Saga of Sigurd the Crusader and His Brothers Eystein and Olaf

28. BAPTIZING THE PEOPLE OF SMALAND.

The Danish king, Nikolas, a son of Svein Ulfson, married
afterwards the Queen Margaret, a daughter of King Inge, who had
before been married to King Magnus Barefoot; and their sons were
Nikolas and Magnus the Strong. King Nikolas sent a message to
King Sigurd the Crusader, and asked him if he would go with him
with all his might and help him to the east of the Swedish
dominion, Smaland, to baptize the inhabitants; for the people who
dwelt there had no regard for Christianity, although some of them
had allowed themselves to be baptized. At that time there were
many people all around in the Swedish dominions who were
heathens, and many were bad Christians; for there were some of
the kings who renounced Christianity, and continued heathen
sacrifices, as Blotsvein, and afterwards Eirik Arsale, had done.
King Sigurd promised to undertake this journey, and the kings
appointed their meeting at Eyrarsund. King Sigurd then summoned
all people in Norway to a levy, both of men and ships; and when
the fleet was assembled he had about 300 ships. King Nikolas
came very early to the meeting-place, and stayed there a long
time; and the bondes murmured much, and said the Northmen did not
intend to come. Thereupon the Danish army dispersed, and the
king went away with all his fleet. King Sigurd came there soon
afterwards, and was ill pleased; but sailed east to Svimraros,
and held a House-thing, at which Sigurd spoke about King
Nikolas's breach of faith, and the Northmen, on this account,
determined to go marauding in his country. They first plundered
a village called Tumathorp, which is not far from Lund; and then
sailed east to the merchant-town of Calmar, where they plundered,
as well as in Smaland, and imposed on the country a tribute of
1500 cattle for ship provision; and the people of Smaland
received Christianity. After this King Sigurd turned about with
his fleet, and came back to his kingdom with many valuable
articles and great booty, which he had gathered on this
expedition; and this levy was called the Calmar levy. This was
the summer before the eclipse. This was the only levy King
Sigurd carried out as long as he was king.

29. OF THORARIN STUTFELD.

It happened once when King Sigurd was going from the drinking-
table to vespers, that his men were very drunk and merry; and
many of them sat outside the church singing the evening song, but
their singing was very irregular. Then the king said, "Who is
that fellow I see standing at the church with a skin jacket on?"
They answered, that they did not know. Then the king said: --

"This skin-clad man, in sorry plight,
Puts all our wisdom here to flight."

Then the fellow came forward and said: --

"I thought that here I might be known,
Although my dress is scanty grown.
'Tis poor, but I must be content:
Unless, great king, it's thy intent
To give me better; for I have seen
When I and rags had strangers been."

The king answered, "Come to me to-morrow when I am at the drink-
table." The night passed away; and the morning after the
Icelander, who was afterwards called Thorarin Stutfetd, went into
the drinking-room. A man stood outside of the door of the room
with a horn in his hand, and said, "Icelander! the king says
that if thou wilt deserve any gift from him thou shalt compose a
song before going in, and make it about a man whose name is Hakon
Serkson, and who is called Morstrut (1); and speak about that
surname in thy song." The man who spoke to him was called Arne
Fioruskeif. Then they went into the room; and when Thorarin came
before the king's seat he recited these verses: --

"Throndhjem's warrior-king has said
The skald should be by gifts repaid,
If he before this meeting gave
The king's friend Serk a passing stave.
The generous king has let me know
My stave, to please, must be framed so
That my poor verse extol the fame
Of one called Hakon Lump by name."

Then said the king, "I never said so, and somebody has been
making a mock of thee. Hakon himself shall determine what
punishment thou shalt have. Go into his suite." Hakon said, "He
shall be welcome among us, for I can see where the joke came
from;" and he placed the Icelander at his side next to himself,
and they were very merry. The day was drawing to a close, and
the liquor began to get into their heads, when Hakon said, "Dost
thou not think, Icelander, that thou owest me some penalty? and
dost thou not see that some trick has been played upon thee?"

Thorarin replies, "It is true, indeed, that I owe thee some
compensation."

Hakon says, "Then we shall be quits, if thou wilt make me another
stave about Arne."

