Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway

116. FLIGHT OF SVEIN AND OLAF THE SWEDE.

This battle was one of the severest told of, and many were the people slain. The forecastle men of the Long Serpent, the Little Serpent, and the Crane, threw grapplings and stem chains into King Svein's ship, and used their weapons well against the people standing below them, for they cleared the decks of all the ships they could lay fast hold of; and King Svein, and all the men who escaped, fled to other vessels, and laid themselves out of bow-shot. It went with this force just as King Olaf Trygvason had foreseen. Then King Olaf the Swede laid himself in their place; but when he came near the great ships it went with him as with them, for he lost many men and some ships, and was obliged to get away. But Earl Eirik laid his ship side by side with the outermost of King Olaf's ships, thinned it of men, cut the cables, and let it drive. Then he laid alongside of the next, and fought until he had cleared it of men also. Now all the people who were in the smaller ships began to run into the larger, and the earl cut them loose as fast as he cleared them of men. The Danes and Swedes laid themselves now out of shooting distance all around Olaf's ship; but Earl Eirik lay always close alongside of the ships, and used hid swords and battle-axes, and as fast as people fell in his vessel others, Danes and Swedes, came in their place. So says Haldor, the Unchristian:—

     "Sharp was the clang of shield and sword,
     And shrill the song of spears on board,
     And whistling arrows thickly flew
     Against the Serpent's gallant crew.
     And still fresh foemen, it is said,
     Earl Eirik to her long side led;
     Whole armies of his Danes and Swedes,
     Wielding on high their blue sword-blades."

Then the fight became most severe, and many people fell. But at last it came to this, that all King Olaf Trygvason's ships were cleared of men except the Long Serpent, on board of which all who could still carry their arms were gathered. Then Earl Eirik lay with his ship by the side of the Serpent, and the fight went on with battle-axe and sword. So says Haldor:—

     "Hard pressed on every side by foes,
     The Serpent reels beneath the blows;
     Crash go the shields around the bow!
     Breast-plates and breasts pierced thro' and thro!
     In the sword-storm the Holm beside,
     The earl's ship lay alongside
     The king's Long Serpent of the sea—
     Fate gave the earl the victory."