Olaf the Glorious: A Story of the Viking Age

  CHAPTER XX: CAUGHT IN THE SNARE.

  King Sweyn of Denmark and his allies lay with their war hosts in alarge sheltered vik, or bay, on the western side of the isle of Svold.This position was well chosen, as the bay formed a part of the channelthrough which--if Earl Sigvaldi fulfilled his treacherous mission--KingOlaf Triggvison was certain to pass into the clutches of his foes.There were seventy war galleys in all, and each vessel was well mannedand fully prepared for battle. The larger number belonged to KingSweyn; but the longships of Earl Erik were in all respects superior tothose of either Denmark or Sweden.

  Earl Erik himself, too, was the most valiant warrior. Excepting onlyOlaf Triggvison there was not a braver or more daring chief in all thelands of Scandinavia. Trained from his earliest youth to a life ofstorm and battle, Erik had never known the meaning of fear, and itmight almost be said that he had never known defeat. His own braveryand skill had inspired every one of his viking followers with the samequalities. As his men were, so were his ships--they were chosen withthe main view to their fitness for encountering the battle and thebreeze. His own dragonship, which had stood the brunt of many a fiercefight, was named the Iron Ram. It was very large, and the hull timbersat both bow and stern were plated with thick staves of iron from thegunwales down to the waterline.

  For many days had these ships lain at anchor in the bay, and as eachday passed the three chiefs grew more and more impatient for the comingof their royal victim. Many times and again had they sat together inKing Sweyn's land tent, discussing their prospects and planning theirmethod of attack. Their purpose was not alone to wreak vengeance uponKing Olaf for the supposed wrongs that each of the three had sufferedat his hands. The idea of vengeance, indeed, stood only second to thegreat hope of conquest and of personal gain, and they had made thissecret bargain among themselves, namely, that in the event of OlafTriggvison being slain, they should each have his own third share ofNorway. To Earl Erik were to be given all the shires along the westerncoast from Finmark to Lindesness, with the exception of seven shiresallotted to Olaf the Swede King. All the shires from Lindesness,including the rich district of Agder, to the Swedish boundary, were tobe taken by Sweyn Fork Beard; excepting only the realm of Ranarike (tothis day a part of Sweden), which was to be given to the Swedish king.

  It was further agreed among the three chieftains, concerning theexpected battle, that he who first planted foot upon the Long Serpentshould have her for his own, with all the wealth that was found onboard of her; and each should take possession of the ships which hehimself captured and cleared of men.

  Touching this same arrangement Olaf Sigridson was not well content, forhe knew that both Erik and Sweyn were better men than himself, and thatin contending for the prize he would have but a sorry chance if eitherof his companions should enter the battle before him.

  "It seems to me," said Sweyn, on a certain morning when they weretalking this matter over, "that the fairest way of all would be that weshould cast lots or throw the dice; and let it be that he who throwsthe highest shall be first to attack King Olaf's own ship."

  So they brought out the dice box and each cast his lot in turn. EarlErik threw a two and a five. Then the Swedish king took up the dice andhe threw two sixes.

  "No need is there for a third to throw!" he cried. "Mine is the firstchance, and, by the hammer of Thor, the Long Serpent shall be minealso!"

  But King Sweyn had still to take his throw.

  "There are yet two sixes on the dice," said he, "and it is easy for thegods to let them turn up again."

  He made his cast, and there were again two sixes. But one die hadbroken asunder, showing a three as well as the two sixes. Thus Sweynwas the victor, and it was agreed that his ships should take the centreof battle and lead the attack upon the Long Serpent.

  When this matter was decided the three chiefs went up upon the heightsof the island, as they had done every morning since their coming toSvold, and stood there with a great company of men. They lookedeastward along the line of the Wendic coast, and as they watched theysaw a great number of ships upon the sea, bearing outward from Stettenhaven. The weather was very bright and clear, and the sunlight, shiningupon the gaily coloured sails and upon the gilded prows, made a veryfine sight.

