rthmen's daring plan."

Audunraude, Erling's forecastle-man, was the first man who got into the
dromund. Then they carried her, killing an immense number of people;
making an extraordinarily valuable booty, and gaining a famous victory.
Earl Ragnvald and Erling Skakke came to Palestine in the course of their
expedition, and all the way to the river Jordan. From thence they
went first to Constantinople, where they left their ships, travelled
northwards by land, and arrived in safety in Norway, where their journey
was highly praised. Erling Skakke appeared now a much greater man than
before, both on account of his journey and of his marriage; besides he
was a prudent sensible man, rich, of great family, eloquent, and devoted
to King Inge by the strictest friendship more than to the other royal
brothers.

18. BIRTH OF HAKON HERDEBREID.

King Sigurd went to a feast east in Viken along with his court, and rode
past a house belonging to a great bonde called Simon. While the king was
riding past the house, he heard within such beautiful singing that he
was quite enchanted with it, and rode up to the house, and saw a lovely
girl standing at the handmill and grinding. The king got off his horse,
and went to the girl and courted her. When the king went away, the bonde
Simon came to know what the object of the king's visit had been. The
girl was called Thora, and she was Simon the bonde's servant-girl. Simon
took good care of her afterwards, and the girl brought forth a male
child (A.D. 1047), who was called Hakon, and was considered King
Sigurd's son. Hakon was brought up by Simon Thorbergson and his wife
Gunhild. Their own sons also, Onund and Andreas, were brought up with
Hakon, and were so dear to him that death only could have parted them.

19. EYSTEIN AND THE PEASANTS OF HISING ISLE.

While King Eystein Haraldson was in Viken, he fell into disputes with
the bondes of Reine and the inhabitants of Hising Isle, who assembled
to oppose him; but he gave them battle at a place called Leikberg, and
afterwards burnt and destroyed all around in Hising; so that the
bondes submitted to his will, paid great fines to the king, and he took
hostages from them. So says Einar Skulason:--

"The Viken men
Won't strive again,
With words or blows,
The king to oppose.
None safety found
On Viken's ground,
Till all, afraid,
Pledge and scat paid."

And further:--

"The king came