Erling the Bold

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER TWELVE.

  DESCRIBES A TERRIFIC AND UNEQUAL COMBAT.

  "Now, kinsman, let me endeavour to convince thee of thy folly," saidJarl Rongvold to Erling, on the morning that followed the evening inwhich the interview with the King had taken place, as they walked infront of the house together.

  "It needs no great power of speech to convince me of that," said Erling."The fact that I am still here, after what the King let out last night,convinces me, without your aid, that I am a fool."

  "And pray what said he that has had such powerful influence on thineobtuse mind?"

  "Truly he said little, but he expressed much. He gave way to anunreasonable burst of passion when I did but claim justice and assertour rights; and the man must be slow-witted indeed who could believethat subdued passion is changed opinion. However, I will wait foranother interview until the sun is in the zenith--after that I leave,whatever be the consequences. So it were well, kinsman, that you shouldsee and advise with your _master_."

  The jarl bit his lip, and was on the point of turning away withoutreplying, when a remarkably stout and tall young man walked up andaccosted them.

  "This is my son Rolf," said the jarl, turning round hastily.--"Ourkinsman, Erling the Bold. I go to attend the King. Make the most ofeach other, for ye are not likely to be long in company."

  "Are you that Rolf who is styled Ganger?" enquired Erling with someinterest.

  "Aye," replied the other gruffly. "At least I am Rolf. Men choose tocall me Ganger because I prefer to gang on my legs rather than gang onthe legs of a horse. They say it is because no horse can carry me; butthou seest that that is a lie, for I am not much heavier than thyself."

  "I should like to know thee better, kinsman," said Erling.

  Rolf Ganger did not respond so heartily to this as Erling wished, and hefelt much disappointed; for, being a man who did not often express hisfeelings, he felt all the more keenly anything like a rebuff.

  "What is your business with the King?" asked Rolf, after a short pause.

  "To defy him," said our hero, under the influence of a burst of mingledfeelings.

  Rolf Ganger looked at Erling in surprise.

  "Thou dost not like the King, then?"

  "I hate him!"

  "So do I," said Rolf.

  This interchange of sentiment seemed to break down the barriers ofdiffidence which had hitherto existed between the two, for from thatmoment their talk was earnest and confidential. Erling tried to getRolf to desert the King's cause and join his opponents, but the lattershook his head, and said that they had no chance of success; and that itwas of no use joining a hopeless cause, even although he had strongsympathy with it. While they were conversing, Jarl Rongvold came outand summoned Erling to the presence of the King.

  This was the first and last interview that our hero had with that RolfGanger, whose name--although not much celebrated at that time--wasdestined to appear in the pages of history as that of the conqueror ofNormandy, and the progenitor of line of English kings.

  "I have sent for thee, Erling," said the King, in a voice so soft, yetso constrained, that Erling could not avoid seeing that it was forced,"to tell thee thou art at liberty to return to thy dalesmen with thismessage--King Harald respects the opinions of the men of Horlingdal, andhe will hold a Thing at the Springs for the purpose of hearing theirviews more fully, stating his own, and consulting with them about thewhole matter.--Art satisfied with that?" he asked, almost sternly.

  "I will convey your message," said Erling.

  "And the sooner the better," said the King. "By the way, there are tworoads leading to the Springs, I am told; is it so?" he added.

  "There are," said Erling; "one goes by the uplands over the fells, theother through the forest."

  "Which would you recommend me to follow when I fare to the Springs?"

  "The forest road is the best."

  "It is that which thou wilt follow, I suppose?"

  "It is," replied Erling.

  "Well, get thee to horse, and make the most of thy time; my berserk herewill guide thee past the guards."

  As he spoke, a man who had stood behind the King motionless as a statueadvanced towards the door. He was one of a peculiar class of men whoformed part of the bodyguard of the King. On his head there was a plainsteel helmet, but he wore no "serk", or shirt of mail (hence the name ofberserk, or bare of serk), and he was, like the rest of his comrades,noted for being capable of working himself up into such a fury ofmadness while in action, that few people of ordinary powers could standbefore his terrible onset. He was called Hake, the berserk of Hadeland,and was comparatively short in stature, but looked shorter than hereally was, in consequence of the unnatural breadth and bulk of hischest and shoulders. Hake led Erling out to the door of the house,where they found Glumm waiting with two horses ready for the road.

