ous for his name
and burial-place. Wiglek's administration of the kingdom was long and
peaceful, and he died of disease.

WERMUND, his son, succeeded him. The long and leisurely tranquillity of
a most prosperous and quiet time flowed by and Wermund in undisturbed
security maintained a prolonged and steady peace at home. He had no
children during the prime of his life, but in his old age, by a belated
gift of fortune, he begat a son, Uffe, though all the years which had
glided by had raised him up no offspring. This Uffe surpassed all of his
age in stature, but in his early youth was supposed to have so dull and
foolish a spirit as to be useless for all affairs public or private.
For from his first years he never used to play or make merry, but was so
void of all human pleasure that he kept his lips sealed in a perennial
silence, and utterly restrained his austere visage from the business of
laughter. But though through the years of his youth he was reputed
for an utter fool, he afterwards left that despised estate and became
famous, turning out as great a pattern of wisdom and hardihood as he had
been a picture of stagnation. His father, seeing him such a simpleton,
got him for a wife the daughter of Frowin, the governor of the men of
Sleswik; thinking that by his alliance with so famous a man Uffe would
receive help which would serve him well in administering the realm.
Frowin had two sons, Ket and Wig, who were youths of most brilliant
parts, and their excellence, not less than that of Frowin, Wermund
destined to the future advantage of his son.

At this time the King of Sweden was Athisl, a man of notable fame and
energy. After defeating his neighbours far around, he was loth to leave
the renown won by his prowess to be tarnished in slothful ease, and by
constant and zealous practice brought many novel exercises into vogue.
For one thing he had a daily habit of walking alone girt with splendid
armour: in part because he knew that nothing was more excellent in
warfare than the continual practice of arms; and in part that he might
swell his glory by ever following this pursuit. Self-confidence claimed
as large a place in this man as thirst for fame. Nothing, he thought,
could be so terrible as to make him afraid that it would daunt his
stout heart by its opposition. He carried his arms into Denmark, and
challenged Frowin to battle near Sleswik. The armies routed one another
with vast slaughter, and it happened that th