Harek of Thjotta replied thus to the king's speech: "It is evident
that I cannot travel on foot to Norway. I am old and heavy, and little
accustomed to walking. Besides, I am unwilling to part with my ship;
for on that ship and its apparel I have bestowed so much labour, that
it would go much against my inclination to put her into the hands of my
enemies." The king said, "Come along with us, Harek, and we shall carry
thee when thou art tired of walking." Then Harek sang these lines:--
"I'11 mount my ocean steed,
And o'er the sea I'll speed;
Forests and hills are not for me,--
I love the moving sea,
Though Canute block the Sound,
Rather than walk the ground,
And leave my ship, I'll see
What my ship will do for me."
Then King Olaf let everything be put in order for the journey. The
people had their walking clothing and weapons, but their other clothes
and effects they packed upon such horses as they could get. Then he sent
off people to take his ships east to Calmar. There he had the vessels
laid up, and the ships' apparel and other goods taken care of. Harek did
as he had said, and waited for a wind, and then sailed west to Scania,
until, about the decline of the day, he came with a fresh and fair wind
to the eastward of Holar. There he let the sail and the vane, and flag
and mast be taken down, and let the upper works of the ship be covered
over with some grey tilt-canvas, and let a few men sit at the oars in
the fore part and aft, but the most were sitting low down in the vessel.
When Canute's watchmen saw the ship, they talked with each other about
what ship it might be, and made the guess that it must be one loaded
with herrings or salt, as they only saw a few men at the oars; and the
ship, besides, appeared to them grey, and wanting tar, as if burnt up
by the sun, and they saw also that it was deeply loaded. Now when Harek
came farther through the Sound, and past the fleet, he raised the mast,
hoisted sail, and set up his gilded vane. The sail was white as snow,
and in it were red and blue stripes of cloth interwoven. When the king's
men saw the ship sailing in this state, they told the king that probably
King Olaf had sailed through them. But King Canute replies, that King
Olaf was too prudent a man to sail with a single ship through King
Canute's fleet, and thought it more likely to be Harek of Thjotta, or
the like of him. Many believed the truth to be that King Canute knew
of this expedition of Harek, and that it would not have succeeded so if
they had not concluded a friendship beforehand with each other; which
seemed likely, after King Canute's and Harek's friendly understanding
became generally known.