Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/312

 304 CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA VII. There were two men, the one called Gauka-Thorer, cwer the other Afarfaste, who were vagabonds and great ccxn. ro b Ders, and had a company of thirty men such as Or vaga- ' i 1 bond-men. themselves. These two men were larger and stronger than other men, and they wanted neither courage nor impudence. These men heard speak of the army that was crossing the country, and said among themselves it would be a clever counsel to go to the king, follow him to his country, and go with him into a regular battle, and try themselves in this work ; for they had never been in any battle in which people were regu- larly drawn up in line, and they were curious to see the king's order of battle. This counsel was approved of by their comrades, and accordingly they went to the road on which King Olaf was to pass. When they came there they presented themselves to the king, with their followers, fully armed. They saluted him, and he asked what people they were. They told their names, and said they were natives of the place ; and told their errand, and that they wished to go with the king. The king said, it appeared to him there was good help in such folks. "And I have a great inclination," said he, " to take such; but are ye Christian men ?" Gauka-Thorer replies, that he is neither Christian nor heathen. " I and my comrades have no faith but on ourselves, our strength, and the luck of victory ; and with this faith we slip through sufficiently well." The king replies, " A great pity it is that such brave slaughtering fellows did not believe in Christ their Creator." Thorer replies, " Is there any Christian man, king, in thy following, who stands so high in the air as we two brothers?" The king told them to let themselves be baptized, and to accept the true faith. « Follow me then, and I