Part 8 (1/2)
”Knowest thou, lord,” she said, ”that hty h thou art, I think that thou shalt lout low before him”
”It will be a bad business if I am overthrown by an untried man,” said Ospakar, and was troubled in his mind, ”and it would be evil moreover to lose the sword For no price would I have it so”
”What wilt thou give ive thee two hundred in silver”
”Ask no questions and it shall be so,” said Groa
Now Eric ithout, taking note of the ground in the ring, and presently Groa called to her the thrall Koll the Half-witted, whom she had sent to Swinefell
”See,” she said, ”yonder by the wall stand the wrestling shoes of Eric Brighteyes Haste thee now and take grease, and rub the soles with it, then hold them in the heat of the fire, so that the fat sinks in Do this swiftly and secretly, and I will give thee three pennies”
Koll grinned, and did as he was bid, setting back the shoes just as they were before Scarcely was the deed done when Eric careased shoes upon his feet, for he feared no trick
Now everybody went out to the ring, and Ospakar and Eric stripped for wrestling They were clad in tight woollen jerkins and hose, and sheep-skin shoes were on their feet
They naame, and his word must be law to both of them Eric claimed that Asmund should hold the sword Whitefire that was at stake, but Ospakar gainsaid hi, Eric ive his eye--and about this they debated hotly Now the ment for Eric, ”for,” he said, ”if Eric yield up his eye into my hand, I can return it to his head no ood sword and conquers, it is easy for me to pass it back to hiame set Ospakar and Eric must wrestle thrice, and between each bout there would be a space while ht strike no blow at one another with hand, or head, or elbow, foot or knee; and it should be counted no fall if the haunch and the head of the fallen were not on the ground at the self-saed conquered and lose his stake
Asmund called these rules aloud in the presence of witnesses, and Ospakar and Eric said that should bind theave it to his son Gizur to hold
”Thou shalt soon know, youngling, how steel tastes in the eyeball,” he said
”We shall soon know s,” Eric answered
Now they drew off their cloaks and stood in the ring Ospakar was great beyond the bigness of men and his aroat Beneath the shoulder joint they were alhty, and the iant, and fierce as a Baresark, but still somewhat round about the body and heavy in movement
From him men looked at Eric
”Lo! Baldur and the Troll!” said Swanhild, and everybody laughed, since so it was indeed; for, if Ospakar was black and hideous as a troll, Eric was beautiful as Baldur, the loveliest of the Gods He was taller than Ospakar by the half of a hand and as broad in the chest Still, he was not yet coh his liainst the limbs of Ospakar But he was quick as a cat and lithe, his neck and arht eyes shone like spears
Now they stood face to face, with arave it and they circled round each other with ar Eric about the middle, tried to lift him, but with no avail Thrice he strove and failed, then Eric ain Eric ain he slipped, a third time and he slipped a third time, and before he could recover himself he was full on his back and fairly thrown
Gudruda saw and was sad at heart, and those around her said that it was easy to kno the game would end
”What said I?” quoth Swanhild, ”that it would go badly with Eric were Ospakar's arms about him”
”All is not done yet,” answered Gudruda ”Methinks Eric's feet slipped h he stood on ice”
But Eric was very sore at heart and couldof this th
He sat on the snow and Ospakar and his sons mocked hiood cheer, for fortune e
”I think that I around”