He was told that it was Olaf Ericsson, King of Swedes.
Then answered King Olaf: 'We need not fear Swedish horse-eaters;[36] they
will be more eager to lick up what is in their sacrificial bowls than to
board Long Snake under our weapons.'
And yet again asked King Olaf Tryggvason: 'Who owns those large ships
that lie out beyond the other squadrons?'
He was told that it was Earl Eric, Hacon's son, with the Iron Earn, of
all ships the largest.
Then said King Olaf: 'Many high-born men are arrayed against us in that
host, and with that force we may expect a stubborn battle: they are
Norsemen as are we, and have often seen bloody swords and exchange of
blows, and they will think they meet their match in us, as in truth they
do.'
So these four chiefs, two kings and two earls, joined battle with Olaf
Tryggvason. Sigvaldi indeed took little part in the fight, but Skuli
Thorsteinsson in his short poem says that Sigvaldi was there. Very sharp
and bloody was this contest, and the Danes fell most because they were
nearest the Norsemen. Soon they did not hold their ground, but withdrew
out of shot range; and this fleet, as Olaf had said, came off with no
glory. But none the less the battle raged fierce and long, and numbers
fell on either side--of the Swedes, however, most--till it came about
that Olaf the Swede saw this to be the best counsel for himself and his
fleet, to make as if they shunned the fight. And so he bade his ships
drop away sternwards; and then Earl Eric lay broadside on.
King Olaf Tryggvason had laid the Long Snake between Short Snake and the
Crane, and the smallest ships outside them. But Earl Eric, as each of
these was disabled, caused it to be cut away, and pressed on to those
that were behind. Now, when the small ships of King Olaf were cleared,
the men leapt from them and went up on the larger ships. There was in
this bout much loss of life in either party; but ever, as men fell in
Earl Eric's ships, others took their place, Swedes and Danes; whereas
none took the place of the men who fell on Olaf's side. All his ships
were cleared presently except Long Snake; this held out because it was
highest inboard and best manned. And while there were men to do so, they
had gone thither aboard, and though some of the crew had perished, the
ship had maintained its full numbers. But when Short Snake and Crane
were disabled, then Earl Eric had them cut away, and thereafter Iron Ram
lay broadside to broadside with Long Snake.
This battle was so stubborn as to stir wonder, first for the brave
attack, but still more for the defence. When ships made at the Snake
from all sides yet the defenders so hasted to meet them that they even
stepped over the bulwarks into the sea and sank with their weapons,
heedless of all else save, as in a land fight, to press ever forwards.
The men fell there first in the ship's waist, where the board was
lowest, while forward about the prow and aft in the space next the poop
they held out longest. And when Earl Eric saw that the Snake was
defenceless amidships he boarded it with fifteen men. But when Wolf the
Red and other forecastlemen saw that, then they advanced from the
forecastle and charged so fiercely on where the Earl was that he had to
fall back to his ship. And when he came on board the Ram the Earl roused
his men to attack bravely; and they boarded the Snake a second time with
a large force.
By this time Wolf and all the forecastlemen had come to the poop, and
all the foreship was disabled, Earl Eric's force attacking King Olaf's
on every side. Earl Eric with his men then charged aft on the space next
the poop, and a stubborn resistance was there. King Olaf had been all
that day on the poop of the Snake; he bare a golden shield and helm,
heavy ring-mail, strong so that nought could pierce it, though 'tis
said that there was no stint of missiles showered on the poop, for all
men knew the King, as his armour was easily recognised and he stood high
on the stern-castle. And by him stood Kolbjorn, his marshal, clad in
armour like to the King's.
Now, this battle went as might be looked for when brave men on both
sides met: those lost who were fewer in numbers. And when all King
Olaf's force had fallen, then leapt he overboard himself, holding his
shield above his head; and so did Kolbjorn, his marshal, but his shield
was under him on the sea, and he could not manage to dive, wherefore the
men who were in the small ships took him, but he received quarter from
the Earl. And after this all leapt overboard who yet lived; but most of
these were wounded, and those who received quarter were taken as they
swam: these were Thorkell Netja, Karlshead, Thorstein, and Einar
Bowstring-shaker.
But after the battle was ended Earl Eric took for his own Long Snake and
the other ships of King Olaf, and the weapons of many men who had
wielded them manfully to the death.
Most famous has been this battle in Northland; first by reason of the
brave defence, next for the attack and victory, wherein that ship was
overcome on the deep sea which all had deemed invincible, but chiefly
because there fell a chief famous beyond any of the Danish tongue. So
greatly did men admire King Olaf and seek his friendship, that many
would not hear of his being dead, but declared that he was yet alive in
Wendland or in the south region. And about that many stories have been
made.