Halfdan died a sudden and painful death at a feast in Thrandheim.
It is told that he was cunningly poisoned by Queen Gunnhild. Erik
straightway claimed his dead brother's kingdom; but the Thrandheimers
would have none of him; they declared against him, and took another
brother, Sigrod, for their king. To protect themselves against their
overbearing brother, Sigrod and Olaf joined their forces. But Erik
attacked them unawares with a great army at Tunsberg and won the
day. Both Olaf and Sigrod, champions in the battle, were killed.
Olaf's son, Triggvi, escaped, however, and fled away to the Uplands,
where he remained as long as Erik Bloodaxe was master in the land.
Triggvi was the biggest and strongest of men, and the fairest of
face of all that have ever been seen.

"Erik Bloodaxe had now killed four of his brothers and caused the
death of a fifth. He had made himself the king of all Norway, even
as his father had been. Yet the people misliked him sorely, they
were for ever striving to displace him and to set up Triggvi Olafson
in his stead. Then Queen Gunnhild swore that, if Erik would not
make his rule a certainty, she at least would not rest until she
had exterminated all the race of Harald Fairhair outside of her
husband's line."

Here Olaf spoke, leaning forward and looking round into Sigurd's
face.

"I think," said he, "that if I had been in my father's place I
would have rid the earth of so murderous a traitor as Erik Bloodaxe."

"Your father was a peace lover," returned Sigurd, "though, indeed,
there was not in all the land at that time a more splendid warrior