He also declares that he cast Hakon, the
bravest of the Danes, to the earth, but received from him such a wound
in return that he had to leave the war with his lung protruding from
his chest, his neck cleft to the centre, and his hand deprived of one
finger; so that he long had a gaping wound, which seemed as if it would
never either scar over or be curable. The same man witnesses that the
maiden Weghbiorg (Webiorg) fought against the enemy and felled Soth
the champion. While she was threatening to slay more champions, she was
pierced through by an arrow from the bowstring of Thorkill, a native of
Tellemark. For the skilled archers of the Gotlanders strung their bows
so hard that the shafts pierced through even the shields; nothing proved
more murderous; for the arrow-points made their way through hauberk and
helmet as if they were men's defenceless bodies.

Meanwhile Ubbe the Frisian, who was the readiest of Harald's soldiers,
and of notable bodily stature, slew twenty-five picked champions,
besides eleven whom he had wounded in the field. All these were of
Swedish or Gothic blood. Then he attacked the vanguard and burst into
the thickest of the enemy, driving the Swedes struggling in a panic
every way with spear and sword. It had all but come to a flight, when
Hagder (Hadd), Rolder (Hroald), and Grettir attacked the champion,
emulating his valour, and resolving at their own risk to retrieve
the general ruin. But, fearing to assault him at close quarters, they
accomplished their end with arrows from afar; and thus Ubbe was riddled
by a shower of arrows, no one daring to fight him hand to hand. A
hundred and forty-four arrows had pierced the breast of the warrior
before his bodily strength failed and he bent his knee to the earth.
Then at last the Danes suffered a great defeat, owing to the Thronds
and the dwellers in the province of Dala. For the battle began afresh
by reason of the vast mass of the archers, and nothing damaged our men
more.

But when Harald, being now blind with age, heard the lamentable murmur
of his men, he perceived that fortune had smiled on his enemies. So,
as he was riding in a chariot armed with scythes, he told Brun, who was
treacherously acting as charioteer, to find out in what manner Ring had
his line drawn up. Brun's face relaxed into something of a smile, and he
answered that he was fighting with a line in the form of a wedge.
When the king heard this he began to be alarmed, and to ask i