n a place not far from
thence was the cow buried, likewise in a barrow. Such things as this
told he of kings; and other ancient tidings withal. Now after they had
sat thus till late in the night, the bishop reminded the King that it
was time for them to rest, & the King did according as the bishop had
said. But when the King was unclad and had laid him in his bed, the
guest sat himself on the step thereof, and again talked for long with
the King; and ever when he had told of one matter did the King long for
more. Then spake the bishop to the King saying that it was time for
sleep, and the King settled himself for sleep according as the bishop
had said & the guest gat him gone, but soon thereafter the King
awakened, and asked after his guest, & bade him be called unto him, but
nowhere was the guest to be found. On the morrow early the King summoned
his cook to him and he who had charge of the drink withal, and asked
them if any unknown man had come in to them; & they answered that as
they were making ready the food a man had come to them & said that they
were boiling but scurvy meat for the King's table, & therewith he gave
them two mighty fat sides of neat & these they boiled with the other
flesh. Then commanded the King that all that food should be destroyed,
saying that this had not been any man but rather Odin himself, whom
heathen men had long believed on, but, said he, never should Odin
beguile them.[Sec.]
|| Now when summer was come called King Olaf together a large host from
the east of the country and with it sailed he northward to Throndhjem,
going in first to Nidaros. Thereafter sent he round the whole of the
fjord bidding men assemble at a Thing, and there gathered at Frosta a
Thing of eight counties.
Now the peasants, be it said, had turned this Thing summons into a
war-arrow,[Sec.] and to the assembly came men from the whole of the
district of Throndhjem, so that when the King arrived at the Thing,
thither likewise was come the peasant host fully armed.
The Thing being established, the King addressed the people and bade them
accept Christianity, but when he had been speaking but a little while
the peasants called out to him, & bade him be silent or otherwise, said
they, would they rise against him and drive him away. 'Thus did we,'
said they, 'with Hakon Adalstein's foster-son when he commanded a thing
of the kind, and hold we thee in no more respect than held we him.'
Then did King Olaf seeing th
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