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t　at　this　battle　Earl　Hakon　had　sacrificed　for　victory　his　son；　young　Erling；　to　the　gods；　and　instantly　came　the　hailstorm；　and　the　defeat　and　slaughter　of　the　Jomsborg　vikings。

Earl　Eirik　went　to　the　Uplands；　and　eastward　by　that　route　to　his　own　kingdom；　　taking　Vagn　Akason　with　him。　　Earl　Eirik　married　Vagn　to　Ingebjorg；　a　daughter　of　Thorkel　Leira；　and　gave　him　a　good　ship　of　war　and　all　belonging　to　it；　and　a　crew；　and　they　parted　the　best　of　friends。　　Then　Vagn　went　home　south　to　Denmark；　and　became　afterwards　a　man　of　great　consideration；　and　many　great　people　are　descended　from　him。


ENDNOTES：　（1）　　This　traditionary　tale　of　a　warrior　fighting　on　his　knees　　　　　　after　his　legs　were　cut　off；　appears　to　have　been　a　popular　　　　　　idea　among　the　Northmen；　and　is　related　by　their　descendants　　　　　　in　the　ballad　o　Chevy　Chase。　　L。



48。　KING　HARALD　GRENSKE'S　DEATH。

Harald　Grenske；　as　before　related；　was　king　in　Vestfold；　and　was　married　to　Asta；　a　daughter　of　Gudbrand　Kula。　　One　summer　（A。D。　994）　Harald　Grenske　made　an　expedition　to　the　Baltic　to　gather　property；　and　he　came　to　Svithjod。　　Olaf　the　Swede　was　king　there；　a　son　of　Eirik　the　Victorious；　and　Sigrid；　a　daughter　of　Skoglartoste。　　Sigrid　was　then　a　widow；　and　had　many　and　great　estates　in　Svithjod。　　When　she　heard　that　her　foster…brother　was　come　to　the　country　a　short　distance　from　her；　she　sent　men　to　him　to　invite　him　to　a　feast。　　He　did　not　neglect　the　invitation；　but　came　to　her　with　a　great　attendance　of　his　followers；　and　was　received　in　the　most　friendly　way。　　He　and　the　queen　sat　in　the　high…seat；　and　drank　together　towards　the　evening；　and　all　his　men　were　entertained　in　the　most　hospitable　manner。　　At　night；　when　the　king　went　to　rest；　a　bed　was　put　up　for　him　with　a　hanging　of　fine　linen　around　it；　and　with　costly　bedclothes；　but　in　the　lodging…house　there　were　few　men。　　When　the　king　was　undressed；　and　had　gone　to　bed；　the　queen　came　to　him；　filled　a　bowl　herself　for　him　to　drink；　and　was　very　gay；　and　pressed　to　drink。　　The　king　was　drunk　above　measure；　and；　indeed；　so　were　they　both。　　Then　he　slept；　and　the　queen　went　away；　and　laid　herself　down　also。　　Sigrid　was　a　woman　of　the　greatest　understanding；　and　clever　in　many　things。　　In　the　morning　there　　was　also　the　most　excellent　entertainment；　but　then　it　went　on　as　usual　when　people　have　drunk　too　much；　that　next　day　they　take　care　not　to　exceed。　　The　queen　was　very　gay；　and　she　and　the　king　talked　of　many　things　with　each　other；　among　other　things　she　valued　her　property；　and　the　dominions　she　had　in　Svithjod；　as　nothing　less　than　his　property　in　Norway。　　With　that　observation　the　king　was　nowise　pleased；　and　he　found　no　pleasure　in　anything　after　that；　but　made　himself　ready　for　his　journey　in　an　ill　humor。　　On　the　other　hand；　the　queen　was　remarkably　gay；　and　made　him　many　presents；　and　followed　him　out　to　the　road。　　Now　Harald　returned　about　harvest　to　Norway；　and　was　at　home　all　winter；　but　was　very　silent　and　cast　down。　　In　summer　he　went　once　more　to　the　Baltic　with　his　ships；　and　steered　to　Svithjod。　　He　sent　a　message　to　Queen　Sigrid　that　he　wished　to　have　a　meeting　with　her　and　she　rode　down　to　meet　him。　　They　talked　together　and　he　soon　brought　out　the　proposal　that　she　should　marry　him。　　She　replied；　that　this　was　foolish　talk　for　him；　who　was　so　well　married　already　that　he　might　think　himself　well　off。　Harald　says；　〃Asta　is　a　good　and　clever　woman；　but　she　is　not　so　well　born　as　I　am。〃　Sigrid　replies；　〃It　may　be　that　thou　art　of　higher　birth；　but　I　think　she　is　　now　pregnant　with　both　your　fortunes。〃　　They　exchanged　but　few　words　more　before　the　queen　rode　away。　　King　Harald　was　now　depressed　in　mind；　and　prepared　himself　again　to　ride　up　the　country　to　meet　Queen　Sigrid。　　Many　of　his　people　dissuaded　him；　but　nevertheless　he　set　off　with　a　great　attendance；　and　came　to　the　house　in　which　the　queen　dwelt。　　The　same　evening　came　another　king；　called　Vissavald；　from　Gardarike　（Russia）；　likewise　to　pay　his　addresses　to　Queen　Sigrid。　　Lodging　was　given　to　both　the　kings；　and　to　all　their　people；　in　a　great　old　room　of　an　out…building；　and　all　the　furniture　was　of　the　same　character；　but　there　was　no　want　of　drink　in　the　evening；　and　that　so　strong　that　all　were　drunk；　and　the　watch；　both　inside　and　outside；　fell　fast　asleep。　　Then　Queen　Sigrid　ordered　an　attack　on　them　in　the　night；　both　with　fire　and　sword。　　The　house　was　burnt；　with　all　who　were　in　it　and　those　who　slipped　out　were　put　to　the　sword。　　Sigrid　said　that　she　would　make　these　small　kings　tired　of　coming　to　court　her。　　She　was　afterwards　called　Sigrid　the　Haughty　（Storrada）。



