heimskringla-第21部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ng　to　this　law　and　usage；　the　whole　people　stormed　and　sought　after　the　boy。　　It　was　reported　that　he　was　in　the　Queen's　house；　and　that　there　was　a　number　of　armed　men　there。　　When　this　was　told　to　the　king；　he　went　there　with　his　people；　but　would　allow　no　bloodshed。　　It　was　settled　at　last　in　peace；　that　the　king　should　name　the　fine　for　the　murder；　and　the　queen　paid　it。　　Olaf　remained　afterwards　with　the　queen；　and　was　much　beloved。　　It　is　a　law　at　Holmgard；　that　no　man　of　royal　descent　shall　stay　there　without　the　king's　permission。　　Sigurd　therefore　told　the　queen　of　what　family　Olaf　was；　and　for　what　reason　he　had　come　to　Russia；　namely；　that　he　could　not　remain　with　safety　in　his　own　country：　and　begged　her　to　speak　to　the　king　about　it。　　She　did　so；　and　begged　the　king　to　help　a　king's　son　whose　fate　had　been　so　hard；　and　in　consequence　of　her　entreaty　the　king　promised　to　assist　him；　and　accordingly　he　received　Olaf　into　his　court；　and　treated　him　nobly；　and　as　a　king's　son。　　Olaf　was　nine　years　old　when　he　came　to　Russia；　and　he　remained　nine　years　more　（A。D。　978…981）　with　King　Valdemar。　　Olaf　was　the　handsomest　of　men；　very　stout　and　strong；　and　in　all　bodily　exercises　he　excelled　every　Northman　that　ever　was　heard　of。



8。　OF　HAKON　EARL　OF　HLADER。

Earl　Hakon；　Sigurd's　son；　was　with　the　Danish　king；　Harald　Gormson；　the　winter　after　he　had　fled　from　Norway　before　Gunhild's　sons。　　During　the　winter　（A。D。　969）　the　earl　had　so　much　care　and　sorrow　that　he　took　to　bed；　and　passed　many　sleepless　nights；　and　ate　and　drank　no　more　than　was　needful　to　support　his　strength。　　Then　he　sent　a　private　message　to　his　friends　north　in　Throndhjem；　and　proposed　to　them　that　they　should　kill　King　Erling；　if　they　had　an　opportunity；　adding；　that　he　would　come　to　them　in　summer。　　The　same　winter　the　Throndhjem　people　accordingly；　as　before　related；　killed　King　Erling。　　There　was　great　friendship　between　Earl　Hakon　and　Gold　Harald；　and　Harald　told　Hakon　all　his　intentions。　　He　told　him　that　he　was　tired　of　a　ship…life；　and　wanted　to　settle　on　the　land；　and　asked　Hakon　if　he　thought　his　brother　King　Harald　would　agree　to　divide　the　kingdom　with　him　if　he　asked　it。　　〃I　think；〃　replied　Hakon；　〃that　the　Danish　king　would　not　deny　thy　right；　but　the　best　way　to　know　is　to　speak　to　the　king　himself。　　I　know　for　certain　so　much；　that　you　will　not　get　a　kingdom　if　you　don't　ask　for　it。〃　　Soon　after　this　conversation　Gold　Harald　spoke　to　the　king　about　the　matter；　in　the　presence　of　many　great　men　who　were　friends　to　both；　and　Gold　Harald　asked　King　Harald　to　divide　the　kingdom　with　him　in　two　equal　parts；　to　which　his　royal　birth　and　the　custom　of　the　Danish　monarchy　gave　him　right。　　The　king　was　highly　incensed　at　this　demand；　and　said　that　no　man　had　asked　his　father　Gorm　to　be　king　over　half　of　Denmark；　nor　yet　his　grandfather　King　Hordaknut；　or　Sigurd　Orm；　or　Ragnar　Lodbrok；　and　he　was　so　exasperated　and　angry；　that　nobody　ventured　to　speak　of　it　to　him。



9。　OF　GOLD　HARALD。

Gold　Harald　was　now　worse　off　than　before；　for　he　had　got　no　kingdom；　and　had　got　the　king's　anger　by　proposing　it。　　He　went　as　usual　to　his　friend　Hakon；　and　complained　to　him　of　his　fate；　and　asked　for　good　advice；　and　if　he　could　help　him　to　get　his　share　of　the　kingdom；　saying　that　he　would　rather　try　force；　and　the　chance　of　war；　than　give　it　up。

