The Laxdæla Saga on Olaf

Laxdaela > Saga > Chap. Xiii

• relationship: The boy was named Olaf, after Olaf Feilan, Hoskuld's recently deceased maternal uncle

  "He said it should be named Olaf, for Olaf Feilan had died a little time before, who was his mother's brother."

• attestation: Olaf went with his mother Melkorka and grew up far superior to other men in beauty and courtesy

  "Olaf, their son, went with her. It was soon seen that Olaf, as he grew up, was far superior to other men, both on account of his beauty and courtesy."

• attestation: At age two, Olaf had full speech and the physical development of a four-year-old

  "When the boy was two years old he had got full speech, and ran about like children of four years old."

Laxdaela > Saga > Chap. Xx

• attestation: Olaf Hoskuldson was the handsomest man anyone had ever seen, well-arrayed in clothes and weapons

  "Olaf, Hoskuld's son, was now grown up, and was the handsomest of all men that people ever set eyes on. He arrayed himself always well, both as to clothes and weapons."

Laxdaela > Saga > Chap. Xxi

• attestation: Olaf and his companions sailed from Iceland to Norway with a good voyage

  "Olaf and his companions had a good voyage, and came to Norway."

• attestation: Olaf grew sad during winter because he wanted to journey west over the sea to Ireland

  "As the winter wore on, Olaf grew sadder of mood. Orn asked him what was the matter of his sorrow? Olaf answered, "I have on hand a journey to go west over the sea; and I set much store by it and that you should lend me your help, so that it may be undertaken in the course of next summer."

• relationship: Olaf knew that Myrkjartan, the Irish king, was his mother's father

  "saying he knew for certain that Myrkjartan, the king, was his mother's father."

• attestation: Gunnhild prepared a ship and crew, and Olaf chose sixty men who should look more like warriors than merchants

  "Olaf fixed the number at sixty; but said that it was a matter of much concern to him, that such a company should be more like warriors than merchants."

• attestation: Olaf told the king he was eighteen years old

  "Olaf answered, "I am now eighteen winters.""

• attestation: The voyage was difficult with fog and little wind, and most on board suffered sea-bewilderment

  "They came in for unfavourable weather through the summer, had fogs plentiful, and little wind, and what there was was unfavourable; and wide about the main they drifted, and on most on board fell "sea-bewilderment.""

• attestation: Olaf sided with Orn's navigation advice against the majority of the crew

  "I think we should follow the counsel of the wisest; for the counsels of foolish men I think will be of all the worse service for us in the greater number they gather together."

• attestation: They nearly ran aground on Ireland at night, but Olaf spotted reefs and had them anchor in a tidal pool

  "That is not the way out of our plight, for I see reefs all about astern; so let down the sail at once, and we will take our counsel when there is daylight"

• attestation: Olaf spoke Irish to the locals, which was unexpected from Norwegians

  "Olaf answered, speaking in Irish, to their inquiries."

• attestation: The Irish wanted to claim the ship's cargo as flotsam under their law, but Olaf invoked the interpreter exception

  "Olaf said the law only held good when merchants had no interpreter with them."

• attestation: Olaf armed himself impressively with mail, gold helmet, gold-hilted sword, barbed spear, and a red shield with a golden lion

  "he had a coat of mail, and a gold-reddened helmet on his head; girt with a sword with gold-inlaid hilt, and in his hand a barbed spear chased and well engraved. A red shield he had before him, on which was drawn a lion in gold."

• relationship: Olaf revealed to Myrkjartan that his mother Melkorka was the king's daughter, taken prisoner at age fifteen

  "my mother's kindred, I think you must have seen many more than I have. For my mother is called Melkorka, and it has b"

• attestation: Olaf declined the offer of kingship, saying he preferred swift honour over lasting shame, and wished to return to his mother

  "said it was better to gain swift honour than lasting shame; and added that he wished to go to Norway when ships could safely journey from land to land, and that his mother would have little delight in life if he did not return to her."

• attestation: Olaf wanted to bring Melkorka's foster-mother to Iceland but the king refused

  "Olaf begged that he might take Melkorka's foster-mother with him; but the king said there was no necessity for that, so she did not go."

• attestation: Olaf sailed from Ireland back to Norway, and his journey became famous

  "Olaf sailed out to sea. They had a good voyage, and made land in Norway; and Olaf's journey became very famous."

