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aces；　and　to　enter　into　some　order　of　monks。　　But　yet　the　thought　lay　deep　in　his　soul　to　recover　again；　if　there　should　be　any　opportunity　for　him；　his　kingdom　in　Norway。　　When　he　thought　over　this；　it　recurred　to　his　mind　how　all　things　had　gone　prosperously　with　him　during　the　first　ten　years　of　his　reign；　and　how　afterwards　every　thing　he　undertook　became　heavy；　difficult；　and　hard；　and　that　he　had　been　unlucky；　on　all　occasions　in　which　he　had　tried　his　luck。　　On　this　account　he　doubted　if　it　would　be　prudent　to　depend　so　much　upon　his　luck；　as　to　go　with　so　little　strength　into　the　hands　of　his　enemies；　seeing　that　all　the　people　of　the　country　had　taken　part　with　them　to　oppose　King　Olaf。　　Such　cares　he　had　often　on　his　mind；　and　he　left　his　cause　to　God；　praying　that　He　would　do　what　to　Him　seemed　best。　　These　thoughts　he　turned　over　in　his　mind；　and　knew　not　what　to　resolve　upon；　for　he　saw　how　evidently　dangerous　that　was　which　his　inclination　was　most　bent　upon。



199。　OF　KING　OLAF'S　DREAM。

One　night　the　king　lay　awake　in　his　bed；　thinking　with　great　anxiety　about　his　determination；　and　at　last；　being　tired　of　thinking；　sleep　came　over　him　towards　morning；　but　his　sleep　was　so　light　that　he　thought　he　was　awake；　and　could　see　all　that　was　doing　in　the　house。　　Then　he　saw　a　great　and　superb　man；　in　splendid　clothes；　standing　by　his　bed；　and　it　came　into　the　king's　mind　that　this　was　King　Olaf　Trygvason　who　had　come　to　him。　　This　man　said　to　him；　〃Thou　are　very　sick　of　thinking　about　thy　future　resolutions；　and　it　appears　to　me　wonderful　that　these　thoughts　should　be　so　tumultuous　in　thy　soul　that　thou　shouldst　even　think　of　laying　down　the　kingly　dignity　which　God　hath　given　thee；　and　of　remaining　here　and　accepting　of　a　kingdom　from　foreign　and　unknown　kings。　　Go　back　rather　to　that　kingdom　which　thou　hast　received　in　heritage；　and　rule　over　it　with　the　strength　which　God　hath　given　thee；　and　let　not　thy　inferiors　take　it　from　thee。　　It　is　the　glory　of　a　king　to　be　victorious　over　his　enemies；　and　it　is　a　glorious　death　to　die　in　battle。　　Or　art　thou　doubtful　if　thou　hast　right　on　thy　side　in　the　strife　with　thine　enemies？　　Thou　must　have　no　doubts；　and　must　not　conceal　the　truth　from　thyself。　　Thou　must　go　back　to　thy　country；　and　God　will　give　open　testimony　that　the　kingdom　is　thine　by　property。〃　　When　the　king　awoke　he　thought　he　saw　the　man's　shoulders　going　out。　　From　this　time　the　king's　courage　rose；　and　he　fixed　firmly　his　resolution　to　return　to　Norway；　to　which　his　inclination　also　tended　most；　and　which　he　also　found　was　the　desire　of　all　his　men。　　He　bethought　himself　also　that　the　country　being　without　a　chief　could　be　easily　attacked；　from　what　he　had　heard；　and　that　after　he　came　himself　many　would　turn　back　towards　him。　　When　the　king　told　his　determination　to　his　people　they　all　gave　it　their　approbation　joyfully。



