Eric Brighteyes

by H. Rider Haggard

  "Make place, my father," said Gudruda, "for Eric bleeds." And she loosedthe kerchief from her neck and bound it about his wounded brow, and,taking the rich cloak from her body, threw it on his shoulders, and noman said her nay.

  Then they led him to the hall, where Eric clothed himself and rested,and he sent back the thrall Jon to Coldback, bidding him tell Saevuna,Eric's mother, that he was safe. But he was somewhat weak all that day,and the sound of waters roared in his ears.

  Now Ospakar and Groa were ill pleased at the turn things had taken; butall the others rejoiced much, for Eric was well loved of men and theyhad grieved if the waters had prevailed against his might. But Swanhildbrooded bitterly, for Eric never turned to look on her.

  The hour of the feast drew on and, according to custom, it was held inthe Temple, and thither went all men. When they were seated in the naveof the Hof, the fat ox that had been made ready for sacrifice was led inand dragged before the altar on which the holy fire burned. Now Asmundthe Priest slew it, amid silence, before the figures of the Gods, and,catching its blood in the blood-bowl, sprinkled the altar and allthe worshippers with the blood-twigs. Then the ox was cut up, and thefigures of the almighty Gods were anointed with its molten fat and wipedwith fair linen. Next the flesh was boiled in the cauldrons that werehung over fires lighted all down the nave, and the feast began.

  Now men ate, and drank much ale and mead, and all were merry. ButOspakar Blacktooth grew not glad, though he drank much, for he saw thatthe eyes of Gudruda ever watched Eric's face and that they smiled oneach other. He was wroth at this, for he knew that the bait must be goodand the line strong that should win this fair fish to his angle, and ashe sat, unknowingly his fingers loosed the peace-strings of his swordWhitefire, and he half drew it, so that its brightness flamed in thefirelight.

  "Thou hast a wondrous blade there, Ospakar!" said Asmund, "though thisis no place to draw it. Whence came it? Methinks no such swords arefashioned now."

  "Ay, Asmund, a wondrous blade indeed. There is no other such in theworld, for the dwarfs forged it of old, and he shall be unconquered whoholds it aloft. This was King Odin's sword, and it is named Whitefire.Ralph the Red took it from King Eric's cairn in Norway, and he strovelong with the Barrow-Dweller[*] before he wrenched it from his grasp.But my father won it and slew Ralph, though he had never done this hadWhitefire been aloft against him. But Ralph the Red, being in drink whenthe ships met in battle, fought with an axe, and was slain by my father,and since then Whitefire has been the last light that many a chief'seyes have seen. Look at it, Asmund."

  [*] The ghost in the cairn.

  Now he drew the great sword, and men were astonished as it flashedaloft. Its hilt was of gold, and blue stones were set therein. Itmeasured two ells and a half from crossbar to point, and so bright wasthe broad blade that no one could look on it for long, and all down itslength ran runes.

  "A wondrous weapon, truly!" said Asmund. "How read the runes?"

  "I know not, nor any man--they are ancient."

  "Let me look at them," said Groa, "I am skilled in runes." Now shetook the sword, and heaved it up, and looked at the runes and said, "Astrange writing truly."

  "How runs it, housekeeper?" said Asmund.

  "Thus, lord, if my skill is not at fault:--

  "Whitefire is my name-- Dwarf-folk forged me-- Odin's sword was I-- Eric's sword was I-- Eric's sword shall I be-- And where I fall there he must follow me."

  Now Gudruda looked at Eric Brighteyes wonderingly, and Ospakar saw itand became very angry.

  "Look not so, maiden," he said, "for it shall be another Eric than yonflapper-duck who holds Whitefire aloft, though it may very well chancethat he shall feel its edge."

  Now Gudruda bit her lip, and Eric burned red to the brow and spoke:

  "It is ill, lord, to throw taunts like an angry woman. Thou art greatand strong, yet I may dare a deed with thee."

