　Dag　replies；　〃Then　thou　must　allow　me　to　determine　the　punishment　if　I　disclose　his　faith。〃　The　king　replied　that　he　would　not　submit　his　decision　to　another　man；　but　again　ordered　Dag　to　reply　to　what　he　asked。

Dag　replies；　〃The　sovereign's　order　goes　before　all。　　I　find　this　disposition　in　Thorer；　as　in　so　many　others；　that　he　is　too　greedy　of　money。〃

The　king：　〃Is　he　then　a　thief；　or　a　robber？〃

〃He　is　neither。〃

〃What　is　he　then？〃

〃To　win　money　he　is　a　traitor　to　his　sovereign。　　He　has　taken　money　from　King　Canute　the　Great　for　thy　head。〃

The　king　asks；　〃What　proof　hast　thou　of　the　truth　of　this？〃

Dag：　〃He　has　upon　his　right　arm；　above　the　elbow；　a　thick　gold　ring；　which　King　Canute　gave　him；　and　which　he　lets　no　man　see。〃

This　ended　their　conference；　and　the　king　was　very　wroth。　　Now　as　the　king　sat　at　table；　and　the　guests　had　drunk　a　while　with　great　mirth；　and　Thorer　went　round　to　see　the　guests　well　served；　the　king　ordered　Thorer　to　be　called　to　him。　　He　went　up　before　the　table；　and　laid　his　hands　upon　it。

The　king　asked；　〃How　old　a　man　art　thou；　Thorer？〃

He　answered；　〃I　am　eighteen　years　old。〃

〃A　stout　man　thou　art　for　those　years；　and　thou　hast　been　fortunate　also。〃

Then　the　king　took　his　right　hand；　and　felt　it　towards　the　elbow。

Thorer　said；　〃Take　care；　for　I　have　a　boil　upon　my　arm。〃

The　king　held　his　hand　there；　and　felt　there　was　something　hard　under　it。　　〃Hast　thou　not　heard；〃　said　he；　〃that　I　am　a　physician？　　Let　me　see　the　boil。〃

As　Thorer　saw　it　was　of　no　use　to　conceal　it　longer；　he　took　off　the　ring　and　laid　it　on　the　table。

The　king　asked　if　that　was　the　gift　of　King　Canute。

Thorer　replied　that　he　could　not　deny　it　was。

The　king　ordered　him　to　be　seized　and　laid　in　irons。　　Kalf　came　up　and　entreated　for　mercy；　and　offered　money　for　him；　which　also　was　seconded　by　many；　but　the　king　was　so　wroth　that　nobody　could　get　in　a　word。　　He　said　Thorer　should　suffer　the　doom　he　had　prepared　for　himself。　　Thereupon　he　ordered　Thorer　to　be　killed。　This　deed　was　much　detested　in　the　Uplands；　and　not　less　in　the　Throndhjem　country；　where　many　of　Thorer's　connections　were。　　Kalf　took　the　death　of　this　man　much　to　heart；　for　he　had　been　his　foster…son　in　childhood。



176。　THE　FALL　OF　GRJOTGARD。

Grjotgard　Olverson；　Thorer's　brother；　and　the　eldest　of　the　　brothers；　was　a　very　wealthy　man；　and　had　a　great　troop　of　people　about　him。　　He　lived　also　at　this　time　in　Hedemark。　　When　he　heard　that　Thorer　had　been　killed；　he　made　an　attack　upon　the　places　where　the　king's　goods　and　men　were；　but；　between　whiles；　he　kept　himself　in　the　forest　and　other　secret　places。　　When　the　king　heard　of　this　disturbance；　he　had　inquiry　made　about　Grjotgard's　haunts；　and　found　out　that　he　had　taken　up　night…　quarters　not　far　from　where　the　king　was。　　King　Olaf　set　out　in　the　night…time；　came　there　about　day…dawn；　and　placed　a　circle　of　men　round　the　house　in　which　Grjotgard　was　sleeping。　　Grjotgard　and　his　men；　roused　by　the　stir　of　people　and　clash　of　arms；　ran　to　their　weapons；　and　Grjotgard　himself　sprang　to　the　front　room。　He　asked　who　commanded　the　troop；　and　it　was　answered　him；　〃King　Olaf　was　come　there。〃　　Grjotgard　asked　if　the　king　would　hear　his　words。　　The　king；　who　stood　at　the　door；　said　that　Grjotgard　might　speak　what　he　pleased；　and　he　would　hear　his　words。　　Grjotgard　said；　〃I　do　not　beg　for　mercy；〃　and　at　the　same　moment　he　rushed　out；　having　his　shield　over　his　head；　and　his　drawn　sword　in　his　hand。　　It　was　not　so　much　light　that　he　could　see　clearly。　　He　struck　his　sword　at　the　king；　but　Arnbjorn　ran　in；　and　the　thrust　pierced　him　under　his　armour　into　his　stomach；　and　Arnbjorn　got　his　deathwound。　　Grjotgard　was　killed　immediately；　and　most　of　his　people　with　him。　　After　this　event　the　king　turned　back　to　the　south　to　Viken。



177。　KING　OLAF　SENDS　FOR　HIS　SHIPS　AND　GOODS。

Now　when　the　king　came　to　Tunsberg　he　sent　men　out　to　all　the　districts；　and　ordered　the　people　out　upon　a　levy。　　He　had　but　a　small　provision　of　shipping；　and　there　were　only　bondes'　vessels　to　be　got。　　From　the　districts　in　the　near　neighbourhood　many　people　came　to　him；　but　few　from　any　distance；　and　it　was　soon　found　that　the　people　had　turned　away　from　the　king。　　King　Olaf　sent　people　to　Gautland　for　his　ships；　and　other　goods　and　wares　which　had　been　left　there　in　autumn；　but　the　progress　of　these　men　was　very　slow；　for　it　was　no　better　now　than　in　autumn　to　sail　through　the　Sound；　as　King　Canute　had　in　spring　fitted　out　an　army　throughout　the　whole　of　the　Danish　dominions；　and　had　no　fewer　than　1200　vessels。



178。　KING　OLAF'S　COUNSEL