The Sagas of Olaf Tryggvason and of Harald The Tyrant (Harald Haardraade) Part 11

That winter abode King Olaf and Queen Tyri in Nidaros.

Now in the spring-time thereafter oft-times did Tyri make plaint to King Olaf, and cried bitterly thereover, because albeit had she such great possessions in Wendland yet had she none in this country, and that she should have such deemed she but seemly for a Queen; & thinking that by fair words would she get her own prayed she him on this matter, and said that so great was the friends.h.i.+p between King Burizlaf & Olaf that even so soon as they should meet would the King give Olaf all he asked for.

But when the friends to King Olaf came to know after what fas.h.i.+on was the manner of talking of Tyri with one consent gave they all counsel to him to refrain from such a course. One day early in the spring, so it is said, as the King was walking in the street came a man towards him from the market-place bearing many sticks of angelica, which same were wondrous big, seeing that it was early in the spring-tide. And the King took a large stick of angelica in his hand & went home therewith to the lodging of Queen Tyri. Now Tyri sat a-weeping in her hall even as the King came in, but he said to her: 'Here is a great stalk of angelica for thee.' Aside thrust Tyri it with her hand, and said: 'Greater gifts gave Harald Gormson to me, but lesser feared he than thou dost to leave his land and seek his own, and the token thereof is that fared he hither to Norway and laid waste the greater part of this land and took to himself all taxes and dues; but durst thou not fare through the Danish realm for fear of my brother King Svein.' Then up sprang King Olaf at these words, & called out loudly, and swore withal: 'Never will I go in fear of thy brother King Svein, and whensoever we meet shall he be the one to give way.'

[Ill.u.s.tration]

-- Not long after these things summoned King Olaf a Thing in the town, and made known to all the people that in the summer would he send an host out of the country, and that it was his will to levy s.h.i.+ps & men from each county, & therewith did he make it known how many s.h.i.+ps he should require from the fjord there.

Then sent he messengers inland both northwards and southwards, and along the coast on the outside of the islands and inside them along the land, and called men to arms.

Thereafter did King Olaf launch the 'Long Serpent' & all his other s.h.i.+ps great & small; and the 'Long Serpent' he himself steered, and when men were taken for a crew, with so much care was choice made that on the 'Long Serpent' was there no man older than sixty nor younger than twenty. All were chosen with the utmost care for their strength and courage, & the first taken were King Olaf's body-guard, for composed it was of the stoutest & boldest men both from home and abroad.

-- Wolf the Red was the name of the man who bore the banner of King Olaf, and his place was in the prow of the 'Serpent'; there likewise were Kolbiorn the Marshal, Thorstein Ox-foot and Vikar of Tiundaland, the brother of Arnliot Gellini. Of the forecastle in the prow were Vak Raumason of the River, Bersi the Strong, On the Archer of Jamtaland, Thrond the Stout from Thelemark and Othyrmi his brother; and the Halogalanders Thrond Squint-eye, Ogmund Sande, Lodvir the Long, from Saltvik, and Harek the Keen.

From Inner Throndhjem were there Ketil the Tall, Thorfin Eisli, and Havard and his brothers from Orkadal. Those manning the forehold were Biorn of Studla, Thorgrim Tiodolfson of Hvin, Asbiorn & Orm, Thord of Niardalang, Thorstein the White of Oprostad, Anor of More, Hallstein and Hawk from the Fjords, Eyvind Snak, Bergthor Bestil, Hallkel of Fialir, Olaf the Boy, Arnfin of Sogn, Sigurd Bild, Einar the Hordalander and Fin, Ketil the Rogalander, and Griotgard the Quick. In the main-hold were Einar Tamberskelfir, deemed by the others less able than they for then was he but eighteen winters old, Hallstein Hlifarson, Thorolf, Ivar Smetta, and Orm Skoganef.

Many other men of valour were there on the 'Serpent' though we cannot name them; eight were there to a half-berth, and chosen man by man. It was a common saying that the crew of the 'Serpent' was for goodliness, strength, and boldness, as much above other men as the 'Serpent' herself was above other s.h.i.+ps.

