190 SEA BATTLES. 



chiefs arranged the host for attack, and it is said that they 

 threw lots who should first attack Olaf's own ship, the Long 

 Serpent. Svein King ol Denmark drew the lot to attack first, 

 and Olaf King of Sweden ancl-Eirik jarl last, if they needed it ; 

 and it was agreed between the chiefs, King Svein, King Olaf, 

 and Eirik jarl. that each should become owner of one-third 

 of Norway if they slew King Olaf; while he who first got 

 up on the Serpent should own all the booty there was on 

 board, and each should own the ships which he himself cap- 

 tured and cleared of men. Eirik jarl had a very large Bardi 

 which he used to have on Viking expeditions ; there were 

 beaks on the top of both stem and stern, and below these was 

 a thick iron plate which covered the whole of the stem and 

 stern all the way down to the water. 



" When the chiefs had talked thus between themselves they 

 saw three very large ships, and following them a fourth. They 

 all saw a large dragon's head on the stem, ornamented so that 

 it seemed made of pure gold, and it gleamed far and wide over 

 the sea as the sun shone on it. As they looked at the ship 

 they wondered greatly at its length, for the stern did not 

 appear till long after they had seen the prow x ; then all knew 

 and no one gainsaid that this was the Long Serpent. At this 

 sight many a man grew silent, and fear and terror crept into 

 the breast of the host. This was not strange, for the great ship 

 carried death for many men. Then said Eirik jarl : ' This 

 famous ship is befitting such a king as Olaf Tryggvason ; for 

 it is true of him that he excels other kings as much as the 

 Long Serpent does other ships.' 



" When Sigvaldi jarl had let down the sails on his ships 

 and rowed up to the island, Thorkel Dydril on the Tranan 

 and other ship-steerers who went with him saw that he turned 

 his ships towards the island ; they lowered their sails and 

 followed him. Thorkel shouted to Sigvaldi, asking why 

 he did not sail. The jarl replied he would wait there for 

 King Olaf. They let their ships float until Thorkel Nefja 

 arrived with the Short Serpent and the four ships which 

 followed him ; they also lowered their sails, and let their ships 

 float, waiting for the king. 



" The fleet of the kings lay inside the harbour, so that they 

 could not see how large a host they had ; but when King Olaf 

 sailed towards the island and saw that his men had lowered 

 their sails and waited for him, he steered towards them and 

 asked why they did not go on. They told him that a host of 

 foes was before them, and requested him to flee. The king 



The Serpent glided past the point of the island slowly. 



