heimskringla-第77部分

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on　of　Thorgils　Sprakaleg。　　Ulf　was　married　to　Astrid；　King　Svein's　daughter；　and　sister　of　Canute　the　Great。　Their　son　Svein　was　afterwards　king　of　Denmark。　　Earl　Ulf　was　a　very　distinguished　man。　　When　the　kings　Olaf　and　Onund　heard　that　Canute　the　Great　had　gone　west　to　England；　they　hastened　to　hold　their　conference；　and　met　at　Konungahella；　on　the　Gaut　river。　They　had　a　joyful　meeting；　and　had　many　friendly　conversations；　of　which　something　might　become　known　to　the　public；　but　they　also　spake　often　a　great　deal　between　themselves；　with　none　but　themselves　two　present；　of　which　only　some　things　afterwards　were　carried　into　effect；　and　thus　became　known　to　every　one。　　At　parting　the　kings　presented　each　other　with　gifts；　and　parted　the　best　of　friends。　　King　Onund　went　up　into　Gautland；　and　Olaf　northwards　to　Viken；　and　afterwards　to　Agder；　and　thence　northwards　along　the　coast；　but　lay　a　long　time　at　Egersund　waiting　a　wind。　　Here　he　heard　that　Erling　Skjalgson；　and　the　inhabitants　of　Jadar　with　him；　had　assembled　a　large　force。　　One　day　the　king's　people　were　talking　among　themselves　whether　the　wind　was　south　or　south…west；　and　whether　with　that　wind　they　could　sail　past　Jadar　or　not。　　The　most　said　it　was　impossible　to　fetch　round。　　Then　answers　Haldor　Brynjolfson；　〃I　am　of　opinion　that　we　would　go　round　Jadar　with　this　wind　fast　enough　if　Erling　Skjalgson　had　prepared　a　feast　for　us　at　Sole。〃　　Then　King　Olaf　ordered　the　tents　to　be　struck；　and　the　vessels　to　be　hauled　out；　which　was　done。　　They　sailed　the　same　day　past　Jadar　with　the　best　wind；　and　in　the　evening　reached　Hirtingsey；　from　whence　the　king　proceeded　to　Hordaland；　and　was　entertained　there　in　guest…　quarters。



