left; never did he miss, or, if he
missed his man, the sword bit another.

Eyvind Skreyja went fiercely forward in the battle, challenging the
Norsemen's courage. And chiefly pressed he on where Hacon's banner was,
crying, 'Where is the Norsemen's king? Why doth he hide him? Why dares
he not come forth and show himself? Who can point me to him?'

[Illustration: Hacon casts his shield away]

Then answered King Hacon: 'Hold thou on forward, if thou wilt find the
Norsemen's king.'

And Hacon cast his shield by his side, and gripped his sword's mid-hilt
with both hands, and ran forth from under the banner.

But Thoralf Skumsson said, 'Suffer me, sire, to go against Eyvind.'

The King answered: 'Me he wished to find; wherefore me he shall first
meet.' But when the King came where Eyvind was, he hewed on either side
of him, and then, with Millstone-biter in both hands, hewed at Eyvind's
head, and clove him through helm and head right down to the shoulders.

This battle was not good for men weak in strength, weapons, or courage.
Nor was it long after the fall of Eyvind Skreyja ere the whole Danish
force turned and fled to their ships. Great numbers fell on the side of
Eric's sons; but they themselves escaped.

King Hacon's men followed them far that day, and slew all whom they
might; but the King bade his swift ship be launched, and rowed
northwards along the coast, meaning to seek his house at Alrekstead, for
he had gotten a wound by an arrow that pierced his arm while he drove
before him the flying foe. And he lost so much blood that he swooned
away. And when he came to the place called Hacon's Stone (it was where
he was born), there he stayed for the night, bidding his land tent be
set up and himself be carried ashore.

And as soon as King Hacon knew that his wound was mortal, he called to
him his counsellors, and talked at large with his friends about those
things that had been done in his days. And of this he then repented,
that he had done much against God and Christian men's laws during his
rule.

His friends offered to convey his body westwards to England, and bury it
there in Church ground.

But the King answered: 'Of this I am not worthy; I lived as heathen men
live, so, too, shall ye bury me.'

He bewailed the quarrels of himself and his kin; and having but one
daughter, a child, and no son, he sent a letter to Gunnhilda's sons,
wherein it was written that he gave to his kinsman Harold Grayfell his
gu