which he dropped into the chieftain's palm.
Yellow Hair commanded the last treasure box to be returned to the ship, and then sat down cross-legged on the oxhide, holding his cup in one hand and his bowl in the other. At once the oxhide was taken up and lifted high, and the barbarian chieftain was carried into the fortress upon the shoulders of his people, who followed with much loud acclaim.
My barbarian summoned me from the ship, where I stood watching all that passed on the strand. I climbed over the rail and joined my new master, who put a hand to his chest and said, 'Yuu-nar.' Patting his chest, he repeated this word several times, nodding at me with an expression of intent expectation.
'Yu-nar,' I replied, pronouncing the odd-sounding name as well as I could.
He smiled, pleased with my effort, said, 'Gunnar,' again, then tapped me on the chest hopefully.
'Aidan,' I told him. 'I am Aidan.'
Gunnar appeared thoughtful. 'Ed-dan,' he said.
'Aidan,' I corrected gently, nodding. 'Aeedan.'
'Aeddan,' he replied.
I was on the cusp of correcting him again, when he suddenly raised his hands, took me by the throat and squeezed hard. I struggled to remove his hands, but he pressed the harder, and I began to fear he would choke me to death. My eyes bulged and I fought for breath. Gunnar forced me to my knees. Black spots crowded my vision, and I croaked, 'Mercy!'
Only then did he release me. I gasped, drawing air into my lungs. Standing over me, Gunnar took a length of leather strap, such as might be used to leash a dog, and proceeded to tie it around my neck; he looped it two or three times and tied it tight. Then, with a grunt, he extended his right hand to me. I thought he meant to raise me up, so I took the offered hand. He shook off my grip and thrust his hand nearer my face.
When I made no further move, he took my head with his free hand and held it while he pressed the back of his right hand to my forehead. I understood this gesture to mean that he considered himself my master, and I his slave, indebted to him for my life, which he held in his hands.
He turned away and strode towards the fortress, stopping after a few strides to see if I was following him. When he saw that I was still on my knees, he uttered a sharp word of command-which I took to mean that I was to attend him. I rose and proceeded to the settlement behind my master.
We approached the high gates and I trembled with fear and dread. I crossed myself and invoked divine protection, saying, 'Shield me with a mighty shielding, Lord. Let Michael, Chief of Hosts, go before me into this dread place. My soul between thy hands, Great King, thy wings surrounding me in this sea of unrighteousness. So be it!'
Thus sustained, I made the sign of the cross over my heart and entered the fortress, passing through the enormous gates and into that heathen domain.
I had never seen a barbarian habitation before, but I had heard men tell of the settlement at Dubh Llyn; apart from the absence of the river, this might have been that very place. The dwellings were large, squat mud-and- timber lodges with steep-peaked thatched roofs; there were seven of these lodges, each one made to serve fifteen or twenty people.
One great structure stood apart from the others, holding centre place within the timber walls. Two slender birch poles stood before this dwelling, their tops adorned with wreaths and boughs of fresh-cut branches tied with white and yellow rags. Even without the birch poles I would have known the place as Yellow Hair's hall.
Passing among the dwellings and across the wide yard, Gunnar and I followed the throng between the birch poles and into the great hall. The room was a dim and very forest-like, with the boles of trees standing the length of the hall, their branches obscured in the smoky darkness of the roof. These rooftrees were painted: red, white, and yellow, but one-that nearest the western corner where the king had his chamber, though it was little more than a stall such as often given to horses-was painted blue.
Sooty torches fluttered in their iron sconces, casting a dim filthy light over all within. The length of the room was lined with sleeping nooks or stalls, some of which were fronted by screens or skin hangings for privacy. Round wooden shields hung from the upper beams above clusters of spears. Two long boards on trestles faced the hearth, with low benches running the length of the boards on either side. The floor was strewn with reeds and straw; dogs sprawled lazily underfoot, or sniffed around the legs of the newcomers.
