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 ordered 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 England was difficult to attack; that it was very full of
people; and the men-at-arms, who were called Thingmen, 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 for one Thingman fly for life,
My lovely Norse maid, in my youth
We thought the opposite the truth."

Ulf the marshal died that spring (A.D. 1066). King Harald stood over
his grave, and said, as he was leaving it, "There lies now the truest of
men, and the most devoted to his king."

Earl Toste sailed in spring west to Flanders, to meet the people who had
left England with him, and others besides who had gathered to him both
out of England and Flanders.

83. GYRD'S DREAMS.

King Harald's fleet assembled at the Solunds. When King Harald was ready
to leave Nidaros he went to King Olaf's shrine, unlocked it, clipped his
hair and nails, and locked the shrine again, and threw the keys into the
Nid. Some say he threw them overboard outside of Agdanes; and since then
the shrine of Saint Olaf, the king, has never been opened. Thirty-five
years had passed since he was slain; and he lived thirty-five years
here on earth (A.D. 1080-1066). King Harald sailed with his ships he
had about him to the south to meet his people, and a great fleet was
collected; so that, according to the people's reckoning, King Harald had
nearly 200 ships beside provision-ships and small craft.

While they lay at the Solunds a man called Gyrd, on board the king's
ship, had a dream. He thought he was standing in the king's ship and saw
a great witch-wife