Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway

122. REPORT AMONG THE PEOPLE.

Earl Sigvalde, as before related, came from Vindland, in company with King Olaf, with ten ships; but the eleventh ship was manned with the men of Astrid, the king's daughter, the wife of Earl Sigvalde. Now when King Olaf sprang overboard, the whole army raised a shout of victory; and then Earl Sigvalde and his men put their oars in the water and rowed towards the battle. Haldor the Unchristian tells of it thus:—

     "Then first the Vindland vessels came
     Into the fight with little fame;
     The fight still lingered on the wave,
     Tho' hope was gone with Olaf brave.
     War, like a full-fed ravenous beast,
     Still oped her grim jaws for the feast.
     The few who stood now quickly fled,
     When the shout told—'Olaf is dead!'"

But the Vindland cutter, in which Astrid's men were, rowed back to Vindland; and the report went immediately abroad and was told by many, that King Olaf had cast off his coat-of-mail under water, and had swum, diving under the longships, until he came to the Vindland cutter, and that Astrid's men had conveyed him to Vindland: and many tales have been made since about the adventures of Olaf the king. Halfred speaks thus about it:—

     "Does Olaf live? or is he dead?
     Has he the hungry ravens fed?
     I scarcely know what I should say,
     For many tell the tale each way.
     This I can say, nor fear to lie,
     That he was wounded grievously—
     So wounded in this bloody strife,
     He scarce could come away with life."

But however this may have been, King Olaf Trygvason never came back again to his kingdom of Norway. Halfred Vandredaskald speaks also thus about it:

     "The witness who reports this thing
     Of Trygvason, our gallant king,
     Once served the king, and truth should tell,
     For Olaf hated lies like hell.
     If Olaf 'scaped from this sword-thing,
     Worse fate, I fear, befel our king
     Than people guess, or e'er can know,
     For he was hemm'd in by the foe.
     From the far east some news is rife
     Of king sore wounded saving life;
     His death, too sure, leaves me no care
     For cobweb rumours in the air.
     It never was the will of fate
     That Olaf from such perilous strait
     Should 'scape with life!  this truth may grieve—
     'What people wish they soon believe.'"