Saga of Magnus the Blind and of Harald Gille

12. OF MAGNUS THE BLIND.

King Magnus, after he was deprived of sight, went north to
Nidaros, where he went into the cloister on the holm, and assumed
the monk's dress. The cloister received the farm of Great Hernes
in Frosta for his support. King Harald alone ruled the country
the following winter, gave all men peace and pardon who desired
it, and took many of the men into his court-service who had been
with King Magnus. Einar Skulason says that King Harald had two
battles in Denmark; the one at Hvedn Isle, and the other at
Hlesey Isle: --

"Unwearied champion! who wast bred
To stain thy blue-edged weapons red!
Beneath high Hvedn's rocky shore,
The faithless felt thy steel once more."

And again, thus: --

"On Hlesey's plain the foe must quail
'Fore him who dyes their shirts of mail.
His storm-stretched banner o'er his head
Flies straight, and fills the foe with dread."

13. OF KING HARALD GILLE AND BISHOP MAGNUS.

King Harald Gille was a very generous man. It is told that in
his time Magnus Einarson came from Iceland to be consecrated a
bishop, and the king received him well, and showed him much
respect. When the bishop was ready to sail for Iceland again,
and the ship was rigged out for sea, he went to the hall where
the king was drinking, saluted him politely and warmly, and the
king received him joyfully. The queen was sitting beside the
king.

Then said the king, "Are you ready, bishop, for your voyage?"

He replied that he was.

The king said, "You come to us just now at a bad time; for the
tables are just removed, and there is nothing at hand suitable to
present to you. What is there to give the bishop?"

The treasurer replies, "Sire, as far as I know, all articles of
any value are given away."

The king: "Here is a drinking goblet remaining; take this,
bishop; it is not without value."

The bishop expressed his thanks for the honour shown him.

Then said the queen, "Farewell, bishop! and a happy voyage."

The king said to her, "When did you ever hear a noble lady say so
to a bishop without giving him something?"

She replies, "Sire, what have I to give him?"

The king: "Thou hast the cushion under thee."

Thereupon this, which was covered with costly cloth, and was a
valuable article, was given to the bishop. When the bishop was
going away the king took the cushion from under himself and gave
it him, saying, "They have long been together." When the bishop
arrived in Iceland to his bishop's see, it was talked over what
should be done with the goblet that would be serviceable for the
king; and when the bishop asked the opinion of other people, many
thought it should be sold, and the value-bestowed on the poor.
Then said the bishop, "I will take another plan. I will have a
chalice made of it for this church, and consecrate it, so that
all the saints of whom there are relics in this church shall let
the king have some good for his gift every time a mass is sung
over it." This chalice has since belonged to the bishopric of
Skalholt; and of the costly cloth with which the cushions given
him by the king were covered, were made the choristers' cloaks
which are now in Skalholt. From this the generous spirit of King
Harald may be seen, as well as from many other things, of which
but a few are set down here.

14. BEGINNING OF SIGURD SLEMBIDJAKN.

There was a man, by name Sigurd, who was brought up in Norway,
and was called priest Adalbrikt's son. Sigurd's mother was
Thora, a daughter of Saxe of Vik, a sister of Sigrid, who was
mother of King Olaf Magnuson, and of Kare, the king's brother who
married Borghild, a daughter of Dag Eilifson. Their sons were
Sigurd of Austrat and Dag. Sigurd of Austrat's sons were Jon of
Austrat, Thorstein, and Andres the Deaf. Jon was married to
Sigrid, a sister of King Inge and of Duke Skule. This Sigurd, in
his childhood, was kept at his book, became a clerk, and was
consecrated a deacon; but as he ripened in years and strength he
became a very clever man, stout, strong, distinguished for all
perfections and exercises beyond any of his years, -- indeed,
beyond any man in Norway. Sigurd showed early traces of a
haughty ungovernable spirit, and was therefore called
Slembidjakn. He was as handsome a man as could be seen, with
rather thin but beautiful hair. When it came to Sigurd's ears
that his mother said King Magnus was his father, he laid aside
all clerkship; and as soon as he was old enough to be his own
master, he left the country. He was a long time on his travels,
went to Palestine; was at the Jordan river; and visited many holy
places, as pilgrims usually do. When he came back, he applied
himself to trading expeditions. One winter he was in Orkney with
Earl Harald, and was with him when Thorkel Fostre Summarlidason
was killed. Sigurd was also in Scotland with the Scottish king
David, and was held in great esteem by him. Thereafter Sigurd
went to Denmark; and according to the account of himself and his
men, he there submitted to the iron ordeal to confirm his
paternal descent, and proved by it, in the presence of five
bishops, that he was a son of King Magnus Barefoot. So says Ivar
Ingemundson, in Sigurd's song: --

"The holiest five
Of men alive, --
Bishops were they, --
Solemnly say,
The iron glowing
Red hot, yet showing
No scaith on skin,
Proves cause and kin."

King Harald Gille's friends, however, said this was only a lie,
and deceit of the Danes.

15. SIGURD IN ICELAND.

It is told before of Sigurd that he passed some years in merchant
voyages, and he came thus to Iceland one winter, and took up his
lodging with Thorgils Odson in Saurby; but very few knew where he
was. In autumn, when the sheep were being driven into a fold to
be slaughtered, a sheep that was to be caught ran to Sigurd; and
as Sigurd thought the sheep ran to him for protection, he
stretched out his hands to it and lifted it over the fold dyke,
and let it run to the hills, saying, "There are not many who seek
help from me, so I may well help this one." It happened the same
winter that a woman had committed a theft, and Thorgils, who was
angry at her for it, was going to punish her; but she ran to
Sigurd to ask his help, and he set her upon the bench by his
side. Thorgils told him to give her up, and told him what she
had committed; but Sigurd begged forgiveness for her since she
had come to him for protection, and that Thorgils would dismiss
the complaint against her, but Thorgils insisted that she should
receive her punishment. When Sigurd saw that Thorgils would not
listen to his entreaty, he started up, drew his sword, and bade
him take her if he dared; and Thorgils seeing that Sigurd would
defend the woman by force of arms, and observing his commanding
mien, guessed who he must be, desisted from pursuing the woman,
and pardoned her. There were many foreign men there, and Sigurd
made the least appearance among them. One day Sigurd came into
the sitting-room, and a Northman who was splendidly clothed was
playing chess with one of Thorads house-servants. The Northman
called Sigurd, and asked him his advice how to play; but when
Sigurd looked at the board, he saw the game was lost. The man
who was playing against the Northman had a sore foot, so that one
toe was bruised, and matter was coming out of it. Sigurd, who
was sitting on the bench, takes a straw, and draws it along the
floor, so that some young kittens ran after it. He drew the
straw always before them, until they came near the house-
servant's foot, who jumping up with a scream, threw the chessmen
in disorder on the board; and thus it was a dispute how the game
had stood. This is given as a proof of Sigurd's cunning. People
did not know that he was a learned clerk until the Saturday
before Easter, when he consecrated the holy water with chant; and
the longer he stayed there the more he was esteemed. The summer
after, Sigurd told Thorgils before they parted, that he might
with all confidence address his friends to Sigurd Slembidjakn.
Thorgils asked how nearly he was related to him, on which he
replies, "I am Sigurd Slembidjakn, a son of King Magnus
Barefoot." He then left Iceland.