Then when all these things were accomplished did Hakon quit Denmark & thence fared forth to the north of Norway, to his demesne.

By that time was his kinsman, Earl Orm, dead.

The friends and kindred to Hakon were rejoiced over his coming, and many a bold man set to work to make peace betwixt him & the King, & in the end were they reconciled, to wit, both King Harald and Hakon; and Hakon was given Ragnhild, the King's daughter, in marriage, & King Harald gave him Orm's earldom and such rule as had been Orm's aforetime. Hakon swore fealty to the King, and likewise to afford him such service as he was bounden to give him.

Since he had fared from Norway had Calf Arnison been living after the fashion of a viking westward, but the winters through oft-times abode he in Orkneyja (the Orkneys) with his kinsman-in-law, Earl Thorfin. Fin Arnison sent to his brother Calf to tell him concerning the covenant which he and King Harald had encompassed, the purport whereof being ye outlawry of Calf himself, to wit, that it should be once more lawful to him to dwell in his own land, and possess his estates, and such land dues as he had held aforetime from King Magnus. When Calf received this message, forthwith made he him ready to quit, and sailed he east to Norway, and firstly sought he his brother Fin.

Thereafter Fin craved a truce for Calf, and then were they confronted, the King and Calf, & entered into a covenant like unto the agreement to which the King & Fin had arrived on this matter. Thereon gave Calf his hand, and bound himself on the same terms as he had bound himself to King Magnus aforetime, that he would do all such works as King Harald desired or deemed would be for the strengthening of his kingdom.

Then was Calf re-endowed with all his possessions, and the land-dues which had been his in former days.

Next summer called out King Harald an host and fared to Denmark where he harried during the summer.

But when he was come south to Fion (Funen) found he a large host assembled against him, so bade the King his men leave their ships and arm themselves in order to make a landing; and parted he his host and gave to Calf Arnison command over one company thereof, and bade them go the first ashore and told them where to take up their station; himself, said he, would go up after them, and come to their assistance.

Calf and his men went ashore, and anon a band of men set upon them, and Calf forthwith gave battle. Not long was the combat, for Calf was overborne by odds and fled with his folk. The Danes pursued them, slaying many of the Norwegians, and likewise Calf Arnison.

When King Harald with his company were come ashore soon found they the slain, more especially the corse of Calf, and this was borne down to the ships, but the King pursued his march inland where he harried and slew many men. Thus saith Arnor:

'The edge so sharp in Fion He reddened, and the fire Rushed o'er the dwelling; Fewer folk were there thereafter in Fion.'

After this conceived Fin Arnison enmity against Harald for the slaying of his brother Calf, for said he that the King had purposely compassed the death of Calf; and furthermore that it was befooling of him himself, to wit, this luring of Calf west across the seas into the power of King Harald, and into putting faith in him. When these words were spread abroad spake many men their mind that Fin had been simple when he had deemed that Calf could trust in the good faith of King Harald, for it was known that the King bore malice for deeds of smaller consequence than those Calf had committed against his person.

Now let the King every man talk on this matter as he listed: he made neither confirmation nor yet contradiction of whatsoever they said, and it was in his own words alone that men did discover satisfaction at what had happened. King Harald chanted this song:

'Now of men eleven and two have I the bane been, We incite to battle and full many a slaying I remember. That mind which is with treason fraught Seeks to tame men by falseness; Men say 'tis little that it takes such a balance to disturb.'

So much to heart did Fin Arnison take the death of his brother that he quitted the land and came south to Denmark, and going unto King Svein was well received by him. The King & he spake long together privily, & at the end thereof was it known how Fin was minded then and there to take service with King Svein and become his man. To him gave Svein the title or Earl and therewith Halland to govern, and there Fin tarried to safeguard the coast against the Norwegians.

Now Ketil Calf & Gunhild had a son whose name was Guthorm of Ringanes. On his mother's side was he the nephew of King Olaf and King Harald, able was he withal & early come to manhood. Guthorm was oft with King Harald who to him was of very friendly countenance, and over Harald had Guthorm much influence for he was a wise man & well-beloved of all. Guthorm sailed often on viking cruises to the lands in the west, and had disposition over many men.

His peace-land & place of abode in winter was Dublin in Ireland, where he was a sworn friend of King Margad.Sec.

The summer thereafter King Margad and Guthorm with him fared to Bretland (Wales) in order to harry there, and thence took they much wealth which they had pillaged. After having done thus, lay they to in Anglesey Sound so that they might part their plunder, but when all the silver, and great was the quantity, was carried before the King and he beheld it, then desired he to keep all for himself, and seemed now to set scant store by his friendship with Guthorm.

Guthorm liked ill enough that he and his men should be scotched of their share of the booty; & still less pleased was he when the King said he might choose betwixt two things; 'Either to submit to our will, or do battle with us, and he who gets the victory to have the money; and thou moreover shalt depart from thy ships and I will take them.' Now on either hand the task seemed severe; Guthorm deemed it unseemly that he should without rime or reason give up his ships & money, but natheless was it ill fighting over against a King to whom was an host so large as that which followed Margad. Grave also was the disparity betwixt the crews thereof, inasmuch as to the King were sixteen long-ships & to Guthorm only five. So Guthorm prayed the King grant him three nights' truce in the which to confer with his men on this matter, for thought he that he could soften the King within this time, and aided by the pleading of his men could set the matter on a better footing with the King, but never a bit did he get what he asked for. This was on the eve of St. Olafmas.Sec. So Guthorm chose to die, the stout fellow he was, or win the day, rather than suffer the shame and disgrace and mockery of having lost so vast a deal.

And called he upon God and the sainted King Olaf, his kinsman, praying for their help and support, and vowing to bestow on that holy man's house a tithe of all the plunder which would fall to them an they gained the victory. Thereafter did he array his host, and rank it against the greater host, and he advanced on them and fought with them, and by God's help and that of the holy King Olaf did he gain the victory. There fell King Margad, and every man who was with him, young & old. After this glorious victory Guthorm returned home joyfully with all the wealth he had gotten from the strife; & from the silver which had changed hands every tenth penny was set aside for the sainted King Olaf even as Guthorm had vowed. A vast deal of money was there so that from the silver caused Guthorm to be made a rood of his own stature, or of that of the captain of his ship, and that holy symbol is seven ells in height.

This cross did Guthorm give to the church of the holy St. Olaf, & thereSec. has it remained ever since in testimony of ye victory of Guthorm and the miracle of ye sainted King Olaf.

Now there was in Denmark a Count who was evil & envious, and he had a Norwegian serving-woman and the stock of her was from Throndhjem. She worshipped the holy King Olaf, and put staunch faith in his sanctity; but the Count misdoubted all that had been told him of the miracles of that holy man, & affirmed that naught were they but rumour and talk, and laughed to scorn all the praise and worship which the folk of the land accorded the good King.

But now was drawing nigh the day whereon the gentle King laid down his life, a day which all Norwegians kept, but which this unwise count refused to hallow; & he bade his serving-woman fire the oven and bake on that day.

And deeming from the mood of the Count that he would soon avenge himself on her an she did not obey him in all that he had bidden her do, went she all unwillingly and laid fire under the oven, and made much plaint while she worked, & called on King Olaf, saying that she would never believe more on him if he did not by some token or other avenge this unseemliness. And now shall ye hear of a meet chastisement & true miracle: it befell forthwith, in the self-same moment, that the Count became blind in both eyes and that the bread which she had baked was turned into stone.

Some of the stones have been brought to the church of the holy King Olaf, and also to many other places. St. Olafmas has ever been kept holy in Denmark since that happening.



Westward in Valland (France) was there a man who was so malformed that he was a cripple, and crawled he ever on his knees and knuckles. One day when he was abroad, on a road, he fell asleep & dreamt that a man all glorious without came to him and asked whither was he bound, and the cripple answered with the name of a certain town.

Then the man all glorious said: 'Fare thee rather to St. Olaf's Church in London, and there wilt thou be healed.' Thereafter awakened the cripple and straightway fared in search of St. Olaf's Church, and after a while was come to London Bridge & there asked of the townsmen whether they could direct him to St. Olaf's Church; but for answer gat he that there were too many churches for them to know to what man each of them was dedicated. A while later came up a man & asked him whither was he bound, and he told him whither he was bound, and that man said afterwards: 'We will both go to St. Olaf's Church, for I know the way thither.'

So then crossed they the bridge, and went to the street which led to St. Olaf's Church. When they were come to the gates of the churchyard the man stepped over the threshold which is between the gates, but the cripple rolled over it, and lo, straightway rose he up a whole man. When he looked round his comrade was gone.

King Harald founded a merchant town eastward in Oslo,Sec. and often tarried there for it had broad countrysides round about, and was a place suited for the ingathering of victuals; likewise was it well situated for the defence of the land against the Danes, & also for onsets on Denmark which Harald was wont to make even at such times when he had a large host at his beck.

One summer fared King Harald with some light ships and but few men and set he sail south for Viken; but on a fair wind springing up, crossed he the sea to Jutland where he began to harry.

The men of the land, however, collected themselves together & defended their country, so then sailed King Harald on to Limfjord and went up that fjord.

Now Limfjord is so fashioned in shape that going up it is like entering into a narrow river-groove, but as thou goest on up the fjord it becometh like a great sea.

Harald harried there on both shores, but beheld the Danes everywhere assembled in numbers. King Harald brought-to his ships alongside an island which was small & thereon were no buildings; and when they went in search of water they found none, and told it unto the King.

