The foeman came from out the East, Keen for the fray as for a feast.
A gallant sight it was to see Their fleet sweep o'er the dark-blue sea:
Each war-ship, with its threatening throat Of dragon fierce or ravenous brute (1)Grim gaping from the prow; its wales Glittering with burnished shields, (2) like scales Its crew of udal men of war, Whose snow-white targets shone from far And many a mailed spearman stout From the West countries round about, English and Scotch, a foreign host, And swordamen from the far French coast.
And as the foemen's ships drew near, The dreadful din you well might hear Savage berserks roaring mad, And champions fierce in wolf-skins clad, (3)Howling like wolves; and clanking jar Of many a mail-clad man of war.
Thus the foe came; but our brave king Taught them to fly as fast again.
For when he saw their force come o'er, He launched his war-ships from the shore.
On the deep sea he launched his fleet And boldly rowed the foe to meet.
Fierce was the shock, and loud the clang Of shields, until the fierce Haklang, The foeman's famous berserk, fell.
Then from our men burst forth the yell Of victory, and the King of Gold Could not withstand our Harald bold, But fled before his flaky locks For shelter to the island rocks.
All in the bottom of the ships The wounded lay, in ghastly heaps;Backs up and faces down they lay Under the row-seats stowed away;And many a warrior's shield, I ween Might on the warrior's back be seen, To shield him as he fled amain From the fierce stone-storm's pelting rain.
The mountain-folk, as I've heard say, Ne'er stopped as they ran from the fray, Till they had crossed the Jadar sea, And reached their homes -- so keen each soul To drown his fright in the mead bowl."ENDNOTES:
(1) The war-ships were called dragons, from being decorated with the head of a dragon, serpent, or other wild animal; and the word "draco" was adopted in the Latin of the Middle Ages to denote a ship of war of the larger class.The snekke was the cutter or smaller war-ship.-- L.
(2) The shields were hung over the side-rails of the ships.--L.
(3) The wolf-skin pelts were nearly as good as armour against the sword.
20.HARALD SUPREME SOVEREIGN IN NORWAY.
After this battle King Harald met no opposition in Norway, for all his opponents and greatest enemies were cut off.But some, and they were a great multitude, fled out of the country, and thereby great districts were peopled.Jemtaland and Helsingjaland were peopled then, although some Norwegians had already set up their habitation there.In the discontent that King Harald seized on the lands of Norway, the out-countries of Iceland and the Farey Isles were discovered and peopled.The Northmen had also a great resort to Hjaltland (Shetland Isles)and many men left Norway, flying the country on account of King Harald, and went on viking cruises into the West sea.In winter they were in the Orkney Islands and Hebrides; but marauded in summer in Norway, and did great damage.Many, however, were the mighty men who took service under King Harald, and became his men, and dwelt in the land with him.
21.HARALD'S MARRIAGE AND HIS CHILDREN.
When King Harald had now become sole king over all Norway, he remembered what that proud girl had said to him; so he sent men to her, and had her brought to him, and took her to his bed.And these were their children: Alof -- she was the eldest; then was their son Hrorek; then Sigtryg, Frode, and Thorgils.King Harald had many wives and many children.Among them he had one wife, who was called Ragnhild the Mighty, a daughter of King Eirik, from Jutland; and by her he had a son, Eirik Blood-axe.He was also married to Svanhild, a daughter of Earl Eystein; and their sons were Olaf Geirstadaalf, Bjorn and Ragnar Rykkil.Lastly, King Harald married Ashild, a daughter of Hring Dagson, up in Ringerike; and their children were, Dag, Hring, Gudrod Skiria, and Ingigerd.It is told that King Harald put away nine wives when he married Ragnhild the Mighty.So says Hornklofe: --"Harald, of noblest race the head, A Danish wife took to his bed;And out of doors nine wives he thrust, --The mothers of the princes first.
Who 'mong Holmrygians hold command, And those who rule in Hordaland.
And then he packed from out the place The children born of Holge's race."King Harald's children were all fostered and brought up by their relations on the mother's side.Guthorm the Duke had poured water over King Harald's eldest son and had given him his own name.He set the child upon his knee, and was his foster-father, and took him with himself eastward to Viken, and there he was brought up in the house of Guthorm.Guthorm ruled the whole land in Viken and the Uplands, when King Harald was absent.
22.KING HARALD'S VOYAGE TO THE WEST.