KINGS OF NORWAY. 209 Made me leave home, saga xiii. And here to come. This shaft, I know. Shot from elm bow, Will hinder me My Ash* to see." There fell nearly sixty of King Harald's court-men, and he himself fled eastward to Yiken to his ships, and went out of the country to King Eric in Denmark. So says Halldor Skualldre : — " Thou who in battle-field hast striven Now to thy ocean-steed art driven. And o'er the blue field now must ride To meet King Eric in his pride. The smooth-tongued Jutland king, who reigns O'er the brave men of Holstein's plains, Will give thee troops again to vie — Again with Magnus strength to try. So says also Einar Skulason : —
- ' The youth who scatters, frank and free.
The shining gold — fire of the sea — Seeks Scania's sand o'er the blue meads, The fields in which the grey fish feeds; He who the witches' horses stills. Ravens and wolves, and their maws fills. To the great king of Denmark hies, — To get his armed aid he tries." t King Harald sought the Danish king Eric Eymund, to obtain help and aid from him ; and they met in Smoland. King Eric received him well, and prin- cipally because they had sworn to each other to be as brothers J; and gave him Halland as a fief to rule over, and gave him seven long-ships, but mthout equipment. Thereafter King Harald went northwards throuo:h Halland, and manv Northmen came to meet him. After this battle King Magnus subdued the
- A pun seems intended on the name of his house— ^ Ask, the ash.
I The whole of this strophe is merely to say that Harald sought refuge with King Eric.
- |: These brotherhoods, by which one man was bound by oath to aid
or avenge another, were common in the middle ages among all ranks, " Sworn brothers " is still a common expression with us. VOL. III. P
