Olav den helliges saga - Olav tinget Hundorp - H

Dale-Gudbrand is a historical

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

person that appears in the '' Separate Saga of St. Olaf'' in Snorri Sturluson's ''

Heimskringla ''Heimskringla'' () is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorre Sturlason (1178/79–1241) 1230. The name ''Heimskringla'' was first used in the 17th century, derive ...

''. He is said to have lived at the farm in Hundorp in the Gudbrand Valley around the year 1000, and to have been the most powerful man in the Gudbrand Valley at that time, with the status of a

hersir A Hersir was a local Viking military commander of a ''hundred'' (a county subdivision) of about 100 men and owed allegiance to a jarl or king. They were also aspiring landowners, and, like the middle class in many feudal societies, supported the k ...

. He is named in '' Haakon Jarl's Saga'' as being allied with

Haakon Jarl Haakon Sigurdsson ( non, Hákon Sigurðarson , no, Håkon Sigurdsson; 937–995), known as Haakon Jarl (Old Norse: ''Hákon jarl''), was the ''de facto'' ruler of Norway from about 975 to 995. Sometimes he is styled as Haakon the Powerful ( n ...

in his conflict with King

Harald Greycloak Harald Greycloak (Old Norse: ''Haraldr gráfeldr'', lit. "Harald Grey-hide"; Norwegian: ; Danish: ; c. 935 – c. 970) was a king of Norway from the Fairhair dynasty. Harald acquired his nickname "Gray-hide" after an encounter with the crew of ...

. The ''Separate Saga of St. Olaf'' describes a meeting between

Olaf II of Norway Olaf II Haraldsson ( – 29 July 1030), later known as Saint Olaf (and traditionally as St. Olave), was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. Son of Harald Grenske, a petty king in Vestfold, Norway, he was posthumously given the title '' Rex Per ...

and Dale-Gudbrand in 1021 that was the start of the introduction of Christianity into the Gudbrand Valley. :King Olav agreed to meet the farmers early the next morning, and then the idol of Thor should be borne out. When the meeting was set, Dale-Gudbrand asked the king where his god was. At the same time the sun rose and the king replied, "There comes my God with great light." When the farmers turned to look at the sunrise, Kolbein struck the idol so that it burst and out came mice, lizards, and worms. When they saw this, Dale-Gudbrand and the peasants accepted Christianity.Snorre Sturlasson, ''Separate Saga of St. Olaf'', (''Heimskringla''), chapter 113. The story of an idol that is broken is a motif found in many legends and stories about Christianization around Europe. When the hero breaks the idol, the devil comes out in the form of a worm or a dragon. The story is well known in Norway because it was reproduced in Nordahl Rolfsen's '' Lesebok for Folkeskolen'' (Elementary School Reader), and then in a retelling by Alexander Bugge.

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