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e　king　was　near；　but　the　crowd　behind　paid　no　attention　to　it；　and　the　people　ran　over　the　corn；　so　that　it　was　trodden　flat　to　the　earth。　　There　dwelt　a　bonde　there　called　Thorgeir　Flek；　who　had　two　sons　nearly　grown　up。　　Thorgeir　received　the　king　and　his　people　well；　and　offered　all　the　assistance　in　his　power。　　The　king　was　pleased　with　his　offer；　and　asked　Thorgeir　what　was　the　news　of　the　country；　and　if　any　forces　were　assembled　against　him。　　Thorgeir　says　that　a　great　army　was　drawn　together　in　the　Throndhjem　country；　and　that　there　were　some　lendermen　both　from　the　south　of　the　country；　and　from　Halogaland　in　the　north；　〃but　I　do　not　know；〃　says　he。　〃if　they　are　intended　against　you；　or　going　elsewhere。〃　　Then　he　complained　to　the　king　of　the　damage　and　waste　done　him　by　the　people　breaking　and　treading　down　all　his　corn　fields。　　The　king　said　it　was　ill　done　to　bring　upon　him　any　loss。　　Then　the　king　rode　to　where　the　corn　had　stood；　and　saw　it　was　laid　flat　on　the　earth；　and　he　rode　round　the　field；　and　said；　〃I　expect；　bonde；　that　God　will　repair　thy　loss；　so　that　the　field；　within　a　week；　will　be　better；〃　and　it　proved　the　best　of　the　corn；　as　the　king　had　said。　　The　king　remained　all　night　there；　and　in　the　morning　he　made　himself　ready；　and　told　Thorgeir　the　bonde　to　accompany　him　and　Thorgear　offered　his　two　sons　also　for　the　journey；　and　although　the　king　said　that　he　did　not　want　them　with　him；　the　lads　would　go。　　As　they　would　not　stay　behind；　the　king's　court…　men　were　about　binding　them；　but　the　king　seeing　it　said；　〃Let　them　come　with　us；　the　lads　will　come　safe　back　again。〃　　And　it　was　with　the　lads　as　the　king　foretold。



215。　OF　THE　BAPTISM　OF　THE　VAGABOND　FOREST…MEN。

Thereafter　the　army　advanced　to　Staf；　and　when　the　king　reached　Staf's　moor　he　halted。　　There　he　got　the　certain　information　that　the　bondes　were　advancing　with　an　army　against　him；　and　that　he　might　soon　expect　to　have　a　battle　with　them。　　He　mustered　his　force　here；　and；　after　reckoning　them　up；　found　there　were　in　the　army　900　heathen　men；　and　when　he　came　to　know　it　he　ordered　them　to　allow　themselves　to　be　baptized；　saying　that　he　would　have　no　heathens　with　him　in　battle。　　〃We　must　not；〃　says　he；　〃put　our　confidence　in　numbers；　but　in　God　alone　must　we　trust；　for　through　his　power　and　favour　we　must　be　victorious；　and　I　will　not　mix　heathen　people　with　my　own。〃　　When　the　heathens　heard　this；　they　held　a　council　among　themselves；　and　at　last　400　men　agreed　to　be　baptized；　but　500　men　refused　to　adopt　Christianity；　and　that　body　returned　home　to　their　land。　　Then　the　brothers　Gauka…Thorer　and　Afrafaste　presented　themselves　to　the　king；　and　offered　again　to　follow　him。　　The　king　asked　if　they　had　now　taken　baptism。　　Gauka…Thorer　replied　that　they　had　not。　　Then　the　king　ordered　them　to　accept　baptism　and　the　true　faith；　or　otherwise　to　go　away。　　They　stepped　aside　to　talk　with　each　other　on　what　resolution　they　should　take。　　Afrafaste　said；　〃To　give　my　opinion；　I　will　not　turn　back；　but　go　into　the　battle；　and　take　a　part　on　the　one　side　or　the　other；　and　I　don't　care　much　in　which　army　I　am。〃　　Gauka…Thorer　replies；　〃If　I　go　into　battle　I　will　give　my　help　to　the　king；　for　he　has　most　need　of　help。　　And　if　I　must　believe　in　a　God；　why　not　in　the　white　Christ　as　well　as　in　any　other？　　Now　it　is　my　advice；　therefore；　that　we　let　ourselves　be　baptized；　since　the　king　insists　so　much　upon　it；　and　then　go　into　the　battle　with　him。〃　　They　all　agreed　to　this；　and　went　to　the　king；　and　said　they　would　receive　baptism。　　Then　they　were　baptized　by　a　priest；　and　the　baptism　was　confirmed　by　the　bishop。　　The　king　then　took　them　into　the　troop　of　his　court…men；　and　said　they　should　fight　under　his　banner　in　the　battle。



