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We had both hawks and hounds with us, for there was game in plenty, and the king said that with the ending of the war, and the beginning of new hopes for his fleet, he would cast care aside for a little. So he was joyous and free in speech, and at times he would sing in lightness of heart, and would bid Harek sing also, so that it was pleasant to hear them.
Harek the scald looked at it once, and then went to its heavy folds, and scanned carefully the runes that were thereon. "Ho, comrades!" he cried joyfully, "here is a winning that will be sung of long after our names are forgotten. This is the magic Raven that was wrought with wizardry and spells by the daughters of Ragnar Lodbrok. Ill will this news fall on Danish ears from end to end of England.
And then Neot began to ask me a good deal about the old gods, as he called them. I told him what I knew, which was little enough maybe, and so said that Harek knew all about them, and that he should rather ask him. He did not care to do that, but asked me plainly if I were a Christian. "How should I be?" I said. "Odda is the first Christian man I have spoken with, to my knowledge.
"Godred," he said; for the name by which the king had called himself once it was likely that he would use again. "I know of no thanes," she said, though not at once, so that I was sure she knew somewhat more than she thought safe to tell. Then she was going, but Harek stayed her. "Yours is a good spell against the evil eye, mother," he said, "but I can tell you a better."
"We shall not be foremost long," I said; "we shall be surrounded when once we are through the line." But as we came on, Hubba closed up his men into a dense, square mass. "Ho!" said Harek to me; "you are wrong, my king." Now we were close at hand, and the Danish arrows flew among us, and the javelins fell pretty thickly.
Then Harek sang, and his voice went over the hillsides, echoing wonderfully; while we who heard him were very still, unwilling to lose one word or note of the song. Many verses and sayings of the "Havamal" I knew, but I had not heard it all before. So when Harek ended Neot smiled on him, and said: "That is a wondrous song, and I could have listened longer.
Then my few vikings cried, "Ay, king!" and shouted; whereat Odda laughed grimly. "Go on, Berserker axes must needs lead we will do it." Then we changed the ranks quickly, and I and Kolgrim and Harek made the point of that wedge. Heregar and the banner were in the midst, and Odda himself was not far behind me, putting his best men along the two foremost faces of the wedge.
It was not long before the savage folk were ready for my dance, and they made the ring again, refreshed. The drum was taken up once more, and a dozen men came and unbound me. I also struggled as Harek had struggled, unavailingly. When I was quiet they led me to the circle, and I watched for my plan to work.
So she was satisfied, knowing nought perhaps of what the place of a hostage is. So we started back to Chippenham quickly, and after us I heard Harek coming. He had a led horse when he joined us, and I knew that none would take word to the Danish host that the king was warned.
Helm and mail seemed as nought before the keen edge, and the shields flew in twain as it touched them. Forward I went, and aft went Harek the scald, and there was soon an end. The Danes went overboard, swimming or sinking, as their fate might be, and only the slain bided before us. The ship was ours, and I looked round to see what should be next. No other ship had come to help our prey.
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