Heimskringla

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The king answered, "Come to me to-morrow when I am at the drink-
table." The night passed away; and the morning after the
Icelander, who was afterwards called Thorarin Stutfetd, went into
the drinking-room. A man stood outside of the door of the room
with a horn in his hand, and said, "Icelander! the king says
that if thou wilt deserve any gift from him thou shalt compose a
song before going in, and make it about a man whose name is Hakon
Serkson, and who is called Morstrut (1); and speak about that
surname in thy song." The man who spoke to him was called Arne
Fioruskeif. Then they went into the room; and when Thorarin came
before the king's seat he recited these verses: --

"Throndhjem's warrior-king has said
The skald should be by gifts repaid,
If he before this meeting gave
The king's friend Serk a passing stave.
The generous king has let me know
My stave, to please, must be framed so
That my poor verse extol the fame
Of one called Hakon Lump by name."

Then said the king, "I never said so, and somebody has been
making a mock of thee. Hakon himself shall determine what
punishment thou shalt have. Go into his suite." Hakon said, "He
shall be welcome among us, for I can see where the joke came
from;" and he placed the Icelander at his side next to himself,
and they were very merry. The day was drawing to a close, and
the liquor began to get into their heads, when Hakon said, "Dost
thou not think, Icelander, that thou owest me some penalty? and
dost thou not see that some trick has been played upon thee?"

Thorarin replies, "It is true, indeed, that I owe thee some
compensation."

Hakon says, "Then we shall be quits, if thou wilt make me another
stave about Arne."

He said he was ready to do so; and they crossed over to the side
of the room where Arne was sitting, and Thorarin gave these
verses: --

"Fioruskeif has often spread,
With evil heart and idle head,
The eagle's voidings round the land,
Lampoons and lies, with ready hand.
Yet this landlouper we all know,
In Africa scarce fed a crow,
Of all his arms used in the field,
Those in most use were helm and shield."

Arne sprang up instantly, drew his sword, and was going to fall
upon him; but Hakon told him to let it alone and be quiet, and
bade him remember that if it came to a quarrel he would come off
the worst himself. Thorarin afterwards went up to the king, and
said he had composed a poem which he wished the king to hear.
The king consented, and the song is known by the name of the
Stutfeld poem. The king asked Thorarin what he intended to do.
He replied, it was his intention to go to Rome. Then the king
gave him much money for his pilgrimage, and told him to visit him
on his return, and promised to provide for him.

ENDNOTES:
(1) Morstrut is a short, fat, punchy fellow. -- L.

30. OF SIGURD AND OTTAR BIRTING.

It is told that King Sigurd, one Whitsunday, sat at table with
many people, among whom were many of his friends; and when he
came to his high-seat, people saw that his countenance was very
wild, and as if he had been weeping, so that people were afraid
of what might follow. The king rolled his eyes, and looked at
those who were seated on the benches. Then he seized the holy
book which he had brought with him from abroad, and which was
written all over with gilded letters; so that never had such a
costly book come to Norway. His queen sat by his side. Then
said King Sigurd, "Many are the changes which may take place
during a man's lifetime. I had two things which were dear to me
above all when I came from abroad, and these were this book and
the queen; and now I think the one is only worse and more
loathsome than the other, and nothing I have belonging to me that
I more detest. The queen does not know herself how hideous she
is; for a goat's horn is standing out on her head, and the better
I liked her before the worse I like her now." Thereupon he cast
the book on the fire which was burning on the hall-floor, and
gave the queen a blow with his fist between the eyes. The queen
wept; but more at the king's' illness than at the blow, or the
affront she had suffered.

Then a man stood up before the king; his name was Ottar Birting;
and he was one of the torch-bearers, although a bonde's son, and
was on service that day. He was of small stature, but of
agreeable appearance; lively, bold, and full of fun; black
haired, and of a dark skin. He ran and snatched the book which
the king had cast into the fire, held it out, and said,
"Different were the days, sire, when you came with great state
and splendour to Norway, and with great fame and honour; for then
all your friends came to meet you with joy, and were glad at your
coming. All as one man would have you for king, and have you in
the highest regard and honour. But now days of sorrow are come
over us; for on this holy festival many of your friends have come
to you, and cannot be cheerful on account of your melancholy and
ill health. It is much to be desired that you would be merry
with them; and do, good king, take this saving advice, make peace
first with the queen, and make her joyful whom you have so highly
affronted, with a friendly word; and then all your chiefs,
friends, and servants; that is my advice."

