The Story of Rolf and the Viking's Bow

by Allen French

  CHAPTER XVIII

  HOW THOSE TWO CAME INTO THRALDOM

  Two earls ruled in the Orkneys: Brusi and Thorfinn, half-brothers. Ofthe islands, two thirds were under Brusi, the elder; but besides histhird Thorfinn had inherited Caithness and Sunderland in Scotland fromhis grandfather the Scot king. So Thorfinn lived on those lands, andBrusi guarded all the isles; but Thorfinn complained that the guardwas ill-kept, since vikings harried oft in the isles, coming fromNorway or Denmark.

  There was a man named Ar the Peacock, who was a thane of Brusi theEarl and lived on the Mainland of Orkney. Now the Mainland of Orkneyis an island, and Ar ruled its northern end, having charge of thetribute to the Earl and the keeping of order. He lived at that placecalled Hawksness in Hawkdale, below the downs and sheepwalks, where isgood harbor in winter. Forty men he kept, and a war-ship; his hall wasgreat, and there was a stone church close by; fisher-folk and farmerslived in the same settlement.

  Ar was a vain man and fond of show, kindly but weak. Because he had nochild he had taken to him a lad to foster, who was called Grani theProud, Ar's Fosterling. Grani was tall and fair, of sixteen summers,skilled in games but ignorant of war. He was dear to hisfoster-father's heart, and Ar could deny him nothing.

  That war-ship of Ar's was for the ward of the isles, and Ar kept it atall times in readiness. One day news came that vikings were on thewest coast, plundering and burning. Ar sent for Sweyn, the master ofhis ship.

  "Thou shalt take the best of thy men," said Ar, "and search for thosevikings. And because Earl Thorfinn has complained that our work isill-done, thou shalt take all pains."

  Sweyn said he would.

  Then Grani stood before Ar, and said: "Thou hast many times promised Ishould go a-fighting. Now may I go with Sweyn, or wilt thou put me offyet another time?"

  Ar remembered that he had heard of but one viking-ship, so he said:"Thou mayest go."

  "Thou hast promised me thralls when the next captives are taken. May Ichoose them from this ship?"

  "Two thralls mayest thou have," answered Ar, "but all Orkneymen are tobe freed."

  When they made ready to go, Ar said to Sweyn that Grani should beguarded in the fight, and Sweyn promised to look well to that. Theywent on board and sailed round into the open sea; there they passedfirst the great cliffs, and then cruised along the shore, looking forthe ship of the vikings.

  Now the ship of those chapmen who had given passage to Rolf and Frodihad a good voyage; those two Broadfirthers were the only Icelandersaboard. To them the Orkneyingers boasted much of their land.

  "In spite of what ye say," quoth Rolf to them, "the Orkneys are nosuch safe place as Iceland, as I see clearly, now that we are nearingland."

  "In what dost thou see it?" asked the others.

  "With us are no sea-robbers," answered Rolf, "but ye have set a watchagainst vikings, and fear them."

  This the Orkneyingers could not deny, for they had kept a look-outever since they had neared the land. Yet all their care did not availthem, for they met a ship in the Pentland Firth, a war-ship,weather-stained and hardy; shields hung along its sides, and it sailedswiftly. When the chapmen saw the shields taken from the rail, theyknew that was a viking-ship. So the chapmen prepared to defendthemselves. Rolf got ready to fight; but when the vikings drew near,Frodi sat himself down on a rowing bench, and looked troubled.

  "Wilt thou not fight?" asked the shipmaster.

  Frodi answered: "It is not clear to me what I should do."

  "Shame on thee," cried the other, "if thou wilt not fight for the menwho harbored thee!"

  "So tall was she that the vikings could not board her"]

  So Frodi, all without arms, stood up as the two ships came together,and knew not where to place himself. The vikings came leaping aboard,and all began fighting in confusion; but the vikings were many andwere well armed, and the chapmen had no leader. Men fell dead atFrodi's side, and a viking came at him with brandished sword. Frodicaught him and hurled him into the water.

  Then he took those other vikings who came near him, and cast themoverboard one after another; "and it is no affair of mine," thoughthe, "if they cannot swim." And he cleared a space about him, but onefrom a distance cast at him a throwing-axe; it struck him flatwise onthe head, and down he fell.

