Saga of Sigurd the Crusader and His Brothers Eystein and Olaf

31. OF KING SIGURD'S DREAM.

In King Sigurd's latter days he was once at an entertainment at
one of his farms; and in the morning when he was dressed he was
silent and still, so that his friends were afraid he was not able
to govern himself. Now the farm bailiff, who was a man of good
sense and courage, brought him into conversation, and asked if he
had heard any news of such importance that it disturbed his
mirth; or if the entertainment had not satisfied him; or if there
was anything else that people could remedy.

King Sigurd said, that none of the things he had mentioned was
the cause. "But it is that I think upon the dream I had in the
night."

"Sire," replied he, "may it prove a lucky dream! I would gladly
hear it."

The king: "I thought that I was in Jadar, and looked out towards
the sea; and that I saw something very black moving itself; and
when it came near it appeared to be a large tree, of which the
branches stretched far above the water, and the roots were down
in the sea. Now when the tree came to the shore it broke into
pieces, and drove all about the land, both the mainland and the
out-islands, rocks and strands; and it appeared to me as if I saw
over all Norway along the sea-coast, and saw pieces of that tree,
some small and some large, driven into every bight."

Then said the bailiff, "It is likely that you an best interpret
this dream yourself; and I would willingly hear your
interpretation of it."

Then said the king, "This dream appears to me to denote the
arrival in this country of some man who will fix his seat here,
and whose posterity will spread itself over the land; but with
unequal power, as the dream shows."

32. OF ASLAK HANE.

It so happened once, that King Sigurd sat in a gloomy mood among
many worthy men. It was Friday evening, and the kitchen-master
asked what meat should be made ready.

The king replies, "What else but flesh-meat?" And so harsh were
his words that nobody dared to contradict him, and all were ill
at ease. Now when people prepared to go to table, dishes of warm
flesh-meat were carried in; but all were silent, and grieved at
the king's illness. Before the blessing was pronounced over the
meat, a man called Aslak Hane spoke. He had been a long time
with King Sigurd on his journey abroad, and was not a man of any
great family; and was small of stature, but fiery. When he
perceived how it was, and that none dared to accost the king, he
asked, "What is it, sire, that is smoking on the dish before
you?"

The king replies, "What do you mean, Aslak? what do you think it
is?"

Aslak: "I think it is flesh-meat; and I would it were not so."

The king: "But if it be so, Aslak?"

He replied, "It would be vexatious to know that a gallant king,
who has gained so much honour in the world, should so forget
himself. When you rose up out of Jordan, after bathing in the
same waters as God himself, with palm-leaves in your hands, and
the cross upon your breast, it was something else you promised,
sire, than to eat flesh-meat on a Friday. If a meaner man were
to do so, he would merit a heavy punishment. This royal hall is
not so beset as it should be, when it falls upon me, a mean man,
to challenge such an act."

The king sat silent, and did not partake of the meat; and when
the time for eating was drawing to an end, the king ordered the
flesh dishes to be removed and other food was brought in, such as
it is permitted to use. When the meal-time was almost past, the
king began to be cheerful, and to drink. People advised Aslak to
fly, but he said he would not do so. "I do not see how it could
help me; and to tell the truth, it is as good to die now that I
have got my will, and have prevented the king from committing a
sin. It is for him to kill me if he likes."

Towards evening the king called him, and said, "Who set thee on,
Aslak Hane, to speak such free words to me in the hearing of so
many people?"

"No one, sire, but myself."

The king: "Thou wouldst like, no doubt, to know what thou art to
have for such boldness; what thinkest thou it deserves."

He replies, "If it be well rewarded, sire, I shall be glad; but
should it be otherwise, then it is your concern."

Then the king said, "Smaller is thy reward than thou hast
deserved. I give thee three farms. It has turned out, what
could not have been expected, that thou hast prevented me from a
great crime, -- thou, and not the lendermen, who are indebted to
me for so much good." And so it ended.

33. OF A WOMAN BROUGHT TO THE KING.

One Yule eve the king sat in the hall, and the tables were laid
out, and the king said, "Get me flesh-meat."

They answered, "Sire, it is not the custom to eat flesh-meat on
Yule eve."

The king said, "If it be not the custom I will make it the
custom."

They went out, and brought him a dolphin. The king stuck his
knife into it, but did not eat of it. Then the king said, "Bring
me a girl here into the hall." They brought him a woman whose
head-dress went far down her brows. The king took her hand in
his hands, looked at her, and said, "An ill looking girl!"