Thorkel Nefia, own brother to the King, steered the 'Short Serpent,' and Thorkel Dydril and Jostein, they that were uncles to him on the side of his mother, commanded the 'Crane'; right well manned were these twain s.h.i.+ps. Moreover had King Olaf eleven great s.h.i.+ps from Throndhjem, s.h.i.+ps of twenty benches, two smaller s.h.i.+ps and victuallers.

-- When King Olaf had completed the equipping of his fleet at Nidaros, appointed he men throughout the whole of the district of Throndhjem to be stewards collecting revenue, and annalists. He then sent to Iceland Gizur the White & Hialti Skeggison to convert that country to Christianity, and sent he with them that priest whose name is Thormod and other consecrated men, but kept back with him as hostages the four men of Iceland they that he deemed to be of greatest mark, to wit, Kiartan Olafson, Halldor Gudmundson, Kolbein Thordson and Sverting Runolfson; and it is said of the journey of Gizur & Hialti that they were come unto Iceland or ever the meeting of the Althing & were present at the Thing, and thereat was baptism legalized in Iceland and that summer all folk were brought into the true fold.

-- The same spring likewise sent King Olaf Leif Eirikson to Greenland to convert the people, and fared he thither that summer. On the main found he the crew of a s.h.i.+p who were lying helpless on a wreck, and thereafter he discovered Vineland the Good,-- yet came he the same summer to Greenland; and with him had he a priest and teachers, and he took up his abode at Brattalid with his father Eirik. Thereafter did men call him Leif the Lucky; but Eirik, his father, said that the one thing was a set-off to the other: on the one hand was the saving of the s.h.i.+p's crew by Leif & on the other the bringing to Greenland of that 'juggler,' to wit, the priest.

-- Then took King Olaf his host southward following the coast, and many of his friends flocked to him, mighty men, who were bravely furnished for an expedition with the King. The first man of these was own brother-in-law to himself, Erling Skialgson with his large 'skeid'-- wherein were thirty benches, and right well manned was she withal. There came also to him his brothers-in-law Hyrning and Thorgeir, each steering a large s.h.i.+p. Many other mighty men accompanied him, so that when he left the country had he thirty long-s.h.i.+ps. King Olaf sailed south through Eyrasund, off the coasts of Denmark, and in due course came he to Wendland.

There appointed he a tryst with King Burizlaf, and the Kings met and spake together of the possessions claimed of King Olaf, and all the talk between them went in kindly wise and the claims whereof King Olaf deemed himself to have rights there were fully ordered.

Abode he there a long while during the summer, and saw many of his friends.

-- As hath been related ere this, King Svein Two-beard had wedded Sigrid the Haughty, & Sigrid was King Olaf's greatest foe, the reason therefor being how King Olaf had broken his troth with her, as has been afore set in fair script, and how he had smote her on the face.

Sigrid incited King Svein to do battle with King Olaf Tryggvason, saying pretext enough was it that he had wedded the own sister to Svein, she Tyri, without his leave: 'And never would thy forefathers have suffered such a thing.' Such words as these had Queen Sigrid ever on her lips, and so far went she with her persuasions that King Svein was full willing to do battle with Olaf. So early in spring-tide sent King Svein men east to Sweden, to Olaf the Swedish King, he that was his step-son, & to Earl Eirik, to tell them that Olaf King of Norway had his fleet abroad, and thought of faring to Wendland come summer; another message took they likewise, namely that the Swedish King and the Earl should call out their hosts and go to meet King Svein, and that then altogether they should get their battle over against King Olaf. Now the King of Sweden and Eirik the Earl were ready and eager for this venture, so mustered they a large fleet in Sweden, and with the s.h.i.+ps thereof went south to Denmark and came thither at the time when King Olaf had already sailed east. Of this speaketh Halldor in the song he made about Earl Eirik:

'Crusher of Kings who battles loved, From out of Sweden called, To southern battle fared he forth, Even with great hosts of men, The wound-bird on the sea gat food while waiting, Each and every warrior was fain to follow Eirik.'

