Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/54

 46 CHRONICLE OF THE saga vii. Under our helms we hid our hair, For thick flew arrows through the air. Right glad was I our gallant crew, Steel-clad from head to foot, to view." Chapter When the men began to fall on board the earl's Eari ships, and many appeared wounded, so that the sides flight. °f the vessels were but thinly beset with men, the crew of King Olaf prepared to board. Their banner was brought up to the ship that was nearest the earl's, and the king himself followed the banner. So says Sigvat : — " ' On with the king!' his banner's waving: ' On with the king ! ' the spears he's braving ! ' On, steel-clad men ! and storm the deck, Slippery with blood and strewed with wreck. A different work ye have to share, His banner in war-storm to bear, From your fair girl's, who round the hall Brings the full mead-bowl to us all/" Now was the severest fighting. Many of Swend's men fell, and some sprang overboard. So says Sig- vat : — " Into the ship our brave lads spring, — On shield and helm their red blades ring; The air resounds with stroke on stroke, — The shields are cleft, the helms are broke. The wounded bonder o'er the side Falls shrieking in the blood-stained tide — The deck is cleared with wild uproar — The dead crew float about the shore " And also these lines : — " The shields we brought from home were white, Now they are red-stained in the fight: This work was fit for those who wore Ringed coats of mail their breasts before. Where the foe blunted the best sword I saw our young king climb on board. He stormed the first; we followed him — The war-birds now in blood may swim." Now defeat began to come down upon the earl's men. The king's men pressed upon the earl's ship, and entered it; but when the earl saw how it was going,