第55章

The same harvest King Olaf summoned the bondes to a Thing of the four districts at Dragseid, in Stad: and there the people from Sogn, the Fjord-districts, South More, and Raumsdal, were summoned to meet.King Olaf came there with a great many people who had followed him from the eastward, and also with those who had joined him from Rogaland and Hordaland.When the king came to the Thing, he proposed to them there, as elsewhere, Christianity; and as the king had such a powerful host with him, they were frightened.The king offered them two conditions, --either to accept Christianity, or to fight.But the bondes saw they were in no condition to fight the king, and resolved, therefore, that all the people should agree to be baptized.The king proceeded afterwards to North More, and baptized all that district.He then sailed to Hlader, in Throndhjem; had the temple there razed to the ground; took all the ornaments and all property out of the temple, and from the gods in it; and among other things the great gold ring which Earl Hakon had ordered to be made, and which hung in the door of the temple; and then had the temple burnt.But when the bondes heard of this, they sent out a war-arrow as a token through the whole district, ordering out a warlike force, and intended to meet the king with it.In the meantime King Olaf sailed with a war force out of the fjord along the coast northward, intending to proceed to Halogaland, and baptize there.When he came north to Bjarnaurar, he heard from Halogaland that a force was assembled there to defend the country against the king.The chiefs of this force were Harek of Thjotta, Thorer Hjort from Vagar, and Eyvind Kinrifa.Now when King Olaf heard this, he turned about and sailed southwards along the land; and when he got south of Stad proceeded at his leisure, and came early in winter (A.D.998) all the way east to Viken.

66.OLAF PROPOSES MARRIAGE TO QUEEN SIGRID.

Queen Sigrid in Svithjod, who had for surname the Haughty, sat in her mansion, and during the same winter messengers went between King Olaf and Sigrid to propose his courtship to her, and she had no objection; and the matter was fully and fast resolved upon.

Thereupon King Olaf sent to Queen Sigrid the great gold ring he had taken from the temple door of Hlader, which was considered a distinguished ornament.The meeting for concluding the business was appointed to be in spring on the frontier, at the Gaut river.

Now the ring which King Olaf had sent Queen Sigrid was highly prized by all men; yet the queen's gold-smiths, two brothers, who took the ring in their hands, and weighed it, spoke quietly to each other about it, and in a manner that made the queen call them to her, and ask "what they smiled at?" But they would not say a word, and she commanded them to say what it was they had discovered.Then they said the ring is false.Upon this she ordered the ring to be broken into pieces, and it was found to be copper inside.Then the queen was enraged, and said that Olaf would deceive her in more ways than this one.In the same year (A.D.998) King Olaf went into Ringenke, and there the people also were baptized.

67.OLAF HARALDSON BAPTIZED.

Asta, the daughter of Gudbrand, soon after the fall of Harald Grenske married again a man who was called Sigurd Syr, who was a king in Ringerike.Sigurd was a son of Halfdan, and grandson of Sigurd Hrise, who was a son of Harald Harfager.Olaf, the son of Asta and Harald Grenske, lived with Asta, and was brought up from childhood in the house of his stepfather, Sigurd Syr.Now when King Olaf Trygvason came to Ringerike to spread Christianity, Sigurd Syr and his wife allowed themselves to be baptized, along with Olaf her son; and Olaf Trygvason was godfather to Olaf, the stepson of Harald Grenske.Olaf was then three years old.Olaf returned from thence to Viken, where he remained all winter.He had now been three years king in Norway (A.D.998).

68.MEETING OF OLAF AND SIGRID.

Early in spring (A.D.998) King Olaf went eastwards to Konungahella to the meeting with Queen Sigrid; and when they met the business was considered about which the winter before they had held communication, namely, their marriage; and the business seemed likely to be concluded.But when Olaf insisted that Sigrid should let herself be baptized, she answered thus: -- "Imust not part from the faith which I have held, and my forefathers before me; and, on the other hand, I shall make no objection to your believing in the god that pleases you best."Then King Olaf was enraged, and answered in a passion, "Why should I care to have thee, an old faded woman, and a heathen jade?" and therewith struck her in the face with his glove which he held in his hands, rose up, and they parted.Sigrid said, "This may some day be thy death." The king set off to Viken, the queen to Svithjod.

69.THE BURNING OF WARLOCKS.