{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/heim/11olfkyr.htm","path":"neu/heim/11olfkyr.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/heim/11olfkyr.htm","text":"SAGA OF OLAF KYRRE.\nPRELIMINARY REMARKS.\nSnorri's account of Olaf Kyrre corresponds with the statements\nfound in \"Agrip\", \"Fagrskinna\", and \"Morkinskinna\".\nThere are but few events in Olaf's long reign, and hence he is\nvery appropriately called the Quiet (Kyrre). As Hildebrand says,\nthis saga seems to be written simply to fill out the empty space\nbetween Harald Hardrade and Magnus Barefoot.\nSkalds quoted in this saga are: Stein Herdison and Stuf.\n1. OLAF'S PERSONAL APPEARANCE.\nOlaf remained sole king of Norway after the death (A.D. 1069) of\nhis brother King Magnus. Olaf was a stout man, well grown in\nlimbs; and every one said a handsomer man could not be seen, nor\nof a nobler appearance. His hair was yellow as silk, and became\nhim well; his skin was white and fine over all his body; his eyes\nbeautiful, and his limbs well proportioned. He was rather silent\nin general, and did not speak much even at Things; but he was\nmerry in drinking parties. He loved drinking much, and was\ntalkative enough then; but quite peaceful. He was cheerful in\nconversation, peacefully inclined during all his reign, and\nloving gentleness and moderation in all things. Stein Herdison\nspeaks thus of him: --\n\"Our Throndhjem king is brave and wise,\nHis love of peace our bondes prize;\nBy friendly word and ready hand\nHe holds good peace through every land.\nHe is for all a lucky star;\nEngland he frightens from a war;\nThe stiff-necked Danes he drives to peace;\nTroubles by his good influence cease.\"\n2. OF KING OLAF'S MANNER OF LIVING.\nIt was the fashion in Norway in old times for the king's high-\nseat to be on the middle of a long bench, and the ale was handed\nacross the fire (1); but King Olaf had his high-seat made on a\nhigh bench across the room; he also first had chimney-places in\nthe rooms, and the floors strewed both summer and winter. In\nKing Olaf's time many merchant towns arose in Norway, and many\nnew ones were founded. Thus King Olaf founded a merchant town at\nBergen, where very soon many wealthy people settled themselves,\nand it was regularly frequented by merchants from foreign lands.\nHe had the foundations laid for the large Christ church, which\nwas to be a stone church; but in his time there was little done\nto it. Besides, he completed the old Christ church, which was of\nwood. King Olaf also had a great feasting-house built in\nNidaros, and in many other merchant towns, where before there\nwere only private feasts; and in his time no one could drink in\nNorway but in these houses, adorned for the purpose with branches\nand leaves, and which stood under the king's protection. The\ngreat guild-bell in Throndhjem, which was called the pride of the\ntown, tolled to call together to these guilds. The guild-\nbrethren built Margaret's church in Nidaros of stone. In King\nOlaf's time there were general entertainments and hand-in-hand\nfeasts. At this time also much unusual splendour and foreign\ncustoms and fashions in the cut of clothes were introduced; as,\nfor instance, costly hose plaited about the legs. Some had gold\nrings about the legs, and also used coats which had lists down\nthe sides, and arms five ells long, and so narrow that they must\nbe drawn up with ties, and lay in folds all the way up to the\nshoulders. The shoes were high, and all edged with silk, or even\nwith gold. Many other kinds of wonderful ornaments were used at\nthat time.\nENDNOTES:\n(1) We may understand the arrangement by supposing the fire in\nthe middle of the room, the smoke escaping by a hole in the\nroof, and a long bench on each side of the fire; one bench\noccupied by the high-seat of the king and great guests, the\nother by the rest of the guests; and the cup handed across\nthe fire, which appears to have had a religious meaning\nprevious to the introduction of Christianity. -- L.\n3. FASHION OF KING OLAF'S COURT.