  "Peace, boy! Thou canst climb a waterfall well, I gainsay it not; butbeware ere thou settest up thyself against my strength. Say now, whatgame wilt thou play with Ospakar?"

  "I will go on holmgang with thee, byrnie-clad or baresark,[*] and fightthee with axe or sword, or I will wrestle with thee, and Whitefireyonder shall be the winner's prize."

  [*] To a duel, usually fought, in mail or without it, on an island--"holm"--within a circle of hazel-twigs.

  "Nay, I will have no bloodshed here at Middalhof," said Asmund sternly."Make play with fists, or wrestle if ye will, for that were great sportto see; but weapons shall not be drawn."

  Now Ospakar grew mad with anger and drink--and he grinned like a dog,till men saw the red gums beneath his lips.

  "Thou wilt wrestle with me, youngling--with _me_ whom no man has ever somuch as lifted from my feet? Good! I will lay thee on thy face andwhip thee, and Whitefire shall be the stake--I swear it on the holyaltar-ring; but what hast thou to set against the precious sword? Thypoor hovel and its lot of land shall be all too little."

  "I set my life on it; if I lose Whitefire let Whitefire slay me," saidEric.

  "Nay, that I will not have, and I am master here in this Temple," saidAsmund. "Bethink thee of some other stake, Ospakar, or let the game beoff."

  Now Ospakar gnawed his lip with his black fang and thought. Then helaughed aloud and spoke:

  "Bright is Whitefire and thou art named Brighteyes. See now: I set thegreat sword against thy right eye, and, if I win the match, it shallbe mine to tear it out. Wilt thou play this game with me? If thy heartfails thee, let it go; but I will set no other stake against my goodsword."

  "Eyes and limbs are a poor man's wealth," said Eric: "so be it. I stakemy right eye against the sword Whitefire, and we will try the matchto-morrow."

  "And to-morrow night thou shalt be called Eric One-eye," saidOspakar--at which some few of his thralls laughed.

  But most of the men did not laugh, for they thought this an ill game anda worst jest.

  Now the feast went on, and Asmund rose from his high seat in the centreof the nave, on the left hand looking down from the altar, and gaveout the holy toasts. First men drank a full horn to Odin, praying fortriumph on their foes. Then they drank to Frey, asking for plenty; toThor, for strength in battle; to Freya, Goddess of Love (and to her Ericdrank heartily); to the memory of the dead; and, last of all, toBragi, God of all delight. When this cup was drunk, Asmund rose again,according to custom, and asked if none had an oath to swear as to somedeed that should be done.

  For a while there was no answer, but presently Eric Brighteyes stood up.

  "Lord," he said, "I would swear an oath."

  "Set forth the matter, then," said Asmund.

  "It is this," quoth Eric. "On Mosfell mountain, over by Hecla, dwells aBaresark of whom all men have ill knowledge, for there are few whom hehas not harmed. His name is Skallagrim; he is a mighty man and he haswrought much mischief in the south country, and brought many to theirdeaths and robbed more of their goods: for none can prevail against him.Still, I swear this, that, when the days lengthen, I will go up aloneagainst him and challenge him to battle, and conquer him or fall."

  "Then, thou yellow-headed puppy-dog, thou shalt go with one eye againsta Baresark with two," growled Ospakar.

  Men took no heed of his words, but shouted aloud, for Skallagrim hadplagued them long, and there were none who dared to fight with him anymore. Only Gudruda looked askance, for it seemed to her that Eric sworetoo fast. Nevertheless he went up to the altar, and, taking hold of theholy ring, he set his foot on the holy stone and swore his oath, whilethe feasters applauded, striking their cups upon the board.

  And after that the feast went merrily, till all men were drunk, exceptAsmund and Eric.

