Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
Fled from a young king seeking fame.
In Bretland, and in Cumberland,
People against him could not stand:
Thick on the fields their corpses lay,
To ravens and howling wolves a prey."
Olaf Trygvason had been four years on this cruise (A.D. 985-988), from
the time he left Vindland till he came to the Scilly Islands.
32. KING OLAF IS BAPTIZED.
While Olaf Trygvason lay in the Scilly Isles he heard of a seer, or
fortune-teller, on the islands, who could tell beforehand things not
yet done, and what he foretold many believed was really fulfilled. Olaf
became curious to try this man's gift of prophecy. He therefore sent
one of his men, who was the handsomest and strongest, clothed him
magnificently, and bade him say he was the king; for Olaf was known
in all countries as handsomer, stronger, and braver than all others,
although, after he had left Russia, he retained no more of his name than
that he was called Ole, and was Russian. Now when the messenger came
to the fortune-teller, and gave himself out for the king, he got the
answer, "Thou art not the king, but I advise thee to be faithful to thy
king." And more he would not say to that man. The man returned, and told
Olaf, and his desire to meet the fortune-teller was increased; and now
he had no doubt of his being really a fortune-teller. Olaf repaired
himself to him, and, entering into conversation, asked him if he could
foresee how it would go with him with regard to his kingdom, or of any
other fortune he was to have. The hermit replies in a holy spirit of
prophecy, "Thou wilt become a renowned king, and do celebrated deeds.
Many men wilt thou bring to faith and baptism, and both to thy own and
others' good; and that thou mayst have no doubt of the truth of this
answer, listen to these tokens: When thou comest to thy ships many of
thy people will conspire against thee, and then a battle will follow
in which many of thy men will fall, and thou wilt be wounded almost to
death, and carried upon a shield to thy ship; yet after seven days thou
shalt be well of thy wounds, and immediately thou shalt let thyself be
baptized." Soon after Olaf went down to his ships, where he met some
mutineers and people who would destroy him and his men. A fight took
place, and the result was what the hermit had predicted, that Olaf was
wounded, and carried upon a shield to his ship, and that his wound was
healed in seven days. Then Olaf perceived that the man had spoken truth,
that he was a true fortune-teller, and had the gift of prophecy. Olaf
went once more to the hermit, and asked particularly how he came to have
such wisdom in foreseeing things to be. The hermit replied, that the
Christian God himself let him know all that he desired; and he
brought before Olaf many great proofs of the power of the Almighty.
In consequence of this encouragement Olaf agreed to let himself be
baptized, and he and all his followers were baptized forthwith. He
remained here a long time, took the true faith, and got with him priests
and other learned men.
33. OLAF MARRIES GYDA.
In autumn (A.D. 988) Olaf sailed from Scilly to England, where he
put into a harbour, but proceeded in a friendly way; for England was
Christian, and he himself had become Christian. At this time a summons
to a Thing went through the country, that all men should come to hold a
Thing. Now when the Thing was assembled a queen called Gyda came to it,
a sister of Olaf Kvaran, who was king of Dublin in Ireland. She had been
married to a great earl in England, and after his death she was at the
head of his dominions. In her territory there was a man called Alfvine,
who was a great champion and single-combat man. He had paid his
addresses to her; but she gave for answer, that she herself would choose
whom of the men in her dominions she would take in marriage; and on
that account the Thing was assembled, that she might choose a husband.
Alfvine came there dressed out in his best clothes, and there were many
well-dressed men at the meeting. Olaf had come there also; but had on
his bad-weather clothes, and a coarse over-garment, and stood with his
people apart from the rest of the crowd. Gyda went round and looked at
each, to see if any appeared to her a suitable man. Now when she came to
where Olaf stood she looked at him straight in the face, and asked "what
sort of man he was?"
He said, "I am called Ole; and I am a stranger here."
Gyda replies, "Wilt thou have me if I choose thee?"
"I will not say no to that," answered he; and he asked what her name
was, and her family, and descent.
"I am called Gyda," said she; "and am daughter of the king of Ireland,
and was married in this country to an earl who ruled over this
territory. Since his death I have ruled over it, and many have courted
me, but none to whom I would choose to be married."
She was a young and handsome woman. They afterwards talked over the
matter together, and agreed, and Olaf and Gyda were betrothed.
34. KING OLAF AND ALFVINE'S DUEL.
Alfvine was very ill pleased with this. It was the custom then in
England, if two strove for anything, to settle the matter by single
combat (1); and now Alfvine challenges Olaf Trygvason to fight about
this business. The time and place for the combat were settled, and that
each should have twelve men with him. When they met, Olaf told his men
to do exactly as they saw him do. He had a large axe; and when Alfvine
was going to cut at him with his sword he hewed away the sword out of
his hand, and with the next blow struck down Alfvine himself. He then
bound him fast. It went in the same way with all Alfvine's men. They
were beaten down, bound, and carried to Olaf's lodging. Thereupon he
ordered Alfvine to quit the country, and never appear in it again; and
Olaf took all his property. Olaf in this way got Gyda in marriage, and
lived sometimes in England, and sometimes in Ireland.