-- So the King of the Swedes and Earl Eirik shaped a course to meet the Danish King, and when all the fleets were come together was there a host greater than one man could number.

-- When King Svein sent for that fleet, sent he moreover Earl Sigvaldi to Wendland to spy on the expedition of King Olaf, and to lay such a lure that King Svein and the others might a.s.suredly fall in with King Olaf.

So Earl Sigvaldi set forth and went to Wendland and Jomsborg, and met King Olaf Tryggvason. Now had they much friendly conversation one with the other, and the Earl came greatly to love the King, mainly on account of their former kins.h.i.+p, for Astrid, she that was wife unto the Earl, even the daughter of King Burizlaf, was very friendly with King Olaf, for the reason that the latter had had her sister Geira to wife.

Now Sigvaldi was a wise man, & one ready at expedients, & when he and King Olaf took counsel together, found he many and divers pretexts for delaying the journey of the King to the westward; but the men of King Olaf murmured thereat and were loudly displeased, and longed much to get them hence home, for, said they, 'clear are we to sail & fair is the wind.' Learned Sigvaldi now privily from Denmark that the King of the Danes and the King of the Swedes & Eirik the Earl were met together, and were even about to set sail to the eastward off the coast of Wendland; likewise that it had been convened betwixt them that they in wait for King Olaf should lie off that isle which is called Svold;-- & that moreover he, the Earl, was after some fas.h.i.+on to contrive that King Olaf be found of them.

-- And now went about a rumour in Wendland that Svein, the King of the Danes, also had an host abroad, & soon tongues wagged to the tune that well would it like Svein, the King of the Danes, to meet with King Olaf; but said Earl Sigvaldi unto the King: 'No plan is it of King Svein to attack thee with the Danish host alone, seeing how great an host of thine own thou hast; but if ye suspect that war may be at hand then will I and my men go with thee, and aforetime was it deemed good help when the Jomsborg vikings bore a chief company: I will go with thee even with eleven s.h.i.+ps well-found.'

To this did the King answer yea, and because at that time was there blowing a gentle breeze but favourable, commanded he that the fleet should get under way, & that the horns be blown for their departing.

Then the men hoisted sail; and the small s.h.i.+ps were those that made the better way, & out to sea sailed they. Now kept the Earl close by the King's s.h.i.+p, shouting to those on board, and bidding the King follow him: 'Well wot I,' he said, 'which sounds are deepest betwixt the isles, & this be fraught with care seeing how big are thy s.h.i.+ps.' So sailed the Earl first with his s.h.i.+ps, eleven s.h.i.+ps had he, & sailed the King after him with his large s.h.i.+ps, eleven likewise had he, but sailed all the rest of the fleet ahead and out to sea. Now it came to pa.s.s as Earl Sigvaldi was making Vold came rowing off a skiff, and those therein told unto the Earl how that the fleet of the King of the Danes lay in the haven even right over ahead of their way.

So the Earl ordered sails to be lowered, and rowed they in under that island. Thus saith Halldor the Unchristened:

'With s.h.i.+ps one more than seventy Came the lord of Eynafylki from the south; His sword he dyed in warfare When the Earl the s.h.i.+ps of Skani called out to battle.

Quickly then the peace was broken 'twixt the men.'

-- Now it will be marked that, according unto the bard, were the s.h.i.+ps of King Olaf & Earl Sigvaldi seventy-one in number what time sailed they from the south.

-- Now lying there were Svein, the King of the Danes, Olaf the King of the Swedes, and Earl Eirik, with all the might of their fleet, and fair weather was with them with bright suns.h.i.+ne. Went up to the islet all the chieftains with a large company of men, and spied they thence that a many s.h.i.+ps were sailing together out at sea.

And they beheld a large s.h.i.+p and brave sailing, and said both the Kings: 'There goes a great s.h.i.+p, pa.s.sing fair, none other can this be save only the "Long Serpent."'

Then made Earl Eirik answer, saying: 'That is not the "Long Serpent."'

And it was as he opined, for this s.h.i.+p belonged to Eindrid of Gimsar.

