The Dragon and The Raven: Or The Days of King Alfred
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G. A. Henty >> The Dragon and The Raven: Or The Days of King Alfred
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"It may be that he welcomed him as a sacrifice, father,"
Sweyn suggested.
"Ah! that may be so," the jarl replied. "We must consult
the omens to find out the true meaning of my charger's neighing.
Nevertheless in either case I shall be content, for if he
be not welcomed as a sacrifice he is welcome as bringing
good fortune; and in truth he will make a noble cup-bearer
to me. It is not every jarl who is waited upon by a Saxon
ealdorman. But till the omens have spoken let him be set
aside and carefully watched. In a day or two we will journey
to Odin's temple and there consult the auguries."
Three days passed, during which Edmund was well fed
and treated. At the end of that time he was ordered to
accompany the jarl on a journey. Two days' travelling brought
them to a temple of Odin. It was a rough structure of unhewn
stones situated in a wood. Bijorn and his son entered, while
Edmund remained without under a guard. Presently the jarl
and his son came out with a priest. The latter carried a white
bag in his hand with twelve small pieces of wood. On half of
these four small nicks were cut, on the others five nicks. All
were placed in the bag, which was then shaken.
"Now," the priest said, "you will see the will of Odin; the
first three sticks drawn out will declare it. If two of the three
bear an even number of nicks, the neigh of your horse signifies
that Odin accepted the sacrifice; if two of them bear unequal
numbers, then it meant that his coming was propitious to you."
The bag was again shaken. Edmund looked on calmly,
for Saxons and Northmen alike disdained to show the slightest
fear of death; even the colour did not fade from his cheek
as he watched the trial upon which his life depended.
The first stick drawn out bore five marks; the priest
showed it to the jarl, and without a word dropped it in the
bag again. This was again shaken and another stick drawn
out; this bore but four notches; the chances were even. The
silence was unbroken until the third twig was drawn.
"Odin has spoken," the priest said. "The neigh of the
horse indicated that the coming of this Saxon was propitious
to your house."
The jarl gave an exclamation of satisfaction, while
Sweyn's brow darkened. Bijorn had indeed set his heart upon
retaining this famous young Saxon leader as his slave and
cup-bearer, and it was probable that in his interview with the
priest before the drawing his inclinations had been clearly
shown, for a slight difference between the thickness of the
sticks might well have existed and served as an index to the
priest in drawing them.
Bijorn, in his gratification at the answer of the god,
bestowed a handsome present upon the priest, and then rode
back to his abode well content with his journey. Edmund
was at once installed in his new duties. Hitherto he had not
entered the house nor seen the females of the family. Ulfra,
the jarl's wife, was a woman of commanding stature and appearance.
Like most of the northern women she had accompanied her
husband in his many wanderings, and shared his dangers and
privations. The wives of the Norsemen occupied a far
more exalted position in the households of their
lords than did those of the people of southern Europe; they
were not only mistresses of the house, but were treated with
respect as well as with affection; they were not, as in the south,
regarded as puppets for the amusements of an idle hour, but
were the companions and advisers of their husbands, occupying
a position at least as free and respected as at the present day.
There were two daughters, who both bade fair to resemble
their mother in stature and dignity of demeanour,
for both were models of female strength and activity.
Edmund's duties were light. In the morning he gathered
firewood for the household; at the meals he handed the
dishes, and taking his station behind the jarl's chair, refilled
his goblet with mead as often as it was empty. Usually a large
party sat down to supper, for an expedition to France was
talked of in the spring, and the jarls and warriors often met
to discuss the place of starting, the arrangements for the
voyage, and the numbers which each leader would place in the
field. The feasts were kept up to a late hour, and, as was the
invariable custom of the Northmen, the arrangements decided
upon overnight were rediscussed at a morning meeting;
for they held that while over the wine-cup each man would
speak the truth frankly and honestly, the colder counsels and
greater prudence which the morning brought were needed
before any matter could be finally settled.
A month thus passed, and Bijorn, his family and followers
then moved south, as there was to be a great conference
near the southern point of the country, at which a large
number of the chiefs from Denmark were to be present.
Edmund observed that for some reason Sweyn was looking
forward anxiously to this meeting, and his sisters more
than once joked him about his anxiety.
