Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
81. OF SIGURD AND HAUK.
There was a man called Sigurd, and another called Hauk, both of
Halogaland, who often made merchant voyages. One summer (A.D. 998) they
had made a voyage westward to England; and when they came back to Norway
they sailed northwards along the coast, and at North More they met King
Olaf's people. When it was told the king that some Halogaland people
were come who were heathen, he ordered the steersmen to be brought to
him, and he asked them if they would consent to be baptized; to which
they replied, no. The king spoke with them in many ways, but to no
purpose. He then threatened them with death and torture: but they would
not allow themselves to be moved. He then had them laid in irons, and
kept them in chains in his house for some time, and often conversed with
them, but in vain. At last one night they disappeared, without any man
being able to conjecture how they got away. But about harvest they came
north to Harek of Thjotta, who received them kindly, and with whom they
stopped all winter (A.D. 999), and were hospitably entertained.
82. OF HAREK OF THJOTTA.
It happened one good-weather day in spring (A.D. 999) that Harek was
at home in his house with only few people, and time hung heavy on his
hands. Sigurd asked him if he would row a little for amusement. Harek
was willing; and they went to the shore, and drew down a six-oared
skiff; and Sigurd took the mast and rigging belonging to the boat out of
the boat-house, for they often used to sail when they went for amusement
on the water. Harek went out into the boat to hang the rudder. The
brothers Sigurd and Hauk, who were very strong men, were fully armed, as
they were used to go about at home among the peasants. Before they went
out to the boat they threw into her some butter-kits and a bread-chest,
and carried between them a great keg of ale. When they had rowed a
short way from the island the brothers hoisted the sail, while Harek was
seated at the helm; and they sailed away from the island. Then the two
brothers went aft to where Harek the bonde was sitting; and Sigurd says
to him, "Now thou must choose one of these conditions,--first, that we
brothers direct this voyage; or, if not, that we bind thee fast and take
the command; or, third, that we kill thee." Harek saw how matters stood
with him. As a single man, he was not better than one of those brothers,
even if he had been as well armed; so it appeared to him wisest to let
them determine the course to steer, and bound himself by oath to abide
by this condition. On this Sigurd took the helm, and steered south
along the land, the brothers taking particular care that they did not
encounter people. The wind was very favourable; and they held on sailing
along until they came south to Throndhjem and to Nidaros, where they
found the king. Then the king called Harek to him, and in a conference
desired him to be baptized. Harek made objections; and although the king
and Harek talked over it many times, sometimes in the presence of other
people, and sometimes alone, they could not agree upon it. At last the
king says to Harek, "Now thou mayst return home, and I will do thee no
injury; partly because we are related together, and partly that thou
mayst not have it to say that I caught thee by a trick: but know
for certain that I intend to come north next summer to visit you
Halogalanders, and ye shall then see if I am not able to punish those
who reject Christianity." Harek was well pleased to get away as fast
as he could. King Olaf gave Harek a good boat of ten or twelve pair of
oars, and let it be fitted out with the best of everything needful;
and besides he gave Harek thirty men, all lads of mettle, and well
appointed.
83. EYVIND KINRIFA'S DEATH.
Harek of Thjotta went away from the town as fast as he could; but Hauk
and Sigurd remained in the king's house, and both took baptism. Harek
pursued his voyage until he came to Thjotta. He sent immediately a
message to his friend Eyvind Kinrifa, with the word that he had been
with King Olaf; but would not let himself be cowed down to accept
Christianity. The message at the same time informed him that King Olaf
intended coming to the north in summer against them, and they must be
at their posts to defend themselves; it also begged Eyvind to come and
visit him, the sooner the better. When this message was delivered to
Eyvind, he saw how very necessary it was to devise some counsel to avoid
falling into the king's hands. He set out, therefore, in a light vessel
with a few hands as fast as he could. When he came to Thjotta he was
received by Harek in the most friendly way, and they immediately entered
into conversation with each other behind the house. When they had spoken
together but a short time, King Olaf's men, who had secretly followed
Harek to the north, came up, and took Eyvind prisoner, and carried him
away to their ship. They did not halt on their voyage until they came
to Throndhjem, and presented themselves to King Olaf at Nidaros. Then
Eyvind was brought up to a conference with the king, who asked him to
allow himself to be baptized, like other people; but Eyvind decidedly
answered he would not. The king still, with persuasive words, urged him
to accept Christianity, and both he and the bishop used many suitable
arguments; but Eyvind would not allow himself to be moved. The king
offered him gifts and great fiefs, but Eyvind refused all. Then the king
threatened him with tortures and death, but Eyvind was steadfast. Then
the king ordered a pan of glowing coals to be placed upon Eyvind's
belly, which burst asunder. Eyvind cried, "Take away the pan, and I will
say something before I die," which also was done. The king said, "Wilt
thou now, Eyvind, believe in Christ?" "No," said Eyvind, "I can take no
baptism; for I am an evil spirit put into a man's body by the sorcery of
Fins because in no other way could my father and mother have a child."
