Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
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 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