says Stein Herdison:--

"Danger our chief would never shun,
With eight score ships he would not run:
The Danish fleet he would abide,
And give close battle side by side.
From Leire's coast the Danish king
Three hundred ocean steeds could bring,
And o'er the sea-weed plain in haste
Thought Harald's vessels would be chased."

65. BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE OF NIS-RIVER.

As soon as King Harald was ready with his fleet, he orders the war-blast
to sound, and the men to row forward to the attack. So says Stein
Herdison:--

"Harald and Svein first met as foes,
Where the Nis in the ocean flows;
For Svein would not for peace entreat,
But, strong in ships, would Harald meet.
The Norsemen prove, with sword in hand,
That numbers cannot skill withstand.
Off Halland's coast the blood of Danes
The blue sea's calm smooth surface stains."

Soon the battle began, and became very sharp; both kings urging on their
men. So says Stein Herdison:--

"Our king, his broad shield disregarding,
More keen for striking than for warding,
Now tells his lads their spears to throw,--
Now shows them where to strike a blow.
From fleet to fleet so short the way,
That stones and arrows have full play;
And from the keen sword dropped the blood
Of short-lived seamen in the flood."

It was late in the day when the battle began, and it continued the
whole night. King Harald shot for a long time with his bow. So says
Thiodolf:--

"The Upland king was all the night
Speeding the arrows' deadly flight.
All in the dark his bow-string's twang
Was answered; for some white shield rang,
Or yelling shriek gave certain note
The shaft had pierced some ring-mail coat,
The foemen's shields and bulwarks bore
A Lapland arrow-scat(1) or more."

Earl Hakon, and the people who followed him, did not make fast their
ships in the fleet, but rowed against the Danish ships that were loose,
and slew the men of all the ships they came up with. When the Danes
observed this each drew his ship out of the way of the earl; but he set
upon those who were trying to escape, and they were nearly driven to
flight. Then a boat came rowing to the earl's ship and hailed him and
said that the other wing of King Harald's fleet was giving way and many
of their people had fallen. Then the earl rowed thither and gave so