Saxo Wartooth

10. 4. Afterwards, having heard that Vesti was to celebrate his
wedding in Scania, Harald journeyed there in the guise of a beggar;
when night had brought the revels to a close and all were drugged
with wine and sleep, he battered his way into the bridal chamber with
a beam. Vesti dashed a cudgel at his mouth but merely knocked out
two of his teeth without inflicting a wound. Later two incisors pushed
up unexpectedly to repair the loss. This occurrence earned him the
nickname ‘Hilditan’, which some say he acquired from his prominent
row of teeth. Killing Vesti on the spot, he gained control over
Scania. He went on to attack and wipe out Hathar in Jutland, where
the name of a town forever marks his downfall. After this he
overthrew Hunding and Rørik, occupied Lejre, and remoulded the
divided kingdom of Denmark into its original form.

10. 5. Next he discovered that Asmund, king of the Vik, had been
robbed of his dominion by his elder sister; roused by this demonstration
of female effrontery, while war was still hovering he sailed in a
solitary vessel to Norway to offer Asmund help. After battle had been
engaged, he advanced on the enemy clad in a purple cloak, his locks
crowned by a band tricked out with gold; instead of armour he trusted
to his unspoken certainty of Fortune, so that he appeared to be
equipped for a feast rather than warfare. But this garb did not reflect
the qualities he displayed; he preceded the armed companies
unshielded, simply wearing his royal attire, and with this ready
fighting spirit, exposed himself to the raging perils of conflict. The
shafts aimed at him lost their power to harm as if their points had
been blunted. When the other side observed this fighter’s immunity,
they pressed hard on him, humiliation spurring them to a keener
assault. Harald, his body unhurt, either beat them down with his
sword or made them run to save their skins; so the sister was crushed
and Asmund restored to the throne. Though the king offered him
rewards for his triumph, he claimed that the wages of fame were
enough in themselves; he therefore refused recompense as meritoriously
as he had earned it. After he had maintained that he intended
to gather renown from his victory, not money, all were struck with as
much amazement at his self-control as by his valour.


- Gesta Danorum, Book VII