exactly as they saw him do. He had a large axe; and when Alfvine
was going to cut at him with his sword he hewed away the sword out of
his hand, and with the next blow struck down Alfvine himself. He then
bound him fast. It went in the same way with all Alfvine's men. They
were beaten down, bound, and carried to Olaf's lodging. Thereupon he
ordered Alfvine to quit the country, and never appear in it again; and
Olaf took all his property. Olaf in this way got Gyda in marriage, and
lived sometimes in England, and sometimes in Ireland.

ENDNOTES: (1) Holm-gang: so called because the combatants went to a holm
or uninhabited isle to fight in Norway.--L.

35. KING OLAF GETS HIS DOG VIGE.

While Olaf was in Ireland he was once on an expedition which went by
sea. As they required to make a foray for provisions on the coast, some
of his men landed, and drove down a large herd of cattle to the strand.
Now a peasant came up, and entreated Olaf to give him back the cows that
belonged to him. Olaf told him to take his cows, if he could distinguish
them; "but don't delay our march." The peasant had with him a large
house-dog, which he put in among the herd of cattle, in which many
hundred head of beasts were driven together. The dog ran into the herd,
and drove out exactly the number which the peasant had said he wanted;
and all were marked with the same mark, which showed that the dog knew
the right beasts, and was very sagacious. Olaf then asked the peasant
if he would sell him the dog. "I would rather give him to you," said the
peasant. Olaf immediately presented him with a gold ring in return, and
promised him his friendship in future. This dog was called Vige, and was
the very best of dogs, and Olaf owned him long afterwards.

36. HARALD GORMSON SAILS AGAINST ICELAND.

The Danish king, Harald Gormson, heard that Earl Hakon had thrown off
Christianity, and had plundered far and wide in the Danish land. The
Danish king levied an army, with which he went to Norway; and when he
came to the country which Earl Hakon had to rule over he laid waste the
whole land, and came with his fleet to some islands called Solunder.
Only five houses were left standing in Laeradal; but all the people
fled up to the mountains, and into the forest, taking with them all the
moveable goods they could carry with them. Then the Danish king proposed
to sail with his fleet to Iceland, to avenge the mockery and scorn
all the Iceland