Old Norse Song: Olaf Tryggvason | The Skaldic Bard

Here’s another original Old Norse piece I’ve written, composed and performed, as the next instalment of my “Sagas in Song” series. This time, it’s about Olaf Tryggvason, based on Snorri Sturluson’s Saga of Olaf Tryggvason from Heimskringla. Olaf Tryggvason is generally considered to be the first true Christian King of Norway.

This song is a more traditional ballad, led by a simple lyre with some talharpa backing and wooden flute. I’ve tried my best to maintain an AA-BB rhyming pattern throughout.

Olaf Tryggvason has always been something of a controversial figure as his methods used to convert Norway were more, well, brutal than many of the other kings. He was, however, quick to reward loyalty, and was well-liked by the people who chose to convert. Naturally, however, his methods made him a lot of enemies, and the spurned son of the heathen Jarl Haakon whose death Olaf called for, gathered Olaf’s enemies against him and surprised him at the island of Svolder. Olaf Tryggvason was aboard his great ship, Ormrinn Langi (The Great/Long Serpent, so called for its mighty size), where he gave a final valiant defence, but was ultimately overcome.

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The wonderful art at the start is a painting called Olaf Tryggvason by Arturas Slapsys.

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Lyrics:
Hann var Óláfr Tryggvason!
Eggju boðaði hann kristindóm.
Í nafni Guðs fór á fleyvanga,
en hann fell á Orminum langa.

Þræll var hann á barnaldri,
fjarri var hann ættleifð kærri.
Sigurðr frændi hitti hann þar,
hafði með sér þaðan til Hólmgarðs.

Hann var Óláfr Tryggvason!
Eggju boðaði hann kristindóm.
Í nafni Guðs fór á fleyvanga,
en hann fell á Orminum langa.

Þar verðr Óláfr vaxinn ok stórr
Valdimari trúnaðareið sór.
Því hann at orostu gǫng kunni,
Þá sigldi vestr með hugrekki.

Hann var Óláfr Tryggvason!
Eggju boðaði hann kristindóm.
Í nafni Guðs fór á fleyvanga,
en hann fell á Orminum langa.

Í hernaði í Syllingum
kom hann spámanns nǫkkurs á fund,
“Ágætr konungr verða munt þú
ok mǫrgum mǫnnum gefa rétta trú.”

Hann var Óláfr Tryggvason!
Eggju boðaði hann kristindóm.
Í nafni Guðs fór á fleyvanga,
en hann fell á Orminum langa.

Hákon jarl, heiðingi mikli,
réð yfir ríkjum í Noregi.
Bændr Hákons þeir ráku þann jarl,
Óláfr á gálga hǫfuð hans bar.

Hann var Óláfr Tryggvason!
Eggju boðaði hann kristindóm.
Í nafni Guðs fór á fleyvanga,
en hann fell á Orminum langa.

Svá sem Haraldr inn hárfagri
var Óláfr til konungs tekinn.
Hálogaland, Raumsdal, Víkina
leiddi Óláfr í trúina.

Hann var Óláfr Tryggvason!
Eggju boðaði hann kristindóm.
Í nafni Guðs fór á fleyvanga,
en hann fell á Orminum langa.

En Eiríkr sonr Hákons jarls
vilði hefna fǫður síns falls.
Danakonungr, Óláfr sœnski,
þeir binda saman lag sitt allir.

Þeir bíða við ey þá, Svǫlð.
Skip mǫrg eru ok mannafjǫlð,
“Ráði Guð fyrir mínu lífi,
en mun ek á flótta leggja aldri!”

Hann var Óláfr Tryggvason!
Eggju boðaði hann kristindóm.
Í nafni Guðs fór á fleyvanga,
en hann fell á Orminum langa.

“Engi er hugr í Dǫnum,
ok betra væri heima Svíum,
en af Eíriki ok Norðmǫnnum
er oss ván snarprar orrostu.”

Á skipi því mikla, Orminum,
stendr Óláfr í hjálmi gylltum.
Oftast um daginn skaut bogaskoti,
hraustmannligr var allr hans floti.

Á Orminum var in mesta vǫrn,
ok varð þá orrosta mjǫk hǫrð.
Þótt þeir væru allfræknir menn,
með konungi í sjó gengu senn.

Hann var Óláfr Tryggvason!
Eggju boðaði hann kristindóm.
Í nafni Guðs fór á fleyvanga,
en hann fell á Orminum langa.