Battle of Stiklestad 231 



front of the banner, who were his side men, and that 

 they should be brisk and quick in taking up their 

 places in the array, for the army had still to go a long 

 way, and the array might be broken in the course of 

 march. Then they encouraged the people ; and Kalf 

 invited all the men who had any injury to avenge on 

 King Olaf to place themselves under the banner which 

 was advancing against King Olaf's own banner. They 

 should remember the distress he had brought upon 

 them ; and, he said, never was there a better oppor- 

 tunity to avenge their grievances, and to free themselves 

 from the yoke and slavery he had imposed on them. 

 '•' Let him," says he, " be held a useless coward who does 

 not fight this day boldly ; and they are not innocents 

 who are opposed to you, but people who will not spare 

 you if ye spare them." 



' Kalf's speech was received with loud applause, and 

 shouts of encouragement were heard through the whole 

 army. 



' Thereafter the bonders' army advanced to Stiklestad, 

 where King Olaf was already with his people. Kalf 

 and Harek went in front, at the head of the army, 

 under their banners. But the battle did not begin im- 

 mediately on their meeting, for the bonders delayed the 

 assault, because all their men were not come upon the 

 plain, and they waited for those who came after them. 

 Thorir Hund had come up with his troop the last, for 

 he had to take care that the men did not go off behind 

 when the battle-cry was raised, or the armies were 

 closing with each other, and therefore Kalf and Harek 

 waited for Thorir. For the encouragement of their 

 men in the battle the bonders had the field-cry : " For- 



