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r　now　there　came　just　such　a　darkness　over　him　and　his　comrades　in　witchcraft　as　they　had　made　before；　so　that　they　could　see　no　more　from　their　eyes　than　from　the　back　of　their　heads　but　went　round　and　round　in　a　circle　upon　the　island。　　When　the　king's　watchman　saw　them　going　about；　without　knowing　what　people　these　were；　they　told　the　king。　　Thereupon　he　rose　up　with　his　people；　put　on　his　clothes；　and　when　he　saw　Eyvind　with　his　men　wandering　about　he　ordered　his　men　to　arm；　and　examine　what　folk　these　were。　　The　king's　men　discovered　it　was　Eyvind；　took　him　and　all　his　company　prisoners；　and　brought　them　to　the　king。　Eyvind　now　told　all　he　had　done　on　his　journey。　　Then　the　king　ordered　these　all　to　be　taken　out　to　a　skerry　which　was　under　water　in　flood　tide；　and　there　to　be　left　bound。　　Eyvind　and　all　with　him　left　their　lives　on　this　rock；　and　the　skerry　is　still　called　Skrattasker。



71。　OLAF　AND　ODIN'S　APPARITION。

It　is　related　that　once　on　a　time　King　Olaf　was　at　a　feast　at　this　Ogvaldsnes；　and　one　eventide　there　came　to　him　an　old　man　very　gifted　in　words；　and　with　a　broad…brimmed　hat　upon　his　head。　He　was　one…eyed；　and　had　something　to　tell　of　every　land。　　He　entered　into　conversation　with　the　king；　and　as　the　king　found　much　pleasure　in　the　guest's　speech；　he　asked　him　concerning　many　things；　to　which　the　guest　gave　good　answers：　and　the　king　sat　up　late　in　the　evening。　　Among　other　things；　the　king　asked　him　if　he　knew　who　the　Ogvald　had　been　who　had　given　his　name　both　to　the　ness　and　to　the　house。　　The　guest　replied；　that　this　Ogvald　was　a　king；　and　a　very　valiant　man；　and　that　he　made　great　sacrifices　to　a　cow　which　he　had　with　him　wherever　he　went；　and　considered　it　good　for　his　health　to　drink　her　milk。　　This　same　King　Ogvald　had　a　battle　with　a　king　called　Varin；　in　which　battle　Ogvald　fell。　　He　was　buried　under　a　mound　close　to　the　house；　〃and　there　stands　his　stone　over　him；　and　close　to　it　his　cow　also　is　laid。〃　　Such　and　many　other　things；　and　ancient　events；　the　king　inquired　after。　　Now；　when　the　king　had　sat　late　into　the　night；　the　bishop　reminded　him　that　it　was　time　to　go　to　bed；　and　the　king　did　so。　　But　after　the　king　was　undressed；　and　had　laid　himself　in　bed；　the　guest　sat　upon　the　foot…stool　before　the　bed；　and　still　spoke　long　with　the　king；　for　after　one　tale　was　ended；　he　still　wanted　a　new　one。　　Then　the　bishop　observed　to　the　king；　it　was　time　to　go　to　sleep；　and　the　king　did　so；　and　the　guest　went　out。　　Soon　after　the　king　awoke；　asked　for　the　guest；　and　ordered　him　to　be　called；　but　the　guest　was　not　to　be　found。　　The　morning　after；　the　king　ordered　his　cook　and　cellar…　master　to　be　called；　and　asked　if　any　strange　person　had　been　with　them。　　They　said；　that　as　they　were　making　ready　the　meat　a　man　came　to　them；　and　observed　that　they　were　cooking　very　poor　meat　for　the　king's　table；　whereupon　he　gave　them　two　thick　and　fat　pieces　of　beef；　which　they　boiled　with　the　rest　of　the　meat。　Then　the　king　ordered　that　all　the　meat　should　be　thrown　away；　and　said　this　man　can　be　no　other　than　the　Odin　whom　the　heathens　have　so　long　worshipped；　and　added；　〃but　Odin　shall　not　deceive　us。〃



