Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/157

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 149 powerful, of great family, and the head-man of those saga mi who on account of the bonders appeared before the king. Now, when they came to the king, he told them these accusations ; to which Olver, on behalf of the bonders, replied, that they had had no other feasts that harvest than their usual entertainments, and social meetings, and friendly drinking parties. " But as to what may have been told you of the words which may have fallen from us Drontheim people in our drink- ing parties, men of understanding would take good care not to use such language ; but I cannot hinder drunken or foolish people's talk." Olver was a man of clever speech, and bold in what he said, and de- fended the bonders against such accusations. In the end, the king said the people of the interior of Dron- theim must themselves give the best testimony to their being in the right faith. The bonders got leave to return home, and set off as soon as they were ready. Afterwards, when winter was advanced, it was told Chapter . . CXIV the king that the people of the interior of Drontheim ofthesa- had assembled in great number at Maere, and that the people there was a great sacrifice in the middle of winter, ofthein- at which they sacrificed offerings for peace and a the Dron- good season. Now when the king knew this on good authority to be true, he sent men and messages into the interior, and summoned the bonders whom he thought of most understanding; into the town. The bonders held a council among themselves about this message ; and all those who had been upon the same occasion in the beginning of winter were now very unwilling to make the journey. Olver, however, at the desire of all the bonders, allowed himself to be persuaded. When he came to the town he went immediately before the king, and they talked toge- ther. The king made the same accusations against the bonders, that they had held a mid-winter sacrifice. theim dis- trict. L 3