Then he did send men to see if no adder could be found on the isle, & when one had been found they brought it to the King and he had the adder taken to the fire so that it might be warmed and teased thereby, and become right thirsty. Thereafter a twine was bound to its tail and the adder was let loose, and it crawled away and the twine was unwound from the ball, and they followed after the adder until it struck into the earth.

Then the King bade them dig for water, and they dug for it, and there found water in abundance.

From his spies learned King Harald the intelligence that King Svein was come with a large fleet of ships to the mouth of the fjord, and that he was making way but slowly, for his ships could only pass in one at a time. King Harald took his ships up Limfjord, and over against where it is broadest it is called Lusbreid. Now from the creek within is there a narrow neck of land westward (north) leading to the sea, and thither did the men to Harald row in the evening; after nightfall, when it was dark, they cleared the ships & haled them right over this isthmus, and before daylight all was accomplished and the ships once more ready for sea. Then shaped he the course northward past Jutland, and they sang:

'From Danish grip Did Harald slip.'

At that time said the King that he would come to Denmark once again, & would bring with him more men & larger ships. After these things fared they northward to Throndhjem.

That winter abode King Harald in Nidaros, & at this time caused he a ship to be builded out on the islands, and it was a bussa-shipSec. made after the model of the Long Serpent and wrought every way as carefully as might be.

At her bows was a dragon-head and at her stern a crook, and the ......Sec. were all overlaid with gold. On her were thirty-five benches, and broad was she of beam in comparison therewith.

Very fair to behold was she. The King caused all the appurtenances of the ship to be chosen with exceeding great care, both the sail, the running tackle, the anchor and the cables.

That winter King Harald sent word southward to Denmark to King Svein, bidding him come in spring from the south to the River, to a meeting with him, & saying that they would then fight to the end that one or other of their countries should change hands, & the victor become master of both kingdoms.

That winter called out King Harald a host, a general host, from all Norway, and by spring-tide had been assembled together a mighty array of men.

Then launched the King his great ship on the river Nid, and after that was accomplished caused he the dragon-head be placed thereon.

Then sang Thiodolf the Skald:

'Fair maid, forward is the ship guided, from river to main. Mark where off the land there lieth the long hull of the dragon. The mane of the serpent yellow-green glints on the deck, The prows were burnt-gold as from off the slip she glided.'

Thereafter fitted King Harald out the ship and his men for a cruise, and all being made ready, stood he down the river, and right well answered she to the oars. Thus saith Thiodolf:

'Saturday the prince casts off the long land tilts, There where the widows proud the serpent watch, As she glideth from the town. West from the Nid thereafter the King doth steer, Into the sea drop the oars of his men. Move can they, the King's lads, the straight oars in the water. The widows stand and wonder at the oar-strokes so swift, The thole knows hurt when seventy oars do move her I' the water ere the war-folk on the sea their oars do strain. Northmen the serpent row (nailed is she) out on the billow-stream icy; 'Tis eagles' wings that we behold.'

Southward sailed King Harald with his host alongside the land, so that he might call out a general muster of men and ships. But when they were come eastward, and were off Vik, arose a strong contrary wind wherefore was the fleet obliged to stand in for harbour, making such havens as were to be found in the skerries as well as those in the fjords.

Quoth Thiodolf:

'Lee have the shaven hulls of the ships under the woods, The King's war-host towards land doth lean with its prow beams. The land-folk in the skerries, within the creeks, do lie; The ships white-mailed hide under the land-necks.'

Now in the tempest which fell upon them the great ship had need of good anchor tackle, and thus saith Thiodolf:

'Prow foremost the prince cleft High fences of the sea; The ropes of the King's ship Are strained to the utmost; The wind is unfriendly Against the anchor-iron out-hollowed, Grit and wind-squalls ugly Chafe at the anchor flukes.'

As soon as there was come to him a fair wind, took King Harald the host east to the River, and thither came towards nightfall. Thus saith Thiodolf:

'Now drave King Harald hotly the war-ships towards the River, At nightfall Norway's King anigh the marches is. A Thing the King now holds at Thumla, there where Svein Will meet to war if so be the Danes shirk not the tryst.'

When the Danes learned that the hosts of the Norwegians were come, all those that were able to do so fled away.

The Norwegians likewise learnt that the Danish King had his host out, and was lying south off Funen and the small-isles; but when King Harald saw that King Svein would not come to meet him as had been agreed, nor do battle with him, then did he after the same fashion as before & let the peasant host return to Norway; but manned he one hundred and fiftySec. ships, & with these steered a course alongside Halland. There he plundered widely; and he put in also to Lofufjord with his host, and going up onto the land harried there likewise. Somewhile later came King Svein to the encounter with the Danish host, and to him was a tale of three hundredSec. ships. When the Norwegians saw this fleet bade King Harald a blast be blown to summon his host together, & many spake saying that they ought to flee, & that it was unavailing for them to fight, but the King answered thus: 'We will fall one atop of the other rather than flee!' Thus saith Stein Herdason:

'Said the chief high-minded, what now he awaited. Here (said the King) he had all hope of peace lost. Rather than yield, cried the King, should each man fall one on the top of the other. Their arms then took the men.'

Then let King Harald his ships be cleared for action, and brought his great dragon forward into the very midst of the host. Thus saith Thiodolf:

'The giver of kindly gifts Who oft to the wolf gave food, His dragon-ship put forward Midmost in the war-host.'

This ship was well fitted out, and had a large crew.

And again saith Thiodolf:

'The peace wishing King his ranks bade Bind fast the war-shields on the ships' sides; The prince's friends well ordered stand methinks. The leader of manly deeds, The doughty dragon closed, Outside the Niz, with shields, and one o'erlapped the other.'

Ulf the Marshal brought his ship up alongside the royal ship, & bade her men place her well forward. Stein Herdason was on Ulf's ship, and he chanted thus:

'Ulf, the Marshal of the King, Cheered us all on to battle; The spears trembled when The ships were rowed to the fight. And, no doubt, the wise King's Valiant friend did bid his men His ship advance beside The prince's; the lads obeyed.'

Stationed farthest out on one of the arms was Ivar Hakonson; under him had he many and the men to him were well equipped. Farthest out on the other arm were the chiefs of Throndhjem, and to them likewise was a large and goodly host.

And King Svein likewise ranged his host, and his ship laid he over against ye ship of Harald, in the midst of the host, and nighest to him was Earl Fin, and next to him again the Danes ranked all of their host that was bravest and best equipped. Thereafter either side lashed their ships together in the midmost part of the fleet, but the hosts being so large it befell that there was a great number of ships faring loose, and so each captain placed his ship as far forward as he had courage for; but that was exceeding varied. Now though the odds were so great yet nevertheless had either side a vast host, and in his to King Svein pertained as many as seven earls. Thus saith Stein Herdason:

'The "hersirs'" valiant lord a risk did take him, With ships fifty and a hundred he waited for the Danes. Next was it that the ruler dear who dwells in LeidraSec. The sea cleft thither with three hundred sea-steeds.'

Even so soon as he had made ready his ships, commanded King Harald the war-blast to be sounded, and after this was done, rowed his men ahead. Stein Herdason saith:

'Before the river's mouth, damage did Harald Svein. Hard withstanding made he; Harald asked not for peace. The King's sword-swinging lads forward off Halland rowed, And yonder on the sea caused wounds with blood to stream.'

Then did either side join combat, and the struggle waxed very fierce. Either King lustily cheered on his men, as saith Stein Herdason:

'Eager for war the good shield-bearers bade their lads To shoot and hew (but short the space was 'twixt the hosts). Both stones & arrows streamed when the sword shook from it, The light blood, depriving of life the men of either host.'

It was late in the day when battle was joined and the combatants fought the whole night; King Harald himself shot for long with his bow. Thiodolf saith thus:

'Elm-bow did the Upland King draw all the night; Shrewd ruler of the land sent Arrows 'gainst the white shields; Barbs bloody harmed the peasants, And the King's arrows Fast in the shields did lodge (The spear-shots grew apace).'

Earl Hakon & the men of his company did not lash their ships together, but rowed against the Danish keels that were faring loose, and every ship that they grappled did they clear. When the Danes noted this same did every man move his ship away from the spot whither the Earl was faring, but went he after them even as they withdrew, and wellnigh to fleeing were they.

But then came a boat rowing towards the Earl's ship, and those in it shouted & said that the other arm of ye battle array of King Harald had given way, and that many of their men had fallen there, so then rowed the Earl away thither and fierce was his onset, so that the Danes again caused their ships to fall astern. Thus did the Earl fare the whole of that night, rowing round outside the combatants, and laying about him wheresoever it was required; & whithersoever he went he was in no fashion to be withstood.

During the waning part of the night was there a general fight among the Danes; this was after King Harald & his band had boarded the own ship to King Svein, and so utterly cleared it that all his men were slain save and except those that leapt into the sea. Thus saith Arnor Earl's-skald:

'Svein courageous went not from off his ship Without good cause (that is my mind); Hard was the fight for the helmets wasted, And empty did his craft float ere the eloquent friend of the Jutes Fled from his dead chosen fighters.'