\nKing Olaf used the fashion, which was introduced from the courts\nof foreign kings, of letting his grand-butler stand at the end of\nthe table, and fill the table-cups for himself and the other\ndistinguished guests who sat at the table. He had also torch-\nbearers, who held as many candles at the table as there were\nguests of distinction present. There was also a marshal's bench\noutside of the table-circle, where the marshal and other persons\nof distinction sat with their faces towards the high-seat. King\nHarald, and the kings before him, used to drink out of deer-horn;\nand the ale was handed from the high-seat to the otherside over\nthe fire, and he drank to the memory of any one he thought of.\nSo says Stuf the skald: --\n\"He who in battle is the first,\nAnd now in peace is best to trust,\nA welcome, hearty and sincere,\nGave to me on my coming here.\nHe whom the ravens watch with care,\nHe who the gold rings does not spare,\nA golden horn full to the brink\nGave me himself at Haug to drink.\"\n4. ARRANGEMENT OF KING OLAF'S COURT.\nKing Olaf had 120 courtmen-at-arms, and 60 pursuivants, besides\n60 house-servants, who provided what was wanted for the king's\nhouse wherever it might be, or did other work required for the\nking. When the bondes asked why he kept a greater retinue than\nthe law allowed, or former kings kept when they went in guest-\nquarters or feasts which the bondes had to provide for them, the\nking answered, \"It does not happen that I rule the kingdom\nbetter, or produce greater respect for me than ye had for my\nfather, although I have one-half more people than he had. I do\nnot by any means do it merely to plague you, or to make your\ncondition harder than formerly.\"\n5. KING SVEIN ULFSON'S DEATH.\nKing Svein Ulfson died ten years after the fall of both the\nHaralds (A.D. 1076). After him his son, Harald Hein, was king\nfor three years (A.D. 1077-1080); then Canute the Holy for seven\nyears (A.D. 1081-1087); afterwards Olaf, King Svein's third son,\nfor eight years (A.D. 1088-1095). Then Eirik the Good, Svein's\nfourth son, for eight winters (A.D. 1096-1103). Olaf, the king\nof Norway, was married to Ingerid, a daughter of Svein, the\nDanish king; and Olaf, the Danish King Svein's son, married\nIngegerd, a daughter of King Harald, and sister of King Olaf of\nNorway. King Olaf Haraldson, who was called by some Olaf Kyrre,\nbut by many Olaf the Bonde, had a son by Thora, Joan's daughter,\nwho was called Magnus, and was one of the handsomest lads that\ncould be seen, and was promising in every respect. He was\nbrought up in the king's court.\n6. MIRACLES OF KING OLAF THE SAINT.\nKing Olaf had a church of stone built in Nidaros, on the spot\nwhere King Olaf's body had first been buried, and the altar was\nplaced directly over the spot where the king's grave had been.\nThis church was consecrated and called Christ Church; and King\nOlaf's shrine was removed to it, and was placed before the altar,\nand many miracles took place there. The following summer, on the\nsame day of the year as the church was consecrated, which was the\nday before Olafsmas, there was a great assemblage of people, and\nthen a blind man was restored to sight. And on the mass-day\nitself, when the shrine and the holy relics were taken out and\ncarried, and the shrine itself, according to custom, was taken\nand set down in the churchyard, a man who had long been dumb\nrecovered his speech again, and sang with flowing tongue praise-\nhymns to God, and to the honour of King Olaf the Saint. The\nthird miracle was of a woman who had come from Svithjod, and had\nsuffered much distress on this pilgrimage from her blindness; but\ntrusting in God's mercy, had come travelling to this solemnity.\nShe was led blind into the church to hear mass this day; but\nbefore the service was ended she saw with both eyes, and got her\nsight fully and clearly, although she had been blind fourteen\nyears. She returned with great joy, praising God and King Olaf\nthe Saint.\n7. OF THE SHRINE OF KING OLAF THE SAINT.\nThere happened a circumstance in Nidaros, when King Olaf's coffin\nwas being carried about through the streets, that it became so\nheavy that people could not lift it from the spot. Now when the\ncoffin was set down, the street was broken up to see what was\nunder it at that spot, and the body of a child was found which\nhad been murdered and concealed there. The body was carried\naway, the street put in order again as it had been before, and\nthe shrine carried on according to custom.