early kings of norway-第13部分

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ng　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。　　There　was　a　wicked　old　King　Raerik；　for　example；　one　of　those　five　kinglets　whom；　with　their　bits　of　armaments；　Olaf　by　stratagem　had　surrounded　one　night；　and　at　once　bagged　and　subjected　when　morning　rose；　all　of　them　consenting；　all　of　them　except　this　Raerik；　whom　Olaf；　as　the　readiest　sure　course；　took　home　with　him；　blinded；　and　kept　in　his　own　house；　finding　there　was　no　alternative　but　that　or　death　to　the　obstinate　old　dog；　who　was　a　kind　of　distant　cousin　withal；　and　could　not　conscientiously　be　killed。　　Stone…blind　old　Raerik　was　not　always　in　murderous　humor。　　Indeed；　for　most　part　he　wore　a　placid；　conciliatory　aspect；　and　said　shrewd　amusing　things；　but　had　thrice　over　tried；　with　amazing　cunning　of　contrivance；　though　stone…blind；　to　thrust　a　dagger　into　Olaf　and　the　last　time　had　all　but　succeeded。　　So　that；　as　Olaf　still　refused　to　have　him　killed；　it　had　become　a　problem　what　was　to　be　done　with　him。　　Olaf's　good　humor；　as　well　as　_his_　quiet；　ready　sense　and　practicality；　are　manifested　in　his　final　settlement　of　this　Raerik　problem。　　Olaf's　laugh；　I　can　perceive；　was　not　so　loud　as　Tryggveson's　but　equally　hearty；　coming　from　the　bright　mind　of　him！

Besides　blind　Raerik；　Olaf　had　in　his　household　one　Thorarin；　an　Icelander；　a　remarkably　ugly　man；　says　Snorro；　but　a　far…travelled；　shrewdly　observant；　loyal…minded；　and　good…humored　person；　whom　Olaf　liked　to　talk　with。　　〃Remarkably　ugly；〃　says　Snorro；　〃especially　in　his　hands　and　feet；　which　were　large　and　ill…shaped　to　a　degree。〃　　One　morning　Thorarin；　who；　with　other　trusted　ones；　slept　in　Olaf's　apartment；　was　lazily　dozing　and　yawning；　and　had　stretched　one　of　his　feet　out　of　the　bed　before　the　king　awoke。　　The　foot　was　still　there　when　Olaf　did　open　his　bright　eyes；　which　instantly　lighted　on　this　foot。

〃Well；　here　is　a　foot；〃　says　Olaf；　gayly；　〃which　one　seldom　sees　the　match　of；　I　durst　venture　there　is　not　another　so　ugly　in　this　city　of　Nidaros。〃

〃Hah；　king！〃　said　Thorarin；　〃there　are　few　things　one　cannot　match　if　one　seek　long　and　take　pains。　　I　would　bet；　with　thy　permission；　King；　to　find　an　uglier。〃

〃Done！〃　　cried　Olaf。　　Upon　which　Thorarin　stretched　out　the　other　foot。

〃A　still　uglier；〃　cried　he；　〃for　it　has　lost　the　little　toe。〃

〃Ho；　ho！〃　said　Olaf；　〃but　it　is　I　who　have　gained　the　bet。　　The　_less_　of　an　ugly　thing　the　less　ugly；　not　the　more！〃

Loyal　Thorarin　respectfully　submitted。

〃What　is　to　be　my　penalty；　then？　　The　king　it　is　that　must　decide。〃

〃To　take　me　that　wicked　old　Raerik　to　Leif　Ericson　in　Greenland。〃

Which　the　Icelander　did；　leaving　two　vacant　seats　henceforth　at　Olaf's　table。　　Leif　Ericson；　son　of　Eric　discoverer　of　America；　quietly　managed　Raerik　henceforth；　sent　him　to　Iceland；I　think　to　father　Eric　himself；　certainly　to　some　safe　hand　there；　in　whose　house；　or　in　some　still　quieter　neighboring　lodging；　at　his　own　choice；　old　Raerik　spent　the　last　three　years　of　his　life　in　a　perfectly　quiescent　manner。

Olaf's　struggles　in　the　matter　of　religion　had　actually　settled　that　question　in　Norway。　　By　these　rough　methods　of　his；　whatever　we　may　think　of　them；　Heathenism　had　got　itself　smashed　dead；　and　was　no　more　heard　of　in　that　country。　　Olaf　himself　was　evidently　a　highly　devout　and　pious　man；whosoever　is　born　with　Olaf's　temper　now　will　still　find；　as　Olaf　did；　new　and　infinite　field　for　it！　　Christianity　in　Norway　had　the　like　fertility　as　in　other　countries；　or　even　rose　to　a　higher；　and　what　Dahlmann　thinks；　exuberant　pitch；　in　the　course　of　the　two　centuries　which　followed　that　of　Olaf。　　Him　all　testimony　represents　to　us　as　a　most　righteous　no　less　than　most　religious　king。　Continually　vigilant；　just；　and　rigorous　was　Olaf's　administration　of　the　laws；　repression　of　robbery；　punishment　of　injustice；　stern　repayment　of　evil…doers；　wherever　he　could　lay　hold　of　them。

Among　the　Bonder　or　opulent　class；　and　indeed　everywhere；　for　the　poor　too　can　be　sinners　and　need　punishment；　Olaf　had；　by　this　course　of　conduct；　naturally　made　enemies。　　His　severity　so　visible　to　all；　and　the　justice　and