Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
do anything against thee. Tell me then what it is."
He replied, "I cannot tell thee what it is."
Then said the king, "I will try to guess what it is. Are there any men
who displease thee?"
To this he replied, "No."
"Dost thou think thou art held in less esteem by me than thou wouldst
like to be?"
To this he also replied, "No."
"Hast thou observed anything whatever that has made an impression on
thee at which thou art ill pleased?"
He replied, it was not this either.
The king: "Would you like to go to other chiefs or to other men?"
To this he answered, "No."
The king: "It is difficult now to guess. Is there any girl here, or in
any other country, to whom thy affections are engaged?"
He said it was so.
The king said, "Do not be melancholy on that account. Go to Iceland
when spring sets in, and I shall give thee money, and presents, and with
these my letters and seal to the men who have the principal sway there;
and I know no man there who will not obey my persuasions or threats."
Ivar replied, "My fate is heavier, sire; for my own brother has the
girl."
Then said the king, "Throw it out of thy mind; and I know a counsel
against this. After Yule I will travel in guest-quarters. Thou shalt
come along with me, and thou will have an opportunity of seeing many
beautiful girls; and, provided they are not of the royal stock, I will
get thee one of them in marriage."
Ivar replies, "Sire, my fate is still the heavier; for as oft as I see
beautiful and excellent girls I only remember the more that girl, and
they increase my misery."
The king: "Then I will give thee property to manage, and estates for thy
amusement."
He replied, "For that I have no desire."
The king: "Then I will give thee money, that thou mayest travel in other
countries."
He said he did not wish this.
Then said the king, "It is difficult for me to seek farther, for I have
proposed everything that occurs to me. There is but one thing else;
and that is but little compared to what I have offered thee. Come to me
every day after the tables are removed, and, if I am not sitting upon
important business, I shall talk with thee about the girl in every way
that I can think of; and I shall do so at leisure. It sometimes happens
that sorrow is lightened by being brought out openly; and thou shalt
never go away without some gift."
He replied, "This I will do, sire, and return thanks for this inquiry."
And now they did so constantly; and when the king was not occupied with
weightier affairs he talked with him, and his sorrow by degrees wore
away, and he was again in good spirits.
19. OF KING SIGURD.
King Sigurd was a stout and strong man, with brown hair; of a manly
appearance, but not handsome; well grown; of little speech, and often
not friendly, but good to his friends, and faithful; not very eloquent,
but moral and polite. King Sigurd was self-willed, and severe in his
revenge; strict in observing the law; was generous; and withal an
able, powerful king. His brother Olaf was a tall, thin man; handsome
in countenance; lively, modest, and popular. When all these brothers,
Eystein, Sigurd and Olaf were kings of Norway, they did away with many
burthens which the Danes had laid upon the people in the time that Svein
Alfifason ruled Norway; and on this account they were much beloved, both
by the people and the great men of the country.
20. OF KING SIGURD'S DREAM.
Once King Sigurd fell into low spirits, so that few could get him to
converse, and he sat but a short time at the drinking table. This was
heavy on his counsellors, friends, and court; and they begged King
Eystein to consider how they could discover the cause why the people who
came to the king could get no reply to what they laid before him. King
Eystein answered them, that it was difficult to speak with the king
about this; but at last, on the entreaty of many, he promised to do
it. Once, when they were both together, King Eystein brought the matter
before his brother, and asked the cause of his melancholy. "It is a
great grief, sire, to many to see thee so melancholy; and we would like
to know what has occasioned it, or if perchance thou hast heard any news
of great weight?"
King Sigurd replies, that it was not so.
"Is it then, brother," says King Eystein, "that you would like to travel
out of the country, and augment your dominions as our father did?"
He answered, that it was not that either.
"Is it, then, that any man here in the country has offended?"
To this also the king said "No."
"Then I would like to know if you have dreamt anything that has
occasioned this depression of mind?"
The king answered that it was so.
"Tell me, then, brother, thy dream."
King Sigurd said, "I will not tell it, unless thou interpret it as it
may turn out; and I shall be quick at perceiving if thy interpretation
be right or not."
King Eystein replies, "This is a very difficult matter, sire, on both
sides; as I am exposed to thy anger if I cannot interpret it, and to the
blame of the public if I can do nothing in the matter; but I will rather
fall under your displeasure, even if my interpretation should not be
agreeable."
King Sigurd replies, "It appeared to me, in a dream, as if we brothers
were all sitting on a bench in front of Christ church in Throndhjem; and
it appeared to me as if our relative, King Olaf the Saint, came out of
the church adorned with the royal raiment glancing and splendid, and
with the most delightful and joyful countenance. He went to our brother
King Olaf, took him by the hand, and said cheerfully, to him, 'Come with
me, friend.' On which he appeared to stand up and go into the church.
Soon after King Olaf the Saint came out of the church, but not so gay
and brilliant as before. Now he went to thee, brother, and said to thee
that thou shouldst go with him; on which he led thee with him, and ye
went into the church. Then I thought, and waited for it, that he would
come to me, and meet me; but it was not so. Then I was seized with
great sorrow, and great dread and anxiety fell upon me, so that I was
altogether without strength; and then I awoke."
