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efore　he　would　be　exposed　to　the　severest　fate　if　Olaf　recovered　the　kingdom；　and　Harek　withal　is　a　man　experienced　in　battles；　and　a　man　who　does　much　for　honour　alone。〃

Harek　replies；　that　the　men　are　best　suited　for　this　who　are　in　the　flower　of　their　age。　　〃I　am　now；〃　says　he；　〃an　old　and　decaying　man；　not　able　to　do　much　in　battle：　besides；　there　is　near　relationship　between　me　and　King　Olaf；　and　although　he　seems　not　to　put　great　value　upon　that　tie；　it　would　not　beseem　me　to　go　as　leader　of　the　hostilities　against　him；　before　any　other　in　this　meeting。　　On　the　other　hand；　thou；　Thorer；　art　well　suited　to　be　our　chief　in　this　battle　against　King　Olaf；　and　thou　hast　distinct　grounds　for　being　so；　both　because　thou　hast　to　avenge　the　death　of　thy　relation；　and　also　hast　been　driven　by　him　as　an　outlaw　from　thy　property。　　Thou　hast　also　promised　King　Canute；　as　well　as　thy　connections；　to　avenge　the　murder　of　thy　relative　Asbjorn；　and　dost　thou　suppose　there　ever　will　be　a　better　opportunity　than　this　of　taking　vengeance　on　Olaf　for　all　these　insults　and　injuries？〃

Thorer　replies　thus　to　his　speech：　〃I　do　not　confide　in　myself　so　much　as　to　raise　the　banner　against　King　Olaf；　or；　as　chief；　to　lead　on　this　army；　for　the　people　of　Throndhjem　have　the　greatest　part　in　this　armament；　and　I　know　well　their　haughty　spirit；　and　that　they　would　not　obey　me；　or　any　other　Halogaland　man；　although　I　need　not　be　reminded　of　my　injuries　to　be　roused　to　vengeance　on　King　Olaf。　　I　remember　well　my　heavy　loss　when　King　Olaf　slew　four　men；　all　distinguished　both　by　birth　and　personal　qualities；　namely；　my　brother's　son　Asbjorn；　my　sister's　sons　Thorer　and　Grjotgard；　and　their　father　Olver；　and　it　is　my　duty　to　take　vengeance　for　each　man　of　them。　　I　will　not　conceal　that　I　have　selected　eleven　of　my　house…servants　for　that　purpose；　and　of　those　who　are　the　most　daring；　and　I　do　not　think　we　shall　be　behind　others　in　exchanging　blows　with　King　Olaf；　should　opportunity　be　given。〃



232。　KALF　ARNASON'S　SPEECH。

Then　Kalf　Arnason　desired　to　speak。　　〃It　is　highly　necessary；〃　says　he；　〃that　this　business　we　have　on　hand　do　not　turn　out　a　mockery　and　child…work；　now　that　an　army　is　collected。　　Something　else　is　needful；　if　we　are　to　stand　battle　with　King　Olaf；　than　that　each　should　shove　the　danger　from　himself；　for　we　must　recollect　that　although　King　Olaf　has　not　many　people　compared　to　this　army　of　ours；　the　leader　of　them　is　intrepid；　and　the　whole　body　of　them　will　be　true　to　him；　and　obedient　in　the　battle。　　But　if　we　who　should　be　the　leaders　of　this　army　show　any　fear；　and　will　not　encourage　the　army　and　go　at　the　head　of　it；　it　must　happen　that　with　the　great　body　of　our　people　the　spirit　will　leave　their　hearts；　and　the　next　thing　will　be　that　each　will　seek　his　own　safety。　　Although　we　have　now　a　great　force　assembled；　we　shall　find　our　destruction　certain；　when　we　meet　King　Olaf　and　his　troops；　if　we；　the　chiefs　of　the　people；　are　not　confident　in　our　cause；　and　have　not　the　whole　army　confidently　and　bravely　going　along　with　us。　　If　it　cannot　be　so；　we　had　better　not　risk　a　battle；　and　then　it　is　easy　to　see　that　nothing　would　be　left　us　but　to　shelter　ourselves　under　King　Olaf's　mercy；　however　hard　it　might　be；　as　then　we　would　be　less　guilty　than　we　now　may　appear　to　him　to　be。　　Yet　I　know　there　are　men　in　his　ranks　who　would　secure　my　life　and　peace　if　I　would　seek　it。　　Will　ye　now　adopt　my　proposal　　then　shalt　thou；　friend　Thorer；　and　thou；　Harek；　go　under　the　banner　which　we　will　all　of　us　raise　up；　and　then　follow。　　Let　us　all　be　speedy　and　determined　in　the　resolution　we　have　taken；　and　put　ourselves　so　at　the　head　of　the　bondes'　army　that　they　see　no　distrust　in　us；　for　then　will　the　common　man　advance　with　spirit　when　we　go　merrily　to　work　in　placing　the　army　in　battle…order；　and　in　encouraging　the　people　to　the　strife。〃

