The Sagas of Olaf Tryggvason and of Harald The Tyrant (Harald Haardraade) Part 6

Then said the Earl, 'Erling must have been slain.' For the second time Thormod Kark slept and he cried out in his sleep, and when he awoke told his dream, namely that he had seen the self-same man coming down again, & he had bidden Kark tell the Earl that now all the sounds were closed.

And Kark telling Earl Hakon his dream said he thought it might betoken a short life for him. Thereafter they arose and went to the homestead of Rimul, whence sent the Earl Kark to Thora bidding her come privily to him. This did she in haste, and made the Earl right welcome, and he craved of her hiding were it but for a few nights even until dispersed should be the peasants. 'Here is it that thou wilt be sought by them,'

said she, 'and search will they make both within and without, throughout the whole of this my homestead, for many there are that wot over well how that I would fain help thee all that I might.

Howbeit one place is there wherein would I never seek for such a man as thou, and that is in the swine-sty.' So thither hied they and said the Earl: 'Here then will we hide us, for it behoves us that first of all must we give heed to our own lives.' Thereupon dug the thrall a large ditch in the sty & carried away the earth, and afterwards placed wood across it.

And Thora brought unto the Earl tidings that Olaf Tryggvason was come up the fjord, and that he had slain the Earl's son Erling.

Right so went the Earl into the trench, & Kark with him, and Thora dragged wood athwart it, and swept earth and muck over it, and drave the swine thereon. Now the swine-sty was under a certain big rock.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

-- With five long-s.h.i.+ps shaped Olaf Tryggvason his course into the fjord, & Erling, the son of Earl Hakon with his three s.h.i.+ps rowed him out to meet him. Or ever the s.h.i.+ps drew nigh one to another Erling and his men knew that this was war, and then in lieu of coming to a meeting with Olaf did they make head for the land. Now Olaf when he had seen the long-s.h.i.+ps rowing down the fjord towards him thought to himself that this would be Earl Hakon, and thereon gave the word of command to row ahead as hard as might be.

The men of Erling even so soon as they were come nigh unto the sh.o.r.e leapt they in haste overboard & made for land. Thither after them were come the s.h.i.+ps of Olaf and he himself saw swimming a man exceeding fair to look upon, and thereon seized he the tiller and threw it even unto this man, and the tiller smote the head of Erling, he that was son of the Earl, so that his skull was cloven, yea even to the brain.

Thus came it to pa.s.s that Erling lost his life.

There slew the men of Olaf many, but even so did a few make good their escape; others again made they prisoners, & giving them quarter gat tidings from them.

Thus learnt Olaf that the peasants had driven away Earl Hakon, that he was fleeing before them, and that all the folk that were his were scattered.

Thereafter did the peasants come unto Olaf, and as all liked one another pa.s.sing well forthwith entered they into fellows.h.i.+p.

The peasants hailed him for their King, and they covenanted together to seek Earl Hakon, & to make search up into Gaulardal where if peradventure he was to be found in any of the houses there, deemed they it likeliest would he be at Rimul since all men knew for why.

Thora was the dearest friend to him in that valley. So thither went they, and sought the Earl both without and within but of him could they find no trace; and Olaf summoned the people together out in the yard, and standing on the rock which was beside the swine-sty spake unto them, and the words that he uttered were that he would reward with riches and honour the man who would work mischief to Earl Hakon.

This speech was heard both by the Earl and Kark. Now by them in the sty had they a light there with them, and the Earl said: 'Why art thou so pale, yet withal as black as earth? Is it in thy heart, Kark, that thou shouldst betray me?' 'Nay,' said Kark, 'we two were born on the self-same night, and long s.p.a.ce will there not be twixt the hour of our deaths.' Towards evening went King Olaf away, & when it was night Kark slept, and the Earl kept watch, but Kark was troubled in his sleep. Then the Earl awakened him & asked him whereof he dreamt, and he said: 'I was now even at Ladir, and Olaf Tryggvason placed a gold ornament about my neck.'

The Earl answered: 'A blood-red ring will it be that Olaf Tryggvason will lay about thy neck, shouldst thou meet with him. Beware now, and betray me not, & thou shalt be treated well by me as heretofore.' Then stay they both sleepless each watching the other, as it might be, but nigh daybreak fell the Earl asleep and was troubled at once, so troubled that he drew his heels up under him & his head likewise under him, and made as though he would rise up, calling aloud and in a fearsome way.

