at Candlemas. The earl
promised to come; and thinking it would be good to hear mass there, he
rowed with his attendants over the lake the night before Candlemas day.
But the priest had another plan on hand. He sent men to bring Olaf news
of Earl Erling's arrival. The priest gave Erling strong drink in the
evening, and let him have an excessive quantity of it. When the
earl wished to lie down and sleep, the beds were made ready in the
drinking-room; but when they had slept a short time the earl awoke, and
asked if it was not the hour for matins. The priest replied, that only
a small part of the night was gone, and told him to sleep in peace. The
earl replied, "I dream of many things to-night, and I sleep ill." He
slumbered again, but awoke soon, and told the priest to get up and sing
mass. The priest told the earl to sleep, and said it was but midnight.
Then the earl again lay down, slept a little while, and, springing out
of bed, ordered his men to put on their clothes. They did so; took
their weapons, went to the church, and laid their arms outside while the
priest was singing matins.

33. BATTLE AT RYDIOKUL.

As Olaf got the message in the evening, they travelled in the night
six miles, which people considered an extraordinarily long march. They
arrived at Rydiokul while the priest was still singing mass, and it was
pitch-dark. Olaf and his men went into the room, raised a war-shout, and
killed some of the earl's men who had not gone to the early mass. Now
when Erling and his men heard the war-shout, they ran to their weapons,
and hastened down to their ships. Olaf and his men met them at a fence,
at which there was a sharp conflict. Erling and his men retreated along
the fence, which protected them. Erling had far fewer men, and many of
them had fallen, and still more were wounded. What helped Earl Erling
and his men the most was, that Olaf's men could not distinguish them, it
was so dark; and the earl's men were always drawing down to their ships.
Are Thorgeirson, father of Bishop Gudmund fell there, and many other
of Erling's court-men. Erling himself was wounded in the left side; but
some say he did it himself in drawing his sword. Orm the King-brother
was also severely wounded; and with great difficulty they escaped
to their ships, and instantly pushed off from land. It was generally
considered as a most unlucky meeting for Olaf's people, as Earl Erling
was in a manner sold into their hands, if they had p