Norse Legends - Snorri Sturluson

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      In the sand-hill where King Olaf's body had lain on the ground a beautiful spring of water came up and many human ailments and infirmities were cured by its waters. Things were put in order around it, and the water ever since has been carefully preserved. There was first a chapel built, and an altar consecrated, where the king's body had lain; but now Christ's church stands upon the spot. Archbishop Eystein had a high altar raised upon the spot where the king's grave had been, when he erected the great temple which now stands there; and it is the same spot on which the altar of the old Christ church had stood. It is said that Olaf's church stands on the spot on which the empty house had stood in which King Olaf's body had been laid for the night. The place over which the holy remains of King Olaf were carried up from the vessel is now called Olaf's Road, and is now in the middle of the town. The bishop adorned King Olaf's holy remains, and cut his nails and hair; for both grew as if he had still been alive. So says Sigvat the skald:—

      "I lie not, when I say the king

       Seemed as alive in every thing:

       His nails, his yellow hair still growing,

       And round his ruddy cheek still flowing,

       As when, to please the Russian queen,

       His yellow locks adorned were seen;

       Or to the blind he cured he gave

       A tress, their precious sight to save."

      Thorarin Loftunga also composed a song upon Svein Alfifason, called the "Glelogn Song", in which are these verses:—

      "Svein, king of all,

       In Olaf's hall

       Now sits on high;

       And Olaf's eye

       Looks down from heaven,

       Where it is given

       To him to dwell:

       Or here in cell,

       As heavenly saint,

       To heal men's plaint,

       May our gold-giver

       Live here for ever!

       "King Olaf there

       To hold a share

       On earth prepared,

       Nor labour spared

       A seat to win

       From heaven's great King;

       Which he has won

       Next God's own Son.

       "His holy form,

       Untouched by worm,

       Lies at this day

       Where good men pray,

       And nails and hair

       Grow fresh and fair;

       His cheek is red,

       His flesh not dead.

       "Around his bier,

       Good people hear

       The small bells ring

       Over the king,

       Or great bell toll;

       And living soul

       Not one can tell

       Who tolls the bell.

       "Tapers up there,

       (Which Christ holds dear,)

       By day and night

       The altar light:

       Olaf did so,

       And all men know

       In heaven he

       From sin sits free.

       "And crowds do come,

       The deaf and dumb,

       Cripple and blind,

       Sick of all kind,

       Cured to be

       On bended knee;

       And off the ground

       Rise whole and sound.

       "To Olaf pray

       To eke thy day,

       To save thy land

       From spoiler's hand.

       God's man is he

       To deal to thee

       Good crops and peace;

       Let not prayer cease.

       "Book-prayers prevail,

       If, nail for nail,

       Thou tellest on,

       Forgetting none."

      Thorarin Loftunga was himself with King Svein, and heard these great testimonials of King Olaf's holiness, that people, by the heavenly power, could hear a sound over his holy remains as if bells were ringing, and that candles were lighted of themselves upon the altar as by a heavenly fire. But when Thorarin says that a multitude of lame, and blind, and other sick, who came to the holy Olaf, went back cured, he means nothing more than that there were a vast number of persons who at the beginning of King Olaf's miraculous working regained their health. King Olaf's greatest miracles are clearly written down, although they occurred somewhat later.

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      It is reckoned by those who have kept an exact account, that Olaf the Saint was king of Norway for fifteen years from the time Earl Svein left the country; but he had received the title of king from the people of the Uplands the winter before. Sigvat the skald tells this:—

      "For fifteen winters o'er the land

       King Olaf held the chief command,

       Before he fell up in the North:

       His fall made known to us his worth.

       No worthier prince before his day

       In our North land e'er held the sway,

       Too short he held it for our good;

       All men wish now that he had stood."

      Saint Olaf was thirty-five years old when he fell, according to what Are Frode the priest says, and he had been in twenty pitched battles. So says Sigvat the skald:—

      "Some leaders trust in God—some not;

       Even so their men; but well I wot

       God-fearing Olaf fought and won

       Twenty pitched battles, one by one,

       And always placed upon his right

       His Christian men in a hard fight.

       May God be merciful, I pray,

       To him—for he ne'er shunned his fray."

      We have now related a part of King Olaf's story, namely, the events which took place while he ruled over Norway; also his death, and how his holiness was manifested. Now shall we not neglect to mention what it was that most advanced his honour. This was his miracles; but these will come to be treated of afterwards in this book.

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      King Svein, the son of Canute the Great, ruled over Norway for some years; but was a child both in age and understanding. His mother Alfifa had most sway in the country; and the people of the country were her great enemies, both then and ever since. Danish people had a great superiority given them within the country, to the great dissatisfaction of the people; and when conversation turned that way, the people of the rest of Norway accused

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