How the other King quick-minded gat him gone;
All the plunder of the Thrond-folk’s King
On the Jutland sea was floating;
And sundry ships lost he withal.’
¶ Under Lesey, did King Svein withdraw his fleet, and there found he seven Norwegian ships, but aboard them were only peasants and men who had been mustered for war. ¤ When King Svein took them begged they for quarter and offered money in ransom. Thus saith Thorleik the Fair:
‘For grace did Harald’s friends stout-hearted
Pray the King, and they few laid down their arms;
The peasants ready-witted refused to fight thereafter,
Speaking because their lives out they wished to live.’
¶ Anent King Harald be it said that he was masterful and a strong ruler in his own land, a very sage man withal, & it be common talk that there was never a chief in the Northlands so wise or ready in resource as he. ¤ A great warrior also, and very valiant, stronger, & defter with weapons than any other man; but all this have we recorded before. ¤ Nevertheless the greater number of his doughty deeds go unrecorded, and this in part by reason of our lack of knowledge thereof, & in part by reason that we will not put in books tales for which there is no witness, even though in our hearing have such things been told. It beseemeth us better that something may be added hereafter than that much should need to be taken herefrom. About King Harald are many tales set forth in lays which the Icelandic men made to him or to his sons, & for this reason was he a firm friend to them. A firm friend also was he to all our countrymen, and once when there was a great famine in Iceland permitted King Harald four of his ships to carry meal to that island, and decreed that six bushels thereof should not cost more than a hundred ells of homespun; furthermore allowed he those that were stricken by poverty to leave if so be that they could find themselves in victuals the voyage thro’ over to the main, and by these means was the land saved and the harvest thereof bettered. ¤ King Harald set up a bell for the church which was builded with timber sent hither by the sainted King Olaf, and raised on a site nigh by where the Althing takes place. Such memories have we here of King Harald & of many other great gifts which he granted to men that sought them. ¤ Halldor Snorrason and Ulf Uspakson, whereof we have afore wrote, hied them to Norway even into the service of King Harald. ¤ In manifold parts were they opposite one from the other. Halldor was very big & strong and handsome, and King Harald bore witness regarding him that he was among those of his men who altered least in unawaited circumstances: whether such might be peril or tidings of joy, or through things that might occur when danger was toward; never was he more pleased nor less pleased, never did he sleep more nor less; nor took meat & drink otherwise than as was his wont. Halldor was a silent man & harsh, speaking bluntly, also was he stubborn and unmeek; and this was not to the liking of the King since he had many other bold and willing men. ¤ Halldor abode with the King but a short time and then fared back to Iceland, and made to himself a home at Hiardarholt, abiding there till he was aged and become an old man.