第204章

Around this castle there were great ditches, so that it evidently could not be taken by the same device as the former; and they lay a long time before it without doing anything.When the castle-men saw this they became bolder, drew up their array on the castle walls, threw open the castle gates, and shouted to the Varings, urging them, and jeering at them, and telling them to come into the castle, and that they were no more fit for battle than so many poultry.Harald told his men to make as if they did not know what to do, or did not understand what was said."For,"says he, "if we do make an assault we can effect nothing, as they can throw their weapons under their feet among us; and if we get in the castle with a party of our people, they have it in their power to shut them in.and shut out the others; for they have all the castle gates beset with men.We shall therefore show them the same scorn they show us, and let them see we do not fear them.Our men shall go out upon the plain nearest to the castle;taking care, however, to keep out of bow-shot.All our men shall go unarmed, and be playing with each other, so that the castle-men may see we do not regard them or their array." Thus it went on for some days, without anything being done.

9.OF ULF AND HALDOR.

Two Iceland men were then with Harald; the one was Haldor (1), a son of the gode Snorre, who brought this account to Iceland; the other was Ulf Uspakson, a grandson of Usvifer Spake.Both were very strong men, bold under arms, and Harald's best friends; and both were in this play.Now when some days were passed the castle people showed more courage, and would go without weapons upon the castle wall, while the castle gates were standing open.

The Varings observing this, went one day to their sports with the sword under their cloaks, and the helmet under their hats.After playing awhile they observed that the castle people were off their guard; and instantly seizing their weapons, they made at the castle gate.When the men of the castle saw this they went against them armed completely, and a battle began in the castle gate.The Varings had no shields, but wrapped their cloaks round their left arms.Some of them were wounded, some killed, and all stood in great danger.Now came Harald with the men who had remained in the camp, to the assistance of his people; and the castle-men had now got out upon the walls, from which they shot and threw stones down upon them; so that there was a severe battle, and those who were in the castle gates thought that help was brought them slower than they could have wished.When Harald came to the castle gate his standard-bearer fell, and Harald said to Haldor, "Do thou take up the banner now." Haldor took up the banner, and said foolishly, "Who will carry the banner before thee, if thou followest it so timidly as thou hast done for a while?" But these were words more of anger than of truth; for Harald was one of the boldest of men under arms.Then they pressed in, and had a hard battle in the castle; and the end was that Harald gained the victory and took the castle.Haldor was much wounded in the face, and it gave him great pain as long as he lived.

ENDNOTES:

(1) One of the descendants of this Haldor was Snorre Sturlason, the author of "Heimskring1a".

10.BATTLE AT A FOURTH CASTLE.

The fourth castle which Harald came to was the greatest of all we have been speaking about.It was so strong that there was no possibility of breaking into it.They surrounded the castle, so that no supplies could get into it.When they had remained here a short time Harald fell sick, and he betook himself to his bed.

He had his tent put up a little from the camp, for he found quietness and rest out of the clamour and clang of armed men.

His men went usually in companies to or from him to hear his orders; and the castle people observing there was something new among the Varings, sent out spies to discover what this might mean.When the spies came back to the castle they had to tell of the illness of the commander of the Varings, and that no assault on that account had been made on the castle.A while after Harald's strength began to fail, at which his men were very melancholy and cast down; all which was news to the castle-men.

At last Harald's sickness increased so rapidly that his death was expected through all the army.Thereafter the Varings went to the castle-men; told them, in a parley, of the death of their commander; and begged of the priests to grant him burial in the castle.When the castle people heard this news, there were many among them who ruled over cloisters or other great establishments within the place, and who were very eager to get the corpse for their church, knowing that upon that there would follow very rich presents.A great many priests, therefore, clothed themselves in all their robes, and went out of the castle with cross and shrine and relics and formed a beautiful procession.The Varings also made a great burial.The coffin was borne high in the air, and over it was a tent of costly linen and before it were carried many banners.Now when the corpse was brought within the castle gate the Varings set down the coffin right across the entry, fixed a bar to keep the gates open, and sounded to battle with all their trumpets, and drew their swords.The whole army of the Varings, fully armed.rushed from the camp to the assault of the castle with shout and cry; and the monks and other priests who had gone to meet the corpse and had striven with each other who should be the first to come out and take the offering at the burial, were now striving much more who should first get away from the Varings; for they killed before their feet every one who was nearest, whether clerk or unconsecrated.The Varings rummaged so well this castle that they killed all the men, pillaged everything and made an enormous booty.

11.OF HARALD.