eric brighteyes-第15部分

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till　now　he　clings；　as　it　were；　by　his　ribs　and　shoulder…blades　alone；

that　rub　against　the　little　rock。　The　light　dies　away；　and　Eric　thinks

on　sweet　Gudruda　and　makes　ready　to　die　also；　when　suddenly　a　last　ray

from　the　sun　falls　on　the　fierce　face　of　Skallagrim；　and　lo！

Brighteyes　sees　it　change；　for　the　madness　goes　out　of　it；　and　in　a

moment　the　Baresark　becomes　but　as　a　child　in　his　mighty　grip。



〃Hold！〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃I　crave　peace；〃　and　he　loosed　his　clasp。



〃Not　too　soon；　then；〃　gasped　Eric　as；　drawing　his　legs　from　over　the

brink　of　the　rift；　he　gained　his　feet　and；　staggering　to　his　sword；

grasped　it　very　thankfully。



〃I　am　fordone！〃　said　Skallagrim；　〃come；　drag　me　from　this　place；　for　I

fall；　or；　if　thou　wilt；　hew　off　my　head。〃



〃I　will　not　serve　thee　thus；〃　said　Eric。　〃Thou　art　a　gallant　foe；〃　and

he　put　out　his　hand　and　drew　him　into　safety。



For　a　while　Skallagrim　lay　panting；　then　he　gained　his　hands　and　knees

and　crawled　to　where　Eric　leaned　against　the　rock。



〃Lord；〃　he　said；　〃give　me　thy　hand。〃



Eric　stretched　forth　his　left　hand；　wondering；　and　Skallagrim　took　it。

He　did　not　stretch　out　his　right；　for；　fearing　guile；　he　gripped

Whitefire　in　it。



〃Lord；〃　Skallagrim　said　again；　〃of　all　men　who　ever　were；　thou　art　the

mightiest。　Five　other　men　had　not　stood　before　me　in　my　rage；　but；

scorning　thy　weapon；　thou　didst　overcome　me　in　the　noblest　fashion；

and　by　thy　naked　strength　alone。　Now　hearken。　Thou　hast　given　me　my

life；　and　it　is　thine　from　this　hour　to　the　end。　Here　I　swear　fealty

to　thee。　Slay　me　if　thou　wilt；　or　use　me　if　thou　wilt；　but　I　think　it

will　be　better　for　thee　to　do　this　rather　than　that；　for　there　is　but

one　who　has　mastered　me；　and　thou　art　he；　and　it　is　borne　in　upon　my

mind　that　thou　wilt　have　need　of　my　strength；　and　that　shortly。〃



〃That　may　well　be；　Skallagrim；〃　said　Eric；　〃yet　I　put　little　trust　in

outlaws　and　cave…dwellers。　How　do　I　know；　if　I　take　thee　to　me；　that

thou　wilt　not　murder　me　in　my　sleep；　as　it　would　have　been　easy　for　me

to　do　by　thee　but　now？〃



〃What　is　it　that　runs　from　thy　arm；〃　asked　Skallagrim。



〃Blood；〃　said　Eric。



〃Stretch　out　thine　arm；　lord。〃



Eric　did　so；　and　the　Baresark　put　his　lips　to　the　scratch　and　sucked

the　blood；　then　said：



〃In　this　blood　of　thine　I　pledge　thee；　Eric　Brighteyes！　May　Valhalla

refuse　me　and　Hela　take　me；　may　I　be　hunted　like　a　fox　from　earth　to

earth；　may　trolls　torment　me　and　wizards　sport　with　me　o'　night；　may

my　limbs　shrivel　and　my　heart　turn　to　water；　may　my　foes　overtake　me；

and　my　bones　be　crushed　across　the　doom…stoneif　I　fail　in　one　jot