After the banner of King Svein had fallen & the ships to him had been cleared, fled away all his men save those who were slain, & they that fled sprang into the deep from those ships that were lashed together or climbed on to other ships that were faring loose, but all of the men of King Svein who were able to do so rowed off. Full many men fell there. And there, where the Kings themselves had fought & the greater number of the ships had been lashed one to another, lay over seventy of the ships of that King; thus saith Thiodolf:

'Bold King of the Sogn-folk, (So 'tis sung) ships seven Times ten of men and arms From Svein's fleet cleared away.'

King Harald after the Danes rowed hard and put them to rout, but no easy task was it, for so little sea-room was there betwixt the keels that motion was well-nigh not possible. Earl Fin would in no wise consent to flee and was taken captive; he could not see well. This is what Thiodolf saith:

'To six Danish earls a guerdon hast thou to give For one single victory, (They whet the heat of battle). In the midst of the ranks Fin Arnason was taken Battle-strong, stout-hearted; Ne'er would he think to flee.'

Earl Hakon tarried behind with his ship, while the King and the rest were pursuing after the fugitives, for the Earl could not get his ship away from the spot where she was lying. Just at that time rowed up a man in a boat to the ship and brought-to at the poop; a big man was he with a broad-brimmed hat; 'Where is the Earl?' quoth he up to the ship. 'In the forehold,' answered they him back, 'binding the wound of a man who is bleeding.' The Earl viewed the man with the hat and asked what might his name be, to which he made answer: 'VandradSec. is here, speak to me, Earl.' Then looked the Earl over the gunwale at him.

Then said the boatman: 'I will receive my life of thee if thou wilt give it me.' Then the Earl rose up and called to two of his men, either of whom was dear to him, and said: 'Get into the boat and set Vandrad ashore; go with him to my friend Karl the Peasant, and tell him for a token to give Vandrad the horse which I gave to him yesterday, and to give him his own saddle, and his son for a guide.' Then stepped they into the boat & took the oars, & Vandrad steered.

This was hard nigh to the dawn of day, and there was much movement among the ships, craft both large and small, some rowing to land, others to sea.

Vandrad steered there where thought he there was most sea-room betwixt the craft, & whensoever any of the Norwegian ships rowed nigh them said the Earl's men who they were, & then all let them go as they listed. Vandrad steered along the shore & did not put to land ere they had come past the place where there was a great throng of ships.

Thereafter walked they to the homestead of Karl at about the hour when the light began to wax, and so went they into the living-room, and beheld Karl but now clad. To him told the men from the Earl on what mission had they come, and Karl said that first must they eat, & caused food to be set before them, & himself fetched them water for hand-washing. Then came the housewife into the chamber and straightway said she: 'Wondrous is it that we gat no sleep nor rest all night through, for the tumult and noise.' Karl answered: 'Knowest thou not that the Kings fought together yesternight?' She asked: 'Who won?' Karl answered: 'The Norwegians won.' 'Belike our King hath fled again,' said she. Karl replied: 'In a bad way are we with our King for he is both halt & craven.' Then spake Vandrad: 'The King is not craven, but neither he is victorious.' Now Vandrad was the last to wash his hands, and when he took the towel he dried himself in the midst thereof; but the housewife seized it and pulled it from him, saying: 'Little good canst thou do; 'tis the way of common folk to wet all the towel at once.' Vandrad answered: 'I shall yet come thither where I may dry myself midmost in the towel.' Then sat they at meat for a while but afterwards went out, and there was the horse standing ready, and that son of Karl who was to bear Vandrad company sat another horse, and together rode they forth to the forest. But the men from the Earl went back to their boat, & rowed out again to their ship.

Harald and his men pursued the fugitives a short way, and thereafter returned to those ships which had been deserted. And then searched they the slain, finding in the King's ship a number of dead men; yet not among them was the body of King Svein; natheless was it deemed certain that he must have fallen. King Harald let the corses of his men be laid out, or the wounds bound up of them that required it. Then caused he the bodies of the men of Svein to be borne ashore, & sent word to the peasants that they should bury them; thereafter caused he the plunder to be divided, and abode for a while there at that spot. And there learnt he the tidings that King Svein was come to Zealand, and that all of his host which had not been routed in battle had rejoined him, and to him likewise were come many other men, and that to him therefore was assembled a mighty large host.

Now as ye have heard tell afore, was Earl Fin Arnason captured in the battle, and before the King was he led. King Harald was then exceeding joyful, and said he, 'Here meet we twain, Fin, though lastwhiles in Norway; scarce hath the Danish court stood by thee! An ill piece of work will the Norwegians have to drag thee, blind man, after them, and keep thee alive.'

Then answered back the Earl: 'Many ill things have the Norwegians now to do, & the worst of these is thy bidding.'

Then said King Harald: 'Wilt thou have grace, though grace deservest thou not?' The Earl answered: 'Not from thee, hound!' The King said: 'Dost desire that thy kinsman Magnus should give thee grace?' Magnus, the son of King Harald, was captain of a ship at that time. Then said the Earl: 'What hath that whelp to do with the meting out of grace?' Thereat laughed the King, for he deemed it good sport to bait him, and said he: 'Wilt thou accept thy life from the hand of Thora, thy kinswoman?'

Then the Earl said: 'Is she here?' 'She is here,' said the King.

Then did Fin utter the scurvy words which were remembered long thereafter, and all were witness of how wroth he was since he could not still his words: 'It is not to be wondered at that thou hast bitten well since the mare is with thee.'

To Earl Fin was given quarter, and King Harald kept him with him for a time, but Fin was somewhat unjoyful, and unmeek in his words. Then King Harald said: 'I see thou wilt not be friends with me nor with my kindred, so I will give thee leave to fare to Svein, thy King.' The Earl answered: 'That will I accept, and the sooner I fare hence the more grateful I shall be.' Thereafter the King let Fin be taken even to the land, where was he made welcome by the Hallanders.

Thence sailed King Harald north with his host to Norway, faring first to Oslo, and in that place gave leave to all his men who desired it to go even to their own homes.

It is said that King Svein abode that winter in Denmark, and held his state as before.

And in the winter sent he men northward to Halland to fetch Karl the Peasant to him, and likewise Karl's wife; and when they were come and he had summoned Karl unto him he asked him if he had seen him before. Karl answered: 'I know thee now, King, and I knew thee then even so soon as I saw thee, and it is under God that the little help which I was able to afford thee was of use.' The King answered: 'For all the days I have yet to live I have to reward thee. Now firstly will I give thee whatever homestead in Zealand thou art minded to have, and I will furthermore make thee a great man an thou wottest how to act.'

Karl thanked the King well for his words, and said that there was still a favour he would pray of him. And the King asked what that might be. Karl said: 'I would ask this thing, King, that thou lettest me take my wife with me.' The King answered: 'I will not promise thee this thing, for I will get thee a much better & wiser wife; but thy wife may keep the small homestead ye have already; on that she can live.'

And the King gave Karl a large & noble stead & gat him a good marriage. This was known and told far and wide, yea even as far north as Norway.

The winter following on the battle of the Niz King Harald spent in Oslo. And when the host came up from the south in autumn many tales and legends went abroad of the autumn outside the Niz river, & everyone who had been there deemed he had something to tell. Once it happened that some men were sitting drinking in a small chamber, & full of talk were they, talking of the battle of the Niz, and of whom might have derived the greatest renown therefrom. All were agreed on one issue, however, and that was that no other had been such a man there as Earl Hakon: he it was who had shown greatest prowess, who was the boldest under arms, and the ablest, and the most fortunate, and whatsoever he did was that which availed most, & to him was accounted the victory. Now Harald was without, in the courtyard, speaking with some of his men, and thereafter went he before the doorway of the chamber and said: 'Every man now would like to be named Hakon,' and therewith went his way.

Earl Hakon fared to the Uplands in autumn, even to his dominions, and there tarried throughout the winter.

Right well beloved was he of the Upland folk. Now once it befell, when spring was drawing nigh, that some men were sitting drinking, & their talk was yet again of the battle of the Niz; and men lauded greatly Earl Hakon, but a few praised others no less.

When they had been talking thus a while a man answered: 'Mayhap other men besides Earl Hakon fought boldly outside the Niz, yet nevertheless methinks no one can have had the luck he had.'

They said it was no doubt his greatest luck that he had routed many of the Danes. The same man answered: 'Luckiest for him was it that he gave King Svein his life.' Another answered him: 'Thou wottest not what thou art saying.' He answered: 'Yea, I wot full well, for he who set the King ashore told me himself.' Thus it befell, as oft is said, that 'many are the King's ears.' These things were told to the King straightway, and the King had many horses taken and rode forthwith away in the night with two hundred men,Sec. and rode he the whole of that night and the following day. Then there came towards them on horseback certain men who were making for the town with meal and malt. Now faring with the King was one Gamal, & he rode up to one of the peasants who was a friend of his and spoke privily with him.

Gamal said: 'Money will I give thee, an thou wilt ride furiously by hidden ways such as thou wottest to be shortest to Earl Hakon: tell him that the King will slay him, for the King wotteth that the Earl helped King Svein to land outside the Niz.'

And the matter being covenanted between them rode the peasant hard, and came even to the Earl who was sitting drinking and had not gone to his rest. But when the peasant made known his errand, rose the Earl forthwith and all his folk; and the Earl caused his chattels to be removed from the house during the night. When the King arrived thither tarried he there the night, but Hakon the Earl had ridden his way. And in time came he east to the realm of Sweden, to King Steinkel, and abode with him the summer. King Harald then turned him back to town. In the summer the King fared north to Throndhjem and abode there, but in the autumn fared eastward again to Vik.