145。　THORALF'S　MURDER。

The　same　summer　（A。D。　1026）　a　ship　sailed　from　Norway　to　the　Farey　Islands；　with　messengers　carrying　a　verbal　message　from　King　Olaf；　that　one　of　his　court…men；　Leif　Ossurson；　or　Lagman　Gille；　or　Thoralf　of　Dimun；　should　come　over　to　him　from　the　Farey　Islands。　　Now　when　this　message　came　to　the　Farey　Islands；　and　was　delivered　to　those　whom　it　concerned；　they　held　a　meeting　among　themselves；　to　consider　what　might　lie　under　this　message；　and　they　were　all　of　opinion　that　the　king　wanted　to　inquire　into　the　real　state　of　the　event　which　some　said　had　taken　place　upon　the　islands；　namely；　the　failure　and　disappearance　of　the　former　messengers　of　the　king；　and　the　loss　of　the　two　ships；　of　which　not　a　man　had　been　saved。　　It　was　resolved　that　Thoralf　should　undertake　the　journey。　　He　got　himself　ready；　and　rigged　out　a　merchant…vessel　belonging　to　himself；　manned　with　ten　or　twelve　men。　　When　it　was　ready；　waiting　a　wind；　it　happened；　at　Austrey；　in　the　house　of　Thrand　of　Gata；　that　he　went　one　fine　day　into　the　room　where　his　brother's　two　sons；　Sigurd　and　Thord；　sons　of　Thorlak；　were　lying　upon　the　benches　in　the　room。　　Gaut　the　Red　was　also　there；　who　was　one　of　their　relations　and　a　man　of　distinction。　　Sigurd　was　the　oldest；　and　their　leader　in　all　things。　　Thord　had　a　distinguished　name；　and　was　called　Thord　the　Low；　although　in　reality　he　was　uncommonly　tall；　and　yet　in　proportion　more　strong　than　large。　　Then　Thrand　said；　〃How　many　things　are　changed　in　the　course　of　a　man's　life！　　When　we　were　young；　it　was　rare　for　young　people　who　were　able　to　do　anything　to　sit　or　lie　still　upon　a　fine　day；　and　our　forefathers　would　scarcely　have　believed　that　Thoralf　of　Dimun　would　be　bolder　and　more　active　than　ye　are。　　I　believe　the　vessel　I　have　standing　here　in　the　boat…house　will　be　so　old　that　it　will　rot　under　its　coat　of　tar。　　Here　are　all　the　houses　full　of　wool；　which　is　neither　used　nor　sold。　　It　should　not　be　so　if　I　were　a　few　winters　younger。〃　　Sigurd　sprang　up；　called　upon　Gaut　and　Thord；　and　said　he　would　not　endure　Thrand's　scoffs。　　They　went　out　to　the　houseservants；　and　launched　the　vessel　upon　the　water；　brought　down　a　cargo；　and　loaded　the　ship。　　They　had　no　want　of　a　cargo　at　home；　and　the　vessel's　rigging　was　in　good　order；　so　that　in　a　few　days　they　were　ready　for　sea。　　There　were　ten　or　twelve　men　in　the　vessel。　　Thoralf's　ship　and　theirs　had　the　same　wind；　and　they　were　generally　in　sight　of　each　other。　　They　came　to　the　land　at　Herna　in　the　evening；　and　Sigurd　with　his　vessel　lay　outside　on　the　strand；　but　so　that　there　was　not　much　distance　between　the　two　ships。　　It　happened　towards　evening；　when　it　was　dark；　that　just　as　Thoralf　and　his　people　were　preparing　to　go　to　bed；　Thoralf　and　another　went　on　shore　for　a　certain　purpose。　　When　they　were　ready；　they　prepared　to　return　on　board。　　The　man　who　had　accompanied　Thoralf　related　afterwards　this　story；　　that　a　cloth　was　thrown　over　his　head；　and　that　he　was　lifted　up　from　the　ground；　and　he　heard　a　great　bustle。　　He　was　taken　away；　and　thrown　head　foremost　down；　but　there　was　sea　under　him；　and　he　sank　under　the　water。　　When　he　got　to　land；　he　went　to　the　place　where　he　and　Thoralf　had　been　parted；　and　there　he　found　Thoralf　with　his　head　cloven　down　to　his　shoulders；　and　dead。　　When　the　ship's　people　heard　of　it　they　carried　the　body　out　to　the　ship；　and　let　it　remain　there　all　night。　　King　Olaf　was　at　that　time　in　guest…quarters　at　Lygra；　and　thither　they　sent　a　message。　　Now　a　Thing　was　called　by　message…token；　and　the　king　came　to　the　Thing。　　He　had　also　ordered　the　Farey　people　of　both　vessels　to　be　summoned；　and　they　appeared　at　the　Thing。　　Now　when　the　Thing　was　seated；　the　king　stood　up　and　said；　〃Here　an　event　has　happened　which　（and　it　is　well　that　it　is　so）　is　very　seldom　heard　of。　　Here　has　a　good　man　been　put　to　death；　without　any　cause。　　Is　there　any　man　upon　the　Thing　who　can　say　who　has　done　it？〃

Nobody　could　answer。

〃Then；〃　said　the　king；　〃I　cannot　conceal　my　suspicion　that　this　deed　has　been　done　by　the　Farey　people　themselves。　　It　appears　to　me　that　it　has　been　done　in　this　way；　　that　Sigurd　Thorlakson　has　killed　the　man；　and　Thord　the　Low　has　cast　his　comrade　into　the　sea。　　I　think；　too；　that　the　motives　to　this　must　have　been　to　hinder　Thoralf　from　telling　about　the　misdeed　of　which　he　had　information；　namely；　the　murder　which　I　suspect　was　committed　upon　my　messengers。〃

When　he　had　ended　his　speech；　Sigurd　Thorlakson　stood　up；　and　desired　to　be　heard。　　〃I　have　never　before；〃　said　he；　〃spoken　at　a　Thing；　and　I　do　not　expect　to　be　looked　upon　as　a　man　of　ready　words。　　But　I　think　there　is　sufficient　necessity　before　me　to　reply　something　to　this。　　I　will　venture　to　make　a　guess　that　the　speech　the　king　has　made　comes　from　some　man's　tongue　who　is　of　far　less　understanding　and　goodness　than　he　is；　and　has　evidently　proceeded　from　those　who　are　our　enemies。　　It　is　speaking　improbabilities　to　say　that　I　could　be　Thoralf's　murderer；　for　he　was　my　foster…brother　and　good　friend。　　Had　the　case　been　otherwise；　and　had　there　been　anything　outstanding　between　me　and　Thoralf；　yet　I　am　surely　born　with　sufficient　understanding　to　have　done　this　deed　in　the　Farey　Islands；　rather　than　here　between　your　hands；　sire。　　But　I　am　ready　to　clear　myself；　and　my　whole　ship's　crew；　of　this　act；　and　to　make　oath　according　to　what　stands　in　your　laws。　　Or；　if　ye　find　it　more　satisfactory；　I　offer　to　clear　myself　by　the　ordeal　of　hot　iron；　and　I　wish；　sire；　that　you　may　be　present　yourself　at　the　proof。〃