  Earl Erik noticed with some concern that the fleet was making duenorth. But Sweyn said: "Wait, and you will see what our good Sigvaldiwill do when he comes into sight!" So they waited and watched.

  In about an hour's time they saw many larger and finer vesselsappearing. But they were yet too far off to be clearly recognized.Sweyn was very silent for a time, and he kept his eyes fixed upon theships, noting their every movement. At last he cried aloud:

  "Now I can see that Sigvaldi is doing as we bade him. No longer do theships stand outward into the main. They are bearing westward for Svold!Let us now go down to our ships and not be too slow in attack."

  So they all went down to the lower land and Sweyn sent boats out to bidthe shipmen weigh anchor and prepare for battle as quietly as might be.

  Now the channel through which Sigvaldi was to lead the Norsemen wasfull wide, and deep, but it had many turns and twists, and before theships could enter the bay, where their enemies awaited them in ambush,they had need to pass round an outstretching cape. On the ridge of thiscape, and hidden by trees, King Sweyn and his companions took theirstand, knowing that although they might wait to see the whole of KingOlaf's fleet pass by, they would still have ample time to board theirships and be in readiness to meet their victim ere he entered the bay.

  It was not very long before they saw a large and splendid dragonsailing proudly into the channel. It was the ship of Eindrid of Gimsar.

  "A great ship, and marvellous fair!" cried King Sweyn. "Surely it isthe Long Serpent herself!"

  Earl Erik shook his head and answered: "Nay; though this ship is largeand fine it is not the Long Serpent."

  Shortly afterwards they saw another dragon, larger than the first; butthe dragon's head had been taken down from the prow.

  King Sweyn said: "Now is Olaf Triggvison afraid, for he dares not sailwith the head on his ship!"

  "This is not the king's ship," returned Earl Erik with confidentdenial; "for by the green and red striping of her sails I know that hercaptain is Erling Skialgson. Let him pass on! If, as I believe, he ishimself on board, we shall be better served if he and his band are notfound among those with whom we are to fight this day."

  One by one, in irregular order, the great ships of the Norse chieftainssailed by, and with each that passed, King Sweyn or Olaf of Swedencried aloud: "Now surely this one is the Long Serpent!" But Earl Erikthe Norseman recognized every one, and told her captain's name.

  Presently Earl Sigvaldi's viking ships went by, holding close inshore;and at length the earl's own dragon, with a red banner at her prow, bywhich token King Sweyn understood that all was going as had beenintended. Following close behind came the Crane.

  "Now let us hasten on board!" cried King Sweyn, "for here comes theSerpent at last!"

  But Earl Erik did not move.

  "Many other great and splendid ships has Olaf Triggvison besides theLong Serpent," said he, "yet only nine have sailed past. Let us stillwait."

  Then one of Sweyn's Danish warriors who stood near gave a hoarsemocking laugh and said:

  "We had heard that Earl Erik was a brave and adventurous man. But nowit is clear that he has but the heart of a chicken, for he is toocowardly to fight against Olaf Triggvison and dares not avenge his ownfather's death. Great shame is this, to be told of through all lands,that we, with all our great host, stand here, while Norway's king sailsout to sea past our very eyes."

  Erik became very angry at hearing these taunting words.

  "Go, then, to your ships," said he; "but for all your doubts of mycourage you shall see before the sun goes down into the sea tonightthat both Danes and Swedes will be less at their ease than I and mymen!"

  As they moved to go, yet another of King Olaf's ships hove in sight.

>   "Here now sails the Long Serpent!" cried the son of Queen Sigrid."Little wonder is it that Olaf Triggvison is so widely renowned when hehas such a splendid ship as this!"

  All turned to watch the great vessel as she floated by. Her gildeddragon glistened in the sunlight; her striped red and blue sail swelledin the breeze; crowds of stalwart men were on her decks. No larger ormore magnificent battleship had ever before been seen on these waters.