216。　KING　OLAF'S　SPEECH。

King　Olaf　got　certain　intelligence　now　that　it　would　be　but　a　short　time　until　he　had　a　battle　with　the　bondes；　and　after　he　had　mustered　his　men；　and　reckoned　up　the　force；　he　had　more　than　3000　men；　which　appears　to　be　a　great　army　in　one　field。　　Then　the　king　made　the　following　speech　to　the　people：　〃We　have　a　great　army；　and　excellent　troops；　and　now　I　will　tell　you；　my　men；　how　I　will　have　our　force　drawn　up。　　I　will　let　my　banner　go　forward　in　the　middle　of　the　army；　and　my…court…men；　and　pursuivants　shall　follow　it；　together　with　the　war　forces　that　joined　us　from　the　Uplands；　and　also　those　who　may　come　to　us　here　in　the　Throndhjem　land。　　On　the　right　hand　of　my　banner　shall　be　Dag　Hringson；　with　all　the　men　he　brought　to　our　aid；　and　he　shall　have　the　second　banner。　　And　on　the　left　hand　of　our　line　shall　the　men　be　whom　the　Swedish　king　gave　us；　together　with　all　the　people　who　came　to　us　in　Sweden；　and　they　shall　have　the　third　banner。　　I　will　also　have　the　people　divide　themselves　into　distinct　flocks　or　parcels；　so　that　relations　and　acquaintances　should　be　together；　for　thus　they　defend　each　other　best；　and　know　each　other。　　We　will　have　all　our　men　distinguished　by　a　mark；　so　as　to　be　a　field…token　upon　their　helmets　and　shields；　by　painting　the　holy　cross　thereupon　with　white　colour。　　When　we　come　into　battle　we　shall　all　have　one　countersign　and　field…cry；　　‘Forward；　forward；　Christian　men！　cross　men！　　king's　men！'　　We　must　draw　up　our　meal　in　thinner　ranks；　because　we　have　fewer　people；　and　I　do　not　wish　to　let　them　surround　us　with　their　men。　　Now　let　the　men　divide　themselves　into　separate　flocks；　and　then　each　flock　into　ranks；　then　let　each　man　observe　well　his　proper　place；　and　take　notice　what　banner　he　is　drawn　up　under。　　And　now　we　shall　remain　drawn　up　in　array；　and　our　men　shall　be　fully　armed；　night　and　day；　until　we　know　where　the　meeting　shall　be　between　us　and　the　bondes。〃　　When　the　king　had　finished　speaking；　the　army　arrayed；　and　arranged　itself　according　to　the　king's　orders。



217。　KING　OLAF'S　COUNSEL。

Thereafter　the　king　had　a　meeting　with　the　chiefs　of　the　different　divisions；　and　then　the　men　had　returned　whom　the　king　had　sent　out　into　the　neighbouring　districts　to　demand　men　from　the　bondes。　　They　brought　the　tidings　from　the　inhabited　places　they　had　gone　through；　that　all　around　the　country　was　stripped　of　all　men　able　to　carry　arms；　as　all　the　people　had　joined　the　bondes'　army；　and　where　they　did　find　any　they　got　but　few　to　follow　them；　for　the　most　of　them　answered　that　they　stayed　at　home　because　they　would　not　follow　either　party：　they　would　not　go　out　against　the　king；　nor　yet　against　their　own　relations。　Thus　they　had　got　but　few　people。　　Now　the　king　asked　his　men　their　counsel；　and　what　they　now　should　do。　　Fin　Arnason　answered　thus　to　the　king's　question：　〃I　will　say　what　should　be　done；　if　I　may　advise。　　We　should　go　with　armed　hand　over　all　the　inhabited　places；　plunder　all　the　goods；　and　burn　all　the　habitations；　and　leave　not　a　hut　standing；　and　thus　punish　the　bondes　for　their　treason　against　their　sovereign。　　I　think　many　a　man　will　then　cast　himself　loose　from　the　bondes'　army；　when　he　sees　smoke　and　flame　at　home　on　his　farm；　and　does　not　know　how　it　is　going　with　children；　wives。　or　old　men；　fathers；　mothers；　and　other　connections。　　I　expect　also；〃　he　added；　〃that　if　we　succeed　in　breaking　the　assembled　host；　their　ranks　will　soon　be　thinned；　for　so　it　is　with　the　bondes；　that　the　counsel　which　is　the　newest　is　always　the　dearest　to　them　all；　and　most　followed。〃　When　Fin　had　ended　his　speech　it　met　with　general　applause；　for　many　thought　well　of　such　a　good　occasion　to　make　booty；　and　all　thought　the　bondes　well　deserved　to　suffer　damage；　and　they　also　thought　it　probable；　what　Fin　said；　that　many　would　in　this　way　be　brought　to　forsake　the　assembled　army　of　the　bondes。

