The spies came to King Hakon, and told him that Eirik's sons, with a
great army, lay just to the south of Stad. Then he called together
the most understanding of the men about him, and asked their opinion,
whether he should fight with Eirik's sons, although they had such
a great multitude with them, or should set off northwards to gather
together more men. Now there was a bonde there, by name Egil Ulserk, who
was a very old man, but in former days had been strong and stout beyond
most men, and a hardy man-at-arms withal, having long carried King
Harald Harfager's banner. Egil answered thus to the king's speech,--"I
was in several battles with thy father Harald the king, and he gave
battle sometimes with many, sometimes with few people; but he always
came off with victory. Never did I hear him ask counsel of his friends
whether he should fly--and neither shalt thou get any such counsel from
us, king; but as we know we have a brave leader, thou shalt get a trusty
following from us." Many others agreed with this speech, and the king
himself declared he was most inclined to fight with such strength as
they could gather. It was so determined. The king split up a war-arrow,
which he sent off in all directions, and by that token a number of men
was collected in all haste. Then said Egil Ulserk,--"At one time the
peace had lasted so long I was afraid I might come to die the death of
old age (1), within doors upon a bed of straw, although I would rather
fall in battle following my chief. And now it may so turn out in the end
as I wished it to be."
ENDNOTES: (1) In all the sagas of this pagan time, the dying on a bed of
sickness is mentioned as a kind of derogatory end of a man
of any celebrity.--L.