Saga of Olaf Haroldson

227. OF ARNLJOT GELLINE'S BAPTISM.

When King Olaf was arrived at Stiklestad, it happened, among
other circumstances, that a man came to him; and although it was
nowise wonderful that there came many men from the districts, yet
this must be regarded as unusual, that this man did not appear
like the other men who came to him. He was so tall that none
stood higher than up to his shoulders: very handsome he was in
countenance, and had beautiful fair hair. He was well armed; had
a fine helmet, and ring armour; a red shield; a superb sword in
his belt; and in his hand a gold-mounted spear, the shaft of it
so thick that it was a handful to grasp. The man went before the
king, saluted him, and asked if the king would accept his
services.

The king asked his name and family, also what countryman he was.

He replies, "My family is in Jamtaland and Helsingjaland, and my
name is Arnljot Gelline; but this I must not forget to tell you,
that I came to the assistance of those men you sent to Jamtaland
to collect scat, and I gave into their hands a silver dish, which
I sent you as a token that I would be your friend."

Then the king asked Arnljot if he was a Christian or not. He
replied, "My faith has been this, to rely upon my power and
strength, and which faith hath hitherto given me satisfaction;
but now I intend rather to put my faith, sire, in thee."

The king replies, "If thou wilt put faith in me thou must also
put faith in what I will teach thee. Thou must believe that
Jesus Christ has made heaven and earth, and all mankind, and to
him shall all those who are good and rightly believing go after
death."

Arnljot answers, "I have indeed heard of the white Christ, but
neither know what he proposes, nor what he rules over; but now I
will believe all that thou sayest to me, and lay down my lot in
your hands."

Thereupon Arnljot was baptized. The king taught him so much of
the holy faith as appeared to him needful, and placed him in the
front rank of the order of battle, in advance of his banner,
where also Gauka-Thorer and Afrafaste, with their men, were.

228. CONCERNING THE ARMY COLLECTED IN NORWAY.

Now shall we relate what we have left behind in our tale, -- that
the lendermen and bondes had collected a vast host as soon as it
was reported that King Olaf was come from Russia, and had arrived
in Svithjod; but when they heard that he had come to Jamtaland,
and intended to proceed westwards over the keel-ridge to Veradal,
they brought their forces into the Throndhjem country, where they
gathered together the whole people, free and unfree, and
proceeded towards Veradal with so great a body of men that there
was nobody in Norway at that time who had seen so large a force
assembled. But the force, as it usually happens in so great a
multitude, consisted of many different sorts of people. There
were many lendermen, and a great many powerful bondes; but the
great mass consisted of labourers and cottars. The chief
strength of this army lay in the Throndhjem land, and it was the
most warm in enmity and opposition to the king.

229. OF BISHOP SIGURD.

When King Canute had, as before related, laid all Norway under
his power, he set Earl Hakon to manage it, and gave the earl a
court-bishop, by name Sigurd, who was of Danish descent, and had
been long with King Canute. This bishop was of a very hot
temper, and particularly obstinate, and haughty in his speech;
but supported King Canute all he could in conversation, and was a
great enemy of King Olaf. He was now also in the bondes' army,
spoke often before the people, and urged them much to
insurrection against King Olaf.

230. BISHOP SIGURD'S SPEECH.

At a House-thing, at which a great many people were assembled,
the bishop desired to be heard, and made the following speech:
"Here are now assembled a great many men, so that probably there
will never be opportunity in this poor country of seeing so great
a native army; but it would be desirable if this strength and
multitude could be a protection; for it will all be needed, if
this Olaf does not give over bringing war and strife upon you.
From his very earliest youth he has been accustomed to plunder
and kill: for which purposes he drove widely around through all
countries, until he turned at last against this, where he began
to show hostilities against the men who were the best and most
powerful; and even against King Canute, whom all are bound to
serve according to their ability, and in whose scat-lands he set
himself down. He did the same to Olaf the Swedish king. He
drove the earls Svein and Hakon away from their heritages; and
was even most tyrannical towards his own connections, as he drove
all the kings out of the Uplands: although, indeed, it was but
just reward for having been false to their oaths of fealty to
King Canute, and having followed this King Olaf in all the folly
he could invent; so their friendship ended according to their
deserts, by this king mutilating some of them, taking their
kingdoms himself, and ruining every man in the country who had an
honourable name. Ye know yourselves how he has treated the
lendermen, of whom many of the worthlest have been murdered, and
many obliged to fly from their country; and how he has roamed far
and wide through the land with robber-bands, burning and
plundering houses, and killing people. Who is the man among us
here of any consideration who has not some great injury from him
to avenge? Now he has come hither with a foreign troop,
consisting mostly of forest-men, vagabonds, and such marauders.
Do ye think he will now be more merciful to you, when he is
roaming about with such a bad crew, after committing devastations
which all who followed him dissuaded him from? Therefore it is
now my advice, that ye remember King Canute's words when he told
you, if King Olaf attempted to return to the country ye should
defend the liberty King Canute had promised you, and should
oppose and drive away such a vile pack. Now the only thing to be
done is to advance against them, and cast forth these malefactors
to the wolves and eagles, leaving their corpses on the spot they
cover, unless ye drag them aside to out-of-the-way corners in the
woods or rocks. No man would be so imprudent as to remove them
to churches, for they are all robbers and evil-doers." When he
had ended his speech it was hailed with the loudest applause, and
all unanimously agreed to act according to his recommendation.

231. OF THE LENDERMEN.

The lendermen who had come together appointed meetings with each
other, and consulted together how they should draw up their
troops, and who should be their leader. Kalf Arnason said that
Harek of Thjotta was best fitted to be the chief of this army,
for he was descended from Harald Harfager's race. "The king also
is particularly enraged against him on account of the murder of
Grankel, and therefore he would be exposed to the severest fate
if Olaf recovered the kingdom; and Harek withal is a man
experienced in battles, and a man who does much for honour
alone."

Harek replies, that the men are best suited for this who are in
the flower of their age. "I am now," says he, "an old and
decaying man, not able to do much in battle: besides, there is
near relationship between me and King Olaf; and although he seems
not to put great value upon that tie, it would not beseem me to
go as leader of the hostilities against him, before any other in
this meeting. On the other hand, thou, Thorer, art well suited
to be our chief in this battle against King Olaf; and thou hast
distinct grounds for being so, both because thou hast to avenge
the death of thy relation, and also hast been driven by him as an
outlaw from thy property. Thou hast also promised King Canute,
as well as thy connections, to avenge the murder of thy relative
Asbjorn; and dost thou suppose there ever will be a better
opportunity than this of taking vengeance on Olaf for all these
insults and injuries?"

Thorer replies thus to his speech: "I do not confide in myself so
much as to raise the banner against King Olaf, or, as chief, to
lead on this army; for the people of Throndhjem have the greatest
part in this armament, and I know well their haughty spirit, and
that they would not obey me, or any other Halogaland man,
although I need not be reminded of my injuries to be roused to
vengeance on King Olaf. I remember well my heavy loss when King
Olaf slew four men, all distinguished both by birth and personal
qualities; namely, my brother's son Asbjorn, my sister's sons
Thorer and Grjotgard, and their father Olver; and it is my duty
to take vengeance for each man of them. I will not conceal that
I have selected eleven of my house-servants for that purpose, and
of those who are the most daring; and I do not think we shall be
behind others in exchanging blows with King Olaf, should
opportunity be given."