Wulfric the Weapon Thane / A Story of the Danish Conquest of East Anglia
my comradeship with the Danes as a sort of thralldom that I knew not how to break. And now I longed to make my way back to Reedham a
been told to look for my coming, and that none at home would wonder if I were long away, because of that plan of w
ship and crew, the thought of having to break the tidings to those who would mourn
sat down beside me and asked how he could further my plans. He himself must go to
riends: and he asked me if I had money wherewith to buy one, for he had none, else would he
, and some gold coins and silver, and these were the least value of all. But little
ned towns on yonder shore--take it and
ours," he said quietly; "for timber houses cost but labour in thi
said; "I pray you take it for their
ing that in honesty he could no more, for that would surely
hat always and every day your name will be remembered at the t
re light at heart, save for parting. And I have never seen th
ooked for. We broke our fast together, and then the lady asked me if I would accept horse and gear for my journey from her,
rich, having a store of wealth with me; for I thought that
a while, and then take horse and go. We hol
I would fain be back with them, so she pitied me the m
at court, and the lady would that someone would pack
n I tried to thank them, the th
ng your mother to help homeward some other lady's
on a good horse and with change of clothes in saddlebags, an
like sort from Reedham since that day, and have borne home the like m
g, for the green beechen woods were wondrous fair to me after the long weeks of changing sea, and it seemed to me that all was going
town, and rode straightway to the great house of my godfather, Ingild, that stood by London Bridge. Very strange it was to me to look out o
and sheds for goods, I drew rein, and two serving men whom I knew well came
that they must be forgiven for not knowing me in my arms, for surely
out, ample robed and portly; for he gaz
last we met; and you come in helm and mail shirt and on horseback, instead of
thus till a good meal was before me, with a horn of his mig
llen, even as I would have told my father, for in my mind Ingild,
who had been hurt by that sudden gale. Nor did he blame me at all, knowing that Kenulf was in truth
th a glitter of his eye, saying that he would surely have done the same at
showed him the bag that Halfden gave me, and
"here is wealth enough to buy
me, and that he did willingly, only asking me to let him use it, if chance should
tide, and so you can ride with him. And I think it will be well that we should send word to your father of
ngs would be easier for me. And Ingild sent writing to my father by the hand of some chapman travelling to the great fai
drous sights, so that the time went quickly, and the more so that this Egfrid was ever with me. I had known him when we were little lads together at our own king's court, but he had left to go to that
should. So the way was light to us in the clear December weather, and if it were long the journey was very pleasant, for Egfrid and I grew to be great friends, and there is nothing more j
arnt that Lodbrok was there also with my father. So, because Hoxne was but twenty miles or thereby from
days, resting our horses. There was a wandering gleeman who came int
less stale news than that, for Harwich was close at hand. Now it was Halfden's ship which had do
en he came to the stealing of the bell, his tale was, that it, being hallowed, would by no means bear that heathen hands should touch it, so that when it came to the deepest pool in the h
e, and that is how men tell it to this day. And I care not to gainsay them, for it
he dead, and Egfrid after years of absence. And there with Eadmund were my father and mother, and Eadgyth, and Lodb
new that we should not see him before springtime came, for he must needs be wintering somewhere westward. Yet now Lodbrok was at ease with us
the Dane, it seemed to me that his first jealousy had grown deeper and taken more hold o
h now, since I came home, and there was a talk that the king would go to the court of Ethelred at Winchester shortly, taking my f
," he said. "Now, have you noted any envy a
nswered, "from Beo
en," went on my father; "now I mist
ng more than
he refused, gently enough, saying that he had broad lands of his own, and that he would not turn Christian, as the king wished, for the sake of gain. He would only
ht, and told my father of the first meeting of Lodbrok and Beorn
to Lodbrok in field and forest. You know how an arrow may seem to glance from a tree, or how a spear thrust may go w
would be so b
Long have I known Beorn, and I would not
ver near Lodbrok, I would be ne
ome to pass that Egfrid, my friend, had sought her hand, and the match pleased us all. So before the king and my father went to Winchester there was hig
to me. "I wish, friend Wulfric, that honest Egfrid had n
ing as husband to our gentle Eadgyth, though I loved him well as my
now, and I think it would be well for English fo
miled, and talked of friendliness between the two peo
Reedham, while my mother and Eadgyth stayed yet at Thetford for the sake of Egfri
ing was not yet over. Yet they were sailors' wives and children, and to them death at sea was honourable, as is to a warrior's wife that he
over our manors, finding good sport, and in a little while I forgot all about
y, if there is blame to me, have I paid for it. And I think that I should have better reme
towards Norwich, on the south of the Yare. Maybe we were five miles from the old castle at Caistor. There we beat the woods for roebuck, having greyhounds an
so that we could not see one another, and little by little separated. Then I started a roe, and after
that I had given to Lodbrok came leaping towards me, and taking no heed of the other hounds
after it. Then I thought that Lodbrok had also slain a deer, starting one from the same thicket, which was likely enough, and that this d
n have left his quarry. And at that I hasted and hung the deer on a branch, and, mounting my horse,
rightened, for Lodbrok's horse ran there loose, snorting as if in t
as a man, dressed like myself in green, and he was dragging the body of another man towards a thi
those two--letting the other horse go free--
the living man was Beorn, and tha
th drawn sword, for I had left my hunting spear with the slain deer. He dropped hi
d had the axe whose use he who lay there had taught me so well, for then the matter would have been ended at one blow. But now we were e
the noise of men running
wounding him a little in the shoulder; and he cried out for help--for the men who came were close on us--
eir quarterstaves, and it seemed to me that it was done over gent
, who seemed to be the leader of the
from Beorn to me and then to Beorn again;
hem from their dress. They were the men of mighty Earl Ulfkytel hims
," I said. "The slain man is Lodbrok, t
slew him, and I would revenge myself
as I might, for I began to see that Beorn had som
came," said one of the men
it," the leader said, and
Lodbrok's dog, the same that had brought me. And when the dog saw Beorn he flew at him and would have mauled him sorely, but that the earl's men beat him off with th
s this?" ask
the serfs, poi
" said the earl's man; "I misdoubt both these m
the earl
was glad that he was so near, for the matter
where you will," I said, b
, loose him no
some of the men stayed behind with my serfs to make a litter on which to carry my friend's body, and follow us to Caistor. So as I went I cried qu
ach you in time," said the leader of t
but to have witness
after a little thought, "we
the jarl, for all around those other marks on the grass were the hoofmarks of the rearing and frightened horse, and there were many places where an archer might lie unseen in the thickets, after following us all day maybe, as Beorn must have done, thus to find
I saw it plainly, and knew it for one of my own, and one of
lence wondering what help should come, and whence. And I thought of Halfden, and what he should think when he heard the tale that was likely to be told him, and even as I thought this there was a rushing of
im the lie, and he turned pale as if I were free and could smite him. Whereon the men bade us roughly to hold our peace, and the leader whistled to the falcon an
t as from a troubled dream when one spoke, and then go back to the same again as will a sick man. But by the time we reached Caistor I had, as it seemed to me, thought every thought that might be possible, and one thing only was plai
The darkness came, and they brought me food, so I ate and drank, being very hungry and weary;