After King Olaf came to Russia he was very thoughtful, and weighed what
counsel he now should follow. King Jarisleif and Queen Ingegerd offered
him to remain with them, and receive a kingdom called Vulgaria, which is
a part of Russia, and in which land the people were still heathen. King
Olaf thought over this offer; but when he proposed it to his men they
dissuaded him from settling himself there, and urged the king to betake
himself to Norway to his own kingdom: but the king himself had resolved
almost in his own mind to lay down his royal dignity, to go out into the
world to Jerusalem, or other holy places, and to enter into some order
of monks. But yet the thought lay deep in his soul to recover again, if
there should be any opportunity for him, his kingdom in Norway. When
he thought over this, it recurred to his mind how all things had gone
prosperously with him during the first ten years of his reign, and how
afterwards every thing he undertook became heavy, difficult, and hard;
and that he had been unlucky, on all occasions in which he had tried
his luck. On this account he doubted if it would be prudent to depend so
much upon his luck, as to go with so little strength into the hands of
his enemies, seeing that all the people of the country had taken part
with them to oppose King Olaf. Such cares he had often on his mind, and
he left his cause to God, praying that He would do what to Him seemed
best. These thoughts he turned over in his mind, and knew not what to
resolve upon; for he saw how evidently dangerous that was which his
inclination was most bent upon.