Then said King Sigurd, "Dost thou dare to give me advice, thou
great lump of a houseman's lad!" And he sprang up, drew his
sword, and swung it with both hands as if going to cut him down.

But Ottar stood quiet and upright; did not stir from the spot,
nor show the slightest sign of fear; and the king turned round
the sword-blade which he had waved over Ottar's head, and gently
touched him on the shoulder with it. Then he sat down in silence
on his high-seat.

All were silent who were in the hall, for nobody dared to say a
word. Now the king looked around him, milder than before, and
said, "It is difficult to know what there is in people. Here sat
my friends, and lendermen, marshals and shield-bearers, and all
the best men in the land; but none did so well against me as this
man, who appears to you of little worth compared to any of you,
although now he loves me most. I came here like a madman, and
would have destroyed my precious property; but he turned aside my
deed, and was not afraid of death for it. Then he made an able
speech, ordering his words so that they were honourable to me,
and not saying a single word about things which could increase my
vexation; but even avoiding what might, with truth, have been
said. So excellent was his speech, that no man here, however
great his understanding, could have spoken better. Then I sprang
up in a pretended rage, and made as if I would have cut him down;
but he was courageous as if he had nothing to fear; and seeing
that, I let go my purpose; for he was altogether innocent. Now
ye shall know, my friends, how I intend to reward him; he was
before my torchbearer, and shall now be my lenderman; and there
shall follow what is still more, that he shall be the most
distinguished of my lendermen. Go thou and sit among the
lendermen, and be a servant no longer."

Ottar became one of the most celebrated men in Norway for various
good and praiseworthy deeds.

31. OF KING SIGURD'S DREAM.

In King Sigurd's latter days he was once at an entertainment at
one of his farms; and in the morning when he was dressed he was
silent and still, so that his friends were afraid he was not able
to govern himself. Now the farm bailiff, who was a man of good
sense and courage, brought him into conversation, and asked if he
had heard any news of such importance that it disturbed his
mirth; or if the entertainment had not satisfied him; or if there
was anything else that people could remedy.

King Sigurd said, that none of the things he had mentioned was
the cause. "But it is that I think upon the dream I had in the
night."

"Sire," replied he, "may it prove a lucky dream! I would gladly
hear it."

The king: "I thought that I was in Jadar, and looked out towards
the sea; and that I saw something very black moving itself; and
when it came near it appeared to be a large tree, of which the
branches stretched far above the water, and the roots were down
in the sea. Now when the tree came to the shore it broke into
pieces, and drove all about the land, both the mainland and the
out-islands, rocks and strands; and it appeared to me as if I saw
over all Norway along the sea-coast, and saw pieces of that tree,
some small and some large, driven into every bight."

Then said the bailiff, "It is likely that you an best interpret
this dream yourself; and I would willingly hear your
interpretation of it."

Then said the king, "This dream appears to me to denote the
arrival in this country of some man who will fix his seat here,
and whose posterity will spread itself over the land; but with
unequal power, as the dream shows."

32. OF ASLAK HANE.

It so happened once, that King Sigurd sat in a gloomy mood among
many worthy men. It was Friday evening, and the kitchen-master
asked what meat should be made ready.

The king replies, "What else but flesh-meat?" And so harsh were
his words that nobody dared to contradict him, and all were ill
at ease. Now when people prepared to go to table, dishes of warm
flesh-meat were carried in; but all were silent, and grieved at
the king's illness. Before the blessing was pronounced over the
meat, a man called Aslak Hane spoke. He had been a long time
with King Sigurd on his journey abroad, and was not a man of any
great family; and was small of stature, but fiery. When he
perceived how it was, and that none dared to accost the king, he
asked, "What is it, sire, that is smoking on the dish before
you?"

The king replies, "What do you mean, Aslak? what do you think it
is?"

Aslak: "I think it is flesh-meat; and I would it were not so."

The king: "But if it be so, Aslak?"

He replied, "It would be vexatious to know that a gallant king,
who has gained so much honour in the world, should so forget
himself. When you rose up out of Jordan, after bathing in the
same waters as God himself, with palm-leaves in your hands, and
the cross upon your breast, it was something else you promised,
sire, than to eat flesh-meat on a Friday. If a meaner man were
to do so, he would merit a heavy punishment. This royal hall is
not so beset as it should be, when it falls upon me, a mean man,
to challenge such an act."

