heimskringla-第38部分

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King　Olaf　Trygvason。　　The　Swedish　king　and　Earl　Eirik　were　ready　enough　for　this；　and　immediately　assembled　a　great　fleet　and　an　army　through　all　Svithjod；　with　which　they　sailed　southwards　to　Denmark；　and　arrived　there　after　King　Olaf　Trygvason　had　sailed　to　the　eastward。　　Haldor　the　Unchristian　tells　of　this　in　his　lay　on　Earl　Eirik：　

　　　　　〃The　king…subduer　raised　a　host　　　　　　Of　warriors　on　the　Swedish　coast。　　　　　　The　brave　went　southwards　to　the　fight；　　　　　　Who　love　the　sword…storm's　gleaming　light；　　　　　　The　brave；　who　fill　the　wild　wolf's　mouth；　　　　　　Followed　bold　Eirik　to　the　south；　　　　　　The　brave；　who　sport　in　blood　　each　one　　　　　　With　the　bold　earl　to　sea　is　gone。〃

The　Swedish　king　and　Earl　Eirik　sailed　to　meet　the　Danish　king；　and　they　had　all；　when　together；　an　immense　force。



109。　EARL　SIGVALDE'S　TREACHEROUS　PLANS。

At　the　same　time　that　king　Svein　sent　a　message　to　Svithjod　for　an　army；　he　sent　Earl　Sigvalde　to　Vindland　to　spy　out　King　Olaf　Trygvason's　proceedings；　and　to　bring　it　about　by　cunning　devices　that　King　Svein　and　King　Olaf　should　fall　in　with　each　other。　　So　Sigvalde　sets　out　to　go　to　Vindland。　　First；　he　came　to　Jomsborg；　and　then　he　sought　out　King　Olaf　Trygvason。　　There　was　much　friendship　in　their　conversation；　and　the　earl　got　himself　into　great　favour　with　the　king。　　Astrid；　the　Earl's　wife；　King　Burizleif's　daughter；　was　a　great　friend　of　King　Olaf　Trygvason；　particularly　on　account　of　the　connection　which　had　been　between　them　when　Olaf　was　married　to　her　sister　Geira。　　Earl　Sigvalde　was　a　prudent；　ready…minded　man；　and　as　he　had　got　a　voice　in　King　Olaf's　council；　he　put　him　off　much　from　sailing　homewards；　finding　various　reasons　for　delay。　　Olaf's　people　were　in　the　highest　degree　dissatisfied　with　this；　for　the　men　were　anxious　to　get　home；　and　they　lay　ready　to　sail；　waiting　only　for　a　wind。　At　last　Earl　Sigvalde　got　a　secret　message　from　Denmark　that　the　Swedish　king's　army　was　arrived　from　the　east；　and　that　Earl　Eirik's　also　was　ready；　and　that　all　these　chiefs　had　resolved　to　sail　eastwards　to　Vindland；　and　wait　for　King　Olaf　at　an　island　which　is　called　Svold。　　They　also　desired　the　earl　to　contrive　matters　so　that　they　should　meet　King　Olaf　there。



110。　KING　OLAF'S　VOYAGE　FROM　VINDLAND。

There　came　first　a　flying　report　to　Vindland　that　the　Danish　king；　Svein；　had　fitted　out　an　army；　and　it　was　soon　whispered　that　he　intended　to　attack　King　Olaf。　　But　Earl　Sigvalde　says　to　King　Olaf；　〃It　never　can　be　King　Svein's　intention　to　venture　with　the　Danish　force　alone；　to　give　battle　to　thee　with　such　a　powerful　army；　but　if　thou　hast　any　suspicion　that　evil　is　on　foot；　I　will　follow　thee　with　my　force　（at　that　time　it　was　considered　a　great　matter　to　have　Jomsborg　vikings　with　an　army）；　and　I　will　give　thee　eleven　well…manned　ships。〃　　The　king　accepted　this　offer；　and　as　the　light　breeze　of　wind　that　came　was　favourable；　he　ordered　the　ships　to　get　under　weigh；　and　the　war…horns　to　sound　the　departure。　　The　sails　were　hoisted　and　all　the　small　vessels；　sailing　fastest；　got　out　to　sea　before　the　others。　　The　earl；　who　sailed　nearest　to　the　king's　ship；　called　to　those　on　board　to　tell　the　king　to　sail　in　his　keel…track：　〃For　I　know　where　the　water　is　deepest　between　the　islands　and　in　the　sounds；　and　these　large　ships　require　the　deepest。〃　　Then　the　earl　sailed　first　with　his　eleven　ships；　and　the　king　followed　with　his　large　ships；　also　eleven　in　number；　but　the　whole　of　the　rest　of　the　fleet　sailed　out　to　sea。　　Now　when　Earl　Sigvalde　came　sailing　close　under　the　island　Svold；　a　skiff　rowed　out　to　inform　the　earl　that　the　Danish　king's　army　was　lying　in　the　harbour　before　them。　　Then　the　earl　ordered　the　sails　of　his　vessels　to　be　struck；　and　they　rowed　in　under　the　island。　　Haldor　the　Unchristian　says：　

