Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway. Snorri Sturluson

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ set himself with his men-at-arms in the middle of the country—in the Fjord district, or in Sogn, or Hordaland, or Rogaland. Hakon placed Sigurd earl of Hlader over the whole Throradhjem district, as he and his father had before had it under Harald Harfager. When King Hakon heard of his brother Eirik's death, and also that his sons had no footing in England, he thought there was not much to fear from them, and he went with his troops one summer eastward to Viken. At that time the Danes plundered often in Viken, and wrought much evil there; but when they heard that King Hakon was come with a great army, they got out of the way, to Halland; and those who were nearest to King Hakon went out to sea, and over to Jotland (Jutland). When the king heard of this, he sailed after them with all his army. On arriving in Jutland he plundered all round; and when the country people heard of it, they assembled in a great body, and determined to defend their land, and fight. There was a great battle; and King Hakon fought so boldly, that he went forward before his banner without helmet or coat of mail. King Hakon won the victory, and drove the fugitives far up the country. So says Guthorm Sindre, in his song of Hakon:—

      "Furrowing the deep-blue sea with oars,

       The king pursues to Jutland's shores.

       They met; and in the battle storm

       Of clashing shields, full many a form

       Of goodly warrior on the plain,

       Full many a corpse by Hakon slain,

       Glutted the ravens, who from far,

       Scenting the banquet-feast of war,

       Came in black flocks to Jutland's plains

       To drink the blood-wine from the veins."

7. BATTLE IN EYRARSUND (THE SOUND).

       Table of Contents

      Then Hakon steered southwards with his fleet to seek the vikings, and so on to Sealand. He rowed with two cutters into the Eyrarsund, where he found eleven viking ships, and instantly attacked them. It ended in his gaining the victory, and clearing the viking ships of all their men. So says Guthorm Sindre:—

      "Hakon the Brave, whose skill all know

       To bend in battle storm the bow,

       Rushed o'er the waves to Sealand's tongue,

       His two war-ships with gilt shields hung,

       And cleared the decks with his blue sword

       That rules the fate of war, on board

       Eleven ships of the Vindland men.—

       Famous is Hakon's name since then."

8. KING HAKON'S EXPEDITION TO DENMARK.

       Table of Contents

      Thereafter King Hakon carried war far and wide in Sealand; plundering some, slaying others, taking some prisoners of war, taking ransom from others, and all without opposition. Then Hakon proceeded along the coast of Skane, pillaging everywhere, levying taxes and ransome from the country, and killing all vikings, both Danish and Vindish. He then went eastwards to the district of Gautland, marauded there, and took great ransom from the country. So says Guthorm Sindre:—

      "Hakon, who midst the battle shock

       Stands like a firmly-rooted oak,

       Subdued all Sealand with the sword:

       From Vindland vikings the sea-bord

       Of Scania swept; and, with the shield

       Of Odin clad, made Gautland yield

       A ransom of the ruddy gold,

       Which Hakon to his war-men bold

       Gave with free hand, who in his feud

       Against the arrow-storm had stood."

      King Hakon returned back in autumn with his army and an immense booty; and remained all the winter (A.D. 946) in Viken to defend it against the Danes and Gautlanders, if they should attack it.

9. OF KING TRYGVE.

       Table of Contents

      In the same winter King Trygve Olafson returned from a viking cruise in the West sea, having before ravaged in Ireland and Scotland. In spring (A.D. 946) King Hakon went north, and set his brother's son, King Trygve, over Viken to defend that country against enemies. He gave him also in property all that he could reconquer of the country in Denmark, which the summer before King Hakon had subjected to payment of scat to him. So says Guthorm:—

      "King Hakon, whose sharp sword dyes red

       The bright steel cap on many a head,

       Has set a warrior brave and stout

       The foreign foeman to keep out—

       To keep that green land safe from war

       Which black Night bore to dwarf Annar (1).

       For many a carle whose trade's to wield

       The battle-axe, and swing the shield,

       On the swan's ocean-skates has come,

       In white-winged ships, across the foam—

       Across the sea, from far Ireland,

       To war against the Norseman's land."

      ENDNOTES: (1) The dwarf Annar was the husband of Night, and Earth was

       their daughter.—L.

10. OF GUNHILD S SONS.

       Table of Contents

      King Harald Gormson ruled over Denmark at that time. He took it much amiss that King Hakon had made war in his dominions, and the report went that he would take revenge; but this did not take place so soon. When Gunhild and her sons heard there was enmity between Denmark and Norway, they began to turn their course from the West. They married King Eirik's daughter, Ragnhild, to Arnfin, a son of Thorfin Hausakljufer; and as soon as Eirik's sons went away, Thorfin took the earldom again over the Orkney Islands. Gamle Eirikson was somewhat older than the other brothers, but still he was not a grown man. When Gunhild and her sons came from the westward to Denmark, they were well received by King Harald. He gave them great fiefs in his kingdom, so that they could maintain themselves and their men very well. He also took Harald Eirikson to be his foster-son, set him on his knee, and thereafter he was brought up at the Danish king's court. СКАЧАТЬ