The Sagas of Olaf Tryggvason and of Harald The Tyrant (Harald Haardraade) | Page 3

house of Hakon the Old, and there Hakon offered with fair words to
take Olaf with him. Hakon the Old returned a friendly answer and said
that it must so happen that the mother of the child should decide about
his going, but Astrid would in nowise suffer the boy to fare forth with
them. So the messengers went their way & brought back the answer
unto King Eirik and they made them ready to return home; but once
more prayed they the King to grant them help to bear off the boy
whether Hakon the Old were willing or not. So the King yet again gave
them a company of men & the messengers returned to Hakon the Old
and demanded that the boy be allowed to fare forth with them, but as
Hakon was unwilling that this should be, resorted they to big words and
threats of violence, and bore themselves wrathfully. Then did a thrall
spring forward whose name was Bristle, and would have smitten
Hakon but that he & they that were of his company withdrew hastily so
that in nowise might they be beaten of the thrall: and back fared they to
Norway and recounted to Gunnhild all the happenings of their journey
& likewise that they had seen Olaf Tryggvason.
¶ Now Astrid had a brother, the son of Eirik Biodaskalli, whose name
was Sigurd: long had he been remote from the land, sojourning in the
realm of Garda (western Russia) with King Valdamar,§ by whom was
he held in great honour. Now Astrid conceived the desire that she
should hie unto this her brother Sigurd. Therefore Hakon the Old
furnished her with trusty followers & handsome equipment after the
best manner. And she journeyed in the company of certain merchants.

It was for the space of two winters she had abode with Hakon the Old,
and Olaf was now three winters old. It came to pass as they were
heading eastwards across the sea some vikings fell upon them, men of
Eistland (Esthonia) and took possession both of folk and goods, and
some of the folk they killed & some they shared among themselves as
thralls. Thus was Olaf withdrawn from his mother and passed into the
custody of one Klerkon, an Eistlander. Together with him were
committed Thorolf and Thorgills. Klerkon deemed Thorolf too old for
a thrall, and that he would be of no use, therefore slew he him, but took
the boys with him and sold them to a man, hight Klerk, for a good
he-goat.
A third man bought Olaf, and gave for him a good tunic or cloak. The
man was named Reas, his wife Rekon, & their son Rekoni. There
tarried Olaf long and it fared well with him, and always was he
mightily beloved by the churl. Six winters did Olaf sojourn thus in
Eistland.
¶ Sigurd Eirikson had come unto Eistland as an emissary of Valdamar
King of Holmgard (Novgarod) to collect the tribute belonging to the
King & he travelled as a man of wealth with many folk much beladen
in his train.
Now it chanced that in the marketplace his eye lit on a certain fine boy
whom he knew could not be of the country, & asking him his name gat
for answer that he was called Olaf and his father Tryggvi Olafson and
his mother Astrid, the daughter of Eirik Biodaskalli. Thus did Sigurd
learn that Olaf was son unto his very own sister, and he asked him after
what manner he had come to that place: and Olaf told him all that had
befallen him. Sigurd bade him come with him to the peasant Reas, and
when they were come to the churl paid he him what price was
covenanted between them for the boys and bare them with him to
Holmgard. But never a word did he relate of the lineage of Olaf, yet
held he him in high favour.
¶ It was that one day in the marketplace lingered Olaf Tryggvason
when there was a gathering of many people. And it chanced that
amongst them, spied he Klerkon who had slain his fosterfather Thorolf

Louse-Beard. Now Olaf had a small axe in his hand, and he drave it
into the head of Klerkon so that it went right down into his brain:
forthwith ran he home to his lodging and told his kinsman Sigurd
thereof. Straightway did Sigurd take Olaf to the house of the Queen,
and to her made known what had befallen. Her name was Allogia, and
Sigurd prayed for her grace to protect the lad. The Queen beheld the
boy and said that one so young and so well favoured must not be slain,
and proclaimed her readiness to summon men fully armed. Now it fell
in