Egil’s Saga by E. R. Eddison Page A

need seemeth and hardest work toward”.
    Thorolf spake: “Let the King have his way, 1 where he will post us two. Let us do for him as he shall like. I will be, if thou hadst rather, there where thou art posted”.
    Egil saith: “You will have your way now. But of this ordering belike I’ll oft repent me”.
    Went men then into their battle-array, even as the King had ordered, and the banners were set up. The King’s battle stood on the open country reaching to the river, but Thorolf’s battle fared the upper way along the wood.
    King Olaf took then to drawing up of his host, when he saw that King Athelstane had drawn up his. He, too, made two battles, and he let fare his banner, and that battle that he himself had command of, against King Athelstane and his battle. They had then of either party a war-host so great that there was no odds betwixt them, which had the greater throng of men; but the other battle of King Olaf fared near the wood, against that host that Thorolf had command over. The captains there were Scottish earls. That was Scots for the most part, and that was a great host of men.
    And now go their battle-arrays together, and there soon befell there a great battle. Thorolf set on hard and let bear his banner forward beside the wood, and was minded there to go so far forward as he might come at the King’s battle at open shields. 2 They had their shields before them, but the wood was on theirright: they let it cover them on that side. Thorolf went forth so far that few men of his were before him; and when he was least on his guard, then leap there out of the wood Earl Adils and that company that followed him. Turned there straightway many halberds at once against Thorolf, and he fell there by the wood-side; but Thorfid, who bare the banner, sprang back there where the host stood thicker, but Adils set on then against them, and there was then a great battle. The Scots whooped then the whoop of victory, since they had felled the captain.
    But when Egil heard that whoop, and saw that Thorolf’s banner turned heel, then he thought he knew that Thorolf himself would not be following it. And now leapt he thither, forth betwixt the battle-lines. He was quickly ware of those tidings that were there befallen, soon as he found his men. Then egged he on the host much to the onset. He was first in the battle-front. He had the sword Nadder in his hand. He set on there and hewed on either hand and felled many men. Thorfid bare the banner close after him, but the rest of the host followed the banner: the battle was there of the sharpest. Egil went forth till he was met with Earl Adils. They had few blows betwixt them before Earl Adils fell, and a mort of men about him; but after his fall, then fled that host that had followed him, but Egil and his host followed them and slew all they caught, for no need there was then to bid for quarter.
    But those Scottish earls stood then no long time, soon as they saw that the others, their fellows, fled; took straight to running away. But Egil and his held on then to where was the King’s battle, and came upon them at open shields, and wrought there swiftly great man-fall. Then was their battle-line riddled and all loosed asunder. Fled then many of Olaf’s men, but the vikings whooped then the whoop of victory. Now when King Athelstane thought he found that the battle of King Olaf began to break, then egged he on his host and let bear forward the banners: made then a hard onset so that the host of Olaf rocked before it, and there befell there exceeding great man-fall. There fell King Olaf 3 and the most part of that host that Olaf had had, because they who turned to flight were all slain that were caught.
    King Athelstane gat there an exceeding great victory.

CHAPTER LV. EGIL IN KING ATHELSTANE’S HALL.
    K ING ATHELSTANE turned from the battle, but his men drave the flight. He rode back to the burg and stayed not for night-quarters until he was in the burg; but Egil drave the