them to adopt Christianity; but
they challenged him to battle, and it proceeded so far that the men
were drawn up on both sides. But when it came to the point such a fear
entered into the blood of the bondes that none would advance or command,
and they chose the part which was most to their advantage; namely, to
obey the king and receive Christianity; and before the king left them
they were all baptized. One day it happened that the king was riding on
his way a singing of psalms, and when he came right opposite some hills
he halted and said, "Man after man shall relate these my words, that
I think it not advisable for any king of Norway to travel hereafter
between these hills." And it is a saying among the people that the
most kings since that time have avoided it. The king proceeded to
Ostrarfjord, and came to his ships, with which he went north to Sogn,
and had his living in guest-quarters there in summer (A.D. 1023); when
autumn approached he turned in towards the Fjord district, and went
from thence to Valders, where the people were still heathen. The king
hastened up to the lake in Valders, came unexpectedly on the bondes,
seized their vessels, and went on board of them with all his men. He
then sent out message-tokens, and appointed a Thing so near the lake
that he could use the vessels if he found he required them. The bondes
resorted to the Thing in a great and well-armed host; and when he
commanded them to accept Christianity the bondes shouted against him,
told him to be silent, and made a great uproar and clashing of weapons.
But when the king saw that they would not listen to what he would teach
them, and also that they had too great a force to contend with, he
turned his discourse, and asked if there were people at the Thing who
had disputes with each other which they wished him to settle. It was
soon found by the conversation of the bondes that they had many quarrels
among themselves, although they had all joined in speaking against
Christianity. When the bondes began to set forth their own cases, each
endeavored to get some upon his side to support him; and this lasted
the whole day long until evening, when the Thing was concluded. When the
bondes had heard that the king had travelled to Valders, and was come
into their neighborhood, they had sent out message-tokens summoning
the free and the unfree to meet in arms, and with this force they had
advanced against the king; so that the neighbourhood all around