Havelok the Dane

by Charles W. Whistler

join Havelok, and we were glad of them. They were thosetwo seconds of Griffin's, Cadwal and the other, whose name was Idrys,and with them was David the priest, who had fled to us.

  "We know that Havelok is one who is worth fighting for," they said, "forwe have proved it already. We are not Alsi's men, and our fathers foughtfor his mother's Welsh kin against the English long ago. Let us fightfor the rights of Goldberga, at least."

  Havelok welcomed them in all friendliness, though he asked them if theyhad no grudge against him for the slaying of Griffin.

  "As to that," they said, "after the duel we think that he deserved allthat has befallen him. We were ashamed to be his seconds."

  Now these two took in hand to lead the marshmen, and set to work withthem at once, for they were ready to follow them as known thanes of theBritish. And that was something gained.

  We slept on our arms that night, and all night long David woke andprayed for our success, and I think that his prayers were not lost.

  CHAPTER XXIII. BY TETFORD STREAM.

  In the early morning Alsi set his men in order in the valley, and seemedto wait for us to come down to him, for it was of no use to try to takethe strong camp which sheltered us. And so, after council held, we didnot keep him waiting, but left the hill and marched on him. We had thecamp to fall back on if things went the wrong way, and beyond that theroad to the sea and the ships was open, with a chance of meeting Ragnaron the way, moreover.

  Very long and deep seemed the line as we neared it, and it was formed onthe banks of a stream that runs down the valley, so that we must crossthe water to attack. But the stream was shallow now with the Augustheat, and it was not much sunk between its banks.

  When he saw that, Sigurd, who was a man of many fights, said that we hadbetter send the marshmen round to fall on the wings of the foe, while wewent straight for the centre of the line in the wedge formation that theViking loves. For so we should have no trouble in crossing the stream,and should cut the force against us in two.

  So the two Welsh thanes led their wild levies out on either side of usDanes, who were in the centre, and then we formed the wedge. Havelokhimself would have gone first of all at its point: but that we would notsuffer, for if he fell the battle was lost at its beginning.

  "Nay," he said, "for we fight for Goldberga."

  "And what would she say were we to set you foremost of us all?" askedWithelm. "Little love were there to either of you in that. You are theheart of the host, and one shields that although it gives strength toall the hands which obey it."

  So Withelm and Arngeir and I went foremost, and behind us came thecourtmen, and in the midst of their shield wall was Havelok, with Ravenand the banner at his side. After them, rank on rank and withclose-locked shields, was such a force as had not been seen in Lindseyfor many a long day. Alsi's men grew very silent as they saw us come on,until we reached, through a storm of arrows that could not stay us, thebank of the stream, and then they raised a war song that roared andthundered among the hills as though the tide was coming up the valley inone great wave. But we saved our breath until the first of us were onthe banks of the stream, and then I shouted, and with a great shout of"Ahoy!" in answer, we charged through the stream and up the far bank,where Alsi's spearmen waited for us.

  They crowded together as they saw how narrow our front was, and therewas a hedge of steel before us three brothers; but the spear is not theweapon to use if one would check the onrush of the Northman's wedge, andshield and axe between them dashed and hewed a way to the men who got totheir swords too late, and then we were in the midst of Alsi's line,with the gap that we had made widening behind us with each step that wetook forward.

  Now it was sheer hewing at the mass who crowded on us; and I mind how weseemed to fight in silence, although the battle cries were unceasing,and waxed ever louder; for it was as when one walks by the shore andthinks not at all of the noise of breakers that never ends. Now and thenthere was one shout that was new, and it seemed to be the only voice.Most of all, the noise grew on the wings where the savage Welsh fell ontheir masters and ancient foes in wild tumult.

