Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/165

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 1.57 will tear thee in stripes." At this dreadful vision he saga vu was much afraid, and tells it to Thord Istromaga*, who was chief over the valley. He replies, " The very same vision came to me." In the morning they ordered the signal to sound for a Thing, and said that it appeared to them advisable to hold a Thing with the man who had come from the north with this new teaching, to know if there was any truth in it. Gud- brand then said to his son, " Go thou, and twelve men with thee, to the king who gave thee thy life." He went straightway, and found the king at a farm called Lidstad, and laid before him their errand ; namely, that the bonders would hold a Thing with him, and make a truce between them and him. The king was content ; and they bound themselves by faith and law mutually to hold the peace so long as the Thing lasted. After this was settled the men returned to Gudbrand and Thord, and told them there was made a firm agreement for a truce. The king, after the battle with the son of Gudbrand, had proceeded to Lidstad, and remained there for five days : afterwards he went out to meet the bonders, and hold a Thing with them. On that day there fell a heavy rain. When the Thing was seated, the king stood up and said that the people in Lesso, Loar, and Vaage had received Christianity, broken down their houses of sacrifice, and believed now in the true God who had made heaven and earth and knows all things. Thereupon the king sat down, and Gudbrand replies, u We know nothing of him whom thou speakest about. Dost thou call him God, whom neither thou nor any one else can see ? But we have a god who can be seen every day, although he is not out to-day, because the weather is wet, and he will appear to thee terrible and very grand ; and I expect that fear will mix with
 * Big- belly.