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80. THANGBRAND THE PRIEST GOES TO ICELAND.

When King Olaf Trygvason had been two years king of Norway (A.D.

997), there was a Saxon priest in his house who was called

Thangbrand, a passionate, ungovernable man, and a great man-

slayer; but he was a good scholar, and a clever man.  The king

would not have him in his house upon account of his misdeeds; but

gave him the errand to go to Iceland, and bring that land to the

Christian faith.  The king gave him a merchant vessel: and, as

far as we know of this voyage of his, he landed first in Iceland

at Austfjord in the southern Alptfjord, and passed the winter in

the house of Hal of Sida.  Thangbrand proclaimed Christianity in

Iceland, and on his persuasion Hal and all his house people, and

many other chiefs, allowed themselves to be baptized; but there

were many more who spoke against it.  Thorvald Veile and

Veterlide the skald composed a satire about Thangbrand; but he

killed them both outright.  Thangbrand was two years in Iceland,

and was the death of three men before he left it.

81. OF SIGURD AND HAUK.

There was a man called Sigurd, and another called Hauk, both of

Halogaland, who often made merchant voyages.  One summer (A.D.

998) they had made a voyage westward to England; and when they

came back to Norway they sailed northwards along the coast, and

at North More they met King Olaf's people.  When it was told the

king that some Halogaland people were come who were heathen, he

ordered the steersmen to be brought to him, and he asked them if

they would consent to be baptized; to which they replied, no.

The king spoke with them in many ways, but to no purpose.  He

then threatened them with death and torture: but they would not

allow themselves to be moved.  He then had them laid in irons,

and kept them in chains in his house for some time, and often

conversed with them, but in vain.  At last one night they

disappeared, without any man being able to conjecture how they

got away.  But about harvest they came north to Harek of Thjotta,

who received them kindly, and with whom they stopped all winter

(A.D. 999), and were hospitably entertained.

82. OF HAREK OF THJOTTA.

It happened one good-weather day in spring (A.D. 999) that Harek

was at home in his house with only few people, and time hung

heavy on his hands.  Sigurd asked him if he would row a little

for amusement.  Harek was willing; and they went to the shore,

and drew down a six-oared skiff; and Sigurd took the mast and

rigging belonging to the boat out of the boat-house, for they

often used to sail when they went for amusement on the water.

Harek went out into the boat to hang the rudder.  The brothers

Sigurd and Hauk, who were very strong men, were fully armed, as

they were used to go about at home among the peasants.  Before

they went out to the boat they threw into her some butter-kits

and a bread-chest, and carried between them a great keg of ale.

When they had rowed a short way from the island the brothers

hoisted the sail, while Harek was seated at the helm; and they

sailed away from the island.  Then the two brothers went aft to

where Harek the bonde was sitting; and Sigurd says to him, "Now

thou must choose one of these  conditions, -- first, that we

brothers direct this voyage; or, if not, that we bind thee fast

and take the command; or, third, that we kill thee."  Harek saw

how matters stood with him.  As a single man, he was not better

than one of those brothers, even if he had been as well armed; so

it appeared to him wisest to let them determine the course to

steer, and bound himself by oath to abide by this condition.  On

this Sigurd took the helm, and steered south along the land, the

brothers taking particular care that they did not encounter

people.  The wind was very favourable; and they held on sailing

along until they came south to Throndhjem and to Nidaros, where

they found the king.  Then the king called Harek to him, and in a

conference desired him to be baptized.  Harek made objections;

and although the king and Harek talked over it many times,

sometimes in the presence of other people, and sometimes alone,

they could not agree upon it.  At last the king says to Harek,

"Now thou mayst return home, and I will do thee no injury; partly

because we are related together, and partly that thou mayst not

have it to say that I caught thee by a trick: but know for

certain that I intend to come north next summer to visit you

Halogalanders, and ye shall then see if I am not able to punish

those who reject Christianity."  Harek was well pleased to get

away as fast as he could.  King Olaf gave Harek a good boat of

ten or twelve pair of oars, and let it be fitted out with the

best of everything needful; and besides he gave Harek thirty men,

all lads of mettle, and well appointed.

83. EYVIND KINRIFA'S DEATH.

Harek of Thjotta went away from the town as fast as he could; but

Hauk and Sigurd remained in the king's house, and both took

baptism.  Harek pursued his voyage until he came to Thjotta.  He

sent immediately a message to his friend Eyvind Kinrifa, with the

word that he had been with King Olaf; but would not let himself

be cowed down to accept Christianity.  The message at the same

time informed him that King Olaf intended coming to the north in

summer against them, and they must be at their posts to defend

themselves; it also begged Eyvind to come and visit him, the

sooner the better.  When this message was delivered to Eyvind, he

saw how very necessary it was to devise some counsel to avoid

falling into the king's hands.  He set out, therefore, in a light

vessel with a few hands as fast as he could.  When he came to

Thjotta he was received by Harek in the most friendly way, and

they immediately entered into conversation with each other behind

the house.  When they had spoken together but a short time, King

Olaf's men, who had secretly followed Harek to the north, came

up, and took Eyvind prisoner, and carried him away to their ship.

They did not halt on their voyage until they came to Throndhjem,

and presented themselves to King Olaf at Nidaros.  Then Eyvind

was brought up to a conference with the king, who asked him to

allow himself to be baptized, like other people; but Eyvind

decidedly answered he would not.  The king still, with persuasive

words, urged him to accept Christianity, and both he and the

bishop used many suitable arguments; but Eyvind would not allow

himself to be moved.  The king offered him gifts and great fiefs,

but Eyvind refused all.  Then the king threatened him with

tortures and death, but Eyvind was steadfast.  Then the king

ordered a pan of glowing coals to be placed upon Eyvind's belly,

which burst asunder.  Eyvind cried, "Take away the pan, and I

will say something before I die," which also was done.  The king

said, "Wilt thou now, Eyvind, believe in Christ?"  "No," said

Eyvind, "I can take no baptism; for I am an evil spirit put into

a man's body by the sorcery of Fins because in no other way could

my father and mother have a child."  With that died Eyvind, who

had been one of the greatest sorcerers.

84. HALOGALAND MADE CHRISTIAN.

The spring after (A.D. 999) King Olaf fitted out and manned his

ships, and commanded himself his ship the Crane.  He had many and

smart people with him; and when he was ready, he sailed

northwards with his fleet past Bryda, and to Halogaland.

Wheresoever he came to the land, or to the islands, he held a

Thing, and told the people to accept the right faith, and to be

baptized.  No man dared to say anything against it, and the whole

country he passed through was made Christian.  King Olaf was a

guest in the house of Harek of Thjotta, who was baptized with all

his people.  At parting the king gave Harek good presents; and he

entered into the king's service, and got fiefs, and the

privileges of lendsman from the king.

85. THORER HJORT'S DEATH.

There was a bonde, by name Raud the Strong, who dwelt in Godey

in Salten fjord.  Raud was a very rich man, who had many house

servants; and likewise was a powerful man, who had many Fins in

his service when he wanted them.  Raud was a great idolater, and

very skillful in witchcraft, and was a great friend of Thorer

Hjort, before spoken of.  Both were great chiefs.  Now when they

heard that King Olaf was coming with a great force from the south

to Halogaland, they gathered together an army, ordered out ships,

and they too had a great force on foot.  Raud had a large ship

with a gilded head formed like a dragon, which ship had thirty

rowing benches, and even for that kind of ship was very large.

Thorer Hjort had also a large ship.  These men sailed southwards

with their ships against King Olaf, and as soon as they met gave

battle.  A great battle there was, and a great fall of men; but

principally on the side of the Halogalanders, whose ships were

cleared of men, so that a great terror came upon them.  Raud

rode with his dragon out to sea, and set sail.  Raud had always a

fair wind wheresoever he wished to sail, which came from his arts

of witchcraft; and, to make a short story, he came home to Godey.

Thorer Hjort fled from the ships up to the land: but King Olaf

landed people, followed those who fled, and killed them.  Usually

the king was the foremost in such skirmishes, and was so now.

When the king saw where Thorer Hjort, who was quicker on foot

than any man, was running to, he ran after him with his dog Vige.

The king said, "Vige!  Vige!  Catch the deer."  Vige ran straight

in upon him; on which Thorer halted, and the king threw a spear

at him.  Thorer struck with his sword at the dog, and gave him a

great wound; but at the same moment the king's spear flew under

Thorer's arm, and went through and through him, and came out at

his other-side.  There Thorer left his life; but Vige was carried

to the ships.

