171. OF ERLING SKJALGSON AND
HIS SONS.
Erling Skjalgson and all his
sons had been all summer in King
Canute's army, in the retinue
of Earl Hakon. Thorer Hund was
also there, and was in high
esteem. Now when King Canute heard
that King Olaf had gone overland
to Norway, he discharged his
army, and gave all men leave
to go to their winter abodes. There
was then in Denmark a great
army of foreigners, both English,
Norwegians, and men of other
countries, who had joined the
expedition in summer. In autumn
(A.D. 1027) Erling Skjalgson
went to Norway with his men,
and received great presents from
King Canute at parting; but
Thorer Hund remained behind in King
Canute's court. With Erling
went messengers from King Canute
well provided with money; and
in winter they travelled through
all the country, paying the
money which King Canute had promised
to many in autumn for their
assistance. They gave presents in
money, besides, to many whose
friendship could be purchased for
King Canute. They received
much assistance in their travels from
Erling. In this way it came
to pass that many turned their
support to King Canute, promised
him their services, and agreed
to oppose King Olaf. Some
did this openly, but many more
concealed it from the public.
King Olaf heard this news, for
many had something to tell
him about it; and the conversation in
the court often turned upon
it. Sigvat the skald made a song
upon it: --
"The base traitors
ply
With purses of gold,
Wanting to buy
What is not to be
sold, --
The king's life and throne
Wanting to buy:
But our souls are our
own,
And to hell we'll
not hie.
No pleasure in heaven,
As we know full well,
To the traitor is given,
--
His soul is his hell."
Often also the conversation
turned upon how ill it beseemed Earl
Hakon to raise his hand in
arms against King Olaf, who had given
him his life when he fell into
the king's power; but Sigvat was a
particular friend of Earl Hakon,
and when he heard the earl
spoken against he sang: --
"Our own court people
we may blame,
If they take gold to their
own shame,
Their king and country
to betray.
With those who give it's
not the same,
From them we have no faith
to claim:
'Tis we are wrong, if
we give way."
172. OF KING OLAF'S PRESENTS
AT YULE.
King Olaf gave a great feast
at Yule, and many great people had
come to him. It was the seventh
day of Yule, that the king, with
a few persons, among whom was
Sigvat, who attended him day and
night, went to a house in which
the king's most precious
valuables were kept. He had,
according to his custom, collected
there with great care the valuable
presents he was to make on New
Year's eve. There was in the
house no small number of gold-
mounted swords; and Sigvat
sang: --
"The swords stand
there,
All bright and fair, --
Those oars that dip in
blood:
If I in favour stood,
I too might have a share.
A sword the skald would
gladly take,
And use it for his master's
sake:
In favour once he stood,
And a sword has stained
in blood."
The king took a sword of which
the handle was twisted round with
gold, and the guard was gold-mounted,
and gave it to him. It was
a valuable article; but the
gift was not seen without envy, as
will appear hereafter.
Immediately after Yule (1028)
the king began his journey to the
Uplands; for he had a great
many people about him, but had
received no income that autumn
from the North country, for there
had been an armament in summer,
and the king had laid out all the
revenues he could command;
and also he had no vessels with which
he and his people could go
to the North. At the same time he had
news from the North, from which
he could see that there would be
no safety for him in that quarter,
unless he went with a great
force. For these reasons he
determined to proceed through the
Uplands, although it was not
so long a time since he had been
there in guest-quarters as
the law prescribes, and as the kings
usually had the custom of observing
in their visits. When he
came to the Uplands the lendermen
and the richest bondes invited
him to be their guest, and
thus lightened his expenses.
173. OF BJORN THE BAILIFF.
There was a man called Bjorn
who was of Gautland family, and a
friend and acquaintance of
Queen Astrid, and in some way related
to her. She had given him
farm-management and other offices in
the upper part of Hedemark.
He had also the management of
Osterdal district. Bjorn was
not in esteem with the king, nor
liked by the bondes. It happened
in a hamlet which Bjorn ruled
over, that many swine and cattle
were missing: therefore Bjorn
ordered a Thing to be called
to examine the matter. Such pillage
he attributed chiefly to the
people settled in forest-farms far
from other men; by which he
referred particularly to those who
dwelt in Osterdal, for that
district was very thinly inhabited,
and full of lakes and forest-cleanings,
and but in few places was
any great neighbourhood together.
174. OF RAUD'S SONS.
There was a man called Raud
who dwelt in Osterdal. His wife was
called Ragnhild; and his sons,
Dag and Sigurd, were men of great
talent. They were present
at the Thing, made a reply in defence
of the Osterdal people, and
removed the accusation from them.
Bjorn thought they were too
pert in their answer, and too fine in
their clothes and weapons;
and therefore turned his speech
against these brothers, and
said it was not unlikely they may
have committed these thefts.
They denied it, and the Thing
closed. Soon after King Olaf,
with his retinue, came to guest-
quarters in the house of bailiff
Bjorn. The matter which had
been before the Thing was then
complained of to the king; and
Bjorn said that Raud's sons
appeared to him to have committed
these thefts. A messenger
was sent for Raud's sons; and when
they appeared before the king
he said they had not at all the
appearance of thieves, and
acquitted them. Thereupon they
invited the king, with all
his retinue, to a three days'
entertainment at their father's;
and although Bjorn dissuaded him
from it, the king went. At
Raud's there was a very excellent
feast. The king asked Raud
what people he and his wife were.