  "Thou art sharp this morning, Glumm."

  "Better to be too sharp than too blunt," replied his friend. "It seemedto me that whatever should be the result of the talk with the Kingto-day, it were well to be ready for the road in good time. What isyonder big-shouldered fellow doing?"

  "Hush, Glumm," said Erling, with a smile, "thou must be respectful ifthou wouldst keep thy head on thy shoulders. That is Hake of Hadeland,King Harald's famous berserk. He is to conduct us past the guards. Ionly hope he may not have been commissioned to cut off our heads on theway. But I think that perchance you and I might manage him together, ifour courage did not fail us!"

  Glumm replied with that expression of contempt which is usually styledturning up one's nose, and Erling laughed as he mounted his horse androde off at the heels of the berserk. He had good reason to look grave,however, as he found out a few moments later. Just as they were aboutto enter the forest, a voice was heard shouting behind, and JarlRongvold was seen running after them.

  "Ho! stay, kinsman, go not away without bidding us farewell. A safe andspeedy journey, lad, and give my good wishes to the old folk atHaldorstede. Say that I trust things may yet be happily arrangedbetween the men of Horlingdal and the King."

  As he spoke the jarl managed to move so that Erling's horse came betweenhim and the berserk; then he said quickly, in a low but earnest whisper:

  "The King means to play thee false, Erling. I cannot explain, but dothou be sure to take _the road by the fells_, and let not the berserkknow. Thy life depends on it. I am ordered to send this berserk with atroop of nineteen men to waylay thee. They are to go _by the forestroad_.--There, thou canst not doubt my friendship for thee, for now mylife is in thy hands! Haste, thou hast no chance against such odds.Farewell, Glumm," he added aloud; "give my respects to Ulf, when next yesee him."

  Jarl Rongvold waved his hand as he turned round and left his friends topursue their way.

  They soon reached the point where they had met the two guards on theprevious day. After riding a little farther, so as to make sure ofbeing beyond the outmost patrol, the berserk reined up.

  "Here I leave you to guard yourselves," he said.

  "Truly we are indebted to thee for thy guidance thus far," said Erling.

  "If you should still chance to meet with any of the guards, they willlet you pass, no doubt."

  "No doubt," replied Erling, with a laugh, "and, should they object, wehave that which will persuade them."

  He touched the hilt of his sword, and nodded good-humouredly to theberserk, who did not appear to relish the jest at all.

  "Your road lies through the forest, I believe?" said Hake, pausing andlooking back as he was about to ride away.

  "That depends on circumstances," said Erling. "If the sun troubles me,I may go by the forest,--if not, I may go by the fells. But I never cantell beforehand which way my fancy may lead, and I always follow it."

  So saying he put spurs to his horse and galloped away.

  The berserk did the same, but it was evident that he was ill at ease,for he grumbled very much, and complained a good deal of his ill luck.He did not,
however, slacken his pace on that account, but ratherincreased it, until he reached Rongvoldstede, where he hastily summonednineteen armed men, mounted a fresh horse, and, ordering them to follow,dashed back into the forest at full speed.

  For some time he rode in silence by the side of a stout man who was hissubordinate officer.

  "Krake," he said at length, "I cannot make up my mind which road thisErling and his comrade are likely to have taken, so, as we must not missour men, the King's commands being very positive, I intend to send theeby the mountain road with nine of the men, and go myself by the forestwith the other nine. We will ride each at full speed, and will be sureto overtake them before they reach the split rock on the fells, or thedouble-stemmed pine in the forest. If thou shalt fall in with them,keep them in play till I come up, for I will hasten to join thee withoutdelay after reaching the double pine. If I meet them I will give theattack at once, and thou wilt hasten to join me after passing the splitrock. Now, away, for here our roads part."

  In accordance with this plan the troop was divided, and each portionrode off at full speed.

  Meanwhile Erling and Glumm pursued their way, chatting as they rodealong, and pausing occasionally to breathe their horses.

  "What ails thee, Erling?" said Glumm abruptly. "One would fancy thatthe fair Hilda was behind thee, so often hast thou looked back since theberserk left us."