Earl Hakon went back in the summer to the Uplands, so soon as he learned that the King had fared northward, and there dwelt he until such time as the King came south again. Thereafter fared the Earl eastward to Vermaland and tarried there long in the winter; and King Steinkel gave the Earl rule and dominion over that part of the land.

When winter was wearing to an end, fared he westward to Kaumariki, and took with him many men whom the Gauts and Vermalanders had given him. And he took thence his land-dues and the taxes which he had a right to demand, & thereafter fared he back east to Gautland and dwelt there the spring.

King Harald abode the winter in Oslo, and sent his men to the Uplands to gather taxes and land-dues and the King's fines; but the Uplanders said that they would not pay to him all dues which it behoved them to pay into the hands of Earl Hakon even so long as he was alive and had not forfeited life or dominions; & no land-dues did the King therefrom obtain that winter.

Now betwixt Norway and Denmark there were sent that winter messengers and messages, for both Norwegians and Danes alike desired to make peace and agreement either with other, and they prayed their Kings to do the same. The sending of these messages appeared prone to bring about concord, for in the end a peace-meeting was agreed upon in the River betwixt King Harald and King Svein. When spring-tide was come both Kings called out many men and ships for this journey. Saith a skald in a poem:

'Leader of armed men, he who the ground engirdles From Eyrasund northward shuts with his long-ship's prows The land (the haven spurned he). Gleaming with gold the stems cut the waves keenly; Onward of Halland west, with host aboard, and the keels thrilling. Harald firm-oathed! oft hast thou the earth engirdled with thy ships; Svein, too, through the sound sailed the King to meet. Praise-dight filler of ravens, who every bay doth close, Hath out a teeming host of Danes, from the south all.'

It is said here that these Kings kept to their agreement, to wit, that there should be a meeting betwixt them; and that both came to the marches. It is set forth thus below:

'Shrewd leader of armed men To trysting south once more Thou sailst as all Danes wished (No lesser was thy purpose). Svein now to the northward fares The land-marches nigh, The tryst to keep with Harald— Windy was the weather off the land.'

When the Kings were come face to face the one with other forthwith betwixt them was broached ye matter of peace; and no sooner was this opened than many men made plaint of the harm they had suffered through war-fare, rapine, and the slaying of men. And long talked they about this, as is said hereafter:

'The yeomen shrewd Such words do say aloud That when the men meet, An' angered are mostly The others. Far seemeth Concord to lie from men Who on all things quarrel (The chiefs' arrogance waxeth). With danger fraught will be Wrath of the princes be If peace be agreed on, Those who are peace-makers In scales must weigh all things. Seemly for Kings to say What e'er the host liketh; Bad will would it cause Were the yeomen's state worsened.'

Then the best men and the wisest conferred together, and peace was made betwixt the Kings, in such wise that King Harald was to have Norway & King Svein Denmark as far as the marches which had aforetime divided the kingdoms; neither was to make redress to other; there where the land had been pillaged the matter was to be passed over; and he who had taken plunder was to keep it.

This peace was to ensue even so long as the twain were Kings; the covenant was bounden with oaths, & thereafter gave the Kings one another hostages; even as is said hereafter:

'Thus have I heard it said That Svein and Harald both (God works it) gladly gave Hostages one to other. Let them so keep their vows (All ended was with witness) And the whole peace so fully That the folk break it not.'

King Harald tarried in Vik during the summer, and sent men to the Uplands to collect the dues & taxes he had there; but the peasants in plain words said that they would bide the coming of Earl Hakon, until such time as he should come to them. Earl Hakon was then up in Gautland with a large host. When summer was wearing to a close sailed King Harald south to Konungahella (King's Rock), and he took all the light craft whereon he could lay hands & went up the River, and at the falls thereof had the boats haled across land and so put onto Lake Wenern. Thereafter rowed he east across the lake where he asked tidings of Earl Hakon.

Now when the Earl gat news of the journey of the King, came he down from the country and made endeavour to prevent the King from harrying, for to Earl Hakon was a large host which the Gauts had given him. King Harald laid his boats up the mouth of a river, and thereafter made a landing, but left some of his men behind to watch the craft. And the King himself and some of his men rode on horseback, but many more went afoot. Their way led them through a wood, & thereafter a bog lay before them on which were small bushes, then after that a copse, and when they were come up to the copse sighted they the host of the Earl; and a bog there was betwixt them and it.

Then both hosts arrayed themselves, & King Harald commanded his men to sit up on the hillside: 'Let us first tempt them to make an onset; Hakon hath no mind to wait,' said he.

The weather was frosty with some driving snow, and the men to Harald sat under their shields.

Now the Gauts had taken little apparel on them and were starved with the cold, but the Earl bade them bide until the King should make an onset and they could all stand alike in height. Earl Hakon had the banner which had been that of King Magnus Olafson. Now the head-man to the Gauts was one hight Thorvid, and he was mounted on a horse the reins of which were tied to a stake standing in the bog. He spake & said: 'God knows we have a large host here and many stout men; let not King Steinkell hear that we are not helping this good Earl well. I wist that if the Norwegians make onset against us we shall stand firm, but if the young men falter & bide not, then do not let us run farther than thither to the brook, and if the young men again falter, which I wot will not befall, then do not let us run farther than thither to the hill.'

At that moment ran up the host of the Norwegians shouting their war-cry and beating their shields, & then the host of the Gauts likewise began to shout, and the horse to the head-man pulled so hard at its rein, being afrighted at the host-cry, that the stake came up & flew past the head of the chief, wherefore he shouted: 'Such a mischance as thou shootest, Northmen,' and therewith galloped away. King Harald had ere this said to his men: 'Though we make din and shouting about us, yet let us not go down the hill or ever they come hither to us,' and they did according as he had said.

As soon as the war-cry was heard, caused the Earl his banner to be borne forward, and when they were come under the hill rushed the King's men down upon them, and some of the men to the Earl fell forthwith and some fled; but the Norwegians drave not them that fled very far, for it was late in the day. There took they the banner of Earl Hakon, and as much of weapons and apparel as they could lay hands on. And the King let both the banners be borne in front of him when he fared down the hill; and his men spake one with another as to whether or no Earl Hakon might be fallen. Now when it came to faring through the wood they had to ride in single train, and behold a certain man rode straight across their way, and thrust a spear through him that bore the banner to the King, and seizing the stave thereof rode he off another way in the wood with the banner. When the King was told of this cried he: 'The Earl lives! Give me my mail-shirt!' And rode he in the night to his ships. Now said many men that the Earl had avenged himself. Then chanted Thiodolf:

'Steinkell's host who to the Warlike Earl should help yield (That brought the King to pass) To hell, I ween, have fared. But those who would better The matter say, Hakon fled because the hope of help Therefrom but ill had proven.'

King Harald spent what was left of the night on his ship. In the morn, when it was light saw men that ice had formed round the ships so thick that it was feasible to walk round about them.

Then bade the King his men hew the ice and release his ships into the lake, and so went the men and set to work to hew the ice. King Harald's son Magnus steered the ship which lay lowest in the river-mouth and nighest out to the lake.

Now when the men had almost chopped the ice away a certain man ran out on it to the place where they were about to hew, and thereafter fell to chopping as if he were mad and raving. Then said a man: 'Now is it again as often before, no one is so good at giving a helping hand as Hall Kodransbane; behold now, how he is hewing the ice.'

But the man of Magnus's ship who was hight Thormod Eindridison, when he heard the name of 'Kodransbane,' ran to Hall and gave him his death-blow.

Kodran was the son of Gudmund Elyolfson, and Valgerd that was sister to Gudmund was the mother of Jurunn, Thormod's mother.

Thormod was a winter old when Kodran was slain, and never had he set eyes on Hall Utryggson before this time.

By this, then, the ice was broken away even so far as the lake and Magnus brought his ship out, & got under way forthwith, and sailed west across the lake; but the King's ship which was the uppermost in the channel came out the last. Now Hall had been of the fellowship of the King and was very dear to him, and the King was exceeding wroth, so that when he came latest into haven he found that Magnus had already helped the murderer to the forest, though he offered atonement for him, would he have gone against Magnus and his folk, had not the friends of both brought about their appeasement.

King Harald fared up to Raumariki this winter, and to him was a large host.

And he bore cases against the peasants for the keeping back from him of dues and taxes, and for inciting his enemies to strife against him.

And some of the peasants caused he to be taken, and some he maimed and others killed and others he deprived of all their possessions.

Those who could get away fled, but the King burned the countrysides wide about and laid them waste. Thus saith Thiodolf:

'Waster of isle-dwellers Hard hands laid on Raumfolk, Steadily on the ranks Of Harald went, as I trow. Fire did requite them; But the chief commanded, And high flames poor peasants To obedience led.'

After this fared King Harald up to Heidmark and there burned, and did no less war-work than has been writ afore. From thence fared he to Ringariki, there burned, and went everywhere with the war-shield aloft. Thus saith Thiodolf:

'Burned were the fell folk's steads, Roofwards the red fire flamed. Hit did the lord of chiefs The Heiners with hard stones. For their lives the sufferers craved; So great a hurt the flames The men of Ringariki wrought Or ever the fire was stayed.'

After this gave the peasants the whole matter into the hands of the King.