ENDNOTES: (1) Holm-gang: so called because the combatants went to a holm
or uninhabited isle to fight in Norway.--L.
35. KING OLAF GETS HIS DOG VIGE.
While Olaf was in Ireland he was once on an expedition which went by
sea. As they required to make a foray for provisions on the coast, some
of his men landed, and drove down a large herd of cattle to the strand.
Now a peasant came up, and entreated Olaf to give him back the cows that
belonged to him. Olaf told him to take his cows, if he could distinguish
them; "but don't delay our march." The peasant had with him a large
house-dog, which he put in among the herd of cattle, in which many
hundred head of beasts were driven together. The dog ran into the herd,
and drove out exactly the number which the peasant had said he wanted;
and all were marked with the same mark, which showed that the dog knew
the right beasts, and was very sagacious. Olaf then asked the peasant
if he would sell him the dog. "I would rather give him to you," said the
peasant. Olaf immediately presented him with a gold ring in return, and
promised him his friendship in future. This dog was called Vige, and was
the very best of dogs, and Olaf owned him long afterwards.
36. HARALD GORMSON SAILS AGAINST ICELAND.
The Danish king, Harald Gormson, heard that Earl Hakon had thrown off
Christianity, and had plundered far and wide in the Danish land. The
Danish king levied an army, with which he went to Norway; and when he
came to the country which Earl Hakon had to rule over he laid waste the
whole land, and came with his fleet to some islands called Solunder.
Only five houses were left standing in Laeradal; but all the people
fled up to the mountains, and into the forest, taking with them all the
moveable goods they could carry with them. Then the Danish king proposed
to sail with his fleet to Iceland, to avenge the mockery and scorn
all the Icelanders had shown towards him; for they had made a law in
Iceland, that they should make as many lampoons against the Danish king
as there were headlands in his country; and the reason was, because a
vessel which belonged to certain Icelanders was stranded in Denmark, and
the Danes took all the property, and called it wreck. One of the king's
bailiffs called Birger was to blame for this; but the lampoons were made
against both. In the lampoons were the following lines:--
"The gallant Harald in the field
Between his legs lets drop his shield;
Into a pony he was changed.
And kicked his shield, and safely ranged.
And Birger, he who dwells in halls
For safety built with four stone walls,
That these might be a worthy pair,
Was changed into a pony mare."
37. HARALD SENDS A WARLOCK TO ICELAND.
King Harald told a warlock to hie to Iceland in some altered shape,
and to try what he could learn there to tell him: and he set out in the
shape of a whale. And when he came near to the land he went to the west
side of Iceland, north around the land, where he saw all the mountains
and hills full of guardian-spirits, some great, some small. When he came
to Vapnafjord he went in towards the land, intending to go on shore; but
a huge dragon rushed down the dale against him with a train of serpents,
paddocks, and toads, that blew poison towards him. Then he turned to
go westward around the land as far as Eyjafjord, and he went into the
fjord. Then a bird flew against him, which was so great that its wings
stretched over the mountains on either side of the fjord, and many
birds, great and small, with it. Then he swam farther west, and then
south into Breidafjord. When he came into the fjord a large grey bull
ran against him, wading into the sea, and bellowing fearfully, and he
was followed by a crowd of land-spirits. From thence he went round by
Reykjanes, and wanted to land at Vikarsskeid, but there came down a
hill-giant against him with an iron staff in his hands. He was a head
higher than the mountains, and many other giants followed him. He then
swam eastward along the land, and there was nothing to see, he said, but
sand and vast deserts, and, without the skerries, high-breaking surf;
and the ocean between the countries was so wide that a long-ship
could not cross it. At that time Brodhelge dwelt in Vapnafjord, Eyjolf
Valgerdson in Eyjafjord, Thord Geller in Breidafjord, and Thorod Gode in
Olfus. Then the Danish king turned about with his fleet, and sailed back
to Denmark.
Hakon the earl settled habitations again in the country that had been
laid waste, and paid no scat as long as he lived to Denmark.
38. HARALD GORMSON'S DEATH.
Svein, King Harald's son, who afterwards was called Tjuguskeg (forked
beard), asked his father King Harald for a part of his kingdom; but now,
as before, Harald would not listen to dividing the Danish dominions, and
giving him a kingdom. Svein collected ships of war, and gave out that he
was going on a viking cruise; but when all his men were assembled, and
the Jomsborg viking Palnatoke had come to his assistance he ran into
Sealand to Isafjord, where his father had been for some time with his
ships ready to proceed on an expedition. Svein instantly gave battle,
and the combat was severe. So many people flew to assist King Harald,
that Svein was overpowered by numbers, and fled. But King Harald
received a wound which ended in his death: and Svein was chosen King of
Denmark. At this time Sigvalde was earl over Jomsborg in Vindland. He
was a son of King Strutharald, who had ruled over Skane. Heming, and
Thorkel the Tall, were Sigvalde's brothers. Bue the Thick from Bornholm,
and Sigurd his brother, were also chiefs among the Jomsborg vikings:
and also Vagn, a son of Ake and Thorgunna, and a sister's son of Bue and
Sigurd. Earl Sigvalde had taken King Svein prisoner, and carried him