Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 1.djvu/490

 Danes, for there is no bravery in them; but who are the troops on the right of the Danes?"

He was answered, that it was King Olaf with the Swedish forces.

"Better it were," says King Olaf, "for these Swedes to be sitting at home killing their sacrifices, than to be venturing under our weapons from the Long Serpent. But who owns the large ships on the larboard side of the Danes?"

"That is Earl Eric Hakonson," say they. The king replies, "He, methinks, has good reason for meeting us; and we may expect the sharpest conflict with these men, for they are Norsemen like ourselves."

The kings now laid out their oars, and prepared to The battle attack. King Swend laid his ship against the Long begms. Serpent. Outside of him Olaf the Swede laid himself, and set his ship's stem against the outermost ship of King Olaf's line; and on the other side lay Earl Eric. Then a hard combat began. Earl Sigvald held back with the oars on his ships, and did not join the fray. So says Skule Thorsteinson, who at that time was with Earl Eric: —

And Halfred also sings thus:—

In truth, I think the gallant king,

Midst such a foemen's gathering,

Would he the better of some score

Of his tight Drontheim lads, or more;

For many a chief has run away,

And left our brave king in the fray,