eye-stone
sprang out upon the cheek-bone. Thereafter they opened his mouth, took
his tongue and cut it off, and then untied his hands and his head. As
soon as he came to himself, he thought of laying the eye-stones in their
place under the eyelids, and pressing then with both hands as much as
he could. Then they carried him on board, and went to a farm called
Saeheimrud, where they landed. They sent up to the farm to say that a
priest was lying in the boat at the shore. While the message was going
to the farm, they asked the priest if he could talk; and he made a noise
and attempted to speak. Then said Einar to his brother, "If he recover
and the stump of his tongue grow, I am afraid he will get his speech
again." Thereupon they seized the stump with a pair of tongs, drew it
out, cut it twice, and the third time to the very roots, and left him
lying half dead. The housewife in the farm was poor; but she hastened to
the place with her daughter, and they carried the priest home to their
farm in their cloaks. They then brought a priest, and when he arrived he
bound all his wounds; and they attended to his comfort as much as they
were able. And thus lay the wounded priest grievously handled, but
trusting always to God's grace, and never doubting; and although he was
speechless, he prayed to God in thought with a sorrowful mind, but with
the more confidence the worse he was. He turned his thoughts also to the
mild King Olaf the Saint, God's dear favourite, of whose excellent deeds
he had heard so much told, and trusted so much more zealously on him
with all his heart for help in his necessity. As he lay there lame, and
deprived of all strength, he wept bitterly, moaned, and prayed with a
sore heart that the dear King Olaf would help him. Now when this wounded
priest was sleeping after midnight, he thought he saw a gallant man
coming to him, who spoke these words, "Thou art ill off, friend Richard,
and thy strength is little." He thought he replied to this assentingly.
Then the man accosted him again, "Thou requirest compassion?" The priest
replies, "I need the compassion of Almighty God and the holy King Olaf."
He answered, "Thou shalt get it." Thereupon he pulled the tongue-stump
so hard that it gave the priest pain; then he stroked with his hands his
eyes, and legs, and other wounded members. Then the priest asked who he
was. He looked at him, and said, "Olaf, come here from Throndhjem;" and
then disappeared. But the priest