BATTLE OF SVOLD. 195 



went down from the lypting into the foreroorn and unlocked 

 the high-seat chest, and took therefrom many bright and sharp 

 swords, which he gave to his men. As he put down his right 

 hand they saw that blood flowed out of the sleeve of the coat- 

 of-mail, but no one knew where he was wounded. 



" Hard and bloody was the defence of the foreroom men and 

 the stem-defenders, for in both those places the gunwale was 

 highest and the men picked. When the fall of men began on 

 the Serpent, it was first amidships, mostly from wounds and 

 exhaustion, and men say that if these brave men could have 

 kept up their defence the Serpent would never have been 

 won. 



" When only a few were left on the Serpent around the 

 mast amidships, Eirik Jarl boarded it with fourteen men. 

 Then came against him the king's brother-in-law, Hyrning, 

 with his followers, and between them ensued a hard struggle, 

 for Hyrning fought very boldly. It thus ended that Eirik 

 Jarl retreated on to the Bardi ; but of those who had followed 

 him, some fell, and some were wounded ; and Hyrning (Thor 

 image) and Eirik Jarl became much renowned from this 

 fight. . . . 



" Eirik Jarl took off the Bardi the dead and wounded, and 

 in their stead brought fresh and rested men, whom he selected 

 from among Swedes and Danes. It is also said by some 

 that the Jarl had promised to let himself be baptized if he 

 won the Serpent ; and it is a proof of their statement that he 

 threw away Thor and put up in his place a crucifix in the 

 stem of the Bardi. When he had prepared his men, he said 

 to a wise and powerful chief who was present, Thorkel the 

 high, brother of Sigvaldi Jarl : ' Often have I been in battles, 

 and never have I before found men equally brave and so 

 skilled in fighting as those on the Serpent, nor have I seen a 

 ship so hard to win. Now as thou art one of the wisest of men, 

 give me the best advice thou knowest how the Serpent may 

 be won.' Thorkel replied : ' I cannot give thee sure advice 

 thereon, but I can say what seems to me best to do. Thou 

 must take large timbers, and let them fall from thy ship upon 

 the gunwale of the Serpent, so that it will lean over; you will 

 then find it easier to board the Serpent, if its gunwale is no 

 higher than those of the other ships. I can give thee no 

 other advice, if this will not do.' The Jarl carried out what 

 Thorkel had told him. . . . 



"When Eirik Jarl was ready he attacked the Serpent a 

 second time, and all the Danish and Swedish host again made an 

 onset on King Olaf Try ggvason ; the Swedes placed their prows 

 close to the Serpent, but the greatest part of the host was 



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