eets were
not far from each other, and they got news of each other the Saturday
before Palm Sunday. King Olaf himself had a ship called the Carl's Head,
on the bow of which a king's head was carved out, and he himself had
carved it. This head was used long after in Norway on ships which kings
steered themselves.

46. KING OLAF'S SPEECH.

As soon as day dawned on Sunday morning, King Olaf got up, put on his
clothes, went to the land, and ordered to sound the signal for the whole
army to come on shore. Then he made a speech to the troops, and told the
whole assembly that he had heard there was but a short distance between
them and Earl Svein. "Now," said he, "we shall make ready; for it can be
but a short time until we meet. Let the people arm, and every man be at
the post that has been appointed him, so that all may be ready when I
order the signal to sound for casting off from the land. Then let us row
off at once; and so that none go on before the rest of the ships, and
none lag behind when I row out of the harbour: for we cannot tell if we
shall find the earl where he was lying, or if he has come out to meet
us. When we do meet, and the battle begins, let people be alert to bring
all our ships in close order, and ready to bind them together. Let us
spare ourselves in the beginning, and take care of our weapons, that
we do not cast them into the sea, or shoot them away in the air to
no purpose. But when the fight becomes hot and the ships are bound
together, then let each man show what is in him of manly spirit."

47. OF THE BATTLE AT NESJAR.

King Olaf had in his ship 100 men armed in coats of ring-mail, and in
foreign helmets. The most of his men had white shields, on which the
holy cross was gilt; but some had painted it in blue or red. He had also
had the cross painted in front on all the helmets, in a pale colour. He
had a white banner on which was a serpent figured. He ordered a mass
to be read before him, went on board ship, and ordered his people to
refresh themselves with meat and drink. He then ordered the war-horns to
sound to battle, to leave the harbour, and row off to seek the earl. Now
when they came to the harbour where the earl had lain, the earl's men
were armed, and beginning to row out of the harbour; but when they saw
the king's fleet coming they began to bind the ships together, to set up
their banners, and to make ready for the fight. When King Olaf saw this
he hastened the rowing