heimskringla-第152章

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's　fleet　was　giving　way　and　many　of　their　people　had　fallen。　　Then　the　earl　rowed　thither　and　gave　so　severe　an　assault　that　the　Danes　had　to　retreat　before　him。　　The　earl　went　on　in　this　way　all　the　night；　coming　forward　where　he　was　most　wanted；　and　wheresoever　he　came　none　could　stand　against　him。　Hakon　rowed　outside　around　the　battle。　　Towards　the　end　of　the　night　the　greatest　part　of　the　Danish　fleet　broke　into　flight；　for　then　King　Harald　with　his　men　boarded　the　vessel　of　King　Svein；　and　it　was　so　completely　cleared　that　all　the　crew　fell　in　the　ship；　except　those　who　sprang　overboard。　　So　says　Arnor；　the　earls'　skald：　

　　　　　〃Brave　Svein　did　not　his　vessel　leave　　　　　　Without　good　cause；　as　I　believe：　　　　　　Oft　on　his　casque　the　sword…blade　rang；　　　　　　Before　into　the　sea　he　sprang。　　　　　　Upon　the　wave　his　vessel　drives；　　　　　　All　his　brave　crew　had　lost　their　lives。　　　　　　O'er　dead　courtmen　into　the　sea　　　　　　The　Jutland　king　had　now　to　flee。〃

And　when　King　Svein's　banner　was　cut　down；　and　his　ship　cleared　of　its　crew；　all　his　forces　took　to　flight；　and　some　were　killed。　The　ships　which　were　bound　together　could　not　be　cast　loose；　so　the　people　who　were　in　them　sprang　overboard；　and　some　got　to　the　other　ships　that　were　loose；　and　all　King　Svein's　men　who　could　get　off　rowed　away；　but　a　great　many　of　them　were　slain。　　Where　the　king　himself　fought　the　ships　were　mostly　bound　together；　and　there　were　more　than　seventy　left　behind　of　King　Svein's　vessels。　So　says　Thiodolf：　

　　　　　〃Svein's　ships　rode　proudly　o'er　the　deep；　　　　　　When；　by　a　single　sudden　sweep；　　　　　　Full　seventy　sail；　as　we　are　told；　　　　　　Were　seized　by　Norway's　monarch　bold。〃

King　Harald　rowed　after　the　Danes　and　pursued　them；　but　that　was　not　easy；　for　the　ships　lay　so　thick　together　that　they　scarcely　could　move。　　Earl　Fin　Arnason　would　not　flee；　and　being　also　shortsighted；　was　taken　prisoner。　　So　says　Thiodolf：　

　　　　　〃To　the　six　Danish　earls　who　came　　　　　　To　aid　his　force；　and　raise　his　name；　　　　　　No　mighty　thanks　King　Svein　is　owing　　　　　　For　mighty　actions　of　their　doing。　　　　　　Fin　Arnason；　in　battle　known；　　　　　　With　a　stout　Norse　heart　of　his　own；　　　　　　Would　not　take　flight　his　life　to　gain；　　　　　　And　in　the　foremost　ranks　was　ta'en。〃


ENDNOTES：　（1）　　The　Laplanders　paid　their　seat；　or　yearly　tax；　in　bows　and　　　　　　arrows；　and　the　meaning　of　the　skald　appears　to　be；　that　as　　　　　　many　as　were　paid　in　a　year　were　shot　at　the　foe。　　L。



66。　KING　SVEIN'S　FLIGHT。

Earl　Hakon　lay　behind　with　his　ships；　while　the　king　and　the　rest　of　the　forces　were　pursuing　the　fugitives；　for　the　earls'　ships　could　not　get　forward　on　account　of　the　ships　which　lay　in　the　way　before　him。　　Then　a　man　came　rowing　in　a　boat　to　the　earl's　ship　and　lay　at　the　bulwarks。　　The　man　was　stout　and　had　on　a　white　hat。　　He　hailed　the　ship；　〃Where　is　the　earl？〃　said　he。

The　earl　was　in　the　fore…hold；　stopping　a　man's　blood。　　The　earl　cast　a　look　at　the　man　in　the　hat　and　asked　what　his　name　was。　　He　answered；　〃Here　is　Vandrad：　speak　to　me；　earl。〃

The　earl　leant　over　the　ship's　side　to　him。　　Then　the　man　in　the　boat　said；　〃Earl；　I　will　accept　of　my　life　from　thee；　if　thou　wilt　give　it。〃

Then　the　earl　raised　himself　up；　called　two　men　who　were　friends　dear　to　him；　and　said　to　them；　〃Go　into　the　boat；　bring　Vandrad　to　the　land；　attend　him　to　my　friend's　Karl　the　bonde；　and　tell　Karl；　as　a　token　that　these　words　come　from　me；　that　he　let　Vandrad　have　the　horse　which　I　gave　to　him　yesterday；　and　also　his　saddle；　and　his　son　to　attend　him。〃

Thereupon　they　went　into　the　boat　and　took　the　oars　in　hand；　while　Vandrad　steered。　　This　took　place　just　about　daybreak；　while　the　vessels　were　in　movement；　some　rowing　towards　the　land；　some　towards　the　sea；　both　small　and　great。　　Vandrad　steered　where　he　thought　there　was　most　room　between　the　vessels；　and　when　they　came　near　to　Norway's　ships　the　earl's　men　gave　their　names　and　then　they　all　allowed　them　to　go　where　they　pleased。　Vandrad　steered　along　the　shore；　and　only　set　in　towards　the　land　when　they　had　come　past　the　crowd　of　ships。　　They　then　went　up　to　Karl　the　bonde's　farm；　and　it　was　then　beginning　to　be　light。　They　went　into　the　room　where　Karl　had　just　put　on　his　clothes。　The　earl's　men　told　him　their　message　and　Karl　said　they　must　first　take　some　food；　and　he　set　a　table　before　them　and　gave　them　water　to　wash　with。

