eric brighteyes-第10部分

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〃I　hear　thee；　thou　Ospakar；〃　said　Eric；　mocking　him；　and　people

laughed；　while　Ospakar　grinned　angrily　and　said；　〃Thou　must　learn

manners；　puppy。　Still；　I　shall　find　no　honour　in　teaching　thee　in　this

wise。　Last　night　we　made　a　match　in　our　cups；　and　I　staked　my　sword

Whitefire　and　thou　thine　eye。　It　would　be　bad　that　either　of　us　should

lose　sword　or　eye；　therefore；　what　sayest　thou；　shall　we　let　it　pass？〃



〃Ay；　Blacktooth；　if　thou　fearest；　but　first　pay　thou　forfeit　of　the

sword。〃



Now　Ospakar　grew　very　mad　and　shouted；　〃Thou　wilt　indeed　stand　against

me　in　the　ring！　I　will　break　thy　back　anon；　youngster；　and　afterwards

tear　out　thine　eye　before　thou　diest。〃



〃It　may　so　befall；〃　answered　Eric；　〃but　big　words　do　not　make　big

deeds。〃



Presently　the　light　came　and　thralls　went　out　with　spades　and　cleared

away　the　snow　in　a　circle　two　rods　across；　and　brought　dry　sand　and

sprinkled　it　on　the　frozen　turf；　so　that　the　wrestlers　should　not

slip。　And　they　piled　the　snow　in　a　wall　around　the　ring。



But　Groa　came　up　to　Ospakar　and　spoke　to　him　apart。



〃Knowest　thou；　lord；〃　she　said；　〃that　my　heart　bodes　ill　of　this

match？　Eric　is　a　mighty　man；　and；　great　though　thou　art；　I　think　that

thou　shalt　lout　low　before　him。〃



〃It　will　be　a　bad　business　if　I　am　overthrown　by　an　untried　man；〃　said

Ospakar；　and　was　troubled　in　his　mind；　〃and　it　would　be　evil　moreover

to　lose　the　sword。　For　no　price　would　I　have　it　so。〃



〃What　wilt　thou　give　me；　lord；　if　I　bring　thee　victory？〃



〃I　will　give　thee　two　hundred　in　silver。〃



〃Ask　no　questions　and　it　shall　be　so；〃　said　Groa。



Now　Eric　was　without；　taking　note　of　the　ground　in　the　ring；　and

presently　Groa　called　to　her　the　thrall　Koll　the　Half…witted；　whom　she

had　sent　to　Swinefell。



〃See；〃　she　said；　〃yonder　by　the　wall　stand　the　wrestling　shoes　of　Eric

Brighteyes。　Haste　thee　now　and　take　grease；　and　rub　the　soles　with　it；

then　hold　them　in　the　heat　of　the　fire；　so　that　the　fat　sinks　in。　Do

this　swiftly　and　secretly；　and　I　will　give　thee　three　pennies。〃



Koll　grinned；　and　did　as　he　was　bid；　setting　back　the　shoes　just　as

they　were　before。　Scarcely　was　the　deed　done　when　Eric　came　in；　and

made　himself　ready　for　the　game；　binding　the　greased　shoes　upon　his

feet；　for　he　feared　no　trick。



Now　everybody　went　out　to　the　ring；　and　Ospakar　and　Eric　stripped　for

wrestling。　They　were　clad　in　tight　woollen　jerkins　and　hose；　and

sheep…skin　shoes　were　on　their　feet。



They　named　Asmund　master　of　the　game；　and　his　word　must　be　law　to　both

of　them。　Eric　claimed　that　Asmund　should　hold　the　sword　Whitefire　that

was　at　stake；　but　Ospakar　gainsaid　him；　saying　that　if　he　gave

Whitefire　into　Asmund's　keeping；　Eric　must　also　give　his　eyeand

about　this　they　debated　hotly。　Now　the　matter　was　brought　before

Asmund　as　umpire；　and　he　gave　judgment　for　Eric；　〃for；〃　he　said；　〃if

Eric　yield　up　his　eye　into　my　hand；　I　can　return　it　to　his　head　no

more　if　he　should　win；　but　if　Ospakar　gives　me　the　good　sword　and

conquers；　it　is　easy　for　me　to　pass　it　back　to　him　unharmed。〃



Men　said　that　this　was　a　good　judgment。



Thus　then　was　the　arm…game　set。　Ospakar　and　Eric　must　wrestle　thrice；

and　between　each　bout　there　would　be　a　space　while　men　could　count　a

thousand。　They　might　strike　no　blow　at　one　another　with　hand；　or　head；

or　elbow；　foot　or　knee；　and　it　should　be　counted　no　fall　if　the　haunch

and　the　head　of　the　fallen　were　not　on　the　ground　at　the　self…same

time。　He　who　suffered　two　falls　should　be　adjudged　conquered　and　lose

his　stake。



Asmund　called　these　rules　aloud　in　the　presence　of　witnesses；　and

Ospakar　and　Eric　said　that　should　bind　them。　Ospakar　drew　a　small

knife　and　gave　it　to　his　son　Gizur　to　hold。



〃Thou　shalt　soon　know；　youngling；　how　steel　tastes　in　the　eyeball；〃　he

said。



〃We　shall　soon　know　many　things；〃　Eric　answered。



Now　they　drew　off　their　cloaks　and　stood　in　the　ring。　Ospakar　was

great　beyond　the　bigness　of　men　and　his　arms　were　clothed　with　black

hair　like　the　limbs　of　a　goat。　Beneath　the　shoulder　joint　they　were

almost　as　thick　as　a　girl's　thigh。　His　legs　also　were　mighty；　and　the

muscles　stood　out　upon　him　in　knotty　lumps。　He　seemed　a　very　giant；

and　fierce　as　a　Baresark；　but　still　somewhat　round　about　the　body　and

heavy　in　movement。



From　him　men　looked　at　Eric。



〃Lo！　Baldur　and　the　Troll！〃　said　Swanhild；　and　everybody　laughed；

since　so　it　was　indeed；　for；　if　Ospakar　was　black　and　hideous　as　a

troll；　Eric　was　beautiful　as　Baldur；　the　loveliest　of　the　Gods。　He　was

taller　than　Ospakar　by　the　half　of　a　hand　and　as　broad　in　the　chest。

Still；　he　was　not　yet　come　to　his　greatest　strength；　and；　though　his

limbs　were　well　knit；　they　seemed　but　as　a　child's　against　the　limbs

of　Ospakar。　But　he　was　quick　as　a　cat　and　lithe；　his　neck　and　arms

were　white　as　whey；　and　beneath　his　golden　hair　his　bright　eyes　shone

like　spears。



Now　they　stood　face　to　face；　with　arms　outstretched；　waiting　the　word

of　Asmund。　He　gave　it　and　they　circled　round　each　other　with　arms　held

low。　Presently　Ospakar　made　a　rush　and；　seizing　Eric　about　the　middle；

tried　to　lift　him；　but　with　no　avail。　Thrice　he　strove　and　failed；

then　Eric　moved　his　foot　and　lo！　it　slipped　upon　the　sanded　turf。

Again　Eric　moved　and　again　he　slipped；　a　third　time　and　he　slipped　a

third　time；　and　before　he　could　recover　himself　he　was　full　on　his

back　and　fairly　thrown。



Gudruda　saw　and　was　sad　at　heart；　and　those　around　her　said　that　it

was　easy　to　know　how　the　game　would　end。



〃What　said　I？〃　quoth　Swanhild；　〃that　it　would　go　badly　with　Eric　were

Ospakar's　arms　about　him。〃



〃All　is　not　done　yet；〃　answered　Gudruda。　〃Methinks　Eric's　feet　slipped

most　strangely；　as　though　he　stood　on　ice。〃



But　Eric　was　very　sore　at　heart　and　could　make　nothing　of　this　matter

for　he　was　not　overthrown　by　strength。



He　sat　on　the　snow　and　Ospakar　and　his　sons　mocked　him。　But　Gudruda

drew　near　and　whispered　to　him　to　be　of　good　cheer；　for　fortune　might

yet　change。



〃I　think　that　I　am　bewitched；〃　said　Eric　sadly：　〃my　feet　have　no　hold

of　the　ground。〃



Gudruda　covered　her　eyes　with　her　hand　and　thought。　Presently　she

looked　up　quickly。　〃I　seem　to　see　guile　here；〃　she　said。　〃Now　look

narrowly　on　thy　shoes。〃



He　heard；　and；　loosening　his　shoe…string；　drew　a　shoe　from　his　foot

and　looked　at　the　sole。　The　cold　of　the　snow　had　hardened　the　fat；　and

there　it　was；　all　white　upon　the　leather。



Now　Eric　rose　in　wrath。　〃Methought；〃　he　cried；　〃that　I　dealt　with　men

of　honourable　mind；　not　with　cheating　tricksters。　See　now！　it　is

little　wonder　that　I　slipped；　for　grease　has　been　set　upon　my　shoes

and；　by　Thor！　I　will　cleave　the　man　who　did　it　to　the　chin；〃　and　as　he

said　it　his　eyes　blazed　so　dreadfully　that　folk　fell　back　from　him。

Asmund　took　the　shoes　and　looked　at　them。　Then　he　spoke：



〃Brighteyes　tells　the　truth；　and　we　have　a　sorry　knave　among　us。

Ospakar；　canst　thou　clear　thyself　of　this　ill　deed？〃



〃I　will　swear　on　the　holy　ring　that　I　know　nothing　of　it；　and　if　any

man　in　my　company　has　had　a　hand　therein　he　shall　die；〃　said　Ospakar。



〃That　we　will　swear　also；〃　cried　his　sons　Gizur　and　Mord。



〃This　is　more　like　a　woman's　work；〃　said　Gudruda；　and　she　looked　at

Swanhild。



〃It　is　no　work　of　mine；〃　quoth　Swanhild。



〃Then　go　and　ask　thy　mother　of　it；〃　answered　Gudruda。



Now　all　men　cried　aloud　that　this　was　the　greatest　shame；　and　that　the

match　must　be　set　afresh；　only　Ospakar　bethought　him　of　that　two

hundred　in　silver　which　he　had　promised　to　Groa；　and　looked　around；

but　she　was　not　there。　Still；　he　gainsaid　Eric　in　the　matter　of　the

match　being　set　afresh。



Then　Eric　cried　out　in　his　anger　that　he　would　let　the　game　stand　as

it　was；　since　Ospakar　swore　himself　free　of　the　shameful　deed。　Men

thought　this　a　mad　saying；　but　Asmund　said　it　should　be　so。　Still；　he

swore　in　his　heart　that；　even　if　he　were　worsted；　Eric　should　not　lose

his　eyeno　not　if　swords　were　held　aloft　to　take　it。　For　of　all

tricks　this　seemed　to　him　the　very　worst。



Now　Ospakar　and　Eric　faced　each　other　again　in　the　ring；　but　this　time

the　feet　of　Eric　were　bare。



Ospakar　rushed　to　get　the　upper　hold；　but　Eric　was　too　swift　for　him

and　sprang　aside。　Again　he　rushed；　but　Eric　dropped　and　gripped　him

round　the　middle。　Now　they　were　face　to　face；　hugging　each　other　like

bears；　but　moving　little。　For　a　time　things　went　thus；　while　Ospakar

strove　to　lift　Eric；　but　in　nowise　could　he　stir　him。　Then　of　a　sudden

Eric　put　out　his　strength；　and　they　staggered　round　the　ring；　tearing

at　each　other　till　their　jerkins　were　rent　from　them；　leaving　them

almost　bare　to　the　waist。　Suddenly；　Eric　seemed　to　give；　and　Ospakar

put　out　his　foot　to　trip　him。　But　Brighteyes　was　watching。　He　caught

the　foot　in　the　crook　of　his　left　leg；　and　threw　his　weight　forward　on

the　chest　of　Blacktooth。　Backward　he　went；　falling　with　the　thud　of　a

tree　on　snow；　and　there　he　lay　on　the　ground；　and　Eric　over　him。



Then　men　shouted　〃A　fall！　a　fair　fall！〃　and　were　very　glad；　for　the

fight　seemed　most　uneven　to　them；　and　the　wrestlers　rolled　asunder；

breathing　heavily。



Gudruda　threw　a　cloak　over　Eric's　naked　shoulders。



〃That　was　well　done；　Brighteyes；〃　she　said。



〃The　game　is　still　to　play；　sweet；〃　he　gasped；　〃and　Ospakar　is　a

mighty　man。　I　threw　him　by　skill；　not　by　strength。　Next　time　it　must

be　by　strength　or　not　at　all。〃



Now　breathing…time　was　done；　and　once　more　the　two　were　face　to　face。

Thrice　Ospakar　rushed；　and　thrice　did　Eric　slip　away；　for　he　would

waste　Blacktooth's　strength。　Again　Ospakar　rushed；　roaring　like　a

bear；　and　fire　seemed　to　come　from　his　eyes；　and　the　steam　went　up

from　him　and　hung　upon　the　frosty　air　like　the　steam　of　a　horse。　This

time　Eric　could　not　get　away；　but　was　swept　up　into　that　great　grip；

for　Ospakar　had　the　lower　hold。