Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/179

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 167 answered them, that it was difficult to speak mth sagaxii. the king about this ; but at last, on the entreaty of many, he promised to do it. Once, when they were both together. King Eystein brought the matter be- fore his brother, and asked the cause of his melan- choly. " It is a great grief, sire, to many to see thee so melancholy; and we would like to know what has occasioned it, or if perchance thou hast heard any news of great weight ?" King Sigurd replies, that it was not so. '' Is it then, brother, '^ says King Eystein, "• that you would like to travel out of the country, and aug- ment your dominions as our father did ?" He answered, that it was not that either. " Is it, then, that any man here in the country has offended?" To this also the king said " No." " Then I would like to know if you have dreamt any thing that has occasioned this depression of mind ?" The king answered, that it was so. " Tell me then, brother, thy dream." King Sigurd said, " I will not tell it, unless thou interpret it as it may turn out ; and I shall be quick at perceiving if thy interpretation be right or not." King Eystein replies, " This is a very difficult matter, sire, on both sides ; as I am exposed to thy anger if I cannot interpret it, and to the blame of the public if I can do nothing in the matter ; but I will rather fall under your displeasure, even if my inter- pretation should not be agreeable." King Sigurd replies, *' It appeared to me, in a dream, as if we brothers were all sitting on a bench in front of Christ church in Drontheim ; and it ap- peared to me as if our relative King Olaf the Saint came out of the church adorned with the royal rai- ment glancing and splendid, and with the most M 4