Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/238

 22G CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA XIII. many holy places, as pilgrims usually do. When he came back, he applied himself to trading expeditions. One winter he was in Orkney with Earl Harald, and was with him when Thorkel Fostre Summarlidsson was killed. Sigurd was also in Scotland with the Scottish king David, and was held in great esteem by him. Thereafter Sigurd went to Denmark; and according to the account of himself and his men, he there submitted to the iron ordeal to confirm his paternal descent, and proved by it, in the presence of five bishops, that he was a son of King Magnus Bare- foot. So says Ivar Ingemundsson *, in Sigurd's song : — '^ The lioliest five Of men alive, — Bishops were they, — Solemnly say. The iron glowing Red hot, yet showing No scaith on skin, Proves cause and kin." King Harald Gille's friends, however, said this was only a lie, and deceit of the Danes against the people of Norway. It is told before of Sigurd that he passed some years in merchant voyages, and he came thus to Iceland one mnter, and took up his lodging with Thorgil Oddsson of Stadarholl in Saurbo; but very few knew where he was. In autumn, when the sheep were being driven into a fold to be slaughtered, a sheep that was to be caught ran to Sigurd ; and as Sigurd thought the sheep ran to him for protec- tion, he stretched out his hands to it, and hfted it over the fold dyke, and let it run to the hills, saying, who took his chance with his patron. This Ivar does not appear unless as Sigurd's scahi, and as attached to his fortunes. In these scraps of the poetry of the scalds it is necessary to recollect by whom each IS composed, and to which personage he is attached.
 * Every pretender to the throne appears to have had some scald,