Saga of Olaf Haroldson

190. OLAF'S PROPHECIES.

When the king had been one night at Lesjar he proceeded on his
journey with his men, day by day; first into Gudbrandsdal, and
from thence out to Redemark. Now it was seen who had been his
friends, for they followed him; but those who had served him with
less fidelity separated from him, and some showed him even
indifference, or even full hostility, which afterwards was
apparent; and also it could be seen clearly in many Upland people
that they took very ill his putting Thorer to death, as before
related. King Olaf gave leave to return home to many of his men
who had farms and children to take care of; for it seemed to them
uncertain what safety there might be for the families and
property of those who left the country with him. Then the king
explained to his friends his intention of leaving the country,
and going first east into Svithjod, and there taking his
determination as to where he should go; but he let his friends
know his intention to return to the country, and regain his
kingdoms, if God should grant him longer life; and he did not
conceal his expectation that the people of Norway would again
return to their fealty to him. "I think," says he, "that Earl
Hakon will have Norway but a short time under his power, which
many will not think an extraordinary expectation, as Earl Hakon
has had but little luck against me; but probably few people will
trust to my prophecy, that Canute the Great will in the course of
a few years die, and his kingdoms vanish; and there will he no
risings in favour of his race." When the king had ended his
speech, his men prepared themselves for their departure. The
king, with the troop that followed him, turned east to Eid
forest. And there were along with him the Queen Astrid; their
daughter Ulfhild; Magnus, King Olaf's son; Ragnvald Brusason; the
three sons of Arne, Thorberg, Fin, and Arne, with many lendermen;
and the king's attendants consisted of many chosen men. Bjorn
the marshal got leave to go home, and he went to his farm, and
many others of the king's friends returned home with his
permission to their farms. The king begged them to let him know
the events which might happen in the country, and which it might
be important for him to know; and now the king proceeded on his
way.

191. KING OLAF PROCEEDS TO RUSSIA.

It is to be related of King Olaf's journey, that he went first
from Norway eastward through Eid forest to Vermaland, then to
Vatnsby, and through the forests in which there are roads, until
he came out in Nerike district. There dwelt a rich and powerful
man in that part called Sigtryg, who had a son, Ivar, who
afterwards became a distinguished person. Olaf stayed with
Sigtryg all spring (A.D. 1029); and when summer came he made
ready for a journey, procured a ship for himself, and without
stopping went on to Russia to King Jarisleif and his queen
Ingegerd; but his own queen Astrid, and their daughter Ulfhild,
remained behind in Svithjod, and the king took his son Magnus
eastward with him. King Jarisleif received King Olaf in the
kindest manner, and made him the offer to remain with him, and to
have so much land as was necessary for defraying the expense of
the entertainment of his followers. King Olaf accepted this
offer thankfully, and remained there. It is related that King
Olaf was distinguished all his life for pious habits, and zeal in
his prayers to God. But afterwards, when he saw his own power
diminished, and that of his adversaries augmented, he turned all
his mind to God's service; for he was not distracted by other
thoughts, or by the labour he formerly had upon his hands, for
during all the time he sat upon the throne he was endeavouring to
promote what was most useful: and first to free and protect the
country from foreign chiefs' oppressions, then to convert the
people to the right faith; and also to establish law and the
rights of the country, which he did by letting justice have its
way, and punishing evil-doers.

192. CAUSES OF THE REVOLT AGAINST KING OLAF.

It had been an old custom in Norway that the sons of lendermen,
or other great men, went out in war-ships to gather property, and
they marauded both in the country and out of the country. But
after King Olaf came to the sovereignty he protected the country,
so that he abolished all plundering there; and even if they were
the sons of powerful men who committed any depredation, or did
what the king considered against law, he did not spare them at
all, but they must suffer in life or limbs; and no man's
entreaties, and no offer of money-penalties, could help them. So
says Sigvat: --

"They who on viking cruises drove
With gifts of red gold often strove
To buy their safety -- but our chief
Had no compassion for the thief.
He made the bravest lose his head
Who robbed at sea, and pirates led;
And his just sword gave peace to all,
Sparing no robber, great or small."

And he also says: --

"Great king! whose sword on many a field
Food to the wandering wolf did yield,
And then the thief and pirate band
Swept wholly off by sea and land --
Good king! who for the people's sake
Set hands and feet upon a stake,
When plunderers of great name and bold
Harried the country as of old.
The country's guardian showed his might
When oft he made his just sword bite
Through many a viking's neck and hair,
And never would the guilty spare.
King Magnus' father, I must say,
Did many a good deed in his day.
Olaf the Thick was stern and stout,
Much good his victories brought out."

He punished great and small with equal severity, which appeared
to the chief people of the country too severe; and animosity rose
to the highest when they lost relatives by the king's just
sentence, although they were in reality guilty. This was the
origin of the hostility of the great men of the country to King
Olaf, that they could not bear his just judgments. He again
would rather renounce his dignity than omit righteous judgment.
The accusation against him, of being stingy with his money, was
not just, for he was a most generous man towards his friends; but
that alone was the cause of the discontent raised against him,
that he appeared hard and severe in his retributions. Besides,
King Canute offered great sums of money, and the great chiefs
were corrupted by this, and by his offering them greater
dignities than they had possessed before. The inclinations of
the people, also, were all in favour of Earl Hakon, who was much
beloved by the country folks when he ruled the country before.

193. OF JOKUL BARDSON.

Earl Hakon had sailed with his fleet from Throndhjem, and gone
south to More against King Olaf, as before related. Now when the
king bore away, and ran into the fjord, the earl followed him
thither; and then Kalf Arnason came to meet him, with many of the
men who had deserted King Olaf. Kalf was well received. The
earl steered in through Todar fjord to Valdal, where the king had
laid up his ships on the strand. He took the ships which
belonged to the king, had them put upon the water and rigged, and
cast lots, and put commanders in charge of them according to the
lots. There was a man called Jokul, who was an Icelander, a son
of Bard Jokulson of Vatnsdal; the lot fell upon Jokul to command
the Bison, which King Olaf himself had commanded. Jokul made
these verses upon it: --

"Mine is the lot to take the helm
Which Olaf owned, who owned the realm;
From Sult King Olaf's ship to steer
(Ill luck I dread on his reindeer).
My girl will never hear the tidings,
Till o'er the wild wave I come riding
In Olaf's ship, who loved his gold,
And lost his ships with wealth untold."

We may here shortly tell what happened a long time after. -- that
this Jokul fell in with King Olaf's men in the island of Gotland,
and the king ordered him to be taken out to be beheaded. A
willow twig accordingly was plaited in with his hair, and a man
held him fast by it. Jokul sat down upon a bank, and a man swung
the axe to execute him; but Jokul hearing the sound, raised his
head, and the blow struck him in the head, and made a dreadful
wound. As the king saw it would be his death-wound, he ordered
them to let him lie with it. Jokul raised himself up, and he
sang: --

"My hard fate I mourn, --
Alas! my wounds burn,
My red wounds are gaping,
My life-blood escaping.
My wounds burn sore;
But I suffer still more
From the king's angry word,
Than his sharp-biting sword."