Denmark -- History -- To 1241; Folklore -- Scandinavia
After this, hearing that Wesete was to hold his wedding in Skaane, he
went to the feast disguised as a beggar; and when all were sunken in
wine and sleep, he battered the bride-chamber with a beam. But Wesete,
without inflicting a wound, so beat his mouth with a cudgel, that he
took out two teeth; but two grinders unexpectedly broke out afterwards
and repaired their loss: an event which earned him the name of
Hyldetand, which some declare he obtained on account of a prominent row
of teeth. Here he slew Wesete, and got the sovereignty of Skaane. Next
he attacked and killed Hather in Jutland; and his fall is marked by the
lasting name of the town. After this he overthrew Hunding and Rorik,
seized Leire, and reunited the dismembered realm of Denmark into its
original shape. Then he found that Asmund, the King of the Wikars, had
been deprived of his throne by his elder sister; and, angered by such
presumption on the part of a woman, went to Norway with a single ship,
while the war was still undecided, to help him. The battle began; and,
clothed in a purple cloak, with a coif broidered with gold, and with his
hair bound up, he went against the enemy trusting not in arms, but in
his silent certainty of his luck, insomuch that he seemed dressed more
for a feast than a fray. But his spirit did not match his attire.
For, though unarmed and only adorned with his emblems of royalty, he
outstripped the rest who bore arms, and exposed himself, lightly-armed
as he was, to the hottest perils of the battle. For the shafts aimed
against him lost all power to hurt, as if their points had been blunted.
When the other side saw him fighting unarmed, they made an attack, and
were forced for very shame into assailing him more hotly. But Harald,
whole in body, either put them to the sword, or made them take to
flight; and thus he overthrew the sister of Asmund, and restored him his
kingdom. When Asmund offered him the prizes of victory, he said that the
reward of glory was enough by itself; and demeaned himself as greatly
in refusing the gifts as he had in earning them. By this he made all men
admire his self-restraint as much as his valour; and declared that the
victory should give him a harvest not of gold but glory.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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