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〃Then；〃　said　Hjalte；　〃what　would　be　thy　answer；　if　the　Norway　king　Olaf　sent　messengers　to　thee　with　the　errand　to　propose　marriage　to　thee？〃

She　blushed；　and　answered　slowly　but　gently；　〃I　have　not　made　up　my　mind　to　answer　to　that；　but　if　Olaf　be　in　all　respects　so　perfect　as　thou　tellest　me；　I　could　wish　for　no　other　husband；　unless；　indeed；　thou　hast　gilded　him　over　with　thy　praise　more　than　sufficiently。〃

Hjalte　replied；　that　he　had　in　no　respect　spoken　better　of　the　king　than　was　true。　　They　often　spoke　together　on　the　same　subject。　　Ingegerd　begged　Hjalte　to　be　cautious　not　to　mention　it　to　any　other　person；　for　the　king　would　be　enraged　against　him　if　it　came　to　his　knowledge。　　Hjalte　only　spoke　of　it　to　the　skalds　Gissur　and　Ottar；　who　thought　it　was　the　most　happy　plan；　if　it　could　but　be　carried　into　effect。　　Ottar；　who　was　a　man　of　great　power　of　conversation；　and　much　beloved　in　the　court；　soon　brought　up　the　subject　before　the　king's　daughter；　and　recounted　to　her；　as　Hjalte　had　done；　all　King　Olaf's　excellent　qualities。　Often　spoke　Hjalte　and　the　others　about　him；　and　now　that　Hjalte　knew　the　result　of　his　mission；　he　sent　those　Gautland　men　away　who　had　accompanied　him；　and　let　them　return　to　the　earl　with　letters　（1）　which　the　king's　daughter　Ingegerd　sent　to　the　earl　and　Ingebjorg。　　Hjalte　also　let　them　give　a　hint　to　the　earl　about　the　conversation　he　had　had　with　Ingegerd；　and　her　answer　thereto：　and　the　messengers　came　with　it　to　the　earl　a　little　before　Yule。


ENDNOTES：　（1）　　This　seems　the　first　notice　we　have　in　the　sagas　of　written　　　　　　letters　being　sent　instead　of　tokens　and　verbal　messages。　　　　　　　L。



72。　OLAF'S　JOURNEY　TO　THE　UPLANDS。

When　King　Olaf　had　despatched　Bjorn　and　his　followers　to　Gautland；　he　sent　other　people　also　to　the　Uplands；　with　the　errand　that　they　should　have　guest…quarters　prepared　for　him；　as　he　intended　that　winter　（A。D。　1018）　to　live　as　guest　in　the　Uplands；　for　it　had　been　the　custom　of　former　kings　to　make　a　progress　in　guest…quarters　every　third　year　in　the　Uplands。　　In　autumn　he　began　his　progress　from　Sarpsborg；　and　went　first　to　Vingulmark。　　He　ordered　his　progress　so　that　he　came　first　to　lodge　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　forest　habitations；　and　summoned　to　him　all　the　men　of　the　habitations　who　dwelt　at　the　greatest　distance　from　the　head…habitations　of　the　district；　and　he　inquired　particularly　how　it　stood　with　their　Christianity；　and；　where　improvement　was　needful；　he　taught　them　the　right　customs。　　If　any　there　were　who　would　not　renounce　heathen　ways；　he　took　the　matter　so　zealously　that　he　drove　some　out　of　the　country；　mutilated　others　of　hands　or　feet；　or　stung　their　eyes　out；　hung　up　some；　cut　down　some　with　the　sword；　but　let　none　go　unpunished　who　would　not　serve　God。　　He　went　thus　through　the　whole　district；　sparing　neither　great　nor　small。　　He　gave　them　teachers；　and　placed　these　as　thickly　in　the　country　as　he　saw　needful。　　In　this　manner　he　went　about　in　that　district；　and　had　300　deadly　men…at…arms　with　him；　and　then　proceeded　to　Raumarike。　He　soon　perceived　that　Christianity　was　thriving　less　the　farther　he　proceeded　into　the　interior　of　the　country。　　He　went　forward　everywhere　in　the　same　way；　converting　all　the　people　to　the　right　faith；　and　severely　punishing　all　who　would　not　listen　to　his　word。



