When the king saw this, he said, "Thou art deserting thy king in an unmanly way.I was foolish in making thee a lenderman, and driving Sigurd Hund out of the country; for never would he have behaved so."King Magnus received a wound, being pierced by a spear through both thighs above the knees.The king laid hold of the shaft between his legs, broke the spear in two, and said, "Thus we break spear-shafts, my lads; let us go briskly on.Nothing hurts me." A little after King Magnus was struck in the neck with an Irish axe, and this was his death-wound.Then those who were behind fled.Vidkun Jonson instantly killed the man who had given the king his death-wound, and fled, after having received three wounds; but brought the king's banner and the sword Legbit to the ships.Vidkun was the last man who fled; the other next to him was Sigurd Hranason, and the third before him, Dag Eilifson.There fell with King Magnus, Eyvind Olboge, Ulf Hranason, and many other great people.Many of the Northmen fell, but many more of the Irish.The Northmen who escaped sailed away immediately in autumn.Erling, Earl Erlend's'son, fell with King Magnus in Ireland; but the men who fled from Ireland came to the Orkney Islands.Now when King Sigurd heard that his father had fallen, he set off immediately, leaving the Irish king's daughter behind, and proceeded in autumn with the whole fleet directly to Norway.
28.OF KING MAGNUS AND VIDKUN JONSON.
King Magnus was ten years king of Norway (A.D.1094-1105), and in his days there was good peace kept within the country; but the people were sorely oppressed with levies.King Magnus was beloved by his men, but the bondes thought him harsh.The words have been transmitted from him that he said when his friends observed that he proceeded incautiously when he was on his expeditions abroad, -- "The kings are made for honour, not for long life." King Magnus was nearly thirty years of age when he fell.Vidkun did not fly until he had killed the man who gave the king his mortal wound, and for this cause King Magnus's sons had him in the most affectionate regard.
SAGA OF SIGURD THE CRUSADER AND HIS BROTHERS EYSTEIN AND OLAF.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS.
"Agrip", "Fagrskinna", and "Morkinskinna" more or less complete the story of the sons of Magnus.They contain some things omitted by Snorre, while, on the other hand, some facts related by Snorre are not found in the above sources.
Thjodrek the Monk tells of Sigurd that he made a Journey to Jerusalem, conquered many heathen cities, and among them Sidon;that he captured a cave defended by robbers, received presents from Baldwin, returned to Norway in Eystein's lifetime, and became insane, as a result, as some say, of a poisonous drink.
The three brothers became kings in the year A.D.1103.Olaf died 1115, Eystein 1122 or 1123, Sigurd 1130.
Skalds quoted in this saga are: Thorarin Stutfeld, Einar Skulason, Haldor Skvaldre, and Arne Fjoruskeif.
1.BEGINNING OF THE REIGN OF KING MAGNUS'S SONS.
After King Magnus Barefoot's fall, his sons, Eystein, Sigurd, and Olaf, took the kingdom of Norway.Eystein got the northern, and Sigurd the southern part of the country.King Olaf was then four or five years old, and the third part of the country which he had was under the management of his two brothers.King Sigurd was chosen king when he was thirteen or fourteen years old, and Eystein was a year older.King Sigurd left west of the sea the Irish king's daughter.When King Magnus's sons were chosen kings, the men who had followed Skopte Ogmundson returned home.
Some had been to Jerusalem, some to Constantinople; and there they had made themselves renowned, and they had many kinds of novelties to talk about.By these extraordinary tidings many men in Norway were incited to the same expedition; and it was also told that the Northmen who liked to go into the military service at Constantinople found many opportunities of getting property.
Then these Northmen desired much that one of the two kings, either Eystein or Sigurd, should go as commander of the troop which was preparing for this expedition.The kings agreed to this, and carried on the equipment at their common expense.Many great men, both of the lendermen and bondes, took part in this enterprise; and when all was ready for the journey it was determined that Sigurd should go, and Eystein in the meantime, should rule the kingdom upon their joint account.
2.OF THE EARLS OF ORKNEY.
A year or two after King Magnus Barefoot's fall, Hakon, a son of Earl Paul, came from Orkney.The kings gave him the earldom and government of the Orkney Islands, as the earls before him, his father Paul or his Uncle Erland, had possessed it; and Earl Hakon then sailed back immediately to Orkney.
3.KING SIGURD'S JOURNEY OUT OF THE COUNTRY.
Four years after the fall of King Magnus (A.D.1107), King Sigurd sailed with his people from Norway.He had then sixty ships.So says Thorarin Stutfeld: --"A young king just and kind, People of loyal mind:
Such brave men soon agree, --
To distant lands they sail with glee.
To the distant Holy Land A brave and pious band, Magnificent and gay, In sixty long-ships glide away."King Sigurd sailed in autumn to England, where Henry, son of William the Bastard, was then king, and Sigurd remained with him all winter.So says Einar Skulason: --"The king is on the waves!
The storm he boldly braves.
His ocean-steed, With winged speed, O'er the white-flashing surges, To England's coast he urges;And there he stays the winter o'er:
More gallant king ne'er trod that shore."4.OF KING SIGURD'S JOURNEY.
In spring King Sigurd and his fleet sailed westward to Valland (A.D.1108), and in autumn came to Galicia, where he stayed the second winter (A.D.1109).So says Einar Skulason: --"Our king, whose land so wide No kingdom stands beside, In Jacob's land next winter spent, On holy things intent;And I have heard the royal youth Cut off an earl who swerved from truth.
Our brave king will endure no ill, --
The hawks with him will get their fill."