King Harald founded a merchant town eastward in Oslo,Sec. and often
tarried there for it had broad countrysides round about, and was a place
suited for the ingathering of victuals; likewise was it well situated
for the defence of the land against the Danes, & also for onsets on
Denmark which Harald was wont to make even at such times when he had a
large host at his beck.

One summer fared King Harald with some light ships and but few men and
set he sail south for Viken; but on a fair wind springing up, crossed he
the sea to Jutland where he began to harry.

The men of the land, however, collected themselves together & defended
their country, so then sailed King Harald on to Limfjord and went up
that fjord.

Now Limfjord is so fashioned in shape that going up it is like entering
into a narrow river-groove, but as thou goest on up the fjord it
becometh like a great sea.

Harald harried there on both shores, but beheld the Danes everywhere
assembled in numbers. King Harald brought-to his ships alongside an
island which was small & thereon were no buildings; and when they went
in search of water they found none, and told it unto the King.

Then he did send men to see if no adder could be found on the isle, &
when one had been found they brought it to the King and he had the adder
taken to the fire so that it might be warmed and teased thereby, and
become right thirsty. Thereafter a twine was bound to its tail and the
adder was let loose, and it crawled away and the twine was unwound from
the ball, and they followed after the adder until it struck into the
earth.

Then the King bade them dig for water, and they dug for it, and there
found water in abundance.

|| From his spies learned King Harald the intelligence that King Svein
was come with a large fleet of ships to the mouth of the fjord, and that
he was making way but slowly, for his ships could only pass in one at a
time. King Harald took his ships up Limfjord, and over against where it
is broadest it is called Lusbreid. Now from the creek within is there a
narrow neck of land westward (north) leading to the sea, and thither did
the men to Harald row in the evening; after nightfall, when it was dark,
they cleared the ships & haled them right over this isthmus, and before
daylight all was accomplished and the ships once more ready for sea.
Then shaped he the course northward past Jutland, and they sang:

'From Danish grip
Did Harald slip.'

|| At that