"Harald, whose red shield oft has shone
O'er herried coasts, and fields hard won,
Rides in hot wrath, and eager speeds
O'er the blue waves his ocean-steeds.
Svein, who in blood his arrows stains,
Brings o'er the ocean's heaving plains
His gold-beaked ships, which come in view
Out from the Sound with many a hue."
King Harald came with his forces to the appointed meeting-place; but
there he heard that King Svein was lying with his fleet at the south
side of Seeland. Then King Harald divided his forces; let the greater
part of the bonde-troops return home; and took with him his court-men,
his lendermen, the best men-at-arms, and all the bonde-troops who lived
nearest to the Danish land. They sailed over to Jutland to the south of
Vendilskage, and so south to Thioda; and over all they carried fire and
sword. So says Stuf, the skald:--
"In haste the men of Thyland fly
From the great monarch's threat'ning eye;
At the stern Harald's angry look
The boldest hearts in Denmark shook."
They went forward all the way south to Heidaby, took the merchant town
and burnt it. Then one of Harald's men made the following verses:--
"All Heidaby is burned down!
Strangers will ask where stood the town.
In our wild humour up it blazed,
And Svein looks round him all amazed.
All Heidaby is burned down!
From a far corner of the town
I saw, before the peep of morning,
Roofs, walls, and all in flame high burning."
To this also Thorleik alludes in his verses, when he heard there had
been no battle at the Gaut river:--
"The stranger-warrior may inquire
Of Harald's men, why in his ire
On Heidaby his wrath he turns,
And the fair town to ashes burns?
Would that the day had never come
When Harald's ships returned home
From the East Sea, since now the town,
Without his gain, is burned down!"