Raud answered that he was originally
a Swedish man, rich and of
high birth; "but I ran
away with the wife I have ever since had,
and she is a sister of King
Hring Dagson." The king then
remembered both their families.
He found that father and sons
were men of understanding,
and asked them what they could do.
Sigurd said he could interpret
dreams, and determine the time of
the day although no heavenly
bodies could be seen. The king made
trial of his art, and found
it was as Sigurd had said. Dag
stated, as his accomplishment,
that he could see the misdeeds and
vices of every man who came
under his eye, when he chose to
observe him closely. The king
told him to declare what faults of
disposition he saw in the king
himself. Dag mentioned a fault
which the king was sensible
he really had. Then the king asked
what fault the bailiff Bjorn
had. Dag said Bjorn was a thief;
and told also where Bjorn had
concealed on his farm the bones,
horns, and hides of the cattle
he had stolen in autumn; "for he
committed," said Dag,
"all the thefts in autumn which he accuses
other people of." Dag
also told the king the places where the
king should go after leaving
them. When the king departed from
Raud's house he was accompanied
on the way, and presented with
friendly gifts; and Raud's
sons remained with the king. The king
went first to Bjorn's, and
found there that all Dag had told him
was true. Upon which he drove
Bjorn out of the country; and he
had to thank the queen that
he preserved life and limbs.
175. THORER'S DEATH.
Thorer, a son of Olver of Eggja,
a stepson of Kalf Arnason, and a
sister's son of Thorer Hund,
was a remarkably handsome man, stout
and strong. He was at this
time eighteen years old; had made a
good marriage in Hedemark,
by which he got great wealth; and was
besides one of the most popular
of men, and formed to be a chief.
He invited the king and his
retinue home to him to a feast. The
king accepted the invitation,
went to Thorer's, and was well
received. The entertainment
was very splendid; they were
excellently treated, and all
that was set before the guests was
of the best that could be got.
The king and his people talked
among themselves of the excellence
of everything, and knew not
what they should admire the
most, -- whether Thorer's house
outside, or the inside furniture,
the table service, or the
liquors, or the host who gave
them such a feast. But Dag said
little about it. The king
used often to speak to Dag, and ask
him about various things; and
he had proved the truth of all that
Dag had said, both of things
that had happened or were to happen,
and therefore the king had
much confidence in what he said. The
king called Dag to him to have
a private conversation together,
and spoke to him about many
things. Afterwards the king turned
the conversation on Thorer,
-- what an excellent man Thorer was,
and what a superb feast he
had made for them. Dag answered but
little to this, but agreed
it was true what the king said. The
king then asked Dag what disposition
or faith he found in Thorer.
Dag replied that he must certainly
consider Thorer of a good
disposition, if he be really
what most people believe him to be.
The king told him to answer
direct what he was asked, and said
that it was his duty to do
so. Dag replies, "Then thou must
allow me to determine the punishment
if I disclose his faith."
The king replied that he would
not submit his decision to another
man, but again ordered Dag
to reply to what he asked.
Dag replies, "The sovereign's
order goes before all. I find this
disposition in Thorer, as in
so many others, that he is too
greedy of money."
The king: "Is he then
a thief, or a robber?"
"He is neither."
"What is he then?"
"To win money he is a
traitor to his sovereign. He has taken
money from King Canute the
Great for thy head."
The king asks, "What proof
hast thou of the truth of this?"
Dag: "He has upon his
right arm, above the elbow, a thick gold
ring, which King Canute gave
him, and which he lets no man see."
This ended their conference,
and the king was very wroth. Now as
the king sat at table, and
the guests had drunk a while with
great mirth, and Thorer went
round to see the guests well served,
the king ordered Thorer to
be called to him. He went up before
the table, and laid his hands
upon it.
The king asked, "How old
a man art thou, Thorer?"
He answered, "I am eighteen
years old."
"A stout man thou art
for those years, and thou hast been
fortunate also."
Then the king took his right
hand, and felt it towards the elbow.
Thorer said, "Take care,
for I have a boil upon my arm."
The king held his hand there,
and felt there was something hard
under it. "Hast thou
not heard," said he, "that I am a
physician? Let me see the
boil."
As Thorer saw it was of no
use to conceal it longer, he took off
the ring and laid it on the
table.
The king asked if that was
the gift of King Canute.
Thorer replied that he could
not deny it was.
The king ordered him to be
seized and laid in irons. Kalf came
up and entreated for mercy,
and offered money for him, which also
was seconded by many; but the
king was so wroth that nobody could
get in a word. He said Thorer
should suffer the doom he had
prepared for himself. Thereupon
he ordered Thorer to be killed.
This deed was much detested
in the Uplands, and not less in the
Throndhjem country, where many
of Thorer's connections were.
Kalf took the death of this
man much to heart, for he had been
his foster-son in childhood.
