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Updated: May 8, 2025
The smoke grew even denser, and we must needs cough, while the tears ran from my eyes, for the stinging oak smoke seemed trapped when once it was driven down the well. "I have known men escape from worse than this," I said, thinking of Lodbrok, and turning over many wild plans in my mind. "I had forgotten this danger of wooden walls," said the prior to himself, as it were.
Thereon he gave me a broad silver ring, rune graven, to show as a token to any of his countrymen whom I might meet, for the ring was known. "Do not part with it, Wulfric," he said, as I thanked him; "for it may be of use to you some day, if not on this voyage. Jarl Lodbrok is well known on the high seas, and he gives not rings for naught."
Now as days went on and we saw more of our guest, Lodbrok, there was, I think, no man of our household who would willingly have seen him take ship and leave us; for his ways and words were pleasant to all alike, and there seemed to be no craft of which he knew not something, so that he could speak to each man, in field or village or boat, of the things that he knew best.
"An you touch so much as a hair of any in that company the man who touches, I will slay!" he said, and the men stared at him. "Yon is the bridal of Reedham folk," he said, "and the bride is she who befriended Lodbrok. They shall not be hurt." For he must needs justify himself, and give reason for withholding plunder from Danes as free as himself.
That made the jarl think that somewhat was amiss, and he bade his men bind us both. "Bind them fast, and find my brother Hubba," he said, and men rode away into the forest. But I spoke to him boldly. "Will you bind a man who bears these tokens, Jarl?" And I held out my hand to him, showing him the rings that Lodbrok and Halfden had given me.
However dear Rothgar might have been to her, he could be dear no longer, or she would never have betrayed his trust and dared his hate to save Ivarsdale Tower and its master. Sebert winced and put up his hand to shut out the vision as he realized at whose feet her heart lay now, like a pitiful bruised flower. Meanwhile, the son of Lodbrok had been drawing heavily on his scant stock of patience.
And he sat down upon a grassy hummock as suddenly as though a rock had been thrown at him that knocked the legs from under him. Nor did he get up immediately, but remained gazing at the string of bright beads which English camp-fires made along the opposite bluff, his face intent with pondering. Meanwhile the son of Lodbrok strode to and fro, declaiming wrathfully.
One thing only I wished, and that was that I had the axe which Lodbrok made for me, for then, I told the man, I should feel as a Viking again, and that pleased him. "However," he said, "I think I have found an axe that is as near like your own as may be." And he had done so, having had that kindly thought for me.
But the son of Lodbrok had still his left arm. Bearing his shield, it shot out over the body of his King. The falling brand bit this screen also, and lopped off the hand that held it, but the respite was sufficient. In a flash Canute was on his feet, both hands grasping the hilt of his high-flung sword. It was a mighty blow, but it fell harmless.
And in the end he taught me patiently, until, one day, he said: "Now do you teach me to use your long spear. I can teach you no more axe play than you know. Some day you will meet an axeman face to face, and will find out what you know. Then, if I have taught you ill, say naught; but if well, then say 'Jarl Lodbrok taught me'."
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