73。TREACHERY　OF　THE　UPLAND　KINGS。

Now　when　the　king　who　at　that　time　ruled　in　Raumarike　heard　of　this；　he　thought　it　was　a　very　bad　affair；　for　every　day　came　men　to　him；　both　great　and　small；　who　told　him　what　was　doing。　　Therefore　this　king　resolved　to　go　up　to　Hedemark；　and　consult　King　Hrorek；　who　was　the　most　eminent　for　understanding　of　the　kings　who　at　that　time　were　in　the　country。　　Now　when　these　kings　spoke　with　each　other；　they　agreed　to　send　a　message　to　Gudrod；　the　valley…king　north　in　the　Gudbrandsdal；　and　likewise　to　the　king　who　was　in　Hadaland；　and　bid　them　to　come　to　Hedemark；　to　meet　Hrorek　and　the　other　kings　there。　　They　did　not　spare　their　travelling；　for　five　kings　met　in　Hedemark；　at　a　place　called　Ringsaker。　　Ring；　King　Hrorek's　brother；　was　the　fifth　of　these　kings。　　The　kings　had　first　a　private　conference　together；　in　which　he　who　came　from　Raumarike　first　took　up　the　word；　and　told　of　King　Olaf's　proceedings；　and　of　the　disturbance　he　was　causing　both　by　killing　and　mutilating　people。　　Some　he　drove　out　of　the　country；　some　he　deprived　of　their　offices　or　property　if　they　spoke　anything　against　him；　and；　besides；　he　was　travelling　over　the　country　with　a　great　army；　not　with　the　number　of　people　fixed　by　law　for　a　royal　progress　in　guest…quarters。　　He　added；　that　he　had　fled　hither　upon　account　of　this　disturbance；　and　many　powerful　people　with　him　had　fled　from　their　udal　properties　in　Raumarike。　　〃But　although　as　yet　the　evil　is　nearest　to　us；　it　will　be　but　a　short　time　before　ye　will　also　be　exposed　to　it；　therefore　it　is　best　that　we　all　consider　together　what　resolution　we　shall　take。〃　　When　he　had　ended　his　speech；　Hrorek　was　desired　to　speak；　and　he　said；　〃Now　is　the　day　come　that　I　foretold　when　we　had　had　our　meeting　at　Hadaland；　and　ye　were　all　so　eager　to　raise　Olaf　over　our　heads；　namely；　that　as　soon　as　he　was　the　supreme　master　of　the　country　we　would　find　it　hard　to　hold　him　by　the　horns。　　We　have　but　two　things　now　to　do：　the　one　is；　to　go　all　of　us　to　him；　and　let　him　do　with　us　as　he　likes；　which　I　think　is　the　best　thing　we　can　do；　or　the　other　is；　to　rise　against　him　before　he　has　gone　farther　through　the　country。　Although　he　has　300　or　400　men；　that　is　not　too　great　a　force　for　us　to　meet；　if　we　are　only　all　in　movement　together：　but；　in　general；　there　is　less　success　and　advantage　to　be　gained　when　several　of　equal　strength　are　joined　together；　than　when　one　alone　stands　at　the　head　of　his　own　force；　therefore　it　is　my　advice；　that　we　do　not　venture　to　try　our　luck　against　Olaf　Haraldson。〃

Thereafter　each　of　the　kings　spoke　according　to　his　own　mind　some　dissuading　from　going　out　against　King　Olaf；　others　urging　it；　and　no　determination　was　come　to；　as　each　had　his　own　reasons　to　produce。

