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forth　his　errand；　　that　he　desired　them；　according　to　his　proposal；　to　allow　themselves　to　be　baptized。　　Then　said　Olmod　the　Old；　〃We　relations　have　considered　together　this　matter；　and　have　come　to　one　resolution。　　If　thou　thinkest；　king；　to　force　us　who　are　related　together　to　such　things　as　to　break　our　old　law；　or　to　bring　us　under　thyself　by　any　sort　of　violence；　then　will　we　stand　against　thee　with　all　our　might：　and　be　the　victory　to　him　to　whom　fate　ordains　it。　　But　if　thou；　king；　wilt　advance　our　relations'　fortunes；　then　thou　shalt　have　leave　to　do　as　thou　desirest；　and　we　will　all　serve　thee　with　zeal　in　thy　purpose。〃

The　king　replies；　〃What　do　you　propose　for　obtaining　this　agreement？〃

Then　answers　Olmod；　〃The　first　is；　that　thou　wilt　give　thy　sister　Astrid　in　marriage　to　Erling　Skjalgson；　our　relation；　whom　we　look　upon　as　the　most　hopeful　young　man　in　all　Norway。〃

King　Olaf　replied；　that　this　marriage　appeared　to　him　also　very　suitable；　〃as　Erling　is　a　man　of　good　birth；　and　a　good…looking　man　in　appearance：　but　Astrid　herself　must　answer　to　this　proposal。〃

Thereupon　the　king　spoke　to　his　sister。　　She　said；　〃It　is　but　of　little　use　that　I　am　a　king's　sister；　and　a　king~s　daughter；　if　I　must　marry　a　man　who　has　no　high　dignity　or　office。　　I　will　rather　wait　a　few　years　for　a　better　match。〃　　Thus　ended　this　conference。


63。　HORDALAND　BAPTIZED。

King　Olaf　took　a　falcon　that　belonged　to　Astrid；　plucked　off　all　its　feathers；　and　then　sent　it　to　her。　　Then　said　Astrid；　〃Angry　is　my　brother。〃　　And　she　stood　up；　and　went　to　the　king；　who　received　her　kindly；　and　she　said　that　she　left　it　to　the　king　to　determine　her　marriage。　　〃I　think；〃　said　the　king；　〃that　I　must　have　power　enough　in　this　land　to　raise　any　man　I　please　to　high　dignity。〃　　Then　the　king　ordered　Olmod　and　Erling　to　be　called　to　a　conference；　and　all　their　relations；　and　the　marriage　was　determined　upon；　and　Astrid　betrothed　to　Erling。　　Thereafter　the　king　held　the　Thing；　and　recommended　Christianity　to　the　bondes；　and　as　Olmod；　and　Erling；　and　all　their　relations；　took　upon　themselves　the　most　active　part　in　forwarding　the　king's　desire；　nobody　dared　to　speak　against　it；　and　all　the　people　were　baptized；　and　adopted　Christianity。



64。　ERLING　SKJALGSON'S　WEDDING。

Erling　Skjalgson　had　his　wedding　in　summer；　and　a　great　many　people　were　assembled　at　it。　　King　Olaf　was　also　there；　and　offered　Erling　an　earldom。　　Erling　replied　thus：　〃All　my　relations　have　been　herses　only；　and　I　will　take　no　higher　title　than　they　have；　but　this　I　will　accept　from　thee；　king；　that　thou　makest　me　the　greatest　of　that　title　in　the　country。〃　　The　king　consented；　and　at　his　departure　the　king　invested　his　brother…in　law　Erling　with　all　the　land　north　of　the　Sognefjord；　and　east　to　the　Lidandisnes；　on　the　same　terms　as　Harald　Harfager　had　given　land　to　his　sons；　as　before　related。



65。　RAUMSDAL　AND　FJORD…DISTRICTS　BAPTIZED。

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：　　〃I　must　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。

Then　the　king　proceeded　to　Tunsberg；　and　held　a　Thing；　at　which　he　declared　in　a　speech　that　all　the　men　of　whom　it　should　be　known　to　a　certainty　that　they　dealt　with　evil　spirits；　or　in　witchcraft；　or　were　sorcerers；　should　be　banished　forth　of　the　land。　　Thereafter　the　king　had　all　the　neighborhood　ransacked　after　such　people；　and　called　them　all　before　him；　and　when　they　were　brought　to　the　Thing　there　was　a　man　among　them　called　Eyvind　Kelda；　a　grandson　of　Ragnvald　Rettilbeine；　Harald　Harfager's　son。　　Eyvind　was　a　sorcerer；　and　particularly　knowing　in　witchcraft。　　The　king　let　all　these　men　be　seated　in　one　room；　which　was　well　adorned；　and　made　a　great　feast　for　them；　and　gave　them　strong　drink　in　plenty。　　Now　when　they　were　all　very　drunk；　he　ordered　the　house　be　set　on　fire；　and　it　and　all　the　people　within　it　were　consumed；　all　but　Eyvind　Kelda；　who　contrived　to　escape　by　the　smoke…hole　in　the　roof。　　And　when　he　had　got　a　long　way　off；　he　met　some　people　on　the　road　going　to　the　king；　and　he　told　them　to　tell　the　king　that　Eyvind　Kelda　had　slipped　away　from　the　fire；　and　would　never　come　again　in　King　Olaf's　power；　but　would　carry　on　his　arts　of　witchcraft　as　much　as　ever。　　When　the　people　came　to　the　king　with　such　a　message　from　Eyvind；　the　king　was　ill　pleased　that　Eyvind　had　escaped　death。



70。　EYVIND　KELDA'S　DEATH。

When　spring　（A。D。　998）　came　King　Olaf　went　out　to　Viken；　and　was　on　visits　to　his　great　farms。　　He　sent　notice　over　all　Viken　that　he　would　call　out　an　army　in　summer；　and　proceed　to　the　north　parts　of　the　country。　　Then　he　went　north　to　Agder；　and　when　Easter　was　approaching　he　took　the　road　to　Rogaland　with　300　（=360）　men；　and　came　on　Easter　evening　north　to　Ogvaldsnes；　in　Kormt　Island；　where　an　Easter　feast　was　prepared　for　him。　　That　same　night　came　Eyvind　Kelda　to　the　island　with　a　well…manned　long…ship；　of　which　the　whole　crew　consisted　of　sorcerers　and　other　dealers　with　evil　spirits。　　Eyvind　went　from　his　ship　to　the　land　with　his　followers；　and　there　they　played　many　of　their　pranks　of　witchcraft。　　Eyvind　clothed　them　with　caps　of　darkness；　and　so　thick　a　mist　that　the　king　and　his　men　could　see　nothing　of　them；　but　when　they　came　near　to　the　house　at　Ogvaldsnes；　it　became　clear　day。　　Then　it　went　differently　from　what　Eyvind　had　intended：　for　now　there　came　just　such　a　darkness　over　him　and　his　comrades　in　witchcraft　as　they　had　made　befor