r so small a
number. The Danes then began again to stretch out lustily at their oars.
When King Harald saw that the Danish ships went faster he ordered his
men to lighten their ships, and cast overboard malt, wheat, bacon, and
to let their liquor run out, which helped a little. Then Harald ordered
the bulwarkscreens, the empty casks and puncheons and the prisoners to
be thrown overboard; and when all these were driving about on the sea,
Svein ordered help to be given to save the men. This was done; but so
much time was lost that they separated from each other. The Danes turned
back and the Northmen proceeded on their way. So says Thorleik the
Fair:--

"Svein drove his foes from Jutland's coast,--
The Norsemen's ships would have been lost,
But Harald all his vessels saves,
Throwing his booty on the waves.
The Jutlanders saw, as he threw,
Their own goods floating in their view;
His lighten'd ships fly o'er the main
While they pick up their own again."

King Svein returned southwards with his ships to Hlesey, where he found
seven ships of the Northmen, with bondes and men of the levy. When
King Svein came to them they begged for mercy, and offered ransom for
themselves. So says Thorleik the Fair:--

"The stern king's men good offers make,
If Svein will ransom for them take;
Too few to fight, they boldly say
Unequal force makes them give way.
The hasty bondes for a word
Would have betaken them to the sword,
And have prolonged a bloody strife--
Such men can give no price for life."

36. OF HARALD.

King Harald was a great man, who ruled his kingdom well in
home-concerns. Very prudent was he, of good understanding; and it is the
universal opinion that no chief ever was in northern lands of such deep
judgment and ready counsel as Harald. He was a great warrior; bold in
arms; strong and expert in the use of his weapons beyond any others, as
has been before related, although many of the feats of his manhood are
not here written down. This is owing partly to our uncertainty about
them, partly to our wish not to put stories into this book for which
there is no testimony. Although we have heard, many things talked about,
and even circumstantially related, yet we think it better that something
may be added to, than that it should be necessary to take something
away from our narrative. A great part of his history is put in verse
by Icela