heimskringla-第115章

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s；　made　it　known　that　he　would　send　people　to　Jamtaland　to　collect　the　scat；　but　nobody　had　any　great　desire　to　go　on　this　business；　after　the　fate　of　those　whom　King　Olaf　had　sent　before；　namely；　Thrand　White　and　others；　twelve　in　number；　who　lost　their　lives；　as　before　related；　and　the　Jamtalanders　had　ever　since　been　subject　to　the　Swedish　king。　　Thorod　Snorrason　now　offered　to　undertake　this　journey；　for　he　cared　little　what　became　of　him　if　he　could　but　become　his　own　master　again。　　The　king　consented；　and　Thorod　set　out　with　eleven　men　in　company。　　They　came　east　to　Jamtaland；　and　went　to　a　man　called　Thorar；　who　was　lagman；　and　a　person　in　high　estimation。　　They　met　with　a　hospitable　reception；　and　when　they　had　been　there　a　while；　they　explained　their　business　to　Thorar。　　He　replied；　that　other　men　and　chiefs　of　the　country　had　in　all　respects　as　much　power　and　right　to　give　an　answer　as　he　had；　and　for　that　purpose　he　would　call　together　a　Thing。　　It　was　so　done；　the　message…token　was　sent　out；　and　a　numerous　Thing　assembled。　　Thorar　went　to　the　Thing；　but　the　messengers　in　the　meantime　remained　at　home。　　At　the　Thing；　Thorar　laid　the　business　before　the　people；　but　all　were　unanimous　that　no　scat　should　be　paid　to　the　king　of　Norway；　and　some　were　for　hanging　the　messengers；　others　for　sacrificing　them　to　the　gods。　　At　last　it　was　resolved　to　hold　them　fast　until　the　king　of　Sweden's　sheriffs　arrived；　and　they　could　treat　them　as　they　pleased　with　consent　of　the　people；　and　that；　in　the　meantime；　this　decision　should　be　concealed；　and　the　messengers　treated　well；　and　detained　under　pretext　that　they　must　wait　until　the　scat　is　collected；　and　that　they　should　be　separated；　and　placed　two　and　two；　as　if　for　the　convenience　of　boarding　them。　　Thorod　and　another　remained　in　Thorar's　house。　　There　was　a　great　Yule　feast　and　ale…drinking；　to　which　each　brought　his　own　liquor；　for　there　were　many　peasants　in　the　village；　who　all　drank　in　company　together　at　Yule。　　There　was　another　village　not　far　distant；　where　Thorar's　brother…in…law　dwelt；　who　was　a　rich　and　powerful　man；　and　had　a　grown…up　son。　　The　brothers…in…law　intended　to　pass　the　Yule　in　drinking　feasts；　half　of　it　at　the　house　of　the　one　and　half　with　the　other；　and　the　feast　began　at　Thorar's　house。　　The　brothers…in…law　drank　together；　and　Thorod　and　the　sons　of　the　peasants　by　themselves；　and　it　was　a　drinking　match。　　In　the　evening　words　arose；　and　comparisons　between　the　men　of　Sweden　and　of　Norway；　and　then　between　their　kings　both　of　former　times　and　at　the　present；　and　of　the　manslaughters　and　robberies　that　had　taken　place　between　the　countries。　　Then　said　the　peasants　sons；　〃If　our　king　has　lost　most　people；　his　sheriffs　will　make　it　even　with　the　lives　of　twelve　men　when　they　come　from　the　south　after　Yule；　and　ye　little　know；　ye　silly　fools；　why　ye　are　kept　here。〃　　Thorod　took　notice　of　these　words；　and　many　made　jest　about　it；　and　scoffed　at　them　and　their　king。　When　the　ale　began　to　talk　out　of　the　hearts　of　the　Jamtalanders；　what　Thorod　had　before　long　suspected　became　evident。　　The　day　after　Thorod　and　his　comrade　took　all　their　clothes　and　weapons；　and　laid　them　ready；　and　at　night；　when　the　people　were　all　asleep；　they　fled　to　the　forest。　　The　next　morning；　when　the　Jamtalanders　were　aware　of　their　flight；　men　set　out　after　them　with　dogs　to　trace　them；　and　found　them　in　a　wood　in　which　they　had　concealed　themselves。　　They　brought　them　home　to　a　room　in　which　there　was　a　deep　cellar；　into　which　they　were　thrown；　and　the　door　locked　upon　them。　　