Heimskringla, or the Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Part 27

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 s.h.i.+p was highest, but in the middle of the s.h.i.+p the people were thinned. Now when Earl Eirik saw there were but few people remaining beside the s.h.i.+p'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 s.h.i.+p 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 s.h.i.+p'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 s.h.i.+p 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 s.h.i.+elds 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 s.h.i.+ps 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 s.h.i.+p; 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 s.h.i.+eld over his head, and sank beneath the waters. Kolbjorn held his s.h.i.+eld behind him to protect himself from the spears cast at him from the s.h.i.+ps which lay round the Serpent, and he fell so upon his s.h.i.+eld 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 95th 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 s.h.i.+ps; but the eleventh s.h.i.+p 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 longs.h.i.+ps, 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 b.l.o.o.d.y 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 h.e.l.l.

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 s.h.i.+p 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 Nors.e.m.e.n's land.

And now the news is spread That mighty Svein is dead, And luck is gone from those Who were the Nors.e.m.e.n'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 t.i.tle 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.

SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON. (1)

PRELIMINARY REMARKS.

Olaf Haraldson the Saint's Saga is the longest, the most important, and the most finished of all the sagas in "Heimskringla". The life of Olaf will be found treated more or less freely in "Agrip", in "Historia Norvegiae", in "Thjodrek the Monk", in the legendary saga, and in "f.a.grskinna". Other old Norse literature relating to this epoch:

Are's "Islendingabok", "Landnama", "Kristni Saga", "Biskupa-sogur", "Njala", "Gunlaugs Saga", "Ormstungu", "Bjarnar Saga Hitdaelakappa", "Hallfredar Thattr Vandraedaskalde", "Eyrbyggia", "Viga Styrs Saga", "Laxdaela", "Fostbraedra", "Gretla", "Liosvetninga", "Faereyinga", "Orkneyinga".

Olaf Haraldson was born 995, went as a viking at the age of twelve, 1007; visited England, one summer and three winters, 1009-1012; in France two summers and one winter, 1012-1013; spent the winter in Normandy, 1014; returned to Norway and was recognized as King, April 3, 1015; fled from Norway the winter of 1028-1029; fell at Stiklestad, July 29 (or August 31), 1030.

Skalds quoted in this saga are:--Ottar Svarte, Sigvat Skald, Thord Kolbeinson, Berse Torfason, Brynjolf, Arnor Jarlaskald, Thord Siarekson, Harek, Thorarin Loftunga, Halvard Hareksblese, Bjarne Gulbraskald, Jokul Bardson, Thormod Kolbrunarskald, Gissur, Thorfin Mun, Hofgardaref.

ENDNOTES: (1) King Olaf the Saint reigned from about the year 1015 to 1030. The death of King Olaf Trygvason was in the year 1000: and Earl Eirik held the government for the Danish and Swedish kings about fifteen years.--L.

1. OF SAINT OLAF'S BRINGING UP.

Olaf, Harald Grenske's son, was brought up by his stepfather Sigurd Syr and his mother Asta. Hrane the Far-travelled lived in the house of Asta, and fostered this Olaf Haraldson. Olaf came early to manhood, was handsome in countenance, middle-sized in growth, and was even when very young of good understanding and ready speech. Sigurd his stepfather was a careful householder, who kept his people closely to their work, and often went about himself to inspect his corn-rigs and meadowland, the cattle, and also the smith-work, or whatsoever his people had on hand to do.