Heimskringla

S >> Snorri Sturlson >> Heimskringla

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67

Now the kings sailed eastward along the coast, and brought up in
a river called Helga, and 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 out of which the river Helga flows. There at the
riverhead 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
His Jutland fields
From scaith or harm
By foeman's arm,
Will not allow
Wild plundering now:
`The greatest he,
On land or sea.'"

160. 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, put on their weapons, rowed out of the harbour and east
round the land, bound their ships together, and prepared for
battle. King Onund made his spies run up the country to look for
King 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 fleet 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 rushing 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 perished, 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 were 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 board on all quarters. But the ship was so high in the hull,
as if it were a castle, and had besides such a numerous and
chosen crew on board, well armed and exercised, that it was not
easy to attack her. After a short time also Earl Ulf came up
with his fleet; and then the battle began, and King Canute's
fleet gathered together from all quarters. 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 suffered 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 was
renewed, they must suffer a great loss of men. They took the
resolution, therefore, to row with the whole fleet eastward 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 Canute the Great: --

"The king, in battle fray,
Drove the Swedish host away:
The wolf did not miss prey,
Nor the raven on that day.
Great Canute might deride
Two kings if he had pride,
For at Helga river's side
They would not his sword abide."

Thord Sjarekson also sang these lines in his death song of King
Olaf: --

"King Olaf, Agder's lord,
Ne'er shunned the Jutland king,
But with his blue-edged sword
Broke many a panzer ring.
King Canute was not slow:
King Onund filled the plain
With dead, killed by his bow:
The wolf howled o'er the slain."

161. KING OLAF AND KING ONUND'S PLANS.

King Olaf and King Onund sailed eastward to the Swedish king's
dominions; and one day, towards evening, 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 whole
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 booty, but no land. I
had 350 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 60 vessels which have followed
you the whole summer. It therefore appears to me best that we
come back to my kingdom; for it is always good to drive home with
the wagon safe. In this expedition we have won something, 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."

King Olaf thanked King Onund for his friendly offer. "But if I
may advise," says he, "then we should take another resolution,
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
(1) 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 Halland, know well whose favour
they have to seek. Canute's army will thus be 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.

ENDNOTES:
(1) The thingmen, or hired body-guard attending the court. -- L.

162. OF KING CANUTE AND EARL 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, others 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 before 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 yielding; 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 Denmark next to the
king. Earl Ulf's sister Gyda was married 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 king
Edward the Good.

163. OF THE EARL'S MURDER.

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.

The king said, "Hast thou killed the earl?"

"I did not kill him, for he was gone to Saint Lucius' church."

There was a man called Ivar White, a Norwegian by birth, who was
the king's courtman and chamberlain. The king said to him, "Go
thou and kill the earl."

Ivar went to the church, and in at the choir, and thrust his
sword through the earl, who died on the spot. Then Ivar went to
the king, with the bloody sword in his hand.

The king said, "Hast thou killed the earl?"

"I have killed him," says he.

"Thou didst well."

After the earl was killed the monks closed the church, and locked
the doors. When that was told the king he sent a message to the
monks, ordering them to open the church and sing high mass. They
did as the king ordered; and when the king came to the church he
bestowed on it great property, so that it had a large domain, by
which that place was raised very high; and these lands have since
always belonged to it. King Canute rode down to his ships, and
lay there till late in harvest with a very large army.

164. OF KING OLAF AND THE SWEDES.

When King Olaf and King Onund heard that King Canute had sailed
to the Sound, and lay there with a great force, the kings held a
House-thing, and spoke much about what resolution they should
adopt. King Olaf wished they should remain there with all the
fleet, and see what King Canute would at last resolve to do. But
the Swedes held it to be unadvisable to remain until the frost
set in, and so it was determined; and King Onund went home with
all his army, and King Olaf remained lying after them.

165. OF EGIL AND TOFE.

While King Olaf lay there, he had frequently conferences and
consultations with his people. One night Egil Halson and Tofe
Valgautson had the watch upon the king's ship. Tofe came from
West Gautland, and was a man of high birth. While they sat on
watch they heard much lamentation and crying among the people who
had been taken in the war, and who lay bound on the shore at
night. Tofe said it made him ill to hear such distress, and
asked Egil to go with him, and let loose these people. This work
they set about, cut the cords, and let the people escape, and
they looked upon it as a piece of great friendship; but the king
was so enraged at it, that they themselves were in the greatest
danger. When Egil afterwards fell sick the king for a long time
would not visit him, until many people entreated it of him. It
vexed Egil much to have done anything the king was angry at, and
he begged his forgiveness. The king now dismissed his wrath
against Egil, laid his hands upon the side on which Egil's pain
was, and sang a prayer; upon which the pain ceased instantly, and
Egil grew better. Tofe came, after entreaty, into reconciliation
with the king, on condition that he should exhort his father
Valgaut to come to the king. He was a heathen; but after
conversation with the king he went over to Christianity, and died
instantly when he was baptized.

