who sat quietly at home upon his farm since his return
to the country, and did not serve the king. Einar had
great estates and wealth, although he held no fiefs from
the king, and he lived splendidly. King Olaf sailed with
his fleet south around Stad, and many people from the
districts around joined him. King Olaf himself had a
ship which he had got built the winter before (1027),
and which was called the Visund.^ It was a very large
ship, with a bison's head gilded all over upon the bow.
Sigvat the skald speaks thus of it : —
"Trygvason's Long Serpent bore. Which proudly seems the waves to
Grim gaping o'er the waves before, tread. , ,. . ^ u
A dragon's head with open throat. While o'er its golden forehead dash-
When last the hero was afloat: ing ,. , ,
His oruise was closed. The waves its glittering horns are
As God disposed. washing:
Olaf has raised a bison's head, May God dispose
A luckier close.
The king went on to Hordaland ; theie he heard the
news that Erling Skjalgson had left the country with a
great force, and four or five ships. He himself had a
iVisundr is the buffalo ; although the modern bison, or American
animal of that name, might have been known through the Greenlana
colonists, who in this reign had visited some parts of America. — L..
THE HEIMSKRINGLA
larc^e war-ship, and his sons had three of twenty rowing-
banks each ; and they had sailed westward to England to
Canute the Great. Then King Olaf sailed eastward along
the land with a mighty war-force, and he inquired every-
where if anything was known of Canute's proceedings;
and all agreed in saying he was in England but added that
he was fitting out a levy, and intended coming to Nor-
way. As Olaf had a large fleet, and could not discover
with certainty where he should go to meet King Canute,
and as his people were dissatisfied with lying quiet in one
place with so large an armament, he resolved to sail with
his fleet south to Denmark, and took with him all the
men who were best appointed and most warlike; and he
gave leave to the others to return home.
Now the people whom he thought of little use having
gone home, King Olaf had many excellent and stout men-
at-arms besides those who, as before related, had fled the
country, or sat quietly at home: and most of the chief
men and lendermen of Norway were along with him,.
155. OF* KING OI^AF* AND KING ONUND.
When King Olaf sailed to Denmark, he set his course
for Seeland ; and when he came there he made incursions
on the land, and began to plunder. The country people
v.ere severely treated; some were killed, some bound and
dragged to the ships. All who could do so took to flight,
;uid made no opposition. King Olaf committed there the
greatest ravages. While Olaf was in Seeland, the news
came that King Onund Olafson of Sweden had raised a
levy, and fallen upon Scania, and was ravaging there;
520
SAGA OF OLAF IIARALDSON
and then it became known what the resolution had been
that the two kings had taken at the Gaut river, where
they had conckided a union and friendship, and had
bound themselves to oppose King Canute. King Onund
continued his march until he met his brother-in-law King
Olaf. When they met they made proclamation both to
their own people and to the people of the country, that
they intended to conquer Denmark ; and asked the sup-
port of the people of the country for this purpose. And
it happened, as we find examples of everywhere, that if
hostilities are brought upon the people of a country not
strong enough to withstand, the greatest number will sub-
mit to the conditions by which peace can be purchased at
any rate. So it happened here that many men went into
the service of the kings, and agreed to submit to them.
AVheresoever they went they laid the country all round
. subjection to them, and otherwise laid waste all with
fire and sword.
Of this foray Sigvat the skald speaks, in a ballad he
composed concerning King Canute the Great: —
'"Canute is on the sea!' King Onund came to fight.
The news is told. In Seeland's plains.
And the Norsemen bold Against the Danes,
Repeat it with great glee. With his steel-clad men so bright.
And it runs from mouth to mouth — Canute is on the land ;
'On a lucky day Side to side
We came away His long-ships rido
From Throiidhjem to the south.' Along the yellow strand.
Across the cold East sea, Where waves wash the green banks.
The Swedish king Mast to mast,
His host did bring. All bound fast, ^^
To gaia great victory. His great ileet Jics in ranks.
156 oi' KING CANUTE THE GREAT.
King Canute had heard in England that King Olaf of
Norway had called out a levy, and had gone with his
521
THE UEIMSKRINGLA
forces to Denmark, and was making great ravages in his
dominions there. Canute began to gather people, and he
had speedily collected a great army and a numerous fleet.
Earl Hakon was second in command over the w'hole.
