Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 3.djvu/92

 80 CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA^ix. "that most of the principal men in England shall be thy friends, and assist thee ; for nothing is wanting to place me at the side of mybrother Harald but the king's name. All men allow that there never was such a warrior in the northern lands as thou art ; and it appears to me extraordinary that thou hast been fighting for fifteen years for Denmark, and wilt not take England that lies open to thee." King Harald weighed carefully the earl's words, and perceived at once that there was truth in much of what he said -, and he himself had also a great desire to acquire dominions. Then King Harald and the earl talked long and frequently together; and at last he took the resolution to proceed in summer to England, and conquer the country. King Harald sent a message-token through all Norway, and orderd out a levy of one half of all the men in Norway able .to carry arms. When this became generally known, there were many guesses about what might be the end of this expedition. Some reckoned up King Harald' s great achievements, and thought he was also the man who could accomplish this. Others, again, said that Eng- land was difiicult to attack ; that it was very full of peo- ple; and the men-at-arms, who were called Thing-men, were so brave, that one of them was better than two of Harald's best men. Then said Ulf the marshal: — '^ I am still ready gold to gain ; But truly it would be in vain^ And the king's marshal in the hall Might leave his good post once for all. If two of us in any strife Must from one Thingman fly for life. My lovely Norse maid, in my youth "We thought the opposite the truth." Ulf the marshal died that spring. King Harald stood over his grave, and said, as he was leaving it, " There lies now the truest of men, and the most de- voted to his king."