176. THE FALL OF GRJOTGARD.
Grjotgard Olverson, Thorer's
brother, and the eldest of the
brothers, was a very wealthy
man, and had a great troop of people
about him. He lived also at
this time in Hedemark. When he
heard that Thorer had been
killed, he made an attack upon the
places where the king's goods
and men were; but, between whiles,
he kept himself in the forest
and other secret places. When the
king heard of this disturbance,
he had inquiry made about
Grjotgard's haunts, and found
out that he had taken up night-
quarters not far from where
the king was. King Olaf set out in
the night-time, came there
about day-dawn, and placed a circle of
men round the house in which
Grjotgard was sleeping. Grjotgard
and his men, roused by the
stir of people and clash of arms, ran
to their weapons, and Grjotgard
himself sprang to the front room.
He asked who commanded the
troop; and it was answered him, "King
Olaf was come there."
Grjotgard asked if the king would hear his
words. The king, who stood
at the door, said that Grjotgard
might speak what he pleased,
and he would hear his words.
Grjotgard said, "I do
not beg for mercy;" and at the same moment
he rushed out, having his shield
over his head, and his drawn
sword in his hand. It was
not so much light that he could see
clearly. He struck his sword
at the king; but Arnbjorn ran in,
and the thrust pierced him
under his armour into his stomach, and
Arnbjorn got his deathwound.
Grjotgard was killed immediately,
and most of his people with
him. After this event the king
turned back to the south to
Viken.
177. KING OLAF SENDS FOR HIS
SHIPS AND GOODS.
Now when the king came to Tunsberg
he sent men out to all the
districts, and ordered the
people out upon a levy. He had but a
small provision of shipping,
and there were only bondes' vessels
to be got. From the districts
in the near neighbourhood many
people came to him, but few
from any distance; and it was soon
found that the people had turned
away from the king. King Olaf
sent people to Gautland for
his ships, and other goods and wares
which had been left there in
autumn; but the progress of these
men was very slow, for it was
no better now than in autumn to
sail through the Sound, as
King Canute had in spring fitted out
an army throughout the whole
of the Danish dominions, and had no
fewer than 1200 vessels.
178. KING OLAF'S COUNSELS.
The news came to Norway that
King Canute had assembled an immense
armament through all Denmark,
with which he intended to conquer
Norway. When this became known
the people were less willing to
join King Olaf, and he got
but little aid from the bondes. The
king's men often spoke about
this among themselves. Sigvat tells
of it thus: --
"Our men are few,
our ships are small,
While England's king is
strong in all;
But yet our king is not
afraid --
O! never be such king
betrayed!
'Tis evil counsel to deprive
Our king of countrymen
to strive
To save their country,
sword in hand:
Tis money that betrays
our land."
The king held meetings with
the men of the court, and sometimes
House-things with all his people,
and consulted with them what
they should, in their opinion,
undertake. "We must not conceal
from ourselves," said
he, "that Canute will come here this
summer; and that he has, as
ye all know, a large force, and we
have at present but few men
to oppose to him; and, as matters now
stand, we cannot depend much
on the fidelity of the country
people." The king's men
replied to his speech in various ways;
but it is said that Sigvat
the skald replied thus, advising
flight, as treachery, not cowardice,
was the cause of it: --
"We may well fly,
when even our foe
Offers us money if we
go.
I may be blamed, accused
of fear;
But treachery, not faith,
rules here.
Men may retire who long
have shown
Their faith and love,
and now alone
Retire because they cannot
save --
This is no treachery in
the brave."
179. HAREK OF THJOTTA BURNS
GRANKEL AND HIS MEN.
The same spring (A.D. 1028)
it happened in Halogaland that Harek
of Thjotta remembered how Asmund
Grankelson had plundered and
beaten his house-servants.
A cutter with twenty rowing-benches,
which belonged to Harek, was
afloat in front of the house, with
tent and deck, and he spread
the report that he intended to go
south to Throndhjem. One evening
Harek went on board with his
house-servants, about eighty
men, who rowed the whole night; and
he came towards morning to
Grankel's house, and surrounded it
with his men. They then made
an attack on the house, and set
fire to it; and Grankel with
his people were burnt, and some were
killed outside; and in all
about thirty men lost their lives.
After this deed Harek returned
home, and sat quietly in his farm.
Asmund was with King Olaf when
he heard of it; therefore there
was nobody in Halogaland to
sue Harek for mulct for this deed,
nor did he offer any satisfaction.
180. KING CANUTE'S EXPEDITION
TO NORWAY.
Canute the Great collected
his forces, and went to Limfjord.
When he was ready with his
equipment he sailed from thence with
his whole fleet to Norway;
made all possible speed, and did not
land to the eastward of the
Fjords, but crossed Folden, and
landed in Agder, where he summoned
a Thing. The bondes came down
from the upper country to hold
a Thing with Canute, who was
everywhere in that country
accepted as king. Then he placed men
over the districts, and took
hostages from the bondes, and no man
opposed him. King Olaf was
in Tunsberg when Canute's fleet
sailed across the mouth of
the fjord. Canute sailed northwards
along the coast, and people
came to him from all the districts,
and promised him fealty. He
lay a while in Egersund, where
Erling Skjalgson came to him
with many people, and King Canute
and Erling renewed their league
of friendship. Among other
things, Canute promised Erling
the whole country between Stad and
Rygiarbit to rule over. Then
King Canute proceeded; and, to be
short in our tale, did not
stop until he came to Throndhjem, and
landed at Nidaros. In Throndhjem
he called together a Thing for
the eight districts, at which
King Canute was chosen king of all
Norway. Thorer Hund, who had
come with King Canute from Denmark,
was there, and also Harek of
Thjotta; and both were made sheriffs
of the king, and took the oath
of fealty to him. King Canute
gave them great fiefs, and
also right to the Lapland trade, and
presented them besides with
great gifts. He enriched all men who
were inclined to enter into
friendly accord with him both with
fiefs and money, and gave them
greater power than they had
before.
