The King’s war-host towards land doth lean with its prow beams.
The land-folk in the skerries, within the creeks, do lie;
The ships white-mailèd hide under the land-necks.’
¶ Now in the tempest which fell upon them the great ship had need of good anchor tackle, and thus saith Thiodolf:
‘Prow foremost the prince cleft
High fences of the sea;
The ropes of the King’s ship
Are strainèd to the utmost;
The wind is unfriendly
Against the anchor-iron out-hollowed,