Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
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 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 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.
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
"Fagrskinna". 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.
2. OF OLAF AND KING SIGURD SYR.
It happened one day that King Sigurd wanted to ride from home, but there
was nobody about the house; so he told his stepson Olaf to saddle his
horse. Olaf went to the goats' pen, took out the he-goat that was the
largest, led him forth, and put the king's saddle on him, and then went
in and told King Sigurd he had saddled his riding horse. Now when King
Sigurd came out and saw what Olaf had done, he said "It is easy to see
that thou wilt little regard my orders; and thy mother will think
it right that I order thee to do nothing that is against thy own
inclination. I see well enough that we are of different dispositions,
and that thou art far more proud than I am." Olaf answered little, but
went his way laughing.
3. OF RING OLAF'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
When Olaf Haraldson grew up he was not tall, but middle-sized in height,
although very thick, and of good strength. He had light brown hair, and
a broad face, which was white and red. He had particularly fine eyes,
which were beautiful and piercing, so that one was afraid to look him
in the face when he was angry. Olaf was very expert in all bodily
exercises, understood well to handle his bow, and was distinguished
particularly in throwing his spear by hand: he was a great swimmer,
and very handy, and very exact and knowing in all kinds of smithwork,
whether he himself or others made the thing. He was distinct and acute
in conversation, and was soon perfect in understanding and strength. He
was beloved by his friends and acquaintances, eager in his amusements,
and one who always liked to be the first, as it was suitable he should
be from his birth and dignity. He was called Olaf the Great.
4. KING OLAF'S WAR EXPEDITION.
Olaf Haraldson was twelve years old when he, for the first time, went
on board a ship of war (A.D. 1007). His mother Asta got Hrane, who was
called the foster-father of kings, to command a ship of war and take
Olaf under his charge; for Hrane had often been on war expeditions.
When Olaf in this way got a ship and men, the crew gave him the title of
king; for it was the custom that those commanders of troops who were of
kingly descent, on going out upon a viking cruise, received the title of
king immediately although they had no land or kingdom. Hrane sat at the
helm; and some say that Olaf himself was but a common rower, although he
was king of the men-at-arms. They steered east along the land, and came
first to Denmark. So says Ottar Svarte, in his lay which he made about
King Olaf:--
"Young was the king when from his home
He first began in ships to roam,
His ocean-steed to ride
To Denmark o'er the tide.
Well exercised art thou in truth--
In manhood's earnest work, brave youth!
Out from the distant north
Mighty hast thou come forth."
Towards autumn he sailed eastward to the Swedish dominions, and there
harried and burnt all the country round; for he thought he had good
cause of hostility against the Swedes, as they killed his father Harald.
Ottar Svarte says distinctly that he came from the east, out by way of
Denmark:--
"Thy ship from shore to shore,