第78章

King Olaf steered his ships within the ordinary ships' course when he came abreast of Fjaler district, and ran into Saudungssund.There he laid his two vessels one on each side of the sound.with a thick cable between them.At the same moment Hakon, Earl Eirik's son, came rowing into the sound with a manned ship; and as they thought these were but two merchant-vessels that were lying in the sound, they rowed between them.Then Olaf and his men draw the cable up right under Hakon's ship's keel and wind it up with the capstan.As soon as the vessel's course was stopped her stern was lifted up, and her bow plunged down; so that the water came in at her fore-end and over both sides, and she upset.King Olaf's people took Earl Hakon and all his men whom they could get hold of out of the water, and made them prisoners; but some they killed with stones and other weapons, and some were drowned.So says Ottar: --"The black ravens wade In the blood from thy blade.

Young Hakon so gay, With his ship, is thy prey:

His ship, with its gear, Thou hast ta'en; and art here, Thy forefather's land From the earl to demand."Earl Hakon was led up to the king's ship.He was the handsomest man that could be seen.He had long hair, as fine as silk, bound about his bead with a gold ornament.

When he sat down in the fore-hold, the king said to him, "It is not false what is said of your family, that ye are handsome people to look at; but now your luck has deserted you."Hakon the earl replied, "It has always been the case that success is changeable; and there is no luck in the matter.It has gone with your family as with mine, to have by turns the better lot.

I am little beyond childhood in years; and at any rate we could not have defended ourselves, as we did not expect any attack on the way.It may turn out better with us another time."Then said King Olaf, "Dost thou not apprehend that thou art in that condition that, hereafter, there can be neither victory nor defeat for thee?"The earl replies, "That is what thou only canst determine, king, according to thy pleasure."Olaf says, "What wilt thou give me, earl, if for this time I let thee go, whole and unhurt?"The earl asks what he would take.

"Nothing," says the king, "except that thou shalt leave the country, give up thy kingdom, and take an oath that thou shalt never go into battle against me."The earl answered, that he would do so.And now Earl Hakon took the oath that he would never fight against Olaf, or seek to defend Norway against him, or attack him; and King Olaf thereupon gave him and all his men life and peace.The earl got back the ship which had brought him there, and he and his men rowed their way.Thus says Sigvat of him: --"In old Saudungs sound The king Earl Hakon found, Who little thought that there A foeman was so near.

The best and fairest youth Earl Hakon was in truth, That speaks the Danish tongue, And of the race of great Hakon."29.HAKON'S DEPARTURE FROM NORWAY.

After this (A.D.1014) the earl made ready as fast as possible to leave the country and sail over to England.He met King Canute, his mother's brother, there, and told him all that had taken place between him and King Olaf.King Canute received him remarkably well, placed him in his court in his own house, and gave him great power in his kingdom.Earl Hakon dwelt a long time with King Canute.During the time Svein and Hakon ruled over Norway, a reconciliation with Erling Skialgson was effected, and secured by Aslak, Erling's son, marrying Gunhild, Earl Svein's daughter; and the father and son, Erling and Aslak, retained all the fiefs which King Olaf Trygvason had given to Erling.Thus Erling became a firm friend of the earl's, and their mutual friendship was confirmed by oath.

30.ASTA RECEIVES HER SON OLAF.

King Olaf went now eastward along the land, holding Things with the bondes all over the country.Many went willingly with him;but some, who were Earl Svein's friends or relations, spoke against him.Therefore King Olaf sailed in all haste eastward to Viken; went in there with his ships; set them on the land; and proceeded up the country, in order to meet his stepfather, Sigurd Syr.When he came to Vestfold he was received in a friendly way by many who had been his father's friends or acquaintances; and also there and in Folden were many of his family.In autumn (A.D.1014) he proceeded up the country to his stepfather King Sigurd's, and came there one day very early.As Olaf was coming near to the house, some of the servants ran beforehand to the house, and into the room.Olaf's mother, Asta, was sitting in the room, and around her some of her girls.When the servants told her of King Olaf's approach, and that he might soon be expected, Asta stood up directly, and ordered the men and girls to put everything in the best order.She ordered four girls to bring out all that belonged to the decoration of the room and put it in order with hangings and benches.Two fellows brought straw for the floor, two brought forward four-cornered tables and the drinking-jugs, two bore out victuals and placed the meat on the table, two she sent away from the house to procure in the greatest haste all that was needed, and two carried in the ale;and all the other serving men and girls went outside of the house.Messengers went to seek King Sigurd wherever he might be, and brought to him his dress-clothes, and his horse with gilt saddle, and his bridle, which was gilt and set with precious stones.Four men she sent off to the four quarters of the country to invite all the great people to a feast, which she prepared as a rejoicing for her son's return.All who were before in the house she made to dress themselves with the best they had, and lent clothes to those who had none suitable.

31.KING SIGURD'S DRESS.