Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 1.djvu/436

 over it. Thora brought the tidings to the earl that Olaf Tryggvesson had come from sea into the fiord, and had killed his son Erlend. Then the earl and Karker both went in the hole. Thora covered it with wood, and threw earth and dung over it, and drove the swine upon the top of it. The swine-stye was under a great stone.

Olaf Tryggvesson came from sea into the fiord with five long-ships, and Erlend, Earl Hakon's son, rowed towards him with three ships. When the vessels came near to each other, Erlend suspected they might be enemies, and turned towards the land. When Olaf and his followers saw long-ships coming in haste out of the fiord, and rowing towards them, they thought Earl Hakon must be here; and they put out all oars to follow them. As soon as Erlend and his ships got near the land they rowed aground instantly, jumped overboard, and took to the land; but at the same instant Olaf's ship came up with them. Olaf saw a remarkably handsome man swimming in the water, and laid hold of a tiller and threw it at him. The tiller struck Erlend, the son of Hakon the earl, on the head, and clove it to the brain; and there left Erlend his life. Olaf and his people killed many; but some escaped, and some were made prisoners, and got life and freedom that they might go and tell what had happened. They learned then that the bonders had driven away Earl Hakon, and that he had fled, and his troops were all dispersed.

The bonders then met Olaf, to the joy of both, and they made an agreement together. The bonders took Olaf to be their king, and resolved, one and all, to seek out Earl Hakon. They went up Guldal; for it seemed to them likely that if the earl was concealed in any house it must be at Rimol, for Thora was his dearest friend in that valley. They come up, therefore, and search every where, outside and inside the