Now, when Svein heard that King Magnus had gone to Norway he rode
straight down, and had many people out of Svithjod with him. The people
of Scania received him well, and he again collected an army, with which
he first crossed over into Seeland and seized upon it and Fyen, and all
the other isles. When King Magnus heard of this he gathered together men
and ships, and sailed to Denmark; and as soon as he knew where Svein was
lying with his ships King Magnus sailed to meet him. They met at a place
called Helganes, and the battle began about the fall of day. King Magnus
had fewer men, but larger and better equipt vessels. So says Arnor, the
earls' skald:--
"At Helganes--so goes the tale--
The brave wolf-feeder, under sail,
Made many an ocean-elk (1) his prey,
Seized many a ship ere break of day.
When twilight fell he urged the fight,
Close combat--man to man all night;
Through a long harvest night's dark hours,
Down poured the battle's iron showers."
The battle was very hot, and as night advanced the fall of men was
great. King Magnus, during the whole night, threw hand-spears. Thiodolf
speaks of this:--
"And there at Helganes sunk down,
Sore wounded, men of great renown;
And Svein's retainers lost all heart,
Ducking before the flying dart.
The Norsemen's king let fly his spears,
His death-wounds adding to their fears;
For each spear-blade was wet all o'er,
Up to the shaft in their life-gore."
To make a short tale, King Magnus won the victory in this battle, and
Svein fled. His ship was cleared of men from stem to stern; and it went
so on board many others of his ships. So says Thiodolf:--
"Earl Svein fled from the empty deck,
His lonely ship an unmann'd wreck;
Magnus the Good, the people's friend,
Pressed to the death on the false Svein.
Hneiter (2), the sword his father bore,
Was edge and point, stained red with gore;
Swords sprinkle blood o'er armour bright,