Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/267

 KINGS OF NOHWAY. 255 and stones, and pots full of pitch and boiling oil. sagaxiv. Erling laid liis ship so close under the dromund, that the missiles of the heathens fell without his ship. Then Erling and his men cut a hole in the dromund, some working below and some above the water-mark ; and so they boarded the vessel through it. So says Thorbiorn Skakkescald, in his poem on Erling : — " The axes of the Northmen bold A door into the huge ship's hold Hewed through her high and curved side^ As snug beneath her bulge they ride. Their spears bring down the astonished foe. Who cannot see from whence the blow. The eagle's prey, they, man by man. Fall by the Northmen's daring plan." Audin, Eode Erling's forecastle-man, was the first man who got into the dromund. Then they carried her, killing an immense number of people ; making an extraordinarily valuable booty, and gaining a famous victory. Earl Rognvald and Erling Skakke came to Palestine in the course of their expedition, and all the way to the river Jordan. From thence they went first to Constantinople, where they left their ships, travelled northwards by land, and arrived in safety in Norway, where their journey was highly praised. Erling appeared now a much greater man than before, both on account of his journey and of his marriage ; besides he was a prudent sensible man, rich, of great family, eloquent, and devoted to King Inge by the strictest friendship more than to the other royal brothers. Kino; Sio-urd went to a feast east in Yiken aloner Chapter . XVIII with his court, and rode past a house belonging to a Birth of * great bonder called Simun. While the king was Herdrbred riding past the house, he heard within such beautiful singing that he was quite enchanted with it, and rode up to the house, and saw a lovely girl standing at the handmill and grinding. The king got off his