Laxdaela > Saga > Chap. Xxvi

• attestation: Bard agreed to his father's wish, saying he expected honour from Olaf

  "Bard answered first, and said that he would do as his father wished, "for I look for honour from Olaf in every way, the more so the wealthier he becomes.""

• attestation: Olaf proposed delaying the arvale (burial feast) until summer at the Thing, as autumn travel was difficult

  "It seems to me that we should not be in a hurry about preparing this feast, if it is to be as noble as we should think right; now the autumn is very far worn, and the ingathering of means for it is no longer easy"

• attestation: Olaf offered to bear one-third of the cost of the burial feast

  "I will bear one-third of the cost of the wassail."

• attestation: Olaf and Bard were on good terms, but Olaf and Thorliek had a tense relationship

  "Olaf and Bard got on well together, but Olaf and Thorliek rather snappishly."

• attestation: Olaf clearly took the lead among the brothers when they attended the Thing

  "It was soon seen clearly enough how Olaf took the lead of the brothers."

Laxdaela > Saga > Chap. Xxix

• attestation: Olaf made a second voyage to Norway around 975 AD

  "Olaf's Second Journey to Norway, A.D. 975"

Laxdaela > Saga > Chap. Xlvi

• attestation: Olaf and Osvif maintained friendship despite ill-will between the younger generation

  "Olaf and Osvif were still friends, though there was some deal of ill-will between the younger people."

• attestation: Olaf held a feast half a month before winter, and Osvif prepared one for Winter-nights

  "That summer Olaf had his feast half a month before winter. And Osvif was also making ready a feast, to be held at "Winter-nights,""

• attestation: Olaf sent An the White to spy on Osvif's departing company

  "An the White had to ride with Osvif's company, and to keep an eye upon men turning aside, or baiting."

• attestation: Olaf persuaded Kjartan to attend the feast at Laugar despite Kjartan's reluctance

  "Olaf got ready to go to the feast at Laugar at "winter nights," and told Kjartan he must go too. Kjartan was very unwilling thereto, but promised to go at the bidding of his father."

• attestation: Olaf again counselled patience, urging Kjartan not to let conflict erupt between himself and Bolli

  "Olaf said, "My will is still as before, that you leave alone and let pass by this trouble and I will probe this matter to the bottom in quiet; for I would do anything that you and Bolli should not fall out. Best to bind up a whole flesh, kinsman," says he."

Laxdaela > Saga > Chap. L

• attestation: Olaf went to receive Kjartan's body after his slaying

  "Olaf went to meet Kjartan's body."

• attestation: Olaf sent word south to Thorstein Egilson at Burg seeking his support in the blood-suit

  "He sent men south to Burg to tell Thorstein Egilson these tidings, and also that he would have his help for the blood-suit"

• attestation: Olaf charged all men in the ambush as guilty of Kjartan's slaying, except the already-outlawed Ospak son of Osvif

  "he had charged as guilty of the slaying of Kjartan all the men who had taken part in the ambush, except Ospak, son of Osvif, for he was already under outlawry"

• attestation: Olaf declared the blood-suit should be heard at Thorness Thing and had Kjartan's body brought home

  "Olaf had proclaimed that the blood-suit should be taken into court at Thorness Thing. He had Kjartan's body brought home, and a tent was rigged over it, for there was as yet no church built in the Dales."

• attestation: Olaf sent his entire armed force to protect Bolli at Laugar, anticipating retaliation

  "The whole of this band Olaf sent to Laugar, with this order: "It is my will that you guard Bolli if he stand in need thereof, and do it no less faithfully than if you were following me; for my mind misgives me that the men from beyond this countryside, whom, coming soon, we shall be having on our hands, will deem that they have somewhat of a loss to make up with Bolli."

• attestation: Olaf's resistance to a raid on Laugar forced a peace meeting at Lea-Shaws instead

  "because Olaf set himself so much against their making a raid on Laugar, messages of peace were borne between the two parties"

• attestation: Olaf was given full authority to set fines and penalties for Kjartan's slaughter

  "the whole case was laid freely in Olaf's hand. For the slaughter of Kjartan there were to come such fines and penalties as Olaf liked."

• attestation: Olaf sent messages north to Willowdale to his son-in-law Gudmund and the sons of Asgeir

  "The same message he sent north to Willowdale, to Gudmund, his son-in-law, and to the sons of Asgeir"