SWEIN, ASLEIF’S SON’S (LAST) EXPEDITION.
SHORTLY after this Swein prepared to go on a marauding expedition with
seven long-ships, all of them large. Hákon, the son of Earl Harald, went
with him. They went first to the Sudreyar, and found there little booty.
Then they went to Ireland, and plundered there in many places. They went
all the way south to Dýflin (Dublin), and took the inhabitants by
surprise, so that they did not know till they were in the town. They
took a great deal of plunder, and took captive the rulers of the city,
and their negotiations ended in the surrender of the town to Swein, and
they promised to pay as much money as he might levy on them. He was to
quarter his men on the town, and have the command of it, and the Dýflin
men confirmed this arrangement with oaths. Swein and his men went down
to their ships in the evening, but in the morning they were to come into
the town and receive hostages from the inhabitants.
Now it is to be told what was going on in the town during the night. The
rulers of the town had a meeting, and considered the difficulties in
which they were placed. They thought it a grievous hardship that they
should have to surrender their town to the Orkneymen, especially to him
whom they knew to be the most exacting man in the whole West; and they
came to the determination to play him false if they could. They resolved
to dig large pits inside of the city gates, and in many other places
between the houses, where it was intended that Swein’s men should come
in, and armed men were hidden in the houses close by. They placed such
coverings over the pits as were sure to fall in when the weight of the
men came upon them. Then they covered all over with straw, so that the
pits could not be seen, and waited till morning.