After the death of King Magnus were spent fifteen winters ere the battle of the Niz, and after that two winters or ever Harald and Svein made peace. Thus saith Thiodolf:

'The prince of the Hords (Brought peace the third year was made) The strife to an end; on The strand steel hit the shields.'

After this peace-making endured the war of the King with the Uplanders three half-years. Thus saith Thiodolf:

'Hard of the King's work 'tis In seemly wise to speak When to have idle ploughs The upland men he taught. The chieftain wise hath honour won These three half-years Which ever will be minded.'

Edward, the son of Ethelred, was King of England after his brother Hordaknut; he was hight Edward 'the Good' and right good he was.

The mother to King Edward was Queen Emma, the daughter of Richard, the Rouen-Earl; and her brother was Earl Robert, the mother of William the Bastard, who was at that time duke of Rouen in Normandy. King Edward was wedded to Queen Gyda,Sec. the daughter of Earl Godwin & he was the son of Wolfnoth. The brothers to Gyda were: the eldest Earl Tosti, the second Earl Morcar, the third Earl Walthiof, the fourth Earl Svein, and fifthly Harald. Now Harald was the youngest and was brought up at the court of King Edward and was his foster-son, and the King loved him very greatly and eyed him ever as his own son, for the King was childless.

It befell one summer that Harald the son of Godwin had to go a journey to Bretland (Wales) and fared he on a ship, but after they had set sail sprang up a contrary wind & they were driven out to sea.[Sec.]

They made land westward in Normandy after undergoing a perilous storm.

And putting into the town of Rouen found they there Earl William, who received Harald and his travelling companions joyfully, and Harald tarried there in good cheer for long during the autumn, for the tempests continued to blow and it was not weather for sailing out at sea. As winter was approaching spoke the Earl and Harald together concerning the dwelling of Harald there throughout the winter. Now Harald sat in the high-seat on one side of the Earl and on the other side of him sat the Earl's wife, and fairer was she than any other woman whom men had seen.

Harald and she would hold converse together all the time that the cups were going round, and when the Earl retired to rest, as he did betimes, Harald would sit long talking with the wife to the Earl, and so fared things for a long time during the winter.

Once when they were talking together said she: 'Now hath the Earl spoken with me hereon, and asked what it is we twain ever talk about, and now is he wroth.' Harald answered: 'We will forthwith let him know all our conversations.'

The day thereafter Harald called the Earl to speak with him, & went they to the council-chamber where were also the Earl's wife and their councillors.

Then Harald spoke the first and said: 'This must I inform thee, Earl, that there is more in my coming hither than I have revealed to thee: I desire to ask the hand of thy daughter, and have oft-times spoken of this my wish to her mother, and she hath given me her word to support me in this matter with thee.'

When Harald had made known his desire, all those who were present received the news with gladness and supported it with the Earl, and this matter was brought to end by the maid being betrothed to Harald; but since she was young some winters' delay were agreed upon before the time of bridal.

When spring came, equipped Harald his ship and sailed away, and he and the Earl parted in full friendship.

And Harald fared to England, to King Edward, and returned no more to Valland to claim the marriage. King Edward ruled over England for twenty-four winters, & died a straw death in London, None Janurii (5th January); he was interred in St. Paul's ChurchSec. and the English call him sainted.

The sons of Earl Godwin in those days were the most powerful men in England. Tosti had been made captain over the host of the King, and warden of the land when the King began to wax old; and he had been placed over all other Earls.

His brother Harald was ever within the court the next man to the King in all service, & his duty had been to guard the treasure of the King.Sec. It is recorded by men that as the King was approaching to his end was Harald near by, and few other men, and Harald leant over the King and said: 'I call all of ye to witness that the King gave me but now the kingdom, and all might in England.' Then was the King borne dead from out his bed. That same day there was a meeting of lords and the taking of a King was discussed, and Harald then let his witnesses testify that King Edward on his death-day had given him the kingdom.

This meeting ended in such fashion that Harald was hailed as King & consecrated with royal consecration in St. Paul's Church on the 13th day;Sec. when all lords and folk swore fealty to him.

But when his brother, Earl Tosti, heard what had befallen, liked he it no whit, for thought he himself to be equally near the King.

'I desire,' quoth he, 'that the lords of the land choose him for King whom they deem best fitted therefor.' And such like words went between the brothers.

King Harald declared that he would not give up the kingdom for he had been throned in that city which had been the King's, and had been thereafter anointed and consecrated with royal consecration; with him also sided the multitude, and he had moreover all the treasure of the dead King.

Now when King Harald became aware that his brother Tosti desired to oust him from the kingdom believed he but ill in him, for Tosti was a very wise man and a great warrior, and was full friendly, to boot, with the lords of the land.

So Harald deprived him from command of the host, and of all the power he had had aforetime more than other earlsSec. there in the land. And Earl Tosti, who by no means would suffer himself to be the serving-man to his brother, fared away with his men, and so south to Flanders across the sea, and tarried there a while before faring to Friesland & thence to Denmark, to his kinsman King Svein. Earl Ulf the father to King Svein and Gyda that was mother to Tosti, were brother and sister. The Earl craved the aid of King Svein and men for his assistance, and King Svein bade him come to him & told him that he should have an earl's realm in Denmark, such as would make him a seemly chief in that country. The Earl answered thus: 'My desire is to fare back to England, to my heritage; but if I am given no assistance for that purpose from thee, King, then would I liefer make a pact to afford thee all the support I can procure in England, an thou wilt take the Danish hosts thither and conquer the land, even as thy mother's brother Knut (Canute) conquered it.'

The King answered: 'So much less a man am I than my kinsman King Knut that I have hard work to hold the Danish realm against the Norwegians.

Knut the Old gat his Danish kingdom by inheritance but won England by warfare and strife, yet nevertheless at one time seemed he like to lose his life thereby. Norway gat he without battle.

Now would I liefer keep within compass according to my smaller conditions than assay to rival the success of my kinsman Knut.' Then said Tosti the Earl: 'Lesser is my errand hither than I had thought for; I deemed not that thou, a bold man, wouldst let me go in need. It may be that I am seeking friendship where it is not meet to seek it. But natheless it may hap that I find a chief who is less afeared of great ventures than thou art, King.' Thereafter they parted, the King and the Earl, and were not very well of one accord.

Tosti the Earl now turned him another way: he fared onward to Norway, to King Harald who was in Vik, and when they met the Earl made he known his mission to the King, recounting to him all concerning his journey since he had left England. And he craved help of the King so that he might regain his dominions in England.

But the King said as followeth: that the Norwegians had no wish to fare to England and harry with an English chief over them; 'folk deem,' said he, 'that the English are not full trustworthy.' The Earl answered: 'I wonder if it is sooth, that which I have heard men say in England, to wit, that thy kinsman King Magnus despatched men to King Edward, with the message that he, Magnus, owned England with no less right than Denmark, that he inherited it from Hordaknut (Hardicanute) and that the pact was ratified by their oaths?' The King answered: 'Why did he not have it if he owned it?' The Earl said: 'Why hast thou not Denmark even as King Magnus had it before thee?' The King answered: 'Little have the Danes to plume themselves on above us Norwegians, for many a hole have we burnt in those kinsmen of thine.'

Then said the Earl: 'Though thou wilt not tell me yet can I, nevertheless, tell thee how it was King Magnus took possession of Denmark, to wit, was it because the lords of the land there helped him, but thou gat it not because all the people of the land were against thee. King Magnus fought not to gain England because all the people desired to have Edward for their King. If thou wishest to conquer England then can I bring it about that many of the lords there will be thy friends and supporters, for nothing lack I against my brother Harald save the name of King. All men know that there has never been born in the northlands a warrior such as thou art.

Astonished am I that thou who foughtest fifteen winters for Denmark will not take England which is lying at thy hand.' King Harald pondered with care over what the Earl had said to him, and well wot he that in great measure had he said sooth; and added thereto conceived he the wish to conquer that kingdom.

Thereafter the King and the Earl talked long & oft together, & in the end covenanted they an agreement that come the summer they would fare to England and conquer the country. King Harald sent round the whole of Norway calling out a levy, one half of the general war-muster.

Now all this was much spoken of by men, and many were the guesses as to how things would go on the faring. Some reckoned & counted up all deeds of valour, swearing how naught would be impossible of King Harald, but said others that England would be difficult to conquer inasmuch as the people were exceeding numerous, & those warriors who were called the Thingmanna-hostSec. so doughty that one of them was better than two of Harald's best men.

Thus answered Ulf the Marshal:

'Never would the marshals Of the King (uncompelling Ever gat I riches) Turn them to the King's stern-hold Noble woman, an twain should be pressed back by One Thingman (other than That when young I learned me).'

That spring Ulf the Marshal died, & Harald when he stood by his grave said ere he quitted it: 'Here lies he that was ever the most faithful & the most dutiful to his lord.' To Flanders also sailed Earl Tosti in springtide so that he should meet the men the which had followed him from England, with those others also who were to join him from England and likewise from Flanders.

The host to King Harald was gathered together in SolundirSec. and when all things were made ready and he was about to set sail from Nidaros went he to the shrine of King Olaf, and thrusting his hands into the sanctuary cut he off the hair and the nails pertaining to the saint, and thereafter turned he the key once of the shrine and then threw that same key into the Nid; and since that time forsooth hath the shrine of the holy King Olaf never been opened.

Five and thirty winters had been encompassed since his fall, and five and thirty years had he lived in the world.

