Eric Brighteyes Read online

  "By Thor! for two I did not bargain," said Eric, and sprang from thecave.

  Then, with a grunt of rage, that Baresark who was behind Skallagrimcame out like a she-bear robbed of her whelps, and ran straight at Eric,sword aloft. Eric gives before him right to the edge of the cliff.Then the Baresark smites at him and Brighteyes catches the blow on hisshield, and smites at him in turn so well and truly, that the head ofthe Baresark flies from his shoulders and spins along the ground, buthis body, with outstretched arms yet gripping at the air, falls over theedge of the gulf sheer into the water, a hundred fathoms down. It wasthe flash that Whitefire made as it circled ere it smote that Jon sawwhile he waited in the dell upon the mountain side. But of the Baresarkhe saw nothing, for he passed down into the great fire-riven cleft andwas never seen more, save once only, in a strange fashion that shall betold. This was the first man whom Brighteyes slew.

  Now the old tale tells that Eric cried aloud: "Little chance had thisone," and that then a wonderful thing came to pass. For the head on therock opened its eyes and answered:

  "Little chance indeed against thee, Eric Brighteyes. Still, I tell theethis: that where my body fell there thou shalt fall, and where it liesthere thou shalt lie also."

  Now Eric was afraid, for he thought it a strange thing that a severedhead should speak to him.

  "Here it seems I have to deal with trolls," he said; "but at the least,though he speak, this one shall strike no more," and he looked at thehead, but it answered nothing.

  Now Skallagrim slept through it all and the light grew so dim that Ericthought it time to make an end this way or that. Therefore, he tookthe head of the slain man, though he feared to touch it, and rolled itswiftly into the cave, saying, "Now, being so glib of speech, go tellthy mate that Eric Brighteyes knocks at his door."

  Then came sounds as of a man rising, and presently Skallagrim rushedforth with axe aloft and his fellow's head in his left hand. He wasclothed in nothing but a shirt and the skin of Eric's lamb was bound tohis chest.

  "Where now is my mate?" he said. Then he saw Eric leaning on Whitefire,his golden helm ablaze with the glory of the passing sun.

  "It seems that thou holdest somewhat of him in thine hand, Skallagrim,and for the rest, go seek it in yonder rift."

  "Who art thou?" roared Skallagrim.

  "Thou mayest know me by this token," said Eric, and he threw towards himthe skin of that lamb's tail which Skallagrim had lifted from Coldback.

  Now Skallagrim knew him and the Baresark fit came on. His eyes rolled,foam flew to his lips, his mouth grinned, and he was awesome to see. Helet fall the head, and, swinging the great axe aloft, rushed at Eric.But Brighteyes is too swift for him. It would not be well to let thatstroke fall, and it must go hard with aught it struck. He springsforward, he louts low and sweeps upwards with Whitefire. Skallagrim seesthe sword flare and drops almost to his knee, guarding his head with theaxe; but Whitefire strikes on the iron half of the axe and shears it intwo, so that the axe-head falls to earth. Now the Baresark is weaponlessbut unharmed, and it would be an easy task to slay him as he rushesby. But it came into Eric's mind that it is an unworthy deed to slaya swordless man, and this came into his mind also, that he desiredto match his naked might against a Baresark in his rage. So, in thehardihood of his youth and strength, he cast Whitefire aside, and crying"Come, try a fall with me, Baresark," rushed on Skallagrim.

  "Thou art mad," yells the Baresark, and they are at it hard. Now theygrip and rend and tear. Ospakar was strong, but the Baresark strengthof Skallagrim is more than the strength of Ospakar, and soon Brighteyesthinks longingly on Whitefire that he has cast aside. Eric is mightybeyond the might of men, but he can scarcely hold his own against thismad man, and very soon he knows that only one chance is left to him, andthat is to cling to Skallagrim till the Baresark fit be passed and he isonce more like other men. But this is easier to tell of than to do, andpresently, strive as he will, Eric is on his back, and Skallagrimon him. But still he holds the Baresark as with bands of iron, andSkallagrim may not free his arms, though he strive furiously. Now theyroll over and over on the rock, and the gloom gathers fast about themtill presently Eric sees that they draw near to the brink of that mightyrift down which the severed head of the cave-dweller has foretold hisfall.