　　　　　〃From　out　the　south　bold　Trygve's　son　　　　　　With　one…and…seventy　ships　came　on；　　　　　　To　dye　his　sword　in　bloody　fight；　　　　　　Against　the　Danish　foeman's　might。　　　　　　But　the　false　earl　the　king　betrayed；　　　　　　And　treacherous　Sigvalde；　it　is　said；　　　　　　Deserted　from　King　Olaf's　fleet；　　　　　　And　basely　fled；　the　Danes　to　meet。〃

It　is　said　here　that　King　Olaf　and　Earl　Sigvalde　had　seventy　sail　of　vessels：　and　one　more；　when　they　sailed　from　the　south。



111。　CONSULTATION　OF　THE　KINGS。

The　Danish　King　Svein；　the　Swedish　King　Olaf；　and　Earl　Eirik；　were　there　with　all　their　forces　（1000）。　　The　weather　being　fine　and　clear　sunshine；　all　these　chiefs；　with　a　great　suite；　went　out　on　the　isle　to　see　the　vessels　sailing　out　at　sea；　and　many　of　them　crowded　together；　and　they　saw　among　them　one　large　and　glancing　ship。　　The　two　kings　said；　〃That　is　a　large　and　very　beautiful　vessel：　that　will　be　the　Long　Serpent。〃

Earl　Eirik　replied；　〃That　is　not　the　Long　Serpent。〃　　And　he　was　right；　for　it　was　the　ship　belonging　to　Eindride　of　Gimsar。

Soon　after　they　saw　another　vessel　coming　sailing　along　much　larger　than　the　first；　then　says　King　Svein；　〃Olaf　Trygvason　must　be　afraid；　for　he　does　not　venture　to　sail　with　the　figure…head　of　the　dragon　upon　his　ship。〃

Says　Earl　Eirik；　〃That　is　not　the　king's　ship　yet；　for　I　know　that　ship　by　the　coloured　stripes　of　cloth　in　her　sail。　　That　is　Erling　Skialgson's。　　Let　him　sail；　for　it　is　the　better　for　us　that　the　ship　is　away　from　Olaf's　fleet；　so　well　equipt　as　she　is。〃

Soon　after　they　saw　and　knew　Earl　Sigvalde's　ships；　which　turned　in　and　laid　themselves　under　the　island。　　Then　they　saw　three　ships　coming　along　under　sail；　and　one　of　them　very　large。　　King　Svein　ordered　his　men　to　go　to　their　ships；　〃for　there　comes　the　Long　Serpent。〃

Earl　Eirik　says；　〃Many　other　great　and　stately　vessels　have　they　besides　the　Long　Serpent。　　Let　us　wait　a　little。〃

Then　said　many；　〃Earl　Eirik　will　not　fight　and　avenge　his　father；　and　it　is　a　great　shame　that　it　should　be　told　that　we　lay　here　with　so　great　a　force；　and　allowed　King　Olaf　to　sail　out　to　sea　before　our　eyes。〃

But　when　they　had　spoken　thus　for　a　short　time；　they　saw　four　ships　coming　sailing　along；　of　which　one　had　a　large　dragon…head　richly　gilt。　　Then　King　Svein　stood　up　and　said；　〃That　dragon　shall　carry　me　this　evening　high；　for　I　shall　steer　it。〃

Then　said　many；　〃The　Long　Serpent　is　indeed　a　wonderfully　large　and　beautiful　vessel；　and　it　shows　a　great　mind　to　have　built　such　a　ship。〃

Earl　Eirik　said　so　loud　that　several　persons　heard　him；　〃If　King　Olaf　had　no　ether　vessels　but　only　that　one；　King　Svein　would　never　take　it　from　him　with　the　Danish　force　alone。〃

Thereafter　all　the　people　rushed　on　board　their　ships；　took　down　the　tents；　and　in　all　haste　made　ready　for　battle。

