Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/208

 son. 196 CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA XII. Sigurd says, " Let us first amuse ourselves ; and, Icelander, do thou set oiF to the land," which he did. The king now got loose from Sigurd, and swam to his ship, and Sigurd went his way : but the king ordered that Sigurd should not presume to come into his pre- sence ; so he went up into the country. XXXVI ^^ ^^^ evening, when people were going to bed, Of Haraid somc of thc ship's men were still at their games up in iihnhiid" the country. Haraid was with those who played on the land, and told his footboy to go out to the ship, make his bed, and wait for him there. The lad did as he was ordered. The king had gone to sleep ; and as the boy thought Haraid late, he laid himself in Harald's berth. SwendRimhildsson said, ''It is a shame for brave men to be brought from their farms at home, and to have here serving boys to sleep beside them." The lad said that Haraid had ordered him to come there. Swend Rimhildsson said, "We do not so much care for Haraid himself lying here, if he do not bring here his slaves and beggars ;" and seized a riding- whip, and struck the boy on the head until the blood iioAved from him. The boy ran immediately up the country, and told Haraid what had happened, who went immediately out to the ship, to the aft part of the forecastle, and with a pole-axe struck Swend so that he received a severe wound on his hands ; and then Haraid went on shore. Swend ran to the land after him, and, gathering his friends, took Haraid pri- soner, and they were about hanging him. But Avhile they were busy about this, Sigurd Sigurdsson went out to the king's ship and awoke him. When the king opened his eyes and recognised Sigurd, he said, '' For this reason thou shalt die, that thou hast in- truded into my presence; for thou knowest that I forbade thee : " and with these words the king sprang up. ^ Sigurd replied, " That is in your power as soon as