There for him were answered
All of the thousand questions;
There his life was transfigured,
Raised to the sunlit uplands,
Dawned then the day of his longings.

And while the host of the foeman
Ranged itself in the distance,
Baptized was Arnljot Gelline,
Served him the King as sponsor,
And all the assembled chieftains.

Fared then Arnljot Gelline
To the van of the royal army,
Where forward yon on the hillside
Torodd bore the King's banner,
Took he his stand before it.

Spear in hand silver-hilted,
Sword for the mightiest only,
Shield hooked upon his shoulder,
Shining his weapons and armor,
Gleaming his eye on the foe rested.

Stood by the banner behind him
Tore and Afrafaste:

On him they gazed in wonder, They and their men loud hailed him: "Fight we again beside our chieftain!"

Those who came onward to meet them, First of all saw Arnljot,

In the midst of his fur-clad following, Towering o'er them and shining, Leading to battle the vanguard.

FOURTEENTH SONG

THE BATTLE OF STIKLESTAD

THE King down set him,

His guards around him,
The foe awaiting

In calm.

The King his head rested.

Upon Finn Arnesson,

Sank at once into slumber,
And saw

Bright and wonderful visions
Wavering in the heavens,
Saw the Lord's host angelic
In the sun.

Building out of the sunbeams
A bridge, upward arching
Straight from the plain terrestrial
To God.

The King bore they with them,
Light as air uplifted

As on the wings of longing

To the light,

Up the effulgent ladder

Mounted he to heaven,

Through the infinite spaces,
Toward God.

Brighter grew the sunbeams,

Multiplied the angels,

Songs came to his hearing
From God.

Many, many worlds
Onward were pressing,

For a station straining

Near God.

And when they attained it,
Vaster the space was

Than all the thronging worlds
They passed.

Praise-songs were sunbeams, Sunbeams were praise-songs, World without end rising To God.

"King, get thee up!
Near is the foe,

Wood and dale he fills

With a mighty host."

Finn it was who spoke then, The King him answered:

"Ah, thou shouldst have waited

Yet a while.

The Lord to my gaze now

His face was revealing.

In that flaming glory

I trembled."

Finn answered: "Soon thou mayest Gaze on the Lord,

Get thee up, and thou gazest

On death!"

The foeman's army

Itself bestirred,

Filled all the plain,

Poured from the forest,

Ranged itself.

Down by the hillside,
Not an arrow-shot's
Distance they stood.
Many warriors

The King knew,

And with sorrow

Friends from of old.

The King knew

Kalv Arnesson,

Thus to him spoke:

"Castest thou spear-flight

Upon my army?
Thus was it not

When last we parted

Southward at Möre.

Kin hast thou with me,

And four of thy brothers."

Answered then Kalv:

"What time thou didst leave us,