\n8. KING OLAF WAS BLESSED WITH PEACE.\nIn the days of King O1af there were bountiful harvests in Norway\nand many good things. In no man's life had times been so good in\nNorway since the days of Harald Harfager. King O1af modified for\nthe better many a matter that his father had inaugurated and\nmaintained with severity. He was generous, but a strict ruler,\nfor he was a wise man, and well understood what was of advantage\nto the kingdom. There are many stories of his good works. How\nmuch he loved and how kind he was to the people may be seen from\nthe following words, which he once spoke at a large banquet. He\nwas happy and in the best of spirits, when one of his men said,\n\"It pleases us, sire, to see you so happy.\" He answered: \"I have\nreason to be glad when I see my subjects sitting happy and free\nin a guild consecrated to my uncle, the sainted King Olaf. In\nthe days of my father these people were subjected to much terror\nand fear; the most of them concealed their gold and their\nprecious things, but now I see glittering on his person what each\none owns, and your freedom is my gladness. In his reign there\nwas no strife, and he protected himself and his realm against\nenemies abroad; and his nearest neighbours stood in great awe of\nhim, although he was a most gentle man, as is confirmed by the\nskald.\n9. MEETING OF OLAF KYRRE AND CANUTE THE SAINT.\nKing Olaf Kyrre was a great friend of his brother-in-law, the\nDanish king, Canute the holy. They appointed a meeting and met\nat the Gaut river at Konungahella, where the kings used to have\ntheir meetings. There King Canute made the proposal that they\nshould send an army westward to England on account of the revenge\nthey had to take there; first and foremost King Olaf himself, and\nalso the Danish king. \"Do one of two things,\" said King Canute,\n-- \"either take sixty ships, which I will furnish thee with, and\nbe thou the leader; or give me sixty ships, and I shall be the\nleader.\" Then said King Olaf, \"This speech of thine, King\nCanute, is altogether according to my mind; but there is this\ngreat difference between us; your family has had more luck in\nconquering England with great glory, and, among others, King\nCanute the Great; and it is likely that this good fortune follows\nyour race. On the other hand, when King Harald, my father, went\nwestward to England, he got his death there; and at that time the\nbest men in Norway followed him. But Norway was so emptied then\nof chosen men, that such men have not since been to find in the\ncountry; for that expedition there was the most excellent outfit,\nand you know what was the end of it. Now I know my own capacity,\nand how little I am suited to be the leader; so I would rather\nyou should go, with my help and assistance.\"\nSo King Olaf gave Canute sixty large ships, with excellent\nequipment and faithful men, and set his lendermen as chiefs over\nthem; and all must allow that this armament was admirably equipt.\nIt is also told in the saga about Canute, that the Northmen alone\ndid not break the levy when the army was assembled, but the Danes\nwould not obey their king's orders. This king Canute\nacknowledged, and gave them leave to trade in merchandise where\nthey pleased through his country, and at the same time sent the\nking of Norway costly presents for his assistance. On the other\nhand he was enraged against the Danes, and laid heavy fines upon\nthem.\n10. A BONDE WHO UNDERSTOOD THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS.\nOne summer, when King Olaf's men had gone round the country\ncollecting his income and land dues, it happened that the king,\non their return home asked them where on their expedition they\nhad been best entertained. They said it was in the house of a\nbonde in one of the king's districts. \"There is an old bonde\nthere who knows many things before they happen. We asked him\nabout many things, which he explained to us; nay, we even believe\nthat he understands perfectly the language of birds.\" The king\nreplies, \"How can ye believe such nonsense?