Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/56

 48 CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA VII. Chapter XLIX. Earl Swend leaves the country. Chapter L. King Olaf's and Sigurd's consult- ation. Though I lie here In chains a year, In thy great vessel all forlorn, To crouch to thee I still will scorn: I still will say, No milder sway Than from thy foe this land e'er knew : To him, my early friend, I'm true." Now some of the earl's men fled up the country, some surrendered at discretion ; but Swend and his followers rowed out of the fiord, and the chiefs laid their vessels together to talk with each other, for the earl wanted counsel from his lendermen. Erling Skialgsson advised that they should sail north, collect people, and fight King Olaf again ; but as they had lost many people, the most were of opinion that the earl should leave the country, and repair to his bro- ther-in-law the Swedish king, and strengthen himself there with men. Einar Tambarskelver approved also of that advice, as they had no power to hold battle against Olaf. So they discharged their fleet. The earl sailed across Folden*, and with him Einar Tam- barskelver. Erling Skialgsson again, and likewise many other lendermen who would not abandon their udal possessions, went north to their homes ; and Erling had many people that summer about him. When King Olaf and his men saw that the earl had gathered his ships together, Sigurd Syr was in haste for pursuing the earl, and letting steel decide their cause. But King Olaf replies, that he would first see what the earl intended doing, — whether he would keep his force together or discharge his fleet. Sigurd Syr said, "It is for thee, king, to command ; but," he adds, " I fear from thy disposition and wilfulness that thou wilt some day be betrayed by trusting to those great people, for they are accustomed of old to bid defiance to their sovereigns." There was no attack
 * Christiania fiord is called Folden, or Folden fiord.