With that died Eyvind, who had been one of the greatest sorcerers.
84. HALOGALAND MADE CHRISTIAN.
The spring after (A.D. 999) King Olaf fitted out and manned his ships,
and commanded himself his ship the Crane. He had many and smart people
with him; and when he was ready, he sailed northwards with his fleet
past Bryda, and to Halogaland. Wheresoever he came to the land, or to
the islands, he held a Thing, and told the people to accept the right
faith, and to be baptized. No man dared to say anything against it, and
the whole country he passed through was made Christian. King Olaf was
a guest in the house of Harek of Thjotta, who was baptized with all his
people. At parting the king gave Harek good presents; and he entered
into the king's service, and got fiefs, and the privileges of lendsman
from the king.
85. THORER HJORT'S DEATH.
There was a bonde, by name Raud the Strong, who dwelt in Godey in
Salten fjord. Raud was a very rich man, who had many house servants; and
likewise was a powerful man, who had many Fins in his service when he
wanted them. Raud was a great idolater, and very skillful in witchcraft,
and was a great friend of Thorer Hjort, before spoken of. Both were
great chiefs. Now when they heard that King Olaf was coming with a great
force from the south to Halogaland, they gathered together an army,
ordered out ships, and they too had a great force on foot. Raud had
a large ship with a gilded head formed like a dragon, which ship had
thirty rowing benches, and even for that kind of ship was very large.
Thorer Hjort had also a large ship. These men sailed southwards with
their ships against King Olaf, and as soon as they met gave battle. A
great battle there was, and a great fall of men; but principally on the
side of the Halogalanders, whose ships were cleared of men, so that a
great terror came upon them. Raud rode with his dragon out to sea, and
set sail. Raud had always a fair wind wheresoever he wished to sail,
which came from his arts of witchcraft; and, to make a short story, he
came home to Godey. Thorer Hjort fled from the ships up to the land:
but King Olaf landed people, followed those who fled, and killed them.
Usually the king was the foremost in such skirmishes, and was so now.
When the king saw where Thorer Hjort, who was quicker on foot than any
man, was running to, he ran after him with his dog Vige. The king said,
"Vige! Vige! Catch the deer." Vige ran straight in upon him; on which
Thorer halted, and the king threw a spear at him. Thorer struck with his
sword at the dog, and gave him a great wound; but at the same moment the
king's spear flew under Thorer's arm, and went through and through him,
and came out at his other-side. There Thorer left his life; but Vige was
carried to the ships.
86. KING OLAF'S VOYAGE TO GODEY.
King Olaf gave life and freedom to all the men who asked it and agreed
to become Christian. King Olaf sailed with his fleet northwards along
the coast, and baptized all the people among whom he came; and when
he came north to Salten fjord, he intended to sail into it to look for
Raud, but a dreadful tempest and storm was raging in the fjord. They
lay there a whole week, in which the same weather was raging within
the fjord, while without there was a fine brisk wind only, fair for
proceeding north along the land. Then the king continued his voyage
north to Omd, where all the people submitted to Christianity. Then the
king turned about and sailed to the south again; but when he came to the
north side of Salten fjord, the same tempest was blowing, and the sea
ran high out from the fjord, and the same kind of storm prevailed for
several days while the king was lying there. Then the king applied to
Bishop Sigurd, and asked him if he knew any counsel about it; and the
bishop said he would try if God would give him power to conquer these
arts of the Devil.
87. OF RAUD'S BEING TORTURED.
Bishop Sigurd took all his mass robes and went forward to the bow of
the king's ship; ordered tapers to be lighted, and incense to be brought
out. Then he set the crucifix upon the stem of the vessel, read the
Evangelist and many prayers, besprinkled the whole ship with holy water,
and then ordered the ship-tent to be stowed away, and to row into the
fjord. The king ordered all the other ships to follow him. Now when all
was ready on board the Crane to row, she went into the fjord without the
rowers finding any wind; and the sea was curled about their keel track
like as in a calm, so quiet and still was the water; yet on each side
of them the waves were lashing up so high that they hid the sight of
the mountains. And so the one ship followed the other in the smooth sea
track; and they proceeded this way the whole day and night, until they
reached Godey. Now when they came to Raud's house his great ship, the
dragon, was afloat close to the land. King Olaf went up to the house
immediately with his people; made an attack on the loft in which Raud
was sleeping, and broke it open. The men rushed in: Raud was taken
and bound, and of the people with him some were killed and some made
prisoners. Then the king's men went to a lodging in which Raud's house
servants slept, and killed some, bound others, and beat others. Then
the king ordered Raud to be brought before him, and offered him baptism.
"And," says the king, "I will not take thy property from thee, but
rather be thy friend, if thou wilt make thyself worthy to be so." Raud
exclaimed with all his might against the proposal, saying he would never
believe in Christ, and making his scoff of God. Then the king was wroth,
and said Raud should die the worst of deaths. And the king ordered him
to be bound to a beam of wood, with his face uppermost, and a round pin
of wood set between his teeth to force his mouth open. Then the king