As Olaf got the message in the evening, they travelled in the night
six miles, which people considered an extraordinarily long march. They
arrived at Rydiokul while the priest was still singing mass, and it was
pitch-dark. Olaf and his men went into the room, raised a war-shout, and
killed some of the earl's men who had not gone to the early mass. Now
when Erling and his men heard the war-shout, they ran to their weapons,
and hastened down to their ships. Olaf and his men met them at a fence,
at which there was a sharp conflict. Erling and his men retreated along
the fence, which protected them. Erling had far fewer men, and many of
them had fallen, and still more were wounded. What helped Earl Erling
and his men the most was, that Olaf's men could not distinguish them, it
was so dark; and the earl's men were always drawing down to their ships.
Are Thorgeirson, father of Bishop Gudmund fell there, and many other
of Erling's court-men. Erling himself was wounded in the left side; but
some say he did it himself in drawing his sword. Orm the King-brother
was also severely wounded; and with great difficulty they escaped
to their ships, and instantly pushed off from land. It was generally
considered as a most unlucky meeting for Olaf's people, as Earl Erling
was in a manner sold into their hands, if they had proceeded with common
prudence. He was afterwards called Olaf the Unlucky; but others called
his people Hat-lads. They went with their bands through the Uplands as
before. Erling again went down to Viken to his ships, and remained there
all summer. Olaf was in the Uplands, and sometimes east in the forest
districts, where he and his troop remained all the next winter (A.D.
1168).