The king sat silent, and did not partake of the meat; and when
the time for eating was drawing to an end, the king ordered the
flesh dishes to be removed and other food was brought in, such as
it is permitted to use. When the meal-time was almost past, the
king began to be cheerful, and to drink. People advised Aslak to
fly, but he said he would not do so. "I do not see how it could
help me; and to tell the truth, it is as good to die now that I
have got my will, and have prevented the king from committing a
sin. It is for him to kill me if he likes."

Towards evening the king called him, and said, "Who set thee on,
Aslak Hane, to speak such free words to me in the hearing of so
many people?"

"No one, sire, but myself."

The king: "Thou wouldst like, no doubt, to know what thou art to
have for such boldness; what thinkest thou it deserves."

He replies, "If it be well rewarded, sire, I shall be glad; but
should it be otherwise, then it is your concern."

Then the king said, "Smaller is thy reward than thou hast
deserved. I give thee three farms. It has turned out, what
could not have been expected, that thou hast prevented me from a
great crime, -- thou, and not the lendermen, who are indebted to
me for so much good." And so it ended.

33. OF A WOMAN BROUGHT TO THE KING.

One Yule eve the king sat in the hall, and the tables were laid
out, and the king said, "Get me flesh-meat."

They answered, "Sire, it is not the custom to eat flesh-meat on
Yule eve."

The king said, "If it be not the custom I will make it the
custom."

They went out, and brought him a dolphin. The king stuck his
knife into it, but did not eat of it. Then the king said, "Bring
me a girl here into the hall." They brought him a woman whose
head-dress went far down her brows. The king took her hand in
his hands, looked at her, and said, "An ill looking girl!"

((LACUNA -- The rest of this story is missing))

34. HARALD GILLE COMES TO NORWAY.

Halkel Huk, a son of Jon Smiorbalte, who was lenderman in More,
made a voyage in the West sea, all the way to the South Hebudes.
A man came to him out of Ireland called Gillikrist, and gave
himself out for a son of King Magnus Barefoot. His mother came
with him, and said his other name was Harald. Halkel received
the man, brought him to Norway with him, and went immediately to
King Sigurd with Harald and his mother. When they had told their
story to the king, he talked over the matter with his principal
men, and bade them give their opinions upon it. They were of
different opinions, and all left it to the king himself, although
there were several who opposed this; and the king followed his
own counsel. King Sigurd ordered Harald to be called before him,
and told him that he would not deny him the proof, by ordeal, of
who his father was; but on condition that if he should prove his
descent according to his claim, he should not desire the kingdom
in the lifetime of King Sigurd, or of King Magnus: and to this he
bound himself by oath. King Sigurd said he must tread over hot
iron to prove his birth; but this ordeal was thought by many too
severe, as he was to undergo it merely to prove his father, and
without getting the kingdom; but Harald agreed to it, and fixed
on the trial by iron: and this ordeal was the greatest ever made
in Norway; for nine glowing plowshares were laid down, and Harald
went over them with bare feet, attended by two bishops.

Three days after the iron trial the ordeal was taken to proof,
and the feet were found unburnt. Thereafter King Sigurd
acknowledged Harald's relationship; but his son Magnus conceived
a great hatred of him, and in this many chiefs followed Magnus.
King Sigurd trusted so much to his favour with the whole people
of the country, that he desired all men, under oath, to promise
to accept Magnus after him as their king; and all the people took
this oath.

35. RACE BETWEEN MAGNUS AND HARALD GILLE.

Harald Gille was a tall, slender-grown man, of a long neck and
face, black eyes, and dark hair, brisk and quick, and wore
generally the Irish dress of short light clothes. The Norse
language was difficult for Harald, and he brought out words which
many laughed at. Harald sat late drinking one evening. He spoke
with another man about different things in the west in Ireland;
and among other things, said that there were men in Ireland so
swift of foot that no horse could overtake them in running.
Magnus, the king's son, heard this, and said, "Now he is lying,
as he usually does."

Harald replies, "It is true that there are men in Ireland whom no
horse in Norway could overtake." They exchanged some words about
this, and both were drunk. Then said Magnus, "Thou shalt make a
wager with me, and stake thy head if thou canst not run so fast
as I ride upon my horse, and I shall stake my gold ring."

Harald replies, "I did not say that I could run so swiftly; but I
said that men are to be found in Ireland who will run as fast;
and on that I would wager."

