Yet his peril was deadly, as was evident when the fleet of more than sixty ships rowed out from its ambush against Olaf's eleven.
"Who is the leader here before us?" he asked.
"That is King Sweyn with his Danes," said one of the men.
"Let them come on. Danes have never yet beaten Norsemen, and they will not to-day. But whose standards are those on the right?"
"They are those of Olaf of Sweden."
"The heathen Swedes had better have stayed at home to lick their sacrificial bowls. We need not fear these horse-eaters. Yonder to the left; whose ships are those?"
"They belong to Earl Erik, the son of Earl Haakon."
"Then we may look for hard blows from them. Erik and his men are Norsemen like ourselves, and he has reason not to love me and mine."
While he spoke Queen Thyra, who was with him, came on deck. When she saw the desperate odds she burst into tears.
"Do not weep," said Olaf. "You have got what was due in Wendland; and to-day I will do my best to win your rights from your brother Sweyn."