\" and insisted that it\nwas wrong to put confidence in such things. It happened soon\nafter that the king was sailing along the coast; and as they\nsailed through a Sound the king said, \"What is that township up\nin the country?\"\nThey replied, \"That is the district, sire, where we told you we\nwere best entertained.\"\nThen said the king, \"What house is that which stands up there,\nnot far from the Sound?\"\nThey replied, \"That house belongs to the wise old bonde we told\nyou of, sire.\"\nThey saw now a horse standing close to the house. Then said the\nking, \"Go there, and take that horse, and kill him.\"\nThey replied, \"We would not like to do him such harm.\"\nThe king: \"I will command. Cut off the horse's head; but take\ncare of yourselves that ye let no blood come to the ground, and\nbear the horse out to my ship. Go then and bring to me the old\nman; but tell him nothing of what has happened, as ye shall\nanswer for it with your lives.\"\nThey did as they were ordered, and then came to the old man, and\ntold him the king's message. When he came before the king, the\nking asked him, \"Who owns the house thou art dwelling in?\"\nHe replies, \"Sire, you own it, and take rent for it.\"\nThe king: \"Show us the way round the ness, for here thou must be\na good pilot.\"\nThe old man went into his boat and rowed before the king's ship;\nand when he had rowed a little way a crow came flying over the\nship, and croaking hideously. The peasant listens to the crow.\nThe king said, \"Do you think, bonde, that betokens anything?\"\n\"Sire, that is certain,\" said he.\nThen another crow flies over the ship, and screeches dreadfully.\nThe bonde was so ill hearing this that he could not row, and the\noars hung loose in his hands.\nThen said the king, \"Thy mind is turned much to these crows,\nbonde, and to what they say.\"\nThe bonde replies, \"Now I suspect it is true what they say.\"\nThe third time the crow came flying screeching at its very worst,\nand almost settling on the ship. Now the bonde threw down his\noars, regarded them no more, and stood up before the king.\nThen the king said, \"Thou art taking this much to heart, bonde;\nwhat is it they say?\"\nThe peasant -- \"It is likely that either they or I have\nmisunderstood -- \"\n\"Say on,\" replied the king.\nThe bonde replied in a song: --\n\"The `one-year old'\nMere nonsense told;\nThe `two-years' chatter\nSeemed senseless matter;\nThe three-years' croak\nOf wonders spoke.\nThe foul bird said\nMy old mare's head\nI row along;\nAnd, in her song,\nShe said the thief\nWas the land's chief.\"\nThe king said, \"What is this, bonde! Wilt thou call me a thief?\"\nThen the king gave him good presents, and remitted all the land-\nrent of the place he lived on. So says Stein: --\n\"The pillar of our royal race\nStands forth adorned with every grace.\nWhat king before e'er took such pride\nTo scatter bounty far and wide?\nHung round with shields that gleam afar;\nThe merchant ship on one bestows,\nWith painted streaks in glowing rows.\n\"The man-at-arms a golden ring\nBoasts as the present of his king;\nAt the king's table sits the guest,\nBy the king's bounty richly drest.\nKing Olaf, Norway's royal son,\nWho from the English glory won,\nPours out with ready-giving hand\nHis wealth on children of the land.\n\"Brave clothes to servants he awards,\nHelms and ring-mail coats grace his guards;\nOr axe and sword Har's warriors gain,\nAnd heavy armour for the plain.\nGold, too, for service duly paid,\nRed gold all pure, and duly weighed,\nKing Olaf gives -- be loves to pay\nAll service in a royal way.\"\n11. OF KING OLAF KYRRE'S DEATH.\nKing Olaf lived principally in his domains on his large farms.\nOnce when he was east in Ranrike, on his estate of Haukby, he\ntook the disease which ended in his death. He had then been king\nof Norway for twenty-six years (A.D. 1068-1093); for he was made\nking of Norway the year after King Harald's death. King Olaf's\nbody was taken north to Nidaros, and buried in Christ church,\nwhich he himself had built there. He was the most amiable king\nof his time, and Norway was much improved in riches and\ncultivation during his reign.","title":"SAGA OF OLAF KYRRE","type":"page"}