181. OF KING CANUTE.
When King Canute had laid the
whole of Norway trader his
authority, he called together
a numerous Thing, both of his own
people and of the people of
the country; and at it he made
proclamation, that he made
his relation Earl Hakon the governor-
in-chief of all the land in
Norway that he had conquered in this
expedition. In like manner
he led his son Hardaknut to the high-
seat at his side, gave him
the title of king, and therewith the
whole Danish dominion. King
Canute took as hostages from all
lendermen and great bondes
in Norway either their sons, brothers,
or other near connections,
or the men who were dearest to them
and appeared to him most suitable;
by which he, as before
observed, secured their fidelity
to him. As soon as Earl Hakon
had attained this power in
Norway his brother-in-law, Einar
Tambaskelfer, made an agreement
with him, and received back all
the fiefs he formerly had possessed
while the earls ruled the
country. King Canute gave
Einar great gifts, and bound him by
great kindness to his interests;
and promised that Einar should
be the greatest and most important
man in Norway, among those who
did not hold the highest dignity,
as long as he had power over
the country. He added to this,
that Einar appeared to him the
most suitable man to hold the
highest title of honour in Norway
if no earls remained, and his
son Eindride also, on account of
his high birth. Einar placed
a great value on these promises,
and, in return, promised the
greatest fidelity. Einar's
chiefship began anew with this.
182. OF THORARIN LOFTUNGA.
There was a man by name Thorarin
Loftunga, an Icelander by birth,
and a great skald, who had
been much with the kings and other
great chiefs. He was now with
King Canute the Great, and had
composed a flock, or short
poem, in his praise. When the king
heard of this he was very angry,
and ordered him to bring the
next day a drapa, or long poem,
by the time he went to table; and
if he failed to do so, said
the king, "he shall be hanged for his
impudence in composing such
a small poem about King Canute."
Thorarin then composed a stave
as a refrain, which he inserted in
the poem, and also augmented
it with several other strophes or
verses. This was the refrain:
--
"Canute protects
his realm, as Jove,
Guardian of Greece, his
realm above."
King Canute rewarded him for
the poem with fifty marks of silver.
The poem was called the "Headransom"
("Hofudlausn"). Thorarin
composed another poem about
King Canute, which was called the
"Campaign Poem" ("Togdrapa");
and therein he tells King Canute's
expedition when he sailed from
Denmark to Norway; and the
following are strophes from
one of the parts of this poem: --
"Canute with all
his men is out,
Under the heavens in war-ships
stout, --
'Out on the sea, from
Limfjord's green,
My good, my brave friend's
fleet is seen.
The men of Adger on the
coast
Tremble to see this mighty
host:
The guilty tremble as
they spy
The victor's fleet beneath
the sky.
"The sight surpasses
far the tale,
As glacing in the sun
they sail;
The king's ship glittering
all with gold,
And splendour there not
to be told.
Round Lister many a coal-black
mast
Of Canute's fleet is gliding
past.
And now through Eger sound
they ride,
Upon the gently heaving
tide.
"And all the sound
is covered o'er
With ships and sails,
from shore to shore,
A mighty king, a mighty
host,
Hiding the sea on Eger
coast.
And peaceful men in haste
now hie
Up Hiornagla-hill the
fleet to spy,
As round the ness where
Stad now lies
Each high-stemmed ship
in splendour flies.
"Nor seemed the voyage
long, I trow,
To warrior on the high-built
bow,
As o'er the ocean-mountains
riding
The land and hill seem
past him gliding.
With whistling breeze
and flashing spray
Past Stein the gay ships
dashed away;
In open sea, the southern
gale
Filled every wide out-bellying
sail.
"Still on they fly,
still northward go,
Till he who conquers every
foe,
The mighty Canute, came
to land,
Far in the north on Throndhjem's
strand.
There this great king
of Jutland race,
Whose deeds and gifts
surpass in grace
All other kings, bestowed
the throne
Of Norway on his sister's
son.
"To his own son he
gave the crown
(This I must add to his
renown)
Of Denmark -- land of
shadowy vales,
In which the white swan
trims her sails."
Here it is told that King Canute's
expedition was grander than
saga can tell; but Thorarin
sang thus because he would pride
himself upon being one of King
Canute's retinue when he came to
Norway.
153. OF THE MESSENGERS SENT
BY KING OLAF FOR HIS SHIPS.
