HOW ROLF WON THE VIKING'S BOW
Grani sent men to the viking's mound, and they fetched home all the
precious things which were there, whether gold, silver, cloths or
weapons. Among these last was the viking's bill. That was a notable
weapon, having a curving blade with a hook springing from its back,
and set like a great spearhead upon a pole as high as a man's
shoulder. Grani kept all weapons; but he gave Rolf and Frodi things to
the value of some hundreds in silver, and begged that they should
remain with him in the hall of Ar the Peacock. Yet Rolf bore himself
as if he expected more from Grani than gold and silver, and said he
could not stay in the hall. Grani complained of that to Ar.
Ar asked: "Knowest thou not what he will have of thee?"
Said Grani, "The bow, belike."
"Not so," answered Ar.
"Well," Grani said, "I will make amends to him by pressing him again
to live here with us."
"Thou shalt never succeed with him in that," replied Ar, "until thou
hast said those words which will make him forget that he was once a
thrall in this place. But this I beg thee, drive him not away from
Hawksness; for war with the Scots is threatened in the spring, and all
fighting-men will be of value."
So Grani did not press Rolf to stay in the hall, and he asked: "Where
will ye live?"
"We go," answered Rolf, "to stay a while with that shipmaster who has
been living here."
But when they searched after Kiartan, it was told that he had gone
with his ship with great suddenness when he learned that Rolf and
Frodi were set free. Yet in his haste he had left merchandise, and had
outstanding credits; so Rolf took Kiartan's lodgings, and said he
would wait his return. Then winter came on, and the place was snowed
and frozen up, so that men had nothing to do save to hold sports on
the ice, or to sit long of evenings in the hall, talking of many
things. But now all was different from before, and Rolf and Grani came
seldom together.
One time when all were at games on the ice, Grani sent for his bow,
and it was brought out to him. Men took it and handled it, admiring it
much. "Let us see," said Grani, "what shooting we can do with it." He
tried to string the bow.
But it was with him as it had been with Rolf and the bow of Grettir:
it would not bend for him, but was almost as stiff as a spear shaft.
He got red in the face, first with trying and then with anger; at last
he gave over and said that others should try. But though the strongest
of the Orkneyingers did their best, they could do no better than
Grani. Thereat he felt better, and offered the bow to Frodi.
Frodi held it in his hands, and turned it this way and that. "Break it
I might," quoth he, "but string it never." He offered the bow to Rolf,
saying: "Do thou try it, for I have seen thee do with skill what
others have failed to do with force."
But Rolf would not try to string the bow. So Grani sent it back to the
hall, and let bring the viking's bill, which had lain by his side in
the ship. But when it was brought, it proved too heavy for any of the
Orkneyingers to wield.
Then said Grani: "I will give the bill as a present to Ghost-Frodi."
"Why callest thou me that?" asked Frodi.
Grani only said, "Why should I not call thee so?" and he pressed the
bill on Frodi, who drew back.
"I know nothing of weapons," said he. Then all the Orkneyingers
shouted to see the strongest man drawing away from the bill; and when
Grani made him take it, they laughed the more, for he handled it, said
all, as if it were the smithy broom. They called him Ghost-Frodi after
that, thinking it fine that he who could master a spirit could not
handle a weapon.
Now in that winter Ar was continually sick with little fevers, and he
would not let Grani stir far from his side. One day a messenger from
Earl Brusi came to say that Ar should keep a watch for Vemund the
Pitiless, who had been driven from the north, and had gone toward the
south. Now no one needed to be told who Vemund was.
For he was the worst of all vikings who had ravaged in the Orkneys,
since he not only took tribute, but burnt towns and slaughtered people
wantonly. A baresark he was, with the strength of seven men, and so
defended by magic that on him no steel might bite. Only twenty men had
he with him, but they had the power of fifty, being baresarks all,
outlawed and reckless of life. They had first done great damage in
Norway, but were driven thence to the Shetland Isles, and thence to
the northern Orkneys, but now were coming further south. Rewards and
fame were sure to the men who could overcome those baresarks.
