Wulfric the Weapon Thane / A Story of the Danish Conquest of East Anglia

rought me from sleep at once, thinking that the boat had touched ground. But there was no land in sight now, and all around me wa

y reason of all he had done, though it was but for a moment. Thereat he cried out, praying me to have mercy on him, a

arply, as to a dog, "or you wil

e water more than steel, as it seeme

oke plain

t to shore at some place where you are not known, and so let you live a little longer. And in any case I have a mind to try to save my own life; thus if you

d so promised humbly to obey me in all things if I would but spare him and get the boat to shore quick

heat of anger--and well would it have been if Ulfkytel had doomed him to death, as judge. But against this helpless, cringing wretch, whose punishment was even now falling on him,

tle to drive her well. My spirits rose, so that I felt almost glad to be on the sea

was driving us over the same track which Lodbrok had taken as he came from his own place. There was no hope of making the English shore again, an

as one might say. At once the boat seemed to come to life, flying from wave to wave be

harity, for now our case was better than Lodbrok's in two ways, that we had no raging gale and sea to wrestle against, and the utmost pangs of hunger and thirst we were not to feel. Three days and two nights had he been on his voyage. We might be a day longer

orn out; and the sea ran evenly and not very high, so that at last I dared to lash the oar in its place and sleep in snatches, waking now and then to the lift of a greater wave, or catching the rushing in my ears as some heavier-crested billow

ard. Once it rained, and I caught the water in the bailer and drank heartily, giving his fill to Beorn, and with it I ate some of my loaf, and he took half of his. Then slowly came night, and at l

ade and that Lodbrok had loved. And when that was done I sang the song of

me cease singing of shipwreck. But I heeded him not, and so I sang and h

of the boat, though to one who knew how to handle his craft there was no danger in them. But from time to time Beorn cried out as the boat

aid at last to him, and he hid his f

him spare it, for I knew not how long yet we might be before we saw land. And that seemed to change his mood,

save him from it, as though I had power on the seas more than had other men. But it soon wen

ly we must have sailed as swiftly as Lodbrok, for the sea had favoured us rather than given trouble. Even n

stward, and I thought a change was coming. It w

ale moonlight. I bade him lie down again, but he did not, and then I saw that he was surely out of his mind through the terror of the sea and the long nothingness of the voyage to which he was all unused. T

by no means rise. Then all his fury went, and he became weak, so that I reached out with one hand for the line and bound him easily, hand and foot. I set him back in his place, and the wa

en knew I how weak I was. Yet I held on, steering

but done. But the boat dashed into a wave, and the cold spray flew over me and roused

st one golden line of sunlight, rose the black steady barrier of a low-

for never had I seen sunrise over land before from the open sea, and hunger and thirst gnawed at me, and I longed for rest from this tossin

pine and birch instead of oak and alder. The boat was heading straight through a channel; past sands over which I could see the

sand--and I forgot my weakness, and sprang out into the shallow wate

we were safe. With that I gave way at last, and reeled and fell on the san

eep for a while, for I came to myse

h above me, so that I must have been an hour or tw

, and I unbound him, and as I did so he mu

way to house or village where I might get food. I could send men thence to seek him, bu

and less stiff as I went, though I must needs draw my belt tight to stay the pangs of hunger, seeing that on

omewhat like our own cottages, timber-framed, with wattle and clay walls, but with thatch of heather instead of our t

he people could not be far off, for meat and bread and a great pitcher of ale stood on the round log that served for table, as i

a hearty meal, and drank of the thin ale, and was soon myself again. I had three silver pennies, besides the gold bracelet on my arm that I wore as the k

ame over me, and I would not see him again. And, indeed, it was likely that he would come here also

was one that I had often heard men sing when I was with Half

e a slave, and maybe sold by the lord of the coast to which I came. But Danes have no traffic in slaves, holding freedom first of all things

east, and I liked not the savage look of him. But, though he bristled and growled at first sight of me, when he saw that I sat still as if I had some right to be there, he came and snuffed round me, and before his master came we

th a great bundle of logs for the fire, which h

gain so early? Wh

s a Dane, and so I an

nger who has made fre

ed, setting hands on

tter with brother Rolf when he comes

aw that they were sea stained, though hunting

said, sitting down, "

taken a few mou

any more of

ep in the boat that brought us here. We

he wakes," the man said

taking a great draught of ale, said t

d a man's face as some can, and therefore trust to the do

truth plainly, though there was no reason to say more than that we were blown off the English coast.

