Part 46 - Vikings Bound Together In One Chain

Earl Eirik then laid himself alongside of Vagn's ship, and there was a brave defence; but at last this ship too was cleared, and Vagn and thirty men were taken prisoners, and bound, and brought to land.

Then came up Thorkel Leira, and said,

"Thou madest a solemn vow, Vagn, to kill me, but now it seems more likely that I will kill thee."

Vagn and his men sat all upon a log of wood together. Thorkel had an axe in his hands, with which he cut at him who sat outmost on the log. Vagn and the other prisoners were bound so that a rope was fastened on their feet, but they had their hands free. One of them said,

"I will stick this cloak-pin that I have in my hand into the earth, if it be so that I know anything, after my head is cut off."

His head was cut off, but the cloak-pin fell from his hand. There sat also a very handsome man with long hair, who twisted his hair over his head, put out his neck, and said,

"Don't make my hair bloody."

A man took the hair in his hands and held it fast. Thorkel hewed with his axe; but the viking twitched his head so strongly that he who was holding his hair fell forwards, and the axe cut off both his hands, and stuck fast in the earth. Then Earl Eirik came up, and asked,

"Who is that handsome man?"

He replies,

"I am called Sigurd, and am Bue's son. But are all the Jomsborg vikings dead?"

Eirik says,

"Thou art certainly Boe's son. Wilt thou now take life and peace?"

"That depends,"

says he,

"upon who it is that offers it."

"He offers who has the power to do it — Earl Eirik."

"That will I,"

says he,

"from his hands."

And now the rope was loosened from him.

Then said Thorkel Leira,

"Although thou should give all these men life and peace, earl, Vagn Akason shall never come from this with life."

And he ran at him with uplifted axe; but the viking Skarde swung himself in the rope, and let himself fall just before Thorkel's feet, so that Thorkel œell over him, and Vagn caught the axe and gave Thorkel a death-wound.

Then said the earl,

"Vagn, wilt thou accept life?"

"That I will,"

says he,

"if you give it to all of us."

"Loose them from the rope,"

said the earl, and it was done. Eighteen were killed, and twelve got their lives.