((LACUNA -- The rest of this story is missing))

34. HARALD GILLE COMES TO NORWAY.

Halkel Huk, a son of Jon Smiorbalte, who was lenderman in More,
made a voyage in the West sea, all the way to the South Hebudes.
A man came to him out of Ireland called Gillikrist, and gave
himself out for a son of King Magnus Barefoot. His mother came
with him, and said his other name was Harald. Halkel received
the man, brought him to Norway with him, and went immediately to
King Sigurd with Harald and his mother. When they had told their
story to the king, he talked over the matter with his principal
men, and bade them give their opinions upon it. They were of
different opinions, and all left it to the king himself, although
there were several who opposed this; and the king followed his
own counsel. King Sigurd ordered Harald to be called before him,
and told him that he would not deny him the proof, by ordeal, of
who his father was; but on condition that if he should prove his
descent according to his claim, he should not desire the kingdom
in the lifetime of King Sigurd, or of King Magnus: and to this he
bound himself by oath. King Sigurd said he must tread over hot
iron to prove his birth; but this ordeal was thought by many too
severe, as he was to undergo it merely to prove his father, and
without getting the kingdom; but Harald agreed to it, and fixed
on the trial by iron: and this ordeal was the greatest ever made
in Norway; for nine glowing plowshares were laid down, and Harald
went over them with bare feet, attended by two bishops.

Three days after the iron trial the ordeal was taken to proof,
and the feet were found unburnt. Thereafter King Sigurd
acknowledged Harald's relationship; but his son Magnus conceived
a great hatred of him, and in this many chiefs followed Magnus.
King Sigurd trusted so much to his favour with the whole people
of the country, that he desired all men, under oath, to promise
to accept Magnus after him as their king; and all the people took
this oath.

35. RACE BETWEEN MAGNUS AND HARALD GILLE.

Harald Gille was a tall, slender-grown man, of a long neck and
face, black eyes, and dark hair, brisk and quick, and wore
generally the Irish dress of short light clothes. The Norse
language was difficult for Harald, and he brought out words which
many laughed at. Harald sat late drinking one evening. He spoke
with another man about different things in the west in Ireland;
and among other things, said that there were men in Ireland so
swift of foot that no horse could overtake them in running.
Magnus, the king's son, heard this, and said, "Now he is lying,
as he usually does."

Harald replies, "It is true that there are men in Ireland whom no
horse in Norway could overtake." They exchanged some words about
this, and both were drunk. Then said Magnus, "Thou shalt make a
wager with me, and stake thy head if thou canst not run so fast
as I ride upon my horse, and I shall stake my gold ring."

Harald replies, "I did not say that I could run so swiftly; but I
said that men are to be found in Ireland who will run as fast;
and on that I would wager."

The king's son Magnus replies, "I will not go to Ireland about
it; we are wagering here, and not there."

Harald on this went to bed, and would not speak to him more about
it. This was in Oslo. The following morning, when the early
mass was over, Magnus rode up the street, and sent a message to
Harald to come to him. When Harald came he was dressed thus. He
had on a shirt and trousers which were bound with ribands under
his foot-soles, a short cloak, an Irish hat on his head, and a
spear-shaft in his hand. Magnus set up a mark for the race.
Harald said, "Thou hast made the course too long;" but Magnus
made it at once even much longer, and said it was still too
short. There were many spectators. They began the race, and
Harald followed always the horse's pace; and when they came to
the end of the race course, Magnus said, "Thou hadst hold of the
saddle-girth, and the horse dragged thee along." Magnus had his
swift runner, the Gautland horse. They began the race again, and
Harald ran the whole race-course before the horse. When came to
the end Harald asked, "Had I hold of the saddle-girths now?"

Magnus replied, "Thou hadst the start at first."

Then Magnus let his horse breathe a while, and when he was ready
he put the spurs to him, and set off in full gallop. Harald
stood still, and Magnus looked back, and called, "Set off now."

Then Harald ran quickly past the horse, and came to the end of
the course so long before him that he lay down, and got up and
saluted Magnus as he came in."

Then they went home to the town. In the meantime King Sigurd had
been at high mass, and knew nothing of this until after he had
dined that day. Then he said to Magnus angrily, "Thou callest
Harald useless; but I think thou art a great fool, and knowest
nothing of the customs of foreign people. Dost thou not know
that men in other countries exercise themselves in other feats
than in filling themselves with ale, and making themselves mad,
and so unfit for everything that they scarcely know each other?
Give Harald his ring, and do not try to make a fool of him again,
as long as I am above ground."