  "It is because the fair Hilda is before me that I look so often over myshoulder, for I suspect that there are those behind us who will one daycause her grief," replied Erling sadly; then, assuming a gay air, headded--"Come, friend Glumm, I wish to know thy mind in regard to amatter of some importance. How wouldst thou like to engage, singlehanded, with ten men?"

  Glumm smiled grimly, as he was wont to do when amused by anything--which, to say truth, was not often.

  "Truly," said he, "my answer to that must depend on thine answer tothis--Am I supposed to have my back against a cliff, or to be surroundedby the ten?"

  "With thy back guarded, of course."

  "In that case I should not refuse the fight, but I would prefer to bemore equally matched," said Glumm, "Two to one, now, is a common chanceof war, as thou knowest full well. I myself have had four against me atone time--and when one is in good spirits this is not a seriousdifficulty, unless there chance to be a berserk amongst them; even inthat case, by the use of a little activity of limb, one can separatethem, and so kill them in detail. But ten are almost too many for oneman, however bold, big, or skilful he may be."

  "Then what--wouldst thou say to twenty against two?" asked Erling,giving a peculiar glance at his friend.

  "That were better than ten to one, because two stout fellows back toback are not easily overcome, if the fight be fair with sword and axe,and arrows or spears be not allowed. Thou and I, Erling, might make agood stand together against twenty, for we can use our weapons, and arenot small men. Nevertheless, I think that it would be our last fight,though I make no doubt we should thin their number somewhat. But whyask such questions?"

  "Because I have taken a fancy to know to what extent I might count onthee in case of surprise."

  "To what extent!" said Glumm, flushing, and looking his friend full inthe face. "Hast known me so long to such small purpose, that ye shoulddoubt my willingness to stand by thee to the death, if need be, againstany odds?"

  "Nay, be not so hasty, Glumm. I doubt not thy courage nor thy regardfor me, but I had a fancy to know what amount of odds thou wouldst deemserious, for I may tell thee that our powers are likely to be put to theproof to-day. My kinsman, Jarl Rongvold, told me at parting that twentymen--and among them Hake the berserk--are to be sent after us, and aredoubtless even now upon our track."

  "Then why this easy pace?" said Glumm, in a tone of great surprise."Surely there is no reason why we should abide the issue of such acombat when nothing is to be gained by it and much to be lost; for if weare killed, who will prepare the men of Horlingdal for the King'sapproach, and tell of his intentions?"

  "That is wisely spoken, Glumm; nevertheless I feel disposed to meet KingHarald's men."

  "This spirit accords ill with the assertion that thou art not fond ofwar," returned Glumm, with a smile.

  "I am not so sure of that," rejoined Erling, with a look of perplexity."It is more the consequences of war--its evil effects on communities, onwomen and children--that I dislike, than the mere matter of fighting,which, although I cannot say I long for it, as some of our friends do, Ican truly assert I take some pleasure in, when engaged in it. Besides,in this case I do not wish to meet these fellows for a mere piece ofbrag, but I think it might teach King Harald that he has to do with menwho have heart and skill to use their weapons, and show him what he mayexpect if he tries to subdue this district. However, be that as it may,the question is, shall we hang back and accept this challenge--for suchI regard it--or shall we push on?"

  "Yonder is an answer to that question, which settles it for us," saidGlumm quietly, pointing to a ridge on the right of the bridle path,which rose high above the tree tops. A troop of horsemen were seen tocross it and gallop down the slope, where they quickly disappeared inthe forest.

  "How many didst thou count?" asked Erling, with a look of surprise.

  "Only ten," answered Glumm.

  "Come," cried Erling cheerfully, as he drew his sword, "the odds are notso great as we had expected. I suppose that King Harald must havethought us poor-looking warriors, or perchance he has sent tenberserkers against us. Anyhow I am content. Only one thing do Iregret, and that is, that, among the other foolish acts I have beenguilty of at this time, I left my good battle-axe behind me. This is alevel piece of sward. Shall we await them here?"

  "Aye," was Glumm's laconic answer, as he felt the edge of his longtwo-handed sword, settled himself more firmly on his seat, and carefullylooked to the fastenings of his armour.

