nst the Serpent's gallant crew.
And still fresh foemen, it is said,
Earl Eirik to her long side led;
Whole armies of his Danes and Swedes,
Wielding on high their blue sword-blades."

Then the fight became most severe, and many people fell. But at last it
came to this, that all King Olaf Trygvason's ships were cleared of men
except the Long Serpent, on board of which all who could still carry
their arms were gathered. Then Earl Eirik lay with his ship by the side
of the Serpent, and the fight went on with battle-axe and sword. So says
Haldor:--

"Hard pressed on every side by foes,
The Serpent reels beneath the blows;
Crash go the shields around the bow!
Breast-plates and breasts pierced thro' and thro!
In the sword-storm the Holm beside,
The earl's ship lay alongside
The king's Long Serpent of the sea--
Fate gave the earl the victory."

117. OF EARL EIRIK.

Earl Eirik was in the forehold of his ship, where a cover of shields (1)
had been set up. In the fight, both hewing weapons, sword, and axe, and
the thrust of spears had been used; and all that could be used as weapon
for casting was cast. Some used bows, some threw spears with the hand.
So many weapons were cast into the Serpent, and so thick flew spears and
arrows, that the shields could scarcely receive them, for on all sides
the Serpent was surrounded by war-ships. Then King Olaf's men became so
mad with rage, that they ran on board of the enemies ships, to get at
the people with stroke of sword and kill them; but many did not lay
themselves so near the Serpent, in order to escape the close encounter
with battle-axe or sword; and thus the most of Olaf's men went overboard
and sank under their weapons, thinking they were fighting on plain
ground. So says Halfred:--

"The daring lads shrink not from death;--
O'erboard they leap, and sink beneath
The Serpent's keel: all armed they leap,
And down they sink five fathoms deep.
The foe was daunted at the cheers;
The king, who still the Serpent steers,
In such a strait--beset with foes--
Wanted but some more lads like those."

ENDNOTES: (1) Both in land and sea fights the commanders appear to have
been protected from missile weapons,--stones, arrows,
spears,--by a shieldburg: that is, by a party of men
bearing shields surrounding them in such a way that the
shields were a parape