And now he claims also my paternal bit of heritage; cannot be contented without that too.

Does he wish to rule over all the countries of the North?
Can he eat up all the kale in England itself, this Knut the Great?
He shall do that, and reduce his England to a desert, before I lay my head in his hands, or show him any other kind of vassalage.

And so I bid you tell him these my words: I will defend Norway with battle-axe and sword as long as life is given me, and will pay tax to no man for my kingdom." Words which naturally irritated Knut to a high degree.
Next year accordingly (year 1027), tenth or eleventh year of Olaf's reign, there came bad rumors out of England: That Knut was equipping an immense army,--land-army, and such a fleet as had never sailed before; Knut's own ship in it,--a Gold Dragon with no fewer than sixty benches of oars.

Olaf and Onund King of Sweden, whose sister he had married, well guessed whither this armament was bound.

They were friends withal, they recognized their common peril in this imminence; and had, in repeated consultations, taken measures the best that their united skill (which I find was mainly Olaf's but loyally accepted by the other) could suggest.