land with plank-built warships.
Landlocked lies the fleet in
lea of wooded hillocks,
’gainst scathe by every skerry
screened and safely harbored.
But in the great gale that beset them the large ship needed good anchor cables. As says Thjóthólf:
(125.)
492. Cleaves the king’s ship’s iron
keel the pounding billows.
Stand in good stead cables
stout to hold the sea-steed.
Unkind is the oak’s-scourge1 to
anchor-flukes, the curved ones:
both nasty gale and nibbed rock
gnaw at the crooked iron.
But when a favorable breeze sprang up, King Harald with his fleet sailed east [south] to the Gaut Elf River and arrived there in the evening. As says Thjóthólf:
(126.)
493. Swept Harald his sail-craft
swiftly toward the River.
Passed Norway’s king the night quite
near to Denmark’s border.
There he has a thing2 at
Thumli3 with Svein Úlfsson,
owing to ravens, unless
off the Danes do hie them.
Chapter 61. King Harald Places His Fleet in Battle Array
But when the Danes learned that the Norwegian fleet had come, then all fled who could. The Norwegians were told that the Danish king also had called out his forces and lay in the south by Funen and the Smaller Islands.1 But when King Harald learned that King Svein did not intend to meet him in battle as agreed upon, he followed the same plan as before, letting the levy of farmers return home, and fully manning a hundred and fifty [180] ships. Thereupon he proceeded south along Halland, ravaging the countryside. He anchored in the Lófufjord2 and harried from there.
Shortly after, King Svein with his fleet approached. He had three hundred [360] ships. And when the Norwegians sighted this fleet, King Harald had the fleet called together. Many said that it was best to flee, that it was impossible to fight that force. The king answered, “Rather shall we all of us fall, one upon the other, than flee.” As says Stein Herdísarson:3
(127.)
494. This spoke who, methought, would
thewfully prove him a leader:
“Put away all pleas for
peace,” he said, “as hopeless.”
“Rather,” said the ruler—
readied men their weapons—
“than flee shall each, unfaltering
fall upon the other.”
Thereupon King Harald drew up his fleet in order for the attack. His own great dragon ship he put in the middle of his line. As says Thjóthólf:
(128.)
495. At the head, free-handed
Harald, to wolves friendly—
fore-front was that of our
fleet—placed his dragon.
That vessel was excellently equipped and had a numerous crew. As says Thjóthólf:
(129.)
496. Fast and fearless bade the
folk-ruler his men stand.
Round him arrayed, warriors
raised their shields to ward him.
Sheathed with blood-red shields his
ship the dauntless leader
tightly, so that touched one
t’ other—by the Níza River.
Úlf, the king’s marshal, placed his ship by one side of the royal ship, ordering his men to have it well forward. Stein Herdísarson was aboard Úlf’s ship. He spoke this verse:
(130.)
497. Egged us on to battle
Úlf, the sea-king’s marshal,
spears when sped about us,
spurring us to row fast.
Bade the king’s friend brave to
bring his ship well forward,
alongside with his lord’s to
lie; which the crew did willing.
Earl Hákon Ívarsson was placed outermost in one wing. He had a great many ships under him with well-equipped crews. And outermost in the other wing were the chieftains from the Trondheim District. They also had a great and fine fleet.
Chapter 62. King Svein with a Great Fleet Opposes Harald
King Svein likewise arrayed his forces for battle. He laid his ship in the middle of the front against that of King Harald, and right next to his was Earl Finn Árnason’s ship; and close to them was arrayed that part of the Danish force which was bravest and best equipped. Then both parties fastened together with hawsers the central portions of their fleet. But because the fleet was so large, there was such a multitude of ships that a great many of them had to navigate independently, each moving to the attack as its skipper chose; and there was a great difference in that respect. Still, though the odds were great, both sides had a tremendous host. There were six earls in King Svein’s fleet. As said Stein Herdísarson:
(131.)
498. Ran great risks the valiant
ruler of Thronders, when that,
with vessels half two-hundred
he awaited Svein’s fleet.
Eftsoons, Leire’s liege-lord
likewise thither, wroth in
mind, with kelpland’s-coursers1
came fully three hundred.
Chapter 63. The Danish Fleet Is Defeated
King Harald had the trumpets sounded as soon as his ships were ready for battle and had his men row to the attack. As says Stein Herdísarson:
(132.)
499. Hindered Harald, at Níz’ mouth,
high-souled Úlf’s son’s progress.
Unstinting stand made there
strife-loving Norway’s ruler.
Sword-girt, the sea-king’s henchmen
smartly rowed by Halland,
while welled wound-dew steaming
warm upon the waters.
Then the battle began with great fury. Both kings urged their men on. As says Stein Herdísarson:
(133.)
500. Did both the brave Skyldings1
bid men, both unshielded—
hand to hand then fought the
hosts—to give no quarter.
Reeking red blood dripped from
ring-sarks—death it boded
to the fey—as flew in
fray both stones and arrows.