Sigvat the skald came this summer (1027) from the
West, from Ruda (Rouen) in Valland, and with him was
a man called Berg. They had made a merchant voyage
there the summer before. Sigvat had made a little poem
about this journey, called "The Western Traveller's
Song," which begins thus : —
"Berg ! many a merry morn was And we lay on the glittering tide
passd. Of Rouen river's western side."
When our vessel was made fast,
When Sigvat came to England he w^ent directly to
King Canute, and asked his leave to proceed to Norway;
for King Canute had forbidden all merchant vessels to
sail until he himself was ready with his fleet. When
Sigvat arrived he went to the house in which the king was
lodged; but the doors were locked, and he had to stand
a long time outside, but when he got admittance he ob-
tained the permission he desired. He then sang : —
"The way to Jutland's king I sought ; To his own chamber me to send,
A little patience I was taught. And grant my prayer — although I'm
The doors were shut — all full within ; one
The udaller could not get in. Whose arms the fetters' weight have
But Gorm's great son did condescend known."
When Sigvat became aware that King Canute was
equipping an armament against King Olaf, and knew
what a mighty force King Canute had, he made these
lines : —
"The mighty Canute, and Earl In spite of king and earl, I say,
Hakon, 'I love hiiu well — may he get away:'
Have leagued themselves, and coun- On the Fielde, wild and dreary,
sel taken With him I'd live, and ne'er be
Agahist King Olaf's life, weary."
And are ready for the strife.
522
SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON
Sigvat made many other' songs concerning- this expe-
(Htion of Canute and Hakon. He made this among
others : —
"Twas not the earl's intention then
'Twixt Olaf and the udalinon
Peace to estal)lish, and the land
Upright to hold with Norllimau's
hand ;
But ever with deceit and lies
Eirilc's doscpiidaiit, Hakon, tries
To make ill-will and discontent,
Till all the udiilnicn are bent
Against King Olaf s rule to rise.'
157. — OF KING Canute's ship thk dragon.
Canute the Great was at last ready with his fleet, and
left the land ; and a vast number of men he had, and ships
frightfully large. He himself had a dragon-ship, so
large that it had sixty banks of rowers, and the head was
gilt all over. Earl Hakon had another dragon of forty
banks, and it also had a gilt figui-e-head. The sails of
both were in stripes of blue, red, and green, and the ves-
sels were painted all above the water-stroke; and all that
belonged to their equipment was most splendid. They
had also many other huge ships remarkal^ly well fitted
out, and grand. Sigvat the skald talks of this in his song
on Canute : —
His dragon with her sails of blue.
All bright and brilliant to the view.
High hoisted on the yard arms wide.
Carries groat Canute o'er the tide.
Brave is the royal progress — fast
The proud ship's keel obeys the mast.
Dashes through foam, and gains the
land.
Raising a surge on Limfjord's
strand."
"Canute is out beneath the sky —
Canute of the clear blue eye !
The king is out on the ocean's
breast.
Leading his grand fleet from the
West.
On to the East the ship-masts glide.
Glancing and bright each long-ship's
side.
The conqueror of great Ethelred,
Canute, is there, his foeVnen's dread :
It is related that King Canute sailed with this vast
force from England, and came with all his force safely to
Denmark, where he went into IJmfjord, and there he
found gathered besides a large army of the men of the
country. ro^
THE HEIMSKRINGLA
158. IIARDAKNUT TAKKN TO BE) KING IN DENMARK.
Earl Ulf Sprakalegson had been set as protector over
Denmark when King Canute went to England, and the
king had intrusted his son Hardaknut in the earl's hands.
