I see them not; yet never fear,
For Einar will not vengeance spare
Against his father's murderers, though
Rollaug and Rolf are somewhat slow,
And silent Thorer sits and dreams
At home, beside the mead-bo wl's streams."
Thereafter Earl Einar went up to Halfdan, and cut a spread eagle upon his back[1], by striking his sword through his back into his belly, dividing his ribs from the back-bone down to his loins, and tearing out his lungs; and so Halfdan was killed. Einar then sang:—
"For Rognvald's death my sword is red:
Of vengeance it cannot be said
That Einar's share is left unsped.
So now, brave boys,, let's raise a mound,—
Heap stones and gravel on the ground
O'er Halfdan's corpse: this is the way
We Norsemen our scatt duties pay."
Then Earl Einar took possession of the Orkney Isles as before. Now when these tidings came to Norway, Halfdan's brothers took it much to heart, and thought that his death demanded vengeance; and many were of the same opinion. When Einar heard this, he sang:—
"Many a stout udal-man, I know,
Has cause to wish my head laid low;
And many an angry udal knife
Would gladly drink of Einar's life.
But ere they lay Earl Einar low,—
Ere this stout heart betrays its cause,
Full many a heart will writhe, we know,
In the wolf's fangs, or eagle's claws."
Chapter XXXII.
King Harald and Earl Einar reconciled.
King Harald now ordered a levy, and gathered a great force, with which he proceeded westward to Orkney; and when Earl Einar heard that King Harald
- ↑ This kind of punishment was called rista örn—to cut an eagle.
of that Earl Rognvald whom Harald Haarfager's sons, and among them Halfdan, had surprised and burnt in his house. They ought, according to the opinion of the times, to have taken vengeance as well as Einar on the murderers.