  King Sweyn Fork Beard cried aloud in his exultation:

  "Loftily shall the Serpent carry me tonight when I steer her north intoDenmark!"

  Then Earl Erik added with a sneer:

  "Even if Olaf the Glorious had no larger ship than the Short Serpent,which we now see, methinks Sweyn with all his army of Danes could neverwin it from him without aid."

  King Sweyn was about to give an angry retort when Earl Erik pointedtowards the headland from behind which all these ships had in theirturn appeared. And now did Sweyn at once understand how greatly he hadbeen mistaken in what he had expected of King Olaf's famous dragonship,and how much his fancy had fallen short of the reality. He stood indumb amazement as the towering prow of the Long Serpent glided intoview, shooting long beams of golden light across the sea. First camethe glistening dragon head, and then a long stretch of gaily paintedhull; next, the tall mast with its swelling white sail, and, in themidst of the snowy expanse, the blood red cross. The dense row ofpolished shields along the bulwarks flashed in the sunlight. Sweynmarvelled at the ship's great length, for the stern did not appear insight until long after he had seen the prow. His companion chieftainsmurmured their astonished admiration; while fear and terror crept intothe breasts of many of the Swedes and Danes, who felt that for some ofthem at least the great ship carried death.

  "This glorious vessel is worthy and fitting for such a mighty king asOlaf the Glorious," declared Earl Erik, "for it may in truth be said ofhim that he is distinguished above all other kings as the Long Serpentis above all other ships."

  All unconscious of the guiles of Sigvaldi, King Olaf steered his shipin the earl's wake. At the first he took the lead of his ten otherdragons, Sigvaldi sailing in advance. But as they neared the island athing happened which caused him to fall back to the rear. Young EinarEindridson, ever full of sport and play, had perched himself astride ofthe yardarm, and there, with his longbow and arrows shot at theseagulls as they flew by. Presently he espied a large bird flying overfrom the westward. Its wings and body were perfectly black. Slowly itcame nearer and nearer, as though it would cross the Serpent's bows.Einar worked his way along to the end of the yard, and, steadyinghimself, fixed an arrow to the string. As the bird came within easy bowshot the lad took aim. But as he drew the string he saw the greatdusky bird open its stout beak. He heard a hoarse croak, and knew it tobe the croak of a raven. Now the croaking of a raven was held in thosetimes to be a sound of very ill omen; it was also considered that theman who killed one of these birds was certainly doomed to meet withspeedy misfortune. Einar slackened his bow, and the arrow slipped fromhis fingers. In trying to catch it, he dropped his famous bow, Thamb,and it fell into the sea. Now Einar treasured that bow beyond all hisworldly possessions. Without an instant's hesitation he stood up uponthe yard and leapt into the sea.

  King Olaf, standing at the tiller, had seen all this, and he quicklyput over the helm and, bringing the Serpent round head to wind, lay towhile a boat was launched. Einar and his bow were rescued. Butmeanwhile the Long Serpent was overtaken by all her companion ships;and so it was that she was the last to enter the straits.

  Earl Sigvaldi still held on in advance. But it was noticed that when hecame abreast of the cape whereon the three chiefs had stood, he loweredhis sails and steered his ships nearer inshore. The Norsemen suspectingnothing, followed his example, and very soon King Olaf's fleet gatheredcloser together. But when Thorkel the Wheedler came up with the Cranehe shouted aloud to Sigvaldi, asking him why he did not sail. The earlreplied that he intended to lie to until King Olaf should rejoin him.So Thorkel struck sail also. But the ships had still some way on themand the current was with them. They drifted on until they came to acurve in the channel which opened out into the bay where the host ofKing Sweyn and his allies waited in ambush.

  Now by this time the Short Serpent had come alongside of Sigvaldi, andher captain, espying some of the enemy's fleet, questioned the earlconcerning them.

