第 20 节
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北方网 更新:2021-02-24 22:10 字数:9322
Gyda was the name of their daughter; who was married to the English
King Edward; the Good (whom we call the Confessor)。
〃When they had played a while; the King made a false move; on which
the Jarl took a knight from him; but the King set the piece on the board
again; and told the Jarl to make another move。 But the Jarl flew angry;
tumbled the chess…board over; rose; and went away。 The King said; 'Run
thy ways; Ulf the Fearful。' The Jarl turned round at the door and said;
'Thou wouldst have run farther at Helge river hadst thou been left to battle
there。 Thou didst not call me Ulf the Fearful when I hastened to thy help
while the Swedes were beating thee like a dog。' The Jarl then went out;
and went to bed。
〃The following morning; while the King was putting on his clothes; he
said to his footboy; 'Go thou to Jarl Ulf and kill him。' The lad went; was
away a while; and then came back。 The King said; 'Hast thou killed the
Jarl?' 'I did not kill him; for he was gone to St。 Lucius's church。' There was
a man called Ivar the White; a Norwegian by birth; who was the King's
courtman and chamberlain。 The King said to him; 'Go thou and kill the
Jarl。' Ivar went to the church; and in at the choir; and thrust his sword
through the Jarl; who died on the spot。 Then Ivar went to the King; with
the bloody sword in his hand。
〃The King said; 'Hast thou killed the Jarl?' 'I have killed him;' said he。
'Thou hast done well;' answered the King。〃 I
From a man who built so many churches (one on each battlefield
where he had fought; to say nothing of the others); and who had in him
such depths of real devotion and other fine cosmic quality; this does seem
rather strong! But it is characteristic; withal;of the man; and perhaps of
the times still more。'14' In any case; it is an event worth noting; the slain
Jarl Ulf and his connections being of importance in the history of
Denmark and of England also。 Ulf's wife was Astrid; sister of Knut; and
their only child was Svein; styled afterwards 〃Svein Estrithson〃 (〃Astrid…
son〃) when he became noted in the world;at this time a beardless youth;
who; on the back of this tragedy; fled hastily to Sweden; where were
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friends of Ulf。 After some ten years' eclipse there; Knut and both his sons
being now dead; Svein reappeared in Denmark under a new and eminent
figure; 〃Jarl of Denmark;〃 highest Liegeman to the then sovereign there。
Broke his oath to said sovereign; declared himself; Svein Estrithson; to be
real King of Denmark; and; after much preliminary trouble; and many
beatings and disastrous flights to and fro; became in effect such;to the
wonder of mankind; for he had not had one victory to cheer him on; or any
good luck or merit that one sees; except that of surviving longer than some
others。 Nevertheless he came to be the Restorer; so called; of Danish
independence; sole remaining representative of Knut (or Knut's sister); of
Fork…beard; Blue…tooth; and Old Gorm; and ancestor of all the subsequent
kings of Denmark for some 400 years; himself coming; as we see; only by
the Distaff side; all of the Sword or male side having died so soon。 Early
death; it has been observed; was the Great Knut's allotment; and all his
posterity's as well;fatal limit (had there been no others; which we see
there were) to his becoming 〃Charlemagne of the North〃 in any
considerable degree! Jarl Ulf; as we have seen; had a sister; Gyda by name;
wife to Earl Godwin (〃Gudin Ulfnadsson;〃 as Snorro calls him) a very
memorable Englishman; whose son and hers; King Harald; _Harold_ in
English books; is the memorablest of all。 These things ought to be better
known to English antiquaries; and will perhaps be alluded to again。
This pretty little victory or affront; gained over Knut in _Lymfjord_;
was among the last successes of Olaf against that mighty man。 Olaf; the
skilful captain he was; need not have despaired to defend his Norway
against Knut and all the world。 But he learned henceforth; month by
month ever more tragically; that his own people; seeing softer prospects
under Knut; and in particular the chiefs of them; industriously bribed by
Knut for years past; had fallen away from him; and that his means of
defence were gone。 Next summer; Knut's grand fleet sailed; unopposed;
along the coast of Norway; Knut summoning a Thing every here and there;
and in all of them meeting nothing but sky…high acclamation and
acceptance。 Olaf; with some twelve little ships; all he now had; lay quiet in
some safe fjord; near Lindenaes; what we now call the Naze; behind some
little solitary isles on the southeast of Norway there; till triumphant Knut
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had streamed home again。 Home to England again 〃Sovereign of Norway〃
now; with nephew Hakon appointed Jarl and Vice…regent under him! This
was the news Olaf met on venturing out; and that his worst anticipations
were not beyond the sad truth all; or almost all; the chief Bonders and men
of weight in Norway had declared against him; and stood with triumphant
Knut。
Olaf; with his twelve poor ships; steered vigorously along the coast to
collect money and force;if such could now anywhere be had。 He himself
was resolute to hold out; and try。 〃Sailing swiftly with a fair wind;
morning cloudy with some showers;〃 he passed the coast of Jedderen;
which was Erling Skjalgson's country; when he got sure notice of an
endless multitude of ships; war…ships; armed merchant ships; all kinds of
shipping…craft; down to fishermen's boats; just getting under way against
him; under the command of Erling Skjalgson; the powerfulest of his
subjects; once much a friend of Olaf's but now gone against him to this
length; thanks to Olaf's severity of justice; and Knut's abundance in gold
and promises for years back。 To that complexion had it come with Erling;
sailing with this immense assemblage of the naval people and populace of
Norway to seize King Olaf; and bring him to the great Knut dead or alive。
Erling had a grand new ship of his own; which far outsailed the
general miscellany of rebel ships; and was visibly fast gaining distance on
Olaf himself;who well understood what Erling's puzzle was; between the
tail of his game (the miscellany of rebel ships; namely) that could not
come up; and the head or general prize of the game which was crowding
all sail to get away; and Olaf took advantage of the same。 〃Lower your
sails!〃 said Olaf to his men (though we must go slower)。
〃Ho you; we have lost sight of them!〃 said Erling to his; and put on all
his speed; Olaf going; soon after this; altogether invisible;behind a little
island that he knew of; whence into a certain fjord or bay (Bay of Fungen
on the maps); which he thought would suit him。 〃Halt here; and get out
your arms;〃 said Olaf; and had not to wait long till Erling came bounding
in; past the rocky promontory; and with astonishment beheld Olaf's fleet of
twelve with their battle…axes and their grappling…irons all in perfect
readiness。 These fell on him; the unready Erling; simultaneous; like a
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cluster of angry bees; and in a few minutes cleared his ship of men
altogether; except Erling himself。 Nobody asked his life; nor probably
would have got it if he had。 Only Erling still stood erect on a high place on
the poop; fiercely defensive; and very difficult to get at。 〃Could not be
reached at all;〃 says Snorro; 〃except by spears or arrows; and these he
warded off with untiring dexterity; no man in Norway; it was said; had
ever defended himself so long alone against many;〃an almost invincible
Erling; had his cause been good。 Olaf himself noticed Erling's behavior;
and said to him