s hasty in temper,
stiff, and in nothing yielding; but everything he managed went on well
in his hands; and he was a great warrior, about whom there are many
stories. He was the most powerful man in Denmark next to the king. Earl
Ulf's sister Gyda was married to Earl Gudin (Godwin) Ulfnadson; and
their sons were Harald king of England, and Earl Toste, Earl Valthiof,
Earl Morukare, and Earl Svein. Gyda was the name of their daughter, who
was married to the English king Edward the Good.

163. OF THE EARL'S MURDER.

When they had played a while the king made a false move, at which the
earl took a knight from the king; but the king set the piece again upon
the board, and told the earl to make another move; but the earl grew
angry, threw over the chess-board, stood up, and went away. The king
said, "Runnest thou away, Ulf the coward?" The earl turned round at the
door and said, "Thou wouldst have run farther at Helga river, if thou
hadst come to battle there. Thou didst not call me Ulf the coward, when
I hastened to thy help while the Swedes were beating thee like a dog."
The earl then went out, and went to bed. A little later the king also
went to bed. The following morning while the king was putting on his
clothes he said to his footboy, "Go thou to Earl Ulf, and kill him."

The lad went, was away a while, and then came back.

The king said, "Hast thou killed the earl?"

"I did not kill him, for he was gone to Saint Lucius' church."

There was a man called Ivar White, a Norwegian by birth, who was the
king's courtman and chamberlain. The king said to him, "Go thou and kill
the earl."

Ivar went to the church, and in at the choir, and thrust his sword
through the earl, who died on the spot. Then Ivar went to the king, with
the bloody sword in his hand.

The king said, "Hast thou killed the earl?"

"I have killed him," says he.

"Thou didst well."

After the earl was killed the monks closed the church, and locked the
doors. When that was told the king he sent a message to the monks,
ordering them to open the church and sing high mass. They did as the
king ordered; and when the king came to the church he bestowed on it
great property, so that it had a large domain, by which that place was
raised very high; and these lands have since always belonged to it. King
Canute rode down to his ships, and lay there till late in harvest with a
very large army.

164. OF KING OLAF AND THE SWEDES.

When King Ola