mpling on many a stout foe's neck;
And high above the dinning stound
Of helm and axe, and ringing sound
Of blade and shield, and raven's cry,
Is heard his shout of 'Victory!'"

Of King Harald's men, fell his earls Asgaut and Asbjorn, together with
his brothers-in-law, Grjotgard and Herlaug, the sons of Earl Hakon of
Lade. Solve became afterwards a great sea-king, and often did great
damage in King Harald's dominions.

12. KING VEMUND BURNT TO DEATH.

After this battle (A.D. 868) King Harald subdued South More; but Vemund,
King Audbjorn's brother, still had Firdafylke. It was now late in
harvest, and King Harald's men gave him the counsel not to proceed
south-wards round Stad. Then King Harald set Earl Ragnvald over South
and North More and also Raumsdal, and he had many people about him. King
Harald returned to Throndhjem. The same winter (A.D. 869) Ragnvald went
over Eid, and southwards to the Fjord district. There he heard news of
King Vemund, and came by night to a place called Naustdal, where King
Vemund was living in guest-quarters. Earl Ragnvald surrounded the house
in which they were quartered, and burnt the king in it, together with
ninety men. The came Berdlukare to Earl Ragnvald with a complete armed
long-ship, and they both returned to More. The earl took all the ships
Vemund had, and all the goods he could get hold of. Berdlukare proceeded
north to Throndhjem to King Harald, and became his man; and dreadful
berserk he was.

13. DEATH OF EARLS HAKON, AND ATLE MJOVE.

The following spring (A.D. 869) King Harald went southwards with his
fleet along the coast, and subdued Firdafylke. Then he sailed eastward
along the land until he came to Vik; but he left Earl Hakon Grjotgardson
behind, and set him over the Fjord district. Earl Hakon sent word to
Earl Atle Mjove that he should leave Sogn district, and be earl over
Gaular district, as he had been before, alleging that King Harald had
given Sogn district to him. Earl Atle sent word that he would keep both
Sogn district and Gaular district, until he met King Harald. The two
earls quarreled about this so long, that both gathered troops. They met
at Fialar, in Stavanger fiord, and had a great battle, in which Earl
Hakon fell, and Earl Atle got a mortal wound, and his men carried him to
the island of Atley, where he died. So says Eyvind Skaldaspiller:--

"He who stood a rooted oak,
Unshaken by the swordsman's stroke,