Heimskringla

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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.

King Magnus Olafson sailed north to Norway in the autumn after
the battle at Helganes (A.D. 1045). There he hears the news that
Harald Sigurdson, his relation, was come to Svithjod; and
moreover that Svein Ulfson and Harald had entered into a friendly
bond with each other and gathered together a great force,
intending first to subdue Denmark and then Norway. King Magnus
then ordered a general levy over all Norway and he soon collected
a great army. He hears then that Harald and Svein were come to
Denmark and were burning and laying waste the land and that the
country people were everywhere submitting to them. It was also
told that King Harald was stronger and stouter than other men,
and so wise withal that nothing was impossible to him, and he had
always the victory when he fought a battle; and he was also so
rich in gold that no man could compare with him in wealth.
Thiodolf speaks thus of it:

"Norsemen, who stand the sword of foe
Like forest-stems unmoved by blow!
My hopes are fled, no peace is near, --
People fly here and there in fear.
On either side of Seeland's coast
A fleet appears -- a white winged host;
Magnus form Norway takes his course,
Harald from Sweden leads his force.

21. TREATY BETWEEN HARALD AND MAGNUS.

Those of Harald's men who were in his counsel said that it would
be a great misfortune if relations like Harald and Magnus should
fight and throw a death-spear against each other; and therefore
many offered to attempt bringing about some agreement between
them, and the kings, by their persuasion, agreed to it.
Thereupon some men were sent off in a light boat, in which they
sailed south in all haste to Denmark, and got some Danish men,
who were proven friends of King Magnus, to propose this matter to
Harald. This affair was conducted very secretly. Now when
Harald heard that his relation, King Magnus, would offer him a
league and partition, so that Harald should have half of Norway
with King Magnus, and that they should divide all their movable
property into two equal parts, he accepted the proposal, and the
people went back to King Magnus with this answer.

22. TREATY BETWEEN HARALD AND SVEIN BROKEN.

A little after this it happened that Harald and Svein one evening
were sitting at table drinking and talking together, and Svein
asked Harald what valuable piece of all his property he esteemed
the most.

He answered, it was his banner Land-waster.

Svein asked what was there remarkable about it, that he valued it
so highly.

Harald replied, it was a common saying that he must gain the
victory before whom that banner is borne, and it had turned out
so ever since he had owned it.

Svein replies, "I will begin to believe there is such virtue in
the banner when thou hast held three battles with thy relation
Magnus, and hast gained them all."

Then answered Harald with an angry voice, "I know my relationship
to King Magnus, without thy reminding me of it; and although we
are now going in arms against him, our meeting may be of a better
sort."

Svein changed colour, and said, "There are people, Harald, who
say that thou hast done as much before as only to hold that part
of an agreement which appears to suit thy own interest best."

Harald answers, "It becomes thee ill to say that I have not stood
by an agreement, when I know what King Magnus could tell of thy
proceedings with him."

Thereupon each went his own way. At night, when Harald went to
sleep within the bulwarks of his vessel, he said to his footboy,
"I will not sleep in my bed to-night, for I suspect there may be
treachery abroad. I observed this evening that my friend Svein
was very angry at my free discourse. Thou shalt keep watch,
therefore, in case anything happen in the night." Harald then
went away to sleep somewhere else, and laid a billet of wood in
his place. At midnight a boat rowed alongside to the ship's
bulwark; a man went on board, lifted up the cloth of the tent of
the bulwarks, went up, and struck in Harald's bed with a great
ax, so that it stood fast in the lump of wood. The man instantly
ran back to his boat again, and rowed away in the dark night, for
the moon was set; but the axe remained sticking in the piece of
wood as an evidence. Thereupon Harald waked his men and let them
know the treachery intended. "We can now see sufficiently," said
he, "that we could never match Svein if he practises such
deliberate treachery against us; so it will be best for us to get
away from this place while we can. Let us cast loose our vessel
and row away as quietly as possible." They did so, and rowed
during the night northwards along the land; and then proceeded
night and day until they came to King Magnus, where he lay with
his army. Harald went to his relation Magnus, and there was a
joyful meeting betwixt them. So says Thiodolf: --

"The far-known king the order gave,
In silence o'er the swelling wave,
With noiseless oars, his vessels gay
From Denmark west to row away;
And Olaf's son, with justice rare,
Offers with him the realm to share.
People, no doubt, rejoiced to find
The kings had met in peaceful mind."