When　Sigurd　had　ceased　to　speak　there　were　many　who　supported　his　case；　and　begged　the　king　that　Sigurd　might　be　allowed　to　clear　himself　of　this　accusation。　　They　thought　that　Sigurd　had　spoken　well；　and　that　the　accusation　against　him　might　be　untrue。

The　king　replies；　〃It　may　be　with　regard　to　this　man　very　differently；　and　if　he　is　belied　in　any　respect　he　must　be　a　good　man；　and　if　not；　he　is　the　boldest　I　have　ever　met　with：　and　I　believe　this　is　the　case；　and　that　he　will　bear　witness　to　it　himself。〃

At　the　desire　of　the　people；　the　king　took　Sigurd's　obligation　to　take　the　iron　ordeal；　he　should　come　the　following　day　to　Lygra；　where　the　bishop　should　preside　at　the　ordeal；　and　so　the　Thing　closed。　　The　king　went　back　to　Lygra；　and　Sigurd　and　his　comrades　to　their　ship。

As　soon　as　it　began　to　be　dark　at　night　Sigurd　said　to　his　ship's　people。　　〃To　say　the　truth；　we　have　come　into　a　great　misfortune；　for　a　great　lie　is　got　up　against　us；　and　this　king　is　a　deceitful；　crafty　man。　　Our　fate　is　easy　to　be　foreseen　where　he　rules；　for　first　he　made　Thoralf　be　slain；　and　then　made　us　the　misdoers；　without　benefit　of　redemption　by　fine。　　For　him　it　is　an　easy　matter　to　manage　the　iron　ordeal；　so　that　I　fear　he　will　come　ill　off　who　tries　it　against　him。　　Now　there　is　coming　a　brisk　mountain　breeze；　blowing　right　out　of　the　sound　and　off　the　land；　and　it　is　my　advice　that　we　hoist　our　sail；　and　set　out　to　sea。　　Let　Thrand　himself　come　with　his　wool　to　market　another　summer；　but　if　I　get　away；　it　is　my　opinion　I　shall　never　think　of　coming　to　Norway　again。〃

His　comrades　thought　the　advice　good；　hoisted　their　sail；　and　in　the　night…time　took　to　the　open　sea　with　all　speed。　　They　did　not　stop　until　they　came　to　Farey；　and　home　to　Gata。　　Thrand　was　ill…　pleased　with　their　voyage；　and　they　did　not　answer　him　in　a　very　friendly　way；　but　they　remained　at　home；　however；　with　Thrand。　The　morning　after；　King　Olaf　heard　of　Sigurd's　departure；　and　heavy　reports　went　round　about　this　case；　and　there　were　many　who　believed　that　the　accusation　against　Sigurd　was　true；　although　they　had　denied　and　opposed　it　before　the　king。　　King　Olaf　spoke　but　little　about　the　matter；　but　seemed　to　know　of　a　certainty　that　the　suspicion　he　had　taken　up　was　founded　in　truth。　　The　king　afterwards　proceeded　in　his　progress；　taking　up　his　abode　where　it　was　provided　for　him。



146。　OF　THE　ICELANDERS。

King　Olaf　called　before　him　the　men　who　had　come　from　Iceland；　Thorod　Snorrason；　Geller　Thorkelson；　Stein　Skaptason；　and　Egil　Halson；　and　spoke　to　them　thus：　　〃Ye　have　spoken　to　me　much　in　summer　about　making　yourselves　ready　to　return　to　Iceland；　and　I　have　never　given　you　a　distinct　answer。　　Now　I　will　tell　you　what　my　intention　is。　　Thee；　Geller；　I　propose　to　allow　to　return；　if　thou　wilt　carry　my　message　there；　but　none　of　the　other　Icelanders　who　are　now　here　may　go　to　Iceland　before　I　have　heard　how　the　message　which　thou；　Geller；　shalt　bring　thither　has　been　received。