heimskringla-第53部分

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　　　　　　Pleaded　with　art；　　　　　　　　　　　And　touched　the　heart。　　　　　　Bjorn！　　brave　stainer　of　the　sword；　　　　　　Thou　art　my　friend　　I　trust　thy　word。〃

While　they　were　riding　up　to　Gautland；　Sigvat　made　these　verses：　

　　　　　〃Down　the　Fjord　sweep　wind　and　rain；　　　　　　Our　stout　ship's　sails　and　tackle　strain；　　　　　　　　　　　Wet　to　the　skin。　　　　　　　　　　　We're　sound　within；　　　　　　And　gaily　o'er　the　waves　are　dancing；　　　　　　Our　sea…steed　o'er　the　waves　high　prancing！　　　　　　　　　　　Through　Lister　sea　　　　　　　　　　　Flying　all　free；　　　　　　Off　from　the　wind　with　swelling　sail；　　　　　　We　merrily　scud　before　the　gale；　　　　　　　　　　　And　reach　the　sound　　　　　　　　　　　Where　we　were　bound。　　　　　　And　now　our　ship；　so　gay　and　grand；　　　　　　Glides　past　the　green　and　lovely　land；　　　　　　　　　　　And　at　the　isle　　　　　　　　　　　Moors　for　a　while。　　　　　　Our　horse…hoofs　now　leave　hasty　print；　　　　　　We　ride　　of　ease　there's　scanty　stint　　　　　　　　　　　　In　heat　and　haste　　　　　　　　　　　O'er　Gautland's　waste：　　　　　　Though　in　a　hurry　to　be　married；　　　　　　The　king　can't　say　that　we　have　tarried。〃

One　evening　late　they　were　riding　through　Gautland；　and　Sigvat　made　these　verses：　

　　　　　〃The　weary　horse　will　at　nightfall　　　　　　Gallop　right　well　to　reach　his　stall；　　　　　　When　night　meets　day；　with　hasty　hoof　　　　　　He　plies　the　road　to　reach　a　roof。　　　　　　Far　from　the　Danes；　we　now　may　ride　　　　　　Safely　by　stream　or　mountain…side；　　　　　　But；　in　this　twilight；　in　some　ditch　　　　　　The　horse　and　rider　both　may　pitch。〃

They　rode　through　the　merchant　town　of　Skara；　and　down　the　street　to　the　earl's　house。　　He　sang：　

　　　　　〃The　shy　sweet　girls；　from　window　high　　　　　　In　wonder　peep　at　the　sparks　that　fly　　　　　　From　our　horses　heels；　as　down　the　street　　　　　　Of　the　earl's　town　we　ride　so　fleet。　　　　　　Spur　on！　　that　every　pretty　lass　　　　　　May　hear　our　horse…hoofs　as　we　pass　　　　　　Clatter　upon　the　stones　so　hard；　　　　　　And　echo　round　the　paved　court…yard。〃



71。　HJALTE　SKEGGJASON　WHILE　HE　WAS　IN　SVITHIOD。

One　day　Hjalte；　and　the　skalds　with　him；　went　before　the　king；　and　he　began　thus：　　〃It　has　so　happened；　king；　as　is　known　to　you；　that　I　have　come　here　after　a　long　and　difficult　journey；　but　when　I　had　once　crossed　the　ocean　and　heard　of　your　greatness；　it　appeared　to　me　unwise　to　go　back　without　having　seen　you　in　your　splendour　and　glory。　　Now　it　is　a　law　between　Iceland　and　Norway；　that　Iceland　men　pay　landing　due　when　they　come　into　Norway；　but　while　I　was　coming　across　the　sea　I　took　myself　all　the　landing　dues　from　my　ship's　people；　but　knowing　that　thou　have　the　greatest　right　to　all　the　power　in　Norway；　I　hastened　hither　to　deliver　to　you　the　landing　dues。〃　　With　this　he　showed　the　silver　to　the　king；　and　laid　ten　marks　of　silver　in　Gissur　Black's　lap。

The　king　replies；　〃Few　have　brought　us　any　such　dues　from　Norway　for　some　time；　and　now；　Hjalte；　I　will　return　you　my　warmest　thanks　for　having　given　yourself　so　much　trouble　to　bring　us　the　landing　dues；　rather　than　pay　them　to　our　enemies。　　But　I　will　that　thou　shouldst　take　this　money　from　me　as　a　gift；　and　with　it　my　friendship。〃

