Saga of Harald Hardrade

6. BATTLE IN SICILY.

Now when Harald came to Sicily he plundered there also, and sat
down with his army before a strong and populous castle. He
surrounded the castle; but the walls were so thick there was no
possibility of breaking into it, and the people of the castle had
enough of provisions, and all that was necessary for defence.
Then Harald hit upon an expedient. He made his bird-catchers
catch the small birds which had their nests within the castle,
but flew into the woods by day to get food for their young. He
had small splinters of tarred wood bound upon the backs of the
birds, smeared these over with wax and sulphur, and set fire to
them. As soon as the birds were let loose they all flew at once
to the castle to their young, and to their nests, which they had
under the house roofs that were covered with reeds or straw. The
fire from the birds seized upon the house roofs; and although
each bird could only carry a small burden of fire, yet all at
once there was a mighty flame, caused by so many birds carrying
fire with them and spreading it widely among the house roofs.
Thus one house after the other was set on fire, until the castle
itself was in flames. Then the people came out of the castle and
begged for mercy; the same men who for many days had set at
defiance the Greek army and its leader. Harald granted life and
safety to all who asked quarter, and made himself master of the
place.

7. BATTLE AT ANOTHER CASTLE.

There was another castle before which Harald had come with his
army. This castle was both full of people and so strong, that
there was no hope of breaking into it. The castle stood upon a
flat hard plain. Then Harald undertook to dig a passage from a
place where a stream ran in a bed so deep that it could not be
seen from the castle. They threw out all the earth into the
stream, to be carried away by the water. At this work they
laboured day and night, and relieved each other in gangs; while
the rest of the army went the whole day against the castle, where
the castle people shot through their loop-holes. They shot at
each other all day in this way, and at night they slept on both
sides. Now when Harald perceived that his underground passage
was so long that it must be within the castle walls, he ordered
his people to arm themselves. It was towards daybreak that they
went into the passage. When they got to the end of it they dug
over their heads until they came upon stones laid in lime which
was the floor of a stone hall. They broke open the floor and
rose into the hall. There sat many of the castle-men eating and
drinking, and not in the least expecting such uninvited wolves;
for the Varings instantly attacked them sword in hand, and killed
some, and those who could get away fled. The Varings pursued
them; and some seized the castle gate, and opened it, so that the
whole body of the army got in. The people of the castle fled;
but many asked quarter from the troops, which was granted to all
who surrendered. In this way Harald got possession of the place,
and found an immense booty in it.

8. BATTLE AT A THIRD CASTLE.

They came to a third castle, the greatest and strongest of them
all, and also the richest in property and the fullest of people.
Around this castle there were great ditches, so that it evidently
could not be taken by the same device as the former; and they lay
a long time before it without doing anything. When the castle-
men saw this they became bolder, drew up their array on the
castle walls, threw open the castle gates, and shouted to the
Varings, urging them, and jeering at them, and telling them to
come into the castle, and that they were no more fit for battle
than so many poultry. Harald told his men to make as if they did
not know what to do, or did not understand what was said. "For,"
says he, "if we do make an assault we can effect nothing, as they
can throw their weapons under their feet among us; and if we get
in the castle with a party of our people, they have it in their
power to shut them in. and shut out the others; for they have all
the castle gates beset with men. We shall therefore show them
the same scorn they show us, and let them see we do not fear
them. Our men shall go out upon the plain nearest to the castle;
taking care, however, to keep out of bow-shot. All our men shall
go unarmed, and be playing with each other, so that the castle-
men may see we do not regard them or their array." Thus it went
on for some days, without anything being done.

9. OF ULF AND HALDOR.

Two Iceland men were then with Harald; the one was Haldor (1), a
son of the gode Snorre, who brought this account to Iceland; the
other was Ulf Uspakson, a grandson of Usvifer Spake. Both were
very strong men, bold under arms, and Harald's best friends; and
both were in this play. Now when some days were passed the
castle people showed more courage, and would go without weapons
upon the castle wall, while the castle gates were standing open.
The Varings observing this, went one day to their sports with the
sword under their cloaks, and the helmet under their hats. After
playing awhile they observed that the castle people were off
their guard; and instantly seizing their weapons, they made at
the castle gate. When the men of the castle saw this they went
against them armed completely, and a battle began in the castle
gate. The Varings had no shields, but wrapped their cloaks round
their left arms. Some of them were wounded, some killed, and all
stood in great danger. Now came Harald with the men who had
remained in the camp, to the assistance of his people; and the
castle-men had now got out upon the walls, from which they shot
and threw stones down upon them; so that there was a severe
battle, and those who were in the castle gates thought that help
was brought them slower than they could have wished. When Harald
came to the castle gate his standard-bearer fell, and Harald said
to Haldor, "Do thou take up the banner now." Haldor took up the
banner, and said foolishly, "Who will carry the banner before
thee, if thou followest it so timidly as thou hast done for a
while?" But these were words more of anger than of truth; for
Harald was one of the boldest of men under arms. Then they
pressed in, and had a hard battle in the castle; and the end was
that Harald gained the victory and took the castle. Haldor was
much wounded in the face, and it gave him great pain as long as
he lived.

10. BATTLE AT A FOURTH CASTLE.

The fourth castle which Harald came to was the greatest of all we
have been speaking about. It was so strong that there was no
possibility of breaking into it. They surrounded the castle, so
that no supplies could get into it. When they had remained here
a short time Harald fell sick, and he betook himself to his bed.
He had his tent put up a little from the camp, for he found
quietness and rest out of the clamour and clang of armed men.
His men went usually in companies to or from him to hear his
orders; and the castle people observing there was something new
among the Varings, sent out spies to discover what this might
mean. When the spies came back to the castle they had to tell of
the illness of the commander of the Varings, and that no assault
on that account had been made on the castle. A while after
Harald's strength began to fail, at which his men were very
melancholy and cast down; all which was news to the castle-men.
At last Harald's sickness increased so rapidly that his death was
expected through all the army. Thereafter the Varings went to
the castle-men; told them, in a parley, of the death of their
commander; and begged of the priests to grant him burial in the
castle. When the castle people heard this news, there were many
among them who ruled over cloisters or other great establishments
within the place, and who were very eager to get the corpse for
their church, knowing that upon that there would follow very rich
presents. A great many priests, therefore, clothed themselves in
all their robes, and went out of the castle with cross and shrine
and relics and formed a beautiful procession. The Varings also
made a great burial. The coffin was borne high in the air, and
over it was a tent of costly linen and before it were carried
many banners. Now when the corpse was brought within the castle
gate the Varings set down the coffin right across the entry,
fixed a bar to keep the gates open, and sounded to battle with
all their trumpets, and drew their swords. The whole army of the
Varings, fully armed, rushed from the camp to the assault of the
castle with shout and cry; and the monks and other priests who
had gone to meet the corpse and had striven with each other who
should be the first to come out and take the offering at the
burial, were now striving much more who should first get away
from the Varings; for they killed before their feet every one who
was nearest, whether clerk or unconsecrated. The Varings
rummaged so well this castle that they killed all the men,
pillaged everything and made an enormous booty.

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