86. KING OLAF'S VOYAGE TO GODEY.

King Olaf gave life and freedom to all the men who asked it and

agreed to become Christian.  King Olaf sailed with his fleet

northwards along the coast, and baptized all the people among

whom he came; and when he came north to Salten fjord, he intended

to sail into it to look for Raud, but a dreadful tempest and

storm was raging in the fjord.  They lay there a whole week, in

which the same weather was raging within the fjord, while without

there was a fine brisk wind only, fair for proceeding north along

the land.  Then the king continued his voyage north to Omd, where

all the people submitted to Christianity.  Then the king turned

about and sailed to the south again; but when he came to the

north side of Salten fjord, the same tempest was blowing, and the

sea ran high out from the fjord, and the same kind of storm

prevailed for several days while the king was lying there.  Then

the king applied to Bishop Sigurd, and asked him if he knew any

counsel about it; and the bishop said he would try if God would

give him power to conquer these arts of the Devil.

87. OF RAUD'S BEING TORTURED.

Bishop Sigurd took all his mass robes and went forward to the bow

of the king's ship; ordered tapers to be lighted, and incense to

be brought out.  Then he set the crucifix upon the stem of the

vessel, read the Evangelist and many prayers, besprinkled the

whole ship with holy water, and then ordered the ship-tent to be

stowed away, and to row into the fjord.  The king ordered all the

other ships to follow him.  Now when all was ready on board the

Crane to row, she went into the fjord without the rowers finding

any wind; and the sea was curled about their keel track like as

in a calm, so quiet and still was the water; yet on each side of

them the waves were lashing up so high that they hid the sight of

the mountains.  And so the one ship followed the other in the

smooth sea track; and they proceeded this way the whole day and

night, until they reached Godey.  Now when they came to Raud's

house his great ship, the dragon, was afloat close to the land.

King Olaf went up to the house immediately with his people; made

an attack on the loft in which Raud was sleeping, and broke it

open.  The men rushed in: Raud was taken and bound, and of the

people with him some were killed and some made prisoners.  Then

the king's men went to a lodging in which Raud's house servants

slept, and killed some, bound others, and beat others.  Then the

king ordered Raud to be brought before him, and offered him

baptism.  "And," says the king, "I will not take thy property

from thee, but rather be thy friend, if thou wilt make thyself

worthy to be so."  Raud exclaimed with all his might against the

proposal, saying he would never believe in Christ, and making his

scoff of God.  Then the king was wroth, and said Raud should die

the worst of deaths.  And the king ordered him to be bound to a

beam of wood, with his face uppermost, and a round pin of wood

set between his teeth to force his mouth open.  Then the king

ordered an adder to be stuck into the mouth of him; but the

serpent would not go into his mouth, but shrunk back when Raud

breathed against it.  Now the king ordered a hollow branch of an

angelica root to be stuck into Raud's mouth; others say the king

put his horn into his mouth, and forced the serpent to go in by

holding a red-hot iron before the opening.  So the serpent crept

into the mouth of Raud and down his throat, and gnawed its way

out of his side; and thus Raud perished.  King Olaf took here

much gold and silver, and other property of weapons, and many

sorts of precious effects; and all the men who were with Raud he

either had baptized, or if they refused had them killed or

tortured.  Then the king took the dragonship which Raud had

owned, and steered it himself; for it was a much larger and

handsomer vessel than the Crane.  In front it had a dragon's

head, and aft a crook, which turned up, and ended with the figure

of the dragon's tail.  The carved work on each side of the stem

and stern was gilded.  This ship the king called the Serpent.

When the sails were hoisted they represented, as it were, the

dragon's wings; and the ship was the handsomest in all Norway.

The islands on which Raud dwelt were called Gylling and Haering;

but the whole islands together were called Godey Isles, and the

current between the isles and the mainland the Godey Stream.

King Olaf baptized the whole people of the fjord, and then sailed

southwards along the land; and on this voyage happened much and

various things, which are set down in tales and sagas, -- namely,

how witches and evil spirits tormented his men, and sometimes

himself; but we will rather write about what occurred when King

Olaf made Norway Christian, or in the other countries in which he

advanced Christianity.  The same autumn Olaf with his fleet

returned to Throndhjem, and landed at Nidaros, where he took up

his winter abode.  What I am now going to write about concerns

the Icelanders.

88. OF THE ICELANDERS.

Kjartan Olafson, a son's son of Hoskuld, and a daughter's son of

Egil Skallagrimson, came the same autumn (A.D. 999) from Iceland

to Nidaros, and he was considered to be the most agreeable and

hopeful man of any born in Iceland.  There was also Haldor, a son

of Gudmund of Modruveller; and Kolbein, a son of Thord, Frey's

gode, and a brother's son of Brennuflose; together with Sverting,

a son of the gode Runolf.  All these were heathens; and besides

them there were many more, -- some men of power, others common

men of no property.  There came also from Iceland considerable

people, who, by Thangbrand's help, had been made Christians;

namely, Gissur the white, a son of Teit Ketilbjornson; and his

mother was Alof, daughter of herse Bodvar, who was the son of

Vikingakare.  Bodvar's brother was Sigurd, father of Eirik

Bjodaskalle, whose daughter Astrid was King Olaf's mother.

Hjalte Skeggjason was the name of another Iceland man, who was

married to Vilborg, Gissur the White's daughter.  Hjalte was also

a Christian; and King Olaf was very friendly to his relations

Gissur and Hjalte, who live with him.  But the Iceland men who

directed the ships, and were heathens, tried to sail away as soon

as the king came to the town of Nidaros, for they were told the

king forced all men to become Christians; but the wind came stiff

against them, and drove them back to Nidarholm.  They who

directed the ships were Thorarin Nefjulson, the skald Halfred

Ottarson, Brand the Generous, and Thorleik, Brand's son.  It was

told the king that there were Icelanders with ships there, and

all were heathen, and wanted to fly from a meeting with the king.

Then the king sent them a message forbidding them to sail, and

ordering them to bring their ships up to the town, which they

did, but without discharging the cargoes.  (They carried on their

dealings and held a market at the king's pier.  In spring they

tried three times to slip away, but never succeeded; so they

continued lying at the king's pier.  It happened one fine day

that many set out to swim for amusement, and among them was a man

who distinguished himself above the others in all bodily

exercises.  Kjartan challenged Halfred Vandredaskald to try

himself in swimming against this man, but he declined it.  "Then

will I make a trial," said Kjartan, casting off his clothes, and

springing into the water.  Then he set after the man, seizes hold

of his foot, and dives with him under water.  They come up again,

and without speaking a word dive again, and are much longer under

water than the first time.  They come up again, and without

saying a word dive a third time, until Kjartan thought it was

time to come up again, which, however, he could in no way

accomplish, which showed sufficiently the difference in their

strength.  They were under water so long that Kjartan was almost

drowned.  They then came up, and swam to land.  This Northman

asked what the Icelander's name was.  Kjartan tells his name.

He says, "Thou art a good swimmer; but art thou expert also in

other exercises?"

Kjartan replied, that such expertness was of no great value.

The Northman asks, "Why dost thou not inquire of me such things

as I have asked thee about?"

Kjartan replies, "It is all one to me who thou art, or what thy

name is."

"Then will I," says he, "tell thee: I am Olaf Trygvason."

He asked Kjartan much about Iceland, which he answered generally,

and wanted to withdraw as hastily as he could; but the king said,

"Here is a cloak which I will give thee, Kjartan."  And Kjartan

took the cloak with many thanks.)" (1)

ENDNOTES:

(1)  The part included in parenthesis is not found in the

     original text of "Heimskringla", but taken from "Codex

     Frisianus".

89. BAPTISM OF THE ICELANDERS.

When Michaelmas came, the king had high mass sung with great

splendour.  The Icelanders went there, listening to the fine

singing and the sound of the bells; and when they came back to

their ships every man told his opinion of the Christian man's

worship.  Kjartan expressed his pleasure at it, but most of the

others scoffed at it; and it went according to the proverb, "the

king had many ears," for this was told to the king.  He sent

immediately that very day a message to Kjartan to come to him.

Kjartan went with some men, and the king received him kindly. 

Kjartan was a very stout and handsome man, and of ready and

agreeable speech.  After the king and Kjartan had conversed a

little, the king asked him to adopt Christianity.  Kjartan

replies, that he would not say no to that, if he thereby obtained

the king's friendship; and as the king promised him the fullest

friendship, they were soon agreed.  The next day Kjartan was

baptized, together with his relation Bolle Thorlakson, and all

their fellow-travelers.  Kjartan and Bolle were the king's guests

as long as they were in their white baptismal clothes, and the

king had much kindness for them.  Wherever they came they were

looked upon as people of distinction.