Grani begged of Ar that he might go in the war-ship in search of them;
but Ar said no to that. Ar gave orders that Sweyn should keep the ship
in readiness; men slept near the boat-stand, ready to launch her day
or night.
One night in a storm, fire was seen on that island which is off
Hawksness, where dwell only fisher-folk; the cottages were seen to
burn to the ground, but the sea was high, and no one crossed over. In
the morning a ten-oared boat left that little island, and went away
eastward; that was a venturesome thing in a storm, and by that deed
that was known for the boat of Vemund the Pitiless. Then Sweyn let
launch the war-ship, and with all his men went after the baresarks.
Rolf made no offer to go, and Grani watched the chase from the shore,
angry that he must stay. The two ships drove away out of sight, and no
one could say that the larger gained upon the smaller. Nothing more
was seen of them all that day.
But in the night the baresarks gave Sweyn the slip; they came straight
back as they had gone, but Sweyn went on, first east, then south,
searching the coast. Vemund's ship came to Hawksness; and in the
morning, behold, there it was off the landing, and the baresarks were
just rowing it to shore. The fisher-folk left their cottages and ran
to the hall, and all took hasty counsel. But when word was brought to
Ar of the baresarks, first he became red in the face, and then he lost
power of speech, and there was no leader save Grani.
Grani said: "This is no place for us to stay, for the baresarks will
burn us alive. Take Ar and the women and children into the stone
church, and let us men go also thither and defend it." Then that was
done; and when they reached the church, going hastily and in a body so
that none should be left behind, they found Rolf and Frodi sitting at
the door, with their weapons.
Then all went within the church, but Rolf and Frodi stayed outside.
"Come ye not inside?" asked Grani.
"All those riches which Ar has in his hall," responded Rolf, "are
those to be burned or lost?"
Then Grani said he would go back again, and called for men to help
defend the hall. Only nine came. But those, with Rolf and Frodi, went
back to the hall; both the hall and the church were barred against the
baresarks. Those outlaws came up into the place; a strange crew they
were, wearing no armor but skins of beasts, and wild to look on. They
burned some huts, but the church and the hall they might not force.
Then, because they feared Sweyn's return, and so dared not to lose
time, they knew not what to do. Men shot at them from the hall and the
church; so the baresarks went back again to the shore, and took
counsel together.
Now all the time in the hall Frodi had walked up and down, looking
very white and knocking his bill against everything, as if he were
afraid. So when the outlaws went away, Grani scoffed at him.
"What dost thou with that bill," asked Grani, "if thou canst not stand
up like a man, and be ready for what comes?"
"Truly," answered Frodi, "I feel strange inwardly, and my hands are
cold. Yet what dost thou with that bow, which is so handsome that man
never saw finer, yet which no one in these islands has yet strung?"
Then Grani took the quiver from his shoulders and laid down the bow.
"I am justly rebuked," said he. He took a lighter bow. "Now wilt thou
take a smaller weapon?"
"No man can say," answered Frodi, "what he will do in time of trial.
But I will keep the bill."
Now some voice was heard without, calling; they listened to what was
said. That was a messenger from Vemund, who made this offer: a
champion should be sent out by the Orkneyingers, to meet Vemund, and
whichever champion should fall, his side should yield itself into the
other's hands. But if the Orkneyingers refused, fire should be set to
the hall and also to the roof of the church. And that was the same as
offering them one small chance for their lives.
Grani asked: "What man will go out against Vemund?"
No one offered. Then Grani said: "He who goes against the baresark
will die swiftest, therefore I am willing to go myself."
All the Orkneyingers cried out against that, saying they should die
together within the hall; it might be Sweyn would come in time to save
them.
