e Swedish king, Olaf the Swede, was
brother of the mother of Ellisif, Harald's wife; and Astrid, the
mother of Svein, was King Olaf's sister. Harald and Svein entered into
friendship with each other and confirmed it by oath. All the Swedes were
friendly to Svein, because he belonged to the greatest family in the
country; and thus all the Swedes were Harald's friends and helpers also,
for many great men were connected with him by relationship. So says
Thiodolf:

"Cross the East sea the vessel flew,--
Her oak-keel a white furrow drew
From Russia's coast to Swedish land.
Where Harald can great help command.
The heavy vessel's leeward side
Was hid beneath the rushing tide;
While the broad sail and gold-tipped mast
Swung to and fro in the hard blast."

19. KING HARALD'S FORAY.

Then Harald and Svein fitted out ships and gathered together a great
force; and when the troops were ready they sailed from the East towards
Denmark. So says Valgard:--

"Brave Yngve! to the land decreed
To thee by fate, with tempest speed
The winds fly with thee o'er the sea--
To thy own udal land with thee.
As past the Scanlan plains they fly,
The gay ships glances 'twixt sea and sky,
And Scanian brides look out, and fear
Some ill to those they hold most dear."

They landed first in Seeland with their men and herried and burned in
the land far and wide. Then they went to Fyen, where they also landed
and wasted. So says Valgard:--

"Harald! thou hast the isle laid waste,
The Seeland men away hast chased,
And the wild wolf by daylight roams
Through their deserted silent homes.
Fiona too could not withstand
The fury of thy wasting hand.
Helms burst, shields broke,--Fiona's bounds.
Were filled with death's terrific sounds.

"Red flashing in the southern sky,
The clear flame sweeping broad and high,
From fair Roeskilde's lofty towers,
On lowly huts its fire-rain pours;
And shows the housemates' silent train
In terror scouring o'er the plain,
Seeking the forest's deepest glen,
To house with wolves, and 'scape from men.

"Few were they of escape to tell,
For, sorrow-worn, the people fell:
The only captives form the fray
Were lovely maidens led away.
And in wild terror to the strand,
Down to the ships, the linked band
Of fair-haired gi