"Pooh! pooh!" the jarl said one day in answer to such
an observation. "Sweyn is but a lad yet. I know what you are
driving at, and that Sweyn is smitten with the charms of my
old companion's daughter, the pretty Freda; I noted it when
we were in camp together; but it will be fully another ten
years yet before Sweyn can think of marrying. He has got to
win for himself the name of a great warrior before a jarl's
daughter of proper spirit would so much as think of him.
When he has the spoils of France to lay at her feet it will be
time enough."
Sweyn made no reply, but Edmund saw that he was far
from pleased at his father's words, and a look of surly
determination on his face showed the young Saxon that he would
go his own way in the matter if it lay in his power.
After ten days' travelling the party arrived at the
rendezvous. Here drawn up on the shore were a vast number of
galleys of all sizes, for the greater part of those who had
assembled had journeyed by sea. Great numbers of huts of
boughs and many tents constructed of sails had been erected.
Edmund and the other slaves, these being either Saxon or
Franks captured in war, soon erected bowers for the jarl and
his family.
Edmund had been looking forward to the meeting with
much anxiety, for he had judged that some mode of escape
might there open to him. Among the Saxon slaves were several
young men of strength and vigour, and Edmund had
confided to them his project of stealing a boat and sailing
away in it, and they, knowing that he had experience in
navigation, had readily consented to join him in making an
effort for freedom.
The jarl and his family were warmly welcomed by many
of their companions in arms, and the day after their arrival
Bijorn told Edmund to accompany him to a banquet at which
he and his family were to be present. At four in the afternoon
they set out and presently arrived at a large tent.
Edmund waited without until the attendants carried in the
dishes, when he entered with them and prepared to take his
place behind his master's seat. From a few words which had
passed between Sweyn and his sisters Edmund doubted not
that the companion with whom Bijorn was going to dine was
the father of the maiden about whom they had joked him.
He was not surprised when on entering he saw Sweyn talking
earnestly with a damsel somewhat apart from the rest.
The entrance of the viands was the signal for all to take
their places at the table. There were in all sixteen in number,
and as nearly half were women the meeting was evidently of
a family character, as upon occasions of importance or when
serious discussions were to take place men alone sat down.
As Edmund advanced to take his place, his eye fell upon the
jarl who seated himself at the head of the table, and as he did
so he gave a slight start of surprise, for he at once recognized
in him the Northman Siegbert, whose ship he had stopped
at the mouth of the Humber. From him his eye glanced at
the girl by whose side Sweyn was on the point of seating
himself, and recognized in her the maiden who had besought
her father's life. The dinner commenced and proceeded for
some little time, when Edmund saw the girl looking fixedly
at him.
"Who is that who is standing behind your father's chair?"
she asked Sweyn.
"A Saxon slave," he answered. "His vessel was well-nigh
wrecked on our coast. Our people captured him and slew
some of his followers, and the ship speedily took to flight."
"Father," the girl said in a clear voice, which at once
attracted the attention of all, "unless my eyes deceive me the
young Saxon standing behind Jarl Bijorn is he whose ship
captured us as we left England, and who suffered no harm to
be done to us."
The Northman turned in his chair.
"It is he, Freda, surely enough, though how he comes to
be a slave here to my comrade Bijorn I know not. Bijorn, my
friend, I owe this youth a deep debt of gratitude; he had my
life and the life and honour of Freda in his hands, and he
spared both, and, slave though he may be of yours at present,
yet I hail him as my friend. Tell me how came he in your
hands? He is Edmund, the valiant young Saxon who smote
us more than once so heavily down in Wessex."
"I know it," Bijorn replied, "and will tell you how he came
into my hands, and in truth he was captured by accident and
not by any valour of my arm." The jarl then related the
circumstances under which Edmund had been captured, and
the narrow escape he had had of being offered as a sacrifice
to Odin. And Siegbert then told his guests at length the
incidents of his capture by the Dragon.
"He let me go free and without a ransom," he concluded,
"and that part of my obligation I should be glad to repay,
though for his gentleness to Freda I must still remain his
debtor. What say you, Bijorn, will you sell him to me? Name
your price in horses, arms, and armour, and whatever it be I
will pay it to you."
"In truth, Siegbert," Bijorn said, "I like not to part with
the lad; but since you are so urgent, and seeing that you
cannot otherwise discharge the obligation under which, as you
say, he has laid you, I cannot refuse your prayer. As to the
price, we will arrange that anon."
