_The Youth of Olaf Haraldson_
Olaf Haraldson, after his death called Olaf the Saint, was the son of
Harald Grenske and Aasta. Harald Grenske, who, as we have seen, at one
time governed Viken under the suzerainty of the Danish king, was the
grandson of Biorn the Merchant--who was killed by Erik Blood-Axe--and
a great-grandson of Harald the Fairhaired. Olaf was born shortly after
the death of his father. His mother Aasta was then staying at the
home of her father, Gudbrand Kula, a mighty man in the Uplands. Soon
afterward, Aasta was married again to Sigurd Syr, who was king in
Ringerike and a descendant of Harald the Fairhaired, and in his house
Olaf was brought up. When King Olaf Trygvason came to Ringerike to
spread Christianity, he induced Sigurd Syr and his whole family to be
baptized, and he acted as godfather at the baptism of little Olaf.
One day, when Olaf was ten years old, King Sigurd wanted to ride out,
and, as there was nobody else about the house, he told his stepson
Olaf to go and saddle his horse. Olaf did not refuse, but he went to
the goats' pen, and put the king's saddle on the largest he-goat, led
him up to the door, and went in and told King Sigurd that his horse
was saddled. When King Sigurd came out and saw what Olaf had done, he
said: "Easy it is to see that thou wilt little regard my orders; and
thy mother will think it right that I do not order thee to do anything
against thy own inclination. I see well enough that thou art far more
proud than I am." Olaf answered little, but went his way laughing.
When Olaf grew up he became of medium height, but very stout and
strong. He had light brown hair, and a broad face which was white and
red. He had particularly fine eyes, which were beautiful, but piercing,
so that one was afraid to look him in the face when he was angry.
Olaf was very expert in all bodily exercises, understood well how to
handle his bow, and was especially an expert in throwing his spear. He
was well liked by his friends and acquaintances, was ambitious in his
sports, and always strove to be the first.
Olaf was twelve years old when, for the first time, he went on board
a ship of war (1007). His mother, Aasta, got Rane, who was called
foster-father of kings, to command the ship and take Olaf under his
charge. The men on board, however, gave Olaf the title of king. With
two ships, Olaf first steered to Denmark and then to Sweden, where he
harried the coasts and fought with vikings. Afterward he made cruises
to Finland, Russia, and Gotland. Later he turned westward to Friesland
and England, where he took part in the fights between the Danes and the
Anglo-Saxons. From the poems of the Skalds it appears that he took part
in the battle of Hringmara (1010), and in the storming of Canterbury
(1012). In company with Thorkel the Tall (a brother of Earl Sigvald) he
entered the English king Ethelred's service, took part in his battles
against the Danish vikings, and accompanied Ethelred on his flight to
Normandy. From here he thought of making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land;
but on the way he had, according to tradition, a remarkable dream.
He thought he saw a tall and handsome man, who told him to return to
Norway and take his Udal, adding "for thou shalt be king over thy
country forever."