people. Many of the Northmen fell, but many more of the Irish.
The Northmen who escaped sailed away immediately in autumn. Erling, Earl
Erlend's'son, fell with King Magnus in Ireland; but the men who fled
from Ireland came to the Orkney Islands. Now when King Sigurd heard that
his father had fallen, he set off immediately, leaving the Irish king's
daughter behind, and proceeded in autumn with the whole fleet directly
to Norway.

28. OF KING MAGNUS AND VIDKUN JONSON.

King Magnus was ten years king of Norway (A.D. 1094-1105), and in his
days there was good peace kept within the country; but the people were
sorely oppressed with levies. King Magnus was beloved by his men, but
the bondes thought him harsh. The words have been transmitted from him
that he said when his friends observed that he proceeded incautiously
when he was on his expeditions abroad,--"The kings are made for honour,
not for long life." King Magnus was nearly thirty years of age when he
fell. Vidkun did not fly until he had killed the man who gave the king
his mortal wound, and for this cause King Magnus's sons had him in the
most affectionate regard.

SAGA OF SIGURD THE CRUSADER AND HIS BROTHERS EYSTEIN AND OLAF.

PRELIMINARY REMARKS.

"Agrip", "Fagrskinna", and "Morkinskinna" more or less complete the
story of the sons of Magnus. They contain some things omitted by Snorre,
while, on the other hand, some facts related by Snorre are not found in
the above sources.

Thjodrek the Monk tells of Sigurd that he made a Journey to Jerusalem,
conquered many heathen cities, and among them Sidon; that he captured
a cave defended by robbers, received presents from Baldwin, returned to
Norway in Eystein's lifetime, and became insane, as a result, as some
say, of a poisonous drink.

The three brothers became kings in the year A.D. 1103. Olaf died 1115,
Eystein 1122 or 1123, Sigurd 1130.

Skalds quoted in this saga are: Thorarin Stutfeld, Einar Skulason,
Haldor Skvaldre, and Arne Fjoruskeif.

1. BEGINNING OF THE REIGN OF KING MAGNUS'S SONS.

After King Magnus Barefoot's fall, his sons, Eystein, Sigurd, and Olaf,
took the kingdom of Norway. Eystein got the northern, and Sigurd the
southern part of the country. King Olaf was then four or five years old,
and the third part of the country which he had was under the management
of his two brothers. King Sigurd was chosen king when he was thirteen or
fourteen years old, and Eystein was a year