King Olaf ordered great platforms of floating wood to be tied together
with hazel bands, and for this he took down old houses; and with these,
as a roof, he covered over his ships so widely, that it reached over the
ships' sides. Under this screen he set pillars so high and stout, that
there both was room for swinging their swords, and the roofs were strong
enough to withstand the stones cast down upon them. Now when the fleet
and men were ready, they rode up along the river; but when they came
near the bridge, there were cast down upon them so many stones and
missile weapons, such as arrows and spears, that neither helmet nor
shield could hold out against it; and the ships themselves were so
greatly damaged, that many retreated out of it. But King Olaf, and the
Northmen's fleet with him, rowed quite up under the bridge, laid their
cables around the piles which supported it, and then rowed off with all
the ships as hard as they could down the stream. The piles were thus
shaken in the bottom, and were loosened under the bridge. Now as the
armed troops stood thick of men upon the bridge, and there were likewise
many heaps of stones and other weapons upon it, and the piles under it
being loosened and broken, the bridge gave way; and a great part of the
men upon it fell into the river, and all the ethers fled, some into the
castle, some into Southwark. Thereafter Southwark was stormed and
taken. Now when the people in the castle saw that the river Thames was
mastered, and that they could not hinder the passage of ships up
into the country, they became afraid, surrendered the tower, and took
Ethelred to be their king. So says Ottar Svarte:--
"London Bridge is broken down.--
Gold is won, and bright renown.
Shields resounding,
War-horns sounding,
Hild is shouting in the din!
Arrows singing,
Mail-coats ringing--
Odin makes our Olaf win!"