heimskringla-第9部分

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d　to　become　a　good　ruler。　　He　made　a　good　and　suitable　marriage；　and　had　a　son　by　his　wife；　who　was　named　Gudrod。　　Eirik　Blood…axe　came　from　his　Baltic　cruise　with　ships　of　war；　and　a　great　force；　and　required　his　brother　Bjorn　to　deliver　to　him　King　Harald's　share　of　the　scat　and　incomes　of　Vestfold。　　But　it　had　always　been　the　custom　before；　that　Bjorn　himself　either　delivered　the　money　into　the　king's　hands；　or　sent　men　of　his　own　with　it；　and　therefore　he　would　continue　with　the

old　custom；　and　would　not　deliver　the　money。　　Eirik　again　wanted　provisions；　tents；　and　liquor。　　The　brothers　quarrelled　about　this；　but　Eirik　got　nothing　and　left　the　town。　　Bjorn　went　also　out　of　the　town　towards　evening　up　to　Saeheim。　　In　the　night　Eirik　came　back　after　Bjorn；　and　came　to　Saeheim　just　as　Bjorn　and　his　men　were　seated　at　table　drinking。　　Eirik　surrounded　the　house　in　which　they　were；　but　Bjorn　with　his　men　went　out　and　fought。　　Bjorn；　and　many　men　with　him；　fell。　　Eirik；　on　the　other　hand；　got　a　great　booty；　and　proceeded　northwards。　　But　this　work　was　taken　very　ill　by　the　people　of　Viken；　and　Eirik　was　much　disliked　for　it；　and　the　report　went　that　King　Olaf　would　avenge　his　brother　Bjorn；　whenever　opportunity　offered。　　King　Bjorn　lies　in　the　mound　of　Farmanshaug　at　Saeheim。



39。　RECONCILIATION　OF　THE　KINGS。

King　Eirik　went　in　winter　northwards　to　More；　and　was　at　a　feast　in　Solve；　within　the　point　Agdanes；　and　when　Halfdan　the　Black　heard　of　it　he　set　out　with　his　men；　and　surrounded　the　house　in　which　they　were。　　Eirik　slept　in　a　room　which　stood　detached　by　itself；　and　he　escaped　into　the　forest　with　four　others；　but　Halfdan　and　his　men　burnt　the　main　house；　with　all　the　people　who　were　in　it。　　With　this　news　Eirik　came　to　King　Harald；　who　was　very　wroth　at　it；　and　assembled　a　great　force　against　the　Throndhjem　people。　　When　Halfdan　the　Black　heard　this　he　levied　ships　and　men；　so　that　he　had　a　great　force；　and　proceeded　with　it　to　Stad；　within　Thorsbjerg。　　King　Harald　lay　with　his　men　at　Reinsletta。　　Now　people　went　between　them；　and　among　others　a　clever　man　called　Guthorm　Sindre；　who　was　then　in　Halfdan　the　Black's　army；　but　had　been　formerly　in　the　service　of　King　Harald；　and　was　a　great　friend　of　both。　　Guthorm　was　a　great　skald；　and　had　once　composed　a　song　both　about　the　father　and　the　son；　for　which　they　had　offered　him　a　reward。　　But　he　would　take　nothing；　but　only　asked　that；　some　day　or　other；　they　should　grant　him　any　request　he　should　make；　which　they　promised　to　do。　Now　he　presented　himself　to　King　Harald；　brought　words　of　peace　between　them；　and　made　the　request　to　them　both　that　they　shou1d　be　reconciled。　　So　highly　did　the　king　esteem　him；　that　in　consequence　of　his　request　they　were　reconciled。　　Many　other　able　men　promoted　this　business　as　well　as　he；　and　it　was　so　settled　that　Halfdan　should　retain　the　whole　of　his　kingdom　as　he　had　it　before；　and　should　let　his　brother　Eirik　sit　in　peace。　　After　this　event　Jorun；　the　skald…maid；　composed　some　verses　in　〃Sendibit〃　（〃The　Biting　Message〃）：　

　　　　　〃I　know　that　Harald　Fairhair　　　　　　Knew　the　dark　deed　of　Halfdan。　　　　　　To　Harald　Halfdan　seemed　　　　　　Angry　and　cruel。〃