200。　OF　KING　OLAF'S　HEALING　POWERS。

It　is　related　that　once　upon　a　time；　while　King　Olaf　was　in　Russia；　it　happened　that　the　son　of　an　honest　widow　had　a　sore　boil　upon　his　neck；　of　which　the　lad　lay　very　ill；　and　as　he　could　not　swallow　any　food；　there　was　little　hope　of　his　life。　The　boy's　mother　went　to　Queen　Ingegerd；　with　whom　she　was　acquainted；　and　showed　her　the　lad。　　The　queen　said　she　knew　no　remedy　for　it。　　〃Go；〃　said　she；　〃to　King　Olaf；　he　is　the　best　physician　here；　and　beg　him　to　lay　his　hands　on　thy　lad；　and　bring　him　my　words　if　he　will　not　otherwise　do　it。〃　　She　did　as　the　queen　told　her；　and　when　she　found　the　king　she　says　to　him　that　her　son　is　dangerously　ill　of　a　boil　in　his　neck；　and　begs　him　to　lay　his　hand　on　the　boil。　　The　king　tells　her　he　is　not　a　physician；　and　bids　her　go　to　where　there　were　physicians。　　She　replies；　that　the　queen　had　told　her　to　come　to　him；　〃and　told　me　to　add　the　request　from　her；　that　you　would　would　use　the　remedy　you　understood；　and　she　said　that　thou　art　the　best　physician　here　in　the　town。〃　　Then　the　king　took　the　lad；　laid　his　hands　upon　his　neck；　and　felt　the　boil　for　a　long　time；　until　the　boy　made　a　very　wry　face。　　Then　the　king　took　a　piece　of　bread；　laid　it　in　the　figure　of　the　cross　upon　the　palm　of　his　hand；　and　put　it　into　the　boy's　mouth。　　He　swallowed　it　down；　and　from　that　time　all　the　soreness　left　his　neck；　and　in　a　few　days　he　was　quite　well；　to　the　great　joy　of　his　mother　and　all　his　relations。　Then　first　came　Olaf　into　the　repute　of　having　as　much　healing　power　in　his　hands　as　is　ascribed　to　men　who　have　been　gifted　by　nature　with　healing　by　the　touch；　and　afterwards　when　his　miracles　were　universally　acknowledged；　this　also　was　considered　one　of　his　miracles。



201。　KING　OLAF　BURNS　THE　WOOD　SHAVINGS　ON　HIS　HAND　FOR　HIS　　　　　　SABBATH　BREACH。

It　happened　one　Sunday　that　the　king　sat　in　his　highseat　at　the　dinner　table；　and　had　fallen　into　such　deep　thought　that　he　did　not　observe　how　time　went。　　In　one　hand　he　had　a　knife；　and　in　the　other　a　piece　of　fir…wood　from　which　he　cut　splinters　from　time　to　time。　　The　table…servant　stood　before　him　with　a　bowl　in　his　hands；　and　seeing　what　the　king　was　about；　and　that　he　was　involved　in　thought；　he　said；　〃It　is　Monday；　sire；　to…morrow。〃　The　king　looked　at　him　when　he　heard　this；　and　then　it　came　into　his　mind　what　he　was　doing　on　the　Sunday。　　Then　the　king　ordered　a　lighted　candle　to　be　brought　him；　swept　together　all　the　shavings　he　had　made；　set　them　on　fire；　and　let　them　burn　upon　his　naked　hand；　showing　thereby　that　he　would　hold　fast　by　God's　law　and　commandment；　and　not　trespass　without　punishment　on　what　he　knew　to　be　right。



202。　OF　KING　OLAF。

When　King　Olaf　had　resolved　on　his　return　home；　he　made　known　his　intention　to　King　Jarisleif　and　Queen　Ingegerd。　　They　dissuaded　him　from　this　expedition；　and　said　he　should　receive　as　much　power　in　their　dominions　as　he　thought　desirable；　but　begged　him　not　to　put　himself　within　the　reach　of　his　enemies　with　so　few　men　as　he　had。　　Then　King　Olaf　told　them　of　his　dream；　adding；　that　he　believed　it　to　be　God's　will　and　providence　that　it　should　be　so。　　Now　when　they　found　he　was　determined　on　travelling　to　Norway；　they　offered　him　all　the　assistance　to　his　journey　that　he　would　accept　from　them。　　The　king　thanked　them　in　many　fine　words　for　their　good　will；　and　said　that　he　accepted　from　them；　with　no　ordinary　pleasure；　what　might　be　necessary　for　his　undertaking。



