Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/207

 s swimmins. KINGS OF NORWAY. 195 not know that men in other countries exercise them- sagaxh. selves in other feats than in filling themselves with ale, and making themselves mad, and so unfit for every thing that they scarcely know each other? Give Harald his ring, and do not try to make a fool of him again, as long as I am above ground and have the rule here." It happened once that Sigurd was out in his ship. Chapter which lay in the harbour; and there lay a merchant ofsiguri ship, which was an Iceland trader, at the side of it. Harald Gille was in the forecastle of the king's ship, and Swend Eimhildsson, a son of Canute Swendsson of Jederen, had his berth the next before him. There was also Sigurd Sigurdsson, a gallant lenderman, who himself commanded a ship. It was a day of beautiful weather and warm sunshine, and many went out to swim, both from the long- ship and the merchant vessel. An Iceland man, who was among the swim- mers, amused himself by drawing those under water who could not swim so well as himself; and at that the spectators laughed. When King Sigurd saw and heard this, he cast off his clothes, sprang into the water, and swam to the Icelander, seized him, and pressed him under the water, and held him there ; and as soon as the Icelander came up the king pressed him down again, and thus the one time after the other. Then said Sigurd Sigurdsson, " Shall we let the king kill this man? " Somebody said, " No one has any wish to interfere." Sigurd replies, that '' if Dag Eilifsson were here, we should not be without one who dared." Then Sigurd sprang overboard, swam to the king, took hold of him, and said, " Sire, do not kill the man. Every body sees that you are a much better swimmer." The king replies, "• Let me loose, Sigurd; I shall be his death, for he will destroy our people under water." o 2