  "Then we go together," says Eric, but the Baresark does not heed. Nowthey are on the very brink, and here as it chances, or as the Nornsdecree, a little rock juts up and this keeps them from falling. Eric isuppermost, and, strive as he will, Skallagrim may not turn him on hisback again. Still, Brighteyes' strength may not endure very long, for hegrows faint, and his legs slip slowly over the side of the rift till nowhe clings, as it were, by his ribs and shoulder-blades alone, that rubagainst the little rock. The light dies away, and Eric thinks on sweetGudruda and makes ready to die also, when suddenly a last ray from thesun falls on the fierce face of Skallagrim, and lo! Brighteyes sees itchange, for the madness goes out of it, and in a moment the Baresarkbecomes but as a child in his mighty grip.

  "Hold!" said Skallagrim, "I crave peace," and he loosed his clasp.

  "Not too soon, then," gasped Eric as, drawing his legs from over thebrink of the rift, he gained his feet and, staggering to his sword,grasped it very thankfully.

  "I am fordone!" said Skallagrim; "come, drag me from this place, for Ifall; or, if thou wilt, hew off my head."

  "I will not serve thee thus," said Eric. "Thou art a gallant foe," andhe put out his hand and drew him into safety.

  For a while Skallagrim lay panting, then he gained his hands and kneesand crawled to where Eric leaned against the rock.

  "Lord," he said, "give me thy hand."

  Eric stretched forth his left hand, wondering, and Skallagrim tookit. He did not stretch out his right, for, fearing guile, he grippedWhitefire in it.

  "Lord," Skallagrim said again, "of all men who ever were, thou artthe mightiest. Five other men had not stood before me in my rage, but,scorning thy weapon, thou didst overcome me in the noblest fashion, andby thy naked strength alone. Now hearken. Thou hast given me my life,and it is thine from this hour to the end. Here I swear fealty to thee.Slay me if thou wilt, or use me if thou wilt, but I think it will bebetter for thee to do this rather than that, for there is but one whohas mastered me, and thou art he, and it is borne in upon my mind thatthou wilt have need of my strength, and that shortly."

  "That may well be, Skallagrim," said Eric, "yet I put little trust inoutlaws and cave-dwellers. How do I know, if I take thee to me, thatthou wilt not murder me in my sleep, as it would have been easy for meto do by thee but now?"

  "What is it that runs from thy arm," asked Skallagrim.

  "Blood," said Eric.

  "Stretch out thine arm, lord."

  Eric did so, and the Baresark put his lips to the scratch and sucked theblood, then said:

  "In this blood of thine I pledge thee, Eric Brighteyes! May Valhallarefuse me and Hela take me; may I be hunted like a fox from earth toearth; may trolls torment me and wizards sport with me o' night; may mylimbs shrivel and my heart turn to water; may my foes overtake me, andmy bones be crushed across the doom-stone--if I fail in one jot fromthis my oath that I have sworn! I will guard thy back, I will smitethy enemies, thy hearthstone shall be my temple, thy honour my honour.Thrall am I of thine, and thrall I will be, and whiles thou wilt we willlive one life, and, in the end, we will die one death."

  "It seems that in going to seek a foe I have found a friend," said Eric,"and it is likely enough that I shall need one. Skallagrim, Baresark andoutlaw as thou art, I take thee at thy word. Henceforth, we are masterand man and we will do many a deed side by side, and in token of it Ilengthen thy name and call thee Skallagrim Lambstail. Now, if thou hastit, give me food and drink, for I am faint from that hug of thine, oldbear."

  VIII

  HOW OSPAKAR BLACKTOOTH FOUND ERIC BRIGHTEYES AND SKALLAGRIM LAMBSTAIL ONHORSE-HEAD HEIGHTS

  Now Skallagrim led Eric to his cave and fed the fire and gave him flesht
o eat and ale to drink. When he had eaten his fill Eric looked at theBaresark. He had black hair streaked with grey that hung down upon hisshoulders. His nose was hooked like an eagle's beak, his beard was wildand his sunken eyes were keen as a hawk's. He was somewhat bent and notover tall, but of a mighty make, for his shoulders must pass many a doorsideways.

  "Thou art a great man," said Eric, "and it is something to have overcomethee. Now tell me what turned thee Baresark."

