Two years after King Sigurd's fall (A.D. 1157) both kings assembled
armaments; namely, King Inge in the east of the country, where he
collected eighty ships; and King Eystein in the north, where he had
forty-five, and among these the Great Dragon, which King Eystein
Magnuson had built after the Long Serpent; and they had on both sides
many and excellent troops. King Inge lay with his ships south at Moster
Isle, and King Eystein a little to the north in Graeningasund.
King Eystein sent the young Aslak Jonson, and Arne Sturla, a son of
Snaebjorn, with one ship to meet King Inge; but when the king's men knew
them, they assaulted them, killed many of their people, and took all
that was in the ship belonging to them. Aslak and Arne and a few more
escaped to the land, went to King Eystein, and told him how King Inge
had received them. Thereupon King Eystein held a House-thing, and told
his followers how ill King Inge had treated his men, and desired the
troops to follow him. "I have," said he, "so many, and such excellent
men, that I have no intention to fly, if ye will follow me." But this
speech was not received with much favour. Halkel Huk was there; but both
his sons, Simon and Jon, were with King Inge. Halkel replied, so loud
that many heard him, "Let thy chests of gold follow thee, and let them
defend thy land."