Hero-Myths & Legends of the British Race
from below, and he defended himself at first manfully with the crooked
cudgel; but Thorbiorn's sword Warflame sliced this like a stalk of
flax, and Olaf had to betake himself to his axe, and the fight went on
for long.
A New Enemy Comes
The noise of the fray reached the ears of Thordis, Vakr's mother, in
her house, so that she sent a boy to learn the cause, and when he told
her that Olaf Howardson was fighting against Thorbiorn and Vakr she
bade her second son go to the help of his kinsfolk.
"I will not go," said he. "I would rather fight for Olaf than for
them. It is a shame for two to set on one man, and they such great
champions too. I will not be the third; I will not go."
"Now I know that thou art a coward," sneered his mother. "Daughter,
not son, thou art, too timid to help thy kinsfolk. I will show thee
that I am a braver daughter than thou a son!"
Olaf's Death
By these words Thordis so enraged her son that he seized his axe and
rushed from the house down the hill towards Olaf, who could not see
the new-comer, because he stood with his back to the house. Coming
close to Olaf, the new assailant drove the axe in deep between his
shoulders, and when Olaf felt the blow he turned and with a mighty
stroke slew his last enemy. Thereupon Thorbiorn thrust Olaf through
with the sword Warflame, and he died. Then Thorbiorn took Olaf's
teeth, which he smote from his jaw, wrapped them in a cloth, and
carried them home.
The news of the slaughter was at once told by Thorbiorn (for so long
as homicide was not concealed it was not considered murder), and told
fairly, so that all men praised Olaf for his brave defence, and
lamented his death. But when men sought for the fair Sigrid she could
not be found, and was seen no more from that day. She had loved Olaf
greatly, had seen him fall, and could not live when he was dead; but
no man knew where she died or was buried.
The terrible news of Olaf's death came to Howard, and he sighed
heavily and took to his bed for grief, and remained bedridden for
twelve months, leaving his wife Biargey to manage the daily fishing
and the farm. Men thought that Olaf would be for ever unavenged,
because Howard was too feeble, and his adversary too mighty and too
unjust.
Howard Claims Wergild for Olaf
When a year had passed away Biargey came to Howard where he lay in his
bed, and bade him arise and go to Bathstead. Said she:
"I would have thee claim wergild for our son, since a man that can no
longer fight may well prove his valour by word of mouth, and if
Thorbiorn should show any sign of justice thou shalt not claim too
much."
Howard replied: "I know it is a bootless errand to ask justice from
Thorbiorn, but I will do thy will in this matter."
So Howard went heavily, walking as an old man, to Bathstead, and,
after the usual greetings, said:
"I have come to thee, Thorbiorn, on a great matter--to claim wergild
for my dead son Olaf, whom thou didst slay guiltless."
Thorbiorn answered: "I have never yet paid a wergild, though I have
slain many men--some say innocent men. But I am sorry for thee, since
thou hast lost a brave son, and I will at least give thee something.
There is an old horse named Dodderer out in the pastures, grey with
age, sore-backed, too old to work; but thou canst take him home, and
perhaps he will be some good, when thou hast fed him up."
Now Howard was angered beyond speech. He reddened and turned straight
to the door; and as he went down the hall Vakr shouted and jeered; but
Howard said no word, good or bad. He returned home, and took to his
bed for another year.
Howard at the Thing
In the second year Biargey again urged Howard to try for a wergild.
She suggested that he should follow Thorbiorn to the Thing and try to
obtain justice, for men loathed Thorbiorn's evil ways, and Howard
would be sure to have many sympathizers. Howard was loath to go.
"Thorbiorn, my son's slayer, has mocked me once; shall he mock me
again where all the chieftains are assembled? I will not go to endure
such shame!"
To his surprise, Biargey urged her will, saying: "Thou wilt have
friends, I know, since Guest will be there, and he is a just man, and
will strive to bring about peace between thee and Thorbiorn. And
hearken to me, and heed my words, husband! If Thorbiorn is condemned
to pay thee money, and there is a large ring of assessors, it may be
that when thou and he are in the ring together he will do something
to grieve thee sorely. Then look thou well to it! If thy heart be
light, make thou no peace; I am somewhat foresighted, and I know that
then Olaf shall be avenged. But if thou be heavy-hearted, then do thou
be reconciled to Thorbiorn, for I know that Olaf shall lie unatoned
for."
Howard replied: "Wife, I understand thee not, nor thy words, but this
I know: I would do and bear all things if I might but obtain due
vengeance for Olaf's death."
At last Howard, impressed by his wife's half-prophetic words, roused
himself, and rode away to the Thing; here he found shelter with a
great chieftain, Steinthor of Ere, who was kind to the old man, and
gave Howard a place in his booth. Steinthor praised Olaf's courage and
manful defence, and bade his followers cherish the old man, and not
arouse his grief for his dead son.
Howard and Thorbiorn
As the days wore on Howard did nothing towards obtaining compensation
for his great loss, until Steinthor asked him why he took no action in
the matter. Howard replied that he felt helpless against Thorbiorn's
evil words and deeds; but Steinthor bade him try to win Guest to his
side--then he would succeed. Howard took heart, and set off for the
booth which Thorbiorn shared with Guest; but unhappily Guest was not
there when Howard came. Thorbiorn greeted him and asked what matter
had brought him, and Howard replied:
"My grief for Olaf is yet deep in my heart; still I remember his
death; and now again I come to claim a wergild for him."
