XII.] OLAF TRYGGVESSON. 221 



foes. The king of Sweden, and Svend "of the forked 

 beard," king of Denmark, have combined against him. 

 With them is joined the Norse jarl, Eric, the son of Hacon. 

 Olaf Tryggvesson is sailing homewards with a fleet of 

 seventy ships, — himself commanding the famous " Long 

 Serpent," the largest ship built in Norway. His enemies 

 are lying in wait for him behind the islands. 



Nothing can be more dramatic than the description of 

 the sailing of this gallant fleet — (piloted by the treacherous 

 Earl Sigwald) — within sight of the ambushed Danes and 

 Swedes, who watch from their hiding-place the beautiful 

 procession of hostile vessels, mistaking each in turn for the 

 " Long Serpent" and as often undeceived by a new and yet 

 more stately apparition. She appears at length, her dragon 

 prow glittering in the sunshine, all canvas spread, her 

 sides bristling with armed men ; "and when they saw her, 

 none spoke, — all knew it to be indeed the ' Serpe?it,' — and 

 they went to their ships to arm for the fight." As soon as 

 Olaf and his forces had been enticed into the narrow 

 passage, the united fleets of the three allies pour out of the 

 Sound ; his people beg Olaf to hold on his way and not 

 risk battle with such a superior force; but the King re- 

 plied, high on the quarter-deck where he stood, " Strike the 

 sails ! I never fled from battle : let God dispose of my life, 

 but flight I will never take ! " He then orders the war- 

 horns to sound, for all his ships to close up to each other. 

 " Then," says Ulf the Red, captain of the forecastle, " if 

 the ' Long Serpe?it ' is to lie so much a-head of the other 

 vessels, we shall have hot work of it here on the forecastle." 



The King replies, " I did not think" I had a forecastle man 

 afraid, as well as red." 1 



Says Ulf, " Defend thou the quarter-deck, as I shall the 

 forecastle." 



The King had a bow in his hands ; he laid an arrow on 

 the string, and made as if he aimed at Ulf. 



1 There is a play on these two words in the Icelandic, " Raudan 

 oc Ragan." 



