Saga of Olaf Haroldson

221. KING OLAF COMES TO STIKLESTAD.

King Olaf led his army farther down through the valley, and Dag
and his men went another way, and the king did not halt until he
came to Stiklestad. There he saw the bonde army spread out all
around; and there were so great numbers that people were going on
every footpath, and great crowds were collected far and near.
They also saw there a troop which came down from Veradal, and had
been out to spy. They came so close to the king's people that
they knew each other. It was Hrut of Viggia, with thirty men.
The king ordered his pursuivants to go out against Hrut, and make
an end of him, to which his men were instantly ready. The king
said to the Icelanders, "It is told me that in Iceland it is the
custom that the bondes give their house-servants a sheep to
slaughter; now I give you a ram to slaughter (1). The Icelanders
were easily invited to this, and went out immediately with a few
men against Hrut, and killed him and the troop that followed him.
When the king came to Stiklestad he made a halt, and made the
army stop, and told his people to alight from their horses and
get ready for battle; and the people did as the king ordered.
Then he placed his army in battle array, and raised his banner.
Dag was not yet arrived with his men, so that his wing of the
battle array was wanting. Then the king said the Upland men
should go forward in their place, and raise their banner there.
"It appears to me advisable," says the king, "that Harald my
brother should not be in the battle, for he is still in the years
of childhood only." Harald replies, "Certainly I shall be in the
battle, for I am not so weak that I cannot handle the sword; and
as to that, I have a notion of tying the sword-handle to my hand.
None is more willing than I am to give the bondes a blow; so I
shall go with my comrades." It is said that Harald made these
lines: --

"Our army's wing, where I shall stand,
I will hold good with heart and hand;
My mother's eye shall joy to see
A battered, blood-stained shield from me.
The brisk young skald should gaily go
Into the fray, give blow for blow,
Cheer on his men, gain inch by inch,
And from the spear-point never flinch."

Harald got his will, and was allowed to be in the battle.

222. OF THORGILS HALMASON.

A bonde, by name Thorgils Halmason, father to Grim the Good,
dwelt in Stiklestad farm. Thorgils offered the king his
assistance, and was ready to go into battle with him. The king
thanked him for the offer. "I would rather," says the king,
"thou shouldst not be in the fight. Do us rather the service to
take care of the people who are wounded, and to bury those who
may fall, when the battle is over. Should it happen, bonde, that
I fall in this battle, bestow the care on my body that may be
necessary, if that be not forbidden thee." Thorgils promised the
king what he desired.

223. OLAF'S SPEECH.

Now when King Olaf had drawn up his army in battle array he made
a speech, in which he told the people to raise their spirit, and
go boldly forward, if it came to a battle. "We have," says he,
"many men, and good; and although the bondes may have a somewhat
larger force than we, it is fate that rules over victory. This I
will make known to you solemnly, that I shall not fly from this
battle, but shall either be victorious over the bondes, or fall
in the fight. I will pray to God that the lot of the two may
befall me which will be most to my advantage. With this we may
encourage ourselves, that we have a more just cause than the
bondes; and likewise that God must either protect us and our
cause in this battle, or give us a far higher recompense for what
we may lose here in the world than what we ourselves could ask.
Should it be my lot to have anything to say after the battle,
then shall I reward each of you according to his service, and to
the bravery he displays in the battle; and if we gain the
victory, there must be land and movables enough to divide among
you, and which are now in the hands of your enemies. Let us at
the first make the hardest onset, for then the consequences are
soon seen. There being a great difference in the numbers, we
have to expect victory from a sharp assault only; and, on the
other hand, it will be heavy work for us to fight until we are
tired, and unable to fight longer; for we have fewer people to
relieve with than they, who can come forward at one time and
retreat and rest at another. But if we advance so hard at the
first attack that those who are foremost in their ranks must turn
round, then the one will fall over the other, and their
destruction will be the greater the greater numbers there are
together." When the king had ended his speech it was received
with loud applause, and the one encouraged the other.

224. OF THORD FOLASON.

Thord Folason carried King Olaf's banner. So says Sigvat the
skald, in the death-song which he composed about King Olaf, and
put together according to resurrection saga: --

"Thord, I have heard, by Olaf's side,
Where raged the battle's wildest tide,
Moved on, and, as by one accord
Moved with them every heart and sword.
The banner of the king on high,
Floating all splendid in the sky
From golden shaft, aloft he bore, --
The Norsemen's rallying-point of yore."

225. OF KING OLAF'S ARMOUR.

King Olaf was armed thus: -- He had a gold-mounted helmet on his
head; and had in one hand a white shield, on which the holy cross
was inlaid in gold. In his other hand he had a lance, which to
the present day stands beside the altar in Christ Church. In his
belt he had a sword, which was called Hneiter, which was
remarkably sharp, and of which the handle was worked with gold.
He had also a strong coat of ring-mail. Sigvat the skald, speaks
of this: --

"A greater victory to gain,
Olaf the Stout strode o'er the plain
In strong chain armour, aid to bring
To his brave men on either wing.
High rose the fight and battle-heat, --
the clear blood ran beneath the feet
Of Swedes, who from the East came there,
In Olaf's gain or loss to share."

226. KING OLAF'S DREAM.

Now when King Olaf had drawn up his men the army of the bondes
had not yet come near upon any quarter, so the king said the
people should sit down and rest themselves. He sat down himself,
and the people sat around him in a widespread crowd. He leaned
down, and laid his head upon Fin Arnason's knee. There a slumber
came upon him, and he slept a little while; but at the same time
the bondes' army was seen advancing with raised banners, and the
multitude of these was very great.

Then Fin awakened the king, and said that the bonde-army advanced
against them.

The king awoke, and said, "Why did you waken me, Fin, and did not
allow me to enjoy my dream?"

Fin: "Thou must not be dreaming; but rather thou shouldst be
awake, and preparing thyself against the host which is coming
down upon us; or, dost thou not see that the whole bonde-crowd is
coming?"

The king replies, "They are not yet so near to us, and it would
have been better to have let me sleep."

Then said Fin, "What was the dream, sire, of which the loss
appears to thee so great that thou wouldst rather have been left
to waken of thyself?"

Now the king told his dream, -- that he seemed to see a high
ladder, upon which he went so high in the air that heaven was
open: for so high reached the ladder. "And when you awoke me, I
was come to the highest step towards heaven."

Fin replies, "This dream does not appear to me so good as it does
to thee. I think it means that thou art fey (2); unless it be
the mere want of sleep that has worked upon thee."

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