Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of NorwaySnorri Sturluson
History
Heimskringla; Or, The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway
Snorri Sturluson
Iceland -- History; Norway -- History; Sagas -- Translations into English; Scandinavia -- History
Then Earl Hakon laid his ship on the other side of Bue's ship, and now
came heavy blows on Bue's men. Vigfus, a son of Vigaglum, took up an
anvil with a sharp end, which lay upon the deck, and on which a man had
welded the hilt to his sword just before, and being a very strong man
cast the anvil with both hands at the head of Aslak Holmskalle, and the
end of it went into his brains. Before this no weapon could wound this
Aslak, who was Bue's foster-brother, and forecastle commander, although
he could wound right and left. Another man among the strongest and
bravest was Havard Hoggande. In this attack Eirik's men boarded Bue's
ship, and went aft to the quarter-deck where Bue stood. There Thorstein
Midlang cut at Bue across his nose, so that the nosepiece of his helmet
was cut in two, and he got a great wound; but Bue, in turn, cut at
Thorstein's side, so that the sword cut the man through. Then Bue lifted
up two chests full of gold, and called aloud, "Overboard all Bue s men,"
and threw himself overboard with his two chests. Many of his people
sprang overboard with him. Some fell in the ship, for it was of no
use to call for quarter. Bue's ship was cleared of people from stem to
stern, and afterwards all the others, the one after the other.
46. VIKINGS BOUND TOGETHER IN ONE CHAIN.
Earl Eirik then laid himself alongside of Vagn's ship, and there was
a brave defence; but at last this ship too was cleared, and Vagn and
thirty men were taken prisoners, and bound, and brought to land. Then
came up Thorkel Leira, and said, "Thou madest a solemn vow, Vagn, to
kill me, but now it seems more likely that I will kill thee." Vagn and
his men sat all upon a log of wood together. Thorkel had an axe in his
hands, with which he cut at him who sat outmost on the log. Vagn and the
other prisoners were bound so that a rope was fastened on their feet,
but they had their hands free. One of them said, "I will stick this
cloak-pin that I have in my hand into the earth, if it be so that I
know anything, after my head is cut off." His head was cut off, but the
cloak-pin fell from his hand. There sat also a very handsome man with
long hair, who twisted his hair over his head, put out his neck, and
said, "Don't make my hair bloody." A man took the hair in his hands and
held it fast. Thorkel hewed with his axe; but the viking twitched his
head so strongly that he who was holding his hair fell forwards, and the
axe cut off both his hands, and stuck fast in the earth. Then Earl Eirik
came up, and asked, "Who is that handsome man?"
He replies, "I am called Sigurd, and am Bue's son. But are all the
Jomsborg vikings dead?"
Eirik says, "Thou art certainly Boe's son. Wilt thou now take life and
peace?"
"That depends," says he, "upon who it is that offers it."
"He offers who has the power to do it--Earl Eirik."
"That will I," says he, "from his hands." And now the rope was loosened
from him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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