Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/321

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 313 "The whistling arrows pipe to battle, saga vii. Sword and shield their war-call rattle. Up ! brave men, up ! the faint heart here Finds courage when the danger's near. Up ! brave men, up ! with Olaf on ! With heart and hand a field is won. One viking cheer ! — then, stead of words, We'll speak with our death-dealing swords." These songs were immediately got by heart by the army. Thereafter the kins; made himself ready, and marched Chapter . CCXIX down through the valley. His whole forces took up of King ' their night-quarter in one place, and lay down all fo| a t f h s e glfts night under their shields ; but as soon as day broke souls of the king again put his army in order, and that being s houkTbe done they proceeded down through the valley. Many slain - bonders then came to the king, of whom the most joined his army ; and all, as one man, told the same tale, — that the lendermen had collected an enormous army, with which they intended to give battle to the king. The king took many marks of silver, and delivered them into the hands of a bonder, and said, " This money thou shalt conceal, and afterwards lay out, — some to churches, some to priests, some to alms-men, — as gifts for the life and souls of those who fight against us, and may fall in battle." The bonder replies, " Should you not rather give this money for the soul-mulct of your own men ?" The king says, " This money shall be given for the souls of those who stand against us in the ranks of the bonders' army, and fall by the weapons of our own men. The men who follow us to battle, and fall therein, will all be saved together with ourself." This night the king lay with his army around him c HA PTEK on the field, as before related, and lay long awake in f tim?' prayer to God, and slept but little. Towards morning m °d Koi- a slumber fell on him, and when he awoke daylight sJddT"