166. TREACHERY TOWARDS KING OLAF.

King Olaf had now frequent conferences with his people, and asked
advice from them, and from his chiefs, as to what he should
determine upon. But there was no unanimity among them -- some
considering that unadvisable which others considered highly
serviceable; and there was much indecision in their councils.
King Canute had always spies in King Olaf's army, who entered
into conversation with many of his men, offering them presents
and favour on account of King Canute. Many allowed themselves to
be seduced, and gave promises of fidelity, and to be King
Canute's men, and bring the country into his hands if he came to
Norway. This was apparent, afterwards, of many who at first kept
it concealed. Some took at once money bribes, and others were
promised money afterwards; and a great many there were who had
got great presents of money from him before: for it may be said
with truth of King Canute, that every man who came to him, and
who he thought had the spirit of a man and would like his favour,
got his hands full of gifts and money. On this account he was
very popular, although his generosity was principally shown to
foreigners, and was greatest the greater distance they came from.

167. KING OLAF'S CONSULTATIONS.

King Olaf had often conferences and meetings with his people, and
asked their counsel; but as he observed they gave different
opinions, he had a suspicion that there must be some who spoke
differently from what they really thought advisable for him, and
he was thus uncertain if all gave him due fidelity in council.
Some pressed that with the first fair wind they should sail to
the Sound, and so to Norway. They said the Danes would not dare
to attack them, although they lay with so great a force right in
the way. But the king was a man of too much understanding not to
see that this was impracticable. He knew also that Olaf
Trygvason had found it quite otherwise, as to the Danes not
daring to fight, when he with a few people went into battle
against a great body of them. The king also knew that in King
Canute's army there were a great many Norwegians; therefore he
entertained the suspicion that those who gave this advice were
more favourable to King Canute than to him. King Olaf came at
last to the determination, from all these considerations, that
the people who would follow him should make themselves ready to
proceed by land across Gautland, and so to Norway. "But our
ships," said he, "and all things that we cannot take with us, I
will send eastward to the Swedish king's dominions, and let them
be taken care of for us there."

168. HAREK OF THJOTTA'S VOYAGE.

Harek of Thjotta replied thus to the king's speech: "It is
evident that I cannot travel on foot to Norway. I am old and
heavy, and little accustomed to walking. Besides, I am unwilling
to part with my ship; for on that ship and its apparel I have
bestowed so much labour, that it would go much against my
inclination to put her into the hands of my enemies." The king
said, "Come along with us, Harek, and we shall carry thee when
thou art tired of walking." Then Harek sang these lines :--

"I'11 mount my ocean steed,
And o'er the sea I'll speed;
Forests and hills are not for me, --
I love the moving sea,
Though Canute block the Sound,
Rather than walk the ground,
And leave my ship, I'll see
What my ship will do for me."

Then King Olaf let everything be put in order for the journey.
The people had their walking clothing and weapons, but their
other clothes and effects they packed upon such horses as they
could get. Then he sent off people to take his ships east to
Calmar. There he had the vessels laid up, and the ships' apparel
and other goods taken care of. Harek did as he had said, and
waited for a wind, and then sailed west to Scania, until, about
the decline of the day, he came with a fresh and fair wind to the
eastward of Holar. There he let the sail and the vane, and flag
and mast be taken down, and let the upper works of the ship be
covered over with some grey tilt-canvas, and let a few men sit at
the oars in the fore part and aft, but the most were sitting low
down in the vessel.

When Canute's watchmen saw the ship, they talked with each other
about what ship it might be, and made the guess that it must be
one loaded with herrings or salt, as they only saw a few men at
the oars; and the ship, besides, appeared to them grey, and
wanting tar, as if burnt up by the sun, and they saw also that it
was deeply loaded. Now when Harek came farther through the
Sound, and past the fleet, he raised the mast, hoisted sail, and
set up his gilded vane. The sail was white as snow, and in it
were red and blue stripes of cloth interwoven. When the king's
men saw the ship sailing in this state, they told the king that
probably King Olaf had sailed through them. But King Canute
replies, that King Olaf was too prudent a man to sail with a
single ship through King Canute's fleet, and thought it more
likely to be Harek of Thjotta, or the like of him. Many believed
the truth to be that King Canute knew of this expedition of
Harek, and that it would not have succeeded so if they had not
concluded a friendship beforehand with each other; which seemed
likely, after King Canute's and Harek's friendly understanding
became generally known.

