Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/32

 20 CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA IX. death-spear against each other ; and therefore many offered to attempt bringing about some agreement between them, and the kings, by their persuasion, agreed to it. Thereupon some men were sent off in a light boat, in which they sailed south in all haste to Denmark, and got some Danish men, who were proven friends of King Magnus, to propose this mat- ter to Harald. This affair was conducted very secretly. Now when Harald heard that his relation King Mag- nus would offer him a league and partition, so that Harald should have half of Norway with King Mag- nus, and that they should divide all their moveable property into two equal parts, he accepted the pro- posal, and the people went back to King Magnus with this answer. A little after this it happened that Harald and Swend one evening were sitting at table drinking and talking together, and Swend asked Harald what valuable piece of all his property he esteemed the most. He answered, it was his banner Land- waster.* Swend asked what was there remarkable about it, that he valued it so highly. Harald replied, it Avas a common saying that he must gain the victory before whom that banner is borne, and it had turned out so ever since he had owned it. Swend replies, " I will begin to beheve there is such virtue in the banner when thou hast held three battles with thy relation Magnus, and hast gained them all." Then answered Harald with an angry voice, " I know my relationship to King Magnus, without thy reminding me of it ; and although we are now going in arms against him, our meeting may be of a better sort." Chapter XXII. Treaty between Harald and Swend broken. Landeyda — land-destroyer.