All lords are alike in the ostentation of their dwellings, and the barbarians are especially given to excessive display. Yellow Hair's chair was a big, oaken throne with rings and bosses of iron; his hearth was wide and deep, stone-lined, with huge iron firedogs to support the vast logs he kept burning day and night. An enormous bronze cauldron hung by a double-linked chain from a tripod; the contents of this kettle bubbled and spluttered.
Lord Yellow Hair strode directly to the gurgling pot and, taking up a long flesh-fork, thrust the implement into the stew. He brought up a steaming hunk of meat which he brought to his mouth and from which he worried off a chunk. Chewing heartily, he swallowed the gobbet down, then turned to those looking on and called in a loud voice: 'Ol!' he cried. 'Ol! Fort!'
Several young boys scampered away, returning a few moments later with foaming bowls of brown ale-the preferred drink of all Danemen. Yellow Hair drank deep, emptying the bowl into his mouth and quaffing the heavy liquid in great gulps. When he finished, he wiped his yellow moustache on his sleeve, passed the bowl to his champion, and swaggered to his throne, turned to the watching crowd and, with exceeding ceremony, sat down.
This, I believe, was an awaited sign, for no sooner had his lordly rump touched the polished oak, than the entire hall lurched into frantic motion. Instantly, men were jostling one another for places at the board while women darted here and there, and everyone in full cry. The noise! Chaos reigned. My head swam.
Gunnar took his place with the other Sea Wolves who had settled themselves at the board. I was made to stand behind him-not a bad place to be, for there I could observe the bustle of the hall without getting trampled in it-while all around me the people of the settlement prepared a feast.
Ale jars and bowls began appearing, brought to the board by the serving boys running through the hall. The Sea Wolves guzzled down the frothy brew, elbowing one another impatiently, slapping the board with their hands and crying for more. Cups and jars and bowls circled the hall, passed hand to hand.
Several men entered carrying a large vat which they set on an iron stand beside their lord's throne. They proceeded to plunge empty bowls into the vat, and withdrew the vessels full and foaming, and flung them into the maelstrom. Watching the men drink with such zeal, I became aware of my own clawing thirst, but no one gave me anything to drink-nor did I think it likely that they would.
As the Sea Wolves settled to their drinking, the women and girls hastened forth with baskets of black bread. The sight of all those fine round loaves brought the water to my mouth and a sharp ache to my poor empty stomach. I watched as basket after basket was placed upon the board and men took up loaves-two and three at a time! — broke them and stuffed them into their mouths.
Meanwhile, several men busied themselves at the fire. Two iron standards were established on either side of the hearth, and when this was accomplished and the flames brightly hot, the men vanished, only to reappear bearing the whole carcass of a cow on a long iron spit. Three spitted pigs and two sheep followed, and all were placed on the standards to turn slowly over the flames. Soon the crack and sizzle of burning fat was added to the chatter of the flames, and the great hall filled with the savoury aroma of roasting meat.
I thought I would swoon.
To divert myself from my dilemma I looked elsewhere around the hall and saw, sitting on a stool in a darkened corner, a bent old man; what is more, this man was staring at me most intently. When he saw that I marked his gaze, he rose and shuffled forth-more bear than man, so he seemed, for he was dressed in the shreds of filthy rags and his head weaved back and forth as he walked.
His features were begrimed with soot and dirt, and the few straggles of hair left to him were a tangled mat of straw and dung. Round-shouldered and lame, he shambled out of his corner to stand before me, regarding me with eyes so wide and lustrous I assumed he must be mad.
This wretched being stood looking at me for some time, then leaned forward and put his face up next to mine, reached up a grimy hand and rubbed the top of my head-whereupon he laughed out loud, expelling a breath so foul that I gagged and beat the air with my hand. He laughed the more, and I rocked backwards on my heels almost to falling over.
The old man gave my shaven forehead a last pat, opened his mouth in a toothless grin and said, 'What is
