There was a man with King Olaf called Kolbein Sterke (the strong), who
came from a family in the Fjord district. Usually he was so equipped
that he was girt with a sword, and besides carried a great stake,
otherwise called a club, in his hands. The king told Kolbein to stand
nearest to him in the morning; and gave orders to his people to go down
in the night to where the ships of the bondes lay and bore holes in
them, and to set loose their horses on the farms where they were; all
which was done. Now the king was in prayer all the night, beseeching God
of His goodness and mercy to release him from evil. When mass was ended,
and morning was grey, the king went to the Thing. When he came there
some bondes had already arrived, and they saw a great crowd coming
along, and bearing among them a huge man's image glancing with gold and
silver. When the bondes who were at the Thing saw it they started up,
and bowed themselves down before the ugly idol. Thereupon it was set
down upon the Thing-field; and on the one side of it sat the bondes, and
on the other the king and his people.
Then Dale-Gudbrand stood up, and said, "Where now, king, is thy god? I
think he will now carry his head lower; and neither thou, nor the man
with the horn whom ye call bishop, and sits there beside thee, are so
bold to-day as on the former days; for now our god, who rules over all,
is come, and looks on you with an angry eye; and now I see well enough
that ye are terrified, and scarcely dare to raise your eyes. Throw away
now all your opposition, and believe in the god who has all your fate in
his hands."
The king now whispers to Kolbein Sterke, without the bondes perceiving
it, "If it come so in the course of my speech that the bondes look
another way than towards their idol, strike him as hard as thou canst
with thy club."
The king then stood up and spoke. "Much hast thou talked to us this
morning, and greatly hast thou wondered that thou canst not see our God;
but we expect that he will soon come to us. Thou wouldst frighten us
with thy god, who is both blind and deaf, and can neither save himself
nor others, and cannot even move about without being carried; but now
I expect it will be but a short time before he meets his fate: for turn
your eyes towards the east,--behold our God advancing in great light."
The sun was rising, and all turned to look. At that moment Kolbein gave
their god a stroke, so that the idol burst asunder; and there ran out of
it mice as big almost as cats, and reptiles, and adders. The bondes were
so terrified that some fled to their ships; but when they sprang out
upon them they filled with water, and could not get away. Others ran to
their horses, but could not find them. The king then ordered the bondes
to be called together, saying he wanted to speak with them; on which the
bondes came back, and the Thing was again seated.
The king rose up and said, "I do not understand what your noise and
running mean. Ye see yourselves what your god can do,--the idol ye
adorned with gold and silver, and brought meat and provisions to. Ye
see now that the protecting powers who used it were the mice and adders,
reptiles and paddocks; and they do ill who trust to such, and will not
abandon this folly. Take now your gold and ornaments that are lying
strewed about on the grass, and give them to your wives and daughters;
but never hang them hereafter upon stock or stone. Here are now two
conditions between us to choose upon,--either accept Christianity,
or fight this very day; and the victory be to them to whom the God we
worship gives it."
Then Dale-Gudbrand stood up and said, "We have sustained great damage
upon our god; but since he will not help us, we will believe in the God
thou believest in."
Then all received Christianity. The bishop baptized Gudbrand and his
son. King Olaf and Bishop Sigurd left behind them teachers, and they
who met as enemies parted as friends; and Gudbrand built a church in the
valley.