King Eystein replies, "Thus I interpret your dream, sire,--That the
bench betokens the kingdom we brothers have; and as you thought King
Olaf came with so glad a countenance to our brother, King Olaf, he
will likely live the shortest time of us brothers, and have all good to
expect hereafter; for he is amiable, young in years, and has gone but
little into excess, and King Olaf the Saint must help him. But as you
thought he came towards me, but not with so much joy, I may possibly
live a few years longer, but not become old, and I trust his providence
will stand over me; but that he did not come to me with the same
splendour and glory as to our brother Olaf, that will be because, in
many ways, I have sinned and transgressed his command. If he delayed
coming to thee, I think that in no way betokens thy death, but rather a
long life; but it may be that some heavy accident may occur to thee, as
there was an unaccountable dread overpowering thee; but I foretell that
thou will be the oldest of us, and wilt rule the kingdom longest."
Then said Sigurd, "This is well and intelligently interpreted, and it is
likely it will be so." And now the king began to be cheerful again.
21. OF KING SIGURD'S MARRIAGE.
King Sigurd married Malmfrid, a daughter of King Harald Valdemarson,
eastward in Novgorod. King Harald Valdemarson's mother was Queen Gyda
the Old, a daughter of the Swedish king, Inge Steinkelson. Harald
Valdemarson's other daughter, sister to Malmfrid, was Ingebjorg, who was
married to Canute Lavard, a son of the Danish king, Eirik the Good, and
grandson of King Svein Ulfson. Canute's and Ingebjorg's children were,
the Danish king, Valdemar, who came to the Danish kingdom after Svein
Eirikson; and daughters Margaret, Christina, and Catherine. Margaret was
married to Stig Hvitaled; and their daughter was Christina, married to
the Swedish king, Karl Sorkvison, and their son was King Sorkver.
22. OF THE CASES BEFORE THE THING.
The king's relative, Sigurd Hranason, came into strife with King Sigurd.
He had had the Lapland collectorship on the king's account, because of
their relationship and long friendship, and also of the many services
Sigurd Hranason had done to the kings; for he was a very distinguished,
popular man. But it happened to him, as it often does to others, that
persons more wicked and jealous than upright slandered him to King
Sigurd, and whispered in the king's ear that he took more of the
Laplander's tribute to himself than was proper. They spoke so long about
this, that King Sigurd conceived a dislike and anger to him, and sent a
message to him. When he appeared before the king, the king carried these
feelings with him, and said, "I did not expect that thou shouldst have
repaid me for thy great fiefs and other dignities by taking the king's
property, and abstracting a greater portion of it than is allowable."
Sigurd Hranason replies, "It is not true that has been told you; for I
have only taken such portion as I had your permission to take."
King Sigurd replies, "Thou shalt not slip away with this; but the matter
shall be seriously treated before it comes to an end." With that they
parted.
Soon after, by the advice of his friends, the king laid an action
against Sigurd Hranason at the Thing-meeting in Bergen, and would have
him made an outlaw. Now when the business took this turn, and appeared
so dangerous, Sigurd Hranason went to King Eystein, and told him what
mischief King Sigurd intended to do him, and entreated his assistance.
King Eystein replied, "This is a difficult matter that you propose to
me, to speak against my brother; and there is a great difference between
defending a cause and pursuing it in law;" and added, that this was a
matter which concerned him and Sigurd equally. "But for thy distress,
and our relationship, I shall bring in a word for thee."
Soon after Eystein visited King Sigurd, and entreated him to spare the
man, reminding him of the relationship between them and Sigurd Hranason,
who was married to their aunt, Skialdvor; and said he would pay the
penalty for the crime committed against the king, although he could not
with truth impute any blame to him in the matter. Besides, he reminded
the king of the long friendship with Sigurd Hranason. King Sigurd
replied, that it was better government to punish such acts. Then King
Eystein replied, "If thou, brother, wilt follow the law, and punish
such acts according to the country's privileges, then it would be most
correct that Sigurd Hranason produce his witnesses, and that the case be
judged at the Thing, but not at a meeting; for the case comes under
the law of the land, not under Bjarkey law." Then said Sigurd, "It
may possibly be so that the case belongs to it, as thou sayest, King
Eystein; and if it be against law what has hitherto been done in this
case, then we shall bring it before the Thing." Then the kings parted,
and each seemed determined to take his own way. King Sigurd summoned the
parties in the case before the Arnarnes Thing, and intended to pursue it
there. King Eystein came also to the Thing-place; and when the case
was brought forward for judgment, King Eystein went to the Thing before
judgment was given upon Sigurd Hranason. Now King Sigurd told the lagmen
to pronounce the judgment; but King Eystein replied thus: "I trust there
are here men acquainted sufficiently with the laws of Norway, to know
that they cannot condemn a lendermen to be outlawed at this Thing." And
he then explained how the law was, so that every man clearly understood
it. Then said King Sigurd, "Thou art taking up this matter very warmly,