Then grew Kark afeard & filled with horror, so it came to pa.s.s that he drew a large knife from his belt and plunged it into the throat of the Earl cutting him from ear to ear. Thus was encompa.s.sed the death of Earl Hakon.

Then cut Kark off the head of the Earl and hasted him away with it, and the day following came he with it to Ladir unto King Olaf, and there told he him all that had befallen them on their flight, as hath already been set forth. Afterwards King Olaf let Kark be taken away thence, & his head be sundered from his trunk.

-- Thereafter to Nidarholm went King Olaf and likewise went many of the peasantry, and with them bare they the heads of Earl Hakon and Kark. In those days it was the custom to use this island as a place whereon might be slain thieves & criminals, and on it stood a gallows. And the King caused that on this gallows should be exposed the heads of Earl Hakon and Kark. Then went thither the whole of the host, and shouted up at them and cast stones, and said that they went to h.e.l.l each in goodly company, ever one rascal with another. Thereafter did they send men up to Gaulardal, & after they had dragged thence the body of Earl Hakon did they burn it.

So great strength was there now in the enmity that was borne against Earl Hakon by the folk that were of Throndhjem that no one durst breathe his name save as the 'bad Earl,' and for long afterwards was he called after this fas.h.i.+on.

Nevertheless it is but justice to bear testimony of Earl Hakon that he was well worthy to be a chief, firstly by the lineage whereof he was descended, then for his wisdom and the insight with which he used the power that pertained to him, his boldness in battle, and withal his goodhap in gaining victories and slaying his foemen. Thus saith Thorleif Raudfelldarson:

'Hakon! no Earl more glorious 'neath the moon's highway: In strife and battle hath the warrior honour won, Chieftains mine to Odin hast thou sent, (Food for ravens were their corses) Therefore wide be thy rule!'

-- The most generous of men was Earl Hakon, yet even to such a chief befell so great mishap on his dying-day. And this was brought about by the coming of the time when blood-offerings & the men of blood-offerings were doomed, & in their stead were found the true Faith and righteous wors.h.i.+p.

-- In general Thing at Throndhjem was Olaf Tryggvason chosen to be King of the land, even as Harald Fair-hair had been King. Indeed the folk rose up, & the crowds would hear of nought else but that Olaf Tryggvason should be King; and Olaf went throughout the country conquering it, & all men in Norway vowed allegiance to him.

Even the lords of the Uplands and Vik who had before held their lands from the Danish King now became men unto Olaf and held their lands from him. Then in the first winter & the summer thereafter fared he through the country.

Earl Eirik Hakonson, and Svein his brother, & others of their kith and friends.h.i.+p fled from the land, & going eastward to Sweden, even unto King Olaf the Swede, were by him well received. Thus saith Thord Kolbeinson:

'Foemen of robbers! swiftly can fate cause change, Brief s.p.a.ce 'fore the treason of men did Hakon to death, And to the land erewhile taken by the fighter in battle Came now the son of Tryggvi, faring from the west.

More in his mind had Eirik against his lord and King Than can now be spoken of, as might be thought of him.

In wrath sought the Earl counsel of the King of the Swedes (Stubborn are the folk of Throndhjem, ne'er one will flee).'

-- Now the name of a certain man from Vik was Lodin, and he possessed much wealth and was come of a goodly lineage. Often fared he as a merchant, but upon occasion as a viking. Now it befell one summer that Lodin, to whom appertained the s.h.i.+p, wherein was a fair cargo, did set sail eastward with merchandise that was his, and after making Estland spent he the summer there in the places where the fairs were held. Now the while a fair happeneth are many kinds of goods thither brought to it for sale, & likewise come many thralls, and among them as it befell in this wise one day saw Lodin a woman, who when he looked on her perceived he her to be Astrid, the daughter of Eirik whom King Tryggvi had had to wife. Now indeed was she unlike what she had been when he had aforetime seen her, for pale was she, and wasted, and poorly clad; but went he up to her & asked her about herself, and she answered: 'Sad is it to relate that have I been sold for a slave, & yet again am I brought hither for sale.' Thereafter did they recognize one another, & Astrid knew well all about him and she besought him to buy her & take her back to her kin.

'I will make a bargain with thee on this matter,' said he, 'I will bear thee home with me to Norway if thou wilt wed me.'