The king's son Magnus replies, "I will not go to Ireland about
it; we are wagering here, and not there."

Harald on this went to bed, and would not speak to him more about
it. This was in Oslo. The following morning, when the early
mass was over, Magnus rode up the street, and sent a message to
Harald to come to him. When Harald came he was dressed thus. He
had on a shirt and trousers which were bound with ribands under
his foot-soles, a short cloak, an Irish hat on his head, and a
spear-shaft in his hand. Magnus set up a mark for the race.
Harald said, "Thou hast made the course too long;" but Magnus
made it at once even much longer, and said it was still too
short. There were many spectators. They began the race, and
Harald followed always the horse's pace; and when they came to
the end of the race course, Magnus said, "Thou hadst hold of the
saddle-girth, and the horse dragged thee along." Magnus had his
swift runner, the Gautland horse. They began the race again, and
Harald ran the whole race-course before the horse. When came to
the end Harald asked, "Had I hold of the saddle-girths now?"

Magnus replied, "Thou hadst the start at first."

Then Magnus let his horse breathe a while, and when he was ready
he put the spurs to him, and set off in full gallop. Harald
stood still, and Magnus looked back, and called, "Set off now."

Then Harald ran quickly past the horse, and came to the end of
the course so long before him that he lay down, and got up and
saluted Magnus as he came in."

Then they went home to the town. In the meantime King Sigurd had
been at high mass, and knew nothing of this until after he had
dined that day. Then he said to Magnus angrily, "Thou callest
Harald useless; but I think thou art a great fool, and knowest
nothing of the customs of foreign people. Dost thou not know
that men in other countries exercise themselves in other feats
than in filling themselves with ale, and making themselves mad,
and so unfit for everything that they scarcely know each other?
Give Harald his ring, and do not try to make a fool of him again,
as long as I am above ground."

36. OF SIGURD'S SWIMMING.

It happened once that Sigurd was out in his ship, which lay in
the harbour; and there lay a merchant ship, which was an Iceland
trader, at the side of it. Harald Gille was in the forecastle of
the king's ship, and Svein Rimhildson, a son of Knut Sveinson of
Jadar, had his berth the next before him. There was also Sigurd
Sigurdson, a gallant lenderman, who himself commanded a ship. It
was a day of beautiful weather and warm sunshine, and many went
out to swim, both from the long-ship and the merchant vessel. An
Iceland man, who was among the swimmers, amused himself by
drawing those under water who could not swim so well as himself;
and at that the spectators laughed. When King Sigurd saw and
heard this, he cast off his clothes, sprang into the water, and
swam to the Icelander, seized him, and pressed him under the
water, and held him there; and as soon as the Icelander came up
the king pressed him down again, and thus the one time after the
other.

Then said Sigurd Sigurdson, "Shall we let the king kill this
man?"

Somebody said, "No one has any wish to interfere."

Sigurd replies, that "If Dag Eilifson were here, we should not be
without one who dared."

Then Sigurd sprang overboard, swam to the king, took hold of him,
and said, "Sire, do not kill the man. Everybody sees that you
are a much better swimmer."

The king replies, "Let me loose, Sigurd: I shall be his death,
for he will destroy our people under water."

Sigurd says, "Let us first amuse ourselves; and, Icelander, do
thou set off to the land," which he did. The king now got loose
from Sigurd, and swam to his ship, and Sigurd went his way: but
the king ordered that Sigurd should not presume to come into his
presence; this was reported to Sigurd, and so he went up into the
country.

37. OF HARALD AND SVEIN RIMHILDSON.

In the evening, when people were going to bed, some of the ship's
men were still at their games up in the country. Harald was with
those who played on the land, and told his footboy to go out to
the ship, make his bed, and wait for him there. The lad did as
he was ordered. The king had gone to sleep; and as the boy
thought Harald late, he laid himself in Harald's berth. Svein
Rimhildson said, "It is a shame for brave men to be brought from
their farms at home, and to have here serving boys to sleep
beside them." The lad said that Harald had ordered him to come
there. Svein Rimhildson said, "We do not so much care for Harald
himself lying here, if he do not bring here his slaves and
beggars;" and seized a riding-whip, and struck the boy on the
head until the blood flowed from him. The boy ran immediately up
the country, and told Harald what had happened, who went
immediately out to the ship, to the aft part of the forecastle,
and with a pole-axe struck Svein so that he received a severe
wound on his hands; and then Harald went on shore. Svein ran to
the land after him, and, gathering his friends, took Harald
prisoner, and they were about hanging him. But while they were
busy about this, Sigurd Sigurdson went out to the king's ship and
awoke him. When the king opened his eyes and recognised Sigurd,
he said. "For this reason thou shalt die, that thou hast intruded
into my presence; for thou knowest that I forbade thee:" and with
these words the king sprang up.

