Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/220

 208 CHRONICLE OF TIIE SAGA XIII. went out from the house to an enclosed field, and set up their banners. King Harald had on two shirts of rinof-mail, but his brother Kristrod had no armour on ; and a gallant man he was. When King Magnus and his men saw King Harald' s troop they drew up and made their array, and made their line so long that they could surround the whole of King Harald's troop. So says Halldor Skualdre : — " King Magnus on the battle-plain From his long troop-line had great gain ; The plain was drenched with warm bloody Which lay a red and reeking flood." Chapter King Maguus had the holy cross '^ carried before Battle at him lu this battle, and the battle was great and severe. Fyriieif. ^^q kiug's brothcr Kristrod had penetrated with his troop into the middle of King Magnus's array, and cut down on each side of him, so that people gave way before him every where. But a powerful bonder who was in King's Harald's array raised his spear with both hands, and drove it through between Kris- trod' s shoulders, so that it came out at his breast ; and thus fell Kristrod. Many who were near asked the bonder why he had done so foul a deed. The bonder replies, " He knows the consequences now of slaughtering my cattle in summer, and taking all that was in my house, and forcing me to follow him here. I determined to give him some return when the opportunity came." After this King Harald's army took to flight, and he fled himself, with all his men. Many fell: and Ingemar of Ask, a great chief and lender man, got there his death-wound ; and he sang while dying these verses : — " Some witch-wife's power^ In evil hour. seems here to be meant.
 * The relic brought home from Jerusalem by Sigurd the Crusader