360 



ALTARS, TEMPLES, HIGH-SEAT PILLARS, ETC. 



the temple burning ; lie called on his people, men and women, 

 to run with water vessels and save it ; he also called upon his 

 son, Thorstein, but he was nowhere to be found. When they 

 reached the gate of the enclosure it was not easy to pass, for 

 it was locked, and the keys were nowhere to be found ; they 

 were obliged to break open the door, for the fence was so high 

 that they could not get over it. Entering the enclosure, they 

 saw Thorstein there dead ; the temple was also locked, and 

 nothing in it could be saved. Hooks were brought and the 

 temple was pulled down, and thus part of the temple was 

 saved " (Kjalnesinga Saga, c. 4). 



For this Bui was outlawed by Harald Fairhair, but was sub- 

 sequently forgiven. 



" King Beli ruled over Sygna-fylki (in Norway) ; he had 

 three children ; Helgi and Halfdan were his sons, and Ingi- 

 bjorg his daughter. Ingibjorg was fair-looking and wise; she 

 was the foremost of the king's children. On the shore west 

 of the fjord there was a large boar, 1 called Baldr's hagi (Baldr's 

 field or enclosure), which was a place of peace, 2 where a large 

 temple stood, surrounded by a high wooden fence ; there were 

 many gods, though Baldr was most worshipped. The heathen 3 

 men were so careful about the temple that neither man nor 

 beast was to be hurt there ; men were not allowed to stay with 

 women there " (Fridthjof's Saga, I). 4 



" When Fridtbjof had left Norway the kings held a Thing, 

 and outlawed him from all their lands, and took to themselves 

 all his possessions. King Halfdan settled at Framnes, and 

 rebuilt the burned part of the farm ; and they repaired the 

 whole of Baldr's hagi, but it was a long time before the fire was 

 extinguished. King Helgi disliked most of all that the gods 

 had been burned. It was very costly to build Baldr's hagi 

 again as good as it was. King Helgi then resided at Syrstrond " 

 (Fridthjof's Saga, c. 10). 



The fact that some of the old temples were a subject of 

 pilgrimage to those who had emigrated from the land is 

 further proof of the veneration paid to them. 



" Lopt Ormsson went from Gaulardal in Norway to Iceland 

 when young, and took up land along the Thjorsa river. Lopt 



1 This implies that in the sacred 

 precincts there were several buildings. 



2 Gridastad meaus place of truce. 



3 The writer or copyist seems to h.-ive 



been a Christian. 



4 Fridthjof means the thief of peace, 

 the one who steals or destroys peace. 



