Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/401

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 393 When twilight fell he urged the fight, saga viii. Close combat — man to man — all night; Through a long harvest night's dark hours, Down poured the battle's iron showers." The battle was very hot, and as night advanced the fall of men was great. King Magnus, during the whole night, threw hand- spears. Thiodolf speaks of this : — " And there at Helganess sank down, Sore wounded, men of great renown ; And Swend's retainers lost all heart, Ducking before the flying dart. The Norsemen's king let fly his spears, His death- wounds adding to their fears; For each spear-blade was wet all o'er, Up to the shaft in their life-gore." To make a short tale, King Magnus won the victory in this battle, and Swend fled. His ship was cleared of men from stem to stern ; and it went so on board many others of his ships. So says Thiodolf: — " Earl Swend fled from the empty deck, His lonely ship an unmann'd wreck; Magnus the Good, the people's friend, Pressed to the death on the false Swend. Hneiti*, the sword his father bore, Was, edge and point, stained red with gore : Swords sprinkle blood o'er armour bright, When kings for land and power fight." And he also says, — (e The cutters of Biorne's brother t Soon changed their owner for another ; The king took them and all their gear: The crews, however, got off clear." A great number of Swend's men fell, and King Magnus and his men had a vast booty to divide. So says Thiodolf : — " Where the Norsemen the Danish slew, A Gotland shield and breast- plate true recovered. ■j" Swend Ulfsson had a brother called Biorn, or by the English chroniclers Esbern.
 * This was the name of Saint Olaf 's sword, which Magnus had