Part 114 - Of King Olaf

King Olaf stood on the Serpent's quarterdeck, high over the others. He had a gilt shield, and a helmet inlaid with gold; over his armour he had a short red coat, and was easy to be distinguished from other men.

When King Olaf saw that the scattered forces of the enemy gathered themselves together under the banners of their ships, he asked,

"Who is the chief of the force right opposite to us?"

He was answered, that it was King Svein with the Danish army.

The king replies,

"We are not afraid of these soft Danes, for there is no bravery in them; but who are the troops on the right of the Danes?"

He was answered, that it was King Olaf with the Swedish forces.

"Better it were,"

says King Olaf,

"for these Swedes to be sitting at home killing their sacrifices, than to be venturing under our weapons from the Long Serpent. But who owns the large ships on the larboard side of the Danes?"

"That is Earl Eirik Hakonson,"

say they.

The king replies,

"He, methinks, has good reason for meeting us; and we may expect the sharpest conflict with these men, for they are Norsemen like ourselves."