Saga of Olaf Haroldson

161. KING OLAF AND KING ONUND'S PLANS.

King Olaf and King Onund sailed eastward to the Swedish king's
dominions; and one day, towards evening, landed at a place called
Barvik, where they lay all night. But then it was observed of
the Swedes that they were home-sick; for the greater part of
their forces sailed eastward along the land in the night, and did
not stop their course until they came home to their houses. Now
when King Onund observed this he ordered, as soon as the day
dawned, to sound the signal for a House-thing; and the whole
people went on shore, and the Thing sat down. Then King Onund
took up the word, and spake thus: "So it is, King Olaf, that, as
you know, we have been assembled in summer, and have forayed wide
around in Denmark, and have gained much booty, but no land. I
had 350 vessels, and now have not above 100 remaining with me.
Now it appears to me we can make no greater progress than we have
made, although you have still the 60 vessels which have followed
you the whole summer. It therefore appears to me best that we
come back to my kingdom; for it is always good to drive home with
the wagon safe. In this expedition we have won something, and
lost nothing. Now I will offer you, King Olaf, to come with me,
and we shall remain assembled during the winter. Take as much of
my kingdom as you will, so that you and the men who follow you
may support yourselves well; and when spring comes let us take
such measures as we find serviceable. If you, however, will
prefer to travel across our country, and go overland to Norway,
it shall be free for you to do so."

King Olaf thanked King Onund for his friendly offer. "But if I
may advise," says he, "then we should take another resolution,
and keep together the forces we have still remaining. I had in
the first of summer, before I left Norway, 350 ships; but when I
left the country I chose from among the whole war-levy those I
thought to be the best, and with them I manned 60 ships; and
these I still have. Now it appears to me that the part of your
war-force which has now run away is the most worthless, and of
least resistance; but now I see here all your chiefs and leaders,
and I know well that the people who belong to the court-troops
(1) are by far the best suited to carry arms. We have here
chosen men and superb ships, and we can very well lie all winter
in our ships, as viking's custom is. But Canute cannot lie long
in Helga river; for the harbour will not hold so many vessels as
he has. If he steers eastward after us, we can escape from him,
and then people will soon gather to us; but if he return to the
harbours where his fleet can lie, I know for certain that the
desire to return home will not be less in his army than in ours.
I think, also, we have ravaged so widely in summer, that the
villagers, both in Scania and in Halland, know well whose favour
they have to seek. Canute's army will thus be dispersed so
widely, that it is uncertain to whom fate may at the last give
the victory; but let us first find out what resolution he takes."

Thus King Olaf ended his speech, and it found much applause, and
his advice was followed. Spies were sent into King Canute's
army, and both the kings Olaf and Onund remained lying where they
were.

162. OF KING CANUTE AND EARL ULF.

When King Canute saw that the kings of Norway and Sweden steered
eastward with their forces along the coast, he sent men to ride
night and day on the land to follow their movements. Some spies
went forward, others returned; so that King Canute had news every
day of their progress. He had also spies always in their army.
Now when he heard that a great part of the fleet had sailed away
from the kings, he turned back with his forces to Seeland, and
lay with his whole fleet in the Sound; so that a part lay on the
Scania side, and a part on the Seeland side. King Canute
himself, the day before Michaelmas, rode with a great retinue to
Roeskilde. There his brother-in-law, Earl Ulf, had prepared a
great feast for him. The earl was the most agreeable host, but
the king was silent and sullen. The earl talked to him in every
way to make him cheerful, and brought forward everything which he
thought would amuse him; but the king remained stern, and
speaking little. At last the earl proposed to him a game at
chess, which he agreed to; and a chess-board was produced, and
they played together. Earl Ulf was hasty in temper, stiff, and
in nothing yielding; but everything he managed went on well in
his hands; and he was a great warrior, about whom there are many
stories. He was the most powerful man in Denmark next to the
king. Earl Ulf's sister Gyda was married to Earl Gudin (Godwin)
Ulfnadson; and their sons were Harald king of England, and Earl
Toste, Earl Valthiof, Earl Morukare, and Earl Svein. Gyda was
the name of their daughter, who was married to the English king
Edward the Good.

163. OF THE EARL'S MURDER.

When they had played a while the king made a false move, at which
the earl took a knight from the king; but the king set the piece
again upon the board, and told the earl to make another move; but
the earl grew angry, threw over the chess-board, stood up, and
went away. The king said, "Runnest thou away, Ulf the coward?"
The earl turned round at the door and said, "Thou wouldst have
run farther at Helga river, if thou hadst come to battle there.
Thou didst not call me Ulf the coward, when I hastened to thy
help while the Swedes were beating thee like a dog." The earl
then went out, and went to bed. A little later the king also
went to bed. The following morning while the king was putting on
his clothes he said to his footboy, "Go thou to Earl Ulf, and
kill him."

The lad went, was away a while, and then came back.

The king said, "Hast thou killed the earl?"

"I did not kill him, for he was gone to Saint Lucius' church."

There was a man called Ivar White, a Norwegian by birth, who was
the king's courtman and chamberlain. The king said to him, "Go
thou and kill the earl."

Ivar went to the church, and in at the choir, and thrust his
sword through the earl, who died on the spot. Then Ivar went to
the king, with the bloody sword in his hand.

The king said, "Hast thou killed the earl?"

"I have killed him," says he.

"Thou didst well."

After the earl was killed the monks closed the church, and locked
the doors. When that was told the king he sent a message to the
monks, ordering them to open the church and sing high mass. They
did as the king ordered; and when the king came to the church he
bestowed on it great property, so that it had a large domain, by
which that place was raised very high; and these lands have since
always belonged to it. King Canute rode down to his ships, and
lay there till late in harvest with a very large army.

164. OF KING OLAF AND THE SWEDES.

When King Olaf and King Onund heard that King Canute had sailed
to the Sound, and lay there with a great force, the kings held a
House-thing, and spoke much about what resolution they should
adopt. King Olaf wished they should remain there with all the
fleet, and see what King Canute would at last resolve to do. But
the Swedes held it to be unadvisable to remain until the frost
set in, and so it was determined; and King Onund went home with
all his army, and King Olaf remained lying after them.

165. OF EGIL AND TOFE.

While King Olaf lay there, he had frequently conferences and
consultations with his people. One night Egil Halson and Tofe
Valgautson had the watch upon the king's ship. Tofe came from
West Gautland, and was a man of high birth. While they sat on
watch they heard much lamentation and crying among the people who
had been taken in the war, and who lay bound on the shore at
night. Tofe said it made him ill to hear such distress, and
asked Egil to go with him, and let loose these people. This work
they set about, cut the cords, and let the people escape, and
they looked upon it as a piece of great friendship; but the king
was so enraged at it, that they themselves were in the greatest
danger. When Egil afterwards fell sick the king for a long time
would not visit him, until many people entreated it of him. It
vexed Egil much to have done anything the king was angry at, and
he begged his forgiveness. The king now dismissed his wrath
against Egil, laid his hands upon the side on which Egil's pain
was, and sang a prayer; upon which the pain ceased instantly, and
Egil grew better. Tofe came, after entreaty, into reconciliation
with the king, on condition that he should exhort his father
Valgaut to come to the king. He was a heathen; but after
conversation with the king he went over to Christianity, and died
instantly when he was baptized.

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