  "Strangers they all are to me," answered Sigvaldi with an evil look inhis eyes. "But whoever they be, it seems that they are not altogetherfriendly to us. I see their red war shields from where I stand, and itlooks very much as though a battle awaited us."

  Then Thorkel Nefja had his oars brought out, and he steered the ShortSerpent round against the stream and went back with all speed to meetthe king.

  "What do I see?" cried King Olaf. "Why have the ships struck sail? Andwhat is the meaning of your coming back?"

  "It is because a great host of war galleys are lying in the fartherbay," answered Thorkel. "It is the host of King Sweyn of Denmark, for Isaw the banner on one of the longships, and it was like unto thebanners that Sweyn Fork Beard carried at the time when we were with himin England. Turn back, I implore you, O king! Turn back by the way wehave come! For our fleet numbers but eleven keels, while our foes havefully two score of dragons!"

  The king stood on the lypting of the Long Serpent as he heard thesetidings. He turned to his mariners.

  "Down with the sails! Out with the oars!" he cried with a loud voicethat could be clearly heard across the waters; and the men quicklyobeyed.

  Still holding the tiller, Olaf kept his ship's prow ahead as before.

  "Never yet have I fled from a battle," he called out to Thorkel Nefja."And although Sweyn Fork Beard had thrice two score of warships, Iwould rather fight him than turn tail like a coward hound. God rulesover the lives of all Christian men, and why should we fear toencounter King Sweyn and all his heathens? Let our cry be 'Onward,Christ men; onward, Cross men!'"

  Now when the Long Serpent, sweeping quickly along with all oars atwork, came nigh to her companions, Olaf saw that Earl Sigvaldi and hisvikings had passed on beyond the cape, while his own captains hadturned their prows about and were rowing back against the current.

  "Why do ye take to flight?" roared Olaf in an angry voice of thunder."Never will I fly from any earthly enemy. He is no worthy king whoshuns his foes because of fear. Reverse your ships and follow the LongSerpent, be it to glory or to death!"

  And now, taking the lead, he arrayed his ships in order, with the ShortSerpent and the Crane together in his immediate wake, and his eightother longships following close behind. Proudly, and with all hisbanners flying, he sailed into the bay. Before him, at about a mile'sdistance, he saw the seventy warships of his foes. Their vast numberand their compact battle array might well have struck fear into theheart of one who had but eleven galleys at his back. But not for aninstant did Olaf Triggvison shrink from the unequal encounter. Hebrought his vessels to a halt, but it was not from hesitation. It wasonly that, taken wholly unawares, he had need to prepare for the comingbattle. Taking down his great war horn from the mast, he blew aresounding blast. His warriors understood the call, and they hastilydonned their armour, brought their arrows and spears on deck and stoodat their stations with a readiness which showed how well their royalmaster had trained them.

  Olaf himself went below into his cabin. He knelt for a time before thecrucifix in silent prayer, and then, with his stout heart well preparedfor all that might happen to him, put on his finest armour and returnedto the deck.

  As he stood beside his fluttering banner--a snow white banner with itsblood red cross--he could easily be distinguished from all who werenear him. His tall majestic figure was crowned with a crested helmet ofpure gold. Over his well wrought coat of mail he wore a short tunic ofscarlet silk. His shield, with its jewelled image of the crucifiedChrist shone in the sunlight and could be distinctly seen by hisawaiting foes.

  Some of his companions warned him o
f the danger of thus exposinghimself and making himself a mark for his enemies. But he answeredproudly that he wished all men, both friends and foes, to see that heshunned no danger.

  "The more I am seen," he said, "and the less fear I show in the battle,the more shall I inspire my brave friends with confidence and my foeswith fear and terror."

  As he spoke, he saw that King Sweyn with his ships was rowing slowlyout into the mid bay to meet him, leaving two detachments in his rear.There was no sign of haste on board of any one of the ships, for allmen knew that there was a long day's fight before them, and that it waswell to make all their preparations with slow caution.

