keep Denmark for himself.

The death of King Magnus without an heir left Harold the undisputed
successor to the throne, as the only living descendant in the male line
of Harold the Fair-Haired. Yet the people were far from pleased, for he
had already shown a disposition to treat them harshly and they feared
that a tyrant had succeeded to the throne. By his stern rule he gained
several uncomplimentary titles, the English calling him Harold the
Haughty, the Germans Harold the Inflexible, and the Northmen Harold the
Hardruler. Yet he was able to hold his own over his people, for he was
strong and daring, skilled in the art of war, and a man of unusual
intellect. He was also a poet and won fame by his verses. He would sit up
half the night with the blind scald Stuf Katson, to hear him recite his
stirring songs.

But if absolute ruler over Norway, Harold found Denmark slipping away
from him. Sweyn had in him the blood of the race of Canute, and was no
weakling to be swept aside at a king's will. Magnus had left him the
kingdom and he was bent on having it, if his good sword could win and
hold it. In this he was supported by the Danes, and Harold found that the
most he could do was to make descents on the Danish coast and plunder and
murder the innocent people.

After this idle kind of warfare had gone on for a number of years and
Harold found that all he had gained by it was the hatred of the Danes, he
made an agreement with Sweyn to fight it out between them. They were to
meet at the mouth of the Goetha Elv and whoever won in the battle was to
be the king of Denmark. It was a kind of duel for a crown.

But Sweyn tried to gain his end by stratagem. When Harold appeared with
his fleet at the appointed place Sweyn and his ships were not to be seen.
Harold waited a while, fuming and fretting, and then sailed south to
Jutland, where he ravaged the coast, took and burned the city of Heidaby,
carried away a number of women of high rank, and filled his ships with
plunder. Then he turned homeward, with so little fear of the Danes that
he let his ships widely scatter.

The winds were adverse, the weather was foggy, and one morning while they
lay at anchor by an island shore, the lookout saw a bright flash through
the fog. The king was hastily called, and on seeing it cried:

"What you see is the flash of the morning sun on the golden dragon-heads
of warships. The Danish fleet is upon us!"

The peril was imminent. It was hopel