Free Egil’s Saga by E. R. Eddison

through all the land; because they sawthat else it should be but slow work of gathering so great throng of men as was need of, if the King himself drew not the folk unto him.
    But that host of war that then was come together there, thereover the King set then as captains Thorolf and Egil. They should command that host which the vikings had had thither unto the King, but Alfgeir himself had then still the command over his own host. Then found the King withal captains of companies, as seemed him good.
    Now when Egil came back from the meeting to his fellows, then asked they what he knew to tell them of tidings of the Scots-King. He quoth: 1
    Olaf hath hurl’d one war-lord
    In mad flight before him—
    (’S a hard man to hold Thing with,
    That Prince)—and fell’d another.
    Paths far a-gley must Godrek Tread in those deadly moorlands.
    Englanders’ scourge hath ’neath him
    Of Alfgeir’s land the half laid.
    And now send they messengers to King Olaf, and find this for their errand: that King Athelstane will hazel him a field, 2 and will offer him for battle-place Winaheath 3 beside Winawood; and he will that they harry not in his land, but let that one of them rule the realm of England who shall get the victory in that battle. He laid down a week’s delay for their meeting, and let that one bide a week for the other, whichsoever shall come there first.
    Now that was then the wont, as soon as a field was hazelled for a king, that he could not harry (without shame unto himself) until the battle was over. King Olaf did on such wise, that he halted his war-host and harried not and bided till the day ap pointed. Then flitted he his war-host to Winaheath. A burg stood to the north of the heath. King Olaf sat him down there in the burg, and had there the most part of his folk, because there were wide settled parts round about, and he thought it better there for the getting in of that provision that the war-host had need of. But he sent men of his up upon the heath, therewhere the battle-place was appointed: they should take there places for tents and make things ready there before the host of war came.
    But when those men came to the place where the field was hazelled, then were set up there hazel-poles all round to mark out where that place was where the battle should be. Needful it was to choose that place carefully, that it should be level, where a great host of war should be arrayed. And so it was there, where the battle-place should be, that there was a level heath, and one way from it fell a certain river, and another way from it was a great wood. But there where it was shortest betwixt the wood and the river, and that was yet a long way, there had King Athelstane’s men pitched their tents. Their tents stood on all the ground betwixt the wood and the river. They had so pitched their tents that there were no men in every third tent, and few withal in any one; but when King Olaf’s men came to them then had they thronged their men forth before all the tents, and King Olafs men found no means of coming into them. Athelstane’s men said that their tents were all full of men, so that there was nowhere near room for the host that was theirs. Withal, the tents stood so high that there was no seeing over them, whether they stood many deep or few only.
    They thought, that there must be a war-host indeed.
    King Olaf’s men pitched their tents north of the hazels, and the ground was all somewhat falling away on that side. Athelstane’s men said, too, from one day to another, that their King would then come (or would be come already) into that burg that was southaway under the heath. Folk drew to them both day and night. But when that appointed time was passed that had been fixed, then send Athelstane’s men errand-runners to see King Olaf with these words, that Athelstane the King is ready for battle, and “Hath a host of war exceeding great. But he sendeth to King Olaf these words, that he will not that they make so great