before, and into the dark recesses of tunnels. Here he lurked in hiding
and perished, stifled by the reek and smoke.

After Frode was killed, HALFDAN reigned over his country about three
years, and then, handing over his sovereignty to his brother Harald as
deputy, went roving, and attacked and ravaged Oland and the neighbouring
isles, which are severed from contact with Sweden by a winding sound.
Here in the winter he beached and entrenched his ships, and spent three
years on the expedition. After this he attacked Sweden, and destroyed
its king in the field. Afterwards he prepared to meet the king's
grandson Erik, the son of his own uncle Frode, in battle; and when he
heard that Erik's champion, Hakon, was skillful in blunting swords with
his spells, he fashioned, to use for clubbing, a huge mace studded with
iron knobs, as if he would prevail by the strength of wood over the
power of sorcery. Then--for he was conspicuous beyond all others for his
bravery--amid the hottest charges of the enemy, he covered his head with
his helmet, and, without a shield, poised his club, and with the help
of both hands whirled it against the bulwark of shields before him. No
obstacle was so stout but it was crushed to pieces by the blow of the
mass that smote it. Thus he overthrew the champion, who ran against him
in the battle, with a violent stroke of his weapon. But he was conquered
notwithstanding, and fled away into Helsingland, where he went to one
Witolf (who had served of old with Harald), to seek tendance for his
wounds. This man had spent most of his life in camp; but at last, after
the grievous end of his general, he had retreated into this lonely
district, where he lived the life of a peasant, and rested from the
pursuits of war. Often struck himself by the missiles of the enemy, he
had gained no slight skill in leechcraft by constantly tending his own
wounds. But if anyone came with flatteries to seek his aid, instead of
curing him he was accustomed to give him something that would secretly
injure him, thinking it somewhat nobler to threaten than to wheedle for
benefits. When the soldiers of Erik menaced his house, in their desire
to take Halfdan, he so robbed them of the power of sight that they could
neither perceive the house nor trace it with certainty, though it was
close to them. So utterly had their eyesight been dulled by a decisive
mist.

When Halfdan had by this man's help regained his full strength, he
summoned