Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/163

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 155 number could not be told ; for there is a lake in the saga vn. neighbourhood called Laugen, so that people could come to the place both by land and by water. There Gudbrand held a Thing with them, and said, " A man is come to Loar who is called Olaf, and will force upon us another faith than what we had before, and will break in pieces all our gods. He says that he has a much greater and more powerful god ; and it is wonderful that the earth does not burst asunder under him, or that our god lets him go about un- punished when he dares to talk such things. I know this for certain that if we carry Thor, who has always stood by us, out of our temple that is standing upon this farm, Olaf 's god will melt away, and he and his men be made nothing so soon as Thor looks upon them." Then the bonders all shouted as one person that Olaf should never get away with life if he came to them ; and they thought he would never dare to come farther south through the valley. They chose out 700 men to go northwards to Breeden, to watch his movements. The leader of this band was Gud- brand's son, eighteen years of age, and with him were many other men of importance. When they came to a farm called Hof they heard of the king; and they remained three nights there. People streamed to them from all parts, from Lesso, Loar, and Vaage, who did not wish to receive Christianity. The king and Bishop Sigurd fixed teachers in Loar and in Vaage. From thence they went round Urgovost, and came down into the valley at Usvold, where they staid all night, and heard the news that a great force of men were assembled against them. The bonders who were in Breeden heard also of the king's arrival, and prepared for battle. As soon as the king arose in the morning he put on his armour, and went southwards over Suwolcl, and did not halt until he came to Breeden, where he saw a great army ready for battle.