Greitt frák, gumna dróttinn,
(Gríðar fáks) í víðu
(trauðr esa tenn at rjóða)
Túnsbergi þér snúna.
Hræddusk bjartra brodda
býjarmenn við rennu;
uggðu eld ok sveigðan
alm dynviðir malma.
Dróttinn gumna, frák snúna þér greitt í víðu Túnsbergi; esa trauðr at rjóða tenn fáks Gríðar. Býjarmenn hræddusk við rennu bjartra brodda; malma dynviðir uggðu eld ok sveigðan alm.
Lord of men [= Erlingr], I heard it turned out smoothly for you in spacious Tønsberg; you are not reluctant to redden the teeth of Gríðr’s <troll-woman’s> steed [WOLF]. The townspeople were terrified by the rush of bright arrow-points; the trees of the clash of weapons [(lit. ‘clash-trees of weapons’) BATTLE > WARRIORS] feared the fire and the bent elm-bow.
[7] uggðu eld ‘feared the fire’: When approaching Tønsberg from the sea, Erlingr and his men loaded a boat with straw and wood and set fire to this cargo. The boat drifted toward the harbour, and Erlingr and his troops, obscured by the smoke, rowed after it and came within shooting distance of Hákon’s forces which were marshalled on the pier. The people of Tønsberg feared that the burning ship would set fire to the town.