Biodaskalli, the father of Astrid, who was the mother of King
Olaf. Another Icelander was named Hialti Skeggiason, and he had to wife
Vilborg the daughter of Gizur the White; Hialti was a Christian, and
King Olaf received with pleasure Gizur and his son-in-law Hialti, and
with the King did they abide. Those of the Icelanders, however, who were
captains of the ships and were heathens to boot, sought to sail away
even so soon as the King was come to town, for it was told them that the
King constrained all men to embrace the faith of Christ. It so befell
natheless that the wind was set against them, & drave them back off
Nidarholm. The captains of the ships were hight Thorarin Nefiolfson,
Hallfrod the Skald, the son of Ottar, Brand the Bountiful and Thorleik
Brandson. Now it being told to King Olaf that some of the Icelanders,
and they heathens, were hard by with their ships and were about to flee
the town, he sent to them and forbade them to sail, but commanded them
instead to come and lie off the town, and this they did but unloaded not
their ships.
|| Then came the holy season of Michaelmas,Sec. and the King caused the
feast to be well kept and a solemn Mass was said. Thereat were the
Icelanders witnesses and hearkened to the fair singing and the ringing
of bells.
When they were come back to their ships each of them said what he had
thought of the Christian men's ways & Kiartan praised them, but most of
the others mocked at them, & it befell that the King heard of this, for
as the saying goes, 'many are the King's ears.' Then forthwith that
self-same day sent he an emissary to Kiartan, and bade him come unto
him, & Kiartan went unto him with but few men, and the King bade him
welcome. Now Kiartan was one of the biggest and fairest of men, with a
great gift of speech. When they had parleyed a while did the King make
proffer to Kiartan that he should embrace the true Faith, and Kiartan
made answer unto him that he would not say nay to this if he might thus
gain the friendship of the King, whereupon swore the King to him &
pledged him his hearty friendship, & after this fashion was a compact
struck between them. On the morrow was Kiartan baptized, and with him
Bolli Thorleikson his kinsman, and all their fellows.
Kiartan and Bolli were the guests of the King as long as they went in
white weeds,Sec. and the King was of kindly countenance toward them.
|| It befell one day that King Olaf was walking in the street
|