"Then it is settled," Siegbert said. "You are a free man,
Ealdorman Edmund," and he held out his hand to the youth.
"Now seat yourself at the table with my guests; there are none
here but may feel honoured at dining with one of King
Alfred's bravest thanes."
The transformation in Edmund's position was sudden
indeed; a moment since he was a slave, and although he had
determined upon making an effort for freedom, he had
known that the chances of escape were small, as swift galleys
would have been sent off in pursuit, and it was probable that
he would have been speedily overtaken and brought back.
Now he was free, and would doubtless be allowed to return
home with the first party who sailed thither.
Siegbert at once tried to make Edmund feel at home,
addressing much of his conversation to him. Bijorn, too,
spoke in a friendly manner with him, but Sweyn was silent
and sullen; he was clearly ill-pleased at this change of fortune
which had turned his father's slave into a fellow-guest and
equal. His annoyance was greatly heightened by the fact that
it was Freda who had recognized the young Saxon, and the
pleasure which her face evinced when her father proposed
to purchase him from Bijorn angered him still more. In his
heart he cursed the horse whose welcoming neigh had in the
first instance saved Edmund's life, and the trial by augury
which had confirmed the first omen. After the banquet was
over Siegbert requested Edmund to relate his various
adventures.
The telling of tales of daring was one of the favourite
amusements of the Danes; Siegbert and his friends quaffed
great bumpers of mead; and the ladies sat apart listening
while Edmund told his story.
"You have a brave record, indeed," Siegbert said when
he had finished, "for one so young; and fond as are our youths
of adventure there is not one of them of your age who has
accomplished a tithe of what you have done. Why, Freda, if
this youth were but one of us he would have the hearts of all
the Norse maidens at his feet. In the eyes of a Danish girl, as
of a Dane, valour is the highest of recommendations."
"I don't know, father," Freda said, colouring at being
thus addressed, "that we should be as bold as that, although
assuredly it is but right that a maiden should esteem valour
highly. It is to her husband she has to look for protection,
and she shares in the honour and spoil which he gains by his
valiant deeds, so you have always taught me."
"And rightly too, girl. Next to being a great hero, the
greatest honour is to be the wife of one. I pledge you,
Ealdorman Edmund, and should be right proud were you a
son of mine. You have told your story modestly, for many of
the battles and adventures of which you have spoken are
known to me by report, and fame has given you a larger share
in the successes than you claim for yourself. 'Tis a pity you
were not born a Northman, for there is little for you to do in
Saxon England now."
"I do not despair yet," Edmund replied. "Things have
gone badly with us, but the last blow is not struck yet. You
will hear of King Alfred in the spring, unless I am mistaken."
"But they say your King Alfred is half a monk, and that
he loves reading books more than handling the sword, though,
to do him justice, he has shown himself a brave warrior, and
has given us far more trouble than all the other Saxon kings
together."
"King Alfred fights bravely," Edmund said, "because he
is fighting for his country and people; but it is true that he
loves not war nor strife. He reads much and thinks more,
and should he ever come to his kingdom again he will assuredly
be one of the wisest and best monarchs who has ever sat
on a throne. He has talked to me much of the things which
he has at heart, and I know he intends to draw up wise laws
for the ruling of his people."
"We love not greatly being ruled, we Northmen," Bijorn
said, "but for each to go his own way as he wills, provided
only he inflicts no ill upon his neighbour. We come and we
go each as it pleases him. Our fleets traverse the sea and
bring home plunder and booty. What need we of laws?"
"At present you have no great need of laws," Edmund
replied, "seeing that you lead a wandering life; but when the
time shall come--and it must come to you as it has come to
other nations--when you will settle down as a rich and
peaceful community, then laws will become necessary."
"Well," Bijorn said, "right glad am I that I live before
such times have come. So far as I can see the settling down
you speak of, and the abandonment of the ancient gods has
done no great good either to you Saxons or to the Franks.
Both of you were in the old time valiant people, while now
you are unable to withstand our arms. You gather goods,
and we carry them off; you build cities, and we destroy them;
you cultivate the land, and we sweep off the crops. It seems
to me that we have the best of it."