1062 It was late in the day when they closed and the battle lasted all night. King Harald for a long time shot with his bow. As says Thjóthólf:
(134.)
501. All night long the liege-lord
let the arrows fly from
yew-bow on shining shields—the
shafts pierced warriors’ mail-coats.
Bloody axes bit through
byrnies, while stinging arrows
stabbed through stained shields—grew
storm-of-darts from the Dragon.2
Earl Hákon and his force had not fastened their ships together and rowed at those Danish ships which fought singly; and every ship he fastened himself to he cleared of its crew. But when the Danes observed that, then everyone drew away from the earl. He pursued the Danes as they retreated, and they were about to flee. At that juncture a skiff approached the earl’s ship; they called to him from it and told him that the other wing [of Harald’s fleet] was yielding ground and that many had fallen there. Thereupon the earl rowed in that direction and made a sharp attack, so that the Danes again retreated with their ships. The earl pursued the same course all night long, attacking where there was most need; and wherever he came, there was no resisting him. Hákon rowed on the outside of the battle. Toward the latter part of the night the general flight of the Danes began, because by then King Harald with his force had boarded King Svein’s ship, and it was cleared so thoroughly of its crew that all men fell except those who jumped overboard. As says Arnór the Earls’ Skald:
(135.)
502. His swift-sailing ship left
Svein not without struggle:
hard iron against helmets,
heard I, rang in com
bat.
Crewless floated the fearless
friend-of-Jutes’3 swift warship,
ere that the atheling fled, with
all its warriors fallen.
But as soon as the banner of Svein had fallen and his ship was cleared of its crew, then all his host fled, and some fell. And on the ships which were fastened together, men jumped overboard while some took refuge on other ships which had not been fastened together. But all of Svein’s men who could, rowed away. Then there was great carnage. But at the point where the battle between the kings themselves had taken place and where most ships were fastened together, more than seventy vessels of King Svein’s fleet lay cleared of their crews. As says Thjóthólf:
(136.)
503. ’Tis told how taken, in the
twinkling of an eye, were
swift ships seventy, at least, of
Svein’s by valiant leader.
King Harald rowed in pursuit of the Danes, but that was not easy, because the ships were crowded together so thickly that it was difficult to proceed. Earl Finn refused to flee, and was captured. Also, his sight was poor. As says Thjóthólf:
(137.)
504. Nowise owes Svein success to
six earls, though in forefront
bravely battling in the bitter storm-of-arrows.
Dying Danes among, but
dauntless, in midcolumn
fighting, loath to flee, was
Finn Árnason captured.
Chapter 64. Earl Hákon Ívarsson Helps King Svein to Escape
Earl Hákon lagged behind with his ship when the king with the remainder of the fleet pursued the enemy, because the earl’s ship could not push forward with all the ships barring his way. At that time a man in a boat rowed toward the earl’s ship and made fast along the poop. He was a large man, and had a wide hood over his face. He called up to the ship, “Where is the earl?” The earl was in the stern, stopping a man’s bleeding. He looked at the man with the hood and asked his name. He replied, “Vandráth1 is here. Speak with me, earl!” The earl leaned down to him over the ship’s side. The man in the boat said: “I would ask my life of you, if you will grant it.”
The earl straightened up and designated two men, both close friends of his, and said, “Get into the boat and bring Vandráth to land. Accompany him to Farmer Karl, my friend, and tell him by way of token to let Vandráth have the horse I gave Karl day before yesterday, together with the saddle, and tell him to let his son accompany Vandráth.”
They got into the boat and took to the oars, with Vandráth steering. This occurred at dawn of day. There was at that time a great moving to and fro of ships, some rowing to land, some out to sea, both big and little ships. Vandráth steered where there seemed most passageway between the ships. But whenever Norwegian ships rowed near them the earl’s men said who they were, so all let them pass wherever they wanted. Vandráth steered along the land, but did not make for shore until they had passed the great mass of ships. Then they went up on land to Karl’s farm as it began to be daylight. They went into the room. There they found Karl, who had just dressed himself. The earl’s men told him their message. Karl told them to eat first. He had the table set for them and gave them water to wash their hands.
Then the lady of the house entered the room and said right away, “Good heavens, we can’t get sleep or rest tonight what with all the shouting and noise.”
Karl replied, “Don’t you know that the kings battled tonight?”
She asked, “Who had the upper hand?”
Karl answered, “The Norwegians were victorious.”
“Then I suppose our king fled once more,” she said.
Karl answered, “It is not known whether he fell or fled.”
She said, “A wretched king we have. He is both halt2 and a coward.”
Then Vandráth said, “It isn’t that the king is a coward though he is not victorious.”
Vandráth was the last to wash his hands, but when he took the towel he dried them on the middle of it. The lady of the house took hold of it and snatched it from him. She said: “You have no manners. It is boorish to wet all the towel.”
[Vandráth answered, “I shall yet come to a place where I can dry my hands on the middle of a towel.”]3 Then Karl set the table before them, and Vandráth seated himself in the middle.
