When the lawman had spoken those laws of old that bore on this day’s gathering, two guards brought Glum onto the open ground and forward to the king. He shambled along amidst the eyes until he halted and stood hunched. Hadding’s words unrolled the tale of what had happened.
“I say that this man has broken faith,” he ended. “He swore he would ward the treasures. For that he was well housed, well clad, well fed, and well honored. But he lay sodden and unheeding. Thus we have suffered great loss—not only I, but the Skjoldung house and the whole kingdom. The rings that are gone were merely rings. The rest, though, was hallowed to my forebears, Dane-kings and Dane-queens. Power was in them, and luck. Now we have lost them.
“Glum Styrsson, you shall die. First have you aught to say for yourself?”
The hoardkeeper stiffened his back and met the king’s look. Suddenly his voice came steady. “Yes. I was less watchful than I might have been, but Lam old and maybe you should have had a younger man there. Leave me what honor is mine. Otherwise do as you will.”
Hadding nodded. “It’s true, once you fought beside my father. You shall die quickly on the gallows.”
Glum ran tongue over lips. “That is well,” he said; for by his bearing this day would men remember him.
The folk murmured agreement. A man-offering to Odin should help against the bad luck that was in the loss. And who knew but what the god would take the hanged man home to himself? No one wept except the small grandson he had been raising after the boy’s parents died, nor gave any thought to that.
The housecarles led Glum off. Hadding stood up. “Hearken,” he said aloud. “Among us are belike the thieves themselves. I speak to them. Think well. What gain is yours? Do you truly want to slink forth again, huddle in the woods at a Charcoal fire, make wreck of keepsakes that belonged to great men and famous deeds? Surely no good can come to you from it. In fear and trembling must you trade off what you bring to market. you will not dare ask for the full worth, nor openly enjoy what you buy. Or else you must carry the plunder away and drag out your lives among strangers, forever sick with longing for your motherland. Who will tend your graves, who will recall your names? What have you gained?
“Glum shall suffer death for what he did not do. The thieves need not suffer for what they did. It matters more to get the things back. I promise that whoever brings me the loot unharmed, him will I make welcome. Yes, I will bestow on him honors like to those that were Glum’s.”
He called on the lawman to set out the oath-ring. Laying his hand on it, he swore to those words, so help him the Vanir and almighty Thor. Wind strengthened, tossing his hair golden around his brows. It whistled. Cloud shadows hastened across the land and thunder began to growl from afar. Men looked at each other, muttered, and left as soon as the king told them the meeting was over.
After the hanging he went for a hunt in the wood with a few friends. They did not hope to stumble on the booty, but it would work some of the anger out of him He met the onset of a boar that ran up his spear until the tusks nearly gashed him before it died. Then he grew mild, almost cheerful.
They wended their way back. As he strode into the thorp around the hall, a strong-thewed, sooty man stepped from under a roof and hailed him. “Lord king,” he asked, “can we speak alone?”
Hadding knew the blacksmith Bosi. “Yes, of course,” he said, and waved his huntsmen aside. Those two went into the smithy. There, by the glow from the coals at the forge, Bosi brought forth, “I’ve been thinking over your words at the folkmoot, lord. Did you mean them?”
“All heard what I swore to,” Hadding answered.
“Then—” Bosi braced himself and went on in a rush: “I am one of those who lifted the treasure. I’ll give you back what I have.”
Hadding took the news quietly. “That is well,” he said. “I’ll abide by my oath. But can’t you show me the whole of it?”
“No, I fear not. We split it among us, and each took his share off to hide where only he knows. But I will return Skjold’s chain and many rings.”
“That is worth much,” Hadding said. “Better yet will be if you name the others.”
Bosi shook his head. “We swore blood brotherhood.” He gulped. “You did not say you wanted us to break our own oath.”
“No, I did not,” Hadding yielded. “Come with me and take your reward. Maybe they too will think twice.”
Bosi walked stiffly after him. That eventide in the hall Hadding called him to stand before the high seat. “This man did wrong,” he said aloud. “But he is doing his best to set things right. Therefore he shall have a ring off my arm and a place at our feast. Speak well to him, for he shall have more honors hereafter.”
However amazed, the men could not but take Bosi in among them and even try to talk with him. As the drink went around and they got mellow, his deed came to seem a daring one, cunningly thought out. There was good stuff in this fellow, they agreed. Henceforward he could put it to good use and win a famous name.
Indeed, Hadding stayed very friendly to him. Although Bosi was not a weaponsmith, the king asked him to make a sword and paid far
