With a light but favorable breeze the Norwegian fleet sailed out of the harbor, where it had been lying during the stay in Vendland. All the small vessels, which sailed faster, got out to sea before the others. Earl Sigvald with his ships remained near the king for a while, and then sailed ahead telling the king to sail in his keel-tracks, as he knew best where the water was deepest. The earl, who was informed of the presence of the Danish fleet, sailed close under the island of Svolder, and Olaf Trygvason with his remaining eleven large ships followed. Meanwhile the Danish king Svein, the Swedish king Olaf, and Earl Erik, gathered their forces and made ready for battle. When Olaf Trygvason sailed in toward the island, the whole fleet of the enemy came out against him. When his chieftains saw this superior force they begged the king to proceed on his way, and not risk a battle against such odds. But the king, standing high on the quarter-deck of the "Long Serpent," replied: "Strike the sails; never shall men of mine think of flight. I never fled from battle. Let God dispose of my life, but flight I shall never take." King Olaf ordered the ships to close up to each other. The "Long Serpent" lay in the middle of the line; on one side lay the "Little Serpent," and on the other the "Crane." King Olaf stood on the quarter-deck of the "Serpent," high over the others. He had a gilt shield, and a golden helmet, and over his armor he had a short red jacket, so that he was easily distinguished from the others. When he saw the enemy's ships drawing up for battle, he asked: "Who is the chief of the force right ahead of us?" The answer came that it was King Svein with the Danish army. The king said; "We are not afraid of these soft Danes, for there is no courage in them. But who are those on the right?" He was answered, that it was King Olaf with the Swedish forces. "Better it were," said King Olaf, "for these Swedes to stay at home licking their sacrificial vessels,[2] than to come under our weapons. But who owns the large ships on the other side of the Danes?" "That is Earl Erik, the son of Haakon," said his men. Then the king said: "He, methinks, has good reason for meeting us; and from these men we may expect the sharpest conflict, for they are Northmen like ourselves." [2] The Swedes were then still heathens.