heimskringla-第81节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


anned　with　nearly　twenty　men；　and　that　he　was　now　expected　from　the　south。　　Asmund　and　his　retinue　proceeded　on　their　way　southwards　along　the　coast　with　a　contrary　wind；　but　there　was　little　of　it。　　They　saw　some　of　the　fleet　for　Vagar　sailing　towards　them；　and　they　privately　inquired　of　them　about　Asbjorn；　and　were　told　he　was　upon　the　way　coming　from　the　south。　　Asmund　and　Karle　were　bedfellows；　and　excellent　friends。　　One　day；　as　Asmund　and　his　people　were　rowing　through　a　sound；　a　ship　of　burden　came　sailing　towards　them。　　The　ship　was　easily　known；　having　high　bulwarks；　was　painted　with　white　and　red　colours；　and　coloured　cloth　was　woven　in　the　sail。　Karle　said　to　Asmund；　〃Thou　hast　often　said　thou　wast　curious　to　see　Asbjorn　who　killed　Thorer　Sel；　and　if　I　know　one　ship　from　another；　that　is　his　which　is　coming　sailing　along。〃

Asmund　replies；　〃Be　so　good；　comrade；　and　tell　me　which　is　he　when　thou　seest　him。〃

When　the　ships　came　alongside　of　each　other；　〃That　is　Asbjorn；〃　said　Karle；　〃the　man　sitting　at　the　helm　in　a　blue　cloak。〃

Asmund　replies；　〃I　shall　make　his　blue　cloak　red；〃　threw　a　spear　at　Asbjorn；　and　hit　him　in　the　middle　of　the　body；　so　that　it　flew　through　and　through　him；　and　stuck　fast　in　the　upper　part　of　the　stern…post；　and　Asbjorn　fell　down　dead　from　the　helm。　　Then　each　vessel　sailed　on　its　course；　and　Asbjorn's　body　was　carried　north　to　Thrandarnes。　　Then　Sigrid　sent　a　message　to　Bjarkey　Isle　to　Thorer　Hund；　who　came　to　her　while　they　were；　in　the　usual　way；　dressing　the　corpse　of　Asbjorn。　　When　he　returned　Sigrid　gave　presents　to　all　her　friends；　and　followed　Thorer　to　his　ship；　but　before　they　parted　she　said；　〃It　has　so　fallen　out；　Thorer；　that　my　son　has　suffered　by　thy　friendly　counsel；　but　he　did　not　retain　life　to　reward　thee　for　it；　but　although　I　have　not　his　ability　yet　will　I　show　my　good　will。　　Here　is　a　gift　I　give　thee；　which　I　expect　thou　wilt　use。　　Here　is　the　spear　which　went　through　Asbjorn　my　son；　and　there　is　still　blood　upon　it；　to　remind　thee　that　it　fits　the　wound　thou　hast　seen　on　the　corpse　of　thy　brother's　son　Asbjorn。　　It　would　be　a　manly　deed；　if　thou　shouldst　throw　this　spear　from　thy　hand　so　that　it　stood　in　Olaf's　breast；　and　this　I　can　tell　thee；　that　thou　wilt　be　named　coward　in　every　man's　mouth；　if　thou　dost　not　avenge　Asbjorn。〃　　Thereupon　she　turned　about；　and　went　her　way。

Thorer　was　so　enraged　at　her　words　that　he　could　not　speak。　　He　neither　thought　of　casting　the　spear　from　him；　nor　took　notice　of　the　gangway；　so　that　he　would　have　fallen　into　the　sea；　if　his　men　had　not　laid　hold　of　him　as　he　was　going　on　board　his　ship。　It　was　a　feathered　spear；　not　large；　but　the　handle　was　gold…　mounted。　　Now　Thorer　rowed　away　with　his　people；　and　went　home　to　Bjarkey　Isle。　　Asmund　and　his　companions　also　proceeded　on　their　way　until　they　came　south　to　Throndhjem；　where　they　waited　on　King　Olaf；　and　Asmund　related　to　the　king　all　that　had　happened　on　the　voyage。　　Karle　became　one　of　the　king's　court…men；　and　the　friendship　continued　between　him　and　Asmund。　　They　did　not　keep　secret　the　words　that　had　passed　between　Asmund　and　Karle　before　Asbjorn　was　killed；　for　they　even　told　them　to　the　king。　　But　then　it　happened；　according　to　the　proverb；　that　every　one　has　a　friend　in　the　midst　of　his　enemies。　　There　were　some　present　who　took　notice　of　the　words；　and　they　reached　Thorer　Hund's　ears。



