were shut--all full within;
The udaller could not get in.
But Gorm's great son did condescend
To his own chamber me to send,
And grant my prayer--although I'm one
Whose arms the fetters' weight have known."

When Sigvat became aware that King Canute was equipping an armament
against King Olaf, and knew what a mighty force King Canute had, he made
these lines:--

"The mighty Canute, and Earl Hakon,
Have leagued themselves, and counsel taken
Against King Olaf's life,
And are ready for the strife.
In spite of king and earl, I say,
'I love him well--may he get away:'
On the Fields, wild and dreary,
With him I'd live, and ne'er be weary."

Sigvat made many other songs concerning this expedition of Canute and
Hakon. He made this among others:--

"'Twas not the earl's intention then
'Twixt Olaf and the udalmen
Peace to establish, and the land
Upright to hold with Northman's hand;
But ever with deceit and lies
Eirik's descendant, Hakon, tries
To make ill-will and discontent,
Till all the udalmen are bent
Against King Olaf's rule to rise."

157. OF KING CANUTE'S SHIP THE DRAGON.

Canute the Great was at last ready with his fleet, and left the land;
and a vast number of men he had, and ships frightfully large. He himself
had a dragon-ship, so large that it had sixty banks of rowers, and the
head was gilt all over. Earl Hakon had another dragon of forty banks,
and it also had a gilt figure-head. The sails of both were in stripes
of blue, red, and green, and the vessels were painted all above
the water-stroke; and all that belonged to their equipment was most
splendid. They had also many other huge ships remarkably well fitted
out, and grand. Sigvat the skald talks of this in his song on Canute:--

"Canute is out beneath the sky--
Canute of the clear blue eye!
The king is out on the ocean's breast,
Leading his grand fleet from the West.
On to the East the ship-masts glide,
Glancing and bright each long-ship's side.
The conqueror of great Ethelred,
Canute, is there, his foemen's dread:
His dragon with her sails of blue,
All bright and brilliant to the view,
High hoisted on the yard arms wide,
Carries great Canute o'er the tide.
Brave is the royal progress--fast
The proud ship's keel obeys the mast,
Dashes through foam, and