Hjalte　thanked　the　king　with　many　words；　and　from　that　day　set　himself　in　great　favour　with　the　king；　and　often　spoke　with　him；　for　the　king　thought；　what　was　true；　that　he　was　a　man　of　much　understanding　and　eloquence。　　Now　Hjalte　told　Gissur　and　Ottar　that　he　was　sent　with　tokens　to　the　king's　daughter　Ingegerd；　to　obtain　her　protection　and　friendship；　and　he　begged　of　them　to　procure　him　some　opportunity　to　speak　with　her。　　They　answered；　that　this　was　an　easy　thing　to　do；　and　went　one　day　to　her　house；　where　she　sat　at　the　drinking　table　with　many　men。　　She　received　the　skalds　in　a　friendly　manner；　for　they　were　known　to　her。　Hjalte　brought　her　a　salutation　from　the　earl's　wife；　Ingebjorg；　and　said　she　had　sent　him　here　to　obtain　friendly　help　and　succour　from　her；　and　in　proof　whereof　produced　his　tokens。　　The　king's　daughter　received　him　also　kindly；　and　said　he　should　be　welcome　to　her　friendship。　　They　sat　there　till　late　in　the　day　drinking。　　The　king's　daughter　made　Hjalte　tell　her　much　news；　and　invited　him　to　come　often　and　converse　with　her。　　He　did　so：　came　there　often；　and　spoke　with　the　king's　daughter；　and　at　last　entrusted　her　with　the　purpose　of　Bjorn's　and　his　comrade's　journey；　and　asked　her　how　she　thought　the　Swedish　king　would　receive　the　proposal　that　there　should　be　a　reconciliation　between　the　kings。　　The　king's　daughter　replied；　that；　in　her　opinion；　it　would　be　a　useless　attempt　to　propose　to　the　king　any　reconciliation　with　Olaf　the　Thick；　for　the　king　was　so　enraged　against　him；　that　he　would　not　suffer　his　name　to　be　mentioned　before　him。　　It　happened　one　day　that　Hjalte　was　sitting　with　the　king　and　talking　to　him；　and　the　king　was　very　merry　and　drunk。　Then　Hjalte　said；　〃Manifold　splendour　and　grandeur　have　I　seen　here；　and　I　have　now　witnessed　with　my　eyes　what　I　have　often　heard　of；　that　no　monarch　in　the　north　is　so　magnificent：　but　it　is　very　vexatious　that　we　who　come　so　far　to　visit　it　have　a　road　so　long　and　troublesome；　both　on　account　of　the　great　ocean；　but　more　especially　because　it　is　not　safe　to　travel　through　Norway　for　those　who　are　coming　here　in　a　friendly　disposition。　　But　why　is　there　no　one　to　bring　proposals　for　a　peace　between　you　and　King　Olaf　the　Thick？　　I　heard　much　in　Norway；　and　in　west　Gautland；　of　the　general　desire　that　this　peace　should　have　taken　place；　and　it　has　been　told　me　for　truth；　as　the　Norway　king's　words；　that　he　earnestly　desires　to　be　reconciled　to　you；　and　the　reason　I　know　is；　that　he　feels　how　much　less　his　power　is　than　yours。　　It　is　even　said　that　he　intends　to　pay　his　court　to　your　daughter　Ingegerd；　and　that　would　lead　to　a　useful　peace；　for　I　　have　heard　from　people　of　credit　that　he　is　a　remarkably　distinguished　man。〃