When　Kalf　had　ended　they　all　concurred　in　what　he　proposed；　and　all　would　do　what　Kalf　thought　of　advantage。　　All　desired　Kalf　to　be　the　leader　of　the　army；　and　to　give　each　what　place　in　it　he　chose。



233。　HOW　THE　LENDERMEN　SET　UP　THEIR　BANNERS。

Kalf　Arnason　then　raised　his　banner；　and　drew　up　his　house…　servants　along　with　Harek　of　Thjotta　and　his　men。　　Thorer　Hund；　with　his　troop；　was　at　the　head　of　the　order　of　battle　in　front　of　the　banner；　and　on　both　sides　of　Thorer　was　a　chosen　body　of　bondes；　all　of　them　the　most　active　and　best　armed　in　the　forces。　This　part　of　the　array　was　long　and　thick；　and　in　it　were　drawn　up　the　Throndhjem　people　and　the　Halogalanders。　　On　the　right　wing　was　another　array；　and　on　the　left　of　the　main　array　were　drawn　up　the　men　from　Rogaland；　Hordaland；　the　Fjord　districts；　and　Scgn；　and　they　had　the　third　banner。



234。　OF　THORSTEIN　KNARRARSMID。

There　was　a　man　called　Thorstein　Knarrarsmid；　who　was　a　merchant　and　master　ship…carpenter；　stout　and　strong；　very　passionate；　and　a　great　manslayer。　　He　had　been　in　enmity　against　King　Olaf；　who　had　taken　from　him　a　new　and　large　merchant…vessel　he　had　built；　on　account　of　some　manslaughter…mulct；　incurred　in　the　course　of　his　misdeeds；　which　he　owed　to　the　king。　　Thorstein；　who　was　with　the　bondes'　army；　went　forward　in　front　of　the　line　in　which　Thorer　Hund　stood；　and　said；　〃Here　I　will　be；　Thorer；　in　your　ranks；　for　I　think；　if　I　and　King　Olaf　meet；　to　be　the　first　to　strive　a　weapon　at　him；　if　I　can　get　so　near；　to　repay　him　for　the　robbery　of　the　ship　he　took　from　me；　which　was　the　best　that　ever　went　on　merchant　voyage。〃　　Thorer　and　his　men　received　Thorstein；　and　he　went　into　their　ranks。



235。　OF　THE　PREPARATIONS　OF　THE　BONDES。

When　the　bondes'　men　and　array　were　drawn　up　the　lendermen　addressed　the　men；　and　ordered　them　to　take　notice　of　the　place　to　which　each　man　belonged；　under　which　banner　each　should　be；　who　there　were　in　front　of　the　banner；　who　were　his　side…men；　and　that　they　should　be　brisk　and　quick　in　taking　up　their　places　in　the　array；　for　the　army　had　still　to　go　a　long　way；　and　the　array　might　be　broken　in　the　course　of　march。　　Then　they　encouraged　the　people；　and　Kalf　invited　all　the　men　who　had　any　injury　to　avenge　on　King　Olaf　to　place　themselves　under　the　banner　which　was　advancing　against　King　Olaf's　own　banner。　　They　should　remember　the　distress　he　had　brought　upon　them；　and；　he　said；　never　was　there　a　better　opportunity　to　avenge　their　grievances；　and　to　free　themselves　from　the　yoke　and　slavery　he　had　imposed　on　them。　〃Let　him；〃　says　he；　〃be　held　a　useless　coward　who　does　not　fight　this　day　boldly；　and　they　are　not　innocents　who　are　opposed　to　you；　but　people　who　will　not　spare　you　if　ye　spare　them。〃

Kalf's　speech　was　received　with　loud　applause；　and　shouts　of　encouragement　were　heard　through　the　whole　army。