Sigurd replied, "That is in your power as soon as you please; but
other business is more urgent. Go to the land as quickly as
possible to help thy brother; for the Rogaland people are going
to hang him."

Then said the king, "God give us luck, Sigurd! Call my
trumpeter, and let him call the people all to land, and to meet
me."

The king sprang on the land, and all who knew him followed him to
where the gallows was being erected. The king instantly took
Harald to him; and all the people gathered to the king in full
armour, as they heard the trumpet. Then the king ordered that
Svein and all his comrades should depart from the country as
outlaws; but by the intercession of good men the king was
prevailed on to let them remain and hold their properties, but no
mulct should be paid for Svein's wound.

Then Sigurd Sigurdson asked if the king wished that he should go
forth out of the country.

"That will I not," said the king; "for I can never be without
thee."

38. OF KING OLAF'S MIRACLE.

There was a young and poor man called Kolbein; and Thora, King
Sigurd the Crusader's mother, had ordered his tongue to be cut
out of his mouth, and for no other cause than that this young man
had taken a piece of meat out of the king-mother's tub which he
said the cook had given him, and which the cook had not ventured
to serve up to her. The man had long gone about speechless. So
says Einar Skulason in Olaf's ballad: --

"The proud rich dame, for little cause,
Had the lad's tongue cut from his jaws:
The helpless man, of speech deprived,
His dreadful sore wound scarce survived.
A few weeks since at Hild was seen,
As well as ever he had been,
The same poor lad -- to speech restored
By Olaf's power, whom he adored."

Afterwards the young man came to Nidaros, and watched in the
Christ church; but at the second mass for Olaf before matins he
fell asleep, and thought he saw King Olaf the Saint coming to
him; and that Olaf talked to him, and took hold with his hands of
the stump of his tongue and pulled it. Now when he awoke he
found himself restored, and joyfully did he thank our Lord and
the holy Saint Olaf, who had pitied and helped him; for he had
come there speechless, and had gone to the holy shrine, and went
away cured, and with his speech clear and distinct.

39. KING OLAF'S MIRACLE WITH A PRISONER.

The heathens took prisoner a young man of Danish family and
carried him to Vindland, where he was in fetters along with other
prisoners. In the day-time he was alone in irons, without a
guard; but at night a peasant's son was beside him in the chain,
that he might not escape from them. This poor man never got
sleep or rest from vexation and sorrow, and considered in many
ways what could help him; for he had a great dread of slavery,
and was pining with hunger and torture. He could not again
expect to be ransomed by his friends, as they had already
restored him twice from heathen lands with their own money; and
he well knew that it would be difficult and expensive for them to
submit a third time to this burden. It is well with the man who
does not undergo so much in the world as this man knew he had
suffered. He saw but one way; and that was to get off and escape
if he could. He resolved upon this in the night-time, killed
the peasant, and cut his foot off after killing him, and set off
to the forest with the chain upon his leg. Now when the people
knew this, soon after daylight in the morning, they pursued him
with two dogs accustomed to trace any one who escaped, and to
find him in the forest however carefully he might be concealed.
They got him into their hands and beat him, and did him all kinds
of mischief; and dragging him home, left barely alive, and showed
him no mercy. They tortured him severely; put him in a dark
room, in which there lay already sixteen Christian men; and bound
him both with iron and other tyings, as fast as they could. Then
he began to think that the misery and pain he had endured before
were but shadows to his present sufferings. He saw no man before
his eyes in this prison who would beg for mercy for him; no one
had compassion on his wretchedness, except the Christian men who
lay bound with him, who sorrowed with him, and bemoaned his fate
together with their own misfortunes and helplessness. One day
they advised him to make a vow to the holy King Olaf, to devote
himself to some office in his sacred house, if he, by God's
compassion and Saint Olaf's prayers could get away from this
prison. He gladly agreed to this, and made a vow and prepared
himself for the situation they mentioned to him. The night after
he thought in his sleep that he saw a man, not tall, standing at
his side, who spoke to him thus, "Here, thou wretched man, why
dost thou not get up?"