  Now Eric went to rest, but first he rubbed his limbs with the fat ofseals, for he was still sore with the beating of the waters, and theymust needs be supple on the morrow if he would keep his eye. Then heslept sound, and rose strong and well, and going to the stream behindthe stead, bathed, and ano
inted his limbs afresh. But Ospakar did notsleep well, because of the ale that he had drunk. Now as Eric came backfrom bathing, in the dark of the morning, he met Gudruda, who watchedfor his coming, and, there being none to see, he kissed her often; butshe chided him because of the match that he had made with Ospakar andthe oath that he had sworn.

  "Surely," she said, "thou wilt lose thine eye, for this Ospakar is agiant, and strong as a troll; also he is merciless. Still, thou art amighty man, and I shall love thee as well with one eye as with two. Oh!Eric, methought I should have died yesterday when thou didst leap fromWolf's Fang! My heart seemed to stop within me."

  "Yet I came safely to shore, sweetheart, and well does this kiss pay forall I did. And as for Ospakar, if but once I get these arms about him, Ifear him little, or any man, and I covet that sword of his greatly. Butwe can talk more certainly of these things to-morrow."

  Now Gudruda clung to him and told him all that had befallen, and of thedoings and words of Swanhild.

  "She honours me beyond my worth," he said, "who am in no way set on her,but on thee only, Gudruda."

  "Art thou so sure of that, Eric? Swanhild is fair and wise."

  "Ay and evil. When I love Swanhild, then thou mayest love Ospakar."

  "It is a bargain," she said, laughing. "Good luck go with thee in thewrestling," and with a kiss she left him, fearing lest she should beseen.

  Eric went back to the hall, and sat down by the centre hearth, for allmen slept, being still heavy with drink, and presently Swanhild glidedup to him, and greeted him.

  "Thou art greedy of deeds, Eric," she said. "Yesterday thou camest hereby a path that no man has travelled, to-day thou dost wrestle with agiant for thine eye, and presently thou goest up against Skallagrim!"

  "It seems that this is true," said Eric.

  "Now all this thou doest for a woman who is the betrothed of anotherman."

  "All this I do for fame's sake, Swanhild. Moreover, Gudruda is betrothedto none."

  "Before another Yule-feast is spread, Gudruda shall be the wife ofOspakar."

  "That is yet to be seen, Swanhild."

  Now Swanhild stood silent for a while and then spoke: "Thou art a fool,Eric--yes, drunk with folly. Nothing but evil shall come to thee fromthis madness of thine. Forget it and pluck that which lies to thinehand," and she looked sweetly at him.

  "They call thee Swanhild the Fatherless," he answered, "but I think thatLoki, the God of Guile, was thy father, for there is none to match theein craft and evil-doing, and in beauty one only. I know thy plots welland all the sorrow that thou hast brought upon us. Still, each seekshonour after his own manner, so seek thou as thou wilt; but thou shaltfind bitterness and empty days, and thy plots shall come back on thineown head--yes, even though they bring Gudruda and me to sorrow anddeath."

  Swanhild laughed. "A day shall dawn, Eric, when thou who dost hate meshalt hold me dear, and this I promise thee. Another thing I promisethee also: that Gudruda shall never call thee husband."

  But Eric did not answer, fearing lest in his anger he should say wordsthat were better unspoken.

  Now men rose and sat down to meat, and all talked of the wrestling thatshould be. But in the morning Ospakar repented of the match, for it istruly said that _ale is another man_, and men do not like that in themorning which seemed well enough on yester eve. He remembered that heheld Whitefire dear above all things, and that Eric's eye had no worthto him, except that the loss of it would spoil his beauty, so thatperhaps Gudruda would turn from him. It would be very ill if he shouldchance to lose the play--though of this he had no fear, for he washeld the strongest man in Iceland and the most skilled in all feats ofstrength--and, at the best, no fame is to be won from the overthrow of adeedless man, and the plucking out of his eye. Thus it came to pass thatwhen he saw Eric he called to him in a big voice:

  "Hearken, thou Eric."

  "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 nightwe made a match in our cups, and I staked my sword Whitefire and thouthine 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 thesword."