  "A shameful deed that was done against me, lord. Ten years ago I was ayeoman of small wealth in the north. I had but one good thing, and thatwas the fairest housewife in those parts--Thorunna by name--and I lovedher much, but we had no children. Now, not far from my stead is aplace called Swinefell, and there dwells a mighty chief named OspakarBlacktooth; he is an evil man and strong----"

  Eric started at the name and then bade Skallagrim take up the tale.

  "It chanced that Ospakar saw my wife Thorunna and would take her, butat first she did not listen. Then he promised her wealth and all goodthings, and she was weary of our hard way of life and hearkened. Still,she would not go away openly, for that had brought shame on her, butplotted with Ospakar that he should come and take her as though byforce. So it came about, as I lay heavily asleep one night at Thorunna'sside, having drunk somewhat too deeply of the autumn ale, that armed menseized me, bound me, and haled me from my bed. There were eight of them,and with them was Ospakar. Then Blacktooth bid Thorunna rise, clotheherself and come to be his May, and she made pretence to weep at this,but fell to it readily enough. Now she bound her girdle round her and toit a knife hung.

  "'Kill thyself, sweet,' I cried: 'death is better than shame.'

  "'Not so, husband,' she answered. 'It is true that I love but thee;yet a woman may find another love, but not another life,' and I sawher laugh through her mock tears. Now Ospakar rode in hot haste awayto Swinefell and with him went Thorunna, but his men stayed a while anddrank my ale, and, as they drank, they mocked me who was bound beforethem, and little by little all the truth was told of the doings ofOspakar and Thorunna my housewife, and I learned that it was she who hadplanned this sport. Then my eyes grew dark and I drew near to death fromvery shame and bitterness. But of a sudden something leaped up in myheart, fire raged before my eyes and voices in my ears called on to warand vengeance. I was Baresark--and like hay bands I burst my cords. Myaxe hung on the wainscot. I snatched it thence, and of what befell Iknow this alone, that, when the madness passed, eight men lay stretchedout before me, and all the place was but a gore of blood.

  "'Then I drew the dead together and piled drinking tables over them, andbenches, and turf, and anything else that would burn, and put cod'soil on the pile, and fired the stead above them, so that the tale wentabroad that all these men were burned in their cups, and I with them.

  "'But I took the name of Skallagrim and swore an oath against all men,ay, and women too, and away I went to the wood-folk and worked muchmischief, for I spared few, and so on to Mosfell. Here I have stayedthese five years, awaiting the time when I shall find Ospakar andThorunna the harlot, and I have fought many men, but, till thou camestup against me, none could stand before my might."

  "A strange tale, truly," said Eric; "but now hearken thou to a stranger,for of a truth it seems that we have not come together by chance,"and he told him of Gudruda and the wrestling and of the overthrow ofBlacktooth, and showed him Whitefire which he won out of the hand ofOspakar.

  Skallagrim listened and laughed aloud. "Surely," he said, "this is thework of the Norns. See, lord, thou and I will yet smite this Ospakar. Hehas taken my wife and he would take thy betrothed. Let it be! Let it be!Ah, would that I had been there to see the wrestling--Ospakar had neverrisen from his snow-bed. But there is time left to us, and I shall yetsee his head roll along the dust. Thou hast his goodly sword and with itthou shalt sweep Blacktooth's head from his shoulders--or perchance thatshall be my lot," and with this Skallagrim sprang up, gnashing his teethand clutching at the air.

  "Peace," said Eric. "Blacktooth is not here. Save thy rage until it canrun along thy sword and strike him."

  "Nay, not here, nor yet so far off, lord. Hearken: I know this Ospakar.If he has set eyes of longing on Gudruda, Asmund's daughter, he will notrest one hour till he have her or is slain; and if he has set eyes ofhate on thee--then take heed to thy going and spy down every path beforethy feet tread it. Soon shall the matter come on for judgment and evennow Odin's Valkyries[*] choose their own."

  [*] The "corse-choosing sisters" who were bidden by Odin to single out those warriors whose hour had come to die in battle and win Valhalla.

  "It is well, then," said Eric.

  "Yea, lord, it is well, for we two have little to fear from any six men,if so be that they fall on us in fair fight. But I do not altogetherlike thy tale. Too many women are mixed up in it, and women stab in theback. A man may deal with swords aloft, but not with tricks, and lies,and false women's witchery. It was a woman who greased thy wrestlingsoles; mayhap it will be a woman that binds on thy Hell-shoes when allis done--ay! and who makes them ready for thy feet."

