King Harald Gormson ruled over Denmark at that time. He took it much
amiss that King Hakon had made war in his dominions, and the report went
that he would take revenge; but this did not take place so soon. When
Gunhild and her sons heard there was enmity between Denmark and Norway,
they began to turn their course from the West. They married King Eirik's
daughter, Ragnhild, to Arnfin, a son of Thorfin Hausakljufer; and as
soon as Eirik's sons went away, Thorfin took the earldom again over
the Orkney Islands. Gamle Eirikson was somewhat older than the other
brothers, but still he was not a grown man. When Gunhild and her sons
came from the westward to Denmark, they were well received by King
Harald. He gave them great fiefs in his kingdom, so that they could
maintain themselves and their men very well. He also took Harald
Eirikson to be his foster-son, set him on his knee, and thereafter he
was brought up at the Danish king's court. Some of Eirik's sons went
out on viking expeditions as soon as they were old enough, and gathered
property, ravaging all around in the East sea. They grew up quickly to
be handsome men, and far beyond their years in strength and perfection.
Glum Geirason tells of one of them in the Grafeld song:--
"I've heard that, on the Eastland coast,
Great victories were won and lost.
The king, whose hand is ever graced
With gift to skald, his banner placed
On, and still on; while, midst the play
Of swords, sung sharp his good sword's sway
As strong in arm as free of gold,
He thinn'd the ranks of warriors bold."
Then Eirik's sons turned northwards with their troops to Viken and
marauded there; but King Trygve kept troops on foot with which he met
them, and they had many a battle, in which the victory was sometimes on
one side, and sometimes on the other. Sometimes Eirik's sons plundered
in Viken, and sometimes Trygve in Sealand and Halland.