The　king　answers。　〃Thou　must　not　speak　thus；　Hjalte；　but　for　this　time　I　will　not　take　it　amiss　of　thee；　as　thou　dost　not　know　what　people　have　to　avoid　here。　　That　fat　fellow　shall　not　be　called　king　in　my　court；　and　there　is　by　no　means　the　stuff　in　him　that　people　talk　of：　and　thou　must　see　thyself　that　such　a　connection　is　not　suitable；　for　I　am　the　tenth　king　in　Upsala　who；　relation　after　relation；　has　been　sole　monarch　over　the　Swedish；　and　many　other　great　lands；　and　all　have　been　the　superior　kings　over　other　kings　in　the　northern　countries。　　But　Norway　is　little　inhabited；　and　the　inhabitants　are　scattered。　　There　have　only　been　small　kings　there；　and　although　Harald　Harfager　was　the　greatest　king　in　that　country；　and　strove　against　the　small　kings；　and　subdued　them；　yet　he　knew　so　well　his　position　that　he　did　not　covet　the　Swedish　dominions；　and　therefore　the　Swedish　kings　let　him　sit　in　peace；　especially　as　there　was　relationship　between　them。　　Thereafter；　while　Hakon　Athelstan's　foster…son　was　in　Norway　he　sat　in　peace；　until　he　began　to　maraud　in　Gautland　and　Denmark；　on　which　a　war…force　came　upon　him；　and　took　from　him　both　life　and　land。　　Gunhild's　sons　also　were　cut　off　when　they　became　disobedient　to　the　Danish　kings；　and　Harald　Gormson　joined　Norway　to　his　own　dominions；　and　made　it　subject　to　scat　to　him。　　And　we　reckon　Harald　Gormson　to　be　of　less　power　and　consideration　than　the　Upsala　kings；　for　our　relation　Styrbjorn　subdued　him；　and　Harald　became　his　man；　and　yet　Eirik　the　Victorious；　my　father；　rose　over　Styrbjorn's　head　when　it　came　to　a　trial　between　them。　　When　Olaf　Trygvason　came　to　Norway　and　proclaimed　himself　king；　we　would　not　permit　it；　but　we　went　with　King　Svein；　and　cut　him　off；　and　thus　we　have　appropriated　Norway；　as　thou　hast　not　heard；　and　with　no　less　right　than　if　I　had　gained　it　in　battle；　and　by　conquering　the　kings　who　ruled　it　before。　　Now　thou　canst　well　suppose；　as　a　man　of　sense；　that　I　will　not　let　slip　the　kingdom　of　Norway　for　this　thick　fellow。　　It　is　wonderful　he　does　not　remember　how　narrowly　he　made　his　escape；　when　we　had　penned　him　in　in　the　Malar　lake。　　Although　he　slipped　away　with　life　from　thence；　he　ought；　methinks；　to　have　something　else　in　his　mind　than　to　hold　out　against　us　Swedes。　Now；　Hjalte；　thou　must　never　again　open　thy　mouth　in　my　presence　on　such　a　subject。〃

Hjalte　saw　sufficiently　that　there　was　no　hope　of　the　king's　listening　to　any　proposal　of　a　peace；　and　desisted　from　speaking　of　it；　and　turned　the　conversation　to　something　else。　　When　Hjalte；　afterwards；　came　into　discourse　with　the　king's　daughter　Ingegerd；　he　tells　her　his　conversation　with　the　king。　　She　told　him　she　expected　such　an　answer　from　the　king。　　Hjalte　begged　of　her　to　say　a　good　word　to　the　king　about　the　matter；　but　she　thought　the　king　would　listen　as　little　to　what　she　said：　〃But　speak　about　it　I　will；　if　thou　requirest　it。〃　　Hjalte　assured　her　he　would　be　thankful　for　the　attempt。　　One　day　the　king's　daughter　Ingegerd　had　a　conversation　with　her　father　Olaf；　and　as　she　found　her　father　was　in　a　particularly　good　humour；　she　said；　〃What　is　now　thy　intention　with　regard　to　the　strife　with　Olaf　the　Thick？　　There　are　many　who　complain　about　it；　having　lost　their　property　by　it；　others　have　lost　their　relations　by　the　Northmen；　and　all　their　peace　and　quiet；　so　that　none　of　your　men　see　any　harm　that　can　be　done　to　Norway。　　It　would　be　a　bad　counsel　if　thou　sought　the　dominion　over　Norway；　for　it　is　a　poor　country；　difficult　to　come　at；　and　the　people　dangerous：　for　the　men　there　will　rather　have　any　other　for　their　king　than　thee。　　If　I　might　advise；　thou　wouldst　let　go　all　thoughts　about　Norway；　and　not　desire　Olaf's　heritage；　and　rather　turn　thyself　to　the　kingdoms　in　the　East　country；　which　thy　forefathers　the　former　Swedish　kings　had；　and　which　our　relation　Styrbjorn　lately　subdued；　and　let　the　thick　Olaf　possess　the　heritage　of　his　forefathers　and　make　peace　with　him。〃

The　king　replies　in　a　rage；　〃It　is　thy　counsel；　Ingegerd；　that　I　should　let　slip　the　kingdom　of　Norway；　and　give　thee　in　marriage　to　this　thick　Olaf。　…　No；〃　says　he；　〃something　else　shall　first　take　place。　　Rather　than　that；　I　shall；　at　the　Upsala　Thing　in　winter；　issue　a　proclamation　to　all　Swedes；　that　the　whole　people　shall　assemble　for　an　expedition；　and　go　to　their　ships　before　the　ice　is　off　the　waters；　and　I　will　proceed　to　Norway；　and　lay　waste　the　land　with　fire　and　sword；　and　burn　everything；　to　punish　them　for　t