90. HALFRED VANDREDASKALD BAPTIZED.

As King Olaf one day was walking in the street some men met him,

and he who went the foremost saluted the king.  The king asked

the man his name, and he called himself Halfred.

"Art thou the skald?" said the king.

"I can compose poetry," replied he.

"Wilt thou then adopt Christianity, and come into my service?"

asked the king.

"If I am baptized," replies he, "it must be on one condition, --

that thou thyself art my godfather; for no other will I have."

The king replies, "That I will do."  And Halfred was baptized,

the king holding him during the baptism.

Afterwards the king said, "Wilt thou enter into my service?"

Halfred replied, "I was formerly in Earl Hakon's court; but now I

will neither enter into thine nor into any other service, unless

thou promise me it shall never be my lot to be driven away from

thee."

"It has been reported to me," said the king, "that thou are

neither so prudent nor so obedient as to fulfil my commands."

"In that case," replied Halfred, "put me to death."

"Thou art a skald who composes difficulties," says the king; "but

into my service, Halfred, thou shalt be received."

Halfred says, "if I am to be named the composer of difficulties,

what cost thou give me, king, on my name-day?"

The king gave him a sword without a scabbard, and said, "Now

compose me a song upon this sword, and let the word sword be in

every line of the strophe." Halfred sang thus:

     "This sword of swords is my reward.

     For him who knows to wield a sword,

     And with his sword to serve his lord,

     Yet wants a sword, his lot is hard.

     I would I had my good lord's leave

     For this good sword a sheath to choose:

     I'm worth three swords when men use,

     But for the sword-sheath now I grieve."

Then the king gave him the scabbard, observing that the word

sword was wanting in one line of his strophe.  "But there instead

are three swords in one of the lines," says Halfred.  "That is

true," replies the king. -- Out of Halfred's lays we have taken

the most of the true and faithful accounts that are here related

about Olaf Trygvason.

91. THANGBRAND RETURNS FROM ICELAND.

The same harvest (A.D. 999) Thangbrand the priest came back from

Iceland to King Olaf, and told the ill success of his journey;

namely, that the Icelanders had made lampoons about him; and that

some even sought to kill him, and there was little hope of that

country ever being made Christian.  King Olaf was so enraged at

this, that he ordered all the Icelanders to be assembled by sound

of horn, and was going to kill all who were in the town, but

Kjartan, Gissur, and Hjalte, with the other Icelanders who had

become Christians, went to him, and said, "King, thou must not

fail from thy word -- that however much any man may irritate

thee, thou wilt forgive him if he turn from heathenism and become

Christian.  All the Icelanders here are willing to be baptized;

and through them we may find means to bring Christianity into

Iceland: for there are many amongst them, sons of considerable

people in Iceland, whose friends can advance the cause; but the

priest Thangbrand proceeded there as he did here in the court,

with violence and manslaughter, and such conduct the people there

would not submit to."  The king harkened to those remonstrances;

and all the Iceland men who were there were baptized.

92. OF KING OLAF'S FEATS.

King Olaf was more expert in all exercises than any man in Norway

whose memory is preserved to us in sagas; and he was stronger and

more agile than most men, and many stories are written down about

it.  One is that he ascended the Smalsarhorn, and fixed his

shield upon the very peak.  Another is, that one of his followers

had climbed up the peak after him, until he came to where he

could neither get up nor down; but the king came to his help,

climbed up to him, took him under his arm, and bore him to the

flat ground.  King Olaf could run across the oars outside of the

vessel while his men were rowing the Serpent.  He could play with

three daggers, so that one was always in the air, and he took the

one falling by the handle.  He could walk all round upon the

ship's rails, could strike and cut equally well with both hands,

and could cast two spears at once.  King Olaf was a very merry

frolicsome man; gay and social; was very violent in all respects;

was very generous; was very finical in his dress, but in battle

he exceeded all in bravery.  He was distinguished for cruelty

when he was enraged, and tortured many of his enemies.  Some he

burnt in fire; some he had torn in pieces by mad dogs; some he

had mutilated, or cast down from high precipices.  On this

account his friends were attached to him warmly, and his enemies

feared him greatly; and thus he made such a fortunate advance in

his undertakings, for some obeyed his will out of the friendliest

zeal, and others out of dread.

93. BAPTISM OF LEIF EIRIKSON.

Leif, a son of Eirik the Red, who first settled in Greenland,

came this summer (A.D. 999) from Greenland to Norway; and as he

met King Olaf he adopted Christianity, and passed the winter

(A.D. 1000) with the king.

94. FALL OF KING GUDROD.

Gudrod, a son of Eirik Bloodaxe and Gunhild, had been ravaging in

the west countries ever since he fled from Norway before the Earl

Hakon.  But the summer before mentioned (A.D. 999), where King

Olaf Trygvason had ruled four years over Norway, Gudrod came to

the country, and had many ships of war with him.  He had sailed

from England; and when he thought himself near to the Norway

coast, he steered south along the land, to the quarter where it

was least likely King Olaf would be.  Gudrod sailed in this way

south to Viken; and as soon as he came to the land he began to

plunder, to subject the people to him, and to demand that they

should accept of him as king.  Now as the country people saw that

a great army was come upon them, they desired peace and terms.

They offered King Gudrod to send a Thing-message over all the

country, and to accept of him at the Thing as king, rather than

suffer from his army; but they desired delay until a fixed day,

while the token of the Thing's assembling was going round through

the land.  The king demanded maintenance during the time this

delay lasted.  The bondes preferred entertaining the king as a

guest, by turns, as long as he required it; and the king accepted

of the proposal to go about with some of his men as a guest from

place to place in the land, while others of his men remained to

guard the ships.  When King Olaf's relations, Hyrning and

Thorgeir, heard of this, they gathered men, fitted out ships, and

went northwards to Viken.  They came in the night with their men

to a place at which King Gudrod was living as a guest, and

attacked him with fire and weapons; and there King Gudrod fell,

and most of his followers.  Of those who were with his ships some

were killed, some slipped away and fled to great distances; and

now were all the sons of Eirik and Gunhild dead.

95. BUILDING OF THE SHIP LONG SERPENT.

The winter after, King Olaf came from Halogaland (A.D. 1000), he

had a great vessel built at Hladhamrar, which was larger than any

ship in the country, and of which the beam-knees are still to be

seen.  The length of keel that rested upon the grass was seventy-

four ells.  Thorberg Skafhog was the man's name who was the

master-builder of the ship; but there were many others besides,

-- some to fell wood, some to shape it, some to make nails, some

to carry timber; and all that was used was of the best.  The ship

was both long and broad and high-sided, and strongly timbered.

While they were planking the ship, it happened that Thorberg had

to go home to his farm upon some urgent business; and as he

remained there a long time, the ship was planked up on both sides

when he came back.  In the evening the king went out, and

Thorberg with him, to see how the vessel looked, and everybody

said that never was seen so large and so beautiful a ship of

war.  Then the king returned to the town.  Early next morning the

king returns again to the ship, and Thorberg with him.  The

carpenters were there before them, but all were standing idle

with their arms across.  The king asked, "what was the matter?"

They said the ship was destroyed; for somebody had gone from,

stem to stern, and cut one deep notch after the other down the

one side of the planking.  When the king came nearer he saw it

was so, and said, with an oath, "The man shall die who has thus

destroyed the vessel out of envy, if he can be discovered, and I

shall bestow a great reward on whoever finds him out."

"I can tell you, king," said Thorberg, "who has done this piece

of work." --

"I don't think," replies the king, "that any one is so likely to

find it out as thou art."

Thorberg says, "I will tell you, king, who did it.  I did it

myself."

The king says, "Thou must restore it all to the same condition as

before, or thy life shall pay for it."

Then Thorberg went and chipped the planks until the deep notches

were all smoothed and made even with the rest; and the king and

all present declared that the ship was much handsomer on the side

of the hull which Thorberg, had chipped, and bade him shape the

other side in the same way; and gave him great thanks for the

improvement.  Afterwards Thorberg was the master builder of the

ship until she was entirely finished.  The ship was a dragon,

built after the one the king had captured in Halogaland; but this

ship was far larger, and more carefully put together in all her

parts.  The king called this ship Serpent the Long, and the

other Serpent the Short.  The long Serpent had thirty-four

benches for rowers.  The head and the arched tail were both gilt,

and the bulwarks were as high as in sea-going ships.  This ship

was the best and most costly ship ever made in Norway.

96. EARL EIRIK, THE SON OF HAKON.

Earl Eirik, the son of Earl Hakon, and his brothers, with many

other valiant men their relations, had left the country after

Earl Hakon's fall.  Earl Eirik went eastwards to Svithjod, to

Olaf, the Swedish king, and he and his people were well received.

