thbrodd sent in governors, wanting to free his country from alien
rule, he posted his people about the city and prevailed and slew them.
Also he annihilated Hothbrodd himself and all his forces in a naval
battle; so avenging fully the wrongs of his country as well as of his
brother. Hence he who had before won a nickname for slaying Hunding, now
bore a surname for the slaughter of Hothbrodd. Besides, as if the
Swedes had not been enough stricken in the battles, he punished them by
stipulating for most humiliating terms; providing by law that no wrong
done to any of them should receive amends according to the form of legal
covenants. After these deeds, ashamed of his former infamy, he hated his
country and his home, went back to the East, and there died. Some think
that he was affected by the disgrace which was cast in his teeth, and
did himself to death by falling upon his drawn sword.

He was succeeded by his son Rolf, who was comely with every gift of mind
and body, and graced his mighty stature with as high a courage. In his
time Sweden was subject to the sway of the Danes; wherefore Athisl, the
son of Hothbrodd, in pursuit of a crafty design to set his country free,
contrived to marry Rolf's mother, Urse, thinking that his kinship by
marriage would plead for him, and enable him to prompt his stepson more
effectually to relax the tribute; and fortune prospered his wishes. But
Athisl had from his boyhood been imbued with a hatred of liberality, and
was so grasping of money, that he accounted it a disgrace to be called
openhanded. Urse, seeing him so steeped in filthy covetousness, desired
to be rid of him; but, thinking that she must act by cunning, veiled the
shape of her guile with a marvellous skill. Feigning to be unmotherly,
she spurred on her husband to grasp his freedom, and urged and tempted
him to insurrection; causing her son to be summoned to Sweden with a
promise of vast gifts. For she thought that she would best gain her
desire if, as soon as her son had got his stepfather's gold, she could
snatch up the royal treasures and flee, robbing her husband of bed
and money to hoot. For she fancied that the best way to chastise his
covetousness would be to steal away his wealth. This deep guilefulness
was hard to detect, from such recesses of cunning did it spring; because
she dissembled her longing for a change of wedlock under a show of
aspiration for freedom. Blind-witted husband, fancying the mother
kindled ag