Then Rolf spoke and said: "No man in this place, not even Frodi our
strongest, will have any chance against Vemund, so long as we fight
with steel weapons. For I have heard the ways of such men to be these:
before fighting they look upon the weapons of the other champion, and
when they look, by witchcraft they make steel or iron powerless
against them. Such a man is Vemund named. Yet if thou, Grani, wilt
give me what I desire, I will find a way to slay him."
"Anything I have," answered Grani, "is thine."
"Give me then," said Rolf, "the bow and arrows of the viking."
Then Grani gave him the bow and the quiver, and Rolf cried to the
messenger to say to Vemund that in half an hour one would meet him
with the bow. At that great laughter rose among the outlaws, and those
in the hall and in the church felt no confidence in Rolf.
But he said to Frodi, "Go to the forge and heat it." And he said to
Grani, "Bring me here some silver." Then when the forge was heated and
the silver was brought, Rolf said to Frodi:
"Make me now three silver arrowheads, the best thou canst, after the
pattern of these here in the quiver." So Frodi made the arrow-heads
quickly and with great skill, so that no one could have told them
apart from the arrow-heads of iron, for they were black from the fire.
And Rolf first set a dish of whale-oil to heat by the forge, and then
took the heads from three of the arrows. When the new arrow-heads were
made, Rolf bound them with sinews upon the shafts.
A man said: "But what wilt thou do with the arrows if thou canst not
string the bow?"
Rolf answered nothing. He took the whale-oil and oiled those three
arrows. Then he heated the oil hotter, and began to rub it on the bow.
First he oiled the string and rubbed it long; then he oiled the wood.
And the wood became darker with the oil, and took a finer polish;
fresher it seemed, gleaming in the light of the forge. Rolf rubbed for
many minutes, and the bow became ever darker; he held it then over the
forge, turning it in every way, and it took to itself the fire of the
coals. Then Rolf oiled the string once more, heating it as well; and
at last they saw he meant to string the bow. Against his foot he set
it, and bent it, and slipped the string up to the notch; it seemed as
if a child could have done the deed, and the men burst out with a
shout.
Then Rolf took one of the old arrows and set it on the string; he drew
the bow and shot the arrow along the hall. No one could see that it
dropped in its flight; but it struck an oaken beam by the high seat,
and when men came to measure it afterward, the arrow had entered the
oak by the breadth of a palm.
Men spoke afterward of the sweet twang of that bow, like as if it were
an harp.
Then the Orkneyingers went out of the hall with much shouting, and
stood upon a knoll which was between the hall and the church. The
baresarks came near, and Vemund stood out before them; he was a huge
man, very hairy, with a great beard. He asked who was to come against
him.
"I," answered Rolf.
Vemund laughed, and the other baresarks also, calling Rolf a boy. "Let
me see thy weapons," said Vemund. Rolf showed him his quiver, and the
baresark touched the point of each arrow with his finger. "Wilt thou
look upon my weapons?" asked Vemund.
Rolf said he would not. "Now," said he, "withdraw thy men to the
beach, and let us begin."
"Thou art eager for death," said Vemund with a grin. "I will do as
thou sayest, and then will come at thee. Thou mayest shoot as soon as
thou wilt."
Vemund withdrew his men to the beach, and the Orkneyingers went aside
from the knoll. Frodi wept before he left Rolf, commending him to God.
Then Rolf took those three arrows with silver points, and stuck them
in the ground by his feet.
By then Vemund was ready to return; he bore no shield nor armor; he
threw down his bow, and shouted that this should be between whatever
weapons each man chose. Then with sword in hand he began to walk to
the knoll. Rolf took an arrow from his quiver and laid it on the
string.
When Vemund was nearer, Rolf drew the bow; no bow had ever drawn
harder, yet none had been so lively in his hand. The arrow sped;
Vemund turned not aside, but when the shaft struck on his breast the
wood flew to splinters, and the point fell down. All the Orkneymen
cried out in fear, but the baresarks shouted. Rolf took a second arrow
and waited awhile.
