Olaf and Kjartan Olafsson 187 



nought but dust and ashes, if God had not willed that 

 he should live.' 



It was, however, Olaf's fascinating personality which 

 did more than anything else for the spread of his 

 opinions. Of his feats of strength and daring the Saga 

 is full. We have already referred to the story of his 

 ascent of the inaccessible Hornelen on Bremanger 

 Island, at the entrance to the Nord Fjord, which tra- 

 vellers are always bidden to look out for on the route 

 by steamer from Bergen to Molde. Of the way that 

 Olaf dealt with men we have charming examples in 

 the two following anecdotes. 



Kjartan Olafsson, a son's son of Hoskuld, and a 

 dauGfhter's son of Eoil Skalap-rimsson, came one autumn 

 from Iceland to Nidaros (Throndhjem). He was con- 

 sidered to be the most agreeable and hopeful man of 

 any born in Iceland. There was also Haldor, a son of 

 Gudmund of Modrovald, and Kolbein, a son of Thord, 

 Frey's-priest, and a brother's son of Brennuflosi, to- 

 gether with Swerting, a son of the Brennuflosi Kunolf. 

 All these were heathens ; and besides them there were 

 many more, — some men of power, others common men 

 of no property. There came also from Iceland con- 

 siderable people, who, by Thangbrand's help, had been 

 made Christians ; namely, Gissur White, a son of Teit 

 Ketilbjornsson ; and his mother was Alof, daughter of 

 Hersi Bodvar who was the Viking Kare's son. Bod- 

 var's brother was Sigurd, father of Eric Bjodaskalli, 

 whose daughter, Astrid, was King Olaf's mother. Hjalti 

 Skeggjason was the name of another Iceland man, who 

 was married to Vilborga, Gissur White's daughter. 

 Hjalti was also a Christian ; and King Olaf was very 



