"London Bridge is broken down.—
Gold is won, and bright renown.
Shields resounding,
War-horns sounding,
Hild is shouting in the din!
Arrows singing,
Mail-coats ringing—
Odin makes our Olaf win!"
And he also composed these:—
"King Ethelred has found a friend:
Brave Olaf will his throne defend—
In bloody fight
Maintain his right,
Win back his land
With blood-red hand,
And Edmund's son upon his throne replace—
Edmund, the star of every royal race!"
Sigvat also relates as follows:—
"At London Bridge stout Olaf gave
Odin's law to his war-men brave—
'To win or die!'
And their foemen fly.
Some by the dyke-side refuge gain—
Some in their tents on Southwark plain!
The sixth attack
Brought victory back."
13. THE SEVENTH BATTLE.
King Olaf passed all the winter with King Ethelred, and had a great battle at Hringmara Heath in Ulfkel's land, the domain which Ulfkel Snilling at that time held; and here again the king was victorious. So says Sigvat the skald:—
"To Ulfkel's land came Olaf bold,
A seventh sword-thing he would hold.
The race of Ella filled the plain—
Few of them slept at home again!
Hringmara heath
Was a bed of death:
Harfager's heir
Dealt slaughter there."
And Ottar sings of this battle thus:—