in the sheeling. In the middle
of the night, while the people were asleep, there was heard in the
cattle-fold a dreadful cry, and these words: "Now Olaf's prayers
are burning me," says the spirit, "so that I can no longer be in my
habitation; now must I fly, and never more come to this fold." When the
king's people awoke in the morning the king proceeded to the mountains,
and said to Bruse, "Here shall now a farm be settled, and the bonde who
dwells here shall never want what is needful for the support of life;
and never shall his crop be destroyed by frost, although the crops be
frozen on the farms both above it and below it." Then the king proceeded
over the mountains, and came to a farm called Einby, where he remained
for the night. King Olaf had then been fifteen years king of Norway
(A.D. 1015-1029), including the year both he and Svein were in the
country, and this year we have now been telling about. It was, namely,
a little past Yule when the king left his ships and took to the land, as
before related. Of this portion of his reign the priest Are Thorgilson
the Wise was the first who wrote; and he was both faithful in his story,
of a good memory, and so old a man that he could remember the men, and
had heard their accounts, who were so old that through their age they
could remember these circumstances as he himself wrote them in his
books, and he named the men from whom he received his information.
Otherwise it is generally said that King Olaf had been fifteen years
king of Norway when he fell; but they who say so reckon to Earl Svein's
government, the last year he was in the country, for King Olaf lived
fifteen years afterwards as king.

190. OLAF'S PROPHECIES.

When the king had been one night at Lesjar he proceeded on his journey
with his men, day by day; first into Gudbrandsdal, and from thence out
to Redemark. Now it was seen who had been his friends, for they followed
him; but those who had served him with less fidelity separated from him,
and some showed him even indifference, or even full hostility, which
afterwards was apparent; and also it could be seen clearly in many
Upland people that they took very ill his putting Thorer to death, as
before related. King Olaf gave leave to return home to many of his
men who had farms and children to take care of; for it seemed to them
uncertain what safety there might be for the families and property of
those who left the country with him. Then the king expla