made, for it was soon seen that the earl's fleet was
dispersing. Then King Olaf ransacked the slain, and remained there some
days to divide the booty. At that time Sigvat made these verses:--

"The tale I tell is true
To their homes returned but few
Of Svein's men who came to meet
King Olaf's gallant fleet.
From the North these warmen came
To try the bloody game,--
On the waves their corpses borne
Show the game that Sunday morn.
The Throndhjem girls so fair
Their jeers, I think, will spare,
For the king's force was but small
That emptied Throndhjem's hall.
But if they will have their jeer,
They may ask their sweethearts dear,
Why they have returned shorn
Who went to shear that Sunday morn."

And also these:--

"Now will the king's power rise,
For the Upland men still prize
The king who o'er the sea
Steers to bloody victory.
Earl Svein! thou now wilt know
That our lads can make blood flow--
That the Hedemarkers hale
Can do more than tap good ale."

King Olaf gave his stepfather King Sigurd Syr, and the other chiefs
who had assisted him, handsome presents at parting. He gave Ketil of
Ringanes a yacht of fifteen benches of rowers, which Ketil brought up
the Raum river and into the Mjosen lake.

51. OF KING OLAF.

King Olaf sent spies out to trace the earl's doings (A.D. 1015); and
when he found that the earl had left the country he sailed out west, and
to Viken, where many people came to him. At the Thing there he was taken
as king, and so he proceeded all the way to the Naze; and when he heard
that Erling Skialgson had gathered a large force, he did not tarry
in North Agder, but sailed with a steady fair wind to the Throndhjem
country; for there it appeared to him was the greatest strength of the
land, if he could subdue it for himself while the earl was abroad. When
Olaf came to Throndhjem there was no opposition, and he was elected
there to be king. In harvest (A.D. 1015) he took his seat in the town
of Nidaros, and collected the needful winter provision (A.D. 1016). He
built a king's house, and raised Clement's church on the spot on which
it now stands. He parcelled out building ground, which he gave to
bondes, merchants, or others who he thought would build. There he sat
down with many men-at-arms around him; for he put no great confidence
in the Throndhjem people, if the earl