Then King Harald and the men that were with him gat them a course southward to meet his host; or ever that time it was a mighty force that met together, and it is told among men that to King Harald were nigh upon two hundredSec. keels, besides victualling ships and smaller craft. When they were lying off Solundir a certain man named Gyrd, who was on the own ship to the King, dreamed a dream, and to him it seemed as though he stood on that same ship and beheld up on the isle a great troll-woman, & in one hand held she a short sword and in the other a trough. And to him also did it appear that he was looking at all the other ships, and on the prow to each was perched a fowl of the air, and all of those same fowl were either eagles or ravens.

The troll-woman sang:

'King from the east in sooth To battle inciteth Many a warrior westward, (Joyful am I therefor); There may the raven find For itself food on the ships (It knows enow there is); With thee will I ever fare.'

Now a certain man hight Thord abode on one of the ships nigh to the own ship of the King, and on a night dreamed he that he saw the fleet to King Harald faring landward, and he seemed to wot that to England were they coming.

Then he saw on the land a vast host of men & both hosts were making them ready for battle, and for each were many banners held on high. Before the host of the men of the land rode a swarth troll-woman, sitting on a wolf, and the wolf had the body of a man in its mouth, & blood flowed from the corners thereof. And when it had eaten the man she threw yet another into its mouth, and thereafter threw she one man after another, but notwithstanding made it scant ado at swallowing them all. And so she sang:

'The troll makes the red shield gleam when war comes nigh. Bride of the giant-brood mishap to the King foretells. The quean with the jaws flings flesh of fallen warriors; Raging the wolf's mouth she dyes red with blood.'

Furthermore it befell that King Harald dreamed one night and in his vision lo he was in Nidaros, and there met he his brother, King Olaf, who chanted a verse to him:

'The burly King in many fights with honour conquered. I gat (because at home I stayed) a holy fall to earth. Still of this I fear me that death is nigh thee, King; The greedy wolves thou fill'st; Ne'er was this caused by God.'

Men spake low of many other dreams and omens of divers kinds, and the bulk of them were of ill import. Or ever King Harald left Throndhjem caused he his son Magnus to be accepted as King, and made he him ruler over the kingdom of Norway.

Thora, the daughter of Thorberg, also remained behind, but Queen Ellisif fared forth with King Harald and with them likewise her daughters Mary and Ingigerd; Olaf the son to King Harald also fared with him from the land.

When King Harald was ready, and a favourable wind had sprung up, sailed he out to sea & came to land at the Shetlands, but some of his ships went on to the Orkneys. King Harald lay at these isles a while or ever set he sail for the Orkneys, & from these latter took he with him many men & the Earls Paal and Erling, twain sons to Thorfin the Earl, but behind him left he there Queen Ellisif & their daughters Mary & Ingigerd. Thereafter sailed he southward alongside Scotland, & then alongside England, and went ashore there where it is called Cleveland.

And being come on land forthwith harried he the countryside, bringing it into subjection under him, & withal encountering no resistance. Thereafter went King Harald into Scarborough, & fought there with the men of the town, and he went up on to the cliff there and ordered a vast bonfire to be made and a light thereto put, and when it was ablaze, his men took large forks and with them rolled it down into the town, and then one house after the other began to burn, so that there was naught for the townsmen to do save to surrender. There slew the Norwegians many men, and took all the goods whereon they could lay hands. No choice had then the Englishmen, an they wished to keep their lives, save to make submission to King Harald.

Wheresoever he fared brought he the land into subjection, and he continued on his way southward off the coast with the whole of his host, bringing-to at Holderness, and there a band came against him, and King Harald did battle with them and gained the day.

Now having come thus far on his journey King Harald fared south to the Humber and went up that river and lay in it beside the banks.

At that time there were up in Jerirk (York) Earl Morcar and his brother Earl Walthiof and with them was a vast host. King Harald was lying in the Ouse when the host of the Earls swooped down against him.

And King Harald went ashore and set to arraying his host, and one arm of the array was ranked on the banks of the river, whereas the other stretched up inland over towards a certain dyke, and a deep marsh was there, both broad, and full of water.

The Earls bade the whole multitude of their array slink down alongside the river.

Now the banner to the King was nigh unto the river and there the ranks were serried, but near the dyke were they more scattered, and the men thereof also the least trustworthy.

The Earls then came down along by the dyke, and that arm of the battle-array of the Norwegians which faced the dyke gave way, and thereon the English pushed forward after them and deemed that the Norwegians would flee. Therefore did the banner of Morcar fare forward.

But when King Harald saw that the array of the English had descended alongside the dyke and was coming right toward them, then commanded he the war-blast to be sounded, and eagerly encouraged his men, and let the banner 'Land-waster' be carried forward; and even so fierce was their advance on the English, that all were repulsed and there fell a many men in the host of the Earls.

This host was even soon routed, and some fled up beside the river and some down, but the most of the folk ran right out into the dyke, and there the fallen lay so thick that the Norwegians could walk dry-shod across the marsh.

There too fell Earl Morcar.Sec. Thus saith Stein Herdason:

'Many in the river sank (The sunken men were drowned); All round about young Morcar of yore lay many a lad. To flight the chieftain put them; The host to swiftest running Olaf the Mighty is.'Sec.

The song that followeth was wrought by Stein Herdason about Olaf ye son to King Harald, and he saith, the which also we wot of that Olaf was in the battle with his father. This is told likewise in 'Haraldsstikka:'

'There the dead lay Down in the marsh Walthiof's fighters Weapon-bitten, So that they might The war-wonted horsemen There wend their way On corses only.'

Earl Walthiof and those men that contrived to make their escape from out the battle fled even up to the town of York, and there it was that the greatest slaughter took place. This battle was on the WednesdaySec. or ever St. Matthew's Day.

Earl Tosti had come west (south) from Flanders to King Harald, and being even come to England joined himself with the Earl so that he had his part in all three battles. And now things came to pass even as he had told Harald at their meeting they would come to pass, to wit, that a number of men would flock to them in England, and these were both kinsmen and friends to Tosti; and their company added greatly to the strength of the King.

After the battle whereof we have but now heard related, all the men of the countryside hailed King Harald, albeit some few fled. And now set King Harald forth to take the city, and placed he his host by Stanford Bridge,Sec. but for the reason that the King had won so fair a victory over great lords and overwhelming odds were the people dismayed & deemed it hopeless to withstand him. Then took the citizens council together, & they were of one mind to send word to the King giving themselves and likewise the town into his power. This same was proffered even at such time that on the Sunday[Sec.] fared King Harald and his men to the city, and there they held a council of war without the walls, and the citizens came out and were present at the council.

Then did all the folk promise obedience to King Harald; and gave him as hostages the sons of great men even according as Tosti chose, for the Earl knew all men in this town; and in the evening fared the King to his ships elated with the victory he had won and withal was very joyful.

It was furthermore covenanted there should be held a Thing in the citySec. early on that Monday when would King Harald appoint governors and grant fiefs and rights. Now that self-same evening, after the sun had gone down, approached King Harald Godwinson with a vast host the city from the south, and rode he into the city by the will and consent of all the citizens.

Then were men posted at all the gates, and at all the roads, so that to the Norwegians there might get no tidings of what had befallen, and this host passed the night within the walls.

On the Monday,[Sec.] when Harald Sigurdson had eaten his fill at dinner, ordered he a blast to be sounded for a landing. And thereon made he ready his host and parted them, some to fare and some to tarry; and of each company he let two men go up for every one left behind.

And Tosti the Earl prepared him to go up with his company, but to guard his ship there tarried behind Olaf own son to the King, Paal and Erling the Orkney Earls, and Eystein Blackcock, the son of Thorberg Arnason, who was in those days the man of most renown and withal dearest to the King of all feudatories, & King Harald had at that time promised him the hand of his daughter Maria. Very fine was the weather with warm sunshine, and wherefore because of this left the men their shirts of mail behind them and went with their shields and helms and spears, with their swords girded on; and many had likewise bows and arrows, and withal were they very merry. But as they advanced on the city, behold a great host rode out towards them and they saw the smoke of horses, and here and there fair shields and white coats of mail. Then halted the King his host and summoned Earl Tosti to him, and asked what manner of host this was like to be.

And the Earl answered and said that he deemed it might be strife, yet nevertheless it might be that they were some of his kinsmen who were seeking for protection & friendship, & would promise the King their support and fealty in return. Then the King said that they would first of all keep quiet and learn more particulars anent this host. So they did this, & the host waxed greater the nearer it came, and everywhere was it like a sheet of ice to behold, so white was the gleaming of the weapons.

Then King Harald Sigurdson spake and said: 'Let us now take goodly & wise counsel together, for it cannot be hidden that this forebodes strife, and most like it is the King himself.' To which the Earl answered: 'Our first course is to turn back and go our swiftest to the ships that we may fetch folk and weapons, and thereafter offer what resistance we can; or even might we also let the ships protect us and then no power would the horsemen have over us.' Then said King Harald: 'Another counsel will I choose, namely to send three bold fellows on our swiftest horses and let them ride hotly a'pace and impart to our men what hath befallen; then will they the sooner come to our aid, and a right sharp combat shall the Englishmen fight or ever we suffer defeat.' The Earl answered and said that the King should decide in this matter as in all else: 'no manner of desire had he either to flee.' Then caused the King his banner 'Land-waster' to be borne aloft, and Fridrek was the man hight who bore the banner.

