"While Olaf lived, how smiled the land!
Mountain and cliff, and pebbly strand.
All Norway then, so fresh, so gay,
On land or sea, where oft I lay.
But now to me all seems so dready,
All black and dull--of life I'm weary;
Cheerless to-day, cheerless to-morrow--
Here in the North we have great sorrow."
Early in winter Sigvat went westward over the ridge of the country to
Jamtaland, and onwards to Helsingjaland, and came to Svithjod. He went
immediately to Queen Astrid, and was with her a long time, and was a
welcome guest. He was also with her brother King Emund, and received
from him ten marks of proved silver, as is related in the song of
Canute. Sigvat always inquired of the merchants who traded to Novgorod
if they could tell him any news of Magnus Olafson. Sigvat composed these
lines at that time:--
"I ask the merchant oft who drives
His trade to Russia, 'How he thrives,
Our noble prince? How lives he there?
And still good news--his praise--I hear.
To little birds, which wing their way
Between the lands, I fain would say,
How much we long our prince to see,
They seem to hear a wish from me."