Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/339

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 331 sight, and it became dark. Of this Sigvat the scald saga vn. speaks : — " No common wonder in the sky Fell out that day — the sun on high, And not a cloud to see around, Shone not, nor warmed Norway's ground. The day on which fell out this fight Was marked by dismal dusky light. This from the East I heard* — the end Of our great king it did portend." At the same time Dag Ringson came up with his people, and began to put his men in array, and to set up his banner; but on account of the darkness the onset could not go on so briskly, for they could not see exactly whom they had before them. They turned, however, to that quarter where the men of Hordaland and Rogaland stood. Many of these circumstances took place at the same time, and some happened a little earlier, and some a little later. On the one side of Kalf Arneson stood his two Chapter relations, Olaf and Kalf, with many other brave and King stout men. Kalf was a son of Arnnnn Armodson, oiafsfaii. and a brother's son of Arne Armodson. On the other side of Kalf Arneson stood Thorer Hund. King Olaf hewed at Thorer Hund, and struck him across the shoulders ; but the sword would not cut, and it was as if dust flew from his reindeer-skin coat. So says Sigvat : — " The king himself now proved the power Of Finn-folk's craft in magic hour, With magic song; for stroke of steel Thor's reindeer coat would never feel. Bewitched by them it turned the stroke Of the king's sword, — a dust-like smoke Rose from Thor's shoulders from the blow Which the king thought would end his foe." Thorer struck at the king, and they exchanged some blows ; but the king's sword would not cut has not been total.
 * The scald has been in Iceland, or in the West, and where the eclipse