Thorbiorn answered: "Come to me at home in my own country, and I may
do somewhat for thee, but I will not have thee whining against me
here."
Howard said: "If thou wilt do nothing here, I have proved that thou
wilt do still less in thine own country; but I had hoped for help from
other chieftains."
Thorbiorn burst out wrathfully: "See! He will stir up other men
against me! Get thee gone, old man, or thou shalt not escape a
beating."
Now Howard was greatly angered, and said: "Yes, old I am--too old and
feeble to win respect; but the days have been when I would not have
endured such wrong; yea, and if Olaf were still alive thou wouldst not
have flouted me thus." As he left Thorbiorn's sight his grief and
anger were so great that he did not notice Guest returning, but went
heavily to Steinthor's booth, where he told all Thorbiorn's injustice,
and won much sympathy.
Guest and Howard
When Guest had entered the booth he sat down beside Thorbiorn and
said:
"Who was the man whom I met leaving the booth just now?"
"A wise question for a wise man to ask! How can I tell? So many come
and go," said Thorbiorn.
"But this was an old man, large of stature, lame in one knee; yet he
looked a brave warrior, and he was so wrathful that he did not know
where he went. He seemed a man likely to be lucky, too, and not one to
be lightly wronged."
"That must have been old Howard the Halt," said Thorbiorn. "He is a
man from my district, who has come after me to the Thing."
"Ah! Was it his brave son Olaf whom thou didst slay guiltless?"
"Yes, certainly," returned Thorbiorn.
"How hast thou kept the promise of better ways which thou didst make
when thou didst marry my sister?" he asked; and Thorbiorn sat silent.
"This wrong must be amended," said Guest, and sent an honourable man
to bring Howard to him. Howard at first refused to face Thorbiorn
again, but at last reluctantly consented to meet Guest, and when the
latter had greeted him in friendly and honourable fashion he told the
whole story, from the time of Thorbiorn's first jealousy of Olaf.
Guest was horrified. "Heard ever man such injustice!" he cried. "Now,
Thorbiorn, choose one of two things: either my sister shall no longer
be thy wife, or thou shalt allow me to give judgment between Howard
and thee."
Guest's Judgment and the Payment of the Wergild
Thorbiorn agreed to leave the matter in Guest's hands, and many men
were called to make a ring as assessors, that all might be legally
done, and Thorbiorn and Howard stood together in the ring. Then Guest
gave judgment: "Thorbiorn, I cannot condemn thee to pay Howard all
thou owest--with all thy wealth, thou hast not money enough for that;
but for slaying Olaf thou shalt pay a threefold wergild. For the other
wrongs thou hast done him, I, thy brother-in-law, will try to atone by
gifts, and friendship, and all honour in my power, as long as we both
live; and if he will come home to stay with me he shall be right
welcome."
Thorbiorn agreed to the award, saying carelessly: "I will pay him at
home in my own country, if he will come to me when I have more
leisure."
"No," said Guest, who distrusted Thorbiorn, "thou shalt pay here, and
now, fully; and I myself will pay one wergild, to help thee in
atonement." When this was agreed Howard sat down in the ring, and
Guest gave him the one wergild (a hundred of silver), which Howard
received in the skirt of his cloak; and then Thorbiorn paid one
wergild slowly, coin by coin, and said he had no more money; but Guest
bade him pay it all.
Then Thorbiorn drew out a cloth and untied it, saying, "He will surely
count himself paid in full if I give him this!" and he flung into the
old man's face, as he sat on the ground, the teeth of the dead Olaf,
saying, "Here are thy son's teeth!"
Howard sprang up, bleeding, mad with rage and grief. The silver rolled
in all directions from his cloak as he came to his feet, but he heeded
it not at all. Blinded with blood, and furious, he broke through the
ring of assessors, dashed one of them to earth, and rushed away like a
young man; but when he came to Steinthor's booth he lay as if dead,
and spoke to no man.
Guest would have no more to do with Thorbiorn. "Thou hast no equal for
cruelty and evil; thou shalt surely repent it," he said; and he rode
to Bathstead, took his sister away, with all her wealth, and broke off
his alliance with Thorbiorn, caring nothing for the shame he put upon
so unjust a man.
Howard went home, told Biargey all that had happened, and took to his
bed again, a poor, old, helpless, miserable man; but his wife, who saw
her presage beginning to come true, kept up her courage, rowed out
fishing every day, and guided the household for yet another year.
Biargey and her Brethren
That summer, one day, as Biargey was rowed out to the fishing as
usual, she saw Thorbiorn's boat coming up the firth, and bade her man
take up the lines and go to meet him, and row round the cutter, while
she talked with Thorbiorn. As Biargey's little boat approached the
cutter Thorbiorn stopped his vessel for he saw that she would speak
with him, and her boat circled round the cutter while she asked his
business, and learnt that he was going with Vakr to meet a brother and
nephew of his, to bring them to Bathstead, and that he expected to be
away from home for a week. The little skiff had now passed completely
round the motionless cutter, and Olaf's mother, having learnt all she
wanted, bade her rower quit Thorbiorn; the little boat shot swiftly
and suddenly away, leaving Thorbiorn with an uneasy sense of
witchcraft. So disquieted did he feel that he would have pursued her