The Danish king, Harald Gormson, heard that Earl Hakon had thrown off
Christianity, and had plundered far and wide in the Danish land. The
Danish king levied an army, with which he went to Norway; and when he
came to the country which Earl Hakon had to rule over he laid waste the
whole land, and came with his fleet to some islands called Solunder.
Only five houses were left standing in Laeradal; but all the people
fled up to the mountains, and into the forest, taking with them all the
moveable goods they could carry with them. Then the Danish king proposed
to sail with his fleet to Iceland, to avenge the mockery and scorn
all the Icelanders had shown towards him; for they had made a law in
Iceland, that they should make as many lampoons against the Danish king
as there were headlands in his country; and the reason was, because a
vessel which belonged to certain Icelanders was stranded in Denmark, and
the Danes took all the property, and called it wreck. One of the king's
bailiffs called Birger was to blame for this; but the lampoons were made
against both. In the lampoons were the following lines:--
"The gallant Harald in the field
Between his legs lets drop his shield;
Into a pony he was changed.
And kicked his shield, and safely ranged.
And Birger, he who dwells in halls
For safety built with four stone walls,
That these might be a worthy pair,
Was changed into a pony mare."