King Olaf gave the earl peace and freedom in the land, and great

fiefs; so that he could support himself and his men well.  Thord

Kolbeinson speaks of this in the verses before given.  Many

people who fled from the country on account of King Olaf

Trygvason came out of Norway to Earl Eirik; and the earl resolved

to fit out ships and go a-cruising, in order to get property for

himself and his people.  First he steered to Gotland, and lay

there long in summer watching for merchant vessels sailing

towards the land, or for vikings.  Sometimes he landed and

ravaged all round upon the sea-coasts.  So it is told in the

"Banda-drapa": --

     "Eirik, as we have lately heard,

     Has waked the song of shield and sword --

     Has waked the slumbering storm of shields

     Upon the vikings' water-fields:

     From Gotland's lonely shore has gone

     Far up the land, and battles won:

     And o'er the sea his name is spread,

     To friends a shield, to foes a dread."

Afterwards Earl Eirik sailed south to Vindland, and at Stauren

found some viking ships, and gave them battle.  Eirik gained the

victory, and slew the vikings.  So it is told in the "Banda-

drapa": --

     "Earl Eirik, he who stoutly wields

     The battle-axe in storm of shields,

     With his long ships surprised the foe

     At Stauren, and their strength laid low

     Many a corpse floats round the shore;

     The strand with dead is studded o'er:

     The raven tears their sea-bleached skins --

     The land thrives well when Eirik wins."

97. EIRIK'S FORAY ON THE BALTIC COASTS.

Earl Eirik sailed back to Sweden in autumn, and staid there all

winter (A.D. 997); but in the spring fitted out his war force

again, and sailed up the Baltic.  When he came to Valdemar's

dominions he began to plunder and kill the inhabitants, and burn

the dwellings everywhere as he came along, and to lay waste the

country.  He came to Aldeigiuburg, and besieged it until he took

the castle; and he killed many people, broke down and burned the

castle, and then carried destruction all around far and wide in

Gardarike.  So it is told in the "Banda-drapa": --

     "The generous earl, brave and bold,

     Who scatters his bright shining gold,

     Eirik with fire-scattering hand,

     Wasted the Russian monarch's land, --

     With arrow-shower, and storm of war,

     Wasted the land of Valdemar.

     Aldeiga burns, and Eirik's might

     Scours through all Russia by its light."

Earl Eirik was five years in all on this foray; and when he

returned from Gardarike he ravaged all Adalsysla and Eysysla, and

took there four viking ships from the Danes and killed every man

on board.  So it is told in the "Banda-drapa": --

     "Among the isles flies round the word,

     That Eirik's blood-devouring sword

     Has flashed like fire in the sound,

     And wasted all the land around.

     And Eirik too, the bold in fight,

     Has broken down the robber-might

     Of four great vikings, and has slain

     All of the crew -- nor spared one Dane.

     In Gautland he has seized the town,

     In Syssels harried up and down;

     And all the people in dismay

     Fled to the forests far away.

     By land or sea, in field or wave,

     What can withstand this earl brave?

     All fly before his fiery hand --

     God save the earl, and keep the land."

When Eirik had been a year in Sweden he went over to Denmark

(A.D. 996) to King Svein Tjuguskeg, the Danish king, and courted

his daughter Gyda.  The proposal was accepted, and Earl Eirik

married Gyda; and a year after (A.D. 997) they had a son, who was

called Hakon.  Earl Eirik was in the winter in Denmark, or

sometimes in Sweden; but in summer he went a-cruising.

98. KING SVEIN'S MARRIAGE.

The Danish king, Svein Tjuguskeg, was married to Gunhild, a

daughter of Burizleif, king of the Vinds.  But in the times we

have just been speaking of it happened that Queen Gunhild fell

sick and died.  Soon after King Svein married Sigrid the Haughty,

a daughter of Skoglartoste, and mother of the Swedish king Olaf;

and by means of this relationship there was great friendship

between the kings and Earl Eirik, Hakon's son.

99. KING BURIZLEIF'S MARRIAGE.

Burizleif, the king of the Vinds, complained to his relation Earl

Sigvalde, that the agreement was broken which Sigvalde had made

between King Svein and King Burizleif, by which Burizleif was to

get in marriage Thyre, Harald's daughter, a sister of King Svein:

but that marriage had not proceeded, for Thyre had given positive

no to the proposal to marry her to an old and heathen king.

"Now," said King Burizleif to Earl Sigvalde, "I must have the

promise fulfilled."  And he told Earl Sigvalde to go to Denmark,

and bring him Thyre as his queen.  Earl Sigvalde loses no time,

but goes to King Svein of Denmark, explains to him the case; and

brings it so far by his persuasion, that the king delivered his

sister Thyre into his hands.  With her went some female

attendants, and her foster-father, by name Ozur Agason, a man of

great power, and some other people.  In the agreement between the

king and the earl, it was settled that Thyre should have in

property the possessions which Queen Gunhild had enjoyed in

Vindland, besides other great properties as bride-gifts.  Thyre

wept sorely, and went very unwillingly.  When the earl came to

Vindland, Burizleif held his wedding with Queen Thyre, and

received her in marriage; bus as long as she was among heathens

she would neither eat nor drink with them, and this lasted for

seven days.

100. OLAF GETS THYRE IN MARRIAGE.

It happened one night that Queen Thyre and Ozur ran away in the

dark, and into the woods, and, to be short in our story, came at

last to Denmark.  But here Thyre did not dare to remain, knowing

that if her brother King Svein heard of her, he would send her

back directly to Vindland.  She went on, therefore, secretly to

Norway, and never stayed her journey until she fell in with King

Olaf, by whom she was kindly received.  Thyre related to the king

her sorrows, and entreated his advice in her need, and protection

in his kingdom.  Thyre was a well-spoken woman, and the king had

pleasure in her conversation.  He saw she was a handsome woman,

and it came into his mind that she would be a good match; so he

turns the conversation that way, and asks if she will marry him.

Now, as she saw that her situation was such that she could not

help herself, and considered what a luck it was for her to marry

so celebrated a man, she bade him to dispose himself of her hand

and fate; and, after nearer conversation, King Olaf took Thyre in

marriage.  This wedding was held in harvest after the king

returned from Halogaland (A.D. 999), and King Olaf and Queen

Thyre remained all winter (A.D. 1000) at Nidaros.

The following spring Queen Thyre complained often to King Olaf,

and wept bitterly over it, that she who had so great property in

Vindland had no goods or possessions here in the country that

were suitable for a queen; and sometimes she would entreat the

king with fine words to get her property restored to her, and

saying that King Burizleif was so great a friend of King Olaf

that he would not deny King Olaf anything if they were to meet.

But when King Olaf's friends heard of such speeches, they

dissuaded him from any such expedition.  It is related at the

king one day early in spring was walking in the street, and met a

man in the market with many, and, for that early season,

remarkably large angelica roots.  The king took a great stalk of

the angelica in his hand, and went home to Queen Thyre's lodging.

Thyre sat in her room weeping as the king came in.  The king

said, "Set here, queen, is a great angelica stalk, which I give

thee."  She threw it away, and said, "A greater present Harald

Gormson gave to my mother; and he was not afraid to go out of the

land and take his own.  That was shown when he came here to

Norway, and laid waste the greater part of the land, and seized

on all the scat and revenues; and thou darest not go across the

Danish dominions for this brother of mine, King Svein."  As she

spoke thus, King Olaf sprang up, and answered with loud oath,

"Never did I fear thy brother King Svein; and if we meet he shall

give way before me!"

101. OLAF'S LEVY FOR WAR.

Soon after the king convoked a Thing in the town, and proclaimed

to all the public, that in summer would go abroad upon an

expedition out of the country, and would raise both ships and men

from every district; and at the same time fixed how many ships

would have from the whole Throndhjem fjord.  Then he sent his

message-token south and north, both along the sea-coast and up in

the interior of the country, to let an army be gathered.  The

king ordered the Long Serpent to be put into the water, along

with all his other ships both small and great.  He himself

steered the Long Serpent.  When the crews were taken out for the

ships, they were so carefully selected that no man on board the

Long Serpent was older than sixty or younger than twenty years,

and all were men distinguished for strength and courage.  Those

who were Olaf's bodyguard were in particular chosen men, both of

the natives and of foreigners, and the boldest and strongest.

