ng watched all night in prayer. When day
dawned the king went to mass, then to table, and from thence to the
Thing. The weather was such as Gudbrand desired. Now the bishop stood up
in his choir-robes, with bishop's coif upon his head, and bishop's staff
in his hands. He spoke to the bondes of the true faith, told the many
wonderful acts of God, and concluded his speech well.

Thord Istermage replies, "Many things we are told of by this horned man
with the staff in his hand crooked at the top like a ram's horn; but
since ye say, comrades, that your god is so powerful, and can do so many
wonders, tell him to make it clear sunshine to-morrow forenoon, and then
we shall meet here again, and do one of two things,--either agree with
you about this business, or fight you." And they separated for the day.

119. DALE-GUDBRAND IS BAPTIZED.

There was a man with King Olaf called Kolbein Sterke (the strong), who
came from a family in the Fjord district. Usually he was so equipped
that he was girt with a sword, and besides carried a great stake,
otherwise called a club, in his hands. The king told Kolbein to stand
nearest to him in the morning; and gave orders to his people to go down
in the night to where the ships of the bondes lay and bore holes in
them, and to set loose their horses on the farms where they were; all
which was done. Now the king was in prayer all the night, beseeching God
of His goodness and mercy to release him from evil. When mass was ended,
and morning was grey, the king went to the Thing. When he came there
some bondes had already arrived, and they saw a great crowd coming
along, and bearing among them a huge man's image glancing with gold and
silver. When the bondes who were at the Thing saw it they started up,
and bowed themselves down before the ugly idol. Thereupon it was set
down upon the Thing-field; and on the one side of it sat the bondes, and
on the other the king and his people.

Then Dale-Gudbrand stood up, and said, "Where now, king, is thy god? I
think he will now carry his head lower; and neither thou, nor the man
with the horn whom ye call bishop, and sits there beside thee, are so
bold to-day as on the former days; for now our god, who rules over all,
is come, and looks on you with an angry eye; and now I see well enough
that ye are terrified, and scarcely dare to raise your eyes. Throw away
now all your opposition, and believe in the god who has all your fate in
his hands."

The k