Harek made this song as he sailed northward round the isle of
Vedrey: --

"The widows of Lund may smile through their tears,
The Danish girls may have their jeers;
They may laugh or smile,
But outside their isle
Old Harek still on to his North land steers."

Harek went on his way, and never stopped till he came north to
Halogaland, to his own house in Thjotta.

169. KING OLAF'S COURSE FROM SVITHJOD.

When King Olaf began his journey, he came first into Smaland, and
then into West Gautland. He marched quietly and peaceably, and
the country people gave him all assistance on his journey. Thus
he proceeded until he came into Viken, and north through Viken to
Sarpsborg, where he remained, and ordered a winter abode to be
prepared (A.D. 1028). Then he gave most of the chiefs leave to
return home, but kept the lendermen by him whom he thought the
most serviceable. There were with him also all the sons of Arne
Arnmodson, and they stood in great favour with the king. Geller
Thorkelson, who the summer before had come from Iceland, also
came there to the king, as before related.

170. OF SIGVAT THE SKALD.

Sigvat the skald had long been in King Olaf's household, as
before related, and the king made him his marshal. Sigvat had no
talent for speaking in prose; but in skaldcraft he was so
practised, that the verses came as readily from his tongue as if
he were speaking in usual language. He had made a mercantile
journey to Normandy, and in the course of it had come to England,
where he met King Canute, and obtained permission from him to
sail to Norway, as before related. When he came to Norway he
proceeded straight to King Olaf, and found him at Sarpsborg. He
presented himself before the king just as he was sitting down to
table. Sigvat saluted him. The king looked at Sigvat and was
silent. Then Sigvat sang: --

"Great king! thy marshal is come home,
No more by land or sea to roam,
But by thy side
Still to abide.
Great king! what seat here shall be take
For the king's honour -- not his sake?
For all seats here
To me are dear."

Then was verified the old saying, that "many are the ears of a
king;" for King Olaf had heard all about Sigvat's journey, and
that he had spoken with Canute. He says to Sigvat, "I do not
know if thou art my marshal, or hast become one of Canute's men."
Sigvat said: --

"Canute, whose golden gifts display
A generous heart, would have me stay,
Service in his great court to take,
And my own Norway king forsake.
Two masters at a time, I said,
Were one too many for men bred
Where truth and virtue, shown to all,
Make all men true in Olaf's hall."

Then King Olaf told Sigvat to take his seat where he before used
to sit; and in a short time Sigvat was in as high favour with the
king as ever.

171. OF ERLING SKJALGSON AND HIS SONS.

Erling Skjalgson and all his sons had been all summer in King
Canute's army, in the retinue of Earl Hakon. Thorer Hund was
also there, and was in high esteem. Now when King Canute heard
that King Olaf had gone overland to Norway, he discharged his
army, and gave all men leave to go to their winter abodes. There
was then in Denmark a great army of foreigners, both English,
Norwegians, and men of other countries, who had joined the
expedition in summer. In autumn (A.D. 1027) Erling Skjalgson
went to Norway with his men, and received great presents from
King Canute at parting; but Thorer Hund remained behind in King
Canute's court. With Erling went messengers from King Canute
well provided with money; and in winter they travelled through
all the country, paying the money which King Canute had promised
to many in autumn for their assistance. They gave presents in
money, besides, to many whose friendship could be purchased for
King Canute. They received much assistance in their travels from
Erling. In this way it came to pass that many turned their
support to King Canute, promised him their services, and agreed
to oppose King Olaf. Some did this openly, but many more
concealed it from the public. King Olaf heard this news, for
many had something to tell him about it; and the conversation in
the court often turned upon it. Sigvat the skald made a song
upon it: --

"The base traitors ply
With purses of gold,
Wanting to buy
What is not to be sold, --
The king's life and throne
Wanting to buy:
But our souls are our own,
And to hell we'll not hie.
No pleasure in heaven,
As we know full well,
To the traitor is given, --
His soul is his hell."

Often also the conversation turned upon how ill it beseemed Earl
Hakon to raise his hand in arms against King Olaf, who had given
him his life when he fell into the king's power; but Sigvat was a
particular friend of Earl Hakon, and when he heard the earl
spoken against he sang: --

"Our own court people we may blame,
If they take gold to their own shame,
Their king and country to betray.
With those who give it's not the same,
From them we have no faith to claim:
'Tis we are wrong, if we give way."

172. OF KING OLAF'S PRESENTS AT YULE.

King Olaf gave a great feast at Yule, and many great people had
come to him. It was the seventh day of Yule, that the king, with
a few persons, among whom was Sigvat, who attended him day and
night, went to a house in which the king's most precious
valuables were kept. He had, according to his custom, collected
there with great care the valuable presents he was to make on New
Year's eve. There was in the house no small number of gold-
mounted swords; and Sigvat sang: --