72。　THE　THING　IN　THRONDHJEM。

King　Olaf　collected　a　great　army　in　the　east　of　the　country　towards　summer；　and　sailed　with　it　north　to　Nidaros　in　the　Throndhjem　country。　　From　thence　he　sent　a　message…token　over　all　the　fjord；　calling　the　people　of　eight　different　districts　to　a　Thing；　but　the　bondes　changed　the　Thing…token　into　a　war…token；　and　called　together　all　men；　free　and　unfree；　in　all　the　Throndhjem　land。　　Now　when　the　king　met　the　Thing；　the　whole　people　came　fully　armed。　　After　the　Thing　was　seated；　the　king　spoke；　and　invited　them　to　adopt　Christianity；　but　he　had　only　spoken　a　short　time　when　the　bondes　called　out　to　him　to　be　silent；　or　they　would　attack　him　and　drive　him　away。　　〃We　did　so；〃　said　they；　〃with　Hakon　foster…son　of　Athelstan；　when　he　brought　us　the　same　message；　and　we　held　him　in　quite　as　much　respect　as　we　hold　thee。〃　　When　King　Olaf　saw　how　incensed　the　bondes　were；　and　that　they　had　such　a　war　force　that　he　could　make　no　resistance；　he　turned　his　speech　as　if　he　would　give　way　to　the　bondes；　and　said；　〃I　wish　only　to　be　in　a　good　understanding　with　you　as　of　old；　and　I　will　come　to　where　ye　hold　your　greatest　sacrifice…festival；　and　see　your　customs；　and　thereafter　we　shall　consider　which　to　hold　by。〃　　And　in　this　all　agreed；　and　as　the　king　spoke　mildly　and　friendly　with　the　bondes；　their　answer　was　appeased；　and　their　conference　with　the　king　went　off　peacefully。　　At　the　close　of　it　a　midsummer　sacrifice　was　fixed　to　take　place　in　Maeren；　and　all　chiefs　and　great　bondes　to　attend　it　as　usual。　　The　king　was　to　be　at　it。



73。　JARNSKEGGE　OR　IRON　BEARD。

There　was　a　great　bonde　called　Skegge；　and　sometimes　Jarnskegge；　or　Iron　Beard；　who　dwelt　in　Uphaug　in　Yrjar。　　He　spoke　first　at　the　Thing　to　Olaf；　and　was　the　foremost　man　of　the　bondes　in　speaking　against　Christianity。　　The　Thing　was　concluded　in　this　way　for　that　time；　　the　bondes　returned　home；　and　the　king　went　to　Hlader。


74。　THE　FEAST　AT　HLADER。

King　Olaf　lay　with　his　ships　in　the　river　Nid；　and　had　thirty　vessels；　which　were　manned　with　many　brave　people；　but　the　king　himself　was　often　at　Hlader；　with　his　court　attendants。　　As　the　time　now　was　approaching　at　which　the　sacrifices　should　be　made　at　Maeren；　the　king　prepared　a　great　feast　at　Hlader；　and　sent　a　message　to　the　districts　of　Strind；　Gaulardal；　and　out　to　Orkadal；　to　invite　the　chiefs　and　other　great　bondes。　　When　the　feast　was　ready；　and　the　chiefs　assembled；　there　was　a　handsome　entertainment　the　first　evening；　at　which　plenty　of　liquor　went　round。　and　the　guests　were　made　very　drunk。　　The　night　after　they　all　slept　in　peace。　　The　following　morning；　when　the　king　was　dressed；　he　had　the　early　mass　sung　before　him；　and　when　the　mass　was　over；　ordered　to　sound　the　trumpets　for　a　House　Thing：　upon　which　all　his　men　left　the　ships　to　come　up　to　the　Thing。　　When　the　Thing　was　seated；　the　king　stood　up；　and　spoke　thus：　〃We　held　a　Thing　at　Frosta；　and　there　I　invited　the　bondes　to　allow　themselves　to　be　baptized；　but　they；　on　the　other　hand；　invited　me　to　offer　sacrifice　to　their　gods；　as　King　Hakon；　Athelstan's　foster…son；　had　done；　and　thereafter　it　was　agreed　upon　between　us　that　we　should　meet　at　Maerin；　and　there　make　a　great　sacrifice。　　Now　if　I；　along　with　you；　shall　turn　again　to　making　sacrifice；　then　will　I　make　the　greatest　of　sacrifices　that　are　in　use；　and　I　will　sacrifice　men。　　But　I　will　not　select　slaves　or　malefactors　for　this；　but　will　take　the　greatest　men　only　to　be　offered　to　the　gods；　and　for　this　I　select　Orm　Lygra　of　Medalhus；　Styrkar　of　Gimsar；　Kar　of　Gryting；　Asbjorn　Thorbergson　of　Varnes；　Orm　of　Lyxa；　Haldor　of　Skerdingsstedja；〃　and　besides　these　he　named　five　others　of　the　principal　men。　　All　these；　he　said；　he　would　offer　in　sacrifice　to　the　gods　for　peace　and　a　fruitful　season；　and　ordered　them　to　be　laid　hold　of　immediately。　Now　when　the　bondes　saw　that　they　were　not　strong　enough　to　make　head　against　the　king；　they　asked　for　peace；　and　submitted　wholly　to　the　king's　pleasure。　　So　it　was　settled　that　all　the　bondes　who　had　come　there　should　be　baptized；　and　should　take　an　oath　to　the　king　to　hold　by　the　right　faith；　and　to　renounce　sacrifice　to　the　gods。　　The　king　then　kept　all　these　men　as　hostages　who　came　to　his　feast；　until　they　sent　him　their　sons；　brothers；　or　other　near　relations。