236。　OF　THE　KING'S　AND　THE　BONDES'　ARMIES。

Thereafter　the　bondes'　army　advanced　to　Stiklestad；　where　King　Olaf　was　already　with　his　people。　　Kalf　and　Harek　went　in　front；　at　the　head　of　the　army　under　their　banners。　　But　the　battle　did　not　begin　immediately　on　their　meeting；　for　the　bondes　delayed　the　assault；　because　all　their　men　were　not　come　upon　the　plain；　and　they　waited　for　those　who　came　after　them。　　Thorer　Hund　had　come　up　with　his　troop　the　last；　for　he　had　to　take　care　that　the　men　did　not　go　off　behind　when　the　battlecry　was　raised；　or　the　armies　were　closing　with　each　other；　and　therefore　Kalf　and　Harek　waited　for　Thorer。　　For　the　encouragement　of　their　men　in　the　battle　the　bondes　had　the　field…cry　　〃Forward；　forward；　bondemen！〃　　King　Olaf　also　made　no　attack；　for　he　waited　for　Dag　and　the　people　who　followed　him。　　At　last　the　king　saw　Dag　and　his　men　approaching。　　It　is　said　that　the　army　of　the　bondes　was　not　less　on　this　day　than　a　hundred　times　a　hundred　men。　　Sigvat　the　skald　speaks　thus　of　the　numbers：　

　　　　　〃I　grieve　to　think　the　king　had　brought　　　　　　Too　small　a　force　for　what　he　sought：　　　　　　He　held　his　gold　too　fast　to　bring　　　　　　The　numbers　that　could　make　him　king。　　　　　　The　foemen；　more　than　two　to　one；　　　　　　The　victory　by　numbers　won；　　　　　　And　this　alone；　as　I've　heard　say；　　　　　　Against　King　Olaf　turned　the　day。〃



237。　MEETING　OF　THE　KING　AND　THE　BONDES。

As　the　armies　on　both　sides　stood　so　near　that　people　knew　each　other；　the　king　said；　〃Why　art　thou　here；　Kalf；　for　we　parted　good　friends　south　in　More？　　It　beseems　thee　ill　to　fight　against　us；　or　to　throw　a　spear　into　our　army；　for　here　are　four　of　thy　brothers。〃

Kalf　replied；　〃Many　things　come　to　pass　differently　from　what　may　appear　seemly。　　You　parted　from　us　so　that　it　was　necessary　to　seek　peace　with　those　who　were　behind　in　the　country。　　Now　each　must　remain　where　he　stands；　but　if　I　might　advise；　we　should　be　reconciled。〃

Then　Fin；　his　brother；　answered；　〃This　is　to　be　observed　of　Kalf；　that　when　he　speaks　fairly　he　has　it　in　his　mind　to　do　ill。〃

The　king　answered；　〃It　may　be；　Kalf；　that　thou　art　inclined　to　reconciliation；　but；　methinks；　the　bondes　do　not　appear　so　peaceful。〃

Then　Thorgeir　of　Kviststad　said；　〃You　shall　now　have　such　peace　as　many　formerly　have　received　at　your　hands；　and　which　you　shall　now　pay　for。〃

The　king　replies；　〃Thou　hast　no　occasion　to　hasten　so　much　to　meet　us；　for　fate　has　not　decreed　to　thee　to…day　a　victory　over　me；　who　raised　thee　to　power　and　dignity　from　a　mean　station。〃



238。　BEGINNING　OF　THE　BATTLE　OF　STIKLESTAD。

Now　came　Thorer　Hund；　went　forward　in　front　of　the　banner　with　his　troop；　and　called　out；　〃Forward；　forward；　bondemen！〃　　Thereupon　the　bondemen　raised　the　war…cry；　and　shot　their　arrows　and　spears。　　The　king's　men　raised　also　a　war…shout；　and　that　done；　encouraged　each　other　to　advance；　crying　out；　〃Forward；　forward；　Christ…men！　　cross…men！　　king's　men！〃　　When　the　bondes　who　stood　outermost　on　the　wings　heard　it；　they　repeated　the　same　cry；　but　when　the　other　bondes　heard　them　they　thought　these　were　king's　men；　turned　their　arms　against　them；　and　they　fought　together；　and　many　were　slain　before　they　knew　each　other。　　The　weather　was　beautiful；　and　the　sun　shone　clear；　but　when　the　battle　began　the　heaven　and　the　sun　became　red；　and　before　the　battle　ended　it　became　as　dark　as　at　night。　　King　Olaf　had　drawn　up　his　army　upon　a　rising　ground；　and　it　rushed　down　from　thence　upon　the　bonde…army　wit