While　the　chiefs　were　speaking　among　themselves　as　above　related；　they　saw　three　very　large　ships　coming　sailing　along；　and　at　last　after　them　a　fourth；　and　that　was　the　Long　Serpent。　　Of　the　large　ships　which　had　gone　before；　and　which　they　had　taken　for　the　Long　Serpent；　the　first　was　the　Crane；　the　one　after　that　was　the　Short　Serpent；　and　when　they　really；　saw　the　Long　Serpent；　all　knew；　and　nobody　had　a　word　to　say　against　it；　that　it　must　be　Olaf　Trygvason　who　was　sailing　in　such　a　vessel；　and　they　went　to　their　ships　to　arm　for　the　fight。

An　agreement　had　been　concluded　among　the　chiefs；　King　Svein；　King　Olaf　the　Swede；　and　Earl　Eirik；　that　they　should　divide　Norway　among　them　in　three　parts；　in　case　they　succeeded　against　Olaf　Trygvason；　but　that　he　of　the　chiefs　who　should　first　board　the　Serpent　should　have　her；　and　all　the　booty　found　in　her；　and　each　should　have　the　ships　he　cleared　for　himself。　　Earl　Eirik　had　a　large　ship　of　war　which　he　used　upon　his　viking　expeditions；　and　there　was　an　iron　beard　or　comb　above　on　both　sides　of　the　stem；　and　below　it　a　thick　iron　plate　as　broad　as　the　combs；　which　went　down　quite　to　the　gunnel。



112。　OF　KING　OLAF'S　PEOPLE。

When　Earl　Sigvalde　with　his　vessels　rowed　in　under　the　island；　Thorkel　Dydril　of　the　Crane；　and　the　other　ship　commanders　who　sailed　with　him；　saw　that　he　turned　his　ships　towards　the　isle；　and　thereupon　let　fall　the　sails；　and　rowed　after　him；　calling　out；　and　asking　why　he　sailed　that　way。　　The　Earl　answered；　that　he　was　waiting　for　king　Olaf；　as　he　feared　there　were　enemies　in　the　water。　　They　lay　upon　their　oars　until　Thorkel　Nefia　came　up　with　the　Short　Serpent　and　the　three　ships　which　followed　him。　When　they　told　them　the　same　they　too　struck　sail；　and　let　the　ships　drive；　waiting　for　king　Olaf。　　But　when　the　king　sailed　in　towards　the　isle；　the　whole　enemies'　fleet　came　rowing　within　them　out　to　the　Sound。　　When　they　saw　this　they　begged　the　king　to　hold　on　his　way；　and　not　risk　battle　with　so　great　a　force。　The　king　replied；　high　on　the　quarter…deck　where　he　stood；　〃Strike　the　sails；　never　shall　men　of　mine　think　of　flight。　　I　never　fled　from　battle。　　Let　God　dispose　of　my　life；　but　flight　I　shall　never　take。〃　　It　was　done　as　the　king　commanded。　　Halfred　tells　of　it　thus：　

　　　　　〃And　far　and　wide　the　saying　bold　　　　　　Of　the　brave　warrior　shall　be　told。　　　　　　The　king；　in　many　a　fray　well　tried；　　　　　　To　his　brave　champions　round　him　cried；　　　　　　‘My　men　shall　never　learn　from　me　　　　　　From　the　dark　weapon…cloud　to　flee。'　　　　　　Nor　were　the　brave　words　spoken　then　　　　　　Forgotten　by　his　faithful　men。〃



113。　OLAF'S　SHIPS　PREPARED　FOR　BATTLE。

King　Olaf　ordered　the　war…horns　to　sound　for　all　his　ships　to　close　up　to　each　other。　　The　king's　ship　lay　in　the　middle　of　the　line；　and　on　one　side　lay　the　Little　Serpent；　and　on　the　other　the　Crane；　and　as　they　made　fast　the　stems　together　（1）；　the　Long　Serpent's　stem　and　the　short　Serpent's　were　made　fast　together；　but　when　the　king　saw　it　he　called　out　to　his　men；　and　ordered　them　to　lay　the　larger　ship　more　in　advance；　so　that　its　stern　should　not　lie　so　far　behind　in　the　fleet。

Then　says　Ulf　the　Red；　〃If　the　Long　Serpent　is　to　lie　as　much　more　ahead　of　the　other　ships　as　she　is　longer　than　them；　we　shall　have　hard　work　of　it　here　on　the　forecastle。〃

The　king　replies；　〃I　did　not　think　I　had　a　forecastle　man　afraid　as　well　as　red。〃

Says　Ulf；　〃Defend　thou　the　quarterdeck　as　I　shall　the　forecastle。〃

The　king　had　a　bow　in　his　hands；　and　laid　an　arrow　on　the　string；　and　aimed　at　Ulf。

Ulf　said；　〃Shoot　another　way；　king；　where　it　is　more　needful：　my　w