第162章

On Thomasmas, before Yule (Dec.21), the king left the harbour as soon as day appeared.With a good but rather strong gale he sailed northwards past Jadar.The weather was rainy, with dark flying clouds in the sky.The spies went immediately in through the Jadar country when the king sailed past it; and as soon as Erling heard that the king was sailing past from the East, he let the war-horn call all the people on board, and the whole force hastened to the ships, and prepared for battle.The king's ship passed by Jadar at a great rate; but thereafter turned in towards the land, intending to run up the fjords to gather men and money.

Erling Skjalgson perceived this, and sailed after him with a great force and many ships.Swiftly their vessels flew, for they had nothing on board but men and arms: but Erling's ship went much faster than the others; therefore he took in a reef in the sails, and waited for the other vessels.Then the king saw that Erling with his fleet gained upon him fast; for the king's ships were heavily laden, and were besides water-soaked, having been in the sea the whole summer, autumn, and winter, up to this time.

He saw also that there would be a great want of men, if he should go against the whole of Erling's fleet when it was assembled.He hailed from ship to ship the orders to let the sails gently sink, and to unship the booms and outriggers, which was done.When Erling saw this he calls out to his people, and orders them to get on more sail."Ye see," says he, "that their sails are diminishing, and they are getting fast away from our sight." He took the reef out of the sails of his ship, and outsailed all the others immediately; for Erling was very eager in his pursuit of King Olaf.

186.OF ERLING SKJALGSON'S FALL.

King Olaf then steered in towards the Bokn fjord, by which the ships came out of sight of each other.Thereafter the king ordered his men to strike the sails, and row forwards through a narrow sound that was there, and all the ships lay collected within a rocky point.Then all the king's men put on their weapons.Erling sailed in through the sound, and observed nothing until the whole fleet was before him, and he saw the king's men rowing towards him with all their ships at once.

Erling and his crew let fall the sails, and seized their weapons;but the king's fleet surrounded his ship on all sides.Then the fight began, and it was of the sharpest; but soon the greatest loss was among Erling's men.Erling stood on the quarter-deck of his ship.He had a helmet on his head, a shield before him, and a sword in his hand.Sigvat the skald had remained behind in Viken, and heard the tidings.He was a great friend of Erling, had received presents from him, and had been at his house.

Sigvat composed a poem upon Erling's fall, in which there is the following verse: --"Erling has set his ship on sea --Against the king away is he:

He who oft lets the eagle stain Her yellow feet in blood of slain.

His little war-ship side by side With the king's fleet, the fray will bide.

Now sword to sword the fight is raging,Which Erling with the king is waging."Then Erling's men began to fall, and at the same moment his ship was carried by boarding, and every man of his died in his place.

The king himself was amongst the foremost in the fray.So says Sigvat: --"The king's men hewed with hasty sword, --The king urged on the ship to board, --

All o'er the decks the wounded lay:

Right fierce and bloody was that fray.

In Tungur sound, on Jadar shore, The decks were slippery with red gore;Warm blood was dropping in the sound, Where the king's sword was gleaming round."So entirely had Erling's men fallen, that not a man remained standing in his ship but himself alone; for there was none who asked for quarter, or none who got it if he did ask.There was no opening for flight, for there lay ships all around Erling's ship on every side, and it is told for certain that no man attempted to fly; and Sigvat says: --"All Erling's men fell in the fray, Off Bokn fjord, this hard-fought day.

The brave king boarded, onward cheered, And north of Tungur the deck was cleared.

Erling alone, the brave, the stout, Cut off from all, yet still held out;High on the stern -- a sight to see --In his lone ship alone stood he."

Then Erling was attacked both from the forecastle and from the other ships.There was a large space upon the poop which stood high above the other ships, and which nobody could reach but by arrow-shot, or partly with the thrust of spear, but which he always struck from him by parrying.Erling defended himself so manfully, that no example is known of one man having sustained the attack of so many men so long.Yet he never tried to get away, nor asked for quarter.So says Sigvat: --"Skjalg's brave son no mercy craves, --The battle's fury still he braves;

The spear-storm, through the air sharp singing, Against his shield was ever ringing.

So Erling stood; but fate had willed His life off Bokn should be spilled.

No braver man has, since his day, Past Bokn fjord ta'en his way."When Olaf went back a little upon the fore-deck he saw Erling's behaviour; and the king accosted him thus: -- "Thou hast turned against me to-day, Erling."He replies, "The eagle turns his claws in defence when torn asunder." Sigvat the skald tells thus of these words of Erling:

--

"Erling.our best defence of old, --

Erling the brave, the brisk, the bold, --Stood to his arms, gaily crying, `Eagles should show their claws, though dying:'

The very words which once before To Olaf he had said on shore, At Utstein when they both prepared To meet the foe, and danger shared."Then said the king, "Wilt thou enter into my service, Erling?""That I will," said he; took the helmet off his head, laid down his sword and shield, and went forward to the forecastle deck.