This took place the summer before (1026), as we rela-
ted. But the earl immediately gave it out that King Ca-
nute had, at parting, made known to him his will and de-
sire that the Danes should take his son Hardaknut as king
over the Danish domiDions. "On that account," says the
earl, "he gave the matter into our hands; as I, and many
other chiefs and leading men here in the country, have
often complained to King Canute of the evil consequences
to the country of being without a king, and that former
kings thought it honour and power enough to rule over
the Danish kingdom alone ; and in the times that are past
many kings have ruled over this kingdom. But now
there are greater difticulties than have ever been before;
for we have been so fortunate hitherto as to live without
disturbance from foreign kings, but now we hear the king
of Norway is going to attack us, to which is added the
fear of the people that the Swedish king will join him;
and now King Canute is in England." The earl then
produced King Canute's letter and seal, confirming all
that the earl asserted. Many other chiefs supported this
business; and in consequence of all these persuasions the
people resolved to take Hardaknut as king, which was
done at the same Thing. The Queen Emma had been
prmcipal promoter of this determination; for she had got
the letter to be written, and provided with the seal, having
cunningly got hold of the king's signet ; but from him it
524
SAGA OF OLAl- HARALDSON
was all concealed. Now when Hardaknut and Earl Ulf
heard for certain that King- Olaf was come from Norway
with a large army, they went to Jutland, where the great-
est strength of the Danish kingdom lies, sent out message-
tokens, and summoned to them a great force; hut when
they heard the Swedish king was also come with his army,
they thought tliey w^ould not have strength enough to give
battle to both, and therefore kept their army together in
Jutland, and resolved to defend that country against the
kings. The whole of their ships they assembled in Lim-
f jord, and waited thus for King Canute. Now when they
heard that King Canute had come from the West to Lim-
fjord they sent men to him, and to Queen Emma, and
begged her to find out if the king w^as angry at them or
not, and to let them know. The queen talked over the
matter with him, and said, "Your son Hardaknut will pay
the full mulct the king may demand, if he has done any-
thing whidi is thought to be against the king." He re-
plies, that Hardaknut has not done this of his own judg-
ment. "And therefore," says he, "it has turned out as
might have been expected, that when he, a child, and with-
out understanding, wanted to be called king, the country,
when any evil came and an enemy appeared, must be con-
quered by foreign princes, if our might had not come to
his aid. If he will have any reconciliation with me let
him come to me, and lay down the mock title of king he
has given himself." The queen sent these very words to
Hardaknut, and at the same time she begged him not to
decline coming; for, as she trulv observed, he had no force
to stand against his father. When this message came to
12 525
THE HEIMSKRINGLA
Hardaknut he asked the advice of the earl and other chief
people who were with him ; but it was soon found that
when the people heard King Canute the Old was arrived
they all streamed to him, and seemed to have no confi-
dence but in him alone. Then Earl Ulf and his fellows
saw they had but two roads to take ; either to go to the
king and leave all to his mercy, or to fly the country. All
pressed Hardaknut to go to his father, which advice he
followed. When they met he fell at his father's feet, and
laid his seal, which accompanied the kingly title, on his
knee. King Canute took Hardaknut by the hand, and
placed him in as high a seat as he used to sit in before.
Earl Ulf sent his son Svein, who was a sister's son of
King Canute, and the same age as Hardaknut, to the king.
He prayed for grace and reconciliation for his father,
and offered himself as hostage for the earl. King Canute
ordered him to tell the earl to assemble his men and ships,
and come to him, and then they would talk of reconcilia-
tion. The earl did so.
159. FORAY IN SCANIA.
When King Olaf and King Onund heard that King
Canute was come from the West, and also that he had a
vast force, they sailed east to Scania, and allowed them-
selves to ravage and burn in the districts there, and then
proceeded eastward along the land to the frontier of Swe-
den. As soon as the country people lieard that King
Canute was come from the West, no one thought of going
into the service of the two kings.
Now the kings sailed eastward along the coast, and
526
SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON
brought up iu a river called llelga, aud remained there
some time. When they heard that King- Canute was
coming eastward with his forces against them, they held
a council; and the result was, that King Olaf with his
people went up the country to the forest, and to the lake
(lilt of which the river Helga flows. There at the river-
head they made a dam of timber and turf, and dammed
in the lake. They also dug a deep ditch, through which
they led several waters, so that the lake waxed very high.
In the river-bed they laid large logs of timber. They
were many days about this work, and King Olaf had the
management of this piece of artifice ; but King Onund had
only to command the fleet and army. When King Canute
heard of the proceedings of the two kings, and of the
damage they had done to his dominions, he sailed right
against them to where they lay in Helga river. He had
a war-force which was one half greater than that of both
the kings together. Sigvat speaks of these things : —
"The king, who shields Will not allow
His Jutland Helds Wild plundering now:
From sfaith or harm 'The greatest he,
Dy foeman'8 arm, On land or sea.' "
IGO. — BATTLE IN HELGA RIVER.