The men whom King Olaf had
sent eastwards to Gautland after his
ships took with them the vessels
they thought the best, and burnt
the rest. The ship-apparel
and other goods belonging to the king
and his men they also took
with them; and when they heard that
King Canute had gone to Norway
they sailed west through the
Sound, and then north to Viken
to King Olaf, to whom they
delivered his ships. He was
then at Tunsberg. When King Olaf
learnt that King Canute was
sailing north along the coast, King
Olaf steered with his fleet
into Oslo fjord, and into a branch of
it called Drafn, where he lay
quiet until King Canute's fleet had
sailed southwards again. On
this expedition which King Canute
made from the North along the
coast, he held a Thing in each
district, and in every Thing
the country was bound by oath in
fealty to him, and hostages
were given him. He went eastward
across the mouths of the fjords
to Sarpsborg, and held a Thing
there, and, as elsewhere, the
country was surrendered to him
under oath of fidelity. King
Canute then returned south to
Denmark, after having conquered
Norway without stroke of sword,
and he ruled now over three
kingdoms. So says Halvard
Hareksblese when he sang of
King Canute: --
"The warrior-king,
whose blood-stain'd shield
Has shone on many a hard-fought
field,
England and Denmark now
has won,
And o'er three kingdoms
rules alone.
Peace now he gives us
fast and sure,
Since Norway too is made
secure
By him who oft, in days
of yore,
Glutted the hawk and wolf
with gore."
154. OF KING OLAF IN HIS PROCEEDINGS.
King Olaf sailed with his ships
out to Tunsberg, as soon as he
heard that King Canute had
turned back, and was gone south to
Denmark. He then made himself
ready with the men who liked to
follow him, and had then thirteen
ships. Afterwards he sailed
out along Viken; but got little
money, and few men, as those only
followed him who dwelt in islands,
or on outlying points of land.
The king landed in such places,
but got only the money and men
that fell in his way; and he
soon perceived that the country had
abandoned him. He proceeded
on according to the winds. This was
in the beginning of winter
(A.D. 1029). The wind turned very
late in the season in their
favour, so that they lay long in the
Seley islands, where they heard
the news from the North, through
merchants, who told the king
that Erling Skjalgson had collected
a great force in Jadar, and
that his ship lay fully rigged
outside of the land, together
with many other vessels belonging
to
the bondes; namely, skiffs,
fisher-yachts, and great row-boats.
Then the king sailed with his
fleet from the East, and lay a
while in Egersund. Both parties
heard of each other now, and
Erling assembled all the men
he could.
155. OF KING OLAF'S VOYAGE.
On Thomasmas, before Yule (Dec.
21), the king left the harbour as
soon as day appeared. With
a good but rather strong gale he
sailed northwards past Jadar.
The weather was rainy, with dark
flying clouds in the sky.
The spies went immediately in through
the Jadar country when the
king sailed past it; and as soon as
Erling heard that the king
was sailing past from the East, he let
the war-horn call all the people
on board, and the whole force
hastened to the ships, and
prepared for battle. The king's ship
passed by Jadar at a great
rate; but thereafter turned in towards
the land, intending to run
up the fjords to gather men and money.
Erling Skjalgson perceived
this, and sailed after him with a
great force and many ships.
Swiftly their vessels flew, for they
had nothing on board but men
and arms: but Erling's ship went
much faster than the others;
therefore he took in a reef in the
sails, and waited for the other
vessels. Then the king saw that
Erling with his fleet gained
upon him fast; for the king's ships
were heavily laden, and were
besides water-soaked, having been in
the sea the whole summer, autumn,
and winter, up to this time.
He saw also that there would
be a great want of men, if he should
go against the whole of Erling's
fleet when it was assembled. He
hailed from ship to ship the
orders to let the sails gently sink,
and to unship the booms and
outriggers, which was done. When
Erling saw this he calls out
to his people, and orders them to
get on more sail. "Ye
see," says he, "that their sails are
diminishing, and they are getting
fast away from our sight." He
took the reef out of the sails
of his ship, and outsailed all the
others immediately; for Erling
was very eager in his pursuit of
King Olaf.
186. OF ERLING SKJALGSON'S
FALL.
King Olaf then steered in towards
the Bokn fjord, by which the
ships came out of sight of
each other. Thereafter the king
ordered his men to strike the
sails, and row forwards through a
narrow sound that was there,
and all the ships lay collected
within a rocky point. Then
all the king's men put on their
weapons. Erling sailed in
through the sound, and observed
nothing until the whole fleet
was before him, and he saw the
king's men rowing towards him
with all their ships at once.
Erling and his crew let fall
the sails, and seized their weapons;
but the king's fleet surrounded
his ship on all sides. Then the
fight began, and it was of
the sharpest; but soon the greatest
loss was among Erling's men.
Erling stood on the quarter-deck of
his ship. He had a helmet
on his head, a shield before him, and
a sword in his hand. Sigvat
the skald had remained behind in
Viken, and heard the tidings.
He was a great friend of Erling,
had received presents from
him, and had been at his house.
Sigvat composed a poem upon
Erling's fall, in which there is the
following verse: --
"Erling has set his
ship on sea --
Against the king away
is he:
He who oft lets the eagle
stain
Her yellow feet in blood
of slain.
His little war-ship side
by side
With the king's fleet,
the fray will bide.
Now sword to sword the
fight is raging,
Which Erling with the
king is waging."
Then Erling's men began to
fall, and at the same moment his ship
was carried by boarding, and
every man of his died in his place.
The king himself was amongst
the foremost in the fray. So says
Sigvat: --
"The king's men hewed
with hasty sword, --
The king urged on the
ship to board, --
All o'er the decks the
wounded lay:
Right fierce and bloody
was that fray.
In Tungur sound, on Jadar
shore,
The decks were slippery
with red gore;
Warm blood was dropping
in the sound,
Where the king's sword
was gleaming round."