Afterwards the two relatives conversed with each other and all
was settled by peaceful agreement.

23. KING MAGNUS GIVES HARALD HALF OF NORWAY.

King Magnus lay at the shore and had set up tents upon the land.
There he invited his relation, King Harald, to be his guest at
table; and Harald went to the entertainment with sixty of his men
and was feasted excellently. Towards the end of the day King
Magnus went into the tent where Harald sat and with him went men
carrying parcels consisting of clothes and arms. Then the king
went to the man who sat lowest and gave him a good sword, to the
next a shield, to the next a kirtle, and so on, -- clothes, or
weapons, or gold; to all he gave one or the other valuable gift,
and the more costly to the more distinguished men among them.
Then he placed himself before his relation Harald, holding two
sticks in his hand, and said, "Which of these two sticks wilt
thou have, my friend?"

Harald replies, "The one nearest me."

"Then," said King Magnus, "with this stick I give thee half of
the Norwegian power, with all the scat and duties, and all the
domains thereunto belonging, with the condition that everywhere
thou shalt be as lawful king in Norway as I am myself; but when
we are both together in one place, I shall be the first man in
seat, service and salutation; and if there be three of us
together of equal dignity, that I shall sit in the middle, and
shall have the royal tent-ground and the royal landing-place.
Thou shalt strengthen and advance our kingdom, in return for
making thee that man in Norway whom we never expected any man
should be so long as our head was above ground." Then Harald
stood up, and thanked him for the high title and dignity.
Thereupon they both sat down, and were very merry together. The
same evening Harald and his men returned to their ships.

24. HARALD GIVES MAGNUS THE HALF OF HIS TREASURES.

The following morning King Magnus ordered the trumpets to sound
to a General Thing of the people; and when it was seated, he made
known to the whole army the gift he had given to his relation
Harald. Thorer of Steig gave Harald the title of King there at
the Thing; and the same day King Harald invited King Magnus to
table with him, and he went with sixty men to King Harald's
land-tent, where he had prepared a feast. The two kings sat
together on a high-seat, and the feast was splendid; everything
went on with magnificence, and the kings' were merry and glad.
Towards the close of the day King Harald ordered many caskets to
be brought into the tent, and in like manner people bore in
weapons, clothes and other sorts of valuables; and all these King
Harald divided among King Magnus's men who were at the feast.
Then he had the caskets opened and said to King Magnus,
"Yesterday you gave us a large kingdom, which your hand won from
your and our enemies, and took us in partnership with you, which
was well done; and this has cost you much. Now we on our side
have been in foreign parts, and oft in peril of life, to gather
together the gold which you here see. Now, King Magnus, I will
divide this with you. We shall both own this movable property,
and each have his equal share of it, as each has his equal half
share of Norway. I know that our dispositions are different, as
thou art more liberal than I am; therefore let us divide this
property equally between us, so that each may have his share free
to do with as he will." Then Harald had a large ox-hide spread
out, and turned the gold out of the caskets upon it. Then scales
and weights were taken and the gold separated and divided by
weight into equal parts; and all people wondered exceedingly that
so much gold should have come together in one place in the
northern countries. But it was understood that it was the Greek
emperor's property and wealth; for, as all people say, there are
whole houses there full of red gold. The kings were now very
merry. Then there appeared an ingot among the rest as big as a
man's hand. Harald took it in his hands and said, "Where is the
gold, friend Magnus, that thou canst show against this piece?"

King Magnus replied, "So many disturbances and levies have been
in the country that almost all the gold and silver I could lay up
is gone. I have no more gold in my possession than this ring."
And he took the ring off his hand and gave it to Harald.

Harald looked at it, and said, "That is but little gold, friend.
for the king who owns two kingdoms; and yet some may doubt
whether thou art rightful owner of even this ring."