Now　when　the　king　heard　the　warm　expressions　of　his　people　he　told　them　to　listen　to　him；　and　said；　〃The　bondes　have　well　deserved　that　it　should　be　done　to　them　as　ye　desire。　　They　also　know　that　I　have　formerly　done　so；　burning　their　habitations；　and　punishing　them　severely　in　many　ways；　but　then　I　proceeded　against　them　with　fire　and　sword　because　they　rejected　the　true　faith；　betook　themselves　to　sacrifices；　and　would　not　obey　my　commands。　　We　had　then　God's　honour　to　defend。　　But　this　treason　against　their　sovereign　is　a　much　less　grievous　crime；　although　it　does　not　become　men　who　have　any　manhood　in　them　to　break　the　faith　and　vows　they　have　sworn　to　me。　　Now；　however；　it　is　more　in　my　power　to　spare　those　who　have　dealt　ill　with　me；　than　those　whom　God　hated。　　I　will；　therefore；　that　my　people　proceed　gently；　and　commit　no　ravage。　　First；　I　will　proceed　to　meet　the　bondes；　if　we　can　then　come　to　a　reconciliation；　it　is　well；　but　if　they　will　fight　with　us；　then　there　are　two　things　before　us；　either　we　fail　in　the　battle；　and　then　it　will　be　well　advised　not　to　have　to　retire　encumbered　with　spoil　and　cattle；　or　we　gain　the　victory；　and　then　ye　will　be　the　heirs　of　all　who　fight　now　against　us；　for　some　will　fall；　and　others　will　fly；　but　both　will　have　forfeited　their　goods　and　properties；　and　then　it　will　be　good　to　enter　into　full　houses　and　well…stocked　farms；　but　what　is　burnt　is　of　use　to　no　man；　and　with　pillage　and　force　more　is　wasted　than　what　turns　to　use。　　Now　we　will　spread　out　far　through　the　inhabited　places；　and　take　with　us　all　the　men　we　can　find　able　to　carry　arms。　　Then　men　will　also　capture　cattle　for　slaughter；　or　whatever　else　of　provision　that　can　serve　for　food；　but　not　do　any　other　ravage。　　But　I　will　see　willingly　that　ye　kill　any　spies　of　the　bonde　army　ye　may　fall　in　with。　　Dag　and　his　people　shall　go　by　the　north　side　down　along　the　valley；　and　I　will　go　on　along　the　country　road；　and　so　we　shall　meet　in　the　evening；　and　all　have　one　night　quarter。〃



218。　OF　KING　OLAF'S　SKALDS。

It　is　related　that　when　King　Olaf　drew　up　his　men　in　battle　order；　he　made　a　shield　rampart　with　his　troop　that　should　defend　him　in　battle；　for　which　he　selected　the　strongest　and　boldest。　Thereafter　he　called　his　skalds；　and　ordered　them　to　go　in　within　the　shield　defence。　　〃Ye　shall。〃　says　the　king；　〃remain　here；　and　see　the　circumstances　which　may　take　place；　and　then　ye　will　not　have　to　follow　the　reports　of　others　in　what　ye　afterwards　tell　or　sing　concerning　it。〃　　There　were　Thormod　Kolbrunarskald；　Gissur　Gulbraskald；　a　foster…son　of　Hofgarda