  By this time the chapmen were ceasing to fight; but Rolf saw Frodifall, and fought the harder, to avenge him. The vikings penned him bythe rail, yet he broke through them; then when he passed near whereFrodi had fallen, Frodi rose up and caught Rolf by the waist, andsaid: "Now sit we down comfortably here together, for we have done ourpart." That was the end of the fight, for no men fought more, and thevikings gave peace to them.

  Now men began to shout from the water, where they were swimming. Threewere hauled up over the side. "How many," asked Rolf of Frodi,"threwest thou over?"

  Frodi turned white and would not answer.

  Then the vikings despoiled the ship of the chapmen and set her adrift,but the captives were set to row the war-ship. Rolf and Frodi toiledat one oar together, and sore was the labor, but not for long. For onthe third day, as they rowed under a bright sky with no wind, theyheard a clamor among the vikings, who cried that a long ship wasbearing down on them--an Orkney ship, great in size. Some of thevikings snatched their shields from the bulwarks and armed themselves;but many, crying that no mercy would be shown, would take no shields,and instead cast off their shirts of mail, preparing to go into battlebaresark.

  "Never have I seen that," said Rolf, "though much have I heard of it."For Northmen, in danger of death, often went into battle bare ofarmor, fighting with fury and mindless of wounds. They believed thatthus they came surely into Valhalla; but that was a custom of theheathen, and was not done by Christian folk.

  Rolf and Frodi were tied to their bench, and saw nothing of theOrkneymen as they came up astern. But at last the splash of oars washeard; next a grapple came flying aboard; then of a sudden the Orkneyship loomed alongside, and she was a big ship indeed. So tall was shethat the vikings could not board her; but from her the Orkneymen sentdown arrows, stones, and spears. Bodies of men fell among the rowers'benches, and Rolf and Frodi took each a shield, sat close together,and warded themselves against weapons. Then the Orkneyingers, havingcleared the waist of the viking-ship of fighters, came tumblingaboard.

  That was a fight with method, for the Orkneymen in two parties drovethe vikings to the stem and the stern, and so either slew them orthrust them into the sea. Very hot was the fighting, but it was short;the sixth part of an hour was not over when the fighting was finished.

  Now that Orkney ship was the ship of Ar the Peacock, and they who ledthe fighting were Sweyn and Grani. Sweyn drove the vikings to the bow;but Grani led those who fought in the stern, and two old fighting-menwarded him, one on either side. Grani did not know that they wereguarding him. When the fighting was finished, Sweyn and Grani met inthe waist, near where Rolf sat. Sweyn asked Grani if he had any wound.

  Grani said nay thereto. "But I gave wounds, and this has been a greatfight."

  "Now," said Sweyn, "let us free those who worked at the oars."

  "Remember," answered Grani, "that I am to have thralls from thecaptives."

  But of those who had been taken with the ship, it was found that allthe vikings were either dead or sore wounded; and all the rowers wereOrkneymen save only Rolf and Frodi.

  "No Orkneymen can I give thee as thrall," said Sweyn.

  Grani answered: "Then I take the two others."

  Then Rolf stood up and said: "Icelanders are we. Since when areIcelanders enthralled in the Orkneys, and why is this injustice?"

  "Ye are captives," said Grani. Sweyn took him aside to speak with him;but he would not listen, and said, pouting: "Ar promised me."

  "Take them then," replied Sweyn.

  Grani said to Rolf and Frodi: "Ye are my thralls; I will treat youwell. What are your names?"

  Rolf answered: "Rolf hight I."

  "Of what father and what place?"


  "A thrall," answered Rolf, "hath no father and no home."

  Frodi replied in like manner.

  "It is plain to see," said Sweyn, "that these two should be free men."

  "Let them win their freedom, then," answered Grani.

  Then a division of men was made, and Sweyn took the chapmen with himin the large ship, but Grani stayed on board the viking-ship as itsmaster. They sailed together for the Orkney coast.

  When night came Grani called Rolf and Frodi, and bade them watch byturns while he slept. "I will be a good master so long as ye serve mewell."

  Rolf thought Grani to be about his age, yet not so old in mind. Muchpleased was Grani to own thralls. He seemed kindly, but petulant anduncertain.