Then the galley, in which Harald was, balanced forwards and swung down over the chain; but the other, which remained fast athwart the chain, split in two, by which many men were lost; but some were taken up out of the sound.Thus Harald escaped out of Constantinople and sailed thence into the Black Sea; but before he left the land he put the lady ashore and sent her back with a good escort to Constantinople and bade her tell her relation, the Empress Zoe, how little power she had over Harald, and how little the empress could have hindered him from taking the lady.Harald then sailed northwards in the Ellipalta and then all round the Eastern empire.On this voyage Harald composed sixteen songs for amusement and all ending with the same words.This is one of them: --"Past Sicily's wide plains we flew, A dauntless, never-wearied crew;Our viking steed rushed through the sea, As viking-like fast, fast sailed we.
Never, I think, along this shore Did Norsemen ever sail before;Yet to the Russian queen, I fear, My gold-adorned, I am not dear."With this he meant Ellisif, daughter of King Jarisleif in Novgorod.
16.OF KING HARALD.
When Harald came to Novgorod King Jarisleif received him in the most friendly way and he remained there all winter (A.D.1045).
Then he took into his own keeping all the gold and the many kinds of precious things which he had sent there from Constantinople and which together made up so vast a treasure that no man in the Northern lands ever saw the like of it in one man's possession.
Harald had been three times in the poluta-svarf while he was in Constantinople.It is the custom, namely, there, that every time one of the Greek emperors dies, the Varings are allowed poluta-svarf; that is, they may go through all the emperor's palaces where his treasures are and each may take and keep what he can lay hold of while he is going through them.
17.KING HARALD'S MARRIAGE.
This winter King Jarisleif gave Harald his daughter Elisabeth in marriage.She is called by the Northmen Ellisif.This is related by Stuf the Blind, thus: --"Agder's chief now got the queen Who long his secret love had been.
Of gold, no doubt, a mighty store The princess to her husband bore."In spring he began his journey from Novgorod and came to Aldeigjuborg, where he took shipping and sailed from the East in summer.He turned first to Svithjod and came to Sigtuna.So says Valgard o' Val: --"The fairest cargo ship e'er bore, From Russia's distant eastern shore The gallant Harald homeward brings --Gold, and a fame that skald still sings.
The ship through dashing foam he steers, Through the sea-rain to Svithjod veers, And at Sigtuna's grassy shores His gallant vessel safely moors."18.THE LEAGUE BETWEEN KING HARALD AND SVEIN ULFSON.
Harald found there before him Svein Ulfson, who the autumn before (A.D.1045) had fled from King Magnus at Helganes; and when they met they were very friendly on both sides.The Swedish king, Olaf the Swede, was brother of the mother of Ellisif, Harald's wife; and Astrid, the mother of Svein, was King Olaf's sister.
Harald and Svein entered into friendship with each other and confirmed it by oath.All the Swedes were friendly to Svein, because he belonged to the greatest family in the country; and thus all the Swedes were Harald's friends and helpers also, for many great men were connected with him by relationship.So says Thiodolf:
"Cross the East sea the vessel flew, --
Her oak-keel a white furrow drew From Russia's coast to Swedish land.
Where Harald can great help command.
The heavy vessel's leeward side Was hid beneath the rushing tide;While the broad sail and gold-tipped mast Swung to and fro in the hard blast."19.KING HARALD'S FORAY.
Then Harald and Svein fitted out ships and gathered together a great force; and when the troops were ready they sailed from the East towards Denmark.So says Valgard: --"Brave Yngve! to the land decreed To thee by fate, with tempest speed The winds fly with thee o'er the sea --To thy own udal land with thee.
As past the Scanlan plains they fly, The gay ships glances 'twixt sea and sky, And Scanian brides look out, and fear Some ill to those they hold most dear."They landed first in Seeland with their men and herried and burned in the land far and wide.Then they went to Fyen, where they also landed and wasted.So says Valgard: --"Harald! thou hast the isle laid waste, The Seeland men away hast chased, And the wild wolf by daylight roams Through their deserted silent homes.
Fiona too could not withstand The fury of thy wasting hand.
Helms burst, shields broke, -- Fiona's bounds.
Were filled with death's terrific sounds.
"Red flashing in the southern sky, The clear flame sweeping broad and high, From fair Roeskilde's lofty towers, On lowly huts its fire-rain pours;And shows the housemates' silent train In terror scouring o'er the plain, Seeking the forest's deepest glen, To house with wolves, and 'scape from men.
"Few were they of escape to tell, For, sorrow-worn, the people fell:
The only captives form the fray Were lovely maidens led away.
And in wild terror to the strand, Down to the ships, the linked band Of fair-haired girls is roughly driven, Their soft skins by the irons riven."20.KING MAGNUS'S LEVY.