75。　OF　THE　THING　IN　THRONDHJEM。

King　Olaf　went　in　with　all　his　forces　into　the　Throndhjem　country；　and　when　he　came　to　Maeren　all　among　the　chiefs　of　the　Throndhjem　people　who　were　most　opposed　to　Christianity　were　assembled；　and　had　with　them　all　the　great　bondes　who　had　before　made　sacrifice　at　that　place。　　There　was　thus　a　greater　multitude　of　bondes　than　there　had　been　at　the　Frosta…Thing。　　Now　the　king　let　the　people　be　summoned　to　the　Thing；　where　both　parties　met　armed；　and　when　the　Thing　was　seated　the　king　made　a　speech；　in　which　he　told　the　people　to　go　over　to　Christianity。　　Jarnskegge　replies　on　the　part　of　the　bondes；　and　says　that　the　will　of　the　bondes　is　now；　as　formerly；　that　the　king　should　not　break　their　laws。　　〃We　want；　king；〃　said　he；　〃that　thou　shouldst　offer　sacrifice；　as　other　kings　before　thee　have　done。〃　　All　the　bondes　applauded　his　speech　with　a　loud　shout；　and　said　they　would　have　all　things　according　to　what　Skegge　said。　　Then　the　king　said　he　would　go　into　the　temple　of　their　gods　with　them；　and　see　what　the　practices　were　when　they　sacrificed。　　The　bondes　thought　well　of　this　proceeding；　and　both　parties　went　to　the　temple。



76。　THE　THRONDHJEM　PEOPLE　BAPTIZED。

Now　King　Olaf　entered　into　the　temple　with　some　few　of　his　men　and　a　few　bondes；　and　when　the　king　came　to　where　their　gods　were；　Thor；　as　the　most　considered　among　their　gods；　sat　there　adorned　with　gold　and　silver。　　The　king　lifted　up　his　gold…inlaid　axe　which　he　carried　in　his　hands；　and　struck　Thor　so　that　the　image　rolled　down　from　its　seat。　　Then　the　king's　men　turned　to　and　threw　down　all　the　gods　from　their　seats；　and　while　the　king　was　in　the　temple；　Jarnskegge　was　killed　outside　of　the　temple　doors；　and　the　king's　men　did　it。　　When　the　king　came　forth　out　of　the　temple　he　offered　the　bondes　two　conditions；　　that　all　should　accept　of　Christianity　forthwith；　or　that　they　should　fight　with　him。　　But　as　Skegge　was　killed；　there　was　no　leader　in　the　bondes'　army　to　raise　the　banner　against　King　Olaf；　so　they　took　the　other　condition；　to　surrender　to　the　king's　will　and　obey　his　order。　　Then　King　Olaf　had　all　the　people　present　baptized；　and　took　hostages　from　them　for　their　remaining　true　to　Christianity；　and　he　sent　his　men　round　to　every　district；　and　no　man　in　the　Throndhjem　country　opposed　Christianity；　but　all　people　took　baptism。



77。　A　TOWN　IN　THE　THRONDHJEM　COUNTRY。

King　Olaf　with　his　people　went　out　to　Nidaros；　and　made　houses　on　the　flat　side　of　the　river　Nid；　which　he　raised　to　be　a　merchant　town；　and　gave　people　ground　to　build　houses　upon。　　The　king's　house　he　had　built　just　opposite　Skipakrok；　and　he　transported　thither；　in　harvest；　all　that　was　necessary　for　his　winter　residence；　and　had　many　people　about　him