of Stcige. 118 CHRONICLE OF THE SAO A XI. The houses burn, The people mourn, Through Halland wide around. ' " The Norse king strides in flame. Through Viskadal he came; The fire sweeps. The widow weeps. The Norse king strides in flame." Here it is told that King Magnus made the greatest devastation through Halland. Chapter There was a man called Swend, a son of Harald ofThorer Flctt. Hc was a Danish man by family, a great viking and champion, and a very clever man, and of high birth in his own country. He had been some time with King Hakon Magnusson, and was very dear to him; but after King Hakon' s decease Thorer of Steige, his foster-father, had no great confidence in any treaty or friendship with King Magnus, if the whole country came into his power, on account of the position in which Thorer had stood to King Magnus, and the opposition he had made to him. Thereupon Thorer and Swend took counsel with each other, which they afterwards carried into effect, — to raise, with Thorer's assistance, and his men, a troop against Magnus. But as Thorer was old and heavy, Swend took the command, and name of leader of the troop. In this design several chiefs took part, among whom the principal was Egil Aslaksson of Aurland. Egil Avas a lenderman, and married to Ingeborg, a daughter of Ogmund Thorbergsson, a sister of Skopte of Gizko. The rich and powerful man Skialg Erlingsson from Jederen also joined their party. Thorkel Hammer- scald speaks of this in his ballad of Magnus : — " Thorer and Egil were not wise, — They aimed too high to win a prize : There was no reason in their plan. And it hurt many a udalman. The stone, too great for them to throw. Fell back, and hurt them with the blow ; And now the udalmen must rue That to their friends they were so true.'
