Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 1.djvu/369



Earl Sigurd went in harvest into Stordal to guest-quarters, and from thence went to Oglo to a feast. The earl usually had many people about him, for he did not trust the king; but now, after friendly messages had passed between the king and him, he had no great following of people with him. Then Griotgaard sent word to the king that he could never expect a better opportunity to fall upon Earl Sigurd; and immediately, that very evening, Harald and Erling sailed into Drontheim fiord with several ships and many people. They sailed all night by star-light, and Griotgaard came out to meet them. Late in the night they came to Oglo, where Earl Sigurd was at the feast, and set fire to the house; and burnt the house, the earl, and all his men. As soon as it was day-light they set out through the fiord, and south to Möre, where they remained a long time.

Hakon, the son of Earl Sigurd, was up in the interior of the Drontheim country when he heard this news. Great was the tumult through all the Drontheim land, and every vessel that could swim was put into the water; and as soon as the people were gathered together they took Earl Sigurd's son Hakon to be their earl and the leader of the troops, and the whole body steered out of Drontheim fiord. When Gunhild's sons heard of this, they set olf southwards to Eaumsdal and South Möre; and both parties kept eye on each other by their spies. Earl Sigurd was killed two years after the fall of King Hakon. So says Eyvind Skaldaspiller in the "Haleygiatal:"—

At Oglo, as I've heard; Earl Sigurd

Was burnt to death by Norway's lord,—

Sigurd; who once on Hadding's grave

A feast to Odin's ravens gave.