Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/68

 56 CHRONICLE OF THE sAGAjx. and assembled a great force towards spring. Then Harald had his great ship drawn down and put into the river Md, and set up the dragon's head on her. Thiodolf the scald sang about it thus : — "^ My lovely girl ! the sight was grand When the great war-ship down the strand Into the river gently slid. And all below her sides was hid. Come, lovely girl, and see the show ! — Her sides that on the water glow. Her serpent-head with golden mane. All shining back from the Nid again." Then King Harald rigged out his ship, got ready for sea, and when he had all in order went out of the river. His men rowed very skilfully and beautifully. So says Thiodolf: — "^ It was upon a Saturday, Ship -tilts were struck and stowed away. And past the town our dragon glides. That girls might see our glancing sides. Out from the Nid brave Harald steers; Westward at first the dragon veers ; Our lads together down with oars. The splash is echoed round the shores. "^ Their oars our king's men handle well. One stroke is all the eye can tell: All level o'er the water rise; The girls look on in sweet surprise. Such things, they think, can ne'er give way; They little know the battle-day. The Danish girls, who dread our shout. Might wish our ship-gear not so stout. " 'Tis in the fight, not on the wave. That oars may break and fail the brave. At sea, beneath the ice-cold sky. Safely our oars o'er ocean ply; And when at Drontheim's holy stream Our seventy oars in distance gleam. We seem, while rowing from the sea. An erne with iron wings to be." King Harald sailed south along the land, and called out the levy every where of men and ships. When they came south to Viken they got a strong wind against them, and the forces lay dispersed about in