e the King, mainly on account
of their former kinship, for Astrid, she that was wife unto the Earl,
even the daughter of King Burizlaf, was very friendly with King Olaf,
for the reason that the latter had had her sister Geira to wife.

Now Sigvaldi was a wise man, & one ready at expedients, & when he and
King Olaf took counsel together, found he many and divers pretexts for
delaying the journey of the King to the westward; but the men of King
Olaf murmured thereat and were loudly displeased, and longed much to get
them hence home, for, said they, 'clear are we to sail & fair is the
wind.' Learned Sigvaldi now privily from Denmark that the King of the
Danes and the King of the Swedes & Eirik the Earl were met together, and
were even about to set sail to the eastward off the coast of Wendland;
likewise that it had been convened betwixt them that they in wait for
King Olaf should lie off that isle which is called Svold;Sec. & that
moreover he, the Earl, was after some fashion to contrive that King Olaf
be found of them.

|| And now went about a rumour in Wendland that Svein, the King of the
Danes, also had an host abroad, & soon tongues wagged to the tune that
well would it like Svein, the King of the Danes, to meet with King Olaf;
but said Earl Sigvaldi unto the King: 'No plan is it of King Svein to
attack thee with the Danish host alone, seeing how great an host of
thine own thou hast; but if ye suspect that war may be at hand then will
I and my men go with thee, and aforetime was it deemed good help when
the Jomsborg vikings bore a chief company: I will go with thee even with
eleven ships well-found.'

To this did the King answer yea, and because at that time was there
blowing a gentle breeze but favourable, commanded he that the fleet
should get under way, & that the horns be blown for their departing.
Then the men hoisted sail; and the small ships were those that made the
better way, & out to sea sailed they. Now kept the Earl close by the
King's ship, shouting to those on board, and bidding the King follow
him: 'Well wot I,' he said, 'which sounds are deepest betwixt the isles,
& this be fraught with care seeing how big are thy ships.' So sailed the
Earl first with his ships, eleven ships had he, & sailed the King after
him with his large ships, eleven likewise had he, but sailed all the
rest of the fleet ahead and out to sea. Now it came to pass as Earl
Sigvaldi was making Vold came rowing off a skiff, and those