, but a few praised others no less.

When they had been talking thus a while a man answered: 'Mayhap other
men besides Earl Hakon fought boldly outside the Niz, yet nevertheless
methinks no one can have had the luck he had.'

They said it was no doubt his greatest luck that he had routed many of
the Danes. The same man answered: 'Luckiest for him was it that he gave
King Svein his life.' Another answered him: 'Thou wottest not what thou
art saying.' He answered: 'Yea, I wot full well, for he who set the King
ashore told me himself.' Thus it befell, as oft is said, that 'many are
the King's ears.' These things were told to the King straightway, and
the King had many horses taken and rode forthwith away in the night with
two hundred men,Sec. and rode he the whole of that night and the following
day. Then there came towards them on horseback certain men who were
making for the town with meal and malt. Now faring with the King was one
Gamal, & he rode up to one of the peasants who was a friend of his and
spoke privily with him.

Gamal said: 'Money will I give thee, an thou wilt ride furiously by
hidden ways such as thou wottest to be shortest to Earl Hakon: tell him
that the King will slay him, for the King wotteth that the Earl helped
King Svein to land outside the Niz.'

And the matter being covenanted between them rode the peasant hard, and
came even to the Earl who was sitting drinking and had not gone to his
rest. But when the peasant made known his errand, rose the Earl
forthwith and all his folk; and the Earl caused his chattels to be
removed from the house during the night. When the King arrived thither
tarried he there the night, but Hakon the Earl had ridden his way. And
in time came he east to the realm of Sweden, to King Steinkel, and abode
with him the summer. King Harald then turned him back to town. In the
summer the King fared north to Throndhjem and abode there, but in the
autumn fared eastward again to Vik.

|| Earl Hakon went back in the summer to the Uplands, so soon as he
learned that the King had fared northward, and there dwelt he until such
time as the King came south again. Thereafter fared the Earl eastward to
Vermaland and tarried there long in the winter; and King Steinkel gave
the Earl rule and dominion over that part of the land.

When winter was wearing to an end, fared he westward to Kaumariki, and
took with him many men whom the Gauts and Vermalanders had given him.
And he took thenc