early kings of norway-第14节

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ual　account）；　which　vividly　represent　Olaf's　posture　and　manner　of　proceeding　in　such　intricacies。

The　chief　Ironbeard　on　this　occasion　was　one　Gudbrand；　a　very　rugged　peasant；　who；　says　Snorro；　was　like　a　king　in　that　district。　　Some　days　before；　King　Olaf；　intending　a　religious　Thing　in　those　deeply　heathen　parts；　with　alternative　of　Christianity　or　conflagration；　is　reported；　on　looking　down　into　the　valley　and　the　beautiful　village　of　Loar　standing　there；　to　have　said　wistfully；　〃What　a　pity　it　is　that　so　beautiful　a　village　should　be　burnt！〃　　Olaf　sent　out　his　message…token　all　the；　same；　however；　and　met　Gudbrand　and　an　immense　assemblage；　whose　humor　towards　him　was　uncompliant　to　a　high　degree　indeed。　　Judge　by　this　preliminary　speech　of　Gudbrand　to　his　Thing…people；　while　Olaf　was　not　yet　arrived；　but　only　advancing；　hardly　got　to　Breeden　on　the　other　side　of　the　hill：　　〃A　man　has　come　to　Loar　who　is　called　Olaf；〃　said　Gudbrand；　〃and　will　force　upon　us　another　faith　than　we　had　before；　and　will　break　in　pieces　all　our　Gods。　　He　says　he　has　a　much　greater　and　more　powerful　God；　and　it　is　wonderful　that　the　earth　does　not　burst　asunder　under　him；　or　that　our　God　lets　him　go　about　unpunished　when　he　dares　to　talk　such　things。　　I　know　this　for　certain；　that　if　we　carry　Thor；　who　has　always　stood　by　us；　out　of　our　Temple　that　is　standing　upon　this　farm；　Olaf's　God　will　melt　away；　and　he　and　his　men　be　made　nothing　as　soon　as　Thor　looks　upon　them。〃　　Whereupon　the　Bonders　all　shouted　as　one　man；　〃Yea！〃

Which　tremendous　message　they　even　forwarded　to　Olaf；　by　Gudbrand's　younger　son　at　the　head　of　700　armed　men；　but　did　not　terrify　Olaf　with　it；　who；　on　the　contrary；　drew　up　his　troops；　rode　himself　at　the　head　of　them；　and　began　a　speech　to　the　Bonders；　in　which　he　invited　them　to　adopt　Christianity；　as　the　one　true　faith　for　mortals。

Far　from　consenting　to　this；　the　Bonders　raised　a　general　shout；　smiting　at　the　same　time　their　shields　with　their　weapons；　but　Olaf's　men　advancing　on　them　swiftly；　and　flinging　spears；　they　turned　and　ran；　leaving　Gudbrand's　son　behind；　a　prisoner；　to　whom　Olaf　gave　his　life：　　〃Go　home　now　to　thy　father；　and　tell　him　I　mean　to　be　with　him　soon。〃　　　　　　　The　son　goes　accordingly；　and　advises　his　father　not　to　face　Olaf；　but　Gudbrand　angrily　replies：　　〃Ha；　coward！　　I　see　thou；　too；　art　taken　by　the　folly　that　man　is　going　about　with；〃　and　is　resolved　to　fight。　That　night；　however；　Gudbrand　has　a　most　remarkable　Dream；　or　Vision：　a　Man　surrounded　by　light；　bringing　great　terror　with　him；　who　warns　Gudbrand　against　doing　battle　with　Olaf。　　〃If　thou　dost；　thou　and　all　thy　people　will　fall；　wolves　will　drag　away　thee　and　thine；　ravens　will　tear　thee　in　stripes！〃　　And　lo；　in　telling　this　to　Thord　Potbelly；　a　sturdy　neighbor　of　his　and　henchman　in　the　Thing；　it　is　found　that　to　Thord　also　has　come　the　self　same　terrible　Apparition！　Better　propose　truce　to　Olaf　（who　seems　to　have　these　dreadful　Ghostly　Powers　on　his　side）；　and　the　holding　of　a　Thing；　to　discuss　matters　between　us。　　Thing　assembles；　on　a　day　of　heavy　rain。　　Being　all　seated；　uprises　King　Olaf；　and　informs　them：　　〃The　people　of　Lesso；　Loar；　and　Vaage；　have　accepted　Christianity；　and　broken　down　their　idol…houses：　　they　believe　now　in　the　True　God；　who　has　made　heaven　and　earth；　and　knows　all　things；〃　and　sits　down　again　without　more　words。

