King Harald had built a merchant town in the East at Oslo, where he
often resided; for there was good supply from the extensive cultivated
district wide around. There also he had a convenient station to defend
the country against the Danes, or to make an attack upon Denmark, which
he was in the custom of doing often, although he kept no great force on
foot. One summer King Harald went from thence with a few light ships
and a few men. He steered southwards out from Viken, and, when the wind
served, stood over to Jutland, and marauded; but the country people
collected and defended the country. Then King Harald steered to
Limfjord, and went into the fjord. Limfjord is so formed that its
entrance is like a narrow river; but when one gets farther into the
fjord it spreads out into a wide sea. King Harald marauded on both
sides of the land; and when the Danes gathered together on every side to
oppose him, he lay at a small island which was uncultivated. They wanted
drink on board his ships, and went up into the island to seek water; but
finding none, they reported it to the king. He ordered them to look for
some long earthworms on the island, and when they found one they brought
it to the king. He ordered the people to bring the worm to a fire,
and bake it before it, so that it should be thirsty. Then he ordered a
thread to be tied round the tail of the worm, and to let it loose. The
worm crept away immediately, while thread wound off from the clew as
the worm took it away; and the people followed the worm until it sought
downwards in the earth. There the king ordered them to dig for water,
which they did, and found so much water that they had no want of it.
King Harald now heard from his spies that King Svein was come with a
large armament to the mouth of the fjord; but that it was too late for
him to come into it, as only one ship at a time can come in. King
Harald then steered with his fleet in through the fjord to where it was
broadest to a place called Lusbreid. In the inmost bight, there is but
a narrow neck of land dividing the fjord from the West sea. Thither King
Harald rowed with his men towards evening; and at night when it was dark
he unloaded his ships, drew them over the neck of land into the West
sea, loaded them again, and was ready with all this before day. He then
steered northwards along the Jutland coast. People then said that Harald
had escaped from the hands of the Danes. Harald said that he would come
to Denmark next time with more people and larger vessels. King Harald
then proceeded north to Throndhjem.