So entirely had Erling's men
fallen, that not a man remained
standing in his ship but himself
alone; for there was none who
asked for quarter, or none
who got it if he did ask. There was
no opening for flight, for
there lay ships all around Erling's
ship on every side, and it
is told for certain that no man
attempted to fly; and Sigvat
says: --
"All Erling's men
fell in the fray,
Off Bokn fjord, this hard-fought
day.
The brave king boarded,
onward cheered,
And north of Tungur the
deck was cleared.
Erling alone, the brave,
the stout,
Cut off from all, yet
still held out;
High on the stern -- a
sight to see --
In his lone ship alone
stood he."
Then Erling was attacked both
from the forecastle and from the
other ships. There was a large
space upon the poop which stood
high above the other ships,
and which nobody could reach but by
arrow-shot, or partly with
the thrust of spear, but which he
always struck from him by parrying.
Erling defended himself so
manfully, that no example is
known of one man having sustained
the attack of so many men so
long. Yet he never tried to get
away, nor asked for quarter.
So says Sigvat: --
"Skjalg's brave son
no mercy craves, --
The battle's fury still
he braves;
The spear-storm, through
the air sharp singing,
Against his shield was
ever ringing.
So Erling stood; but fate
had willed
His life off Bokn should
be spilled.
No braver man has, since
his day,
Past Bokn fjord ta'en
his way."
When Olaf went back a little
upon the fore-deck he saw Erling's
behaviour; and the king accosted
him thus: -- "Thou hast turned
against me to-day, Erling."
He replies, "The eagle
turns his claws in defence when torn
asunder." Sigvat the
skald tells thus of these words of Erling:
--
"Erling. our best
defence of old, --
Erling the brave, the
brisk, the bold, --
Stood to his arms, gaily
crying,
`Eagles should show their
claws, though dying:'
The very words which once
before
To Olaf he had said on
shore,
At Utstein when they both
prepared
To meet the foe, and danger
shared."
Then said the king, "Wilt
thou enter into my service, Erling?"
"That I will," said
he; took the helmet off his head, laid down
his sword and shield, and went
forward to the forecastle deck.
The king struck him in the
chin with the sharp point of his
battle-axe, and said, "I
shall mark thee as a traitor to thy
sovereign."
Then Aslak Fitiaskalle rose
up, and struck Erling in the head
with an axe, so that it stood
fast in his brain, and was
instantly his death-wound.
Thus Erling lost his life.
The king said to Aslak, "May
all ill luck attend thee for that
stroke; for thou hast struck
Norway out of my hands."
Aslak replied, "It is
bad enough if that stroke displease thee,
for I thought it was striking
Norway into thy hands; and if I
have given thee offence, sire,
by this stroke, and have thy ill-
will for it, it will go badly
with me, for I will get so many
men's ill-will and enmity for
this deed that I would need all
your protection and favour."
The king replied that he should
have it.
Thereafter the king ordered
every man to return to his ship, and
to get ready to depart as fast
as he could. "We will not plunder
the slain," says he, "and
each man may keep what he has taken."
The men returned to the ships
and prepared themselves for the
departure as quickly as possible;
and scarcely was this done
before the vessels of the bondes
ran in from the south into the
sound. It went with the bonde-army
as is often seen, that the
men, although many in numbers,
know not what to do when they have
experienced a check, have lost
their chief, and are without
leaders. None of Erling's
sons were there, and the bondes
therefore made no attack, and
the king sailed on his way
northwards. But the bondes
took Erling's corpse, adorned it, and
carried it with them home to
Sole, and also the bodies of all who
had fallen. There was great
lamentation over Erling; and it has
been a common observation among
people, that Erling Skjalgson was
the greatest and worthiest
man in Norway of those who had no high
title. Sigvat made these verses
upon the occasion: --
"Thus Erling fell
-- and such a gain
To buy with such a loss
was vain;
For better man than he
ne'er died,
And the king's gain was
small beside.
In truth no man I ever
knew
Was, in all ways, so firm
and true;
Free from servility and
pride,
Honoured by all, yet thus
he died."
Sigvat also says that Aslak
had very unthinkingly committed this
murder of his own kinsman:
--
"Norway's brave defender's
dead!
Aslak has heaped on his
own head
The guilt of murdering
his own kin:
May few be guilty of such
sin!
His kinsman's murder on
him lies --
Our forefathers, in sayings
wise,
Have said, what is unknown
to few,
`Kinsmen to kinsmen should
be true.'"
187. OF THE INSURRECTION OF
AGDER DISTRICT.
Of Erling's sons some at that
time were north in Throndhjem, some
in Hordaland, and some in the
Fjord district, for the purpose of
collecting men. When Erling's
death was reported, the news came
also that there was a levy
raising in Agder, Hordaland, and
Rogaland. Forces were raised
and a great army assembled, under
Erling's sons, to pursue King
Olaf.
When King Olaf retired from
the battle with Erling he went
northward through the sounds,
and it was late in the day. It is
related that the king then
made the following verses: --
"This night, with
battle sounds wild ringing,
Small joy to the fair
youth is bringing
Who sits in Jadar, little
dreaming
O'er what this night the
raven's screaming.
