Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/210

 198 CHliONlCLE OF THE SAGA XII. CHAPTEa XXXVIII. Of King Olaf's mi- racle with a prisoner. watched in the Christ church ; but at the second mass for Olaf before matins he fell asleep, and thought he saw King Olaf the Saint coming to him ; and that Olaf talked to him, and took hold with his hands of the stump of his tongue and pulled it. Now when he awoke he found himself restored, and joyfully did he thank our Lord and the holy Saint Olaf, who had pitied and helped him ; for he had come there speech- less, and had gone to the holy shrine, and went away cured, and with his speech clear and distinct. The heathens took prisoner a young man of Danish family, and carried him to Yendland, where he was in fetters along with other prisoners. In the day time he was alone in irons, without a guard ; but at night a peasant's son was beside him in the chain, that he might not escape from them. This poor man never got sleep or rest from vexation and sorrow, and considered in many ways what could help him ; for he had a great dread of slavery, and was pining with hunger and torture. He could not again expect to be ransomed by his friends, as they had already restored him twice from heathen lands with their own money; and he Avell kncAV that it would be difficult and expensive for them to submit a third time to this burden. It is well with the man Avho does not undergo so much in the world as this man knew he had suffered. He saw but one way; and that was to get off and escape if he could. He resolved upon this in the night time, killed the peasant, and cut his foot off after killing him ; and set off to the forest Avith the chain upon his leg. Now when the people knew this, soon after daylight in the morning, they pursued him with two dogs accustomed to trace any one who escaped, and to find him in the forest however carefully he might be concealed. They got him into their hands, and beat him, and did him all kinds of mischief; and, dragging him home, left him barely alive, and showed him no mercy. They