27. HARALD AND HAKON ARE BAPTIZED.

The Emperor Otta turned back with his troops to Slesvik, collected his

ships of war, and crossed the fjord of Sle into Jutland. As soon as the

Danish king heard of this he marched his army against him, and there was

a battle, in which the emperor at last got the victory. The Danish king

fled to Limafjord and took refuge in the island Marsey. By the help

of mediators who went between the king and the emperor, a truce and a

meeting between them were agreed on. The Emperor Otta and the Danish

king met upon Marsey. There Bishop Poppo instructed King Harald in

the holy faith; he bore red hot irons in his hands, and exhibited his

unscorched hands to the king. Thereafter King Harald allowed himself to

be baptized, and also the whole Danish army. King Harald, while he

was in Marsey, had sent a message to Hakon that he should come to his

succour; and the earl had just reached the island when the king had

received baptism. The king sends word to the earl to come to him, and

when they met the king forced the earl to allow himself also to be

baptized. So Earl Hakon and all the men who were with him were baptized;

and the king gave them priests and other learned men with them, and

ordered that the earl should make all the people in Norway be baptized.

On that they separated; and the earl went out to sea, there to wait for

a wind.

Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway · 第 154 / 1013 题