So Astrid being in such dire straits and knowing him full well to be a man that was brave & had many possessions, yea and moreover goodly lineage, plighted she him her troth so that she might be set free. Thus it came to pa.s.s that Lodin bought Astrid, and bare her away home even unto Norway, and wedded her there with the goodwill of her kinsfolk. The children she bare to him were Thorkel Nefia, Ingirid, and Ingigerd; while the daughters of Astrid by King Tryggvi were Ingibiorg and Astrid.

The sons of Eirik Biodaskalli were Sigurd Carles-head, Jostein, and Thorkel Dydril; all these were n.o.ble & wealthy, and to them pertained manors in the east of the country.

Two brothers that dwelt in Vik, Thorgeir & Hyrning as they were named, took to wife the daughters of Astrid and Lodin.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

-- After the Danish King, Harald Gormson, had embraced the faith of Christ made he proclamation throughout his dominions that all men must allow themselves to be baptized, and must turn to the true Faith.

He himself followed hard on the bidding, making use of force and chastis.e.m.e.nt when naught else could prevail.

He sent to Norway with a great host two Earls that were called Urgutherjot and Brimiskiar;-- the mission to them was that they should proclaim Christianity throughout the land & the same also in Vik which had done direct homage unto Harald himself.

Folk made they submissive readily enough, and many country folk were thereon baptized. Howsoever it came to pa.s.s that after the death of Harald speedily went his son Svein Two-beard to war in Saxland, Frisland, and at last also in England, and then those of Norway who had received Christianity returned to sacrifices, as in the old times aforesaid in the north country.

But Olaf Tryggvason after that he was King in Norway dwelt he for long in the summer at Vik, where he was made welcome with great show of affection; and to that place came also many of his kindred, & others who were allied to him, and many that had been good friends with his father.

Then did Olaf summon to him his uncle, & his step-father Lodin, & his step-brothers Thorgeirr and Hyrning, and laying the matter before them besought them most earnestly to undertake with him, and thereafter with all their might support the spreading of the message of Christianity, for this message it was his wish to carry throughout the whole of his dominions.

And, said he, that he would have it his way or die, 'I will make all of ye great and powerful men, for it is upon ye that chiefly do I rely inasmuch as ye are to me kith & brethren.' So all were agreed to do what he bade them and support him in that which he desired, and to have fellows.h.i.+p with all those that were of a mind to follow their counsel.

Then did King Olaf proclaim that he would invite all men in his realm to become Christians, and those who had agreed this aforetime straightway did his bidding, & as they were the most powerful of those present, all the others did according to their example. Thereafter were all folk baptized in the eastern part of Vik, & then went the King to the northern parts thereof and invited all men to receive Christianity; and those who said nay chastised he severely, slaying some, and maiming some, and driving away others from the land. So it came to pa.s.s that the people of the whole of that kingdom whereover his father King Tryggvi had ruled aforetime, and likewise that which his kinsman Harald the Grenlander had possessed, received Christianity according to the bidding of King Olaf. Wherefore in that summer and in the winter thereafter were the people of the whole of Vik made Christian.

-- Early in the spring-time was King Olaf astir, and leaving Vik went he north-west to Agdir and whithersoever he went summoned he the peasants to a Thing, and bade all men let themselves be baptized. And forasmuch as none of the peasantry durst rise up against the King, the people were baptized withersoever he went, and the men embraced Christianity.

-- Bold men and many were there in Hordaland who were come of the kin of Horda Kari. To him had been born four sons: firstly, Thorleif the Wise, secondly, Ogmund who was the father of Thorolf Skialg, the father of Erling of Soli; thirdly, Thord the father of Klyp the 'hersir' (he that slew Sigurd Sleva Gunnhildson) and fourthly, Olmod the father of Aksel who was the father of Aslak Fitiar-skalli. This stock was greatest and bravest in Hordaland.

-- Now when these kinsmen heard the disquieting tidings that the King was coming from the east along the coast, and with him a large host who forced all men that they should break the old laws of the old G.o.ds, and imposed penalties with sore chastis.e.m.e.nts on all those who spake not to his liking, agreed they to meet together to take counsel upon their plans for well knew they the King would soon be upon them; it was therefore agreed among them that they would one & all be present at the Gula-Thing, and there should they meet Olaf Tryggvason.

-- Even so soon as he was come to Rogaland did Olaf summon a Thing, & thereto came the peasantry in great numbers and fully armed.