"It seems so at present," Edmund said, "but it will not
last. Already in Northumbria and in East Anglia the Danes,
seeing that there is no more plunder to be had, are settling
down and adopting the customs of the Saxons, and so will it
be in Mercia and Wessex if you keep your hold of them, and
so will it be in other places. The change is but beginning,
but it seems to me certain to come; so I have heard King
Alfred say."
"And does he think," Sweyn said scoffingly, speaking
almost for the first time, "that we shall abandon the worship
of our gods and take to that of your Christ?"
"He thinks so and hopes so," Edmund replied quietly.
"So long as men's lives are spent wholly in war they may worship
gods like yours, but when once settled in peaceful pursuits
they will assuredly recognize the beauty and holiness of
the life of Christ. Pardon me," he said, turning to Siegbert,
"if it seems to you that I, being still young, speak with
over-boldness, but I am telling you what King Alfred says,
and all men recognize his wisdom and goodness."
"I know not of your religion myself," Siegbert replied,
"but I will own willingly that though its teachings may be
peaceful, it makes not cowards of those who believe in it.
I have seen over and over again old men and young men die
on the altars of their churches as fearlessly and calmly as a
Viking should do when his time comes. No Northman fears
death, for he knows that a joyous time awaits him; but I am
bound to say that your Christians meet death to the full as
calmly. Well, each his own way, I say, and for aught I know
there may be a Christian heaven as well as the Halls of Odin,
and all may be rewarded in their own way for their deeds."
Bijorn and his party now rose to take leave. "I will come
across to your tent in the morning," Siegbert said, "and we
can then discuss what payment I shall make you for this young
Saxon. I fear not that you will prove over hard to your old
comrade."
After Bijorn had departed Siegbert assigned to Edmund
a place in his tent as an honoured guest. Slaves brought in
bundles of rushes for the beds. Freda retired to a small tent
which had been erected for her adjoining the larger one, and
the jarl and Edmund lay down on their piles of rushes at the
upper end of the tent. Siegbert's companions and followers
stretched themselves along the sides, the slaves lay down
without, and in a few minutes silence reigned in the tent.
CHAPTER X: THE COMBAT
"I was thinking much of what you said last night," Freda
said at breakfast. "How is it that you, whose religion is as
you say a peaceful one, can yet have performed so many
deeds of valour and bloodshed?"
"I am fighting for my home, my country, and my religion,"
Edmund said. "Christianity does not forbid men to
defend themselves; for, did it do so, a band of pagans might
ravage all the Christian countries in the world. I fight not
because I love it. I hate bloodshed, and would rather die
than plunder and slay peaceful and unoffending people. You
have been in England and have seen the misery which war
has caused there. Such misery assuredly I would inflict on
none. I fight only to defend myself and my country men and
women. Did your people leave our land I would gladly never
draw sword again."
"But what would you do with yourself?" Freda asked in
tones of surprise. "How would you pass your time if there
were no fighting?"
"I should have plenty to do," Edmund said smiling; "I
have my people to look after. I have to see to their welfare;
to help those who need it; to settle disputes; to rebuild the
churches and houses which have been destroyed. There would
be no difficulty in spending my time."
"But how could a man show himself to be a hero," the
Danish girl asked, "if there were no fighting?"
"There would be no occasion for heroes," Edmund said,
"at least of heroes in the sense you mean--that is, of men
famous principally for the number they have slain, and the
destruction and misery they have caused. Our religion teaches
us that mere courage is not the highest virtue. It is one
possessed as much by animals as by men. Higher virtues than
this are kindness, charity, unselfishness, and a desire to
benefit our fellow-creatures. These virtues make a man a truer
hero than the bravest Viking who ever sailed the seas. Even
you, Freda, worshipper of Odin as you are, must see that it is
a higher and a better life to do good to your fellow-creatures
than to do evil."
"It sounds so," the girl said hesitatingly; "but the idea is
so new to me that I must think it over before I can come to
any conclusion."
Freda then went about her occupations, and Edmund,
knowing that Siegbert would not return for some time, as he
was going with Bijorn to a council which was to be held early
in the day, strolled down to look at the galleys ranged along
on the beach. These varied greatly in form and character.
Some of the sailing ships were large and clumsy, but the galleys
for rowing were lightly and gracefully built. They were
low in the water, rising to a lofty bow, which sometimes turned
over like the neck of a swan, at other times terminated in a
sharp iron prow, formed for running down a hostile boat.
