KINGS OF NORWAY. 331 replied, " I dream of many things to-night, and I saga xvi. 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. As Olaf got the message in the evening, they tra- Chapter veiled in the night six miles ^, which people considered Battle at * an extraordinarily long march. They arrived at Ry- %^^o^^^- diokul 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 dis- tinguish them, it was so dark ; and the earl's men were always drawing down to their ships. Are Thorgeirsson, father of Bishop Gudmund, fell there, and many others of Erling' s court-men. Erling him- self 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 '^ About forty-three English miles.
