We were born on the same night," says the earl, "and the time will be
short between our deaths."

King Olaf went away in the evening. When night came the earl kept
himself awake but Kark slept, and was disturbed in his sleep. The earl
woke him, and asked him "what he was dreaming of?"

He answered, "I was at Hlader and Olaf Trygvason was laying a gold ring
about my neck."

The earl says, "It will be a red ring Olaf will lay about thy neck if
he catches thee. Take care of that! From me thou shalt enjoy all that is
good, therefore betray me not."

They then kept themselves awake both; the one, as it were, watching upon
the other. But towards day the earl suddenly dropped asleep; but his
sleep was so unquiet that he drew his heels under him, and raised his
neck, as if going to rise, and screamed dreadfully high. On this Kark,
dreadfully alarmed, drew a large knife out of his belt, stuck it in the
earl's throat, and cut it across, and killed Earl Hakon. Then Kark cut
off the earl's head, and ran away. Late in the day he came to Hlader,
where he delivered the earl's head to King Olaf, and told all these
circumstances of his own and Earl Hakon's doings. Olaf had him taken out
and beheaded.

56. EARL HAKON'S HEAD.

King Olaf, and a vast number of bondes with him, then went out to
Nidarholm, and had with him the heads of Earl Hakon and Kark. This holm
was used then for a place of execution of thieves and ill-doers, and
there stood a gallows on it. He had the heads of the earl and of Kark
hung upon it, and the whole army of the bondes cast stones at them,
screaming and shouting that the one worthless fellow had followed the
other. They then sent up to Gaulardal for the earl's dead body. So great
was the enmity of the Throndhjem people against Earl Hakon, that no man
could venture to call him by any other name than Hakon the Bad; and he
was so called long after those days. Yet, sooth to say of Earl Hakon,
he was in many respects fitted to be a chief: first, because he was
descended from a high race; then because he had understanding and
knowledge to direct a government; also manly courage in battle to
gain victories, and good luck in killing his enemies. So says Thorleif
Raudfeldson:--

"In Norway's land was never known
A braver earl than the brave Hakon.
At sea, beneath the clear moon's light,
No braver man e'er sought to fight.
Nine kings to Odin's wide domain
Were sent, by Hakon's