49。　BIRTH　OF　OLAF；　SON　OF　HARALD　GRENSKE。

This　happened　the　winter　after　the　battle　of　the　Jomsborg　vikings　at　Hjorungavag。　　When　Harald　went　up　the　country　after　Sigrid；　he　left　Hrane　behind　with　the　ships　to　look　after　the　men。　　Now　when　Hrane　heard　that　Harald　was　cut　off；　he　returned　to　Norway　the　shortest　way　he　could；　and　told　the　news。　　He　repaired　first　to　Asta；　and　related　to　her　all　that　had　happened　on　the　journey；　and　also　on　what　errand　Harald　had　visited　Queen　Sigrid。　　When　Asta　got　these　tidings　she　set　off　directly　to　her　father　in　the　Uplands；　who　received　her　well；　but　both　were　enraged　at　the　design　which　had　been　laid　in　Svithjod；　and　that　King　Harald　had　intended　to　set　her　in　a　single　condition。　　In　summer　（A。D。　995）　Asta；　Gudbrand's　daughter；　was　confined；　and　had　a　boy　child；　who　had　water　poured　over　him；　and　was　called　Olaf。　　Hrane　himself　poured　water　over　him；　and　the　child　was　brought　up　at　first　in　the　house　of　Gudbrand　and　his　mother　Asta。



50。　ABOUT　EARL　HAKON。

Earl　Hakon　ruled　over　the　whole　outer　part　of　Norway　that　lies　on　the　sea；　and　had　thus　sixteen　districts　under　his　sway。　　The　arrangement　introduced　by　Harald　Harfager；　that　there　should　be　an　earl　in　each　district；　was　afterward　continued　for　a　long　time；　and　thus　Earl　Hakon　had　sixteen　earls　under　him。　　So　says　the　〃Vellekla〃：　

　　　　　〃Who　before　has　ever　known　　　　　　Sixteen　earls　subdued　by　one？　　　　　　Who　has　seen　all　Norway's　land　　　　　　Conquered　by　one　brave　hero's　hand？　　　　　　It　will　be　long　in　memory　held；　　　　　　How　Hakon　ruled　by　sword　and　shield。　　　　　　When　tales　at　the　viking's　mast　go　round；　　　　　　His　praise　will　every　mouth　resound。〃

While　Earl　Hakon　ruled　over　Norway　there　were　good　crops　in　the　land；　and　peace　was　well　preserved　in　the　country　among　the　bondes。　　The　Earl；　for　the　greater　part　of　his　lifetime；　was　therefore　much　beloved　by　the　bondes；　but　it　happened；　in　the　longer　course　of　time；　that　the　earl　became　very　intemperate　in　his　intercourse　with　women；　and　even　carried　it　so　far　that　he　made　the　daughters　of　people　of　consideration　be　carried　away　and　brought　home　to　him；　and　after　keeping　them　a　week　or　two　as　concubines；　he　sent　them　home。　　He　drew　upon　himself　the　indignation　of　me　relations　of　these　girls；　and　the　bondes　began　to　murmur　loudly；　as　the　Throndhjem　people　have　the　custom　of　doing　when　anything　goes　against　their　judgment。