Then he shot again, and the arrow struck Vemund on the throat; it
turned aside, and flew sliddering away. Some of the Orkneymen withdrew
to the door of the church, crying that they should be let in. But the
outlaws began to come forward.
Then Rolf drew one of those arrows from the ground, and wiped the
point, and made ready.
When Vemund was twenty paces away Rolf shot for the third time. The
arrow went in a level flight, and struck Vemund on the breast; there
it sunk to the feathers. Those baresarks, coming behind, saw a foot of
the shaft stand out from Vemund's back.
Then Vemund brandished his sword and ran at Rolf; Rolf took the second
arrow and sent it at him. In the eye it struck him, and pierced to the
brain; down fell the baresark, and died before he reached the ground.
Rolf took the third arrow and put it in his quiver.
Then the Orkneyingers came running from the church with their weapons,
and all rushed at the outlaws. Grani shouted that the baresarks should
lay down their arms; but they, fearing death, drew into a circle and
would not yield. They began to cast spears at the Orkneyingers.
"Shoot arrows at them," said Grani to Rolf.
"I have done my share," quoth he.
Then the Orkneyingers ran round that circle of outlaws, and did their
best to pry into it; but they got only wounds. The baresarks began to
grit their teeth and work themselves to anger as if they had been
wolves; that was their way in battle. Frodi went nearer to look at
that sight.
Then one baresark shot a spear at Frodi, and cut his shoulder so that
it bled. At that Frodi turned red, and took his bill, and went at that
man. The baresark swung his sword, but Frodi caught it with the bill
and spun it aloft; then he hooked at the man with the back of the
bill, and caught him by the neck, and pulled him down grovelling. An
Orkneyman pierced the outlaw as he lay.
So the circle of the baresarks was broken, but they sought to draw
again together. Then Frodi took his bill, and made at the two men to
right and left of the opening; one he caught with the point of the
bill, and pitched him sideways; that man fell on the circle at another
place and broke it there. Next Frodi pitched the other baresark clean
across the circle against the men at the other side; two fell at once.
Then Grani shouted and rushed within the ring, and all the
Orkneyingers fell on the baresarks at every point. Some were slain
right there; some broke away and were chased about; one by one they
died among the huts and the frames for drying fish.
Frodi, when he had done that much, stood by Rolf and struck no more.
When the fighting was finished the Orkneyingers looked to their hurts,
and it was found that no one was badly wounded. All said that the
death of Vemund the Pitiless was not so bad by half as the living of
him.
Now Grani was very happy and talkative, and he praised his men much;
but he seemed constrained before Rolf, and spoke to Frodi. "And thou
saidst thou couldst not use the bill!"
Frodi answered, "So I thought, but it is no different from handling a
pitchfork."
Grani whooped with laughter, and would tell that saying to others.
Frodi beseeched him: "Cease thy talking, lest men give me a new
nickname."
But Grani told Frodi's words in the presence of many, and all cried
that Frodi should be called Pitchfork Frodi. He grumbled to Rolf
thereat.
"Better be glad," said Rolf, "that nothing worse has come to thee than
a sore shoulder and a new name."
Now Sweyn came sailing back, angered that he had been tricked, but
much afraid of what might have happened at Hawksness in his absence.
As for Ar the Peacock, he lay without speech until the morrow, when he
came to himself; but he was a broken man ever after that shock.
Grani took the spoil from the baresark ship, and divided it into five
parts. Two parts he gave to those fishers whose houses the baresarks
had burned; one part he divided among those who had wounds; the rest
he sent to the lodging of Rolf and Frodi. Grani took nothing for
himself, nor did he go with the treasure to Rolf; and men said among
themselves that, during all these doings, Rolf and Grani had spoken to
each other only when they must.
From that time the viking's bow was Rolf's own. Those two arrows which
had slain the baresark were hung up in the church; but Rolf took the
third arrow with the silver point, and bound it in the quiver with a
silken thread.