BATTLE OF STAMFOIW BRIDGE. .'.nil 



than that thou shouldst not join him he will give thee one- 

 third of all his realm.' The jarl replied : ' Then something 

 else is offered than the enmity and disgrace of last winter ; if 

 this had been offered then, many who now are dead would 1- 

 alive, and the realm of the King of England would stand more 

 firm. Now if I accept these terms, what will my brother 1 1;irald 

 offer to the King of Norway for his trouble? ' The horseman 

 answered: 'He has said what he will grant King Uarald 

 Sigurdarson : it is a space of seven feet, and it is so long 

 because he is taller than most other men.' : The jarl answered : 

 ' Go and tell my brother, King Harald, to prepare for battle ; 

 it shall not be said among Northmen that Tosti jarl left Harald, 

 King of Norway, and went into the host of his foes when he 

 made warfare in England ; rather will we all resolve to die 

 with honour, or win England with a victory.' As the horse- 

 men rode back to their host, King Harald asked the jarl : 'Who 

 was that eloquent man ? ' 'It was my brother, Harald, son of 

 Godwin.' The king said : ' Too long was this hidden from us, 

 for they had come so near our host that this Harald would not 

 have been able to tell of the death of our men.' 1 The jarl said : 

 ' It is true, lord, that he acted incautiously, and I saw that it 

 might have been as you said ; but when he came to offer me 

 peace and great power, I should have been his slayer if I had 

 betrayed who he was ; I acted thus because I will rather suffer 

 death from my brother, than be his slayer, if I may choose.' 

 The king said to his men : ' This man (Harald) was little 

 and nimble, and stood proudly in the stirrups.' Then King 

 Harald Hardradi went into the ring (circle) of the shieldburgh 

 and sang this stanza : 



' Forth we go The helmets shine, 



In the array ; I have not mine (brynja, namely) 



Armour-less Now lies our war-dress 



Under the blue edge ; Down on the ships.' 



" Emma was his brynja called ; it was so long that it 

 reached to the middle of his leg, and so strong that never 

 had a weapon stuck in it. The king said: This song was 

 badly composed, and I will sing a better one.' He sang :- 



' Not that we crouch To carry the helmet-stem (= the 



From the clash of weapons head) 



In the bight of the shield ; High in the din of metals ( = fight) 



Thus bade to fight the word-true Where the ice of Hlokk (sword) met 



Hild. with heads.' 

 The woman (Hild) asked me early 



1 Meaning that if he had been known he would have been slain. 



