Saga of Sigurd the Crusader and His Brothers Eystein and Olaf

24. MAGNUS THE BLIND; HIS BIRTH.

King Eystein had been about a year in the east part of the
country at that time, and King Sigurd was then in the north.
King Eystein remained a long time that winter in Sarpsborg.
There was once a powerful and rich bonde called Olaf of Dal, who
dwelt in Great Dal in Aumord, and had two children, -- a son
called Hakon Fauk, and a daughter called Borghild, who was a very
beautiful girl, and prudent, and well skilled in many things.
Olaf and his children were a long time in winter in Sarpsborg,
and Borghild conversed very often with King Eystein; so that many
reports were spread about their friendship. The following summer
King Eystein went north, and King Sigurd came eastward, where he
remained all winter, and was long in Konungahella, which town he
greatly enlarged and improved. He built there a great castle of
turf and stone, dug a great ditch around it, and built a church
and several houses within the castle. The holy cross he allowed
to remain at Konungahella, and therein did not fulfill the oath
he had taken in Palestine; but, on the other hand, he established
tithe, and most of the other things to which he had bound himself
by oath. The reason of his keeping the cross east at the
frontier of the country was, that he thought it would be a
protection to all the land; but it proved the greatest misfortune
to place this relic within the power of the heathens, as it
afterwards turned out.

When Borghild, Olaf's daughter, heard it whispered that people
talked ill of her conversations and intimacy with King Eystein,
she went to Sarpsborg; and after suitable fasts she carried the
iron as proof of her innocence, and cleared herself thereby fully
from all offence. When King Sigurd heard this, he rode one day
as far as usually was two days' travelling, and came to Dal to
Olaf, where he remained all night, made Borghild his concubine,
and took her away with him. They had a son, who was called
Magnus, and he was sent immediately to Halogaland, to be fostered
at Bjarkey by Vidkun Jonson; and he was brought up there. Magnus
grew up to be the handsomest man that could be seen, and was very
soon stout and strong.

25. COMPARISON BETWEEN THE TWO KINGS.

King Eystein and King Sigurd went both in spring to
guest-quarters in the Uplands; and each was entertained in a
separate house, and the houses were not very distant from each
other. The bondes, however, thought it more convenient that both
should be entertained together by turns in each house; and thus
they were both at first in the house of King Eystein. But in the
evening, when the people began to drink, the ale was not good; so
that the guests were very quiet and still. Then said King
Eystein, "Why are the people so silent? It is more usual in
drinking parties that people are merry, so let us fall upon some
jest over our ale that will amuse people; for surely, brother
Sigurd, all people are well pleased when we talk cheerfully."

Sigurd replies, bluntly, "Do you talk as much as you please, but
give me leave to be silent."

Eystein says, "It is a common custom over the ale-table to
compare one person with another, and now let us do so." Then
Sigurd was silent.

"I see," says King Eystein, "that I must begin this amusement.
Now I will take thee, brother, to compare myself with, and will
make it appear so as if we had both equal reputation and
property, and that there is no difference in our birth and
education."

Then King Sigurd replies, "Do you remember that I was always able
to throw you when we wrestled, although you are a year older?"

Then King Eystein replied, "But I remember that you was not so
good at the games which require agility."

Sigurd: "Do you remember that I could drag you under water, when
we swam together, as often as I pleased?"

Eystein: "But I could swim as far as you, and could dive as well
as you; and I could run upon snow-skates so well that nobody
could beat me, and you could no more do it than an ox."

Sigurd: "Methinks it is a more useful and suitable accomplishment
for a chief to be expert at his bow; and I think you could
scarcely draw my bow, even if you took your foot to help."

Eystein: "I am not strong at the bow as you are, but there is
less difference between our shooting near; and I can use the
skees much better than you, and in former times that was held a
great accomplishment."

Sigurd: "It appears to me much better for a chief who is to be
the superior of other men, that he is conspicuous in a crowd, and
strong and powerful in weapons above other men; easily seen, and
easily known, where there are many together."

