"Brave were thy words in battle-field,
Thou stainer of the snow-white shield!—
Thou gallant war-god! With thy voice
Thou couldst the dying man rejoice:
The cheer of Harald could impart
Courage and life to every heart.
While swinging high the blood-smeared sword,
By arm and voice we knew our lord."
There fell Harald Grey skin. So says Glum Geirason:—
"On Lymfiord's strand, by the tide's flow,
Stern Fate has laid King Harald low;
The gallant viking-cruiser—he
Who loved the isle-encircling sea.
The generous ruler of the land
Fell at the narrow Lymfiord strand,
Enticed by Hakon's cunning speech
To his death-bed on Lymfiord's beach."
The most of King Harald's men fell with him. There also fell Herse Asbiorn.
This happened fifteen years[1] after the death of ITakon Atheistan's foster-son, and thirteen years after that of Sigurd earl of Lade. The priest Are Frode says that Earl Hakon was thirteen years earl over his father's dominions in Drontheim district before the fall of Harald Greyskin; but, for the last six years of Harald Grey skin's life, Are Frode says the Earl Hakon and Gunhild's sons fought against each other, and drove each other out of the land in turns.
Chapter XIV.
Gold Harald's death.
Soon after Harald Greyskin's fall, Earl Hakon came up to Gold Harald, and the earl immediately gave battle to Harald. Hakon gained the victory, and Harald was made prisoner; but Hakon had him immediately hanged on a gallows. Flakon then went to the Danish king, and no doubt easily settled with him for the killing his relative Gold Harald.
- ↑ This brings the reign of Harald Greyskin to about the year 975.
