Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/114

 302 CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA IX. Chapter CV. King Harald and King Olaf compared. " I got from him, in sea-fight strong, A mark of gold for my ship-song. Merit in any way He generously would pay." King Harald was fifty years old when he fell. We have no particular account of his youth before he was fifteen years old, when he was with his brother King Olaf at the battle of Stiklestad. He lived thirty-five years after that, and in all that time was never free from care and war. King Harald never fled from battle, but often tried cunning ways to escape when he had to do with great superiority of forces. All the men who followed King Harald in battle or skirmish said that when he stood in great danger, or any thing came suddenly upon him, he always took that course which all afterwards saw gave the best hope of a fortunate issue. When Haldor, a son of Bryniulf Ulfald the Old, who was a sensible man and a great chief, heard people talk of how unlike the brothers Saint Olaf and King Harald were in disposition, he used to say, " I was in great friendship with both the brothers, and knew intimately the dispositions of both, and never did I know Uvo men more like in disposition. Both were of the highest understanding, and bold in arms, and greedy of power and property ; of great courage, but not acquainted with the way of winning the favour of the people; zealous in governing, and severe in their revenge. King Olaf forced the people into Christianity and good customs, and punished cruelly those who disobeyed. This just and rightful severity the chiefs of the country could not bear, but raised an army against him, and killed him in his own kingdom; and therefore he is held to be a saint. King Harald, again, marauded to obtain glory and power, forced all the people he could under his power, and died in another king's dominions. Both brothers, in daily life, were of a worthy and considerate manner of living :