His champions to think of flight,
And how they live, the words the loved one of the people spoke.’
¶ So were sounded the horns for the assembling of the ships; and the King’s ship was in the midst of the fleet, with the ‘Short Serpent’ on one side and the ‘Crane’ on the other. Now when they were about to lash together the prow of the ‘Long Serpent’ and stern of the ‘Short Serpent,’ the King observed what was being done, and he cried out bidding them lay the big ship more forward, & not let her be astern of all the ships in the fleet. Thereon answered Ulf the Red: ‘If we are to lay the “Serpent” as much longer ahead as she is longer than other ships hard will the day’s work be behind the gunwales.’ Said the King: ‘I knew not that I had a forecastle man who was both red and afraid,’ Ulf made answer back, ‘Turn not thou thy back there on the poop
more than I turn mine when I guard the prow.’ ¤ Now the King had a bow in his hand, and placing an arrow on the string thereof he turned him towards Ulf; then cried Ulf, ‘Shoot another way, King, thither where it is needed more greatly; what I do, I do for thee.’
¶ King Olaf towered high on the poop of the ‘Serpent,’ and easy was it to know him from other men. ¤ A golden shield had he, and a gold-wrought helmet, & a short red kirtle over his shirt of mail. ¤ Now when King Olaf saw that the fleets were dividing and banners were being set up before the chiefs, asked he: ‘Who is the captain of that host which is right over against us?’ It was told him that it was King Svein Two-beard with the host of the Danes. Then answered he: ‘Afraid are we not of those blenchers, no heart is there in the Danes. But what chief is behind those banners yonder on our right?’ It was told him that there was King Olaf, with the Swedish host. ‘Better were it for the Swedes to stay at home and lick the blood from their bowls than to board the “Serpent” under thy weapons.’ ‘But whose are the ships lying out yonder on the larboard of the Danes?’ ‘They pertain,’ came the answer, ‘to Eirik Hakonson.’ Then answered King Olaf, ‘Good reason, methinketh, hath he to meet us, and from that fleet may we await the fiercest of fights, seeing that they too are of Norway even as we ourselves.’
¶ Thereafter separated the Kings one from another for the onset. King Svein laid his ship against the ‘Long Serpent’; and King Olaf the Swede lay-to farther out & grappled from the prow the outermost ship of King Olaf Tryggvason; and over against the other side lay Earl Eirik. And even so there ensued a dire and strenuous conflict. Albeit did Sigvaldi, the Earl, let his ships fall astern and took he no part in the battle. Thus saith Skuli Thorsteinnson, he that himself was with Earl Eirik that day:
‘The Frisian wolf I followed
(And in my youth gat honour)
With Sigvaldi, there where the spears whistled
(Now wax I old);