  Erling did the same, and both drew up their steeds with their backstowards an impenetrable thicket. In front lay a level stretch ofground, encumbered only here and there with one or two small bushes,beyond which they had a view far into the dark forest, where the armourof the approaching horsemen could be seen glancing among the tree stems.

  "It is likely," muttered Erling, "that they will try to speak us fair atfirst. Most assassins do, to throw men off their guard. I counsel thatour words be few and our action quick."

  Glumm gave vent to a deep, short laugh, which sounded, however,marvellously like a growl, and again said--

  "Aye."

  Next moment the ten horsemen galloped towards them, and reined up at thedistance of a few yards, while two of them advanced. One of these, whowas no other than Krake the berserk, said in a loud, commanding voice--

  "Yield thee, Erling, in the name of the King!"

  "That for the King!" cried Erling, splitting the head of Krake's horsewith the edge of his sword, and receiving Krake himself on the point ofit as he fell forward, so that it went in at his breast and came out athis back. At the same time Glumm's horse sprang forward, his long swordwhistled sharply as it flashed through the air, and, next moment, thehead of the second man was rolling on the ground.

  So sudden was the onset that the others had barely time to guardthemselves when Glumm's heavy sword cleft the top of the shield and thehelmet of one, tumbling him out of the saddle, while the point ofErling's lighter weapon pierced the throat of another. The remainingsix turned aside, right and left, so as to divide their opponents, andthen attacked them with great fury--for they were all brave and pickedmen. At first Erling and Glumm had enough to do to defend themselves,without attempting to attack, but at a critical moment the horse of oneof Glumm's opponents stumbled, and his rider being exposed was instantlycut down. Glumm now uttered a shout, for he felt sure of victory,having only two to deal with. Erling's sword proved to be too short forsuch a combat, for his enemies were armed with long and heavy weapons,and one of them had a spear. He eluded their assaults, however, withamazing activity, and wounded one o
f them so badly that he was obligedto retire from the fray. Seeing this our hero made a sudden rush at oneof the men who fought with a battle-axe, seized the axe by the handle,and with one sweep of his sword lopped off the man's arm.

  Then did Erling also feel that victory was secure, for he now wielded anaxe that was almost as good and heavy as his own, and only one man stoodbefore him. Under the impulse of this feeling he uttered a shout whichrang through the forest like the roar of a lion.

  Now, well would it have been for both Erling and Glumm if they hadrestrained themselves on that occasion, for the shouts they utteredserved to guide two bands of enemies who were in search of them.

  It will be remembered that Hake the berserk had gone after our heroes bythe forest road, but, not finding them so soon as he had anticipated,and feeling a sort of irresistible belief that they had after all goneby the fells, he altered his own plans in so far that he turned towardsthe road leading by the mountains, before he reached the pine with thedouble stem. Thus he just missed those whom he sought, and, after sometime, came to the conclusion that he was a fool, and had made a greatmistake in not holding to his original plan. By way of improvingmatters he divided his little band into two, and sending five of his menin one direction, rode off with the remaining four in another. Krake,on the contrary, had fulfilled his orders to the letter; had gone to thesplit rock, and then hastened to the double-stemmed pine, not far fromwhich, as we have seen, he found the men of whom he was in search, andalso met his death.

  One of the bands of five men chanced to be within earshot when Erlingshouted, and they immediately bore down in the direction, and cheered asthey came in sight of the combatants. The three men who yet stood up toour friends wheeled about at once and galloped to meet them, only tooglad to be reinforced at such a critical moment.

  There was a little stream which trickled over the edge of a rock closeto the spot where the combat had taken place. Erling and Glumm leapedoff their horses as if by one impulse, and, running to this, drankdeeply and hastily. As they ran back and vaulted into their saddles,they heard a faint cheer in the far distance.

  "Ha!" exclaimed Erling, "Harald doubtless _did_ send twenty men afterall, for here come the rest of them. It is good fortune that a berserkis seldom a good leader--he should not have divided his force. Theseeight must go down, friend Glumm, before the others come up, else areour days numbered."