40。　BIRTH　OF　HAKON　THE　GOOD。

Earl　Hakon　Grjotgardson　of　Hlader　had　the　whole　rule　over　Throndhjem　when　King　Harald　was　anywhere　away　in　the　country；　and　Hakon　stood　higher　with　the　king　than　any　in　the　country　of　Throndhjem。　　After　Hakon's　death　his　son　Sigurd　succeeded　to　his　power　in　Throndhjem；　and　was　the　earl；　and　had　his　mansion　at　Hlader。　　King　Harald's　sons；　Halfdan　the　Black　and　Sigrod；　who　had　been　before　in　the　house　of　his　father　Earl　Hakon；　continued　to　be　brought　up　in　his　house。　　The　sons　of　Harald　and　Sigurd　were　about　the　same　age。　　Earl　Sigurd　was　one　of　the　wisest　men　of　his　time；　and　married　Bergljot；　a　daughter　of　Earl　Thorer　the　Silent；　and　her　mother　was　Alof　Arbot；　a　daughter　of　Harald　Harfager。　　When　King　Harald　began　to　grow　old　he　generally　dwelt　on　some　of　his　great　farms　in　Hordaland；　namely；　Alreksstader　or　Saeheim；　Fitjar；　Utstein；　or　Ogvaldsnes　in　the　island　Kormt。　When　Harald　was　seventy　years　of　age　he　begat　a　son　with　a　girl　called　Thora　Mosterstang；　because　her　family　came　from　Moster。　She　was　descended　from　good　people；　being　connected　with　Kare　（Aslakson）　of　Hordaland；　and　was　moreover　a　very　stout　and　remarkably　handsome　girl。　　She　was　called　the　king's　servant…　girl；　for　at　that　time　many　were　subject　to　service　to　the　king　who　were　of　good　birth；　both　men　and　women。　　Then　it　was　the　custom；　with　people　of　consideration；　to　choose　with　great　care　the　man　who　should　pour　water　over　their　children；　and　give　them　a　name。　　Now　when　the　time　came　that　Thora；　who　was　then　at　Moster；　expected　her　confinement；　she　would　to　King　Harald；　who　was　then　living　at　Saeheim；　and　she　went　northwards　in　a　ship　belonging　to　Earl　Sigurd。　　They　lay　at　night　close　to　the　land；　and　there　Thora　brought　forth　a　child　upon　the　land；　up　among　the　rocks；　close　to　the　ship's　gangway；　and　it　was　a　man　child。　　Earl　Sigurd　poured　water　over　him；　and　called　him　Hakon；　after　his　own　father；　Hakon　earl　of　Hlader。　　The　boy　soon　grew　handsome；　large　in　size；　and　very　like　his　father　King　Harald。　　King　Harald　let　him　follow　his　mother；　and　they　were　both　in　the　king's　house　as　long　as　he　was　an　infant。



41。　KING　ATHELSTAN'S　MESSAGE

At　this　time　a　king　called　Aethelstan　had　taken　the　Kingdom　of　England。　　He　was　called　victorious　and　faithful。　　He　sent　men　to　Norway　to　King　Harald；　with　the　errand　that　the　messengers　should　present　him　with　a　sword；　with　the　hilt　and　handle　gilt；　and　also　the　whole　sheath　adorned　with　gold　and　silver；　and　set　with　precious　jewels。　　The　ambassador　presented　the　sword…hilt　to　the　king；　saying；　〃Here　is　a　sword　which　King　Athelstan　sends　thee；　with　the　request　that　thou　wilt　accept　it。〃　　The　king　took　the　sword　by　the　handle；　whereupon　the　ambassador　said；　〃Now　thou　hast　taken　the　sword　according　to　our　king's　desire；　and　therefore　art　thou　his　subject　as　thou　hast　taken　his　sword。〃　King　Harald　saw　now　that　this　was　an　insult；　for　he　would　be　subject　to　no　man。　　But　he　remembered　it　was　his　rule；　whenever　anything　raised　his　anger；　to　collect　himself；　and　let　his　passion　run　off；　and　then　take　the　matter　into　consideration　coolly。　　Now　he　did　so；　and　consulted　his　friends；　who　all　gave　him　the　advice　to　let　the　ambassadors；　in　the　first　place；　go　home　in　safety。



