456 SOME EXPEDITIONS AND DEEDS OF GREAT VIKINGS. 



gathered men from Denmark, Gautland, and all the realms 

 they ruled over, and having drawn together an enormous 

 host, they sailed to England, and stopped neither night nor 

 day, as they did not want their journey to be heard of. The 

 news, however, reached Ella, who summoned his men, but got 

 few, for Ivar had drawn many from him. Ivar went to him 

 and said he would do what he had sworn, but could not rule 

 over his brothers' doings, though he might see them and find 

 out if they would withdraw the host and do no more harm. 

 He went to them and urged them to go forward and engage in 

 a battle, for the king had much fewer men. They answered 

 that he need not urge them on, as their mind was the same. 

 Ivar told King Ella that they were so eager and incensed that 

 they would not listen to his words. ' When I wanted to 

 reconcile you they remonstrated ; I will do as 1 swore, and not 

 fight against thee ; I and my men will be quiet while the 

 battle goes as it may.' Ella saw the host of the brothers, 

 which ran forward in great haste. Ivar said: 'Now, King 

 Ella, array thy men, as I foresee they will make a severe 

 attack for some time.' When they met there was a great 

 fight, and the sons of Kagiiar rushed fiercely forward through 

 the ranks of Ella's host, and they were so eager that they only 

 thought of doing as much as they could, and the battle was 

 both long and hard. At last Ella and his men fled, and he 

 was taken. Ivar was present, and told them how to slay him. 

 He said : ' Now it is time to remember what kind of death he 

 chose for our father; the man who is best skilled in wood- 

 carving shall mark an eagle as deep as he can on his back, and 

 that eagle shall be reddened with his blood.' The man who 

 was told to do this did as Ivar said. Ella got so deep a wound 

 by this that he died, and now it seemed to them they had 

 avenged their lather. Ivar said he would give them his part 

 in their realm, but rule England himself. 



" Thereupon Hvitserk, Bjorn and Sigurd went home to their 

 realm, and Ivar remained and ruled over England. After this 

 their host was less concentrated, and they made warfare in 

 various countries. Once Hvitserk, when his mother Kandalm 

 was old, made warfare in eastern lands, and such an over- 

 whelming force met him that he could not raise his shield, 

 and was captured. He chose as the means of his death that 

 a pyre should be made of human heads, and he be burnt on it ; 

 and thus he died. When Kandalin heard this, she sang : 



' A son whom I owned 

 Met death in the eastern lands ; 

 Hvitserk was he called, 

 Nowhere willing to flee; 



He was warmed by the heads 

 Of men slain in battle ; 

 The strong-minded chief 

 Chose that death before he died.' 



