chastity, proferring
the occupations of war to those of wedlock.

Meanwhile Aswid died of an illness, and was consigned with his horse
and dog to a cavern in the earth. And Asmund, because of his oath of
friendship, had the courage to be buried with him, food being put in for
him to eat.

Now just at this time Erik, who had crossed the uplands with his army,
happened to draw near the barrow of Aswid; and the Swedes, thinking
that treasures were in it, broke the hill open with mattocks, and saw
disclosed a cave deeper than they had thought. To examine it, a man was
wanted, who would lower himself on a hanging rope tied around him. One
of the quickest of the youths was chosen by lot; and Asmund, when he saw
him let down in a basket following a rope, straightway cast him out and
climbed into the basket. Then he gave the signal to draw him up to those
above who were standing by and controlling the rope. They drew in the
basket in the hopes of great treasure; but when they saw the unknown
figure of the man they had taken out, they were scared by his
extraordinary look, and, thinking that the dead had come to life, flung
down the rope and fled all ways. For Asmund looked ghastly and seemed to
be covered as with the corruption of the charnel. He tried to recall the
fugitives, and began to clamour that they were wrongfully afraid of a
living man. And when Erik saw him, he marvelled most at the aspect of
his bloody face: the blood flowing forth and spurting over it. For
Aswid had come to life in the nights, and in his continual struggles had
wrenched off his left ear; and there was to be seen the horrid sight of
a raw and unhealed scar. And when the bystanders bade him tell how he
had got such a wound, he began to speak thus:--

"Why stand ye aghast, who see me colourless? Surely every live man fades
among the dead. Evil to the lonely man, and burdensome to the single,
remains every dwelling in the world. Hapless are they whom chance hath
bereft of human help. The listless night of the cavern, the darkness of
the ancient den, have taken all joy from my eyes and soul. The ghastly
ground, the crumbling barrow, and the heavy tide of filthy things have
marred the grace of my youthful countenance, and sapped my wonted pith
and force. Besides all this, I have fought with the dead, enduring the
heavy burden and grievous peril of the wrestle; Aswid rose again and
fell on me with rending nails, by hellish might renewing ghastly warfar