Hakon　advised　him　not　to　speak　to　any　man　so　that　this　should　be　known；　〃for；〃　said　he；　〃it　concerns　thy　life：　and　rather　consider　with　thyself　what　thou　art　man　enough　to　undertake；　for　to　accomplish　such　a　purpose　requires　a　bold　and　firm　man；　who　will　neither　stick　at　good　nor　evil　to　do　that　which　is　intended；　for　to　take　up　great　resolutions；　and　then　to　lay　them　aside；　would　only　end　in　dishonour。〃

Go1d　Harald　replies　　〃I　will　so　carry　on　what　I　begin；　that　I　will　not　hesitate　to　kill　Harald　with　my　own　hands；　if　I　can　come　thereby　to　the　kingdom　he　denies　me；　and　which　is　mine　by　right。〃　And　so　they　separated。

Now　King　Harald　comes　also　to　Earl　Hakon；　and　tells　him　the　demand　on　his　kingdom　which　Gold　Harald　had　made；　and　also　his　answer；　and　that　he　would　upon　no　account　consent　to　diminish　his　kingdom。　　〃And　if　Gold　Harald　persists　in　his　demand；　I　will　have　no　hesitation　in　having　him　killed；　for　I　will　not　trust　him　if　he　does　not　renounce　it。〃

The　earl　answered；　　〃My　thoughts　are；　that　Harald　has　carried　his　demand　so　far　that　he　cannot　now　let　it　drop；　and　I　expect　nothing　but　war　in　the　land；　and　that　he　will　be　able　to　gather　a　great　force；　because　his　father　was　so　beloved。　　And　then　it　would　be　a　great　enormity　if　you　were　to　kill　your　relation；　for；　as　things　now　stand；　all　men　would　say　that　he　was　innocent。　　But　I　am　far　from　saying；　or　advising；　that　you　should　make　yourself　a　smaller　king　than　your　father　Gorm　was；　who　in　many　ways　enlarged；　but　never　diminished　his　kingdom。〃

The　king　replies；　　〃What　then　is　your　advice；　　if　I　am　neither　to　divide　my　kingdom；　nor　to　get　rid　of　my　fright　and　danger？〃

〃Let　us　meet　again　in　a　few　days；〃　said　Earl　Hakon；　〃and　I　will　then　have　considered　the　matter　well；　and　will　give　you　my　advice　upon　it。〃

The　king　then　went　away　with　his　people。



10。　COUNCILS　HELD　BY　HAKON　AND　HARALD。

Earl　Hakon　had　now　great　reflection；　and　many　opinions　to　weigh；　and　he　let　only　very　few　be　in　the　house　with　him。　　In　a　few　days　King　Harald　came　again　to　the　earl　to　speak　with　him；　and　ask　if　he　had　yet　considered　fully　the　matter　they　had　been　talking　of。

〃I　have；〃　said　the　earl；　〃considered　it　night　and　day　ever　since；　and　find　it　most　advisable　that　you　retain　and　rule　over　the　whole　of　your　kingdom　just　as　your　father　left　it；　but　that　you　obtain　for　your　relation　Harald　another　kingdom；　that　he　also　may　enjoy　honour　and　dignity。〃

〃What　kind　of　kingdom　is　that；〃　said　the　king；　〃which　I　can　give　to　Harald；　that　I　may　possess　Denmark　entire？〃

〃It　is　Norway；〃　said　the　earl。　〃The　kings　who　are　there　are　oppressive　to　the　people　of　the　country；　so　that　every　man　is　against　them　who　has　tax　or　service　to　pay。〃

The　king　replies；　　〃Norway　is　a　large　country；　and　the　people　fierce；　and　not　good　to　attack　with　a　foreign　army。　　We　found　that　sufficiently　when　Hakon　defended　that　country；　for　we　lost　many　people；　and　gained　no　victory。　　Besides；　Harald　the　son　of　Eirik　is　my　foster…son；　and　has　sat　on　my　knee。〃

The　earl　answers；　〃I　have　long　known　that　you　have　helped　Gunhild's　sons　with　your　force；　and　a　bad　return　you　have　got　for　it；　but　we　shall　get　at　Norway　much　more　easily　than　by　fighting　for　it　with　all　the　Danish　force。　　Send　a　message　to　your　foster…　son　Harald；　Eirik's　son；　and　offer　him　the　lands　and　fiefs　which　Gunhild's　sons　held　before　in　Denmark。　　Appoint　him　a　meeting；　and　Gold　Harald　will　soon　conquer　for　himself　a　kingdom　in　Norway　from　Harald　Grafeld。〃