51。　THORER　KLAKKA'S　JOURNEY。

Earl　Hakon；　in　the　mean　time；　hears　some　whisper　that　to　the　westward；　over　the　Norh　sea；　was　a　man　called　Ole；　who　was　looked　upon　as　a　king。　　From　the　conversation　of　some　people；　he　fell　upon　the　suspicion　that　he　must　be　of　the　royal　race　of　Norway。　　It　was；　indeed；　said　that　this　Ole　was　from　Russia；　but　the　earl　had　heard　that　Trygve　Olafson　had　had　a　son　called　Olaf；　who　in　his　infancy　had　gone　east　to　Gardarike；　and　had　been　brought　up　by　King　Valdemar。　　The　earl　had　carefully　inquired　about　this　man；　and　had　his　suspicion　that　he　must　be　the　same　person　who　had　now　come　to　these　western　countries。　　The　earl　had　a　very　good　friend　called　Thorer　Klakka；　who　had　been　long　upon　viking　expeditions；　sometimes　also　upon　merchant　voyages；　so　that　he　was　well　acquainted　all　around。　　This　Thorer　Earl　Hakon　sends　over　the　North　sea；　and　told　him　to　make　a　merchant　voyage　to　Dublin；　many　were　in　the　habit　of　doing；　and　carefully　to　discover　who　this　Ole　was。　　Provided　he　got　any　certainty　that　he　was　Olaf　Trygvason；　or　any　other　of　the　Norwegian　royal　race；　then　Thorer　should　endeavor　to　ensnare　him　by　some　deceit；　and　bring　him　into　the　earl's　power。



52。　OLAF　TRYGVASON　COMES　TO　NORWAY。

On　this　Thorer　sails　westward　to　Ireland；　and　hears　that　Ole　is　in　Dublin　with　his　wife's　father　King　Olaf　Kvaran。　　Thorer；　who　was　a　plausible　man；　immediately　got　acquainted　with　Ole；　and　as　they　often　met；　and　had　long　conversations　together；　Ole　began　to　inquire　about　news　from　Norway；　and　above　all　of　the　Upland　kings　and　great　people；　　which　of　them　were　in　life；　and　what　dominations　they　now　had。　　He　asked　also　about　Earl　Hakon；　and　if　he　was　much　liked　in　the　country。　　Thorer　replies；　that　the　earl　is　such　a　powerful　man　that　no　one　dares　to　speak　otherwise　than　he　would　like；　but　that　comes　from　there　being　nobody　else　in　the　country　to　look　to。　　〃Yet；　to　say　the　truth；　I　know　it　to　be　the　mind　of　many　brave　men；　and　of　whole　communities；　that　they　would　much　rather　see　a　king　of　Harald　Harfager's　race　come　to　the　kingdom。　　But　we　know　of　no　one　suited　for　this；　especially　now　that　it　is　proved　how　vain　every　attack　on　Earl　Hakon　must　be。〃　　As　they　often　talked　together　in　the　same　strain；　Olaf　disclosed　to　Thorer　his　name　and　family；　and　asked　him　his　opinion；　and　whether　he　thought　the　bondes　would　take　him　for　their　king　if　he　were　to　appear　in　Norway。　　Thorer　encouraged　him　very　eagerly　to　　the　enterprise；　and　praised　him　and　his　talents　highly。　　Then　Olaf's　inclination　to　go　to　the　heritage　of　his　ancestors　became　strong。　　Olaf　sailed　accordingly；　accompanied　by　Thorer；　with　five　ships；　first　to　the　Hebrides；　and　from　thence　to　the　Orkneys。　　At　that　time　Earl　Sigurd；　Hlodver's　son；　lay　in　Osmundswall；　in　the　island　South　Ronaldsa；　with　a　ship　of　war；　on　his　way　to　Caithness。　　Just　at　the　same　time　Olaf　was　sailing　with　his　fleet　from　the　westward　to　the　islands；　and　ran　into　the　same　harbour；　because　Pentland　Firth　was　not　to　be　passed　at　that　tide。　　When　the　king　was　informed　that　the　earl　was　there；　he　made　him　be　called；　and　when　the　earl　came　on　board　to　speak　with　the　king；　after　a　few　words　only　had　passed　between　them；　the　king　says　the　earl　must