  The expression of Glumm's blood-stained visage spoke volumes, but histongue uttered never a word. Indeed, there was no time for furtherspeech, for the eight men, who had conversed hurriedly together for afew seconds, were now approaching. The two friends did not await theattack, but, setting spurs to their horses, dashed straight at them.Two were overturned in the shock, and their horses rolled on them, sothat they never rose again. On the right Erling hewed down one man, andon the left his friend cut down another. They reined up, turned round,and charged again, but the four who were left were too wise to withstandthe shock; they swerved aside. In doing so the foot of one of theirhorses caught in a bramble. He stumbled, and the rider was thrownviolently against a tree and stunned, so that he could not remount.This was fortunate, for Erling and Glumm were becoming exhausted, andthe three men who still opposed them were comparatively fresh. One ofthese suddenly charged Glumm, and killed his horse. Glumm leaped up,and, drawing his knife, stabbed the horse of the other to the heart. Asit fell he caught his rider by the right wrist, and with a sudden wrenchdislocated his arm. Erling meanwhile disabled one of the others, andgave the third such a severe wound that he thought it best to seeksafety in flight.

  Erling now turned to Glumm, and asked if he thought it would be best toride away from the men who were still to come up, or to remain and fightthem also.

  "If there be five more," said Glumm, leaning against a tree, andremoving his helmet in order to wipe his brow, "then is our last battlefought, for, although I have that in me which could manage to slay one,I have not strength for two, much less three. Besides, my good steed isdead, and we have no time to catch one of the others."

  "Now will I become a berserk," cried Erling, casting his gilt helmet onthe ground and undoing the fastenings of his coat of mail. "Armour isgood when a man is strong, but when he is worn out it is only anencumbrance. I counsel thee to follow my example."

  "It is not a bad one," said Glumm, also throwing down his helmet andstripping off his armour. "Ha! there are more of them than we countedon--six."

  As he spoke six horsemen were seen approaching through the distantglades of the forest.

  The two friends ran to the fountain before mentioned, slaked theirthirst, and hastily bathed their heads and faces; then, seizing theirswords and shields, and leaving the rest of their armour on the sward,they ran to a rugged part of the ground, where horses could not act.Mounting to the highest point of a rocky mound, they awaited theapproach of their foes.

  Quickly they came forward, their faces blazing with wrath as they rodeover the field of battle, and saw their slaughtered comrades. Hake theberserk rode in front, and, advancing as near as possible to the placewhere his enemies stood, said tauntingly:

  "What, are ye so fearful of only six men, after having slain so many?"

  "Small meat would we make of thee and thy men, so that the crows mightpick it easily, if we were only half as fresh as ye are," said Erling;"but we chose to rest here awhile, so if ye would fight ye must comehither to us on foot."

  "Nay, but methinks it would be well for both parties," returned theberserk, "that they should fight on level ground."

  Erling and Glumm had thrown themselves on the rocks to get as much restas possible before the inevitable combat that was still before them.They consulted for a few seconds, and then the former replied:

  "We will gladly come down, if ye will meet us on foot."

  "Agreed," cried the berserk, leaping off his horse, and leading it to aneighbouring tree, to which he fastened it. The others followed hisexample. Then our two heroes arose and stretched themselves.

  "It has been a good fight," said Erling. "Men will talk of it in daysto come, after we are far away in the world of spirits."

  There was deep pathos in the tone of the young warrior as he spoke thesewords, and cast his eyes upwards to the blue vault as if he sought topenetrate that spirit world, on the threshold of which he believedhimself to stand.

  "If we had but one hour's rest, or one other man on our side; but--" Hestopped suddenly, for the six men now stood in the middle of the littleplain where Erling and Glumm had fought so long and so valiantly thatday, and awaited their coming.

  Hastily descending the mound, the two friends strode boldly towardstheir opponents, scorning to let them see by look or gesture that theywere either fatigued or depressed. As they drew near, Erling singledout Hake, and Glumm went towards a tall, powerful man, who stood readywith a huge sword resting on his shoulder, as if eager to begin thecombat. Glumm had arranged in his own mind that that man and he shoulddie together. Beside him stood a warrior with a battle-axe, and a steelhelmet on his head. Before Glumm could reach his intended victim thetall man's sword flashed in the air like a gleam of light, and the headwith the steel helmet went spinning on the ground!