  "Of women, as of men," answered Eric, "there is this to be said, thatsome are good and some evil."

  "Yes, lord, and this also, that the evil ones plot the ill of theirevil, but the good do it of their blind foolishness. Forswear women andso shalt thou live happy and die in honour--cherish them and live inwretchedness and die an outcast."

  "Thy talk is foolish," said Eric. "Birds must to the air, the sea tothe shore, and man must to woman. As things are so let them be, for theywill soon seem as though they had never been. I had rather kiss my dearand die, if so it pleases me to do, than kiss her not and live, for atthe last the end will be one end, and kisses are sweet!"

  "That is a good saying," said Skallagrim, and they fell asleep side byside and Eric had no fear.

  Now they awoke and the light was already full, for they were weary andtheir sleep had been heavy.

  Hard by the mouth of the cave is a little well of water that gathersthere from the rocks above and in this Eric washed himself. ThenSkallagrim showed him the cave and the goodly store of arms that he hadwon from those whom he had slain and robbed.

  "A wondrous place, truly," said Eric, "and well fitted to the uses ofsuch a chapman[*] as thou art; but, say, how didst thou find it?"

  [*] Merchant.

  "I followed him who was here before me and gave him choice--to go, or tofight for the stronghold. But he needs must fight and that was his bane,for I slew him."

  "Who was that, then," asked Eric, "whose head lies yonder?"

  "A cave-dweller, lord, whom I took to me because of the lonesomenessof the winter tide. He was an evil man, for though it is good to beBaresark from time to time, yet to dwell with one who is always Baresarkis not good, and thou didst a needful deed in smiting his head fromhim--and now let it go to find its trunk," and he rolled it over theedge of the great rift.

  "Knowest thou, Skallagrim, that this head spoke to me after it had leftthe man's shoulders, saying that where its body fell there I shouldfall, and where it lay there I should lie also?"

  "Then, lord, that is likely to be thy doom, for this man wasforesighted, and, but the night before last, as we rode out to seeksheep, he felt his head, and said that, before the sun sank again, ahundred fathoms of air should link it to his shoulders."

  "It may be so," answered Eric. "I thought as I lay in thy grip yonderthat the fate was near. And now arm thyself, and take such goods as thouneedest, and let us hence, for that thrall of mine who waits me yonderwill think thou hast been too mighty for me."

  Skallagrim went to the edge of the rift and searched the plain with hishawk eyes.

  "No need to hasten, lord," he said. "See yonder rides thy thrall acrossthe black sand, and with him goes thy horse. Surely he thought thoucamest no more down the path by which thou wentest up, and it is notthrall's work to seek Skallagrim in his lair and ask for tidings."

  "Wolves take him for a foo
l!" said Eric in anger. "He will ride toMiddalhof and sing my death-song, and that will sound sadly in someears."

  "It is pleasant, lord," said Skallagrim, "when good tidings dog theheels of bad, and womenfolk can spare some tears and be little poorer. Ihave horses in a secret dell that I will show thee, and on them we willride hence to Middalhof--and there thou must claim peace for me."

  "It is well," said Eric; "now arm thyself, for if thou goest with methou must make an end of thy Baresark ways, or keep them for the hour ofbattle."

  "I will do thy bidding, lord," said Skallagrim. Then he entered the caveand set a plain black steel helm upon his black locks, and a black chainbyrnie about his breast. He took the great axe-head also and fitted toit the half of another axe that lay among the weapons. Then he drew outa purse of money and a store of golden rings, and set them in a bag ofotter skin, and buckled it about him. But the other goods he wrappedup in skins and hid behind some stones which were at the bottom of thecave--purposing to come another time and fetch them.

  Then they went forth by that same perilous path which Eric had trod, andSkallagrim showed him how he might pass the rock in safety.

  "A rough road this," said Eric as he gained the deep cleft.

  "Yea, lord, and, till thou camest, one that none but wood-folk havetrodden."

  "I would tread it no more," said Eric again, "and yet that fellow thiefof thine said that I should die here," and for a while his heart washeavy.

  Now Skallagrim Lambstail led him by secret paths to a dell rich ingrass, that is hid in the round of the mountain, and here three goodhorses were at feed. Then, going to a certain rock, he brought out bitsand saddles, and they caught the horses, and, mounting them, rode awayfrom Mosfell.