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Updated: May 11, 2025
In neither was there a sign of an inhabitant to be seen, and they seemed for all the world like dwellings of the dead. "This is passing strange," said Helgi. "Unless, perhaps, the Jemtlanders spend the winter in holes and caves, like the bears they resemble in all but courage." "The alarm has spread, I fear," answered Estein. "We must make the more haste." "Ay," said Ketill; "on, on!"
"Great prince," replied the fellow, "the Jemtlanders were never a warlike race. Even the king, I hear, is prepared to fly." A contemptuous murmur rose from the Norsemen. "Let us begin by hanging this man," said Ketill, "and then fire, fire through the country!" "I shall see first whether he has spoken the truth," answered Estein. "Bind him, and bring him on."
The battle was at an end. Small parties of Norsemen were still driving the vanquished Jemtlanders before them cutting them down as they fled; but the main force seemed already to be devoting itself to the burning and sacking of the town, and Helgi sighed as he exclaimed, "Too late after all! the cowardly rabble could not even fight till we had come to join in the sport."
"Helgi!" cried his quondam foe. They looked each other in the face for an instant, and then simultaneously broke out into another fit of mirth. "By my faith, Estein, that was a plan worthy of yourself!" cried Helgi. "But 'tis lucky I fired not at you on the ground, as I had some thoughts of doing, knowing the trickery of these Jemtlanders." "Two things I feared," replied Estein.
"And slender," added the irrepressible Helgi, though not loud enough for Ketill to hear, and the stout Viking resumed his story, sulkily enough. "So were we left here in this town. Cold it was, with little to do, so we even broached Thorar's ale forthwith. Presently a man who had been in the woods came in hastily to tell me he had disturbed two of these hounds of Jemtlanders spying on the town.
All were Jemtlanders, and Jomar, when he saw them, cursed aloud, while the Norsemen pressed the more excitedly forward. Thirty yards further and they were at the edge of the wood, stopping at a spot not far from where the expedition first came out upon the town.
"Right glad I am to see this victory, Ketill, and gallantly you must have fought, but when has it become our custom to slay our prisoners?" "Ay," answered Helgi, "we could well have missed this part." "Know you not that the Jemtlanders slew the twenty who followed you to King Bue?" answered the black-bearded captain. "They slew them like cattle, Estein; and shall we spare the murderers now?
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