One summer Harald Grayskin with his troops went north to Bjarmaland,
where be forayed, and fought a great battle with the inhabitants on the
banks of the Vina (Dwina). King Harald gained the victory, killed many
people, plundered and wasted and burned far and wide in the land, and
made enormous booty. Glum Geirason tells of it thus:--
"I saw the hero Harald chase
With bloody sword Bjarme's race:
They fly before him through the night,
All by their burning city's light.
On Dwina's bank, at Harald's word,
Arose the storm of spear and sword.
In such a wild war-cruise as this,
Great would he be who could bring peace."
King Sigurd Slefa came to the Herse Klyp's house. Klyp was a son of
Thord, and a grandson of Hordakare, and was a man of power and great
family. He was not at home; but his wife Alof give a good reception to
the king, and made a great feast at which there was much drinking. Alof
was a daughter of Asbjorn, and sister to Jarnskegge, north in Yrjar.
Asbjorn's brother was called Hreidar, who was father to Styrkar, whose
son was Eindride, father of Einar Tambaskielfer. In the night the king
went to bed to Alof against her will, and then set out on his journey.
The harvest thereafter, King Harald and his brother King Sigurd Slefa
went to Vors, and summoned the bondes to a Thing. There the bondes fell
on them, and would have killed them, but they escaped and took different
roads. King Harald went to Hardanger, but King Sigurd to Alrekstader.
Now when the Herse Klyp heard of this, he and his relations assembled to
attack the king; and Vemund Volubrjot (1) was chief of their troop. Now
when they came to the house they attacked the king, and Herse Klyp, it
is said, ran him through with his sword and killed him; but instantly
Klyp was killed on the spot by Erling Gamle (A.D. 965).
ENDNOTES: (1) Volubrjotr.--Literally "the one who breaks the vala", that
is, breaks the skulls of witches.