He said he was ready to do so; and they crossed over to the side
of the room where Arne was sitting, and Thorarin gave these
verses: --

"Fioruskeif has often spread,
With evil heart and idle head,
The eagle's voidings round the land,
Lampoons and lies, with ready hand.
Yet this landlouper we all know,
In Africa scarce fed a crow,
Of all his arms used in the field,
Those in most use were helm and shield."

Arne sprang up instantly, drew his sword, and was going to fall
upon him; but Hakon told him to let it alone and be quiet, and
bade him remember that if it came to a quarrel he would come off
the worst himself. Thorarin afterwards went up to the king, and
said he had composed a poem which he wished the king to hear.
The king consented, and the song is known by the name of the
Stutfeld poem. The king asked Thorarin what he intended to do.
He replied, it was his intention to go to Rome. Then the king
gave him much money for his pilgrimage, and told him to visit him
on his return, and promised to provide for him.

30. OF SIGURD AND OTTAR BIRTING.

It is told that King Sigurd, one Whitsunday, sat at table with
many people, among whom were many of his friends; and when he
came to his high-seat, people saw that his countenance was very
wild, and as if he had been weeping, so that people were afraid
of what might follow. The king rolled his eyes, and looked at
those who were seated on the benches. Then he seized the holy
book which he had brought with him from abroad, and which was
written all over with gilded letters; so that never had such a
costly book come to Norway. His queen sat by his side. Then
said King Sigurd, "Many are the changes which may take place
during a man's lifetime. I had two things which were dear to me
above all when I came from abroad, and these were this book and
the queen; and now I think the one is only worse and more
loathsome than the other, and nothing I have belonging to me that
I more detest. The queen does not know herself how hideous she
is; for a goat's horn is standing out on her head, and the better
I liked her before the worse I like her now." Thereupon he cast
the book on the fire which was burning on the hall-floor, and
gave the queen a blow with his fist between the eyes. The queen
wept; but more at the king's' illness than at the blow, or the
affront she had suffered.

Then a man stood up before the king; his name was Ottar Birting;
and he was one of the torch-bearers, although a bonde's son, and
was on service that day. He was of small stature, but of
agreeable appearance; lively, bold, and full of fun; black
haired, and of a dark skin. He ran and snatched the book which
the king had cast into the fire, held it out, and said,
"Different were the days, sire, when you came with great state
and splendour to Norway, and with great fame and honour; for then
all your friends came to meet you with joy, and were glad at your
coming. All as one man would have you for king, and have you in
the highest regard and honour. But now days of sorrow are come
over us; for on this holy festival many of your friends have come
to you, and cannot be cheerful on account of your melancholy and
ill health. It is much to be desired that you would be merry
with them; and do, good king, take this saving advice, make peace
first with the queen, and make her joyful whom you have so highly
affronted, with a friendly word; and then all your chiefs,
friends, and servants; that is my advice."

Then said King Sigurd, "Dost thou dare to give me advice, thou
great lump of a houseman's lad!" And he sprang up, drew his
sword, and swung it with both hands as if going to cut him down.

But Ottar stood quiet and upright; did not stir from the spot,
nor show the slightest sign of fear; and the king turned round
the sword-blade which he had waved over Ottar's head, and gently
touched him on the shoulder with it. Then he sat down in silence
on his high-seat.

All were silent who were in the hall, for nobody dared to say a
word. Now the king looked around him, milder than before, and
said, "It is difficult to know what there is in people. Here sat
my friends, and lendermen, marshals and shield-bearers, and all
the best men in the land; but none did so well against me as this
man, who appears to you of little worth compared to any of you,
although now he loves me most. I came here like a madman, and
would have destroyed my precious property; but he turned aside my
deed, and was not afraid of death for it. Then he made an able
speech, ordering his words so that they were honourable to me,
and not saying a single word about things which could increase my
vexation; but even avoiding what might, with truth, have been
said. So excellent was his speech, that no man here, however
great his understanding, could have spoken better. Then I sprang
up in a pretended rage, and made as if I would have cut him down;
but he was courageous as if he had nothing to fear; and seeing
that, I let go my purpose; for he was altogether innocent. Now
ye shall know, my friends, how I intend to reward him; he was
before my torchbearer, and shall now be my lenderman; and there
shall follow what is still more, that he shall be the most
distinguished of my lendermen. Go thou and sit among the
lendermen, and be a servant no longer."

Ottar became one of the most celebrated men in Norway for various
good and praiseworthy deeds.

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