Saga of Olaf Haroldson

198. OF KING OLAF.

After King Olaf came to Russia he was very thoughtful, and
weighed what counsel he now should follow. King Jarisleif and
Queen Ingegerd offered him to remain with them, and receive a
kingdom called Vulgaria, which is a part of Russia, and in which
land the people were still heathen. King Olaf thought over this
offer; but when he proposed it to his men they dissuaded him from
settling himself there, and urged the king to betake himself to
Norway to his own kingdom: but the king himself had resolved
almost in his own mind to lay down his royal dignity, to go out
into the world to Jerusalem, or other holy places, and to enter
into some order of monks. But yet the thought lay deep in his
soul to recover again, if there should be any opportunity for
him, his kingdom in Norway. When he thought over this, it
recurred to his mind how all things had gone prosperously with
him during the first ten years of his reign, and how afterwards
every thing he undertook became heavy, difficult, and hard; and
that he had been unlucky, on all occasions in which he had tried
his luck. On this account he doubted if it would be prudent to
depend so much upon his luck, as to go with so little strength
into the hands of his enemies, seeing that all the people of the
country had taken part with them to oppose King Olaf. Such cares
he had often on his mind, and he left his cause to God, praying
that He would do what to Him seemed best. These thoughts he
turned over in his mind, and knew not what to resolve upon; for
he saw how evidently dangerous that was which his inclination was
most bent upon.

199. OF KING OLAF'S DREAM.

One night the king lay awake in his bed, thinking with great
anxiety about his determination, and at last, being tired of
thinking, sleep came over him towards morning; but his sleep was
so light that he thought he was awake, and could see all that was
doing in the house. Then he saw a great and superb man, in
splendid clothes, standing by his bed; and it came into the
king's mind that this was King Olaf Trygvason who had come to
him. This man said to him, "Thou are very sick of thinking about
thy future resolutions; and it appears to me wonderful that these
thoughts should be so tumultuous in thy soul that thou shouldst
even think of laying down the kingly dignity which God hath given
thee, and of remaining here and accepting of a kingdom from
foreign and unknown kings. Go back rather to that kingdom which
thou hast received in heritage, and rule over it with the
strength which God hath given thee, and let not thy inferiors
take it from thee. It is the glory of a king to be victorious
over his enemies, and it is a glorious death to die in battle.
Or art thou doubtful if thou hast right on thy side in the strife
with thine enemies? Thou must have no doubts, and must not
conceal the truth from thyself. Thou must go back to thy
country, and God will give open testimony that the kingdom is
thine by property." When the king awoke he thought he saw the
man's shoulders going out. From this time the king's courage
rose, and he fixed firmly his resolution to return to Norway; to
which his inclination also tended most, and which he also found
was the desire of all his men. He bethought himself also that
the country being without a chief could be easily attacked, from
what he had heard, and that after he came himself many would turn
back towards him. When the king told his determination to his
people they all gave it their approbation joyfully.

200. OF KING OLAF'S HEALING POWERS.

It is related that once upon a time, while King Olaf was in
Russia, it happened that the son of an honest widow had a sore
boil upon his neck, of which the lad lay very ill; and as he
could not swallow any food, there was little hope of his life.
The boy's mother went to Queen Ingegerd, with whom she was
acquainted, and showed her the lad. The queen said she knew no
remedy for it. "Go," said she, "to King Olaf, he is the best
physician here; and beg him to lay his hands on thy lad, and
bring him my words if he will not otherwise do it." She did as
the queen told her; and when she found the king she says to him
that her son is dangerously ill of a boil in his neck, and begs
him to lay his hand on the boil. The king tells her he is not a
physician, and bids her go to where there were physicians. She
replies, that the queen had told her to come to him; "and told me
to add the request from her, that you would would use the remedy
you understood, and she said that thou art the best physician
here in the town." Then the king took the lad, laid his hands
upon his neck, and felt the boil for a long time, until the boy
made a very wry face. Then the king took a piece of bread, laid
it in the figure of the cross upon the palm of his hand, and put
it into the boy's mouth. He swallowed it down, and from that
time all the soreness left his neck, and in a few days he was
quite well, to the great joy of his mother and all his relations.
Then first came Olaf into the repute of having as much healing
power in his hands as is ascribed to men who have been gifted by
nature with healing by the touch; and afterwards when his
miracles were universally acknowledged, this also was considered
one of his miracles.

