When the vessels came near to each other, Erlend suspected they might be enemies, and turned towards the land.When Olaf and his followers saw long-ships coming in haste out of the fjord, and rowing towards them, they thought Earl Hakon must be here; and they put out all oars to follow them.As soon as Erlend and his ships got near the land they rowed aground instantly, jumped overboard, and took to the land; but at the same instant Olaf's ship came up with them.Olaf saw a remarkably handsome man swimming in the water, and laid hold of a tiller and threw it at him.The tiller struck Erlend, the son of Hakon the earl, on the head, and clove it to the brain; and there left Erlend his life.
Olaf and his people killed many; but some escaped, and some were made prisoners, and got life and freedom that they might go and tell what had happened.They learned then that the bondes had driven away Earl Hakon, and that he had fled, and his troops were all dispersed.
55.EARL HAKON'S DEATH.
The bondes then met Olaf, to the joy of both, and they made an agreement together.The bondes took Olaf to be their king, and resolved, one and all, to seek out Earl Hakon.They went up Gaulardal; for it seemed to them likely that if the earl was concealed in any house it must be at Rimul, for Thora was his dearest friend in that valley.They come up, therefore, and search everywhere, outside and inside the house, but could not find him.Then Olaf held a House Thing (trusting), or council out in the yard, and stood upon a great stone which lay beside the swine-stye, and made a speech to the people, in which he promised to enrich the man with rewards and honours who should kill the earl.This speech was heard by the earl and the thrall Kark.They had a light in their room.
"Why art thou so pale," says the earl, "and now again black as earth? Thou hast not the intention to betray me?""By no means," replies Kark.
"We were born on the same night," says the earl, "and the time will be short between our deaths."King Olaf went away in the evening.When night came the earl kept himself awake but Kark slept, and was disturbed in his sleep.The earl woke him, and asked him "what he was dreaming of?"He answered, "I was at Hlader and Olaf Trygvason was laying a gold ring about my neck."The earl says, "It will be a red ring Olaf will lay about thy neck if he catches thee.Take care of that! From me thou shalt enjoy all that is good, therefore betray me not."They then kept themselves awake both; the one, as it were, watching upon the other.But towards day the earl suddenly dropped asleep; but his sleep was so unquiet that he drew his heels under him, and raised his neck, as if going to rise, and screamed dreadfully high.On this Kark, dreadfully alarmed, drew a large knife out of his belt, stuck it in the earl's throat, and cut it across, and killed Earl Hakon.Then Kark cut off the earl's head, and ran away.Late in the day he came to Hlader, where he delivered the earl's head to King Olaf, and told all these circumstances of his own and Earl Hakon's doings.Olaf had him taken out and beheaded.
56.EARL HAKON'S HEAD.
King Olaf, and a vast number of bondes with him, then went out to Nidarholm, and had with him the heads of Earl Hakon and Kark.
This holm was used then for a place of execution of thieves and ill-doers, and there stood a gallows on it.He had the heads of the earl and of Kark hung upon it, and the whole army of the bondes cast stones at them, screaming and shouting that the one worthless fellow had followed the other.They then sent up to Gaulardal for the earl's dead body.So great was the enmity of the Throndhjem people against Earl Hakon, that no man could venture to call him by any other name than Hakon the Bad; and he was so called long after those days.Yet, sooth to say of Earl Hakon, he was in many respects fitted to be a chief: first, because he was descended from a high race; then because he had understanding and knowledge to direct a government; also manly courage in battle to gain victories, and good luck in killing his enemies.So says Thorleif Raudfeldson: --"In Norway's land was never known A braver earl than the brave Hakon.
At sea, beneath the clear moon's light, No braver man e'er sought to fight.
Nine kings to Odin's wide domain Were sent, by Hakon's right hand slain!
So well the raven-flocks were fed --
So well the wolves were filled with dead!"Earl Hakon was very generous; but the greatest misfortunes attended even such a chief at the end of his days: and the great cause of this was that the time was come when heathen sacrifices and idolatrous worship were doomed to fall, and the holy faith and good customs to come in their place.
57.OLAF TRYGVASON ELECTED KING.
Olaf Trvgvason was chosen at Throndhjem by the General Thing to be the king over the whole country, as Harald Harfager had been.
The whole public and the people throughout all the land would listen to nothing else than that Olaf Trygvason should be king.
Then Olaf went round the whole country, and brought it under his rule, and all the people of Norway gave in their submission; and also the chiefs in the Uplands and in Viken, who before had held their lands as fiefs from the Danish king, now became King Olaf's men, and held their hands from him.He went thus through the whole country during the first winter (A.D.996) and the following summer.Earl Eirik, the son of Earl Hakon, his brother Svein, and their friends and relations, fled out of the country, and went east to Sweden to King Olaf the Swede, who gave them a good reception.So says Thord Kolbeinson: --"O thou whom bad men drove away, After the bondes by foul play, Took Hakon's life! Fate will pursue These bloody wolves, and make them rue.
When the host came from out the West, Like some tall stately war-ship's mast, I saw the son of Trygve stand, Surveying proud his native land."And again, --"Eirik has more upon his mind, Against the new Norse king designed, Than by his words he seems to show --And truly it may well be so.