Then King Magnus replied, after a little reflection, "If I be not
rightful owner of this ring, then I know not what I have got
right to; for my father, King Olaf the Saint, gave me this ring
at our last parting."

Then said King Harald, laughing, "It is true, King Magnus, what
thou sayest. Thy father gave thee this ring, but he took the
ring from my father for some trifling cause; and in truth it was
not a good time for small kings in Norway when thy father was in
full power."

King Harald gave Thorer of Steig at that feast a bowl of mountain
birch, that was encircled with a silver ring and had a silver
handle, both which parts were gilt; and the bowl was filled with
money of pure silver. With that came also two gold rings, which
together stood for a mark. He gave him also his cloak of dark
purple lined with white skins within, and promised him besides
his friendship and great dignity. Thorgils Snorrason, an
intelligent man, says he has seen an altar-cloth that was made of
this cloak; and Gudrid, a daughter of Guthorm, the son of Thorer
of Steig, said, according to Thorgil's account, that she had seen
this bowl in her father Guthorm's possession. Bolverk also tells
of these matters: --

"Thou, generous king, I have been told,
For the green land hast given gold;
And Magnus got a mighty treasure,
That thou one half might'st rule at pleasure.
The people gained a blessed peace,
Which 'twixt the kings did never cease;
While Svein, disturbed with war's alarms,
Had his folk always under arms."

25. OF KING MAGNUS.

The kings Magnus and Harald both ruled in Norway the winter after
their agreement (A.D. 1047), and each had his court. In winter
they went around the Upland country in guest-quarters; and
sometimes they were both together, sometimes each was for
himself. They went all the way north to Throndhjem, to the town
of Nidaros. King Magnus had taken special care of the holy
remains of King Olaf after he came to the country; had the hair
and nails clipped every twelve month, and kept himself the keys
that opened the shrine. Many miracles were worked by King Olaf's
holy remains. It was not long before there was a breach in the
good understanding between the two kings, as many were so
mischievous as to promote discord between them.

26. OF SVEIN ULFSON.

Svein Ulfson remained behind in the harbour after Harald had gone
away, and inquired about his proceedings. When he heard at last
of Magnus and Harald having agreed and joined their forces, he
steered with his forces eastward along Scania, and remained there
until towards winter, when he heard that King Magnus and King
Harald had gone northwards to Norway. Then Svein, with his
troops, came south to Denmark and took all the royal income that
winter (A.D. 1047).

27. OF THE LEVY OF THE TWO KINGS.

Towards spring (A.D. 1047) King Magnus and his relation, King
Harald, ordered a levy in Norway. It happened once that the
kings lay all night in the same harbour and next day, King
Harald, being first ready, made sail. Towards evening he brought
up in the harbour in which Magnus and his retinue had intended to
pass the night. Harald laid his vessel in the royal ground, and
there set up his tents. King Magnus got under sail later in the
day and came into the harbour just as King Harald had done
pitching his tents. They saw then that King Harald had taken up
the king's ground and intended to lie there. After King Magnus
had ordered the sails to be taken in, he said, "The men will now
get ready along both sides of the vessel to lay out their oars,
and some will open the hatches and bring up the arms and arm
themselves; for, if they will not make way for us, we will fight
them." Now when King Harald sees that King Magnus will give him
battle, he says to his men, "Cut our land-fastenings and back the
ship out of the ground, for friend Magnus is in a passion." They
did so and laid the vessel out of the ground and King Magnus laid
his vessel in it. When they were now ready on both sides with
their business, King Harald went with a few men on board of King
Magnus's ship. King Magnus received him in a friendly way, and
bade him welcome. King Harald answered, "I thought we were come
among friends; but just now I was in doubt if ye would have it
so. But it is a truth that childhood is hasty, and I will only
consider it as a childish freak." Then said King Magnus, "It is
no childish whim, but a trait of my family, that I never forget
what I have given, or what I have not given. If this trifle had
been settled against my will, there would soon have followed'
some other discord like it. In all particulars I will hold the
agreement between us; but in the same way we will have all that
belongs to us by that right." King Harald coolly replied, that
it is an old custom for the wisest to give way; and returned to
his ship. From such circumstances it was found difficult to
preserve good understanding between the kings. King Magnus's men
said he was in the right; but others, less wise, thought there
was some slight put upon Harald in the business. King Harald's
men, besides, insisted that the agreement was only that King
Magnus should have the preference of the harbour-ground when they
arrived together, but that King Harald was not bound to draw out
of his place when he came first. They observed, also, that King
Harald had conducted himself well and wisely in the matter.
Those who viewed the business in the worst light insisted that
King Magnus wanted to break the agreement, and that he had done
King Harald injustice, and put an affront on him. Such disputes
were talked over so long among foolish people, that the spirit of
disagreeing affected the kings themselves. Many other things
also occurred, in which the kings appeared determined to have
each his own way; but of these little will be set down here.