133。　OF　KING　OLAF。

When　spring　（A。D。　1024）　was　advanced　King　Olaf　rigged　out　his　ships；　and　sailed　southwards　in　summer　along　the　land。　　He　held　Things　with　the　bondes　on　the　way；　settled　the　law　business　of　the　people；　put　to　rights　the　faith　of　the　country；　and　collected　the　king's　taxes　wherever　he　came。　　In　autumn　he　proceeded　south　to　the　frontier　of　the　country；　and　King　Olaf　had　now　made　the　people　Christians　in　all　the　great　districts；　and　everywhere；　by　laws；　had　introduced　order　into　the　country。　　He　had　also；　as　before　related；　brought　the　Orkney　Islands　under　his　power；　and　by　messages　had　made　many　friends　in　Iceland；　Greenland；　and　the　Farey　Islands。　　King　Olaf　had　sent　timber　for　building　a　church　to　Iceland；　of　which　a　church　was　built　upon　the　Thing…field　where　the　General　Thing　is　held；　and　had　sent　a　bell　for　it；　which　is　still　there。　　This　was　after　the　Iceland　people　had　altered　their　laws；　and　introduced　Christianity；　according　to　the　word　King　Olaf　had　sent　them。　　After　that　time；　many　considerable　persons　came　from　Iceland；　and　entered　into　King　Olaf's　service；　as　Thorkel　Eyjolfson；　and　Thorleif　Bollason；　Thord　Kolbeinson；　Thord　Barkarson；　Thorgeir　Havarson；　Thormod　Kalbrunar…skald。　　King　Olaf　had　sent　many　friendly　presents　to　chief　people　in　Iceland；　and　they　in　return　sent　him　such　things　as　they　had　which　they　thought　most　acceptable。　　Under　this　show　of　friendship　which　the　king　gave　Iceland　were　concealed　many　things　which　afterwards　appeared。



134。　KING　OLAF'S　MESSAGE　TO　ICELAND；　AND　THE　COUNSELS　OF　THE　　　　　　ICELANDERS。

King　Olaf　this　summer　（A。D。　1024）　sent　Thorarin　Nefiulfson　to　Iceland　on　his　errands；　and　Thorarin　went　out　of　Throndhjem　fjord　along　with　the　king；　and　followed　him　south　to　More。　　From　thence　Thorarin　went　out　to　sea；　and　got　such　a　favourable　breeze　that　after　four　days　sail　he　landed　at　the　Westman　Isles；　in　Iceland。　He　proceeded　immediately　to　the　Althing；　and　came　just　as　the　people　were　upon　the　Lawhillock；　to　which　he　repaired。　　When　the　cases　of　the　people　before　the　Thing　had　been　determined　according　to　law；　Thorarin　Nefiulfson　took　up　the　word　as　follows：　　〃We　parted　four　days　ago　from　King　Olaf　Haraldson；　who　sends　God　Almighty's　and　his　own　salutation　to　all　the　chiefs　and　principal　men　of　the　land；　as　also　to　all　the　people　in　general；　men　and　women；　young　and　old；　rich　and　poor。　　He　also　lets　you　know　that　he　will　be　your　sovereign　if　ye　will　become　his　subjects；　so　that　he　and　you　will　be　friends；　assisting　each　other　in　all　that　is　good。〃