102. CREW ON BOARD OF THE LONG SERPENT.

Ulf the Red was the name of the man who bore King Olaf's banner,

and was in the forecastle of the Long Serpent; and with him was

Kolbjorn the marshal, Thorstein Uxafot, and Vikar of Tiundaland,

a brother of Arnliot Gelline.  By the bulkhead next the

forecastle were Vak Raumason from Gaut River, Berse the Strong,

An Skyte from Jamtaland, Thrand the Strong from Thelamork, and

his brother Uthyrmer.  Besides these were, of Halogaland men,

Thrand Skjalge and Ogmund Sande, Hlodver Lange from Saltvik, and

Harek Hvasse; together with these Throndhjem men -- Ketil the

High, Thorfin Eisle, Havard and his brothers from Orkadal.  The

following were in the fore-hold: Bjorn from Studla, Bork from the

fjords.  Thorgrim Thjodolfson from Hvin, Asbjorn and Orm, Thord

from Njardarlog, Thorstein the White from Oprustadar, Arnor from

More, Halstein and Hauk from the Fjord district, Eyvind Snak,

Bergthor Bestil, Halkel from Fialer, Olaf Dreng, Arnfin from

Sogn, Sigurd Bild, Einar from Hordaland, and Fin, and Ketil from

Rogaland and Grjotgard the Brisk.  The following were in the hold

next the mast: Einar Tambaskelfer, who was not reckoned as fully

experienced, being only eighteen years old; Thorstein Hlifarson,

Thorolf, Ivar Smetta, and Orm Skogarnef.  Many other valiant men

were in the Serpent, although we cannot tell all their names.  In

every half division of the hold were eight men, and each and all

chosen men; and in the fore-hold were thirty men.  It was a

common saying among people, that the Long Serpent's crew was as

distinguished for bravery, strength, and daring, among other men,

as the Long Serpent was distinguished among other ships.  Thorkel

Nefja, the king's brother, commanded the Short Serpent; and

Thorkel Dydril and Jostein, the king's mother's brothers, had the

Crane; and both these ships were well manned.  King Olaf had

eleven large ships from Throndhjem, besides vessels with twenty

rowers' benches, smaller vessels, and provision-vessels.

103. ICELAND BAPTIZED.

When King Olaf had nearly rigged out his fleet in Nidaros, he

appointed men over the Throndhjem country in all districts and

communities.  He also sent to Iceland Gissur the White and Hjalte

Skeggjason, to proclaim Christianity there; and sent with them a

priest called Thormod, along with several men in holy orders.

But he retained with him, as hostages, four Icelanders whom he

thought the most important; namely, Kjartan Olafson, Haldor

Gudmundson, Kolbein Thordson, and Sverting Runolfson.  Of Gissur

and Hjalte's progress, it is related that they came to Iceland

before the Althing, and went to the Thing; and in that Thing

Christianity was introduced by law into Iceland, and in the

course of the summer all the people were baptized (A.D. 1000).

104. GREENLAND BAPTIZED

The same spring King Olaf also sent Leif Eirikson (A.D. 1000) to

Greenland to proclaim Christianity there, and Leif went there

that summer.  In the ocean he took up the crew of a ship which

had been lost, and who were clinging to the wreck.  He also found

Vinland the Good; arrived about harvest in Greenland; and had

with him for it a priest and other teachers, with whom he went to

Brattahild to lodge with his father Eirik.  People called him

afterwards Leif the Lucky: but his father Eirik said that his

luck and ill luck balanced each other; for if Leif had saved a

wreck in the ocean, he had brought a hurtful person with him to

Greenland, and that was the priest.

105. RAGNVALD SENDS MESSENGERS TO OLAF.

The winter after King Olaf had baptized Halogaland, he and Queen

Thyre were in Nidaros; and the summer before Queen Thyre had

brought King Olaf a boy child, which was both stout and

promising, and was called Harald, after its mother's father.  The

king and queen loved the infant exceedingly, and rejoiced in the

hope that it would grow up and inherit after its father; but it

lived barely a year after its birth, which both took much to

heart.  In that winter were many Icelanders and other clever men

in King Olaf's house, as before related.  His sister Ingebjorg,

Trygve's daughter, King Olaf's sister, was also at the court at

that time.  She was beautiful in  appearance, modest and frank

with the people, had a steady manly judgment, and was beloved of

all.  She was very fond of the Icelanders who were there, but

most of Kjartan Olafson, for he had been longer than the others

in the king's house; and he found it always amusing to converse

with her, for she had both understanding and cleverness in talk.

The king was always gay and full of mirth in his intercourse with

people; and often asked about the manners of the great men and

chiefs in the neighbouring countries, when strangers from Denmark

or Sweden came to see him.  The summer before Halfred

Vandredaskald had come from Gautland, where he had been with Earl

Ragnvald, Ulf's son, who had lately come to the government of

West Gautland.  Ulf, Ragnvald's father, was a brother of Sigurd

the Haughty; so that King Olaf the Swede and Earl Ragnvald were

brother's and sister's children.  Halfred told Olaf many things

about the earl: he said he was an able chief, excellently fitted

for governing, generous with money, brave and steady in

friendship.  Halfred said also the earl desired much the

friendship of King Olaf, and had spoken of making court

Ingebjorg, Trygve's daughter.  The same winter came ambassadors

from Gautland, and fell in with King Olaf in the north, in

Nidaros, and brought the message which Halfred had spoken of, --

that the earl desired to be King Olaf's entire friend, and wished

to become his brother-in-law by obtaining his sister Ingebjorg in

marriage.  Therewith the ambassadors laid before the king

sufficient tokens in proof that in reality they came from the

earl on this errand.  The king listened with approbation to their

speech; but said that Ingebjorg must determine on his assent to

the marriage.  The king then talked to his sister about the

matter, and asked her opinion about it.  She answered to this

effect, -- "I have been with you for some time, and you have

shown brotherly care and tender respect for me ever since you

came to the country.  I will agree therefore to your proposal

about my marriage, provided that you do not marry me to a heathen

man." The king said it should be as she wished.  The king then

spoke to the ambassadors; and it was settled before they

departed that in summer Earl Ragnvald should meet the king in the

east parts of the country, to enter into the fullest friendship

with each other, and when they met they would settle about the

marriage.  With this reply the earl's messengers went westward,

and King Olaf remained all winter in Nidaros in great splendour,

and with many people about him.

106. OLAF SENDS EXPEDITION TO VINDLAND.

King Olaf proceeded in summer with his ships and men southwards

along the land (and past Stad.  With him were Queen Thyre and

Ingebjorg, Trygveis daughter, the king's sister).  Many of his

friends also joined him, and other persons of consequence who had

prepared themselves to travel with the king.  The first man among

these was his brother-in-law, Erling Skjalgson, who had with him

a large ship of thirty benches of rowers, and which was in every

respect well equipt.  His brothers-in-law Hyrning and Thorgeir

also joined him, each of whom for himself steered a large vessel;

and many other powerful men besides followed him.  (With all this

war-force he sailed southwards along the land; but when he came

south as far as Rogaland he stopped there, for Erling Skjalgson

had prepared for him a splendid feast at Sole.  There Earl

Ragnvald, Ulf's son, from Gautland, came to meet the king, and to

settle the business which had been proposed ;n winter in the

messages between them, namely, the marriage with Ingebjorg the

king's sister.  Olaf received him kindly; and when the matter

came to be spoken of, the king said he would keep his word, and

marry his sister Ingebjorg to him, provided he would accept the

true faith, and make all his subjects he ruled over in his land

be baptized; The earl agreed to this, and he and all his

followers were baptized.  Now was the feast enlarged that Erling

had prepared, for the earl held his wedding there with Ingebjorg

the king's sister.  King Olaf had now married off all his

sisters.  The earl, with Ingebjorg, set out on his way home; and

the king sent learned men with him to baptize the people in

Gautland, and to teach them the right faith and morals.  The king

and the earl parted in the greatest friendship.)

107. OLAF'S EXPEDITION VINDLAND.

(After his sister Ingebjorg's wedding, the king made ready in all

haste to leave the country with his army, which was both great

and made up of fine men.)  When he left the land and sailed

southwards he had sixty ships of war, with which he sailed past

Denmark, and in through the Sound, and on to Vindland.  He

appointed a meeting with King Burizleif; and when the kings met,

they spoke about the property which King Olaf demanded, and the

conference went off peaceably, as a good account was given of the

properties which King Olaf thought himself entitled to there.  He

passed here much of the summer, and found many of his old

friends.