A while later saw they yet another s.h.i.+p sailing, much greater than the first, and then spake King Svein: 'Afeard is Olaf Tryggvason, for he dareth not sail with the head upon his s.h.i.+p.' Then said Earl Eirik: 'That is not the King's s.h.i.+p; that s.h.i.+p and the sail thereof know I, for the sail is a striped one; Erling Skialgson it is who hath command thereof.

Let them sail on! Better is it for us that this s.h.i.+p should be lacking from Olaf's fleet, so well appointed is it.' A while later saw they and recognized the s.h.i.+ps of Sigvaldi the Earl, and one of them also was great.

Then spake King Svein and bade them go to their s.h.i.+ps; for, said he, there sails the 'Long Serpent'; but Earl Eirik called out, 'Many more s.h.i.+ps and fine ones have they besides the 'Long Serpent,' let us bide a while.'

Then many of the men fell to talking, & they said: 'Eirik the Earl will not fight to avenge his father. Shame, shame is it, & throughout all the land will it be heard, if we lie here with so great a fleet & let King Olaf sail out to sea on our very flank.' But after they had been talking thus a while saw they that four more s.h.i.+ps came sailing by, and one of these was a dragon, large indeed, and bedecked with gold. Then rose up King Svein and said: 'High shall the "Serpent" carry me this eve; and I will steer her.' Many of the men called out that the 'Serpent' was a mighty great s.h.i.+p and beautiful to look upon, and a glorious work had it been to build such a craft.

Then Earl Eirik said so loud that sundry heard him: 'E'en had King Olaf no larger s.h.i.+p than this, King Svein would with the Danish host alone never wrest it from him.' Then went the men to their s.h.i.+ps and took the tilts from off them; whilst the chiefs were talking among themselves of that which is writ above saw they sailing along three very large s.h.i.+ps, and a fourth s.h.i.+p last of all, and that was the 'Long Serpent.' Now of those large s.h.i.+ps which had sailed past before, and had been deemed by the men to be the 'Long Serpent,' the first was the 'Crane' and the last the 'Short Serpent.' But when they beheld the 'Long Serpent,' and none gainsaid this, then wotted all that now indeed was Olaf Tryggvason sailing by. Then went they to their s.h.i.+ps, and made ready to row to the onset. Now a compact had been struck between the chiefs, King Svein, King Olaf, and Earl Eirik, that to each one of them should be given a third part of Norway if it befell that King Olaf was slain; moreover he who first boarded the 'Long Serpent' was for his own to have all the booty taken therefrom, and each of them was to have what s.h.i.+ps he himself cleared.

Earl Eirik had a very large long-s.h.i.+p which he was wont to use on his viking cruises; a beard was there on the higher part of both prow and stern, and thick plates of iron going from thence all the breadth of the beard right down to the water-line.

-- Now when Earl Sigvaldi & his men headed in towards the islet, observed closely Thorkel Dydril of the 'Crane' and the captains of the other s.h.i.+ps sailing with him, what he was doing, and they too lowered sail, and rowing after him, called out to him to know why thus he was faring.

The Earl answered that he was going to bide the coming of King Olaf, for most like did it seem that war was at hand.

So then they likewise let their s.h.i.+ps lie-to until such time as Thorkel Leira with the 'Short Serpent' was come up and with him too the three other s.h.i.+ps which were following him, and the same tidings were told unto them; then they also lowered sail, laid-to and bided the coming of King Olaf.

But when the King sailed out towards the isle, then rowed out into the sound the whole of the hostile fleet even for to meet him; and his men witnessing this same prayed the King sail his way, and not engage in battle with so large an host.

But King Olaf stood up on the p.o.o.p, and shouted with a loud voice: 'Let no men of mine lower sail or think of fleeing; never have I fled in battle. May G.o.d look to my life, for never will I turn to flight.' And it was done even as the King said. Thus saith Hallfrod:

'Fain would I name those words, Which Olaf's warriors tell us The lord deed-mighty spake there, To his men before the battle.

The warlike King forbade His champions to think of flight, And how they live, the words the loved one of the people spoke.'