"Richer presents," said she, "Gave King Harald Gormson To the Queen, my mother, Than such worthless weeds;"When he ravaged Norway, Laying waste the kingdom, Seizing scatt and treasure For her royal needs.
"But thou darest not venture Through the Sound to Vendland, My domains to rescue From King Burislaf;"Lest King Svend of Denmark, Forked Beard, my brother, Scatter all thy vessels As the wind the chaff."Then up sprang King Olaf, Like a reindeer bounding, With an oath he answered Thus the luckless Queen:
"Never yet did Olaf Fear King Svend of Denmark;This right hand shall hale him By his forked chin!"Then he left the chamber, Thundering through the doorway, Loud his steps resounded Down the outer stair.
Smarting with the insult, Through the streets of Drontheim Strode he red and wrathful, With his stately air.
All his ships he gathered, Summoned all his forces, Making his war levy In the region round;Down the coast of Norway, Like a flock of sea-gulls, Sailed the fleet of Olaf Through the Danish Sound.
With his own hand fearless, Steered he the Long Serpent, Strained the creaking cordage, Bent each boom and gaff;Till in Venland landing, The domains of Thyri He redeemed and rescued From King Burislaf.
Then said Olaf, laughing, "Not ten yoke of oxen Have the power to draw us Like a woman's hair!
"Now will I confess it, Better things are jewels Than angelica stalks are For a Queen to wear."XVII
KING SVEND OF THE FORKED BEAR
Loudly the sailors cheered Svend of the Forked Beard, As with his fleet he steered Southward to Vendland;Where with their courses hauled All were together called, Under the Isle of Svald Near to the mainland.
After Queen Gunhild's death, So the old Saga saith, Plighted King Svend his faith To Sigrid the Haughty;And to avenge his bride, Soothing her wounded pride, Over the waters wide King Olaf sought he.
Still on her scornful face, Blushing with deep disgrace, Bore she the crimson trace Of Olaf's gauntlet;Like a malignant star, Blazing in heaven afar, Red shone the angry scar Under her frontlet.
Oft to King Svend she spake, "For thine own honor's sake Shalt thou swift vengeance take On the vile coward!"Until the King at last, Gusty and overcast, Like a tempestuous blast Threatened and lowered.
Soon as the Spring appeared, Svend of the Forked Beard High his red standard reared, Eager for battle;While every warlike Dane, Seizing his arms again, Left all unsown the grain, Unhoused the cattle.
Likewise the Swedish King Summoned in haste a Thing, Weapons and men to bring In aid of Denmark;Erie the Norseman, too, As the war-tidings flew, Sailed with a chosen crew From Lapland and Finmark.
So upon Easter day Sailed the three kings away, Out of the sheltered bay, In the bright season;With them Earl Sigvald came, Eager for spoil and fame;Pity that such a name Stooped to such treason!
Safe under Svald at last, Now were their anchors cast, Safe from the sea and blast, Plotted the three kings;While, with a base intent, Southward Earl Sigvald went, On a foul errand bent, Unto the Sea-kings.
Thence to hold on his course, Unto King Olaf's force, Lying within the hoarse Mouths of Stet-haven;Him to ensnare and bring, Unto the Danish king, Who his dead corse would fling Forth to the raven!
XVIII
KING OLAF AND EARL SIGVALD
On the gray sea-sands King Olaf stands, Northward and seaward He points with his hands.
With eddy and whirl The sea-tides curl, Washing the sandals Of Sigvald the Earl.
The mariners shout, The ships swing about, The yards are all hoisted, The sails flutter out.
The war-horns are played, The anchors are weighed, Like moths in the distance The sails flit and fade.
The sea is like lead The harbor lies dead, As a corse on the sea-shore, Whose spirit has fled!
On that fatal day, The histories say, Seventy vessels Sailed out of the bay.
But soon scattered wide O'er the billows they ride, While Sigvald and Olaf Sail side by side.
Cried the Earl: "Follow me!
I your pilot will be, For I know all the channels Where flows the deep sea!"So into the strait Where his foes lie in wait, Gallant King Olaf Sails to his fate!
Then the sea-fog veils The ships and their sails;Queen Sigrid the Haughty, Thy vengeance prevails!
XIX
KING OLAF'S WAR-HORNS
"Strike the sails!" King Olaf said;
"Never shall men of mine take flight;
Never away from battle I fled, Never away from my foes!
Let God dispose Of my life in the fight!""Sound the horns!" said Olaf the King;
And suddenly through the drifting brume The blare of the horns began to ring, Like the terrible trumpet shock Of Regnarock, On the Day of Doom!
Louder and louder the war-horns sang Over the level floor of the flood;All the sails came down with a clang, And there in the mist overhead The sun hung red As a drop of blood.
Drifting down on the Danish fleet Three together the ships were lashed, So that neither should turn and retreat;In the midst, but in front of the rest The burnished crest Of the Serpent flashed.
King Olaf stood on the quarter-deck, With bow of ash and arrows of oak, His gilded shield was without a fleck, His helmet inlaid with gold, And in many a fold Hung his crimson cloak.
On the forecastle Ulf the Red Watched the lashing of the ships;"If the Serpent lie so far ahead, We shall have hard work of it here, Said he with a sneer On his bearded lips.
King Olaf laid an arrow on string, "Have I a coward on board?" said he.
"Shoot it another way, O King!"
Sullenly answered Ulf, The old sea-wolf;"You have need of me!"
In front came Svend, the King of the Danes, Sweeping down with his fifty rowers;To the right, the Swedish king with his thanes;And on board of the Iron Beard Earl Eric steered To the left with his oars.
"These soft Danes and Swedes," said the King, "At home with their wives had better stay, Than come within reach of my Serpent's sting:
