Olaf the Glorious | Page 4

long since last we met--not since the
yuletide feast at Holmgard, two winters back, when we had the horse
fight. How fares the Flanders mare that won such glory at that time?"
"A sickness killed her," answered Sigurd. "But I have a foal in training
that will soon beat any horse in Holmgard; ay, even in Norway. So if
you have a mind to see a good horse fight, come when you will with
the best horses you can find. I wager you that mine will beat them all."
"If I meet not my death before the end of the cruising season," said the
viking, "then will I engage to bring you the best horse in all the
Norseland to fight against." He looked among the crowd of boys that
still loitered near the ship, and added--"Where has the youngster gone
who stood just now upon the plank? He has in him the makings of a
good war man. Such lads as he are scarce, and I would buy him if he be
for sale."
And then the merchant spoke.
"Why," said he, addressing the viking, "'tis but six summers since that
you sold that self same boy, here on this marketplace. 'Twas I who
bought him from you, Klerkon. Have you forgotten the white haired he
goat that you got from me?"
"Life is too full for me to keep mind of such small events," answered
Klerkon. "But since the lad is yours, what price do you now put upon
him?"
"Nay, he is no chattel of mine," said the merchant. "He is the thrall of
goodman Reas, over in Rathsdale--a morning's walk from here. If you
would deal with him a guide will soon be got to take you over the hill."

"Young flesh will keep," returned the warrior. "I will buy the lad next
time we come to Esthonia."
Sigurd said: "It may be that ere that time he will already be sold, Jarl
Klerkon; for it chances that I also have taken a fancy to him."
"In that case," said the viking, "we may make him the stake to be
fought for in our coming horse fight. And if my horse overcomes yours,
then the lad shall be my prize, and I will make a viking of him."
"And how if the victory be mine and not yours?" asked Sigurd.
"You shall have value equal to the boy, be assured of that, hersir."
"Agreed," said Sigurd. "And now, what news have you from west over
sea?"
"Ill news and good. There has fallen a great famine in Norway. In
Thrandheim the folk are dying for lack of corn and fish, and in
Halogaland the snow has lain over the valleys nigh until midsummer,
so that all the livestock have been bound in stall and fed upon birch
buds. Men lay the famine to the account of Gunnhild's sons, who are
over greedy of money and deal hardly with the husbandmen. There is
little peace in the land, for the kings are for ever quarrelling over their
jointures; but it seems that Harald Greyfell is having the upper hand
over his brothers. Little joy is there in ruling over a realm these days. I
had rather be as I am, an honest sea rover."
"Doubtless the viking life is, after all, the most joyful that a man can
live," said Sigurd. "How fare our friends at Jomsburg?"
"Right well, as always," answered Klerkon. "Sigvaldi has built himself
a fine new dragonship of five and twenty seats, and the Jomsvikings
now number in all seven times ten hundred men. They speak of making
a sally across the sea to Angle land, where there is corn and ale in
plenty, with fine clothes, good arms, and vessels of silver and gold to
be won; for these Christian folk are very rich, and there is abundance of
treasure in their churches, with many a golden bowl and well wrought
drinking horn as booty for those who are bold enough to make the
adventure."
"But these Angles are good fighting men, I hear," said Sigurd. "And
they have many well built ships."
"They are ill matched against the vikings, with all their ships," returned
Klerkon. "And I am told that their king is a man of peace; Edgar the
Peaceable, they name him. And talking of kings, how fares King

Valdemar?"
"As sunny as a summer's noon," answered Sigurd.
"Come, then, on board my ship, and let us pledge to him in a full horn
of mead," said the viking. And he drew Sigurd with him across the
gangplank, and they went below and sat drinking until one of the
shipmen standing on the vessel's lypting, or poop deck, sounded a shrill
horn as a sign that the ship was about to leave