fair wind and favouring weather, to the shores of his maternal uncle,
King Sweyn of Denmark.

In truth, to all probable calculation, his change of purpose was
politic. The fleets of England were numerous, and her seamen
renowned. The Normans had neither experience nor fame in naval
fights; their navy itself was scarcely formed. Thus, even William's
landing in England was an enterprise arduous and dubious. Moreover,
even granting the amplest success, would not this Norman Prince, so
profound and ambitious, be a more troublesome lord to Earl Tostig than
his own uncle Sweyn?

So, forgetful of the compact at Rouen, no sooner had the Saxon lord
come in presence of the King of the Danes, than he urged on his
kinsman the glory of winning again the sceptre of Canute.

A brave, but a cautious and wily veteran, was King Sweyn; and a few
days before Tostig arrived, he had received letters from his sister
Githa, who, true to Godwin's command, had held all that Harold did and
counselled, as between himself and his brother, wise and just. These
letters had placed the Dane on his guard, and shown him the true state
of affairs in England. So King Sweyn, smiling, thus answered his
nephew Tostig:

"A great man was Canute, a small man am I: scarce can I keep my Danish
dominion from the gripe of the Norwegian, while Canute took Norway
without slash and blow [222]; but great as he was, England cost him
hard fighting to win, and sore peril to keep. Wherefore, best for the
small man to rule by the light of his own little sense, nor venture to
count on the luck of great Canute;--for luck but goes with the great."