IX. In the first year of King Olaf's reign, it is said that he came one evening to the island of Hoy and anchored there. It was a regular occurrence in the neighbourhood of this island that watchmen disappeared every night, and no-one knew what had become of them. On this particular night it was Ivar the Gleam who kept guard. And when all the men on the ships were asleep, Ivar took the sword that Jarnskjˆld had had and that Thorstein his son had given him, and all his armour, and went up on to the island. And when he had landed on the island he saw a man coming towards him. He was very tall and covered with blood, and his face was full of sorrow. Ivar asked him his name, and he replied that he was called Hethin, the son of Hjarrandi, and that he had come of a stock in far Serkland, adding: "I am telling you the truth when I say that the vanishing of the watchmen must be laid to the charge of me and Hˆgni, the son of Halfdan. For we and our men have been laid under such powerful and destructive spells that we go on fighting night and day; and this has continued for many generations, while Hild, the daughter of Hˆgni, sits and looks on. It is Othin who has laid this spell upon us; and our only hope of redemption is that a Christian man should give battle to us.--When that occurs, he whom the Christian slays shall not stand up again; and so will each one be freed from his distress. Now I would pray you that you will come to fight with us, because I know that you are a good Christian, and also that the King whom you serve is very lucky. I have a feeling too that we shall get some good from him and his men." Ivar agreed to go with him. Hethin was glad at that and said: "You must take care not to encounter Hˆgni face to face, and also not to slay me before you slay him; because no mortal man can encounter Hˆgni face to face and slay him if I die before him, for the glance of his eye strikes terror and spares none. Therefore this is the only way: I will attack him in front and engage him in battle, while you go behind and give him his death stroke. You will find it an easy matter to slay me, when I am left alive last of all." Then they went into the battle, and Ivar saw that all that Hethin had told him was quite true. He went behind Hˆgni and struck him on the head, and clove his skull down to the shoulders, whereupon Hˆgni fell down dead and never rose up again. After that he slew all the men who were fighting, and last of all he slew Hethin, which was no great task. When he returned to the ships the day was dawning. He went to the King and told him what he had done. The King was very well pleased with his work and told him that he had had great good luck. Next day they landed and made their way to the spot where the battle had taken place; but they saw no sign of what had happened there. Yet the bloodstains on Ivar's sword were visible proofs; and never again did watchmen disappear on that coast. After that the King went home to his realm.