ired and blue eyed he was, with a square, honest face and broad shoulders,

t brother Rolf would have to go short this time, and then came an

s our folk stared at Lodbrok, and started up, crying that he

og with him. And at once the thought of leaving the hut and plunging into the forest came into my mind, but I knew not why I

a horn away in the woods, and roused up to listen. Twice or thrice it sounded, and

leep in earnest; for I needed res

hrust his nose against me, having made up his mind to be friendly altogethe

he said, "I know yo

t?" I asked, wondering what he mea

and has sent me back to keep you f

ho came ashore in it, as I have

said the man. "I

you of hi

jarl--ours,"

ith a hope that Halfden had come home, for now I kne

roksson? for we have held that Lodbrok,

, tell him the truth, before Beorn could frame lies that might work ill to both of us, or perh

d the man; "he wi

I hold you as a true man, therefore I will tell y

eartily, "I think I shall not

hed shortly,

ess like

not like J

im, when there came the quick trot of horses to the door, and a ste

come

to the door, while I too rose and followed him, for I woul

r?" said the jarl's vo

ut I was close to him, and

carried a short, broad-pointed boar spear, and on the wrist of his bridle hand sat a hooded hawk like Lodbrok's. His face had in it a look both of his fathe

n hunting gear only, and again there were footmen, leading hounds like the great one that stood by Raud and me. And two men

, and what Beorn had said, though I had no fear of him. And as the

to Jarl

nd in answer, but checked

how come you by

ad fallen, and he fell on his knees between his two guards, crying for mercy. I think that he was distraught

at somewhat was amiss, and

ubba," he said, and men rode away into

man who bears the

showing him the rings that Lo

y at the runes upon them, so tightly that it was pain to me. "By Odin's beard, th

Jarl Lodbrok's friend, and have fought by the side of Halfden, his son, as these tokens may tell

hen, and why cries

Eadmund, King of the

e to the other question, and

have bound us he signed them back, letting Beorn go free. Whereupon his knees gave way, and he sank down against the house wall, whi

hat were blowing in the woods to call Hubba from his sport. And Jarl Ingvar sat still, as if carved in

. I think that the foremost rider was the most goodly warrior to look on

e greatest bear in all Jutland in Raud's hut. And it is

man's hand,

t the rings, whereupon his face lit up

ther! That is well; tell us

he was half dead therein, and his wrists have the marks of cords on them;

r folk will tell u

ell you, Jarls. But I wo

tly; "came my father to you

I ans

died the

" I said; and I

said

s you live. But it was a poor hope. We ha

rn fixedly, and the man

s what I would kno

presently. We have enough ill news for the time. Surely we knew th

that these men

you will, but I would do so in some less hur

brother," said Hubba

en," said I

man who wears those rin

re ill come by, and he will make up s

he does," answered his br

an Raud and his brother, a tall man who had come with the Jarl Ingvar, take charge of u

me. "I fear you have ill news enough

and set him on a seat in a corner where he could rest, and then we were all silent. The great dog came

said one broth

says tru

made friends with me at first, and he nodded in friendly wise t

Jarl Hubb

d Raud. "We fear Ingvar, and we love Halfden; b

ed in telling tales of the valour and skill of their master,

and that we were to be taken to the great house. Moreover, that Rolf and Raud

llingly," I s

who sits silent

ill be with him,"

n almost needed