Norse Legends. Snorri Sturluson

dragged to the ships. All who could do so took to flight, and made no opposition. King Olaf committed there the greatest ravages. While Olaf was in Seeland, the news came that King Onund Olafson of Sweden had raised a levy, and fallen upon Scania, and was ravaging there; and then it became known what the resolution had been that the two kings had taken at the Gaut river, where they had concluded a union and friendship, and had bound themselves to oppose King Canute. King Onund continued his march until he met his brother-in-law King Olaf. When they met they made proclamation both to their own people and to the people of the country, that they intended to conquer Denmark; and asked the support of the people of the country for this purpose. And it happened, as we find examples of everywhere, that if hostilities are brought upon the people of a country not strong enough to withstand, the greatest number will submit to the conditions by which peace can be purchased at any rate. So it happened here that many men went into the service of the kings, and agreed to submit to them. Wheresoever they went they laid the country all round subjection to them, and otherwise laid waste all with fire and sword.

      Of this foray Sigvat the skald speaks, in a ballad he composed concerning King Canute the Great:—

      "'Canute is on the sea!'

       The news is told,

       And the Norsemen bold

       Repeat it with great glee.

       And it runs from mouth to mouth—

       'On a lucky day

       We came away

       From Throndhjem to the south.'

       Across the cold East sea,

       The Swedish king

       His host did bring,

       To gain great victory.

       King Onund came to fight,

       In Seeland's plains,

       Against the Danes,

       With his steel-clad men so bright.

       Canute is on the land;

       Side to side

       His long-ships ride

       Along the yellow strand.

       Where waves wash the green banks,

       Mast to mast,

       All bound fast,

       His great fleet lies in ranks."

      156. OF KING CANUTE THE GREAT.

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      King Canute had heard in England that King Olaf of Norway had called out a levy, and had gone with his forces to Denmark, and was making great ravages in his dominions there. Canute began to gather people, and he had speedily collected a great army and a numerous fleet. Earl Hakon was second in command over the whole.

      Sigvat the skald came this summer (A.D. 1027) from the West, from Ruda (Rouen) in Valland, and with him was a man called Berg. They had made a merchant voyage there the summer before. Sigvat had made a little poem about this journey, called "The Western Traveller's Song," which begins thus:—

      "Berg! many a merry morn was pass'd,

       When our vessel was made fast,

       And we lay on the glittering tide

       or Rouen river's western side."

      When Sigvat came to England he went directly to King Canute, and asked his leave to proceed to Norway; for King Canute had forbidden all merchant vessels to sail until he himself was ready with his fleet. When Sigvat arrived he went to the house in which the king was lodged; but the doors were locked, and he had to stand a long time outside, but when he got admittance he obtained the permission he desired. He then sang:—

      "The way to Jutland's king I sought;

       A little patience I was taught.

       The doors were shut—all full within;

       The udaller could not get in.

       But Gorm's great son did condescend

       To his own chamber me to send,

       And grant my prayer—although I'm one

       Whose arms the fetters' weight have known."

      When Sigvat became aware that King Canute was equipping an armament against King Olaf, and knew what a mighty force King Canute had, he made these lines:—

      "The mighty Canute, and Earl Hakon,

       Have leagued themselves, and counsel taken

       Against King Olaf's life,

       And are ready for the strife.

       In spite of king and earl, I say,

       'I love him well—may he get away:'

       On the Fields, wild and dreary,

       With him I'd live, and ne'er be weary."

      Sigvat made many other songs concerning this expedition of Canute and Hakon. He made this among others:—

      "'Twas not the earl's intention then

       'Twixt Olaf and the udalmen

       Peace to establish, and the land

       Upright to hold with Northman's hand;

       But ever with deceit and lies

       Eirik's descendant, Hakon, tries

       To make ill-will and discontent,

       Till all the udalmen are bent

       Against King Olaf's rule to rise."

      157. OF KING CANUTE'S SHIP THE DRAGON.

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      Canute the Great was at last ready with his fleet, and left the land; and a vast number of men he had, and ships frightfully large. He himself had a dragon-ship, so large that it had sixty banks of rowers, and the head was gilt all over. Earl Hakon had another dragon of forty banks, and it also had a gilt figure-head. The sails of both were in stripes of blue, red, and green, and the vessels were painted all above the water-stroke; and all that belonged to their equipment was most splendid. They had also many other huge ships remarkably well fitted out, and grand. Sigvat the skald talks of this in his song on Canute:—

      "Canute is out beneath the sky—

       Canute of the clear blue eye!

       The king is out on the ocean's breast,

       Leading his grand fleet from the West.

       On to the East the ship-masts glide,

       Glancing and bright each long-ship's side.

       The conqueror of great Ethelred,

       Canute, is there, his foemen's dread:

       His dragon with her sails of blue,

       All bright and brilliant to the view,

       High hoisted on the yard arms wide,

       Carries great Canute o'er the tide.

       Brave is the royal progress—fast

       The proud ship's keel obeys the mast,

       Dashes through foam, and gains the land,

       Raising a surge on Limfjord's strand."

      It is related that King Canute sailed with this vast force from England, and came with all his force safely to Denmark, where he went into Limfjord, and there he found gathered besides a large army of the men of the country.

      158. HARDAKNUT TAKEN TO BE KING IN DENMARK.

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