Styrbiorn the Strong

and folk both of the mainland and of the isles, in such sort that the terror of the name of Jomsburg was upon all the dwellers in those lands beyond aught that had been heard of aforetime. For Styrbiorn, sailing oft in raids and onslaughts with but a few ships, seemed to run all danger out of breath, nor might any host hold ground against him nor escape his onset. And the report did fly of him throughout Wendland and Garthrealm and Estland and all those lands of the eastern seas, that he was no man, but a troll which irons bite not; and under that fear went his enemies against him into battle. But as many as he overcame and conquered he bound to him with oaths and treaties and obliged men far and wide to host-faring with him. And men marked, too, this strange thing of him, that, for all the awe and fear folk had of him, yet there was a scarce a man that once spake with him and knew him face to face but was glad ever after to do his will and be his man. For he drew men to him as the lodestone draws iron.

After that, he bare war into Wendland, holding it time that the Wends should stand no longer in doubt whether Jomsburg, that was planted on their land’s edge, were theirs or its own. But here gathered against him the war-rush of the Wends, and therewithal King Burisleif, having with him so huge a throng of fighting men as outmanned the Jomsburgers by five or six to one, seized the river banks of both sides below the fleet that had rowed far upstream into the inland parts. And the Wends cast booms athwart the river, cutting off for the men of Jomsburg their way of flight, had that seemed best to them. Their battle there was of the hardest, and there fell many a man of either side, for the Wends were good fighters and the odds by common reckoning hopeless against the men of Jomsburg. Yet in the end, after a long day’s battle, Styrbiorn won the day. These were his peace terms with King Burisleif, that Palnatoki should henceforth hold an Earl’s name and dignity, and the Wends should be at peace henceforth with them of Jomsburg and acknowledge them for their friends and allies, and should aid and comfort them every way they might from that day forth. King Burisleif gave Styrbiorn great store of gifts and treasures, and bound himself to fetch Styrbiorn ships and men to go a-warring with him whensoever he should call for them.

It now drew toward midsummer. They brought home their spoil to Jomsburg and bestowed it there and set their gear in order. Then Styrbiorn said, “That will I now, that we sail in west-viking. And first, into Denmark.”

It was easy to see that Palnatoki liked not well of this rede. “A Dane am I by kin,” said he, “and my home is in Fion. And plainly I hold not myself for a bigger man than King Harald Gormson, seeing I was content to be fosterer of his son. Give us not too hard a choice.”

At that, Styrbiorn looked black on him for an instant. Then his brow cleared. “I ought not to have asked thee for this, Palnatoki,” he said, and took him by the hand. “Let be, then. We will think on some other way.”

“That is generous in thee,” said Palnatoki. “And that is but what we have learnt to look for in thee, we that be thy friends. But now I will not be behindhand with thee in friendship, nor use thee so unhandsomely, seeing I swear oath to aid thee. And thou shalt have thy way, be it even into Denmark.”

So this was now determined on. Only it seemed good to Palnatoki that he should not himself be with them on this sailing, thinking that, when the time should come, the King should then the easier be brought to eat out of his hand if he should have had no share in the putting of force upon him. So this was their rede, that Palnatoki with those sons of Strut-Harald and one half of the whole fleet that was now in Jomsburg should sail again eastaway and withal raise more power in the east there, and be at tryst with Styrbiorn in Jomsburg the first full moon after midsummer. So might they thereafter all fare together a-warring until summer’s end.

Styrbiorn, having with him Biorn and the sons of Veseti and the rest of the host, sailed now in west-viking into Denmark and there made great unpeace. When he had gotten three victories in sea-fights there, he sailed through the Jutland sea into the Limfirth and found there the Dane-King and his host. The King deemed it not hopeful to fight with Styrbiorn, and they made peace there. King Harald had in those days a fair great house of his at Alaburg, and he bade Styrbiorn come ashore there and take guesting. Styrbiorn said yea to that, and now were the ships of King Harald and the ships of Styrbiorn some of them drawn up on the strand of the sea below Alaburg, while other some rode at anchor, for that was a windless haven and a wondrous good riding-place for ships. The King handselled peace to Styrbiorn before all the folk there, but they put off till the morrow all talk of terms and bargains.

That afternoon it so fell out that Styrbiorn, walking in the sun about the home-mead and whiling away the time with looking on the good byres and sheep-pens and on the fire-halls and bowers and other fair buildings that the King had in Alaburg, came on a sudden round a corner of the great hall face to face with Thyri, Harald’s daughter. She was bareheaded and the sun shone in blue gleams amid the jet-black curls and folds of her hair. She wore