After these things arrayed King Harald his host.

And he let the muster be long and not dense, and then after doing this doubled he both the arms thereof backward so that they reached together and made a wide ring thick and even on all sides without, shield by shield, and the same within likewise; and the King's company was without the ring and there too was his banner.

In another spot was Earl Tosti with his company, and another banner had he, and the men to him were all picked men. Now the array was made in this fashion because the King wist that the horsemenSec. were wont to ride forward in a mass & thereupon fall back. Now said the King that his company should advance whithersoever it were most needed, 'but our archers shall also be with us, and those who stand farthest forward will set their spear handles in the earth and point their spears at the breasts of the riders if they should ride us down, and those who stand in the next row will thrust their spears into the chests of the horses.'

It was with an exceeding vast host that King Harald Godwinson had come thither, a host of both horse and foot-folk. Around his array rode King Harald Sigurdson having a wary eye to see how it had been ranked, and he bestrode a black piebald horse.

Now the horse fell under him but the King arose in haste & said: 'Falling when faring betokens fortune.' Then said Harald, the King of the English, to those Norwegians who were with him: 'Knowest thou the big man yonder who fell from his horse, the man with the blue kirtle and the fair helme?' 'That is the King,' said they.

'A big man and of masterful appearance, yet belike his luck is over,' answered the English King.

Twenty horsemen rode forward from the Thingmanna host before the battle-array of the Norwegians; and they were wholly clad in chain-mail and their horses like unto them. Then said one horseman: 'Is Earl Tosti in the host?' to which was made answer: 'There is no hiding it, ye can find him there.'

Then said the horseman: 'Harald, thy brother, sent thee a greeting, and word therewith that thou shouldst have grace & the whole of Northumberland; and rather than thou shouldst not go over to him will he give thee a third share of the whole of his kingdom.' Then answered the Earl: 'That is a very different message from the strife and scorn of the winter: had it been offered then many a man would still be alive who is now dead, & more firmly too would the kingdom stand in England. Now if I should accept these terms, what would he offer King Harald Sigurdson for his pains?' 'He hath said something of what he would grant him in England, Seven feet of room or as much longer as he is taller than other men,' made answer that rider. 'Fare thee now to King Harald and bid him make ready for battle,' said the Earl, 'other shall be said among Norwegians than that Earl Tosti quitteth King Harald Sigurdson for the fellowship of his foemen when he hath to fight in England. Nay, let us all rather be of one mind: to die with honour or to win England by conquest.' Then did the horseman ride away, and King Harald Sigurdson asked of the Earl, 'who was that long-tongued man, yonder?' 'That was King Harald Godwinson,' said the Earl. 'Too long was this kept from us,' said King Harald Sigurdson, 'they were come so nigh unto our host, that nought would this Harald have known how to tell of the death of our men.' 'True it is,' said the Earl, 'that such a chief went right unwarily, and that it might have been as thou sayest; I saw that he wished to offer me grace and much dominion, but that I should be his slayer an I said who he was. Rather would I that he should be my slayer than I his.' Then said King Harald Sigurdson: 'A little man was he, but firm in his stirrups.'

It is said that King Harald chanted this verse:

'Forward go we in folk array Without our mail Under blue blades; The helmets shine, No mail have I; On the ships yonder Our garb doth lie.'

Now the mail-shirt to Harald was hight 'Emma,' and it was so long that it reached down even unto the midst of his foot, and so strong that no weapon had ever lodged fast in it. Then said King Harald Sigurdson: 'That was ill wrought; I must make another, a better verse in its place,' and then he chanted this:

'Ne'er do we in battle Creep behind our shields, The clash of weapons fearing (E'en so the word-fast woman bade me). Of yore the necklet-wearer bade me Carry high my head in battle, Where sword and shield do meet.'

And Thiodolf likewise sang thus:

'Never, if e'en the prince himself to earth should fall, (As God wills so goeth it) Will I flee from the heirs of the chief. The sun shines not better on these than these twain shine. Avengers of Harald are resourceful hawks full grown.'

And now they fall to battle, and the English ride onward toward the Norwegians, but the resistance is stubborn, and because of the shots it is not easy for the English to ride against the Norwegians, and so they ride round about them in a ring. At first the battle is altogether even, that is so long as the Norwegians hold their array, but the English charge them & then if they have done no hurt ride aback, and when the Norwegians see this, namely that the English seem to ride on them without spirit, set they themselves upon them and would have pursued them, but behold no sooner is the wall of shields broken than the English ride towards them from all directions bringing spears and shots to bear on them. And King Harald Sigurdson seeing this goeth forth into the brunt of the battle, even there where the hardest struggle is taking place, and many men falling from both hosts.

King Harald Sigurdson waxeth so fierce that he runneth forward right out from the array, & heweth with both hands, & hath neither helme, nor shield holden before him.

All those who are nighest to him draw aback, and far are the English from fleeing. Thus saith Arnor Earl's-skald:

'In battle swift the chief's heart ne'er did quake, And the strong King the greatest courage showed 'mid the helmes' thunder, There, where in the hersirs' chief the hosts saw this, That by his bloody sword the men to death were wounded.'

Now it happened that King Harald Sigurdson was wounded by an arrow in the throat, and this was his death-wound. He fell with the whole of that company which was advancing with him, save those that drew back; and these held stoutly to the banner.

Yet a conflict full as hard was foughten after Tosti the Earl had taken his place under the King's banner. Then both the hosts fell to arraying themselves for the second time, and an exceeding long truce was there in the battle. Thereof sang Thiodolf:

'Mishap hath fallen on us, (in peril is now the host); In vain hath Harald brought us This journey from the east. The chieftain shrewd's life-passage So hath ended that we now (the King bepraised his life lost) Row in peril of our lives.'

But ere the combatants again joined issue offered Harald Godwinson his brother Tosti grace, and he likewise offered grace to the other men surviving from the Norwegian host; but the Norwegians shouted out that they would rather fall one above the other, than accept quarter from the English. And thereon shouted they their war-cry, & then the battle began for the second time.

Thus saith Arnor Earl's-skald:

'In an hour of misfortune The King austere gat death; The arrows gold-inwoven Spared not the robbers' foe. Gentle and bounteous King— His friends choose all to fall Round their host-wonted chief Rather than quarter seek.'

Now it befell that Eystein Blackcock came up just at that moment from the ships with his company, and they were in full armour, and Eystein gat him hold of the King's banner 'Land-waster,' and for the third time the men fell to battle; exceeding sharp was it and the English lost men full heavily and were on the point of fleeing. That fray was called 'Blackcock's Brunt.' Eystein's men had hastened so furiously from the ships that at first, or ever they were come to the combat, they were weary and scarce fit for battle, but afterwards so raging were they that they defended themselves as long as they could stand upright. At the last cast they from off them their mail-shirts, and then was it easy for the English to find a vulnerable spot on them; but some who were unwounded yet died from their haste and fury.

Nearly all the great men among the Norwegians fell at that time.

This befell late in the day.

As was to be looked for not all men fared alike in fortune, many fled & many who thus made their escape met differing fates. Mirk was it in the evening ere the slaughtering was brought to an end.

Among those who escaped was Styrkar, the marshal of King Harald Sigurdson, & this befell from his getting him a horse and thereon riding away. Now a wind sprang up in the evening and the weather waxed somewhat cold, and Styrkar had no other apparel than his shirt, a helme on his head, and a naked sword in his hand.

And he waxed cold as his weariness wore off. Then a certain waincarle came driving towards him, and this man had a lined coat. Styrkar said unto him: 'Wilt thou sell thy jacket, peasant?' 'Not to thee,' quoth he, 'thou art a Norwegian, as I wist by thy tongue.'

'An I am a Norwegian what wilt thou do then?' said Styrkar. 'I would slay thee; but alack I have no weapon to do it with,' the peasant replied. 'If thou canst not slay me, peasant, I will make trial if I cannot slay thee,' and therewith Styrkar swung his sword and brought it down on the man's neck so that his head was cut off; and then took he the fur coat and springing on to his horse rode down to the shore.

Now tidings were borne to the Rouen Earl, William the Bastard, of the death of King Edward his kinsman, & furthermore was it told how Harald Godwinson had been acclaimed as King of England and had been consecrated thereto. Now William deemed he had a better right to that kingdom than Harald, to wit by reason of the kinship betwixt him & King Edward, and withal furthermore inasmuch as he deemed it but fair to avenge himself on Harald for the slight of that broken betrothal with his own daughter.

For all these self-same reasons, then, assembled William an host together in Normandy, and a multitude of men were mustered, with a goodly sufficiency of ships. And on the day that he rode from the city unto his ships, when he had mounted up on to his horse, his wife went to him & would have spoken with him, but when he saw this he thrust at her with his heel, setting his spur in her breast so that it penetrated deep therein, and she fell and straightway died.Sec. But the Earl rode to his ships and fared with his host over to England. At that time was his brother Otta with him.

When the Earl came to England plundered he there, & brought the land into subjection under him wheresoever he went.

Earl William was bigger and stronger than other men, a good horseman, the greatest of warriors, and very cruel; a very wise man was he withal, but accounted in no wise trustworthy.

King Harald Godwinson gave Olaf, the son of King Harald Sigurdson, permission to fare his way, and in like fashion treated he those men of the host who had been with the King and had not fallen. King Harald then turned southward with his host, for he had learned that William Bastard was faring northward through England, & was conquering the country. There were with Harald Godwinson at that time his brethren Svein,Sec. Gyrd, and Walthiof. King Harald and Earl William met in the south of England at Hastings and a great battle befell there.

