Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/223

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 215 with the king's leave. The other day, methinks, the s^a vn. words were not very sweet that passed between the king and thee." Stein said, "If it be so that I am not my own master for the king, yet I will not submit to such treatment from his slaves ; " and, drawing his sword, he killed the land-bailiff. Then he took the horse, put the boy upon him, and sat himself in the sledge, and so drove the whole night. They travelled until they came to Surendal in More. There they had themselves ferried across the fiord, and proceeded onwards as fast as they could. They told nobody about the murder; but wherever they came called themselves king's men, and met good entertainment every where. One day at last they came towards evening to Gisko Isle, to Thorberg Arneson's house. He was not at home himself, but his wife Ragnhild, a daughter of Erling Skialgsson, was. There Stein was well received, because formerly there had been great friendship between them. It had once hap- pened, namely, that Stein, on his voyage from Iceland with his own vessel, had come to Gisko from sea, and had anchored at the island. At that time Ragnhild was in the pains of childbirth, and very ill, and there was no priest on the island, or in the neighbourhood of it. There came a message to the merchant-vessel to inquire if, by chance, there was a priest on board. There happened to be a priest in the vessel, who was called Baard; but he was a young man from West- fiord, who had little learning. The messengers begged the priest to go with them, but he thought it was a difficult matter ; for he knew his own ignorance, and would not go. Stein added his word to persuade the priest. The priest replies, " I will go if thou wilt go with me ; for then I will have confidence, if I should require advice." Stein said he was willing ; and they went forthwith to the house, and to where Ragnhild p 4