42。　HAUK'S　JOURNEY　TO　ENGLAND。

The　following　summer　King　Harald　sent　a　ship　westward　to　England；　and　gave　the　command　of　it　to　Hauk　Habrok。　　He　was　a　great　warrior；　and　very　dear　to　the　king。　　Into　his　hands　he　gave　his　son　Hakon。　　Hank　proceeded　westward　tn　England；　and　found　King　Athelstan　in　London；　where　there　was　just　at　the　time　a　great　feast　and　entertainment。　　When　they　came　to　the　hall；　Hauk　told　his　men　how　they　should　conduct　themselves；　namely；　that　he　who　went　first　in　should　go　last　out；　and　all　should　stand　in　a　row　at　the　table；　at　equal　distance　from　each　other；　and　each　should　have　his　sword　at　his　left　side；　but　should　fasten　his　cloak　so　that　his　sword　should　not　be　seen。　　Then　they　went　into　the　hall；　thirty　in　number。　　Hauk　went　up　to　the　king　and　saluted　him；　and　the　king　bade　him　welcome。　　Then　Hauk　took　the　child　Hakon；　and　set　it　on　the　king's　knee。　　The　king　looks　at　the　boy；　and　asks　Hauk　what　the　meaning　of　this　is。　　Hauk　replies；　〃Herald　the　king　bids　thee　foster　his　servant…girl's　child。〃　　The　king　was　in　great　anger；　and　seized　a　sword　which　lay　beside　him；　and　drew　it；　as　if　he　was　going　to　kill　the　child。　　Hauk　says；　〃Thou　hast　borne　him　on　thy　knee；　and　thou　canst　murder　him　if　thou　wilt；　but　thou　wilt　not　make　an　end　of　all　King　Harald's　sons　by　so　doing。〃　　On　that　Hauk　went　out　with　all　his　men；　and　took　the　way　direct　to　his　ship；　and　put　to　sea；　　for　they　were　ready；　　and　came　back　to　King　Harald。　　The　king　was　highly　pleased　with　this；　for　it　is　the　common　observation　of　all　people；　that　the　man　who　fosters　another's　children　is　of　less　consideration　than　the　other。　　From　these　transactions　between　the　two　kings；　it　appears　that　each　wanted　to　be　held　greater　than　the　other；　but　in　truth　there　was　no　injury；　to　the　dignity　of　either；　for　each　was　the　upper　king　in　his　own　kingdom　till　his　dying　day。



43。　HAKON；　THE　FOSTER…SON　OF　ATHELSTAN；　IS　BAPTIZED。

King　Athelstan　had　Hakon　baptized；　and　brought　up　in　the　right　faith；　and　in　good　habits；　and　all　sorts　of　good　manners；　and　he　loved　Hakon　above　all　his　relations；　and　Hakon　was　beloved　by　all　men。　　He　was　henceforth　called　Athelstan's　foster…son。　　He　was　an　accomplished　skald；　and　he　was　larger；　stronger　and　more　beautiful　than　other　men；　he　was　a　man　of　understanding　and　eloquence；　and　also　a　good　Christian。　　King　Athelstan　gave　Hakon　a　sword；　of　which　the　hilt　and　handle　were　gold；　and　the　blade　still　better；　for　with　it　Hakon　cut　down　a　mill…stone　to　the　centre　eye；　and　the　sword　thereafter　was　called　the　Quernbite　（1）。　　Better　sword　never　came　into　Norway；　and　Hakon　carried　it　to　his　dying　day。


ENDNOTES：　（1）　　Quern　is　the　name　of　the　small　hand　mill…stones　still　found　　　　　　in　use　among　the　cottars　in　Orkney；　Shetland；　and　the　　　　　　Hebrides。　　This　sword　is　mentioned　in　the　Younger　Edda。　　　　　　There　were　many　excellent　swords　in　the　olden　time；　and　many　　　　　　of　them　had　proper　names。



44。　EIRIK　BROUGHT　TO　THE　SOVEREIGNTY。

When　King　Harald　was　eighty　years　of　age　（A。D。　930）　he　became　very　heavy；　and　unable　to　travel　through　the　country；　or　do　the　business　of　a　king。　　Then　he　brought　his　son　Eirik　to　his　high…seat；　and　gave　him　the　power　and　command　over　the　whole　land。　　Now　when　King　Harald's　other　sons　heard　this；　King　Halfdan　the　Black　also　took　a　king's　high…seat；　and　took　all　Throndhjem　land；　with　the　consent　of　all　the　people；　under　his　rule　as　upper　king。　　After　the　death　of　Bjorn　the　Chapman；　his　brother　Olaf　took　the　command　over　Vestfold；　and　took　Bjorn's　son；　Gudrod；　as　his　foster…child。　　Olaf's　son　was　called　Trygve；　and　the　two　foster…brothers　were　about　the　same　age；　and　were　hopeful　and　clever。　　Trygve；　especially；　was　remarkable　as　a　stout　and　strong　man。　　Now　when　the　people　of　Viken　heard　that　those　of　Hordaland　had　taken　Eirik　as　upper　king；　they　did　the