25. KING MAGNUS THE GOOD'S DEATH.

The kings, Magnus and Harald, sailed with their fleet south to
Denmark; and when Svein heard of their approach, he fled away
east to Scania. Magnus and Harald remained in Denmark late in
summer, and subdued the whole country. In autumn they were in
Jutland. One night, as King Magnus lay in his bed, it appeared
to him in a dream that he was in the same place as his father,
Saint Olaf, and that he spoke to him thus: "Wilt thou choose, my
son, to follow me, or to become a mighty king, and have long
life; but to commit a crime which thou wilt never be able to
expiate?" He thought he made the answer, "Do thou, father,
choose for me." Then the king thought the answer was, "Thou
shalt follow me." King Magnus told his men this dream. Soon
after he fell sick and lay at a place called Sudathorp. When he
was near his death he sent his brother, Thorer, with tokens to
Svein Ulfson, with the request to give Thorer the aid he might
require. In this message King Magnus also gave the Danish
dominions to Svein after his death; and said it was just that
Harald should rule over Norway and Svein over Denmark. Then King
Magnus the Good died (A.D. 1047), and great was the sorrow of all
the people at his death. So says Od Kikinaskald: --

"The tears o'er good King Magnus' bier,
The people's tears, were all sincere:
Even they to whom he riches gave
Carried him heavily to the grave.
All hearts were struck at the king's end;
His house-thralls wept as for a friend;
His court-men oft alone would muse,
As pondering o'er unthought of news."

29. KING MAGNUS'S FUNERAL.

After this event King Harald held a Thing of his men-at-arms, and
told them his intention to go with the army to Viborg Thing, and
make himself be proclaimed king over the whole Danish dominions,
to which, he said, he had hereditary right after his relation
Magnus, as well as to Norway. He therefore asked his men for
their aid, and said he thought the Norway man should show himself
always superior to the Dane. Then Einar Tambaskelfer replies
that he considered it a greater duty to bring his foster-son King
Magnus's corpse to the grave, and lay it beside his father, King
Olaf's, north in Throndhjem town, than to be fighting abroad and
taking another king's dominions and property. He ended his
speech with saying that he would rather follow King Magnus dead
than any other king alive. Thereupon he had the body adorned in
the most careful way, so that most magnificent preparations were
made in the king's ship. Then all the Throndhjem people and all
the Northmen made themselves ready to return home with the king's
body, and so the army was broken up. King Harald saw then that
it was better for him to return to Norway to secure that kingdom
first, and to assemble men anew; and so King Harald returned to
Norway with all his army. As soon as he came to Norway he held a
Thing with the people of the country, and had himself proclaimed
king everywhere. He proceeded thus from the East through Viken,
and in every district in Norway he was named king. Einar
Tambaskelfer, and with him all the Throndhjem troops, went with
King Magnus's body and transported it to the town of Nidaros,
where it was buried in St. Clement's church, where also was the
shrine of King Olaf the Saint. King Magnus was of middle size,
of long and clear-complexioned countenance, and light hair, spoke
well and hastily, was brisk in his actions, and extremely
generous. He was a great warrior, and remarkably bold in arms.
He was the most popular of kings, prized even by enemies as well
as friends.