from　this　my　oath　that　I　have　sworn！　I　will　guard　thy　back；　I　will

smite　thy　enemies；　thy　hearthstone　shall　be　my　temple；　thy　honour　my

honour。　Thrall　am　I　of　thine；　and　thrall　I　will　be；　and　whiles　thou

wilt　we　will　live　one　life；　and；　in　the　end；　we　will　die　one　death。〃



〃It　seems　that　in　going　to　seek　a　foe　I　have　found　a　friend；〃　said

Eric；　〃and　it　is　likely　enough　that　I　shall　need　one。　Skallagrim；

Baresark　and　outlaw　as　thou　art；　I　take　thee　at　thy　word。　Henceforth；

we　are　master　and　man　and　we　will　do　many　a　deed　side　by　side；　and　in

token　of　it　I　lengthen　thy　name　and　call　thee　Skallagrim　Lambstail。

Now；　if　thou　hast　it；　give　me　food　and　drink；　for　I　am　faint　from　that

hug　of　thine；　old　bear。〃







VIII



HOW　OSPAKAR　BLACKTOOTH　FOUND　ERIC　BRIGHTEYES　AND

SKALLAGRIM　LAMBSTAIL　ON　HORSE…HEAD　HEIGHTS



Now　Skallagrim　led　Eric　to　his　cave　and　fed　the　fire　and　gave　him

flesh　to　eat　and　ale　to　drink。　When　he　had　eaten　his　fill　Eric　looked

at　the　Baresark。　He　had　black　hair　streaked　with　grey　that　hung　down

upon　his　shoulders。　His　nose　was　hooked　like　an　eagle's　beak；　his

beard　was　wild　and　his　sunken　eyes　were　keen　as　a　hawk's。　He　was

somewhat　bent　and　not　over　tall；　but　of　a　mighty　make；　for　his

shoulders　must　pass　many　a　door　sideways。



〃Thou　art　a　great　man；〃　said　Eric；　〃and　it　is　something　to　have

overcome　thee。　Now　tell　me　what　turned　thee　Baresark。〃



〃A　shameful　deed　that　was　done　against　me；　lord。　Ten　years　ago　I　was　a

yeoman　of　small　wealth　in　the　north。　I　had　but　one　good　thing；　and

that　was　the　fairest　housewife　in　those　partsThorunna　by　nameand　I

loved　her　much；　but　we　had　no　children。　Now；　not　far　from　my　stead　is

a　place　called　Swinefell；　and　there　dwells　a　mighty　chief　named

Ospakar　Blacktooth；　he　is　an　evil　man　and　strong〃



Eric　started　at　the　name　and　then　bade　Skallagrim　take　up　the　tale。



〃It　chanced　that　Ospakar　saw　my　wife　Thorunna　and　would　take　her；　but

at　first　she　did　not　listen。　Then　he　promised　her　wealth　and　all　good

things；　and　she　was　weary　of　our　hard　way　of　life　and　hearkened。

Still；　she　would　not　go　away　openly；　for　that　had　brought　shame　on

her；　but　plotted　with　Ospakar　that　he　should　come　and　take　her　as

though　by　force。　So　it　came　about；　as　I　lay　heavily　asleep　one　night

at　Thorunna's　side；　having　drunk　somewhat　too　deeply　of　the　autumn

ale；　that　armed　men　seized　me；　bound　me；　and　haled　me　from　my　bed。

There　were　eight　of　them；　and　with　them　was　Ospakar。　Then　Blacktooth

bid　Thorunna　rise；　clothe　herself　and　come　to　be　his　May；　and　she　made

pretence　to　weep　at　this；　but　fell　to　it　readily　enough。　Now　she　bound

her　girdle　round　her　and　to　it　a　knife　hung。



〃'Kill　thyself；　sweet；'　I　cried：　'death　is　better　than　shame。'