  Now Ospakar grew very mad and shouted, "Thou wilt indeed stand againstme in the ring! I will break thy back anon, youngster, and afterwardstear out thine eye before thou diest."

  "It may so befall," answered Eric, "but big words do not make bigdeeds."

  Presently the light came and thralls went out with spades and clearedaway the snow in a circle two rods across, and brought dry sand andsprinkled 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 thoushalt lout low before him."

  "It will be a bad business if I am overthrown by an untried man," saidOspakar, and was troubled in his mind, "and it would be evil moreover tolose 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, andpresently Groa called to her the thrall Koll the Half-witted, whom shehad sent to Swinefell.

  "See," she said, "yonder by the wall stand the wrestling shoes of EricBrighteyes. 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. Dothis swiftly and secretly, and I will give thee three pennies."

  Koll grinned, and did as he was bid, setting back the shoes just asthey were before. Scarcely was the deed done when Eric came in, and madehimself ready for the game, binding the greased shoes upon his feet, forhe feared no trick.

  Now everybody went out to the ring, and Ospakar and Eric strippedfor wrestling. They were clad in tight woollen jerkins and hose, andsheep-skin shoes were on their feet.

  They named Asmund master of the game, and his word must be law to bothof them. Eric claimed that Asmund should hold the sword Whitefire thatwas at stake, but Ospakar gainsaid him, saying that if he gave Whitefireinto Asmund's keeping, Eric must also give his eye--and about this theydebated hotly. Now the matter was brought before Asmund as umpire, andhe gave judgment for Eric, "for," he said, "if Eric yield up his eyeinto my hand, I can return it to his head no more if he should win; butif Ospakar gives me the good sword and conquers, it is easy for me topass 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 athousand. 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 haunchand 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 hisstake.

  Asmund called these rules aloud in the presence of witnesses, andOspakar and Eric said that should bind them. Ospakar drew a small knifeand gave it to his son Gizur to hold.

  "Thou shalt soon know, youngling, how steel tastes in the eyeball," hesaid.

  "We shall soon know many things," Eric answered.

  Now they drew off their cloaks and stood in the ring. Ospakar was greatbeyond the bigness of men and his arms were clothed with black hairlike the limbs of a goat. Beneath the shoulder joint they were almostas thick as a girl's thigh. His legs also were mighty, and the musclesstood out upon him in knotty lumps. He seemed a very giant, and fierceas a Baresark, but still somewhat round about the body and heavy inmovement.

  From him men looked at Eric.

  "Lo!
Baldur and the Troll!" said Swanhild, and everybody laughed, sinceso it was indeed; for, if Ospakar was black and hideous as a troll, Ericwas beautiful as Baldur, the loveliest of the Gods. He was taller thanOspakar by the half of a hand and as broad in the chest. Still, he wasnot yet come to his greatest strength, and, though his limbs were wellknit, they seemed but as a child's against the limbs of Ospakar. But hewas quick as a cat and lithe, his neck and arms were white as whey, andbeneath his golden hair his bright eyes shone like spears.

  Now they stood face to face, with arms outstretched, waiting the word ofAsmund. He gave it and they circled round each other with arms held low.Presently Ospakar made a rush and, seizing Eric about the middle, triedto lift him, but with no avail. Thrice he strove and failed, then Ericmoved his foot and lo! it slipped upon the sanded turf. Again Eric movedand again he slipped, a third time and he slipped a third time, andbefore he could recover himself he was full on his back and fairlythrown.

  Gudruda saw and was sad at heart, and those around her said that it waseasy to know how the game would end.

  "What said I?" quoth Swanhild, "that it would go badly with Eric wereOspakar's arms about him."

  "All is not done yet," answered Gudruda. "Methinks Eric's feet slippedmost strangely, as though he stood on ice."

  But Eric was very sore at heart and could make nothing of thismatter--for he was not overthrown by strength.

  He sat on the snow and Ospakar and his sons mocked him. But Gudruda drewnear and whispered to him to be of good cheer, for fortune might yetchange.