Free Egil’s Saga by E. R. Eddison Page A

man-spill, as there it tended toward: bade him the rather fare home to Scotland; but Athelstane will find him, as gift of friendship, a shilling of silver for every plough in all his realm, and will that they league themselves together in friendship”.
    But when the messengers come to King Olaf, then was he in hand to make ready his war-host and was minded to ride out to battle; but when the messengers bare up their errand, then the King stayed his journey as for that day: sat then to take rede, and the captains of his host of war along with him. All unlike were men’s counsels in this matter. Some urged much that they should take that choice: said that here was then befallen the greatest glory of their journey, if they should fare home and have taken gild so great of Athelstane. Some letted it, and said that Athelstane would bid much more the next time, if that were not taken; and this rede they determined on.
    Then besought the messengers that King Olaf should give them time to see King Athelstane and try if he would pay yet more gild out of hand so that there might be peace. They bade a truce of one day for riding home, and another for taking counsel, and yet a third for coming back again. The King yea-said them this.
    Fare the messengers home, and come back the third day, as was appointed: say to King Olaf that Athelstane will give all, even as he bade before, and besides, for a booty-sharing for King Olaf’s host, a shilling for every man freeborn, and a mark for every captain of a company, to them that hold command over twelve men or more, and a mark of gold to every leader of a bodyguard, and five marks of gold to every earl. And now the King let bear this up before his folk. It was even as before, that some letted but some urged it. But in the end, the King gave his ruling: saith that this choice he will take, if that follow withal, that King Athelstane let him have all Northumberland with those scats and dues which there belong.
    The messengers ask for yet three days’ delay, and this withal, that King Olaf send now men of his own to hear the word of King Athelstane, whether he will or not have this choice: say that they think that King Athelstane would let few things stand in the way, so peace might be gotten.
    King Olaf saith yea to that, and sendeth men of his own to King Athelstane. Ride then the messengers all together and find King Athelstane in that burg that was nighest to the heath on the south side. The messengers of King Olaf bear up theirerrand before King Athelstane, and their peace-offer. King Athelstane’s men said too with what offers they had fared to King Olaf, and this withal, that that was by the rede of wise men, to delay so the battle while the King was not come.
    But King Athelstane gave swift ruling in this matter, and said unto the messengers as thus: “Bear these words of mine unto King Olaf, that I will give him leave for this, to fare home to Scotland with his folk: and let him pay back all that fee that he took up with wrongfulness here in the land. Set we here thenceforth peace between our lands, and let neither harry other. That shall follow too, that King Olaf shall become my man, and hold Scotland from me, and be under-king of mine. Fare ye now”, saith he, “back again, and say to him that so it standeth”.
    The messengers turned back on their way forthwith that evening, and came to King Olaf near middle night. Waked they up the King then, and said to him straightway the words of King Athelstane.
    The King let straightway call to him the earls and other captains: let then the messengers come to him and say out loud their errand’s ending and the words of King Athelstane. But when these things were made known to the men of his host, then was there but one thing in the speech of all of them, that that would lie next to do, to make ready for battle. The messengers said this withal, that Athelstane had a throng of folk, and that he had on that same day come to the burg when the