But the throned King of Greece gat blindness,
And thereafter went with scars most grievous.’
Thus likewise saith Thiodolf the Skald:
‘The waster of wolves’ sorrow
Let the eyes twain of the throned King be put out;
The prince of the Agdir folk on the Eastern King
Laid a grisly mark whereby was he horribly blinded.’
In the twain of these lays concerning Harald, & also in many other songs, recorded is it how that he himself put out the eyes of the Greek King; but in lieu of thus singing, had they known it to be truer, full well might they have named a duke or count or some other nobleman. But Harald himself and the other men that were with him themselves boasted of this deed.[§]
¶ That same night went Harald and his men to the chamber wherein Maria lay sleeping, & by force bare her away. Then betaking themselves to where their galleys rode took they twain of them and anon rowed into Siavidarsund,[§] but when they were come thither found they that the iron chain was stretched right athwart the inlet, and so Harald commanded his men to fall to their oars on both the galleys, & those who were not rowing were all to run aft, and each one to have in his hand his own baggage-bag. ¤ In this fashion they ran the galleys on to the chain, and as soon as they were fast and the speed was stayed commanded he all his men to run forward. Then that galley whereon was Harald plunged forward, and after it had swayed on the chain slid from off it; but the other brake as it rode the chain, and many were drowned, albeit some were taken up out of the water. After this fashion did Harald escape from Miklagard, & thence fared he forth into the Black Sea. But ere he sailed from land he set the maid ashore, & gave her trusty followers to take her back to Miklagard; and he bade her ask her kinswoman Zoe how much power she had over him, or if her power had been able to hinder him from getting the maiden. Thereafter sailed Harald northward to Ellipalta[§] and thence fared all over the East-realm.[§] On this journey made Harald certain merry verses which together number sixteen, & all have the same refrain: this is one of them:
‘Past Sicily, far out, forged the ship;