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126 NOTES
tives. For much of the matter in the Sixth Song of Arnljot Gelline
Bjérnson has drawn upon this Great O. T. Saga, and the passages re-
produced in these Notes are taken from J. Sephton’s English transla-
tion. In the Mist of the Northern Ocean brings Arnljot to our view
upon his return to the icy seas of the Northland after a viking expedi-
tion which had taken him to the coasts of Wales and Ireland. In their
furtherance of the Christian faith, both Olaf Trygvason and Olaf the
Holy were constantly beset and harassed by trolls —evil spirits—who
realized that the foundations of their power were being undermined,
and drastic indeed were the courses of the Christianizing kings in deal-
ing with these sinister antagonists. One episode of this sort is pic-
turesquely related by Longfellow in Te Saga of King Olaf. Arnijot,
whose inclination toward the new faith was surmised by the trolls,
would naturally be singled out for attack by these evil powers, and
Bjornson has transferred to him the incident given in Chapter 212 of
the Great O. T. Saga.
“ After King Olaf had Christianized all the region round about the
frith [of Salpti], he proceeded south, sailing close to land. Many events
happened on this voyage that have a place in stories; we are told that
trolls and other evil spirits scoffed at the King’s men, yea, sometimes
at the King himself. One day as they were on their voyage, they beheld
a man ina sculler rowing landwards and making towards some rocks.
As he sat in the boat he looked tall and broad-shouldered, and plied
his oars vigorously. The King said to his men: ‘Put some spirit into
your rowing; I want to come up with the tall man there in front, and
see what sort of a youth he is.” The tall man, seeing them quicken their
stroke, did likewise. He pulled his oars sharply through the water, kept
his shoulders down, and maintained his distance ahead. The King then
urged his men to row still harder ; ordering the oars to be brought into
play until every bench on the Serpent was occupied. ‘Let two or three
men,’ he said, ‘sit at every oar, and even sowe shall needall yourstrength
to overtake that fellow.’ They did, therefore, as the King bade them,
and the Serpent began to gain on the boat. And now the boatman, observ-
ing the approach of his pursuers, was seen by the King to glance sharply
around in all directions, and to look hard at the rocks as if measuring
his distance from them. Putting forth his strength, he strove eagerly
to keep in front; raising himself up as he pulled in his oars, and then
sinking down into the hollow of the boat as he stretched forward.
Nevertheless his distance ahead grew smaller, though very slowly. When
the King thought the man was within hearing distance, he hailed him:
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