heimskringla-第158节

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m　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；