Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/276

 264 CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA XIV. as much as he could. Then they carried him on board, and went to a farm called Ssehiemrod, where they landed. They sent up to the farm to say that a priest was lying in the boat at the shore. While the message was going to the farm, they asked the priest if he could talk; and he made a noise, and attempted to speak. Then said Einar to his brother, " If he recover and the stump of his tongue grow, I am afraid he will get his speech again." Thereupon they seized the stump with a pair of tongs, drew it out, cut it twice, and the third time to the very roots, and left him lying half dead. The housewife in the farm was poor ; but she hastened to the place with her daughter, and they carried the priest home to their farm in their cloaks. They then brought a priest, and when he arrived he bound all his wounds ; and they attended to his com- fort as much as they were able. And thus lay the wounded priest grievously handled, but trusting alway to God's grace, and never doubting; and although he was speechless, he prayed to God in thought with a sorrowful mind, but with the more confidence the worse he was. He turned his thoughts also to the mild King Olaf the Saint, God's dear favourite, of whose excellent deeds he had heard so much told, and trusted so much more zealously on him with all his heart for help in his necessity. As he lay there lame, and deprived of all strength, he wept bitterly, moaned, and prayed with a sore heart that the dear King Olaf would help him. Now when this wounded priest was sleeping after midnight, he thought he saw a gallant man coming to him, who spoke these words, " Thou art ill off, friend Richard, and thy strength is little." He thought he replied to this asscntingly. Then the man accosted him again, '*Thou requircst compassion?" The priest replies, " I need the compassion of Almighty God and the holy King Olaf" He answered, " Thou shalt get it." Tliercupon lie pulled the tongue-stump so hard that