o terrible, and fell on the Danes in the rear as Eadmund
in Southwark and the citizens in London took them in the front. It
must have been that few Danes were left on either bank, for the
fighting lasted no long time, and when we had done with these men
from off the bridge there was no other attack.

So, before the evening came we knew that London was once more in
the hands of Ethelred, and the bells were ringing to welcome back
an English king to English land. For Olaf had brought him home.

There was high feasting in London town that night, and Ethelred
deemed that England was already won. Nor was there any honour too
great for him to show to the man who had wrought this for him.

But what Olaf said was this:

"To win London is much--though, indeed, it should never have been
thus lost--but London is not England. There will be more fighting
yet, if Cnut is a worthy son of Swein Forkbeard."

Now, in after years men made light of this breaking of London
Bridge, and the reason is not far to seek. For, first of all,
Cnut's folk, when they had the upper hand, liked not to hear
thereof. And then the citizens would speak little among themselves
of their thraldom to the Danes, and much of their welcome to
Ethelred and their own share in the business when the bridge had
been broken. And lastly, it was wrought by an outlander. Truly no
Englishman, whether of Saxon or Danish kin, grudges praise to a
stranger when he has won it well, but Olaf had few to speak for him
after he had gone hence. But I have told what I saw, and think that
it should not be forgotten, for it was a great deed. Men sing the
song that Ottar the scald wrote thereon in Olaf's Norway, and I
think that they will sing it for many an age to come.

We have forgotten that song; but the first time he sang it was at
the great feast in the wide hall of the London merchants' guild
that night, and sorely did the few Danish lords, who sat as
captives among us unwillingly enough, scowl as they listened. But
our folk held their breath lest they should lose aught of either
voice or words of the singer, for they had never heard his like
before, and this is part of what he sang {5}:

"Bold in the battle
Bravest in sword play!
Thou wert the breaker
Of London's broad bridge.
Wild waxed the warfare
When thou gold wonnest
Where the shields splintered
'Neath the stones' crashing--
When the war byrnies broke
Beaten beneath them.

"Thine was the strong arm
That Ethe