Then　Gudrod；　the　valley…king；　took　up　the　word；　and　spoke：　　〃It　appears　wonderful　to　me；　that　ye　make　such　a　long　roundabout　in　coming　to　a　resolution；　and　probably　ye　are　frightened　for　him。　We　are　here　five　kings；　and　none　of　less　high　birth　than　Olaf。　We　gave　him　the　strength　to　fight　with　Earl　Svein；　and　with　our　forces　he　has　brought　the　country　under　his　power。　　But　if　he　grudges　each　of　us　the　little　kingdom　he　had　before；　and　threatens　us　with　tortures；　or　gives　us　ill　words；　then；　say　I　for　myself；　that　I　will　withdraw　myself　from　the　king's　slavery；　and　I　do　not　call　him　a　man　among　you　who　is　afraid　to　cut　him　off；　if　he　come　into　your　hands　here　up　in　Hedemark。　　And　this　I　can　tell　you；　that　we　shall　never　bear　our　heads　in　safety　while　Olaf　is　in　life。〃　　After　this　encouragement　they　all　agreed　to　his　determination。

Then　said　Hrorek；　〃With　regard　to　this　determination；　it　appears　to　me　necessary　to　make　our　agreement　so　strong　that　no　one　shall　fail　in　his　promise　to　the　other。　　Therefore；　if　ye　determine　upon　attacking　Olaf　at　a　fixed　time；　when　he　comes　here　to　Hedemark；　I　will　not　trust　much　to　you　if　some　are　north　in　the　valleys；　others　up　in　Hedemark；　but　if　our　resolution　is　to　come　to　anything；　we　must　remain　here　assembled　together　day　and　night。〃

This　the　kings　agreed　to；　and　kept　themselves　there　all　assembled；　ordering　a　feast　to　be　provided　for　them　at　Ringsaker；　and　drank　there　a　cup　to　success；　sending　out　spies　to　Raumarike；　and　when　one　set　came　in　sending　out　others；　so　that　day　and　night　they　had　intelligence　of　Olaf's　proceedings；　and　of　the　numbers　of　his　men。　　King　Olaf　went　about　in　Raumarike　in　guest…quarters；　and　altogether　in　the　way　before　related；　but　as　the　provision　of　the　guest…quarter　was　not　always　sufficient；　upon　account　of　his　numerous　followers；　he　laid　it　upon　the　bondes　to　give　additional　contributions　wherever　he　found　it　necessary　to　stay。　　In　some　places　he　stayed　longer；　in　others；　shorter　than　was　fixed；　and　his　journey　down　to　the　lake　Miosen　was　shorter　than　had　been　fixed　on。　　The　kings；　after　taking　their　resolution；　sent　out　message…tokens；　and　summoned　all　the　lendermen　and　powerful　bondes　from　all　the　districts　thereabout；　and　when　they　had　assembled　the　kings　had　a　private　meeting　with　them；　and　made　their　determination　known；　setting　a　day　for　gathering　together　and　carrying　it　into　effect；　and　it　was　settled　among　them　that　each　of　the　kings　should　have　300　（1）　men。　　Then　they　sent　away　the　lendermen　to　gather　the　people；　and　meet　all　at　the　appointed　place。　　The　most　approved　of　the　measure；　but　it　happened　here；　as　it　usually　does；　that　every　one　has　some　friend　even　among　his　enemies。


ENDNOTES：　（1）　　I。e。；　360。



74。　MUTILATING　OF　THE　UPLAND　KINGS。

Ketil　of　Ringanes　was　at　this　meeting。　　Now　when　he　came　home　in　the　evening　he　took　his　supper；　put　on　his　clothes；　and　went　down　with　his　house…servants　to　the　lake；　took　a　light　vessel　which　he　had；　the　same　that　King　Olaf　had　made　him　a　present　of；　and　launched　it　on　the　water。　　They　found　in　the　boat…house　everything　ready　to　their　hands；　betook　themselves　to　th