380 RELIGION. IDOLS AND WORSHIP OF MEN, ANIMALS, ETC. 



my bird.' He asked them to explain it, for he knew it must 

 signify something. They answered that he himself could 

 guess best what it meant. He added : ' There have long been 

 peace and good seasons in this kingdom, but many more people 

 than it could sustain. The bull of which I dreamt is probably 

 a foreboding of a sickness which will begin in the eastern part 

 of this land, and cause many deaths. My hird will be attacked 

 last, and it is most probable that I shall follow, for I cannot, more 

 than others, survive my destined death-day. Now this dream 

 is explained, and it will prove to be true. I advise the multitude 

 here assembled to throw up a large mound out on the cape, and 

 make a fence across it higher up, so that no cattle can go 

 thither. Into the mound let every man of prominence put half 

 a mark of silver to be buried with him. Before the disease 

 ceases, I shall be placed in the mound. I warn all not to behave 

 like some who worship by sacrifice, after their death, those 

 in whom they trusted while alive, for I think dead men can 

 do nothing useful. It may also happen that those who are 

 worshipped will be suddenly bewitched. I think the same evil 

 spirits (voettir) sometimes do useful, sometimes harmful things. 

 I fear much that a famine will come in the land after I have 

 been mounded, and nevertheless we shall be worshipped and 

 afterwards, bewitched in spite of ourselves.' It happened as 

 King Olaf said, and according to his explanation of the dream. 

 The disease came before it was expected, many died, and all men 

 of any prominence were laid in the mound ; for King Olaf 

 immediately sent men to make an exceedingly large mound, 

 and the people made the fence according to his advice. 

 It also happened that the hird died last and was mound 

 laid. At last Olaf died, and was quickly laid among his 

 men with much property and the mound was closed. Then 

 fewer people died. Bad seasons and famine followed. It 

 was then resolved to offer sacrifice to King Olaf for good 

 seasons, and thev called him Geirstada-alf " (Flateviarbok ii. 



> \ V V 



C. (j). 



" There was a king named Godmund in Jotunheim ; his 

 farm was called Grand, and the herad (district) in which it was 

 situated Glassisvellir. He was a powerful man and old, as well 

 as all his men, and lived for so many generations that people 

 believed Odains Akr (the land of the undying) to be in his 

 realm. The place is so healthy that sickness and old age 

 vanish from every man who comes there, and nobody can die 

 there. It is said that after the death of Godmund, men 

 worshipped him and called him their god. King Godmund had 

 a son, Hofund, a seer and a wise man ; he was made judge 

 over all the adjoining lands ; he never gave a wrong judgment ; 



