And on the morrow they bade the trumpet-blast summon an assembly, and
said that they thought it good counsel to hold a conference with that
man who came from the north with new doctrine, and to learn what proofs
he could bring.
After this Gudbrand said to his son: 'Thou shalt go to the King who
spared thy life, and twelve men shall go with thee.' And so it was done.
[Illustration: 'In the following night Gudbrand dreamed a dream']
And they came to the King and told him their errand--that the
country-folk would fain hold a conference with him, and would have a
truce between them. The King liked that well, and they settled it so by
a treaty between them till the appointed meeting should be; and this
done they went back and told Gudbrand and Thord of the truce. The King
then went to the village called Lidsstadir, and stayed there five
nights. Then he went to meet the country-folk, and held a conference
with them; but the day was very wet.
As soon as the conference was met, the King stood up and said that the
dwellers in Lesja Loa and Vagi had accepted Christianity and broken down
their heathen house of worship, and now believed in the true God who
made heaven and earth and knew all things. Then the King sat down; but
Gudbrand answered:
'We know not of whom thou speakest. Thou callest him God whom neither
thou seest nor anyone else. But we have that god who may be seen every
day, though he is not out to-day because the weather is wet: and
terrible will he seem to you, and great fear will, I expect, strike your
hearts if he come into our assembly. But since thou sayest that your God
is so powerful, then let Him cause that to-morrow the weather be cloudy
but without rain, and meet we here again.'
Thereafter the King went home to his lodging, and with him Gudbrand's
son as a hostage, while the King gave them another man in exchange. In
the evening the King asked Gudbrand's son how their god was made. He
said that he was fashioned to represent Thor: he had a hammer in his
hand, and was tall of stature, hollow within, and there was a pedestal
under him on which he stood when out-of-doors; nor was there lack of
gold and silver upon him. Four loaves of bread were brought to him every
day, and flesh-meat therewith. After this talk they went to bed. But the
King was awake all night and at his prayers.
With dawn of day the King went to mass, then to meat, then to the
assembly. And the weather was just what Gudbrand had bargained for. Then
stood up the bishop in his gown, with mitre on head and crozier in hand;
and he spoke of the faith before the country-folk, and told of the many
miracles which God had wrought, and brought his speech to an eloquent
conclusion.
Then answered Thord Fat-paunch: 'Plenty of words has that horned one who
holds a staff in his hand crooked at the top like a wether's horn. But
seeing that you, my good fellows, claim that your God works so many
miracles, bespeak of Him for to-morrow that He let it be bright
sunshine; and meet we then, and do one of the twain, either agree on
this matter or do battle.'
And with that they broke up the assembly for the time.
There was a man with King Olaf named Kolbein Strong; he was from the
Firths by kin. He had ever this gear, that he was girded with a sword,
and had a large cudgel or club in his hand. The King bade Kolbein be
close to him on the morrow. And then he said to his men:
'Go ye to-night where the country-folk's ships are, and bore holes in
them all, and drive away from their farm-buildings their yoke-horses.'
And they did so.
But the King spent the night in prayer, praying God that He would solve
this difficulty of His goodness and mercy. And when service times were
over (and that was towards daybreak) then went he to the assembly. When
he came there but few of the country-folk had come. But soon they saw a
great multitude coming to the assembly; and they bare among them a huge
image of a man, all glittering with gold and silver; which when those
who were already at the assembly saw, they all leapt up and bowed before
this monster. Then was it set up in the middle of the place of assembly:
on the one side sat the folk of the country, on the other the King and
his men.
Then up stood Gudbrand of the Dales and spake: 'Where is now thy God, O
King? Methinks now He boweth His beard full low; and, as I think, less
is now thy bragging and that of the horned one whom ye call bishop, and
who sits beside thee yea, less than it was yesterday. For now is come
our god who rules all, and he looks at you with keen glance, and I see
that ye are now full of fear and hardly dare to lift your eyes. Lay down
now your superstition and believe in our god, who holds all your counsel
in his hand.' And so his words were ended.
The King spake with Kolbein Strong, so that the country-folk knew it
not: 'If it so chance while I am speaking that they look away from their
god, then strike him the strongest blow thou canst with thy club.'
Then the King stood up and spake: 'Plenty of words hast thou spoken to
us this morning. Thou thinkest it strange that thou canst not see our
God; but we expect that He will soon come to us. Thou goest about to
terrify us with thy god, who is blind and deaf and can neither help
himself nor others, and can in no way leave his place unless he be
carried; and I expect now that evil is close upon him. Nay, look now and
see toward the east, there goeth now our God with great light.'
Just then up sprang the sun, and toward the sun looked the country-folk
all. But in that moment Kolbein dealt such a blow on their god that he
burst all asunder, and thereout leapt rats as big as cats, and vipers
and snakes.
[Illustration: The destruction of the idol]
But the country-folk fled in terror, some to their ships, which when
they launched, the water poured in and filled them, nor could they so
get away, and some who ran for their horses found them not. Then the
King had them called back and said he would fain speak with them;
whereupon the country-folk turned back and assembled.
Then the King stood up and spake.
'I know not,' said he, 'what means this tumult and rushing about that ye
make. But now may well be seen what power your god has, whom ye load
with gold and silver, meat and food, and now ye see what creatures have
enjoyed all this--rats and snakes, vipers and toads. And worse are they
who believe in such things, and will not quit their folly. Take ye your
gold and jewels that are here now on the field and carry them home to
your wives, and never put them again on stocks or stones. But now there
are two choices for us: that you accept Christianity or do battle with
me to-day. And may those win victory to whom it is willed by the God in
whom we believe.'
Then stood up Gudbrand of the Dales and spake: 'Much scathe have we
gotten now in our god; but, as he cannot help himself, we will now
believe in the God in whom thou believest.' And so they all accepted
Christianity.
Then did the bishop baptize Gudbrand and his son. King Olaf and Bishop
Sigurd left religious teachers there, and they parted friends who before
were foes. And Gudbrand had a church built there in the Dales.