〃'Not　so；　husband；'　she　answered。　'It　is　true　that　I　love　but　thee；

yet　a　woman　may　find　another　love；　but　not　another　life；'　and　I　saw

her　laugh　through　her　mock　tears。　Now　Ospakar　rode　in　hot　haste　away

to　Swinefell　and　with　him　went　Thorunna；　but　his　men　stayed　a　while

and　drank　my　ale；　and；　as　they　drank；　they　mocked　me　who　was　bound

before　them；　and　little　by　little　all　the　truth　was　told　of　the　doings

of　Ospakar　and　Thorunna　my　housewife；　and　I　learned　that　it　was　she

who　had　planned　this　sport。　Then　my　eyes　grew　dark　and　I　drew　near　to

death　from　very　shame　and　bitterness。　But　of　a　sudden　something　leaped

up　in　my　heart；　fire　raged　before　my　eyes　and　voices　in　my　ears　called

on　to　war　and　vengeance。　I　was　Baresarkand　like　hay　bands　I　burst　my

cords。　My　axe　hung　on　the　wainscot。　I　snatched　it　thence；　and　of　what

befell　I　know　this　alone；　that；　when　the　madness　passed；　eight　men　lay

stretched　out　before　me；　and　all　the　place　was　but　a　gore　of　blood。



〃'Then　I　drew　the　dead　together　and　piled　drinking　tables　over　them；

and　benches；　and　turf；　and　anything　else　that　would　burn；　and　put

cod's　oil　on　the　pile；　and　fired　the　stead　above　them；　so　that　the

tale　went　abroad　that　all　these　men　were　burned　in　their　cups；　and　I

with　them。



〃'But　I　took　the　name　of　Skallagrim　and　swore　an　oath　against　all　men；

ay；　and　women　too；　and　away　I　went　to　the　wood…folk　and　worked　much

mischief；　for　I　spared　few；　and　so　on　to　Mosfell。　Here　I　have　stayed

these　five　years；　awaiting　the　time　when　I　shall　find　Ospakar　and

Thorunna　the　harlot；　and　I　have　fought　many　men；　but；　till　thou　camest

up　against　me；　none　could　stand　before　my　might。〃



〃A　strange　tale；　truly；〃　said　Eric；　〃but　now　hearken　thou　to　a

stranger；　for　of　a　truth　it　seems　that　we　have　not　come　together　by

chance；〃　and　he　told　him　of　Gudruda　and　the　wrestling　and　of　the

overthrow　of　Blacktooth；　and　showed　him　Whitefire　which　he　won　out　of

the　hand　of　Ospakar。



Skallagrim　listened　and　laughed　aloud。　〃Surely；〃　he　said；　〃this　is　the

work　of　the　Norns。　See；　lord；　thou　and　I　will　yet　smite　this　Ospakar。

He　has　taken　my　wife　and　he　would　take　thy　betrothed。　Let　it　be！　Let

it　be！　Ah；　would　that　I　had　been　there　to　see　the　wrestlingOspakar

had　never　risen　from　his　snow…bed。　But　there　is　time　left　to　us；　and　I

shall　yet　see　his　head　roll　along　the　dust。　Thou　hast　his　goodly　sword

and　with　it　thou　shalt　sweep　Blacktooth's　head　from　his　shouldersor

perchance　that　shall　be　my　lot；〃　and　with　this　Skallagrim　sprang　up；

gnashing　his　teeth　and　clutching　at　the　air。



〃Peace；〃　said　Eric。　〃Blacktooth　is　not　here。　Save　thy　rage　until　it

can　run　along　thy　sword　and　strike　him。〃



〃Nay；　not　here；　nor　yet　so　far　off；　lord。　Hearken：　I　know　this

Ospakar。　If　he　has　set　eyes　of　longing　on　Gudruda；　Asmund's　daughter；

he　will　not　rest　one　hour　till　he　have　her　or　is　slain；　and　if　he　has

set　eyes　of　hate　on　theethen　take　heed　to　thy　going　and　spy　down

every　path　before　thy　feet　tread　it。　Soon　shall　the　matter　come　on　for

judgment　and　even　now　Odin's　Valkyries＇*＇　choose　their　own。〃



＇*＇　The　〃corse…choosing　sisters〃　who　were　bidden　by　Odin　to　single　out

　　　　those　warriors　whose　hour　had　come　to　die　in　battle　and　win

　　　　Valhalla。



〃It　is　well；　then；〃　said　Eric。



〃Yea；　lord；　it　is　well；　for　we　two　have　little　to　fear　from　any　six

men；　if　so　be　that　they　fall　on　us　in　fair　fight。　But　I　do　not

altogether　like　thy　tale。　Too　many　women　are　mixed　up　in　it；　and　women

stab　in　the　back。　A　man　may　deal　with　swords　aloft；　but　not　with

tricks；　and　lies；　and　false　women's　witchery。　It　was　a　woman　who

greased　thy　wrestling　soles；　mayhap　it　will　be　a　woman　that　binds　on

thy　Hell…shoes　when　all　is　doneay！　and　who　makes　them　ready　for　thy

feet。〃



〃Of　women；　as　of　men；〃　answered　Eric；　〃there　is　this　to　be　said；　that

some　are　good　and　some　evil。〃



〃Yes；　lord；　and　this　also；　that　the　evil　ones　plot　the　ill　of　their

evil；　but　the　good　do　it　of　their　blind　foolishness。　Forswear　women

and　so　shalt　thou　live　happy　and　die　in　honourcherish　them　and　live

in　wretchedness　and　die　an　outcast。〃



〃Thy　talk　is　foolish；〃　said　Eric。　〃Birds　must　to　the　air；　the　sea　to

the　shore；　and　man　must　to　woman。　As　things　are　so　let　them　be；　for

they　will　soon　seem　as　though　they　had　never　been。　I　had　rather　kiss

my　dear　and　die；　if　so　it　pleases　me　to　do；　than　kiss　her　not　and

live；　for　at　the　last　the　end　will　be　one　end；　and　kisses　are　sweet！〃



〃That　is　a　good　saying；〃　said　Skallagrim；　and　they　fell　asleep　side　by

side