Then　came　the　housewife　into　the　room　and　said；　〃I　wonder　why　we　could　get　no　peace　or　rest　all　night　with　the　shouting　and　screaming。〃

Karl　replies；　〃Dost　thou　not　know　that　the　kings　were　fighting　all　night？〃

She　asked　which　had　the　better　of　it。

Karl　answered；　〃The　Northmen　gained。〃

〃Then；〃　said　she；　〃our　king　will　have　taken　flight。〃

〃Nobody　knows；〃　says　Karl；　〃whether　he　has　fled　or　is　fallen。〃

She　says；　〃What　a　useless　sort　of　king　we　have！　　He　is　both　slow　and　frightened。〃

Then　said　Vandrad；　〃Frightened　he　is　not；　but　he　is　not　lucky。〃

Then　Vandrad　washed　his　hands；　but　he　took　the　towel　and　dried　them　right　in　the　middle　of　the　cloth。　　The　housewife　snatched　the　towel　from　him；　and　said；　〃Thou　hast　been　taught　little　good；　it　is　wasteful　to　wet　the　whole　cloth　at　one　time。

Vandrad　replies；　〃I　may　yet　come　so　far　forward　in　the　world　as　to　be　able　to　dry　myself　with　the　middle　of　the　towel。〃

Thereupon　Karl　set　a　table　before　them　and　Vandrad　sat　down　between　them。　　They　ate　for　a　while　and　then　went　out。　　The　horse　was　saddled　and　Karl's　son　ready　to　follow　him　with　another　horse。　　They　rode　away　to　the　forest；　and　the　earl's　men　returned　to　the　boat；　rowed　to　the　earl's　ship　and　told　the　success　of　their　expedition。



67。　OF　KING　HARALD。

King　Harald　and　his　men　followed　the　fugitives　only　a　short　way；　and　rowed　back　to　the　place　where　the　deserted　ships　lay。　　Then　the　battle…place　was　ransacked；　and　in　King　Svein's　ship　was　found　a　heap　of　dead　men；　but　the　king's　body　was　not　found；　although　people　believed　for　certain　that　he　had　fallen。　　Then　King　Harald　had　the　greatest　attention　paid　to　the　dead　of　his　men；　and　had　the　wounds　of　the　living　bound　up。　　The　dead　bodies　of　Svein's　men　were　brought　to　the　land；　and　he　sent　a　message　to　the　peasants　to　come　and　bury　them。　　Then　he　let　the　booty　be　divided；　and　this　took　up　some　time。　　The　news　came　now　that　King　Svein　had　come　to　Seeland；　and　that　all　who　had　escaped　from　the　battle　had　joined　him；　along　with　many　more；　and　that　he　had　a　great　force。



68。　FIN　ARNASON　GETS　QUARTER。

Earl　Fin　Arnason　was　taken　prisoner　in　the　battle；　as　before　related；　and　when　he　was　led　before　King　Harald　the　king　was　very　merry；　and　said；　〃Fin；　we　meet　here　now；　and　we　met　last　in　Norway。　　The　Danish　court　has　not　stood　very　firmly　by　thee；　and　it　will　be　a　troublesome　business　for　Northmen　to　drag　thee；　a　blind　old　man；　with　them；　and　preserve　thy　life。〃

The　earl　replies；　〃The　Northmen　find　it　very　difficult　now　to　conquer；　and　it　is　all　the　worse　that　thou　hast　the　command　of　them。〃

Then　said　King　Harald；　〃Wilt　thou　accept　of　life　and　safety；　although　thou　hast　not　deserved　it？〃

The　earl　replies；　〃Not　from　thee；　thou　dog。〃

The　king：　〃Wilt　thou；　then；　if　thy　relation　Magnus　gives　thee　quarter？〃

Magnus；　King　Harald's　son；　was　then　steering　the　ship。

The　earl　replies；　〃Can　the　whelp　rule　over　life　and　quarter？〃

The　king　laughed；　as　if　he　found　amusement　in　vexing　him。　　〃Wilt　thou　accept　thy　life；　then；　from　thy　she…relation　Thorer？〃

The　earl：　〃Is　she　here？〃

〃She　is　here；〃　said　the　king。

Then　Earl　Fin　broke　out　with　the　ugly　expressions　which　since　have　been　preserved；　as　a　proof　that　he　was　so　mad　with　rage　that　he　could　not　govern　his　tongue：　

〃No　wonder　thou　hast　bit　so　strongly；　if　the　mare　was　with　thee。〃

Earl　Fin　got　life　and　quarter　and　the　king　kept　him　a　while　about　him。　　But　Fin　was　rather　melancholy　and　obstinate　in　conversation；　and　King　Harald　said；　〃I　see；　Fin；　that　thou　dost　not　live　willingly　in　company　with　me　and　thy　relations；　now　I　will　give　thee　leave　to　go　to　thy　friend　King　Svein。〃

The　earl　said；　〃I　accept　of　the　offer　willingly；　and　the　more　gratefully　the　sooner　I　get　away　from　hence。〃

The　king　afterwards　let　Earl　Fin　be　landed　and　the　traders　going　to　Halla