201. KING OLAF BURNS THE WOOD SHAVINGS ON HIS HAND FOR HIS
SABBATH BREACH.

It happened one Sunday that the king sat in his highseat at the
dinner table, and had fallen into such deep thought that he did
not observe how time went. In one hand he had a knife, and in
the other a piece of fir-wood from which he cut splinters from
time to time. The table-servant stood before him with a bowl in
his hands; and seeing what the king was about, and that he was
involved in thought, he said, "It is Monday, sire, to-morrow."
The king looked at him when he heard this, and then it came into
his mind what he was doing on the Sunday. Then the king ordered
a lighted candle to be brought him, swept together all the
shavings he had made, set them on fire, and let them burn upon
his naked hand; showing thereby that he would hold fast by God's
law and commandment, and not trespass without punishment on what
he knew to be right.

202. OF KING OLAF.

When King Olaf had resolved on his return home, he made known his
intention to King Jarisleif and Queen Ingegerd. They dissuaded
him from this expedition, and said he should receive as much
power in their dominions as he thought desirable; but begged him
not to put himself within the reach of his enemies with so few
men as he had. Then King Olaf told them of his dream; adding,
that he believed it to be God's will and providence that it
should be so. Now when they found he was determined on
travelling to Norway, they offered him all the assistance to his
journey that he would accept from them. The king thanked them in
many fine words for their good will; and said that he accepted
from them, with no ordinary pleasure, what might be necessary for
his undertaking.

203. OF KING OLAF'S JOURNEY FROM RUSSIA.

Immediately after Yule (A.D. 1080), King Olaf made himself ready;
and had about 200 of his men with him. King Jarisleif gave him
all the horses, and whatever else he required; and when he was
ready he set off. King Jarisleif and Queen Ingegerd parted from
him with all honour; and he left his son Magnus behind with the
king. The first part of his journey, down to the sea-coast, King
Olaf and his men made on the ice; but as spring approached, and
the ice broke up, they rigged their vessels, and when they were
ready and got a wind they set out to sea, and had a good voyage.
When Olaf came to the island of Gotland with his ships he heard
the news -- which was told as truth, both in Svithjod, Denmark,
and over all Norway -- that Earl Hakon was missing, and Norway
without a head. This gave the king and his men good hope of the
issue of their journey. From thence they sailed, when the wind
suited, to Svithjod, and went into the Maelar lake, to Aros, and
sent men to the Swedish King Onund appointing a meeting. King
Onund received his brother-in-law's message in the kindest
manner, and went to him according to his invitation. Astrid also
came to King Olaf, with the men who had attended her; and great
was the joy on all sides at this meeting. The Swedish king also
received his brother-in-law King Olaf with great joy when they
met.

204. OF THE LENDERMEN IN NORWAY.

Now we must relate what, in the meantime, was going on in Norway.
Thorer Hund, in these two winters (A.D. 1029-1030), had made a
Lapland journey, and each winter had been a long time on the
mountains, and had gathered to himself great wealth by trading in
various wares with the Laplanders. He had twelve large coats of
reindeer-skin made for him, with so much Lapland witchcraft that
no weapon could cut or pierce them any more than if they were
armour of ring-mail, nor so much. The spring thereafter Thorer
rigged a long-ship which belonged to him, and manned it with his
house-servants. He summoned the bondes, demanded a levy from the
most northern Thing district, collected in this way a great many
people, and proceeded with this force southwards. Harek of
Thjotta had also collected a great number of people; and in this
expedition many people of consequence took a part, although these
two were the most distinguished. They made it known publicly
that with this war-force they were going against King Olaf, to
defend the country against him, in case he should come from the
eastward.