In autumn (A.D. 988) Olaf sailed from Scilly to England, where he
put into a harbour, but proceeded in a friendly way; for England was
Christian, and he himself had become Christian. At this time a summons
to a Thing went through the country, that all men should come to hold a
Thing. Now when the Thing was assembled a queen called Gyda came to it,
a sister of Olaf Kvaran, who was king of Dublin in Ireland. She had been
married to a great earl in England, and after his death she was at the
head of his dominions. In her territory there was a man called Alfvine,
who was a great champion and single-combat man. He had paid his
addresses to her; but she gave for answer, that she herself would choose
whom of the men in her dominions she would take in marriage; and on
that account the Thing was assembled, that she might choose a husband.
Alfvine came there dressed out in his best clothes, and there were many
well-dressed men at the meeting. Olaf had come there also; but had on
his bad-weather clothes, and a coarse over-garment, and stood with his
people apart from the rest of the crowd. Gyda went round and looked at
each, to see if any appeared to her a suitable man. Now when she came to
where Olaf stood she looked at him straight in the face, and asked "what
sort of man he was?"