  "That's the way that Kettle Flatnose pays off old scores," cried theIrish thrall, turning suddenly upon his late friends, and assailing oneof them with such fury that he cut him down in a few seconds, and thenran to draw off one of the two who had attacked Erling. Glumm'samazement at this was, as may well be believed, excessive; but it wasnothing to the intensity of his joy when he found suddenly that thefight was now equalised, and that there stood only one man to opposehim. His heart leaped up. New life gave spring to his muscles; and tothese new feelings he gave vent in one loud shout, as he sprang upon hisadversary and cleft him to the chin with one sweep of his sword!

  Meanwhile Kettle Flatnose had killed his man; and he was about to comeup behind Hake and sweep off his head, when he was seized by Glumm anddragged violently back.
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  "Would ye rob Erling of the honour of slaying this noted berserk?" hesaid sternly.

  "Truly," replied Kettle, somewhat abashed, "I did not know that he wasnoted; and as for the honour of it, I do think that Erling seems to havegot honour enough to-day (if all this be his work) to content him forsome time to come; but as ye will," he added, putting the point of hissword on the ground, and resting his arms on the hilt.

  Glumm also leaned on his sword; and standing thus, these two watched thefight.

  Now, it may perhaps seem to some readers that as the other men had beendisposed of so summarily, it was strange that Erling the Bold should beso long in dispatching this one; but for our hero's credit, we mustpoint out several facts which may have perhaps been overlooked. In thefirst place, Kettle Flatnose was a thoroughly fresh man when he beganthe fight, and although he killed two men, it must be remembered thatone of these was slain while off his guard. Then, Glumm did indeed slayhis man promptly, but he was one of King Harald's ordinary men-at-arms;whereas Erling was opposed by one of the most celebrated of the King'swarriors--Hake, the berserk of Hadeland--a man whose name and prowesswere known far and wide, not only in Norway, but in Denmark, and allalong the southern shores of the Baltic. It would have been strangeindeed had such a man fallen easily before any human arm, much morestrange had he succumbed at once to one that had been already muchexhausted with fighting.

  True to the brotherhood to which he belonged, the berserk attackedErling with incredible fury. He roared more like a mad bull than a manas he made the onset; his eyes glared, his mouth foamed, and he bit hisshield as he was driven back. Being fresh, he danced round Erlingperpetually, springing in to cut and thrust, and leaping back to avoidthe terrific blows which the latter fetched at him with his weighty axe.Once he made a cut at Erling's head, which the latter did not attemptto parry, intending to trust to his helmet to defend him, and forgettingfor the moment that he had cast that useful piece of armour on theplain. Luckily the blow was not truly aimed. It shore a lock fromErling's head as he swung his axe against his opponent's shield, andbattered him down on his knees; but the berserk leaped up with a yell,and again rushed at him. Hake happened just then to cast his eyes onthe two men who were quietly looking on, and he so managed the fight fora few moments afterwards that he got near to them. Then turning towardsthem with a howl of demoniacal fury, he made a desperate cut at theunsuspecting Glumm, who was taken so thoroughly by surprise that he madeno movement whatever to defend himself. Fortunately. Kettle Flatnosewas on the alert, but he had only time to thrust his sword awkwardlybetween Glumm's head and the descending weapon. The act prevented afatal gash, but it could not altogether arrest the force of the blow,which fell on the flat of his sword, and beat it down on Glumm's skullso violently that he was instantly stretched upon the green sward.Erling's axe fell on the helm of the berserk almost at the same time.Even in that moment of victory a feeling of respect for the courage andboldness of this man touched the heart of Erling, who, with theswiftness of thought, put in force his favourite practice--he turned theedge of the axe, and the broad side of it fell on the steel headpiecewith tremendous force, causing the berserk of Hadeland to stretchhimself on the green sward beside Glumm the Gruff; thus ending thefamous battle of the "Berserkers and the Bold", in regard to whichThikskul the scald writes:--

  "The Bold one and his doughty friend, Glumm the Gruff of Horlingsend, Faced, fought, and felled, and bravely slew, Full twenty men--a berserk crew Sent by King Harald them to slay-- But much he rued it--lack-a-day! The heroes cut and hacked them sore, Hit, split, and slashed them back and fore-- And left them lying in their gore."