〃Gudbrand　replies；　'We　know　nothing　about　him　of　whom　thou　speakest。　Dost　thou　call　him　God；　whom　neither　thou　nor　any　one　else　can　see？　But　we　have　a　God　who　can　be　seen　every　day；　although　he　is　not　out　to…day　because　the　weather　is　wet；　and　he　will　appear　to　thee　terrible　and　very　grand；　and　I　expect　that　fear　will　mix　with　thy　very　blood　when　he　comes　into　the　Thing。　　But　since　thou　sayest　thy　God　is　so　great；　let　him　make　it　so　that　to…morrow　we　have　a　cloudy　day；　but　without　rain；　and　then　let　us　meet　again。'

〃The　king　accordingly　returned　home　to　his　lodging；　taking　Gudbrand's　son　as　a　hostage；　but　he　gave　them　a　man　as　hostage　in　exchange。　　In　the　evening　the　king　asked　Gudbrand's　son　What　their　God　was　like？　　He　replied　that　he　bore　the　likeness　of　Thor；　had　a　hammer　in　his　hand；　was　of　great　size；　but　hollow　within；　and　had　a　high　stand；　upon　which　he　stood　when　he　was　out。　　'Neither　gold　nor　silver　are　wanting　about　him；　and　every　day　he　receives　four　cakes　of　bread；　besides　meat。'　They　then　went　to　bed；　but　the　king　watched　all　night　in　prayer。　　When　day　dawned　the　king　went　to　mass；　then　to　table；　and　from　thence　to　the　Thing。　　The　weather　was　such　as　Gudbrand　desired。　　Now　the　Bishop　stood　up　in　his　choir…robes；　with　bishop's　coif　on　his　head；　and　bishop's　crosier　in　his　hand。　　He　spoke　to　the　Bonders　of　the　true　faith；　told　the　many　wonderful　acts　of　God；　and　concluded　his　speech　well。

〃Thord　Potbelly　replies；　'Many　things　we　are　told　of　by　this　learned　man　with　the　staff　in　his　hand；　crooked　at　the　top　like　a　ram's　horn。　But　since　you　say；　comrades；　that　your　God　is　so　powerful；　and　can　do　so　many　wonders；　tell　him　to　make　it　clear　sunshine　to…morrow　forenoon；　and　then　we　shall　meet　here　again；　and　do　one　of　two　things；either　agree　with　you　about　this　business；　or　fight　you。'　And　they　separated　for　the　day。〃

Overnight　the　king　instructed　Kolbein　the　Strong；　an　immense　fellow；　the　same　who　killed　Gunhild's　two　brothers；　that　he；　Kolbein；　must　stand　next　him　to…morrow；　people　must　go　down　to　where　the　ships　of　the　Bonders　lay；　and　punctually　bore　holes　in　every　one　of　them；　_item_；　to　the　farms　where　their　horses　wore；　and　punctually　unhalter　the　whole　of　them；　and　let　them　loose：　　all　which　was　done。　　Snorro　continues：

〃Now　the　king　was　in　prayer　all　night；　beseeching　God　of　his　goodness　and　mercy　to　release　him　from　evil。　　When　mass　was　ended；　and　morning　was　gray；　the　king　went　to　the　Thing。　　When　he　came　thither；　some　Bonders　had　already　arrived；　and　they　saw　a　great　crowd　coming　along；　and　bearing　among　them　a　huge　man's　image；　glancing　with　gold　and　silver。　　When　the　Bonders　who　were　at　the　Thing　saw　it；　they　started　up；　and　bowed　themselves　down　before　the　ugly　idol。　　Thereupon　it　was　set　down　upon　the　Thing　field；　and　on　the　one　side　of　it　sat　the　Bonders；　and　on　the　other　the　King　and　his　people。