Eystein: "It is not less a distinction and an ornament that a man
is of a handsome appearance, so as to be easily known from others
on that account; and this appears to me to suit a chief best,
because the best ornament is allied to beauty. I am moreover
more knowing in the law than you, and on every subject my words
flow more easily than yours."

Sigurd: "It may be that you know more law-quirks, for I have had
something else to do; neither will any deny you a smooth tongue.
But there are many who say that your words are not to be trusted;
that what you promise is little to be regarded; and that you talk
just according to what those who are about you say, which is not
kingly."

Eystein: "This is because, when people bring their cases before
me, I wish first to give every man that satisfaction in his
affairs which he desires; but afterwards comes the opposite
party, and then there is something to be given or taken away very
often, in order to mediate between them, so that both may be
satisfied. It often happens, too, that I promise whatever is
desired of me, that all may be joyful about me. It would be an
easy matter for me to do as you do, -- to promise evil to all;
and I never hear any complain of your not keeping this promise to
them."

Sigurd: "It is the conversation of all that the expedition that I
made out of the country was a princely expedition, while you in
the meantime sat at home like your father's daughter."

Eystein: "Now you touched the tender spot. I would not have
brought up this conversation if I had not known what to reply on
this point. I can truly say that I equipt you from home like a
sister, before you went upon this expedition."

Sigurd: "You must have heard that on this expedition I was in
many a battle in the Saracen's land, and gained the victory in
all; and you must have heard of the many valuable articles I
acquired, the like of which were never seen before in this
country, and I was the most respected wherever the most gallant
men were; and, on the other hand, you cannot conceal that you
have only a home-bred reputation."

Eystein: "I have heard that you had several battles abroad, but
it was more useful for the country what I was doing in the
meantime here at home. I built five churches from the
foundations, and a harbour out at Agdanes, where it before was
impossible to land, and where vessels ply north and south along
the coast. I set a warping post and iron ring in the sound of
Sinholm, and in Bergen I built a royal hall, while you were
killing bluemen for the devil in Serkland. This, I think, was of
but little advantage to our kingdom."

King Sigurd said: "On this expedition I went all the way to
Jordan and swam across the river. On the edge of the river there
is a bush of willows, and there I twisted a knot of willows, and
said this knot thou shouldst untie, brother, or take the curse
thereto attached."

King Eystein said: "I shall not go and untie the knot which you
tied for me; but if I had been inclined to tie a knot for thee,
thou wouldst not have been king of Norway at thy return to this
country, when with a single ship you came sailing into my fleet."

Thereupon both were silent, and there was anger on both sides.
More things passed between the brothers, from which it appeared
that each of them would be greater than the other; however, peace
was preserved between them as long as they lived.

26. OF KING SIGURD'S SICKNESS.

King Sigurd was at a feast in the Upland, and a bath was made
ready for him. When the king came to the bath and the tent was
raised over the bathing-tub, the king thought there was a fish in
the tub beside him; and a great laughter came upon him, so that
he was beside himself, and was out of his mind, and often
afterwards these fits returned.

Magnus Barefoot's daughter, Ragnhild, was married by her brothers
to Harald Kesia, a son of the Danish king, Eirik the Good; and
their sons were Magnus, Olaf, Knut and Harald.

27. OF KING EYSTEIN'S DEATH.

King Eystein built a large ship at Nidaros, which, in size and
shape, was like the Long Serpent which King Olaf Trygvason had
built. At the stem there was a dragon's head, and at the stern a
crooked tail, and both were gilded over. The ship was high-
sided; but the fore and aft parts appeared less than they should
be. He also made in Nidaros many and large dry-docks of the best
material, and well timbered.

Six years after King Olaf's death, it happened that King Eystein,
at a feast at Hustadir in Stim, was seized with an illness which
soon carried him off. He died the 29th of August, 1123, and his
body was carried north to Nidaros, and buried in Christ church;
and it is generally said that so many mourners never stood over
any man's grave in Norway as over King Eystein's, at least since
the time Magnus the Good, Saint Olaf's son, died. Eystein had
been twenty years (A.D. 1104-1123) king of Norway; and after his
decease his brother, King Sigurd, was the sole king of Norway as
long as he lived.