In it were slain King Harald and his brother Earl Gyrd, & a great part of their host. Nineteen nights was it after the fall of King Harald Sigurdson,Sec. Earl Walthiof, own brother to Harald, made good his escape by flight, and at even fell in with a band of William's men; whereupon Earl Walthiof set fire to the forest and burned them all up. Thus saith Thorkel Skallson in Walthiof's lay:

'An hundred King's own court-men The warrior had burned In hottest fire (to the men An eve of singeing was it). 'Tis said that the men 'Neath the wolf's claw must lie; Gray steed of the troll-quean Gave victuals to the swords.'

Thereon caused William himself to be proclaimed King of England, and thereafter sent he to Earl Walthiof proffering him peace & appointing a truce so that a meeting might take place betwixt them. The Earl fared to it with but few men, and when he was come on the heath north of the castle bridge two of the King's bailiffs advanced upon him with a band of men, and when they had taken him they put him in chains; thereafter he was beheaded.Sec. The English call him sainted. Thus saith Thorkel:

''Tis doubtless that manly Walthiof By William (he who from the south Across the chill main came) Is bewrayed in his trusting. Sooth is that long 'twill be Ere ends the slaying of men In England (swift was my master. No prince like him doth live).'

Afterwards lived William as King of England for one and twenty winters, and ever since have his descendants ruled as Kings of England.

Now Olaf the son to King Harald Sigurdson took his men and fared away from England, sailing forth from Ravenseer whence they came in autumn to the Orkneys, & there learned they the tidings that Maria the daughter of King Harald Sigurdson had died of a sudden death on the self-same day and in that same hour as her father King Harald had perished. Olaf tarried in the Orkneys the winter through but the summer thereafter fared he east to Norway, and was made King there together with his brother Magnus.

Queen Ellisif journeyed eastward with her step-son Olaf and her daughter Ingigerd.

Skuli also, he who was afterwards called King's-fosterer, & his brother Ketil Crook, likewise fared overseas with Olaf. The twain of them were doughty men, and noble in England, and both were very sage and well-beloved by the King. Ketil Crook fared northward to Halogaland and King Olaf gat him a good marriage, and from him are descended many great men. Skuli, King's-fosterer, was a wise and strong man, very fair to behold; he became captain of King Olaf's body-guard, lent his counsel at the Things, and ruled with the King in all governances of the land. King Olaf desired to give Skuli a province in Norway, whichever he was minded to have, with all the incomes and dues that the King held disposition over, but Skuli thanked him for this offer and said that he would liefer ask for other things because should there be a change of kings perchance the gift would be taken back: 'I will,' said he, 'accept certain domains which lie nigh to the towns, where ye, Sire, are wont to be, and where the Yule feasts are held.' So King Olaf gave him his word thereon, and made over to him lands in the east at Konungahella, and at Oslo, at Tunsberg, at Borg, at Bergen, and in the north at Nidaros. They were nigh upon the best estates at each place, and they have ever since been the possessions of men of the lineage of Skuli.

King Olaf married Skuli to his kinswoman Gudrun Nefsteinsdotir, whose mother was Ingirid the daughter of King Sigurd Sow and his wife Asta. Asta was own sister of King Olaf the Saint & of King Harald. The son of Skuli and Gudrun was Asolf of Reini who was wedded to Thora the daughter of Skopti Ogmundson. The son of Asolf and Thora was Guthorm of Reini, the father of Bard, the father of King Ingi and Duke Skuli.

On a winter after the fall of King Harald was his body transported from England to Nidaros and interred there in the Church of St. Mary, that selfsame church the which he himself had caused to be builded.

It was allowed by all that King Harald had exceeded other men in wisdom & resourcefulness, both when he had been fain to act swiftly or had debated long, either for himself or others. The most valiant of all men was he, and victorious withal, even as hath been set forth this while:

'The waster of Zealand's dwellers In boldness ne'er was lacking; Mind ruleth half of victory, And soothly Harald proveth it.'

King Harald was stately and goodly to behold, fair hair and a fair beard had he, and a long moustache; of his eyebrows the one was somewhat higher than the other, & he had large hands and feet, but either shapely. Five ells was he in stature. Towards his foes was he cruel, and when withstood revengeful. Thus saith Thiodolf:

'Sage Harald doth arrogance In his thanes chastise; Methinks the King's men bear But that which they mete out. Such burdens bear they As for themselves they care to have (The law is used for each against the other); Thus doth Harald change revenge.'

King Harald vastly loved power & all worldly advantages, but towards his friends, even to those whom he liked well, was he very bountiful. Thiodolf telleth us as followeth:

'Of ships'-battle the awakener For my work a mark bestowed; To praise vouchsafeth he Each one who proveth him thereof worthy.'

King Harald was fifty years of age when he fell. We have no tales of count regarding his up-growing, or ever he was fifteen winters old and was at Stiklastad, in the battle, with his brother King Olaf. Thereafter lived he for five and thirty years, and during all that time had ever turmoil and strife. King Harald never fled from any battle, but oft-times sought he expedients when the odds of war were against him.

All men who followed him in battle or warfare avowed that when he found himself hard pressed or was obliged to make a swift resolution, he chose that course which afterwards all men saw to be the likeliest to avail.

Halldor, the son of Bryniolf the Camel, hight likewise the Old, was a wise man and a great lord, and thus spake he when he heard the conversation of men in respect to the very different natures of King Olaf the Saint and his brother King Harald.

'I was with both brothers,' said he, 'and high in favour, and I wotted the natures of both: never did I find two men so alike at heart. Both were very wise and valiant men, loving possessions and power, masterful, not lowly-hearted, overbearing, haughty, and quick to chastise. King Olaf constrained the people of the land to Christianity and the true Faith, but punished harshly those who turned a deaf ear to his commands.

The chiefs of the land who would not suffer his even-handed dispensation of justice rose up against him and slew him in his own land, and it is for that reason he is called saintly.

But King Harald harried for renown and dominion, bringing under his yoke all people that he could bring under it, and he fell in the land of other kings.

Both these brothers in normal life were men of religion and had regard for their honour; they were likewise travelled & vigorous in mind, & it is from such-like qualities that they waxed so far-famed.'

King Magnus Haraldson ruled Norway the first winter after the fall of King Harald, but thereafter ruled he the land for two winters together with his brother King Olaf, and there were then two kings together, Magnus having dominion in the northern half of the land & Olaf in the eastern half. King Magnus had a son who was hight Hakon & his foster-father was Steig-Thorir; a youth of promise was he.

After the death of King Harald Sigurdson, Svein, the Danish King, gave out that peace was at an end betwixt Norwegians and Danes, for the pact was made to endure only as long as both kings lived. So then were men mustered in both realms; King Harald's sons called out a general-host and ships from Norway, and King Svein fared northward with the host of the Danes.

And so it was that messengers were thereafter despatched betwixt the kings with offers of peace, and the Norwegians said that they would either keep to the covenant which had been made aforetime or fight. For that reason the following verse was sung:

'With threats and words of peace Olaf his land defended, So that no one from the King Durst claim a right thereto.'

And thus saith Stein Herdason in the lay of Olaf:

'His heritage 'gainst Svein The warlike King defended In that merchant town where resteth (Great is he) the saintly King.'

But a compact was come to betwixt the kings at the time of this mustering, & peace ensued in the lands. King Magnus was afterwards stricken with a sickness, the rift-worm sickness, and when he had lain abed for some time died he at Nidaros, and there was buried. He was a King right well-beloved of all the people.



NOTES

These notes, with few exceptions, are taken from Professor Gustav Storm's Norwegian version of the Heimskringla, from which this translation of the Saga of Olaf Tryggvason and of Harald Hardrad (Harald the Tyrant) is made.

ETHEL H. HEARN.

[Transcriber's Note:

For this e-text, the word or phrase referenced in the note is shown in {braces} before the page-and-line citation. Moved markers are individually noted.

"Translator" refers to the English translation (the present text).]

{King Valdamar} Page 12, line 11. Vladimir the Great of Russia (980-1015) became Grand Duke of Novgorod in 970. [Marker printed after "high favour" on following page.]

{'hersir'} Page 19, line 25. The head of a 'her,' i.e., a hundred families. The territory inhabited by them was called a 'herath.' The 'hersir' seems to have combined the offices of commander in time of war, and religious head of his tribe. —Translator.

{the Fjords} Ibid. Nordfiord and Soendfiord.

{war-fine} Page 20, line 1. Those who absented themselves when the ships were called out for war, or who came to a wrong place of meeting, or at a wrong time, were compelled to pay a war-fine.

{Vingulmark} Page 28, line 31. This is not in accord with page 22, line 2, in which Vingulmark is mentioned as being given to Harald the Grenlander. Perhaps the error is on the page aforesaid, as on page 53, line 30, Harald is described as King of Vestfold only.

{Vindland (Wendland)} Page 30, line 14. The present North Germany, from eastern Holstein to eastern Prussia. [Marker printed after "good havens" on next line.]

{Burizlaf} Page 30, line 17. I.e., Boleslaw. By 'Burislav,' as mentioned here, must not be understood Boleslaw I of Poland (992-1025), but his father Miesco or Mieczyslaw (964-992).