〃Then　Dale　Gudbrand　stood　up　and　said；　'Where　now；　king；　is　thy　God？　I　think　he　will　now　carry　his　head　lower；　and　neither　thou；　nor　the　man　with　the　horn；　sitting　beside　thee　there；　whom　thou　callest　Bishop；　are　so　bold　to…day　as　on　the　former　days。　　For　now　our　God；　who　rules　over　all；　is　come；　and　looks　on　you　with　an　angry　eye；　and　now　I　see　well　enough　that　you　are　terrified；　and　scarcely　dare　raise　your　eyes。　　Throw　away　now　all　your　opposition；　and　believe　in　the　God　who　has　your　fate　wholly　in　his　hands。'

〃The　king　now　whispers　to　Kolbein　the　Strong；　without　the　Bonders　perceiving　it；　'If　it　come　so　in　the　course　of　my　speech　that　the　Bonders　look　another　way　than　towards　their　idol；　strike　him　as　hard　as　thou　canst　with　thy　club。'

〃The　king　then　stood　up　and　spoke。　　'Much　hast　thou　talked　to　us　this　morning；　and　greatly　hast　thou　wondered　that　thou　canst　not　see　our　God；　but　we　expect　that　he　will　soon　come　to　us。　　Thou　wouldst　frighten　us　with　thy　God；　who　is　both　blind　and　deaf；　and　cannot　even　move　about　without　being　carried；　but　now　I　expect　it　will　be　but　a　short　time　before　he　meets　his　fate：　　for　turn　your　eyes　towards　the　east；behold　our　God　advancing　in　great　light。'

〃The　sun　was　rising；　and　all　turned　to　look。　　At　that　moment　Kolbein　gave　their　God　a　stroke；　so　that　he　quite　burst　asunder；　and　there　ran　out　of　him　mice　as　big　almost　as　cats；　and　reptiles　and　adders。　　The　Bonders　were　so　terrified　that　some　fled　to　their　ships；　but　when　they　sprang　out　upon　them　the　ships　filled　with　water；　and　could　not　get　away。　　Others　ran　to　their　horses；　but　could　not　find　them。　　The　king　then　ordered　the　Bonders　to　be　called　together；　saying　he　wanted　to　speak　with　them；　on　which　the　Bonders　came　back；　and　the　Thing　was　again　seated。

〃The　king　rose　up　and　said；　'I　do　not　understand　what　your　noise　and　running　mean。　　You　yourselves　see　what　your　God　can　do；the　idol　you　adorned　with　gold　and　silver；　and　brought　meat　and　provisions　to。　　You　see　now　that　the　protecting　powers；　who　used　and　got　good　of　all　that；　were　the　mice　and　adders；　the　reptiles　and　lizards；　and　surely　they　do　ill　who　trust　to　such；　and　will　not　abandon　this　folly。　　Take　now　your　gold　and　ornaments　that　are　lying　strewed　on　the　grass；　and　give　them　to　your　wives　and　daughters；　but　never　hang　them　hereafter　upon　stocks　and　stones。　　Here　are　two　conditions　between　us　to　choose　upon：　either　accept　Christianity；　or　fight　this　very　day；　and　the　victory　be　to　them　to　whom　the　God　we　worship　gives　it。'

〃Then　Dale　Gudbrand　stood　up　and　said；　'We　have　sustained　great　damage　upon　our　God；　but　since　he　will　not　help　us；　we　will　believe　in　the　God　whom　thou　believest　in。'

〃Then　all　received　Christianity。　　The　Bishop　baptized　Gudbrand　and　his　son。　　King　Olaf　and　Bishop　Sigurd　left　behind　them　teachers；　and　they　who　met　as　enemies　parted　as　friends。　　And　afterwards　Gudbrand　built　a　church　in　the　valley。〃＇13＇

Olaf　was　by　no　means　an　unmerciful　man；much　the　reverse　where　he　saw　good　cause。　　Ther