heimskringla-第157节

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Then　the　fellow　came　forward　and　said：　

　　　　　〃I　thought　that　here　I　might　be　known；　　　　　　Although　my　dress　is　scanty　grown。　　　　　　'Tis　poor；　but　I　must　be　content：　　　　　　Unless；　great　king；　it's　thy　intent　　　　　　To　give　me　better；　for　I　have　seen　　　　　　When　I　and　rags　had　strangers　been。〃

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　happene