ent before
was foaming and white with tempest, was presently swollen with crimson
waves, and was seen to wear a colour foreign to its nature.

Around implacably declined to consent to the wishes of the king, and
treated the legates shamefully, declaring that he spurned the embassy
because the tyranny of Frode had of old borne so heavily upon Norway.
But Amund's daughter, Frogertha, not only looking to the birth of
Fridleif, but also honouring the glory of his deeds, began to upbraid
her father, because he scorned a son-in-law whose nobility was perfect,
being both sufficient in valour and flawless in birth. She added that
the portentous aspect of the sea, when the waves were suddenly turned
into blood, simply and solely signified the defeat of Norway, and was
a plain presage of the victory of Denmark. And when Fridleif sent a
further embassy to ask for her, wishing to vanquish the refusal by
persistency, Amund was indignant that a petition he had once denied
should be obstinately pressed, and hurried the envoys to death, wishing
to offer a brutal check to the zeal of this brazen wooer. Fridleif heard
news of this outrage, and summoning Halfdan and Biorn, sailed round
Norway. Amund, equipped with his native defences, put out his fleet
against him. The firth into which both fleets had mustered is called
Frokasund. Here Fridleif left the camp at night to reconnoitre; and,
hearing an unusual kind of sound close to him as of brass being beaten,
he stood still and looked up, and heard the following song of three
swans, who were crying above him:

"While Hythin sweeps the sea and cleaves the ravening tide, his serf
drinks out of gold and licks the cups of milk. Best is the estate of the
slave on whom waits the heir, the king's son, for their lots are rashly
interchanged." Next, after the birds had sung, a belt fell from on high,
which showed writing to interpret the song. For while the son of Hythin,
the King of Tellemark, was at his boyish play, a giant, assuming the
usual appearance of men, had carried him off, and using him as an
oarsman (having taken his skiff over to the neighbouring shore), was
then sailing past Fridleif while he was occupied reconnoitering. But the
king would not suffer him to use the service of the captive youth, and
longed to rob the spoiler of his prey. The youth warned him that he
must first use sharp reviling against the giant, promising that he would
prove easy to attack, if only he were assailed