Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/122

 114 CHRONICLE OF THE saga vii. They have lighted me, Thy eyes to see, O'er Iceland's main, O'er hill and plain : Where Nanna's lad would fear to be They have lighted me." When Sigvat came home to King Olaf he went into the hall, and, looking around on the walls, he sang — " When our men their arms are taking The raven's wings with greed are shaking; When they come back to drink in hall Brave spoil they bring to deck the wall — Shields, helms, and panzers*, all in row, Stripped in the field from lifeless foe. In truth no royal hall comes near Thy splendid hall in precious gear." Afterwards Sigvat told of his journey, and sang these verses : — " The king's court-guards desire to hear About our journey and our cheer. Our ships in autumn reach the sound, But long the way to Swedish ground. With joyless weather, wind and rain, And pinching cold, and feet in pain — With sleep, fatigue, and want oppressed, No songs had we — we scarce had rest." And when he came into conversation with the king he sang — u When first I met the earl 1 told How our king loved a friend so bold ; How in his heart he loved a man With hand to do, and head to plan. Thou generous king ! with zeal and care I sought to advance thy great affair; For messengers from Russian land Had come to ask Ingigerd's hand. The earl, thy friend, bids thee, who art So mild and generous of heart, His servants all who here may come To cherish in thy royal home ; in the English, but is used in the cognate German and Northern lan- guages.
 * Pantzer — a complete suit of plate-armour — is a word we want