CHAPTER XII. 



SEA BATTLES. 



The battle of Svold The battle of the Jomsvikings. 



THE two most famous sea-fights which are related in the 

 Sagas are those of Svold and Jomsvikings ; the former of which 

 took place between Olaf Tryggvason against King Svein of 

 Denmark, Olaf of Sweden, and Eirik jaii of Norway. When 

 Olaf Tryggvason had left Vmdland (the land of the Wends), 

 and was returning to Norway, his enemies were waiting in 

 ambush in order to attack him, and thus was fought the battle 

 of Svold. 



" Svein King of Denmark, Olaf King of Sweden, and Eirik 

 jarl lay under the island with all their host. The weather 

 was fine and the sunshine, was bright. All the chiefs 

 went up on the island, and many of the host with them. 

 When they saw that very many of the ships of the North- 

 men sailed out to sea they were very glad, for their host 

 grumbled at lying there so long, and some had lost all 

 hope of the King of Norway's coming. Now they saw a 

 large and splendid ship sailing, and both the kings said : 

 ' This is a large and exceedingly fine ship ; it must be the Long 

 Serpent,' Eirik jarl answered : ' This is not the Long Serpent, 

 which must look larger and grander, though this is a large and 

 fine ship.' It was as the jarl said. Styrkar of Climsar owned the 

 ship. Shortly after they saw another much larger ship, which 

 had a head on its prow. King Svein said : ' This must be the 

 Long Serpent ; let us now go to our ships and not be too slow in 

 attack.' Eirik jarl replied : ' This cannot be the Long Serpent, 

 though it is finely fitted out.' It was as he said, for it belonged 

 to Thorkel Neija, King Olaf's brother ; but he was not on board 

 himself. And now they saw another large and fine ship. King 

 Svein said : ' There you can see the king's ship.' The jarl 

 replied : ' Certainly this is a large and splendid ship, but the 

 Serpent must be much grander.' Close upon it came a fourth 

 large ship. The two last were owned by two men of Vikin. 