  We tried to cut our way to Alsi, for we could see him as he sat on hishorse--the only mounted man in all the hosts; but we could not reachhim. And presently the time came when we who were foremost must letfresh men take our places. Sigurd stepped to my side, and Withelm fellback, and another took the place of Arngeir, and then my turn came, andwe went slowly from the front to where the hollow centre of the wedgegave us rest. Only a few arrows fell there now and then; but the timefor using bows was past, seeing that we were hand to hand with all theLindsey host. And then I saw that Sigurd had done what we had failed in,for he had reached the shield wall that was round the king himself. Andfor a moment I was savage that the chance came to him so soon after Ihad left the fighting line; but then I minded that Eglaf, my friend,would be there, and I was glad that I need not cross swords with himafter all. I had thought of that happening before the fight began, butin the turmoil of hottest struggle I had forgotten it.

  Now Sigurd was before the thick mass of the housecarls, and hand to handwith them; and then he was among them, and he leapt at the bridle ofAlsi's horse and grasped it. I saw the king's sword flash down on hishelm, and he reeled under the stroke, but without letting go of therein. Then the housecarls made a rush, and bore back our men, and thehorse reared suddenly. There was a wild shout, and the war saddle wasempty; and again our men surged forward, so that I could not see whathad happened.

  But now our Welshmen had been beaten back from the wings--not easily,but for want of training--and they were forced back across the brook,and there held our bank well, giving way no step further. The water keptthem in an even front, against their will, as it were; and Alsi's mencharged them in vain, knee deep in the stream that ran red. But that letloose the men who had been held back from us; and now we were overborneby numbers, and we began to go back. That was the worst part of thewhole fight, and the hardest hour of all the battle, as may be supposed,for the wedge grew closer, as it was forced together by sheer weight.None ever broke into it.

  Presently our rear was on the water's edge, and it seemed likely that incrossing there might be a breaking of the line; and when he saw that,Havelok called to me, and he went to the front with the courtmen roundhim. It was good to hear the cheers of our men as they saw the dancingbanner above the fight, and beneath it, in the bright sun, thegold-circled helm of their king. The Lindseymen drew back a foot's paceas they saw the giant who came on them, and I heard some call that thiswas Curan of Grimsby, as if in wonder. Then we had to fight hard, andSigurd fell back past me, with a wound on his shoulder where Alsi'ssword had glanced from the helm. No life had been left to Sigurd had abetter hand wielded the weapon; but he was not badly hurt. I could notsee Alsi anywhere, nor Eglaf.

  Steadily the numbers drove us back, though before Havelok was always aspace into which men hardly dared to come. The wedge was pushed awayfrom us, and we had to fall back with it, until we crossed the stream;and there Sigurd swung the massed men into line, and then came the firstpause in the fight. The two hosts stood, with the narrow water betweenthem, and glared on each other, silent now. And then the bowmen began toget to work from either side, until the arrows were all gone.

  Now Havelok called to the foe, and they were silent while he spoke to them.

  "Is Alsi yet alive?" he said; "for if not, I have no war with his men.If he is, let me speak with him."

  None answered for a while, and the men looked at each other as if theyknew not if the man they were fighting for lived or not.

  Then one came forward and said, "Alsi lives, and we have not done withyou yet. Get you back to your home beyond the sea!"

  And then they charged us again; but the water was a better front for usthan it had been for them, and across it they could not win. We drovethem back once and twice; and again came a time when both sides werewearied and must needs rest.

  So it went on until night fell. We never stirred from tha
t water's edge,and the stream was choked with valiant English and hardy Danes; and yetthe attacks came with the shout of "Out! out!" and the answer from us of"Havelok, ahoy!"

  At last one who seemed a great chief came and cried a truce, for nightwas falling; and he said that if Havelok would claim no advantagetherefrom, the men of Lindsey would get back from the field, and leaveit free for us to take our fallen.

  "But I must have your word that with the end of that task you go back tothe place you now hold, that we may begin afresh, if it seems good tous, in the morning."

  Then said Havelok, "That is well spoken, and I cannot but agree. Who areyou, however, for I must know that this is said with authority?"

  "I am the Earl of Chester," he answered. "Alsi has set the leading ofthe host in my hands, for he is hurt somewhat."

  "I