Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway - Snorri Sturluson

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him: and there Ragnfred and Hakon met. Hakon came to the land with his ships, marked out a battle-field with hazel branches for King Ragnfred, and took ground for his own men in it. So it is told in the "Vellekla":—

      "In the fierce battle Ragnfred then

       Met the grim foe of Vindland men;

       And many a hero of great name

       Fell in the sharp sword's bloody game.

       The wielder of fell Narve's weapon,

       The conquering hero, valiant Hakon

       Had laid his war-ships on the strand,

       And ranged his warriors on the land."

      There was a great battle; but Earl Hakon, having by far the most people, gained the victory. It took place on the Thinganes, where Sogn and Hordaland meet.

      King Rangfred fled to his ships, after 300 of his men had fallen. So it is said in the "Vellekla":—

      "Sharp was the battle-strife, I ween—

       Deadly and close it must have been,

       Before, upon the bloody plain,

       Three hundred corpses of the slain

       Were stretched for the black raven's prey;

       And when the conquerors took their way

       To the sea-shore, they had to tread

       O'er piled-up heaps of foemen dead."

      After this battle King Ragnfred fled from Norway; but Earl Hakon restored peace to the country, and allowed the great army which had followed him in summer to return home to the north country, and he himself remained in the south that harvest and winter (A.D. 972).

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      Earl Hakon married a girl called Thora, a daughter of the powerful Skage Skoptason, and very beautiful she was. They had two sons, Svein and Heming, and a daughter called Bergljot who was afterwards married to Einar Tambaskielfer. Earl Hakon was much addicted to women, and had many children; among others a daughter Ragnhild, whom he married to Skopte Skagason, a brother of Thora. The Earl loved Thora so much that he held Thora's family in higher respect than any other people, and Skopte his brother-in-law in particular; and he gave him many great fiefs in More. Whenever they were on a cruise together, Skopte must lay his ship nearest to the earl's, and no other ship was allowed to come in between.

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      One summer that Earl Hakon was on a cruise, there was a ship with him of which Thorleif Spake (the Wise) was steersman. In it was also Eirik, Earl Hakon's son, then about ten or eleven years old. Now in the evenings, as they came into harbour, Eirik would not allow any ship but his to lie nearest to the earl's. But when they came to the south, to More, they met Skopte the earl's brother-in-law, with a well-manned ship; and as they rowed towards the fleet, Skopte called out that Thorleif should move out of the harbour to make room for him, and should go to the roadstead. Eirik in haste took up the matter, and ordered Skopte to go himself to the roadstead. When Earl Hakon heard that his son thought himself too great to give place to Skopte, he called to them immediately that they should haul out from their berth, threatening them with chastisement if they did not. When Thorleif heard this, he ordered his men to slip their land-cable, and they did so; and Skopte laid his vessel next to the earl's as he used to do. When they came together, Skopte brought the earl all the news he had gathered, and the earl communicated to Skopte all the news he had heard; and Skopte was therefore called Tidindaskopte (the Newsman Skopte). The winter after (A.D. 973) Eirik was with his foster-father Thorleif, and early in spring he gathered a crew of followers, and Thorleif gave him a boat of fifteen benches of rowers, with ship furniture, tents, and ship provisions; and Eirik set out from the fjord, and southwards to More. Tidindaskopte happened also to be going with a fully manned boat of fifteen rowers' benches from one of his farms to another, and Eirik went against him to have a battle. Skopte was slain, but Eirik granted life to those of his men who were still on their legs. So says Eyjolf Dadaskald in the "Banda Lay":—

      "At eve the youth went out

       To meet the warrior stout—

       To meet stout Skopte—he

       Whose war-ship roves the sea

       Like force was on each side,

       But in the whirling tide

       The young wolf Eirik slew

       Skopte, and all his crew

       And he was a gallant one,

       Dear to the Earl Hakon.

       Up, youth of steel-hard breast—

       No time hast thou to rest!

       Thy ocean wings spread wide—

       Speed o'er the foaming tide!

       Speed on—speed on thy way!

       For here thou canst not stay."

      Eirik sailed along the land and came to Denmark, and went to King Harald Gormson, and staid with him all winter (A.D. 974). In spring the Danish king sent him north to Norway, and gave him an earldom, and the government of Vingulmark and Raumarike, on the same terms as the small scat-paying kings had formerly held these domains. So says Eyjolf Dadaskald:—

      "South through ocean's spray

       His dragon flew away

       To Gormson's hall renowned.

       Where the bowl goes bravely round.

       And the Danish king did place

       This youth of noble race

       Where, shield and sword in hand,

       He would aye defend his land."

      Eirik became afterwards a great chief.

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      All this time Olaf Trygvason was in Gardarike (Russia), and highly esteemed by King Valdemar, and beloved by the queen. King Valdemar made him chief over the men-at-arms whom he sent out to defend the land. So says Hallarsteid:—

      "The hater of the niggard band,

       The chief who loves the Northman's land,

       Was only twelve years old when he

       His Russian war-ships put to sea.

       The wain that ploughs the sea was then

       Loaded with war-gear by his men—

       With swords, and spears, and helms: and deep

       Out to the sea his good ships sweep."

      Olaf had several battles, and was lucky as a leader of troops. He himself kept a great many men-at-arms at his own expense out of the pay the king gave him. Olaf was very generous to his men, and therefore very popular. But then it came to pass, what so often happens when a foreigner is raised to higher power and dignity than men of the country, that many envied him because he was so favoured by the king, and also not less so by the queen. They hinted to the king that he should take care not to make Olaf too powerful—"for such a man may be dangerous to you, if he were to allow himself to be used for the purpose of doing you or your kingdom harm; for he is extremely expert in all exercises and feats, and very popular. We do not, indeed, know what it is he can have to talk of so often with the queen." It was

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