The far-descended Erling's
life
Too soon has fallen; but,
in the strife
He met the luck they well
deserve
Who from their faith and
fealty swerve."
Afterwards the king sailed
with his fleet along the land
northwards, and got certain
tidings of the bondes assembling an
army. There were many chiefs
and lendermen at this time with
King Olaf, and all the sons
of Arne. Of this Bjarne
Gullbrarskald speaks in the
poem he composed about Kalf Arnason:
--
"Kalf! thou hast
fought at Bokn well;
Of thy brave doings all
men tell:
When Harald's son his
men urged on
To the hard strife, thy
courage shone.
Thou soon hadst made a
good Yule feast
For greedy wolf there
in the East:
Where stone and spear
were flying round,
There thou wast still
the foremost found.
The people suffered in
the strife
When noble Erling lost
his life,
And north of Utstein many
a speck
Of blood lay black upon
the deck.
The king, 'tis clear,
has been deceived,
By treason of his land
bereaved;
And Agder now, whose force
is great.
Will rule o'er all parts
of the state."
King O1af continued his voyage
until he came north of Stad, and
brought up at the Herey Isles.
Here he heard the news that Earl
Hakon had a great war-force
in Throndhjem, and thereupon the king
held a council with his people.
Kalf Arnason urged much to
advance to Throndhjem, and
fight Earl Hakon, notwithstanding the
difference of numbers. Many
others supported this advice, but
others dissuaded from it, and
the matter was left to the king's
judgment.
188. DEATH OF ASLAK FITIASKALLE.
Afterwards the king went into
Steinavag, and remained there all
night; but Aslak Fitiaskalle
ran into Borgund, where he remained
the night, and where Vigleik
Arnason was before him. In the
morning, when Aslak was about
returning on board, Vigleik
assaulted him, and sought to
avenge Erling's murder. Aslak fell
there. Some of the king's
court-men, who had been home all
summer, joined the king here.
They came from Frekeysund, and
brought the king tidings that
Earl Hakon, and many lendermen with
him, had come in the morning
to Frekeysund with a large force;
"and they will end thy
days, sire, if they have strength enough."
Now the king sent his men up
to a hill that was near; and when
they came to the top, and looked
northwards to Bjarney Island,
they perceived that a great
armament of many ships was coming
from the north, and they hastened
back to the king with this
intelligence. The king, who
was lying there with only twelve
ships, ordered the war-horn
to sound, the tents to be taken down
on his ships, and they took
to their oars. When they were quite
ready, and were leaving the
harbour, the bonde army sailed north
around Thiotande with twenty-five
ships. The king then steered
inside of Nyrfe Island, and
inside of Hundsver. Now when King
Olaf came right abreast of
Borgund, the ship which Aslak had
steered came out to meet him,
and when they found the king they
told him the tidings, -- that
Vigleik Arnason had killed Aslak
Fitiaskalle, because he had
killed Erling Skjalgson. The king
took this news very angrily,
but could not delay his voyage on
account of the enemy and he
sailed in by Vegsund and Skor. There
some of his people left him;
among others, Kalf Arnason, with
many other lendermen and ship
commanders, who all went to meet
Earl Hakon. King Olaf, however,
proceeded on his way without
stopping until he came to Todar
fjord, where he brought up at
Valdal, and landed from his
ship. He had then five ships with
him, which he drew up upon
the shore, and took care of their
sails and materials. Then
he set up his land-tent upon a point
of land called Sult, where
there are pretty flat fields, and set
up a cross near to the point
of land. A bonde, by name Bruse,
who dwelt there in More, and
was chief over the valley, came down
to King Olaf, together with
many other bondes, and received him
well, and according to his
dignity; and he was friendly, and
pleased with their reception
of him. Then the king asked if
there was a passable road up
in the country from the valley to
Lesjar; and Bruse replied,
that there was an urd in the valley
called Skerfsurd not passable
for man or beast. King Olaf
answers, "That we must
try, bonde, and it will go as God pleases.
Come here in the morning with
your yoke, and come yourself with
it, and let us then see. When
we come to the sloping precipice,
what chance there may be, and
if we cannot devise some means of
coming over it with horses
and people."
189. CLEARING OF THE URD.
Now when day broke the bondes
drove down with their yokes, as the
king had told them. The clothes
and weapons were packed upon
horses, but the king and all
the people went on foot. He went
thus until he came to a place
called Krosbrekka, and when he came
up upon the hill he rested
himself, sat down there a while,
looked down over the fjord,
and said, "A difficult expedition ye
have thrown upon my hands,
ye lendermen, who have now changed
your fealty, although but a
little while ago ye were my friends
and faithful to me."
There are now two crosses erected upon the
bank on which the king sat.
Then the king mounted a horse, and
rode without stopping up the
valley, until he came to the
precipice. Then the king asked
Bruse if there was no summer hut
of cattle-herds in the neighbourhood,
where they could remain.
He said there was. The king
ordered his land-tent to be set up,
and remained there all night.
In the morning the king ordered
them to drive to the urd, and
try if they could get across it
with the waggons. They drove
there, and the king remained in the
meantime in his tent. Towards
evening the king's court-men and
the bondes came back, and told
how they had had a very fatiguing
labour, without making any
progress, and that there never could
be a road made that they could
get across: so they continued
there the second night, during
which, for the whole night, the
king was occupied in prayer.
