rine of the sainted King Olaf.

King Magnus had been of middle height, with a countenance ruddy and
frank, fair-haired was he, and eloquent; quick to think, strong to
decide, bounteous to give; withal a mighty man of war and very valiant
to boot; of all Kings was he the most beloved, & praised was he alike by
friend and foe.

|| That autumn also was Svein Ulfson in Skani & was minded to fare
eastward to the realm of Sweden; moreover thought he that he would lay
down the title of King which he had taken to himself in Denmark.
Peradventure as he was mounting his horse rode certain men up to him &
told unto him the tidings that King Magnus was dead, and how that all
the host of Norway had quitted clean from Denmark.

To this made Svein hasty answer & said: 'I call God to witness that
never hereafter will I flee the realm of Denmark even so long as I
live.' Therewithal mounted he his horse & rode southwards in Skani, & to
him were forthwith many folk gathered. That winter conquered he the
whole of Denmark, & all the Danes took him for their King. Thorir, the
brother of King Magnus, came to Svein with the message of King Magnus,
as has been afore writ, & Svein received Thorir with good countenance;
tarried he long with Svein and it was well with him.

|| After the death of King Magnus Olafson, had King Harald Sigurdson
possession of the whole realm of Norway.

And when he had ruled over Norway for one winter, & the spring was again
incomen mustered he men from out of all the land, one half of the
general host in men & ships, & thence sailed south to Jutland where he
harried & burned even very widely; that same summer hove he to in
Godnarfjord. At that time made King Harald this verse:

'While the linen-white woman
Her song chants to her goodman,
The anchor of the oaken ship
We drop in Godnarfjord.'

Then spake he to Thiodolf, and bade him add thereunto; and he sang:

'Next summer (foretell I)
The anchor more southward
Shall hold the ship with its fluke;
Deeper shall we cast it.'

And Bolverk in his lay mentions that Harald fared to Denmark the summer
following on King Magnus's death:

'From that fair land the year thereafter
A muster called'st thou out;
When thou ploughed'st the seas
With sea-steeds full splendid.
On darksome billow lay
The dragons precious, and uneasy
The host thereof saw off land
laden were the war-ships of the Danes.'

|| It was at that time th