They ate for a while, and afterwards went outside. There they found a horse all ready and the son of the farmer prepared to accompany him, seated on another horse. They rode away to the forest; but the earl’s men got into their boat and rowed out to the earl’s ship.
Chapter 65. King Harald Learns of King Svein’s Escape
King Harald and his fleet pursued the enemy for a while, then rowed back to the ships that had been cleared. They searched these and found a great many corpses but not the body of the king. Yet they thought he had fallen. Then King Harald had his own dead attended to and the wounds of those dressed who needed it. Thereupon he had the bodies of King Svein’s men brought to land, and sent word to the farmers that they were to bury them. Then he had the booty divided. He stayed there for some time. Then he learned that King Svein had escaped to Seeland and that all those who had fled from the battle had joined him, together with many others and that he had gotten together an innumerable army.
Chapter 66. King Harald Gives Quarter to Finn Árnason
Earl Finn was captured in the battle, as was written before. He was brought before the king. King Harald was very merry then and said, “Here we meet now, Finn, as we did lately, in Norway. The Danish men have not stood firm about you, and [now] the Norwegians are put to the trouble to drag you around with them, blind as you are, in order to keep you alive.”
Then the earl answered, “Much ill the Norwegians are made to do, and worst, all that you order them to do.”
Then said King Harald, “Will you accept quarter, though you don’t deserve it?”
Then the earl said, “Not from you, dog!”
The king said, “Will you then accept quarter from your kinsman, Magnús?” Magnús, the king’s son, was there and had command of a ship.
Then the earl answered, “How can that whelp give quarter?”
Then the king laughed and thought it fun to tease him, and said, “Will you accept quarter from your kinswoman, Thóra?”
Then the earl said, “Is she here?”
“Here she is,” said the king.
Then the earl spoke the abusive [and uncourtly] words which have been remembered ever since and show how furious he was so that he could not put restraint on his language, “No wonder you bit savagely, seeing that mare was with you.”
Finn’s life was spared, and King Harald had him along for a while. Finn showed himself rather dejected and was gruff in his language. Then King Harald said to him, “I can see, Finn, that you do not want to be friends with me and your kinsfolk. I shall now give you permission to join Svein, your king.”
The earl answered, “That I accept, and the more thankfully the sooner I get away from here.” Thereupon the king had the earl and his company put to land. The people of Halland received him well. Then King Harald steered his fleet north to Norway, first to Ósló, and gave leave to all to go home if they wanted to.
Chapter 67. King Svein Rewards Farmer Karl
We are told that King Svein resided in Denmark the following winter and maintained his rule there as before. In winter he sent men north [east] to Halland to fetch Karl and his wife. And when they arrived at the king’s court he called Karl to him and asked him whether he recognized him or thought he had seen him before.
Karl answered, “I know you now, sire, and I knew you before, as soon as I saw you, and I thank God that the little help I gave you was of use to you.”
The king answered, “I owe you my life from that day on. I shall reward you, first, by giving you the estate in Seeland which you may choose to have; and also, I shall raise you to great honor if you prove worthy of it.”
Karl thanked the king grea
tly for his words and said that—“there is still one wish I would have granted me.” The king asked what that might be. Karl said, “I shall ask you, sire, to let me have my wife with me.”
The king gave this answer, “That I shall not grant you, because I shall procure you a much better wife and a wiser one. But your wife might get along with the small farm you had before. That will provide her with sustenance.”
The king gave him a large and excellent estate and procured him a good match, and he grew to be a man of importance. This incident became favorably known and was spread far and wide. It became known in Norway.
Chapter 68. King Harald’s Jealousy of Earl Hákon Is Aroused
The winter following the battle of Níz River King Harald resided in Ósló. In fall, when the fleet had returned from the south, there was much talk about the battle which had taken place outside the Níz River, and many stories were told. Everyone who had been in it thought he could tell something about it. It happened one time that some men sat in an under-room drinking and became very talkative. They talked about the battle of Níz River and also, of who had most distinguished himself there. They were all of one opinion, that no one had fought there like Earl Hákon—“he was the keenest fighter and the most skilful and the luckiest, and all he did was of the greatest help, and he won the victory.”
King Harald happened to be outside in the yard, talking with some men. Then he walked to the door of the room and said, “Everyone here would now like to be called Hákon,” and went his way.
Chapter 69. Earl Hákon Is Forewarned of the King’s Intention to Kill Him
Earl Hákon journeyed to Uppland in the fall and during the winter resided in his domain. He was exceedingly popular with the Upplendings. One time when spring was approaching and men sat drinking, it happened that the talk again turned to the battle of the Níz River. There was much praise for Earl Hákon, but some commended others no less. After they had talked about that for a while, a man spoke up and said, “It may be that others beside Earl Hákon fought bravely outside the Níz River; yet no one is likely to have had as much luck as he.” The men said that the greatest piece of good fortune was that he had put to flight many of the Danes. The same man replied, “A greater piece of good fortune it was that he saved King Svein’s life.”
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