Some of them were of great length, with seats for twenty
rowers on either side, while all were provided with sails as
well as oars. When the hour for dinner approached he returned
to Siegbert's tent. The jarl had not yet come back from
the council. When he did so Edmund perceived at once that he
was flushed and angry.
"What has disturbed you, father?" Freda asked, as on
hearing his voice she entered the tent. "Has aught gone wrong
at the council?"
"Yes," the jarl replied, "much has gone wrong. Bijorn
and I had not concluded our bargain when we went to the
council. We had, indeed, no difficulty about the terms, but
we had not clasped hands over them, as I was going back to
his tent after the council was over. At the council the
expedition against France was discussed, and it was proposed
that we should consult the gods as to the chances of the
adventure. Then the Jarl Eric rose and proposed that it should be
done in the usual way by a conflict between a Dane and a
captive. This was of course agreed to.
"He then said that he understood that there was in the
camp a young Saxon of distinguished valour, and that he
proposed that Sweyn, the son of Bijorn, should fight with
him. Sweyn had expressed to him his willingness to do so
should the council agree. I rose at once and said that the
Saxon was no longer a captive, since I had ransomed him
because he had once done me a service; but upon being
pressed I was forced to admit that the bargain had not been
concluded. I must acquit Bijorn of any share in the matter,
for it came upon him as much by surprise as it did upon me.
It seems that it is all Sweyn's doing. He must have taken the
step as having a private grudge against you. Have you had
any quarrel with him?"
"No," Edmund replied. "He has ever shown himself
haughty and domineering, but we have come to no quarrel."
"At any rate he wants to kill you," Siegbert said. "I did
my best to prevent it, pointing out that the combat ought to
take place between a Frank and a Dane. However, the
Northmen are always glad to see a good fight, and having
satisfied themselves that in point of age and strength you
were not unfairly matched, they decided that the conflict
should take place. He is taller, and I think somewhat stronger
than you, and has proved himself a valiant fighter, and I
would give much if the combat could be avoided."
"I fear him not," Edmund said quietly, "though I would
fain that this could be avoided. Had I met Sweyn upon a
battle-field in England I would have slain him as a natural
enemy; but to fight him in cold blood, either as a matter of
augury or to furnish amusement for the assembly, likes me
not. However, I must of course defend myself, and if harm
comes to him it is no blame of mine."
"You will have no easy victory, I can tell you," Siegbert
said, "for none among our young Danes bears a higher
reputation."
"But after the combat is over how shall I stand?" Edmund
asked; "for if I defeat or slay Sweyn I shall still be his
father's slave."
"That will you not," Siegbert replied. "In these cases the
captive if victorious is always restored to liberty; but at any
rate you shall fight as a free man, for when I have finished
my dinner I will go to Bijorn and conclude our bargain. Do
not look so cast down, Freda; a Northman's daughter must
not turn pale at the thought of a conflict. Sweyn is the son
of my old friend, and was, before he took to arms, your
playfellow, and since then has, methought, been anxious to gain
your favour, though all too young yet for thinking of taking a
wife; but never mind, there are as good as he to be found;
and if our young Saxon here proves his conqueror other
suitors will come, never fear."
Freda was silent, but her face flushed painfully, and
Edmund saw the tears falling down her cheeks as she bent
over her plate.
After the meal was over Siegbert again went out, and
Edmund, approaching Freda, said, "Do not fret, Freda; if it
should be that I find my skill in arms greater than that of
Sweyn, I promise you that for your sake I will not wound him
mortally."
"I care not," the girl said passionately; "spare him not
for my sake, for I hate him, and were there no other Norseman
in the world I would never be wife of his."
So saying she left the tent. Edmund now regretted the
chance which had assigned him to Siegbert, for he would
rather have taken his chance of escape by sea than have
awaited the conflict with Sweyn. But he could not carry his
plan of escape into effect now, for it would seem as if he had
fled the conflict. That this would be a desperate one he did
not doubt. The course which Sweyn had taken showed a
bitter feeling of hatred against him, and even were it not so
the young Northman would, fighting in the presence of the
leaders of his nation, assuredly do his best to conquer. But
Edmund had already tried his strength with older and more
powerful men than his adversary and had little fear of results.
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