The　people　replied　in　a　friendly　way；　that　they　would　gladly　be　the　king's　friends；　if　he　would　be　a　friend　of　the　people　of　their　country。

Then　Thorarin　again　took　up　the　word：　　〃This　follows　in　addition　to　the　king's　message；　that　he　will　in　friendship　desire　of　the　people　of　the　north　district　that　they　give　him　the　island；　or　out…rock；　which　lies　at　the　mouth　of　Eyfjord；　and　is　called　Grimsey；　for　which　he　will　give　you　from　his　country　whatever　good　the　people　of　the　district　may　desire。　　He　sends　this　message　particularly　to　Gudmund　of　Modruvellir　to　support　this　matter；　because　he　understands　that　Gudmund　has　most　influence　in　that　quarter。〃

Gudmund　replies；　〃My　inclination　is　greatly　for　King　Olaf's　friendship；　and　that　I　consider　much　more　useful　than　the　out…　rock　he　desires。　　But　the　king　has　not　heard　rightly　if　he　think　I　have　more　power　in　this　matter　than　any　other；　for　the　island　is　a　common。　　We；　however；　who　have　the　most　use　of　the　isle；　will　hold　a　meeting　among　ourselves　about　it。〃

Then　the　people　went　to　their　tent…houses；　and　the　Northland　people　had　a　meeting　among　themselves；　and　talked　over　the　business；　and　every　one　spoke　according　to　his　judgment。　　Gudmund　supported　the　matter；　and　many　others　formed　their　opinions　by　his。　　Then　some　asked　why　his　brother　Einar　did　not　speak　on　the　subject。　　〃We　think　he　has　the　clearest　insight　into　most　things。〃

Einar　answers；　〃I　have　said　so　little　about　the　matter　because　nobody　has　asked　me　about　it；　but　if　I　may　give　my　opinion；　our　countrymen　might　just　as　well　make　themselves　at　once　liable　to　land…scat　to　King　Olaf；　and　submit　to　all　his　exactions　as　he　has　them　among　his　people　in　Norway；　and　this　heavy　burden　we　will　lay　not　only　upon　ourselves；　but　on　our　sons；　and　their　sons；　and　all　our　race；　and　on　all　the　community　dwelling　and　living　in　this　land；　which　never　after　will　be　free　from　this　slavery。　　Now　although　this　king　is　a　good　man；　as　I　well　believe　him　to　be；　yet　it　must　be　hereafter；　when　kings　succeed　each　other；　that　some　will　be　good。　and　some　bad。　　Therefore　if　the　people　of　this　country　will　preserve　the　freedom　they　have　enjoyed　since　the　land　was　first　inhabited；　it　is　not　advisable　to　give　the　king　the　smallest　spot　to　fasten　himself　upon　the　country　by；　and　not　to　give　him　any　kind　of　scat　or　service　that　can　have　the　appearance　of　a　duty。　　On　the　other　hand；　I　think　it　very　proper　that　the　people　send　the　king　such　friendly　presents　of　hawks　or　horses；　tents　or　sails；　or　such　things　which　are　suitable　gifts；　and　these　are　well　applied　if　they　are　repaid　with　friendship。　But　as　to　Grimsey　Isle；　I　have　to　say；　that　although　nothing　is　drawn　from　it　that　can　serve　for　food；　yet　it　could　support　a　great　war…force　cruising　from　thence　in　long…ships；　and　then；　I　doubt　not；　there　would　be　distress　enough　at　every　poor　peasant's　door。〃

When　Einar　had　thus　explained　the　proper　connection　of　the　matter；　the　whole　community　were　of　one　mind　that　such　a　thing　should　not　be　permitted；　and　Thorarin　saw　sufficiently　well　what　the　result　of　his　errand　was　to　be。



135。　THE　ANSWER　OF　THE　ICELANDERS。

The　day　following；　Thorarin　went　again　to　the　Lawhill；　and　brought　forward　his　errand　in　the　following　words：　　〃King　Olaf　sends　his　message　to　his　friends　here　in　the　country；