of the Vinds. But in the times we have just been speaking of it happened that Queen Gunhild fell sick, and died. Soon after King Svein married Sigrid the Haughty, a daughter of Skoglar Toste, and mother of the Swedish king Olaf; and by means of this relationship there was great friendship between the kings and Earl Eirik, Hakon's son.

CHAPTER XCIX.-King Burisleif's Marriage.

Burisleif, the king of the Vinds, complained to his relation Earl Sigvalde, that the agreement was broken which Sigvalde had made between King Svein and King Burisleif, by which Burisleif was

to

get in marriage Thyre, Harald's daughter, a sister of King Svein: but that marriage had not svein in swain, boatswain, coxswain, and other words, in the same signification as svein and svend have in the northern languages. He was the son of King Harald Gormson, whose father, Gorm the Old, was the first sole king of Denmark. Gorm the Old, Harald Harfager, and Eirik Eymundson of Sweden, were contemporaries, and three remarkable men, who, about the middle of the ninth century, got the supreme power in their respective dominions, and put down the small kings. Eirik the Victorious, a grandson of Eirik Eymundson, gained a battle at Fyrisvols, near Upsala, in 983, against his brother's son, Styrbiorn the Strong, who was aided by Harald Gormson of Denmark; and in the war which ensued between Sweden and Denmark, Svein, Harald's son, was driven from his kingdom. Eirik's first wife was Sigrid the Haughty. He divorced her after she had a son by him called Olaf. This Olaf, called Olaf the Swede, and the Lap-king, from having been king while still in his nurse's lap, was the Olaf of whom so much is related in the Saga of Saint Olaf. This Sigrid, the same who burnt Harald Grenske, and whom Olaf Trygveson insulted by striking her with his glove, married Svein, who recovered back his kingdom by this marriage from his stepson, Olaf the Swede. According to the saga, this Sigrid's desire of revenge for the insult she had received from Olaf Trygveson occasioned the combination which defeated and slew Olaf. The peace, established by this marriage between Sweden and Denmark, enabled Svein to leave his dominions and make war in England. Olaf the Swede died in 1024, and was the first Christian king of Sweden.-L.

proceeded, for Thyre had given a positive no to the proposal to marry her to an old and heathen king. "Now," said King Burisleif to Earl Sigvalde, “I must have the promise fulfilled." And he told Earl Sigvalde to go to Denmark, and bring him Thyre as his queen. Earl Sigvalde loses no time, but goes to King Svein of Denmark; explains to him the case; and brings it so far by his persuasion, that the king delivered his sister Thyre into his hands. With her went some female attendants, and her foster-father, by name Osur Agason, a man of great power, and some other people. In the agreement between the king and the earl, it was settled that Thyre should have in property the possessions which Queen Gunhild had enjoyed in Vindland, besides other great properties as bride-gifts. Thyre wept sorely, and went very unwillingly. When the earl came to Vindland, Burisleif held his wedding with Queen Thyre, and received her in marriage; but as long as she was among heathens she would neither eat nor drink with them, and this lasted for seven days.

CHAPTER C.-King Olaf gets Thyre in Marriage.

It happened one night that Queen Thyre and Osur ran away in the dark, and into the woods, and, to be short in our story, came at last to Denmark. But there Thyre did not dare to remain, knowing that if her brother King Svein heard of her, he would send her back directly to Vindland. She went on, therefore, secretly to Norway, and never

*

stayed her journey until she fell in with King Olaf, by whom she was kindly received. Thyre related to the king her sorrows, and entreated his advice in her need, and protection in his kingdom. Thyre was a well-spoken woman, and the king had pleasure in her conversation. He saw she was a handsome woman, and it came into his mind that she would be a good match; so he turns the conversation that way, and asks if she will marry him. Now, as she saw that her situation was such that she could not help herself, and considered what a luck it was for her to marry so celebrated a man, she bade him to dispose himself of her hand and fate; and, after nearer conversation, King Olaf took Thyre in marriage. This wedding was held in harvest [999], after the king returned from Halogaland; and King Olaf and Queen Thyre remained all winter [1000] at Nidaros. The following spring Queen Thyre complained often to King Olaf, and wept bitterly over it, that she who had so great property in Vindland had no goods or possessions here in the country that were suitable for a queen; and sometimes she would entreat the king with fine words to get her property restored to her, and saying that King Burisleif was so great a friend of King Olaf that he would not deny King Olaf anything if they were to meet. But when King Olaf's friends heard of such speeches, they dissuaded him from any such expedition. It is related that the king one day early in spring was

*

Thyre cannot have been very young at this time, as she was the widow of Styrbjorn, who fell 988.

walking in the street, and met a man in the market. with many, and, for that early season, remarkably large angelica roots. The king took a great stalk of the angelica in his hand, and went home to Queen Thyre's lodging. Thyre sat in her room weeping as the king came in. The king said, "See here, queen, is a great angelica stalk, which I give thee." She threw it away, and said, "A greater present Harald Gormson gave to my mother; and he was not afraid to go out of the land and take his own. That was shown when he came here to Norway, and laid waste the greater part of the land, and seized on all the scat and revenues; and thou darest not go across the Danish dominions for this brother of mine, King Svein." As she spoke thus, King Olaf sprang up, and answered with a loud oath, "Never did I fear thy brother King Svein; and if we meet he shall give way before me!"

CHAPTER CI.-Olaf's Levy for War.

Soon after the king convoked a Thing in the town, and proclaimed to all the public, that in summer he would go abroad upon an expedition out of the country, and would raise both ships and men from every district; and at the same time fixed how many ships he would have from the whole Throndhjem fiord. Then he sent his message-token south and north, both along the sea-coast and up in the interior of the country, to let an army be gathered. The king ordered the Long Serpent to be put into the

water, along with all his other ships both small and great. He himself steered the Long Serpent. When the crews were taken out for the ships, they were so carefully selected that no man on board the Long Serpent was older than sixty or younger than twenty years, and all were men distinguished for strength and courage. Those who were Olaf's body-guard were in particular chosen men, both of the natives and of foreigners,* and the boldest and strongest.

CHAPTER CII.-The Crew on board of the Long Serpent.

Ulf the Red was the name of the man who bore King Olaf's banner, and was in the forecastle of the Long Serpent; and with him was Kolbiorn the marshal, Thorstein Uxafot, and Vikar of Tiundaland, and the brother of Arnliot Gelline.† By the bulkhead next the forecastle were Vak Raumason from Alfheim, Berse the Strong, An Skyte from Jamtaland, Thrand the Strong from Thelemark, and his brother Uthyrmer. Besides these were, of Halogaland men, Thrand Skialge and Ogmund Sande, Hlodver Lange from Saltvik, and Harek IIvasse; together with these Throndhjem menKetil the High, Thorfin Eisle, Havard and his brothers from Orkadal. The following were in the fore-hold; Biorn from Studla, Bork from the fiords, Thorgrim Thiodolfson from Hvin, Asbiorn and Orm,

Foreigners were kept in pay even at that time in the body-guard of the kings.-L.

+ Of Arnliot Gelline see Saint Olaf's Saga, chapter 151.