sprang out upon them the ships filled with water, and could not get
away. Others ran to their horses, but could not find them. The king
then ordered the Bonders to be called together, saying he wanted to
speak with them; on which the Bonders came back, and the Thing was
again seated.

"The king rose up and said, 'I do not understand what your noise and
running mean. You yourselves see what your God can do,--the idol you
adorned with gold and silver, and brought meat and provisions to. You
see now that the protecting powers, who used and got good of all that,
were the mice and adders, the reptiles and lizards; and surely they do
ill who trust to such, and will not abandon this folly. Take now your
gold and ornaments that are lying strewed on the grass, and give them
to your wives and daughters, but never hang them hereafter upon stocks
and stones. Here are 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 whom 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 afterwards Gudbrand built a
church in the valley."[13]

Olaf was by no means an unmerciful man,--much the reverse where he saw
good cause. There was a wicked old King Raerik, for example, one of
those five kinglets whom, with their bits of armaments, Olaf by