  For some time after he had come on deck King Olaf was more intent uponobserving his enemies than in arraying his own small armament. He hadseen from the first that it would be his place to assume the defensive,and he had given the order for his ships to be drawn up in line,broadside to broadside.

  This order was being carried out as he now stood watching the advanceof his enemy's battle.

  "Who is the captain of the host now drawing up against us?" he asked ofBersi the Strong, one of his chieftains who stood near him. "By thestandard on his prow methinks I should know him well."

  "King Sweyn of the Forkedbeard it is, with his forces from Denmark,"was Bersi's answer.

  "That is even as I thought," returned Olaf. "But we are not afraid ofthose cowards, for no more courage is there in Danes than in woodgoats. Never yet were Danes victorious over Norsemen, and they will notvanquish us today. But what chief flies the standards to the right?"

  "Those, lord, are the standards of Olaf the Swede King."

  "The son of Queen Sigrid the Haughty stands in need of a littlepractice in warfare," said Olaf. "But for the harm that he can do us,he might well have stayed at home. And his heathen Sweden, I think,would find it more agreeable to sit at the fireside and lick theirsacrificial bowls than to board the Long Serpent under the rain of ourweapons. We need not fear the horse eating Swedes. But who owns thosefine ships to the left of the Danes? A gallant man he must be, for hismen are far better arrayed than the rest and much bolder of aspect inall ways."

  "Earl Erik Hakonson is the owner of them," answered Bersi.

  "He is the noblest champion who will fight against us today," saidOlaf, "and from him and the high born men that I see upon his decks wemay expect a hard battle. Earl Erik has just cause for attacking us,and we must not forget that he and his crews are Norsemen likeourselves. Now let us make ready!"

  Then the king turned to his own ships. The eleven dragons had beenranged side by side as he had ordered, with the Long Serpent in themiddle and the Crane and the Short Serpent at either side of her. Toright and to left of each of these four ships were placed. This was avery small force, compared with the overwhelming numbers of the enemy,and as Olaf glanced along his line he sorely missed the fifty of hisfleet that had gone out to seaward. Nevertheless he did not allow hismen to see that he was in any way anxious.

  The seamen were now lashing the ships together stem by stem. Olaf sawthat they were tying the beak of the Long Serpent on a level with theother prows, so that her poop stood out far behind. He called outloudly to Ketil the Tall:

  "Bring forward the large ship. Let her prow and not her stern standout. I will not lie behind my men when the battle begins!"

  Then Wolf the Red, his standard bearer, whose station was forward inthe bow, mumbled a complaint:

  "If the Serpent shall lie as far forward as she is longer than yourother ships, then there will be windy weather today in her bows."

  The King answered: "I had the Serpent built longer than other ships, sothat she might be put forward more boldly in battle, and be well knownin fighting as in sailing. But when I chose her crew, I did not knowthat I was appointing a stem defender who was both red and adread."

  This playful taunt ruffled Red Wolf, who replied insolently: "Thereneed be nothing said, lord, if you will guard the poop as well as Ishall guard the forecastle."

  The king had a bow in his hand. He laid an arrow on the string andturned it on Wolf, who cried:

  "Shoot another way, king, and not at me but at your foes, for what Iwin in the fight I win for Norway, and maybe you will find that youhave not over many men before the evening comes."

  The king lowered the arrow and did not shoot. When the men had finishedlashing the ships together he again took his war horn and blew a loudblast upon it that echoed and re-echoed along the rocky shores of theisland. As he turned to put the horn aside he saw that Queen Thyra,alarmed by the growing tumult, had come up on deck.

  She looked out upon the bay, and seeing the enormous hostile fleet thatwas closing in upon Olaf's diminished force she burst into tears.

  Olaf went to her side and laid his hand on her shoulder.

  "You must not weep," he said gently. "Come, dry your tears; for now youhave gotten what was due to you in Wendland; and today I mean to demandof your brother Sweyn the tooth gift which you have so often asked mefor."