30. OF SVEIN ULFSON.

Svein Ulfson remained that autumn in Scania (A.D. 1047), and was
making ready to travel eastward to Sweden, with the intention of
renouncing the title of king he had assumed in Denmark; but just
as he was mounting his horse some men came riding to him with the
first news that King Magnus was dead, and all the Northmen had
left Denmark. Svein answered in haste, "I call God to witness
that I shall never again fly from the Danish dominions as long as
I live." Then he got on his horse and rode south into Scania,
where immediately many people crowded to him. That winter he
brought under his power all the Danish dominions, and all the
Danes took him for their king. Thorer, King Magnus's brother,
came to Svein in autumn with the message of King Magnus, as
before related, and was well received; and Thorer remained long
with Svein and was well taken care of.

31. OF KING HARALD SIGURDSON.

King Harald Sigurdson took the royal power over all Norway after
the death of King Magnus Olafson; and when he had reigned over
Norway one winter and spring was come (A.D. 1048), he ordered a
levy through all the land of one-half of all men and ships and
went south to Jutland. He herried and burned all summer wide
around in the land and came into Godnarfjord, where King Harald
made these verses: --

"While wives of husbands fondly dream,
Here let us anchor in the stream,
In Godnarfjord; we'll safely moor
Our sea-homes, and sleep quite secure."

Then he spoke to Thiodolf, the skald, and asked him to add to it
what it wanted, and he sang: --

"In the next summer, I foresee,
Our anchorage in the South will be;
To hold our sea-homes on the ground,
More cold-tongued anchors will be found."

To this Bolverk alludes in his song also, that Harald went to
Denmark the summer after King Magnus's death. Bolverk sings
thus: --

"Next summer thou the levy raised,
And seawards all the people gazed,
Where thy sea-steeds in sunshine glancing
Over the waves were gaily prancing;
While the deep ships that plunder bore
Seemed black specks from the distant shore.
The Danes, from banks or hillocks green,
Looked with dismay upon the scene."

32. OF THORKEL GEYSA'S DAUGHTERS.

Then they burned the house of Thorkel Geysa, who was a great
lord, and his daughters they carried off bound to their ships.
They had made a great mockery the winter before of King Harald's
coming with war-ships against Denmark; and they cut their cheese
into the shape of anchors, and said such anchors might hold all
the ships of the Norway king. Then this was composed: --

"The Island-girls, we were told,
Made anchors all our fleet to hold:
Their Danish jest cut out in cheese
Did not our stern king's fancy please.
Now many a maiden fair, may be,
Sees iron anchors splash the sea,
Who will not wake a maid next morn
To laugh at Norway's ships in scorn."

It is said that a spy who had seen the fleet of King Harald said
to Thorkel Geysa's daughters, "Ye said, Geysa's daughters, that
King Harald dared not come to Denmark." Dotta, Thorkel's
daughter, replied, "That was yesterday." Thorkel had to ransom
his daughters with a great sum. So says Grane: --

"The gold-adorned girl's eye
Through Hornskeg wood was never dry,
As down towards the sandy shore
The men their lovely prizes bore.
The Norway leader kept at bay
The foe who would contest the way,
And Dotta's father had to bring
Treasure to satisfy the king."

King Harald plundered in Denmark all that summer, and made
immense booty; but he had not any footing in the land that summer
in Denmark. He went to Norway again in autumn and remained there
all winter (A.D. 1049).

33. MARRIAGES AND CHILDREN OF HARALD HARDRADE.

The winter after King Magnus the Good died, King Harald took
Thora, daughter of Thorberg Arnason, and they had two sons; the
oldest called Magnus, and the other Olaf. King Harald and Queen
Ellisif had two daughters; the one Maria, the other Ingegerd.
The spring after the foray which has just been related King
Harald ordered the people out and went with them to Denmark (A.D.
1049), and herried there, and did so summer after summer
thereafter. So says Stuf, the skald: --

"Falster lay waste, as people tell, --
The raven in other isles fared well.
The Danes were everywhere in fear,
For the dread foray every year."

34. OF THE ARMAMENTS OF SVEIN ULFSON AND HARALD.