The Danish History, Books I-IX eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 572 pages of information about The Danish History, Books I-IX.

The Danish History, Books I-IX eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 572 pages of information about The Danish History, Books I-IX.

So the girl was given him as prize of the combat, and bore him a son Omund.  Then he gained his father-in-law’s leave to revisit his father.  But when he heard that his country was being attacked by Thore, with the help of Toste Sacrificer, and Leotar, surnamed.... he went to fight them, content with a single servant, who was dressed as a woman.  When he was near the house of Thore, he concealed his own and his attendant’s swords in hollowed staves.  And when he entered the palace, he disguised his true countenance, and feigned to be a man broken with age.  He said that with Siward he had been king of the beggars, but that he was now in exile, having been stubbornly driven forth by the hatred of the king’s son Ole.  Presently many of the courtiers greeted him with the name of king, and began to kneel and offer him their hands in mockery.  He told them to bear out in deeds what they had done in jest; and, plucking out the swords which he and his man kept shut in their staves, attacked the king.  So some aided Ole, taking it more as jest than earnest, and would not be false to the loyalty which they mockingly yielded him; but most of them, breaking their idle vow, took the side of Thore.  Thus arose an internecine and undecided fray.  At last Thore was overwhelmed and slain by the arms of his own folk, as much as by these of his guests; and Leotar, wounded to the death, and judging that his conqueror, Ole, was as keen in mind as he was valorous in deeds, gave him the name of the Vigorous, and prophesied that he should perish by the same kind of trick as he had used with Thore; for, without question he should fall by the treachery of his own house.  And, as he spoke, he suddenly passed away.  Thus we can see that the last speech of the dying man expressed by its shrewd divination the end that should come upon his conqueror.

After these deeds Ole did not go back to his father till he had restored peace to his house.  His father gave him the command of the sea, and he destroyed seventy sea-kings in a naval battle.  The most distinguished among these were Birwil and Hwirwil, Thorwil, Nef and Onef, Redward (?), Rand and Erand (?).  By the honour and glory of this exploit he excited many champions, whose whole heart’s desire was for bravery, to join in alliance with him.  He also enrolled into a bodyguard the wild young warriors who were kindled with a passion for glory.  Among these he received Starkad with the greatest honour, and cherished him with more friendship than profit.  Thus fortified, he checked, by the greatness of his name, the wantonness of the neighbouring kings, in that he took from them all their forces and all liking and heart for mutual warfare.

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The Danish History, Books I-IX from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.