as a good account was given of the properties which King Olaf thought himself entitled to there. He passed here much of the summer, and found many of his old friends.
Chapter CVIII.
Conspiracy of the kings of Sweden and Denmark and Earl Eric against King Olaf.
The Danish king, Swend Forked Beard, was married, as before related, to Sigrid the Haughty. Sigrid was King Olaf Tryggvesson's greatest enemy; the cause of which, as before said, was that King Olaf had broken off with her, and had struck her in the face. She urged 'King Swend much to give battle to King Olaf Tryggvesson; saying that he had reason enough, as Olaf had married his sister Thyri without his leave, " and that your predecessors would not have submitted to." Such persuasions Sigrid had often in her mouth; and at last she brought it so far that Swend resolved firmly on doing so. Early in spring King Swend sent messengers eastward into Sweden, to his brother-in-law Olaf, the Swedish king, and to Earl Eric; and informed them that King Olaf of Norway was levying men for an expedition, and intended in summer to go to Vendland. To this news the Danish king added an invitation to the Swedish king and Earl Eric to meet King Swend with an army, so that all together they might make an attack on King Olaf Tryggvesson. The Swedish king and Earl Eric were ready enough for this, and immediately assembled a great fleet and an army through all Sweden, with which they sailed southwards to Denmark, and arrived there before King Olaf Tryggvesson had sailed to the eastward. Haldor the Unchristian tells of this in his lay on Earl Eric:—
"The king-subduer raised a host
Of warriors on the Swedish coast.
The brave went southwards to the tight,
Who love the sword-storm's gleaming light;
The brave, who fill the wild wolf's mouth,
Followed bold Eric to the south;
The brave, who sport in blood—each one
With the bold earl to sea is gone."