108. CONSPIRACY AGAINST KING OLAF.

The Danish king, Svein Tjuguskeg, was married, as before related,

to Sigrid the Haughty.  Sigrid was King Olaf Trygvason's greatest

enemy; the cause of which, as before said, was that King Olaf had

broken off with her, and had struck her in the face.  She urged

King Svein much to give battle to King Olaf Trygvason; saying

that he had reason enough, as Olaf had married his sister Thyre

without his leave, "and that your predecessors would not have

submitted to."  Such persuasions Sigrid had often in her mouth;

and at last she brought it so far that Svein resolved firmly on

doing so.  Early in spring King Svein sent messengers eastward

into Svithjod, to his son-in-law Olaf, the Swedish king, and to

Earl Eirik; and informed them that King Olaf of Norway was

levying men for an expedition, and intended in summer to go to

Vindland.  To this news the Danish king added an invitation to

the Swedish king and Earl Eirik to meet King Svein with an army,

so that all together they might make an attack; on King Olaf

Trygvason.  The Swedish king and Earl Eirik were ready enough for

this, and immediately assembled a great fleet and an army through

all Svithjod, with which they sailed southwards to Denmark, and

arrived there after King Olaf Trygvason had sailed to the

eastward.  Haldor the Unchristian tells of this in his lay on

Earl Eirik: --

     "The king-subduer raised a host

     Of warriors on the Swedish coast.

     The brave went southwards to the fight,

     Who love the sword-storm's gleaming light;

     The brave, who fill the wild wolf's mouth,

     Followed bold Eirik to the south;

     The brave, who sport in blood -- each one

     With the bold earl to sea is gone."

The Swedish king and Earl Eirik sailed to meet the Danish king,

and they had all, when together, an immense force.

109. EARL SIGVALDE'S TREACHEROUS PLANS.

At the same time that king Svein sent a message to Svithjod for

an army, he sent Earl Sigvalde to Vindland to spy out King Olaf

Trygvason's proceedings, and to bring it about by cunning devices

that King Svein and King Olaf should fall in with each other.  So

Sigvalde sets out to go to Vindland.  First, he came to Jomsborg,

and then he sought out King Olaf Trygvason.  There was much

friendship in their conversation, and the earl got himself into

great favour with the king.  Astrid, the Earl's wife, King

Burizleif's daughter, was a great friend of King Olaf Trygvason,

particularly on account of the connection which had been between

them when Olaf was married to her sister Geira.  Earl Sigvalde

was a prudent, ready-minded man; and as he had got a voice in

King Olaf's council, he put him off much from sailing homewards,

finding various reasons for delay.  Olaf's people were in the

highest degree dissatisfied with this; for the men were anxious

to get home, and they lay ready to sail, waiting only for a wind.

At last Earl Sigvalde got a secret message from Denmark that the

Swedish king's army was arrived from the east, and that Earl

Eirik's also was ready; and that all these chiefs had resolved to

sail eastwards to Vindland, and wait for King Olaf at an island

which is called Svold.  They also desired the earl to contrive

matters so that they should meet King Olaf there.

110. KING OLAF'S VOYAGE FROM VINDLAND.

There came first a flying report to Vindland that the Danish

king, Svein, had fitted out an army; and it was soon whispered

that he intended to attack King Olaf.  But Earl Sigvalde says to

King Olaf, "It never can be King Svein's intention to venture

with the Danish force alone, to give battle to thee with such a

powerful army; but if thou hast any suspicion that evil is on

foot, I will follow thee with my force (at that time it was

considered a great matter to have Jomsborg vikings with an army),

and I will give thee eleven well-manned ships."  The king

accepted this offer; and as the light breeze of wind that came

was favourable, he ordered the ships to get under weigh, and the

war-horns to sound the departure.  The sails were hoisted and all

the small vessels, sailing fastest, got out to sea before the

others.  The earl, who sailed nearest to the king's ship, called

to those on board to tell the king to sail in his keel-track:

"For I know where the water is deepest between the islands and in

the sounds, and these large ships require the deepest."  Then the

earl sailed first with his eleven ships, and the king followed

with his large ships, also eleven in number; but the whole of the

rest of the fleet sailed out to sea.  Now when Earl Sigvalde came

sailing close under the island Svold, a skiff rowed out to inform

the earl that the Danish king's army was lying in the harbour

before them.  Then the earl ordered the sails of his vessels to

be struck, and they rowed in under the island.  Haldor the

Unchristian says: --

     "From out the south bold Trygve's son

     With one-and-seventy ships came on,

     To dye his sword in bloody fight,

     Against the Danish foeman's might.

     But the false earl the king betrayed;

     And treacherous Sigvalde, it is said,

     Deserted from King Olaf's fleet,

     And basely fled, the Danes to meet."

It is said here that King Olaf and Earl Sigvalde had seventy sail

of vessels: and one more, when they sailed from the south.

111. CONSULTATION OF THE KINGS.

The Danish King Svein, the Swedish King Olaf, and Earl Eirik,

were there with all their forces (1000).  The weather being fine

and clear sunshine, all these chiefs, with a great suite, went

out on the isle to see the vessels sailing out at sea, and many

of them crowded together; and they saw among them one large and

glancing ship.  The two kings said, "That is a large and very

beautiful vessel: that will be the Long Serpent."

Earl Eirik replied, "That is not the Long Serpent."  And he was

right; for it was the ship belonging to Eindride of Gimsar.

Soon after they saw another vessel coming sailing along much

larger than the first; then says King Svein, "Olaf Trygvason must

be afraid, for he does not venture to sail with the figure-head

of the dragon upon his ship."

Says Earl Eirik, "That is not the king's ship yet; for I know

that ship by the coloured stripes of cloth in her sail.  That is

Erling Skialgson's.  Let him sail; for it is the better for us

that the ship is away from Olaf's fleet, so well equipt as she

is."

Soon after they saw and knew Earl Sigvalde's ships, which turned

in and laid themselves under the island.  Then they saw three

ships coming along under sail, and one of them very large.  King

Svein ordered his men to go to their ships, "for there comes the

Long Serpent."

Earl Eirik says, "Many other great and stately vessels have they

besides the Long Serpent.  Let us wait a little."

Then said many, "Earl Eirik will not fight and avenge his father;

and it is a great shame that it should be told that we lay here

with so great a force, and allowed King Olaf to sail out to sea

before our eyes."

But when they had spoken thus for a short time, they saw four

ships coming sailing along, of which one had a large dragon-head

richly gilt.  Then King Svein stood up and said, "That dragon

shall carry me this evening high, for I shall steer it."

Then said many, "The Long Serpent is indeed a wonderfully large

and beautiful vessel, and it shows a great mind to have built

such a ship."

Earl Eirik said so loud that several persons heard him, "If King

Olaf had no ether vessels but only that one, King Svein would

never take it from him with the Danish force alone."

Thereafter all the people rushed on board their ships, took down

the tents, and in all haste made ready for battle.

While the chiefs were speaking among themselves as above related,

they saw three very large ships coming sailing along, and at last

after them a fourth, and that was the Long Serpent.  Of the large

ships which had gone before, and which they had taken for the

Long Serpent, the first was the Crane; the one after that was the

Short Serpent; and when they really, saw the Long Serpent, all

knew, and nobody had a word to say against it, that it must be

Olaf Trygvason who was sailing in such a vessel; and they went to

their ships to arm for the fight.

An agreement had been concluded among the chiefs, King Svein,

King Olaf the Swede, and Earl Eirik, that they should divide

Norway among them in three parts, in case they succeeded against

Olaf Trygvason; but that he of the chiefs who should first board

the Serpent should have her, and all the booty found in her, and

each should have the ships he cleared for himself.  Earl Eirik

had a large ship of war which he used upon his viking

expeditions; and there was an iron beard or comb above on both

sides of the stem, and below it a thick iron plate as broad as

the combs, which went down quite to the gunnel.

112. OF KING OLAF'S PEOPLE.

When Earl Sigvalde with his vessels rowed in under the island,

Thorkel Dydril of the Crane, and the other ship commanders who

sailed with him, saw that he turned his ships towards the isle,

and thereupon let fall the sails, and rowed after him, calling

out, and asking why he sailed that way.  The Earl answered, that

he was waiting for king Olaf, as he feared there were enemies in

the water.  They lay upon their oars until Thorkel Nefia came up

with the Short Serpent and the three ships which followed him.

When they told them the same they too struck sail, and let the

ships drive, waiting for king Olaf.  But when the king sailed in

towards the isle, the whole enemies' fleet came rowing within

them out to the Sound.  When they saw this they begged the king

to hold on his way, and not risk battle with so great a force.

The king replied, high on the quarter-deck where he stood,

"Strike the sails; never shall men of mine think of flight.  I

never fled from battle.  Let God dispose of my life, but flight I

shall never take."  It was done as the king commanded.  Halfred

tells of it thus: --

     "And far and wide the saying bold

     Of the brave warrior shall be told.

     The king, in many a fray well tried,

     To his brave champions round him cried,

     `My men shall never learn from me

     From the dark weapon-cloud to flee.'

     Nor were the brave words spoken then

     Forgotten by his faithful men."

