KINGS OF NORWAY. 199 tortured him severely; put him in a dark room, in sa ga x n. which there lay already sixteen Christian men ; and bound him both with iron and other tyings, as fast as they could. Then he began to think that the misery and pain he had endured before were but shadows to his present sufferings. He saw no man before his eyes in this prison who would beg for mercy for him ; no one had compassion on his wretchedness, except the Christian men who lay bound with him, who sorrowed with him, and bemoaned his fate together with their own misfortunes and helplessness. One day they advised him to make a vow to the holy King Olaf, to devote himself to some office in his sacred house, if he, by God's compassion and Saint Olaf's prayers, could get away from this prison. He gladly agreed to this, and made a vow, and prepared himself for the situation they mentioned to him. The night after he thought in his sleep that he saw a man, not tall, standing at his side, who spoke to him thus: " Hear, thou wretched man ! why dost thou not get up?" He replied, '^ Sir, who are you ? " " I am King Olaf, on whom thou hast called." " 0, my good lord ! gladly would I raise myself; but I lie bound with iron and with chains on my legs, and also the other men who lie here." Thereupon the king accosts him with the words, • Stand up at once, and be not afraid; for thou art loose." He awoke immediately, and told his comrades what had appeared to him in this dream. They told him to stand up, and try if it was true. He stood up, and observed that he was loose. Now said his fellow- prisoners this would help him but little, for the door was locked both on the inside and on the outside. Then an old man who sat there in a deplorable con- dition put in his word, and told him not to doubt the o 4