203。　OF　KING　OLAF'S　JOURNEY　FROM　RUSSIA。

Immediately　after　Yule　（A。D。　1080）；　King　Olaf　made　himself　ready；　and　had　about　200　of　his　men　with　him。　　King　Jarisleif　gave　him　all　the　horses；　and　whatever　else　he　required；　and　when　he　was　ready　he　set　off。　　King　Jarisleif　and　Queen　Ingegerd　parted　from　him　with　all　honour；　and　he　left　his　son　Magnus　behind　with　the　king。　　The　first　part　of　his　journey；　down　to　the　sea…coast；　King　Olaf　and　his　men　made　on　the　ice；　but　as　spring　approached；　and　the　ice　broke　up；　they　rigged　their　vessels；　and　when　they　were　ready　and　got　a　wind　they　set　out　to　sea；　and　had　a　good　voyage。　When　Olaf　came　to　the　island　of　Gotland　with　his　ships　he　heard　the　news　　which　was　told　as　truth；　both　in　Svithjod；　Denmark；　and　over　all　Norway　　that　Earl　Hakon　was　missing；　and　Norway　without　a　head。　　This　gave　the　king　and　his　men　good　hope　of　the　issue　of　their　journey。　　From　thence　they　sailed；　when　the　wind　suited；　to　Svithjod；　and　went　into　the　Maelar　lake；　to　Aros；　and　sent　men　to　the　Swedish　King　Onund　appointing　a　meeting。　　King　Onund　received　his　brother…in…law's　message　in　the　kindest　manner；　and　went　to　him　according　to　his　invitation。　　Astrid　also　came　to　King　Olaf；　with　the　men　who　had　attended　her；　and　great　was　the　joy　on　all　sides　at　this　meeting。　　The　Swedish　king　also　received　his　brother…in…law　King　Olaf　with　great　joy　when　they　met。



204。　OF　THE　LENDERMEN　IN　NORWAY。

Now　we　must　relate　what；　in　the　meantime；　was　going　on　in　Norway。　Thorer　Hund；　in　these　two　winters　（A。D。　1029…1030）；　had　made　a　Lapland　journey；　and　each　winter　had　been　a　long　time　on　the　mountains；　and　had　gathered　to　himself　great　wealth　by　trading　in　various　wares　with　the　Laplanders。　　He　had　twelve　large　coats　of　reindeer…skin　made　for　him；　with　so　much　Lapland　witchcraft　that　no　weapon　could　cut　or　pierce　them　any　more　than　if　they　were　armour　of　ring…mail；　nor　so　much。　　The　spring　thereafter　Thorer　rigged　a　long…ship　which　belonged　to　him；　and　manned　it　with　his　house…servants。　　He　summoned　the　bondes；　demanded　a　levy　from　the　most　northern　Thing　district；　collected　in　this　way　a　great　many　people；　and　proceeded　with　this　force　southwards。　　Harek　of　Thjotta　had　also　collected　a　great　number　of　people；　and　in　this　expedition　many　people　of　consequence　took　a　part；　although　these　two　were　the　most　distinguished。　　They　made　it　known　publicly　that　with　this　war…force　they　were　going　against　King　Olaf；　to　defend　the　country　against　him；　in　case　he　should　come　from　the　eastward。



205。　OF　EINAR　TAMBASKELFER。

Einar　Tambaskelfer　had　most　influence　in　the　outer　part　of　the　Throndhjem　country　after　Earl　Hakon's　death　was　no　longer　doubtful；　for　he　and　his　son　Eindride　appeared　to　be　the　nearest　heirs　to　the　movable　property　the　earl　had　possessed。　　Then　Einar　remembered　the　promises　and　offers　of　friendship　which　King　Canute　had　made　him　at　parting；　and　he　ordered　a　good　vessel　which　belonged　to　him　to　be　got　ready；　and　embarked　with　a　great　retinue；　and　when　he　was　ready　sailed　southwards　along　the　coast；　then　set　out　to　sea　westwards；　and　sailed　without　stopping　until　he　came　to　England。　　He　immediately　waited　on　King　Canute；　who　received　him　well　and　joyfully。　　Then　Einar　opened　his　business　to　the　king；　and　said　he　was　come　there　to　see　the　fulfillment　of　the　promises　the　king　had　made　him；　namely；　that　he；　Einar；　should　have　the　highest　title　of　honour　in　Norway　if　Earl　Hakon　were　no　more。　　King　Canute　replies；　that　now　the　circumstances　were　altered。　　〃I　have　now；〃　said　he；　〃sent　men　and　tokens　to　my　son　Svein　in　Denmark；　and　promised　him　the　kingdom　of　Norway；　but　thou　shalt　retain　my　friendship；　and　get　the　dignity　and　title　which　thou　art　entitled　by　birth　to　hold。　　Thou　shalt　be　lenderman　with　great　fiefs；　and　be　so　much　more　raised　above　other　lendermen　as　thou　art　more　able　than　they。〃　　Einar　saw　sufficiently　how　matters