113. OLAF'S SHIPS PREPARED FOR BATTLE.

King Olaf ordered the war-horns to sound for all his ships to

close up to each other.  The king's ship lay in the middle of the

line, and on one side lay the Little Serpent, and on the other

the Crane; and as they made fast the stems together (1), the Long

Serpent's stem and the short Serpent's were made fast together;

but when the king saw it he called out to his men, and ordered

them to lay the larger ship more in advance, so that its stern

should not lie so far behind in the fleet.

Then says Ulf the Red, "If the Long Serpent is to lie as much

more ahead of the other ships as she is longer than them, we

shall have hard work of it here on the forecastle."

The king replies, "I did not think I had a forecastle man afraid

as well as red."

Says Ulf, "Defend thou the quarterdeck as I shall the

forecastle."

The king had a bow in his hands, and laid an arrow on the string,

and aimed at Ulf.

Ulf said, "Shoot another way, king, where it is more needful: my

work is thy gain."

ENDNOTES:

(1)  The mode of fighting in sea battles appears, from this and

     many other descriptions, to have been for each party to bind

     together the stems and sterns of their own ships, forming

     them thus into a compact body as soon aa the fleets came

     within fighting distance, or within spears' throw.  They

     appear to have fought principally from the forecastles; and

     to have used grappling irons for dragging a vessel out of

     the line, or within boarding distance. -- L.

114. OF KING OLAF.

King Olaf stood on the Serpent's quarterdeck, high over the

others.  He had a gilt shield, and a helmet inlaid with gold;

over his armour he had a short red coat, and was easy to be

distinguished from other men.  When King Olaf saw that the

scattered forces of the enemy gathered themselves together under

the banners of their ships, he asked, "Who is the chief of the

force right opposite to us?"

He was answered, that it was King Svein with the Danish army.

The king replies, "We are not afraid of these soft Danes, for

there is no bravery in them; but who are the troops on the right

of the Danes?"

He was answered, that it was King Olaf with the Swedish forces.

"Better it were," says King Olaf, "for these Swedes to be sitting

at home killing their sacrifices, than to be venturing under our

weapons from the Long Serpent.  But who owns the large ships on

the larboard side of the Danes?"

"That is Earl Eirik Hakonson," say they.

The king replies, "He, methinks, has good reason for meeting us;

and we may expect the sharpest conflict with these men, for they

are Norsemen like ourselves."

115. THE BATTLE BEGINS.

The kings now laid out their oars, and prepared to attack (A.D.

1000).  King Svein laid his ship against the Long Serpent.

Outside of him Olaf the Swede laid himself, and set his ship's

stern against the outermost ship of King Olaf's line; and on the

other side lay Earl Eirik.  Then a hard combat began.  Earl

Sigvalde held back with the oars on his ships, and did not join

the fray.  So says Skule Thorsteinson, who at that time was with

Earl Eirik: --

     "I followed Sigvalde in my youth,

     And gallant Eirik, and in truth

     The' now I am grown stiff and old,

     In the spear-song I once was bold.

     Where arrows whistled on the shore

     Of Svold fjord my shield I bore,

     And stood amidst the loudest clash

     When swords on shields made fearful crash."

And Halfred also sings thus: --

     "In truth I think the gallant king,

     Midst such a foemen's gathering,

     Would be the better of some score

     Of his tight Throndhjem lads, or more;

     For many a chief has run away,

     And left our brave king in the fray,

     Two great kings' power to withstand,

     And one great earl's, with his small band,

     The king who dares such mighty deed

     A hero for his skald would need."

116. FLIGHT OF SVEIN AND OLAF THE SWEDE.

This battle was one of the severest told of, and many were the

people slain.  The forecastle men of the Long Serpent, the Little

Serpent, and the Crane, threw grapplings and stem chains into

King Svein's ship, and used their weapons well against the people

standing below them, for they cleared the decks of all the ships

they could lay fast hold of; and King Svein, and all the men who

escaped, fled to other vessels, and laid themselves out of

bow-shot.  It went with this force just as King Olaf Trygvason

had foreseen.  Then King Olaf the Swede laid himself in their

place; but when he came near the great ships it went with him as

with them, for he lost many men and some ships, and was obliged

to get away.  But Earl Eirik laid his ship side by side with the

outermost of King Olaf's ships, thinned it of men, cut the

cables, and let it drive.  Then he laid alongside of the next,

and fought until he had cleared it of men also.  Now all the

people who were in the smaller ships began to run into the

larger, and the earl cut them loose as fast as he cleared them of

men.  The Danes and Swedes laid themselves now out of shooting

distance all around Olaf's ship; but Earl Eirik lay always close

alongside of the ships, and used hid swords and battle-axes, and

as fast as people fell in his vessel others, Danes and Swedes,

came in their place.  So says Haldor, the Unchristian: --

     "Sharp was the clang of shield and sword,

     And shrill the song of spears on board,

     And whistling arrows thickly flew

     Against the Serpent's gallant crew.

     And still fresh foemen, it is said,

     Earl Eirik to her long side led;

     Whole armies of his Danes and Swedes,

     Wielding on high their blue sword-blades."

Then the fight became most severe, and many people fell.  But at

last it came to this, that all King Olaf Trygvason's ships were

cleared of men except the Long Serpent, on board of which all who

could still carry their arms were gathered.  Then Earl Eirik lay

with his ship by the side of the Serpent, and the fight went on

with battle-axe and sword.  So says Haldor: --

     "Hard pressed on every side by foes,

     The Serpent reels beneath the blows;

     Crash go the shields around the bow!

     Breast-plates and breasts pierced thro' and thro!

     In the sword-storm the Holm beside,

     The earl's ship lay alongside

     The king's Long Serpent of the sea --

     Fate gave the earl the victory."

117. OF EARL EIRIK.

Earl Eirik was in the forehold of his ship, where a cover of

shields (1) had been set up.  In the fight, both hewing weapons,

sword, and axe, and the thrust of spears had been used; and all

that could be used as weapon for casting was cast.  Some used

bows, some threw spears with the hand.  So many weapons were cast

into the Serpent, and so thick flew spears and arrows, that the

shields could scarcely receive them, for on all sides the Serpent

was surrounded by war-ships.  Then King Olaf's men became so mad

with rage, that they ran on board of the enemies ships, to get at

the people with stroke of sword and kill them; but many did not

lay themselves so near the Serpent, in order to escape the close

encounter with battle-axe or sword; and thus the most of Olaf's

men went overboard and sank under their weapons, thinking they

were fighting on plain ground.  So says Halfred: --

     "The daring lads shrink not from death; --

     O'erboard they leap, and sink beneath

     The Serpent's keel: all armed they leap,

     And down they sink five fathoms deep.

     The foe was daunted at the cheers;

     The king, who still the Serpent steers,

     In such a strait -- beset with foes --

     Wanted but some more lads like those."

ENDNOTES:

(1)  Both in land and sea fights the commanders appear to have

     been protected from missile weapons, -- stones, arrows,

     spears, -- by a shieldburg: that is, by a party of men

     bearing shields surrounding them in such a way that the

     shields were a parapet, covering those within the circle.

     The Romans had a similar military arrangement of shields in

     sieges -- the testudo. -- L.

118. OF EINAR TAMBARSKELVER.

Einar Tambarskelver, one of the sharpest of bowshooters, stood by

the mast, and shot with his bow.  Einar shot an arrow at Earl

Eirik, which hit the tiller end just above the earl's head so

hard that it entered the wood up to the arrow-shaft.  The earl

looked that way, and asked if they knew who had shot; and at the

same moment another arrow flew between his hand and his side, and

into the stuffing of the chief's stool, so that the barb stood

far out on the other side.  Then said the earl to a man called

Fin, -- but some say he was of Fin (Laplander) race, and was a

superior archer, -- "Shoot that tall man by the mast."  Fin shot;

and the arrow hit the middle of Einar's bow just at the moment

that Einar was drawing it, and the bow was split in two parts.

"What is that."cried King Olaf, "that broke with such a noise?"

"Norway, king, from thy hands," cried Einar.

"No!  not quite so much as that," says the king; "take my bow,

and shoot," flinging the bow to him.

Einar took the bow, and drew it over the head of the arrow.  "Too

weak, too weak," said he, "for the bow of a mighty king!" and,

throwing the bow aside, he took sword and shield, and fought

Valiantly.

119. OLAF GIVES HIS MEN SHARP SWORDS.

The king stood on the gangways of the Long Serpent. and shot the

greater part of the day; sometimes with the bow, sometimes with

the spear, and always throwing two spears at once.  He looked

down over the ship's sides, and saw that his men struck briskly

with their swords, and yet wounded but seldom.  Then he called

aloud, "Why do ye strike so gently that ye seldom cut?"  One

among the people answered, "The swords are blunt and full of

notches."  Then the king went down into the forehold, opened the

chest under the throne, and took out many sharp swords, which he

handed to his men; but as he stretched down his right hand with

them, some observed that blood was running down under his steel

glove, but no one knew where he was wounded.

