Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/323

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 315 king's life may be. It is my prayer, sire, that thou SAGA vn - shouldst never part from me either in life or death." The king replies, " We shall all go together so long as I rule, and as ye will follow me." Thormod says, " I hope, sire, that whether in safety or danger I may stand near you as long as I can stand, whatever we may hear of Sigvat travelling with his gold-hilted sword." Then Thormod made these lines : — " To thee, my king, I'll still be true, Until another scald I view, Here in the field with golden sword, As in thy hall, with flattering word. Thy scald shall never be a craven, Though he may feast the croaking raven. The warrior's fate unmoved I view, — To thee, my king, I'll still be true." Kins: Olaf led his army farther down through the Chapter, rrxx i valley, and Dag and his men went another way, and King oiaf the king did not halt until he came to Stiklestad. ^tikiLtad There he saw the bonder army spread out all around ; and there were so great numbers that people were going on every footpath, and great crowds were col- lected far and near. They also saw there a troop which came down from Vserdal, and had been out to spy. They came so close to the king's people that they knew each other. It was Rut of Yiggia, with thirty men. The king ordered his pursuivants to go out against Rut, and make an end of him, to which his men were instantly ready. The king said to the Icelanders, "It is told me that in Iceland it is the custom that the bonders give their house-servants a sheep to slaughter ; now I give you a ram to slaugh- ter.* The Icelanders were easily invited to this, and went out immediately with a few men against Rut, and killed him and the troop that followed him. When the king came to Stiklestad he made a halt,
 * Rut means a young ram.