The　king　replies；　that　it　would　be　called　a　bad　business　to　deceive　his　own　foster…son。

〃The　Danes；〃　answered　the　earl；　〃will　rather　say　that　it　was　better　to　kill　a　Norwegian　viking　than　a　Danish；　and　your　own　brother's　son。〃

They　spoke　so　long　over　the　matter；　that　they　agreed　on　it。



11。　HARALD　GORMSON'S　MESSAGE　TO　NORWAY。

Thereafter　Gold　Harald　had　a　conference　with　Earl　Hakon；　and　the　earl　told　him　he　had　now　advanced　his　business　so　far；　that　there　was　hope　a　kingdom　might　stand　open　for　him　in　Norway。　　〃We　can　then　continue；〃　said　he；　〃our　ancient　friendship；　and　I　can　be　of　the　greatest　use　to　you　in　Norway。　　Take　first　that　kingdom。　　King　Harald　is　now　very　old；　and　has　but　one　son；　and　cares　but　little　about　him；　as　he　is　but　the　son　of　a　concubine。〃

The　Earl　talked　so　long　to　Gold　Harald　that　the　project　pleased　him　well；　and　the　king；　the　earl；　and　Gold　Harald　often　talked　over　the　business　together。　　The　Danish　king　then　sent　messengers　north　to　Norway　to　Harald　Grafeld；　and　fitted　them　out　magnificently　for　their　journey。　　They　were　well　received　by　Harald。　　The　messengers　told　him　that　Earl　Hakon　was　in　Denmark；　but　was　lying　dangerously　sick；　and　almost　out　of　his　senses。　　They　then　delivered　from　Harald；　the　Danish　king；　the　invitation　to　Harald　Grafeld；　his　foster…son；　to　come　to　him　and　receive　investiture　of　the　fiefs　he　and　his　brothers　before　him　had　formerly　held　in　Denmark；　and　appointing　a　meeting　in　Jutland。　Harald　Grafeld　laid　the　matter　before　his　mother　and　other　friends。　　Their　opinions　were　divided。　　Some　thought　that　the　expedition　was　not　without　its　danger；　on　account　of　the　men　with　whom　they　had　to　deal；　but　the　most　were　in　haste　to　begin　the　journey；　for　at　that　time　there　was　such　a　famine　in　Norway　that　the　kings　could　scarcely　feed　their　men…at…arms；　and　on　this　account　the　Fjord；　on　which　the　kings　resided；　usually　got　the　name　of　Hardanger　（Hardacre）。　　In　Denmark；　on　the　other　hand；　there　had　been　tolerably　good　crops；　so　that　people　thought　that　if　King　Harald　got　fiefs；　and　something　to　rule　over　there　they　would　get　some　assistance。　　It　was　therefore　concluded；　before　the　messengers　returned；　that　Harald　should　travel　to　Denmark　to　the　Danish　king　in　summer；　and　accept　the　conditions　King　Harald　offered。



12。　TREACHERY　OF　HARALD　AND　HAKON。

Harald　Grafeld　went　to　Denmark　in　the　summer　（A。D。　969）　with　three　long…ships；　and　Herse　Arinbjorn；　from　the　Fjord　district；　commanded　one　of　them。　　King　Harald　sailed　from　Viken　over　to　Limfjord　in　Jutland；　and　landed　at　the　narrow　neck　of　land　where　the　Danish　king　was　expected。　　Now　when　Gold　Harald　heard　of　this；　he　sailed　there　with　nine　ships　which　he　had　fitted　out　before　for　a　viking　cruise。　　Earl　Hakon　had　also　his　war　force　on　foot；　namely；　twelve　large　ships；　all　ready；　with　which　he　proposed　to　make　an　expedition。　　When　Gold　Harald　had　departed　Earl　Hakon　says　to　the　king；　〃Now　I　don't　know　if　we　are　not　sailing　on　an　expedition；　and　yet　are　to　pay　the　penalty　of　not　having　joined　it。　　Gold　Harald　may　kill　Harald　Grafeld；　and　get　the　kingdom　of　Norway；　but　you　must　not　think　he　will　be　true　to　you；　although　you　do　help　him　to　so　much　power；　for　he　told　me　in　winter　that　he　would　take　your　life　if　he　could　find　opportunity　to　do　so。　　Now　I　will　win　Norway　for　you；　and　kill　Gold　Harald；　if　you　will　promise　me　a　good　condition　under　you。　　I　will　be　your　earl；　s