120. THE SERPENT BOARDED.

Desperate was the defence in the Serpent, and there was the

heaviest destruction of men done by the forecastle crew, and

those of the forehold, for in both places the men were chosen

men, and the ship was highest, but in the middle of the ship the

people were thinned.  Now when Earl Eirik saw there were but few

people remaining beside the ship's mast, he determined to board;

and he entered the Serpent with four others.  Then came Hyrning,

the king's brother-in-law, and some others against him, and there

was the most severe combat; and at last the earl was forced to

leap back on board his own ship again, and some who had

accompanied him were killed, and others wounded.  Thord

Kolbeinson alludes to this: --

     "On Odin's deck, all wet with blood,

     The helm-adorned hero stood;

     And gallant Hyrning honour gained,

     Clearing all round with sword deep stained.

     The high mountain peaks shall fall,

     Ere men forget this to recall."

Now the fight became hot indeed, and many men fell on board the

Serpent; and the men on board of her began to be thinned off, and

the defence to be weaker.  The earl resolved to board the Serpent

again, and again he met with a warm reception.  When the

forecastle men of the Serpent saw what he was doing, they went

aft and made a desperate fight; but so many men of the Serpent

had fallen, that the ship's sides were in many places quite bare

of defenders; and the earl's men poured in all around into the

vessel, and all the men who were still able to defend the ship

crowded aft to the king, and arrayed themselves for his defence.

So says Haldor the Unchristian: --

     "Eirik cheers on his men, --

     `On to the charge again!'

     The gallant few

     Of Olaf's crew

     Must refuge take

     On the quarter-deck.

     Around the king

     They stand in ring;

     Their shields enclose

     The king from foes,

     And the few who still remain

     Fight madly, but in vain.

     Eirik cheers on his men --

     `On to the charge again!'"

121. THE SERPENT'S DECKS CLEARED.

Kolbjorn the marshal, who had on clothes and arms like the kings,

and was a remarkably stout and handsome man, went up to king on

the quarter-deck.  The battle was still going on fiercely even in

the forehold (1).  But as many of the earl's men had now got into

the Serpent as could find room, and his ships lay all round her,

and few were the people left in the Serpent for defence against

so great a force; and in a short time most of the Serpent's men

fell, brave and stout though they were.  King Olaf and Kolbjorn

the marshal both sprang overboard, each on his own side of the

ship; but the earl's men had laid out boats around the Serpent,

and killed those who leaped overboard.  Now when the king had

sprung overboard, they tried to seize him with their hands, and

bring him to Earl Eirik; but King Olaf threw his shield over his

head, and sank beneath the waters.  Kolbjorn held his shield

behind him to protect himself from the spears cast at him from

the ships which lay round the Serpent, and he fell so upon his

shield that it came under him, so that he could not sink so

quickly.  He was thus taken and brought into a boat, and they

supposed he was the king.  He was brought before the earl; and

when the earl saw it was Kolbjorn, and not the king, he gave him

his life.  At the same moment all of King Olaf's men who were in

life sprang overboard from the Serpent; and Thorkel Nefia, the

king's brother, was the last of all the men who sprang overboard.

It is thus told concerning the king by Halfred: --

     "The Serpent and the Crane

     Lay wrecks upon the main.

     On his sword he cast a glance, --

     With it he saw no chance.

     To his marshal, who of yore

     Many a war-chance had come o'er,

     He spoke a word -- then drew in breath,

     And sprang to his deep-sea death."

ENDNOTES:

(1)  From the occasional descriptions of vessels in this and

     other battles, it may be inferred that even the Long

     Serpent, described in the 95tb chapter as of 150 feet of

     keel was only docked fore and aft; the thirty-four benches

     for rowers occupying the open area in the middle, and

     probably gangways running along the side for communicating

     from the quarter-deck to the forcastle. -- L.

122. REPORT AMONG THE PEOPLE.

Earl Sigvalde. as before related, came from Vindland, in company

with King Olaf, with ten ships; but the eleventh ship was manned

with the men of Astrid, the king's daughter, the wife of Earl

Sigvalde.  Now when King Olaf sprang overboard, the whole army

raised a shout of victory; and then Earl Sigvalde and his men put

their oars in the water and rowed towards the battle.  Haldor the

Unchristian tells of it thus: --

     "Then first the Vindland vessels came

     Into the fight with little fame;

     The fight still lingered on the wave,

     Tho' hope was gone with Olaf brave.

     War, like a full-fed ravenous beast,

     Still oped her grim jaws for the feast.

     The few who stood now quickly fled,

     When the shout told -- `Olaf is dead!'"

But the Vindland cutter, in which Astrid's men were, rowed back

to Vindland; and the report went immediately abroad and was told

by many, that King Olaf had cast off his coat-of-mail under

water, and had swum, diving under the longships, until he came to

the Vindland cutter, and that Astrid's men had conveyed him to

Vindland: and many tales have been made since about the

adventures of Olaf the king.  Halfred speaks thus about it: --

     "Does Olaf live? or is he dead?

     Has he the hungry ravens fed?

     I scarcely know what I should say,

     For many tell the tale each way.

     This I can say, nor fear to lie,

     That he was wounded grievously --

     So wounded in this bloody strife,

     He scarce could come away with life."

But however this may have been, King Olaf Trygvason never came

back again to his kingdom of Norway.  Halfred Vandredaskald

speaks also thus about it:

     "The witness who reports this thing

     Of Trygvason, our gallant king,

     Once served the king, and truth should tell,

     For Olaf hated lies like hell.

     If Olaf 'scaped from this sword-thing,

     Worse fate, I fear, befel our king

     Than people guess, or e'er can know,

     For he was hemm'd in by the foe.

     From the far east some news is rife

     Of king sore wounded saving life;

     His death, too sure, leaves me no care

     For cobweb rumours in the air.

     It never was the will of fate

     That Olaf from such perilous strait

     Should 'scape with life!  this truth may grieve --

     `What people wish they soon believe.'"

123. OF EARL EIRIK, THE SON OF HAKON.

By this victory Earl Eirik Hakonson became owner of the Long

Serpent, and made a great booty besides; and he steered the

Serpent from the battle.  So says Haldor: --

     "Olaf, with glittering helmet crowned,

     Had steered the Serpent through the Sound;

     And people dressed their boats, and cheered

     As Olaf's fleet in splendour steered.

     But the descendent of great Heming,

     Whose race tells many a gallant sea-king,

     His blue sword in red life-blood stained,

     And bravely Olaf's long ship gained."

Svein, a son of Earl Hakon, and Earl Eirik's brother, was engaged

at this time to marry Holmfrid, a daughter of King Olaf the

Swedish king.  Now when Svein the Danish king, Olaf the Swedish

king, and Earl Eirik divided the kingdom of Norway between them,

King Olaf got four districts in the Throndhjem country, and also

the districts of More and Raumsdal; and in the east part of the

land he got Ranrike, from the Gaut river to Svinasund.  Olaf gave

these dominions into Earl Svein's hands, on the same conditions

as the sub kings or earls had held them formerly from the upper-

king of the country.  Earl Eirik got four districts in the

Throndhjem country, and Halogaland, Naumudal, the Fjord

districts, Sogn, Hordaland, Rogaland, and North Agder, all the

way to the Naze.  So says Thord Kolbeinson: --

     "All chiefs within our land

     On Eirik's side now stand:

     Erling alone, I know

     Remains Earl Eirik's foe.

     All praise our generous earl, --

     He gives, and is no churl:

     All men are well content

     Fate such a chief has sent.

     From Veiga to Agder they,

     Well pleased, the earl obey;

     And all will by him stand,

     To guard the Norsemen's land.

     And now the news is spread

     That mighty Svein is dead,

     And luck is gone from those

     Who were the Norsemen's foes."

The Danish king Svein retained Viken as he had held it before,

but he gave Raumarike and Hedemark to Earl Eirik.  Svein Hakonson

got the title of earl from Olaf the Swedish king.  Svein was one

of the handsomest men ever seen.  The earls Eirik and Svein both

allowed themselves to be baptized, and took up the true faith;

but as long as they ruled in Norway they allowed every one to do

as he pleased in holding by his Christianity.  But, on the other

hand, they held fast by the old laws, and all the old rights and

customs of the land, and were excellent men and good rulers.

Earl Eirik had most to say of the two brothers in all matters of

government.