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THE ODE OF
HARALD THE VALIANT.
“MY ships have made the tour of
Sicily: then were we all
magnificent and splendid. My brown vessel,
full of mariners, rapidly rowed to the
utmost of my wishes. Wholly taken
up with war, I thought my course would
never slacken, and yet a Russian maiden
scorns me.
“In my youth I fought with the people
of Drontheim. Their troops exceeded
ours in number. It was a terrible
conflict: I left their young king dead in the
field: and yet a Russian maiden scorns
me.
“One day we were but sixteen in a
vessel: a storm arose and swelled the sea:
it filled the loaded ship, but we
diligently cleared it out. Thence I formed
