Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway

121. THE SERPENT'S DECKS CLEARED.

Kolbjorn the marshal, who had on clothes and arms like the kings, and was a remarkably stout and handsome man, went up to king on the quarter-deck. The battle was still going on fiercely even in the forehold (1). But as many of the earl's men had now got into the Serpent as could find room, and his ships lay all round her, and few were the people left in the Serpent for defence against so great a force; and in a short time most of the Serpent's men fell, brave and stout though they were. King Olaf and Kolbjorn the marshal both sprang overboard, each on his own side of the ship; but the earl's men had laid out boats around the Serpent, and killed those who leaped overboard. Now when the king had sprung overboard, they tried to seize him with their hands, and bring him to Earl Eirik; but King Olaf threw his shield over his head, and sank beneath the waters. Kolbjorn held his shield behind him to protect himself from the spears cast at him from the ships which lay round the Serpent, and he fell so upon his shield that it came under him, so that he could not sink so quickly. He was thus taken and brought into a boat, and they supposed he was the king. He was brought before the earl; and when the earl saw it was Kolbjorn, and not the king, he gave him his life. At the same moment all of King Olaf's men who were in life sprang overboard from the Serpent; and Thorkel Nefia, the king's brother, was the last of all the men who sprang overboard. It is thus told concerning the king by Halfred:—

     "The Serpent and the Crane
     Lay wrecks upon the main.
     On his sword he cast a glance,—
     With it he saw no chance.
     To his marshal, who of yore
     Many a war-chance had come o'er,
     He spoke a word—then drew in breath,
     And sprang to his deep-sea death."

   ENDNOTES: (1) From the occasional descriptions of vessels in this and
     other battles, it may be inferred that even the Long
     Serpent, described in the 95th chapter as of 150 feet of
     keel was only docked fore and aft; the thirty-four benches
     for rowers occupying the open area in the middle, and
     probably gangways running along the side for communicating
     from the quarter-deck to the forcastle.—L.