They　had　little　meat；　and　only　the　clothes　they　had　on　them。　　In　the　middle　of　Yule；　Thorar；　with　all　his　freeborn　men；　went　to　his　brother's…in…law；　where　he　was　to　be　a　guest　until　the　last　of　Yule。　　Thorar's　slaves　were　to　keep　guard　upon　the　cellar；　and　they　were　provided　with　plenty　of　liquor；　but　as　they　observed　no　moderation　in　drinking；　they　became　towards　evening　confused　in　the　head　with　the　ale。　　As　they　were　quite　drunk；　those　who　had　to　bring　meat　to　the　prisoners　in　the　cellar　said　among　themselves　that　they　should　want　for　nothing。　　Thorod　amused　the　slaves　by　singing　to　them。　They　said　he　was　a　clever　man；　and　gave　him　a　large　candle　that　was　lighted；　and　the　slaves　who　were　in　went　to　call　the　others　to　come　in；　but　they　were　all　so　confused　with　the　ale；　that　in　going　out　they　neither　locked　the　cellar　nor　the　room　after　them。　Now　Thorod　and　his　comrades　tore　up　their　skin　clothes　in　strips；　knotted　them　together；　made　a　noose　at　one　end；　and　threw　up　the　rope　on　the　floor　of　the　room。　　It　fastened　itself　around　a　chest；　by　which　they　tried　to　haul　themselves　up。　　Thorod　lifted　up　his　comrade　until　he　stood　on　his　shoulders；　and　from　thence　scrambled　up　through　the　hatchhole。　　There　was　no　want　of　ropes　in　the　chamber；　and　he　threw　a　rope　down　to　Thorod；　but　when　he　tried　to　draw　him　up；　he　could　not　move　him　from　the　spot。　　Then　Thorod　told　him　to　cast　the　rope　over　a　cross…beam　that　was　in　the　house；　make　a　loop　in　it；　and　place　as　much　wood　and　stones　in　the　loop　as　would　outweigh　him；　and　the　heavy　weight　went　down　into　the　cellar；　and　Thorod　was　drawn　up　by　it。　　Now　they　took　as　much　clothes　as　they　required　in　the　room；　and　among　other　things　they　took　some　reindeer　hides；　out　of　which　they　cut　sandals；　and　bound　them　under　their　feet；　with　the　hoofs　of　the　reindeer　feet　trailing　behind。　　But　before　they　set　off　they　set　fire　to　a　large　corn　barn　which　was　close　by；　and　then　ran　out　into　the　pitch…dark　night。　　The　barn　blazed；　and　set　fire　to　many　other　houses　in　the　village。　　Thorod　and　his　comrade　travelled　the　whole　night　until　they　came　to　a　lonely　wood；　where　they　concealed　themselves　when　it　was　daylight。　　In　the　morning　they　were　missed。　　There　was　chase　made　with　dogs　to　trace　the　footsteps　all　round　the　house；　but　the　hounds　always　came　back　to　the　house；　for　they　had　the　smell　of　the　reindeer　hoofs；　and　followed　the　scent　back　on　the　road　that　the　hoofs　had　left；　and　therefore　could　not　find　the　right　direction。　　Thorod　and　his　comrade　wandered　long　about　in　the　desert　forest；　and　came　one　evening　to　a　small　house；　and　went　in。　　A　man　and　a　woman　were　sitting　by　the　fire。　　The　man　called　himself　Thorer；　and　said　it　was　his　wife　who　was　sitting　there；　and　the　hut　belonged　to　them。　The　peasant　asked　them　to　stop　there；　at　which　they　were　well　pleased。　　He　told　them　that　he　had　come　to　this　place；　because　he　had　fled　from　the　inhabited　district　on　account　of　a　murder。　Thorod　and　his　comrade　were　well　received；　and　they　all　got　their　supper　at　the　fireside；　and　then　the　benches　were　cleared　for　them；　and　they　lay　down　to　sleep；　but　the　fire　was　still　burning　with　a　clear　light。　　Thorod　saw　a　man　come　in　from　another　house；　and　never　had　he　seen　so　stout　a　man。　　He　was　dressed　in　a　scarlet　cloak　beset　with　gold　clasps；　and　was　of　very　handsome　appearance。　　Thorod　heard　him　scold　them　for　taking　guests；　when　they　had　scarcely　food　for　themselves。　　The　housewife　said；　〃Be　not　angry；　brother；　seldom　such　a　thing　happens；　and　rather　do　them　some　good　too；　for　thou　hast　better　opportunity　to　do　so　than　we。〃　　Thorod　heard　also　the　stout　man　named　by　the　name　of　Arnliot　Gelline；　and　obser