"Have you forgotten how often they have bound our girls together, yes and our boys, too, like beasts of burden, by their long locks, and driven them forth to a life of disgrace from which the pure gods of Asgard turn their faces, crimson with shame and wrath? "You have _not_ forgotten these things! I hear it! I see it! Well then, do as I advise: _Take no prisoners!_ Kill them all! Do not spare one; disdain all ransom. Let the whole army,--leaders, horse and foot,--be dedicated to Odin and to Zio. You will: I see it! Then repeat the words after me and swear: "To thee, Odin, doomed, And to wrathful Zio, Be all who live within the camp And on the rocking galleys. Soon will ye bathe in blood, O gods so mighty, From ankle to knee!" Swinging their weapons in frantic excitement the gathered thousands repeated the terrible oath. "I will dismiss the army at once; only hear one thing more--your Duke's vow. The many thousand mailed men who broke into the peaceful districts captured one single prisoner, a defenceless woman, a merry little maiden. Many of you, I think, know her." "Bissula! The little one! The fair one! The red-elf, Suobert's child!" So shouted hundreds of voices. "Yes, Bissula, Suobert's daughter. Well then: whoever releases her, whoever brings her to me from the Roman camp after the battle, shall receive the Duke's whole share of the booty." A grateful but sorrowful glance from Adalo rested upon him: the young noble no longer dared to hope. "The circle is dissolved, the assembly is over," the old commander continued; he then turned the upright stone resting against the trunk of the tree and descended the steps. The bands, with loud acclamations for the Duke, instantly scattered in all directions down the sides of the mountain, each division following the symbols borne in front of its own district and tribe. Adalo was going too; but the Duke motioned to him to remain, took from his hand the stag standard and gave it to Sippilo, who bore it proudly down the Holy Mountain. CHAPTER XXXVIII. "Stay," said Hariowald, when the heralds, last of all, had left the place of assembly, "you must know how this battle is to be fought, according to my plan and wish. For, if the Lofty One should call me up to him before the victory is won, you must complete it. Therefore you must now learn all (far more than the men in the army) that for weeks I have been preparing during sleepless nights, and have secretly accomplished in the past few days. "Come, sit down by me; we will spread out on this stone the plan of the Roman camp, which we owe to your brave little brother. "It has been of the greatest service to me. I told you yesterday how the men of the districts were to attack the four sides and gates of the camp at the same time." "Yes: but you did not say where you would fight with your bands, and where I was to go."