Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of NorwaySnorri Sturluson
History
Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
Snorri Sturluson
Iceland -- History; Norway -- History; Sagas -- Translations into English; Scandinavia -- History
Astrid had a brother called Sigurd, a son of Eirik Bjodaskalle, who had
long been abroad in Gardarike (Russia) with King Valdemar, and was there
in great consideration. Astrid had now a great inclination to travel to
her brother there. Hakon the Old gave her good attendants, and what was
needful for the journey, and she set out with some merchants. She had
then been two years (A.D. 965-966) with Hakon the Old, and Olaf was
three years of age. As they sailed out into the Baltic, they were
captured by vikings of Eistland, who made booty both of the people and
goods, killing some, and dividing others as slaves. Olaf was separated
from his mother, and an Eistland man called Klerkon got him as his share
along with Thorolf and Thorgils. Klerkon thought that Thorolf was too
old for a slave, and that there was not much work to be got out of him,
so he killed him; but took the boys with him, and sold them to a man
called Klerk for a stout and good ram. A third man, called Reas, bought
Olaf for a good cloak. Reas had a wife called Rekon, and a son by her
whose name was Rekone. Olaf was long with them, was treated well, and
was much beloved by the people. Olaf was six years in Eistland in this
banishment (A.D. 987-972).
6. OLAF IS SET FREE IN EISTLAND.
Sigurd, the son of Eirik (Astrid's brother), came into Eistland from
Novgorod, on King Valdemar's business to collect the king's taxes and
rents. Sigurd came as a man of consequence, with many followers and
great magnificence. In the market-place he happened to observe a
remarkably handsome boy; and as he could distinguish that he was a
foreigner, he asked him his name and family. He answered him, that
his name was Olaf; that he was a son of Trygve Olafson; and Astrid, a
daughter of Eirik Bjodaskalle, was his mother. Then Sigurd knew that the
boy was his sister's son, and asked him how he came there. Olaf told him
minutely all his adventures, and Sigurd told him to follow him to the
peasant Reas. When he came there he bought both the boys, Olaf and
Thorgils, and took them with him to Holmgard. But, for the first, he
made nothing known of Olaf's relationship to him, but treated him well.
7. KLERKON KILLED BY OLAF.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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