United States or North Korea ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
When the shield-maiden suddenly sprang from nowhere and stood in their midst, the men did not even notice her; nor did the appearance of the Norman attract more attention. As an accident, it was incredibly fortunate; as a diversion, it was a master-stroke. Yet it did not take the chief long to quell the up-roar, when at last he had made up his mind what course to pursue.
She spoke softly, half-crouching in her hiding-place, but her heart was in every word. Her judges could not stand against her. Rolf swore that she would have been unworthy the name of shield-maiden had she acted otherwise. And Sigurd pressed her hand with brotherly tenderness.
I have never thought it worth while to tell you, in the few words we have had together; but now I know that the creature has suspected us ever since the day when Leif came upon us on the bluff. The day after that, Kark dared to say to me, 'Is a shield-maiden as fickle as other women, for all her steel shirt?
And my mother had me carried to Eric, who is Gilli's kinsman, and bound him to keep it a secret. She is a coward." "It must be remembered that she had been a captive of Gilli," Alwin reminded the shield-maiden. "Even Norse wives are sometimes " "She is a coward. Tell me of Gilli. At least he is not witless. What is he like?" Again the deep water.
Bits of finery a gold belt at her waist, a gold brooch on her breast, a string of amber beads around the white neck that showed coquettishly above the snowy kerchief banished the last traces of the shield-maiden, For the first time, it occurred to Alwin that she was more than a good comrade, she was a girl, a beautiful girl, the kind that some day a man would love and woo and win.
As he set down his horn after the toast, the Norman's glance happened to encounter a glance from the shield-maiden, who was passing. Taking another horn from the thrall, he bowed again, with proverbial French gallantry; then quaffed off the second measure of ale to the honor of Helga the Fair.
It was just as well that he had not attempted a longer answer, for he never would have finished it. Madness seemed suddenly to fall upon the ship. In the face of her disinheritance, the shield-maiden was radiant. Down in the waist of the ship, two youths who had caught the words threw up their hats with cheers. Leif Ericsson himself laughed loudly, and snapped his fingers in derision.
"She has speared her last boar!" "After this she will embroider boar-hunts on tapestry!" "Embroider? Is it likely that she knows which end of the needle to put the thread through?" "It will be like yoking a wild steer!" "Taming a shield-maiden!" "There will be dagger-holes in Thorhild's back!" They crowded around her, bandying the jest back and forth, and roaring with laughter.
"Do not spoil matters now by a lack of caution. Stay here while I run forward to meet them." Then, for the first time since the failing of the blow, Helga recalled with a flush of shame that she was a dauntless shield-maiden; and she took hold of her composure with both hands. Singing and shouting, the rescuers came out of the woods at last and into the circle of firelight.
Neither would he admit it now, but laughed lightly as he drew her to him. "Now may he not give me thorns who gives me also the sweetest rose in his king-dom? I tell you he is the kingliest king ever I had to deal with, and the chief I would soonest trust England to. Be no Danish rebel, shield-maiden, or as the King's officer I will mulct your lips for every word of treason."
Word Of The Day