One day, towards evening, King Onund's spies saw
King Canute coming sailing along, and he was not far
off. Then King Onund ordered the war-horns to sound ;
on which his people struck their tents, jnit on their weap-
ons, rowed out of the harbour and east round the land,
bound their ships together, and prepared for battle. King
Onund made his spies run uo the country to look for King
527
THE IIEIMSKRIXCLA
Olaf, and tell him the news. Then King Olaf broke up
the dam, and let the river take its course. King Olaf
travelled down in the night to his ships. When King
Canute came outside the harbour, he saw the forces of
the kings ready for battle. He thought that it would be
too late in the day to begin the fight by the time his forces
could be ready ; for his tleet required a great deal of room
at sea, and there was a long distance between the foremost
of his ships and the hindmost, and between those outside
and those nearest the land, and there was but little wind.
Now, as Canute saw that the Swedes and Norwegians
had quitted the harbour, he went into it with as many
ships as it could hold; but the main strength of the fleet
lay without the harbour. In the morning, when it was
light, a great part of the men went on shore; some for
amusement, some to converse with the people of other
ships. They observed nothing until the water came rush-
ing over them like a waterfall, carrying huge trees, which
drove in among their ships, damaging all they struck ; and
the water covered all the fields. The men on shore per-
ished, and many who were in the ships. All who could
do it cut their cables; so that the ships were loose, and
drove before the stream, and w^ere scattered here and
there. The great dragon, which King Canute himself
was in, drove before the stream ; and as it could not so
easily be turned with oars, drove out among Olaf's and
Onund's ships. As they knew the ship, they laid her on
lx)ard on all quarters. But the ship was so high in the
hull, as if it were a castle, and had besides such a numer-
ous and chosen crew on board, well armed and exercised,
=;2S
SAGA OF OL.IF UAR.ILDSON
tliat it was not easy to attack her. After a short time also
Ivirl Ulf came up with his fleet ; and then the battle began,
and King Canute's fleet gathered together from all quar-
ters. But the kings Olaf and Onund, seeing they had for
this time got all the victory that fate permitted them to
gain, let their ships retreat, cast themselves loose from
King Canute's ship, and the fleets separated. But as the
attack had not been made as King Canute had determined,
he made no further attempt ; and the kings on each side
arranged their fleets and put their ships in order. When
the fleets were parted, and each sailing its course, Olaf
and Onund looked over their forces, and found they had
sufi'cred no loss of men. In the meantime they saw that
if they waited until King Canute got his large fleet in
order to attack them, the difference of force was so great
that for them there was little chance of victory. It was
also evident that if the battle w^as renewed, they must
suffer a great loss of men. They took the resolution,
therefore, to row with the wdiole fleet eastw^ard along the
coast. Observing that King Canute did not pursue them,
they raised up their masts and set sail. Ottar Svarte
tells thus of it in the poem he composed upon King Ca-
nute the Great : —
"The kinK, in battle fray. Groat Canute mipht deride
Prove tlio Swedish host away: Two kings if he had pride,
The wolf did not miss prey. For at Holga river's side
Nor the raven on that day. They would not his sword abide."
Thord Sjarekson also sang these lines in his death song
of King Olaf:—
"Kinp; Olat, Adder's lord. King ranuto was not slow:
Ne'er shunned the .lutland king, King Onund filled the plain
But with his blue-edKod sword With deyd. killrd by his bow:
Dreke many a pauzer ring. The wolf howled o'er the slain."
THE HEIMSKRINGLA
I
101. KING OLAI? AND KING ONUND'S PLANS.
King Olaf and King Onund sailed eastward to the
Swedish king's dominions; and one day, towards even-
ing, 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 w'hole 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 lx)oty, but no land.
I had 850 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
GO vessels wdiich have followed you the whole summer.
It therefore appears to me best that we come back to my
kingdom ; for it is ahvays good to drive home with the
waggon safe. In this expedition w-e have won some-
thing, 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."
530
SAGA OF OLAP IIARALDSON
King Olaf thanked King Onund for his friendly offer.
"But if I may advise," says he, "then we should take an-
other resohition, 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^ 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 Hal-
land, know well whose favour they have to seek. Ca-
nute's army will thus ht 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.
iThe thingmen, or hired body-guard attending the court. — L.
THE HEIMSKRINGLA
162. OF KING CANUTE AND KARL 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, oth-
ers 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 be-
fore 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 yield-
ing; 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 Den-
mark next to the king. Earl Ulf's sister Gyda was mar-
ried 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
kine^ Edward the Good. ^^2
SAGA OF OLAF IIARALDSON
163. — OF tiil; icakl's mukdicr.
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.