The Sagas of Olaf Tryggvason and of Harald The Tyrant (Harald Haardraade) | Page 8

since the strife, The strife in
which the life of the chief was lost, The death of Harald weigheth me
down, Albeit his brethren twain have good things promised me, And to
them all men look for their welfare.'
¶ Now when Ragnfrod had abode one winter in the Orkneys made he
him ready in the spring and thence shaped a course eastward to Norway,
& with him were a chosen company in large ships.
And when he was come to Norway learned he tidings how Earl Hakon
was in Throndhjem, forthwith did he steer northward round Stad & laid
waste South More; and some folks submitted to him as oft befalleth
when warrior bands go through a country-- those that they meet with
seek help, each one wheresoever it seemeth likeliest to be gotten. When
it was told to Earl Hakon that there was war in the south within More,
caused he war-arrows to be sharpened and he equipped himself in haste
& set sail down the fjord. Moreover an easy matter was it for him to
bring folk around his standard. Earl Hakon and Ragnfrod sighted one
another off the northernmost part of South More, & straightway Hakon
gave battle, he that had most men but withal smaller ships. Hard was
the struggle & therein waxed Hakon luckless; men fought from the
prows and sterns, as the custom was in those times. Now there was a
current in the sound, and all the ships were driven into shore, so the
Earl bade his folk rest on their oars, and drift to land at such place
where he should deem it best to land; and when the ships grounded, the
Earl and all his host sallied forth and haled them up on the beach, so
that their foemen might not drag them forth again. Then did the Earl
array his men on the banks, and shouted defiance to Ragnfrod to land,

but they that were with Ragnfrod lay-to farther out, and though for a
while they shot at one another, would Ragnfrod in no wise come ashore,
and thereafter they parted. Ragnfrod sailed with his fleet southward to
Stad, for he feared him that the land hosts might assemble and flock to
Earl Hakon. But that earl waged war no more for unto his mind the
difference betwixt the ships was over-great. In the autumn fared he
north to Throndhjem, & there abode during the winter. King Ragnfrod
therefore held all the land south of Stad: the Fjords, Sogn, Hordaland,
and Rogaland. Many men were at his beck throughout that winter, and
when the spring-tide came called he a muster and gat him many more.
Moreover sent he far & wide over all these counties to gather together
men and ships and what other stores whereof he had need.
¶ When spring was come Earl Hakon summoned men from out the very
north of the country; many gat he from Halogaland, & Naumdal, so that
right from Byrda to Stad came men to him from all the sea-boards. He
reared a host from all the districts of Throndhjem, and likewise from
Raumsdal. It was said that he had men from four counties; with him
fared seven earls, and in their train were an exceeding large company.
Thus it is said in the Vellekla:
'Thereafter, full of lust for slaughter, Did the defender of the folk of
More Bring from the north a tale of men to Sogn. From counties four
called forth that warrior hosts, Seeing in them sure help for all his folk.
To the war-gathering on the longships Swiftly, to meet their warrior
chieftain, Hie lords of the land in number seven. All Norway trembled
at the warrior host; Beyond the capes were borne unnumbered fallen.'
¶ Then Earl Hakon set sail with the whole of this host southward past
Stad; and when it came to his ears that King Ragnfrod with his host had
entered into the Sognfjord thither led he his men and there encountered
him.
Thereafter having brought his ships to land chose he out a battle-field
whereon to fight King Ragnfrod. Thus saith the Vellekla:
'Now did the chieftain meet in second battle The slayer of the Vandals,
and fell slaughter followed. The prows were set to land, And the ships

steered even to the marches of the shires At the bidding of the warrior.'
¶ And it came to pass that both sides did dress their battle and fought
amazing fierce, but in men had Earl Hakon the super-abundance and
the issue was to him. This was at Thinganes, where Sogn and
Hordaland meet. King Ragnfrod fled from his ships, and of his folk
there fell three hundred men. Thus it is said in the Vellekla:
'Fierce was the strife before three hundred were