As soon as he observed day dawning
he ordered his men to drive
again to the urd, and try once more
if they could get across it
with the waggons; but they went very
unwillingly, saying nothing
could be gained by it. When they
were gone the man who had charge
of the king's kitchen came, and
said there were only two carcasses
of young cattle remaining of
provision: "Although you,
sire, have 400 men, and there are 100
bondes besides." Then
the king ordered that he should set all
the kettles on the fire, and
put a little bit of meat in each
kettle, which was done. Then
the king went there, and made the
sign of the cross over each
kettle, and told them to make ready
the meat. The king then went
to the urd called Skerfsurd, where
a road should be cleared.
When the king came all his people were
sitting down, quite worn out
with the hard labour. Bruse said,
"I told you, sire, but
you would not believe me, that we could
make nothing of this urd."
The king laid aside his cloak, and
told them to go to work once
more at the urd. They did so, and
now twenty men could handle
stones which before 100 men could not
move from the place; and thus
before midday the road was cleared
so well that it was as passable
for men, and for horses with
packs, as a road in the plain
fields. The king, after this, went
down again to where the meat
was, which place is called Olaf's
Rock. Near the rock is a spring,
at which Olaf washed himself;
and therefore at the present
day, when the cattle in the valley
are sick, their illness is
made better by their drinking at this
well. Thereafter the king
sat down to table with all the others;
and when he was satisfied he
asked if there was any other
sheeling on the other side
of the urd, and near the mountains,
where they could pass the night.
Bruse said there was such a
sheeling, called Groningar;
but that nobody could pass the night
there on account of witchcraft,
and evil beings who were in the
sheeling. Then the king said
they must get ready for their
journey, as he wanted to be
at the sheeling for the night. Then
came the kitchen-master to
the king, and tells that there was
come an extraordinary supply
of provisions, and he did not know
where it had come from, or
how. The king thanked God for this
blessing, and gave the bondes
who drove down again to their
valley some rations of food,
but remained himself all night in
the sheeling. In the middle
of the night, while the people were
asleep, there was heard in
the cattle-fold a dreadful cry, and
these words: "Now Olaf's
prayers are burning me," says the
spirit, "so that I can
no longer be in my habitation; now must I
fly, and never more come to
this fold." When the king's people
awoke in the morning the king
proceeded to the mountains, and
said to Bruse, "Here shall
now a farm be settled, and the bonde
who dwells here shall never
want what is needful for the support
of life; and never shall his
crop be destroyed by frost, although
the crops be frozen on the
farms both above it and below it."
Then the king proceeded over
the mountains, and came to a farm
called Einby, where he remained
for the night. King Olaf had
then been fifteen years king
of Norway (A.D. 1015-1029),
including the year both he
and Svein were in the country, and
this year we have now been
telling about. It was, namely, a
little past Yule when the king
left his ships and took to the
land, as before related. Of
this portion of his reign the priest
Are Thorgilson the Wise was
the first who wrote; and he was both
faithful in his story, of a
good memory, and so old a man that he
could remember the men, and
had heard their accounts, who were so
old that through their age
they could remember these
circumstances as he himself
wrote them in his books, and he named
the men from whom he received
his information. Otherwise it is
generally said that King Olaf
had been fifteen years king of
Norway when he fell; but they
who say so reckon to Earl Svein's
government, the last year he
was in the country, for King Olaf
lived fifteen years afterwards
as king.
190. OLAF'S PROPHECIES.
When the king had been one
night at Lesjar he proceeded on his
journey with his men, day by
day; first into Gudbrandsdal, and
from thence out to Redemark.
Now it was seen who had been his
friends, for they followed
him; but those who had served him with
less fidelity separated from
him, and some showed him even
indifference, or even full
hostility, which afterwards was
apparent; and also it could
be seen clearly in many Upland people
that they took very ill his
putting Thorer to death, as before
related. King Olaf gave leave
to return home to many of his men
who had farms and children
to take care of; for it seemed to them
uncertain what safety there
might be for the families and
property of those who left
the country with him. Then the king
explained to his friends his
intention of leaving the country,
and going first east into Svithjod,
and there taking his
determination as to where he
should go; but he let his friends
know his intention to return
to the country, and regain his
kingdoms, if God should grant
him longer life; and he did not
conceal his expectation that
the people of Norway would again
return to their fealty to him.
"I think," says he, "that Earl
Hakon will have Norway but
a short time under his power, which
many will not think an extraordinary
expectation, as Earl Hakon
has had but little luck against
me; but probably few people will
trust to my prophecy, that
Canute the Great will in the course of
a few years die, and his kingdoms
vanish; and there will he no
risings in favour of his race."
When the king had ended his
speech, his men prepared themselves
for their departure. The
king, with the troop that followed
him, turned east to Eid
forest. And there were along
with him the Queen Astrid; their
daughter Ulfhild; Magnus, King
Olaf's son; Ragnvald Brusason; the
three sons of Arne, Thorberg,
Fin, and Arne, with many lendermen;
and the king's attendants consisted
of many chosen men. Bjorn
the marshal got leave to go
home, and he went to his farm, and
many others of the king's friends
returned home with his
permission to their farms.
The king begged them to let him know
the events which might happen
in the country, and which it might
be important for him to know;
and now the king proceeded on his
way.