It is related that when King Olaf drew up his men in battle order, he
made a shield rampart with his troop that should defend him in battle,
for which he selected the strongest and boldest. Thereafter he called
his skalds, and ordered them to go in within the shield defence. "Ye
shall." says the king, "remain here, and see the circumstances which may
take place, and then ye will not have to follow the reports of others
in what ye afterwards tell or sing concerning it." There were Thormod
Kolbrunarskald, Gissur Gulbraskald, a foster-son of Hofgardaref, and
Thorfin Mun. Then said Thormod to Gissur, "Let us not stand so close
together, brother, that Sigvat the skald should not find room when he
comes. He must stand before the king, and the king will not have it
otherwise." The king heard this, and said, "Ye need not sneer at Sigvat,
because he is not here. Often has he followed me well, and now he is
praying for us, and that we greatly need." Thormod replies, "It may be,
sire, that ye now require prayers most; but it would be thin around the
banner-staff if all thy court-men were now on the way to Rome. True it
was what we spoke about, that no man who would speak with you could find
room for Sigvat."
Thereafter the skalds talked among themselves that it would be well to
compose a few songs of remembrance about the events which would soon be
taking place.